THE TURTLES OF SAND-KEY ISLAND. 205 



same Avhich had come up a minute before to breatlie 

 at the surface. It was not a very large one, and I 

 had no great difficulty in landing him ; whereupon 

 Downing, in order to prevent his escape, turned him 

 over on his back, and stuck four little wedges of 

 wood into the apertures where the fins joined the 

 body, thus preventing all chance of locomotion. 



We soon had an abundant catch, and I had the 

 pleasure of counting upon the grass around us 

 fourteen turtles, some of them of very respectable 

 weight. 



As I was quietly watching the four lines before 

 me. Downing called to me in a low voice and pointed 

 out at a distance of about a hundred yards, and near 

 the corner of a small stream which flowed into the 

 lake, an enormous raccoon, with his brown back, 

 sharp muzzle, and tail striped with black and white. 

 The*raccoon had not yet seen us, and, in ignorance 

 of his danger, he was creeping about stealthily, and 

 sometimes getting on the trunk of a fallen tree as if 

 to get a better look-out over the water. " The brute 

 has come to fish," whispered Downing. 

 " Nonsense." 



" ^Tis true. The 'coons are very fond of turtle." 

 " No doubt ; but how will he catch one ? " 

 *' You'll see presently ; only have a little patience." 

 I took Downing's advice, who told me not to leave 

 the shelter of the foliage behind which we had con- 

 cealed ourselves ; so there I was, with my eyes wide 



