INFANCY 21 



He hung for a moment, alert for sight of 

 others, then jerked about and continued on 

 his way. The spirit that broods over the 

 waters saw his raid and smiled : he was the 

 father of the school, and had fed on his 

 own young. 



Six days after this something else hap- 

 pened. It was an occurrence to start reflec- 

 tion over the accomplishment of maturity; 

 to cause one to think that all nature is 

 against the young, and that the few 

 who survive and reach adulthood have 

 achieved a signal victory not vouchsafed to 

 the many. 



A second bass swam into the cove, paler 

 of color than the first, and more slender. 

 She bore the markings of the female, for 

 she was the mother of the spawn. 



With sure confidence she charged the 

 school. Some leaped clear of the water in 

 their convulsive terror to escape. Others 

 darted for the protection of the friendly 

 bowlder, to hang trembling in its crevices. 

 But a few were less nimble. For their 

 inability to escape they paid the forfeit that 

 sooner or later nature ever exacts from all 

 of her children less fitted than others to sur- 



