SAFE AT HOME 
121 
But it was a long, long way, and every now 
and again something black whisked along be¬ 
hind him, which he was sure must be a terrible 
Killer Whale; then again, something white 
and spotted like a Sea Leopard went swish, 
swish behind him, while great white things 
skimmed along overhead, and they were Great 
White Ivory Gull pirates, he knew. 
“I must keep going fast!” he breathed, 
looking over his shoulder, then holding his 
breath and paddling faster than ever. 
Finally, when Mannie came close to land 
he imagined that old robber Sheathbill was 
waiting to catch him and he was almost afraid 
to go right to land. He was afraid to stay in 
the sea, and afraid to go ashore! But as noth¬ 
ing came after him in the sea, and as he swam 
the shore, he discovered that what looked like 
robbers were only bits of snow shining in the 
moonlight. And so, after all, it must have been 
