Мауглі
The White Seal
Therehasneverbeenawhitesealsince—sinceIwasborn.PerhapsitisoldZaharrof’sghost.Hewaslostlastyearinthebiggale."
"I’mnotgoingnearhim,"saidPatalamon."He’sunlucky.DoyoureallythinkheisoldZaharrofcomeback?Iowehimforsomegulls’eggs."
"Don’tlookathim,"saidKerick."Headoffthatdroveoffour-year-olds.Themenoughttoskintwohundredtoday,butit’sthebeginningoftheseasonandtheyarenewtothework.Ahundredwilldo.Quick!"
Patalamonrattledapairofseal’sshoulderbonesinfrontofaherdofholluschickieandtheystoppeddead,puffingandblowing.Thenhesteppednearandthesealsbegantomove,andKerickheadedtheminland,andtheynevertriedtogetbacktotheircompanions.Hundredsandhundredsofthousandsofsealswatchedthembeingdriven,buttheywentonplayingjustthesame.Kotickwastheonlyonewhoaskedquestions,andnoneofhiscompanionscouldtellhimanything,exceptthatthemenalwaysdrovesealsinthatwayforsixweeksortwomonthsofeveryyear.
"Iamgoingtofollow,"hesaid,andhiseyesnearlypoppedoutofhisheadasheshuffledalonginthewakeoftheherd.
"Thewhitesealiscomingafterus,"criedPatalamon."That’sthefirsttimeasealhasevercometothekilling-groundsalone."
"Hsh!Don’tlookbehindyou,"saidKerick."ItisZaharrof’sghost!Imustspeaktothepriestaboutthis."
