Маугли
The White Seal
Thentheywentinlandtotheholluschickiegroundsandrolledupanddowninthenewwildwheatandtoldstoriesofwhattheyhaddonewhiletheyhadbeenatsea.TheytalkedaboutthePacificasboyswouldtalkaboutawoodthattheyhadbeennuttingin,andifanyonehadunderstoodthemhecouldhavegoneawayandmadesuchachartofthatoceanasneverwas.Thethree—andfour-year-oldholluschickierompeddownfromHutchinson’sHillcrying:"Outoftheway,youngsters!Theseaisdeepandyoudon’tknowallthat’sinityet.Waittillyou’veroundedtheHorn.Hi,youyearling,wheredidyougetthatwhitecoat?"
"Ididn’tgetit,"saidKotick."Itgrew."Andjustashewasgoingtorollthespeakerover,acoupleofblack-hairedmenwithflatredfacescamefrombehindasanddune,andKotick,whohadneverseenamanbefore,coughedandloweredhishead.Theholluschickiejustbundledoffafewyardsandsatstaringstupidly.ThemenwerenolessthanKerickBooterin,thechiefoftheseal-huntersontheisland,andPatalamon,hisson.Theycamefromthelittlevillagenothalfamilefromtheseanurseries,andtheyweredecidingwhatsealstheywoulddriveuptothekillingpens—forthesealsweredrivenjustlikesheep—tobeturnedintoseal-skinjacketslateron.
"Ho!"saidPatalamon."Look!There’sawhiteseal!"
KerickBooterinturnednearlywhiteunderhisoilandsmoke,forhewasanAleut,andAleutsarenotcleanpeople.Thenhebegantomutteraprayer."Don’ttouchhim,Patalamon.
