Маугли
The White Seal
Whenheheavedhimselfuponhisfrontflippershestoodmorethanfourfeetclearoftheground,andhisweight,ifanyonehadbeenboldenoughtoweighhim,wasnearlysevenhundredpounds.Hewasscarredalloverwiththemarksofsavagefights,buthewasalwaysreadyforjustonefightmore.Hewouldputhisheadononeside,asthoughhewereafraidtolookhisenemyintheface;thenhewouldshootitoutlikelightning,andwhenthebigteethwerefirmlyfixedontheotherseal’sneck,theothersealmightgetawayifhecould,butSeaCatchwouldnothelphim.
YetSeaCatchneverchasedabeatenseal,forthatwasagainsttheRulesoftheBeach.Heonlywantedroombytheseaforhisnursery.Butastherewerefortyorfiftythousandothersealshuntingforthesamethingeachspring,thewhistling,bellowing,roaring,andblowingonthebeachwassomethingfrightful.
FromalittlehillcalledHutchinson’sHill,youcouldlookoverthreeandahalfmilesofgroundcoveredwithfightingseals;andthesurfwasdottedalloverwiththeheadsofsealshurryingtolandandbegintheirshareofthefighting.Theyfoughtinthebreakers,theyfoughtinthesand,andtheyfoughtonthesmooth-wornbasaltrocksofthenurseries,fortheywerejustasstupidandunaccommodatingasmen.
