CHAPTER XI 



BACK IN THE OLD HAUNTS 



On passing out of the old man's sight the otter 

 made for the cliffs, where he lay close, impatiently- 

 awaiting nightfall that he might return to his 

 mate. The light had scarcely faded when he 

 took to the water. Early though it was to be 

 abroad, he had not got far before he espied her 

 swimming towards him, and presently he saw 

 that she held a cub in her mouth. The reports 

 of the gun had made her apprehensive for the 

 safety of her young, the tiniest of which she was 

 removing first to the clitter. The sea was rough 

 and the spindrift blinding, yet she held on with 

 her precious burden till she had reached a cave 

 behind the boulders and laid the dripping mite 

 in a nest there. Then she hurried back for 

 another ; when that was placed beside the first 

 she fetched another, and yet another, till all four 

 were in safety. 



As soon as she had deposited the last she 

 assisted her mate to scour the sea-bed between 

 the cliffs and the Seal Rock in search of prey to 



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