his head would not go into it; and the eddy 

 there that used to hold him securely was now 

 of no consequence whatever. So he took 

 to cruising leisurely around the tiny world 

 that had once seemed to him so big and full 

 of danger. Danger? why, this was a place 

 of absolute peace compared with the dragon- 

 haunted green forests under the sea. He was 

 so big now that — 



A thrill tingled all through Kopseep as he 

 darted aside, making the shallow water roll 

 and bubble, and whirled and doubled madly, 

 and flashed in and out of the startled river 

 with a long, black, snaky wake doubling after 

 him, as if it were his own shadow that he 

 was trying to escape. Like a flash he rose 

 and leaped back, a clear eight feet, over the 

 shadow, which doubled swiftly and seized 

 another grilse that was plowing furrows in 

 a gravel nest. Out of the troubled waters 

 slid first the head, then the long back and 

 tail of an otter, which climbed the bank and 

 stood mewing over her catch. Two more 

 shadows glided into the river at her call, 

 making our grilse jump and flash away and 



367 



77} e Story 

 of Kopseep 



