Маугли
The White Seal
Thedistancetothekilling-groundswasonlyhalfamile,butittookanhourtocover,becauseifthesealswenttoofastKerickknewthattheywouldgetheatedandthentheirfurwouldcomeoffinpatcheswhentheywereskinned.Sotheywentonveryslowly,pastSeaLion’sNeck,pastWebsterHouse,tilltheycametotheSaltHousejustbeyondthesightofthesealsonthebeach.Kotickfollowed,pantingandwondering.Hethoughtthathewasattheworld’send,buttheroarofthesealnurseriesbehindhimsoundedasloudastheroarofatraininatunnel.ThenKericksatdownonthemossandpulledoutaheavypewterwatchandletthedrovecooloffforthirtyminutes,andKotickcouldhearthefog-dewdrippingoffthebrimofhiscap.Thentenortwelvemen,eachwithaniron-boundclubthreeorfourfeetlong,cameup,andKerickpointedoutoneortwoofthedrovethatwerebittenbytheircompanionsortoohot,andthemenkickedthoseasidewiththeirheavybootsmadeoftheskinofawalrus’sthroat,andthenKericksaid,"Letgo!"andthenthemenclubbedthesealsontheheadasfastastheycould.
TenminuteslaterlittleKotickdidnotrecognizehisfriendsanymore,fortheirskinswererippedofffromthenosetothehindflippers,whippedoffandthrowndownonthegroundinapile.ThatwasenoughforKotick.Heturnedandgalloped(asealcangallopveryswiftlyforashorttime)backtothesea;hislittlenewmustachebristlingwithhorror.
