Маугли
The White Seal
anothersealwhothoughtthatshewouldputoffmarryingtillthenextyear,andKotickdancedtheFire-dancewithheralldownLukannonBeachthenightbeforehesetoffonhislastexploration.Thistimehewentwestward,becausehehadfallenonthetrailofagreatshoalofhalibut,andheneededatleastonehundredpoundsoffishadaytokeephimingoodcondition.Hechasedthemtillhewastired,andthenhecurledhimselfupandwenttosleeponthehollowsofthegroundswellthatsetsintoCopperIsland.Heknewthecoastperfectlywell,soaboutmidnight,whenhefelthimselfgentlybumpedonaweed-bed,hesaid,"Hm,tide’srunningstrongtonight,"andturningoverunderwateropenedhiseyesslowlyandstretched.Thenhejumpedlikeacat,forhesawhugethingsnosingaboutintheshoalwaterandbrowsingontheheavyfringesoftheweeds.
"BytheGreatCombersofMagellan!"hesaid,beneathhismustache."WhointheDeepSeaarethesepeople?"
Theywerelikenowalrus,sealion,seal,bear,whale,shark,fish,squid,orscallopthatKotickhadeverseenbefore.Theywerebetweentwentyandthirtyfeetlong,andtheyhadnohindflippers,butashovel-liketailthatlookedasifithadbeenwhittledoutofwetleather.Theirheadswerethemostfoolish-lookingthingsyoueversaw,andtheybalancedontheendsoftheirtailsindeepwaterwhentheyweren’tgrazing,bowingsolemnlytoeachotherandwavingtheirfrontflippersasafatmanwaveshisarm.
"Ahem!"saidKotick.
