CHAPTER IX 



FROST AND FAMINE 



After the night on which the whelps were born 

 the otter repaired to his old hover on the point, 

 whence he could slip into the water by day and, 

 without exposing himself, catch what fish his 

 mate needed to make good the drain on her 

 strength. In going to and from the spot near 

 the nest where he left his takings for her he soon 

 beat a path amongst the reeds, by which the 

 little mother reached the mere at nightfall and 

 joined her mate in raiding the fish that seemed 

 more abundant than ever. Eels indeed were 

 scarce since the autumn migration, but of pike, 

 tench and bream there was great store. On 

 these the otters fed for the most part ; but occa- 

 sionally they fished in the sea, and took toll of 

 the pollack, plaice, conger and shell-fish found in 

 the inshore waters. They could not have wished 

 for greater variety of prey, and the supply seemed 

 as assured as it was inexhaustible. 



But there was soon to steal upon the unsus- 

 pecting creatures a frost which exceeded in 



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