74 The Lair of Something Striped. 



Like silver arrows a troop of spearing 

 nervously dart from rock to wrack and 

 from algae to the surface, not stopping, 

 but alert, leaving a lazy enemy no hope. 

 What is it they fear in this quiet aisle ? 

 A slow tautog drops with the current into 

 the runway and then as deliberately has 

 gone. 



A shrimp escaping from the sprightly 

 pilot-fish stupidly backs straight into 

 the clutches of a dull sea anemone at 

 the bottom of the boulder. This is what 

 might be called a turn in affairs. The 

 pilot-fish knew how to catch a shrimp. 

 The anemone did not. The anemone 

 has the shrimp, however, and possessing 

 now a fortune it withdraws from old 

 friends and becomes exclusive and dis- 

 agreeable. 



A sinuous eel slides in and out among 

 the rocks, searching for love-lorn nereid, or 

 for mantis praying for relief from danger, 

 which is granted till danger comes, and 

 then he is lost, in spite of supplications, 

 for nature cares no more for the back- 

 sliding mantis than she does for sleek 



