, tail-like hind flippers, when the great, rounded snout of the
shark shot into the air above it. The monstrous shape descended upon
it, and fell back with it into the water, leaving only a splash and
trickle of blood upon the lip of the ledge. The other seals tossed
their heads wildly, jumped about on their fore-flippers, and barked in
lively dismay; and in a few moments, as if the matter had been put to
vote and carried unanimously, they betook themselves in haste to one
of the inner islands, where they knew that the shark, who hates shoal
water, would not venture to follow them.

In this sheltered archipelago the little herd might well have passed
the winter. But after a few weeks of content the southing spirit again
seized upon the old male who had hitherto been the unquestioned
leader. At this point, however, his authority went to pieces. When he
resumed the southward wandering, less than half the herd accompanied
him. But among those faithful were the Pup and his mild-eyed mother.

Rounding the extremity of Nova Scotia, the travellers crossed the
wide mouth of the Bay of Fundy, and lingered a few days about the
lofty headlands of Grand Manan. By this time they had grown so
accustomed to ships of all kinds, from the white-sailed fishing-smack
to the long, black, churning bulk of the ocean liner, that they no
longer heeded them any more than enough to give them a wide berth. One
and all, these strange apparitions appeared quite indifferent to
seals, so very soon the seals became almost indifferent to them. Off
the island of Campobello, however, something mysterious occurred which
put an end to this indifference, although none of the band could
comprehend it.

A beautiful, swift, white craft, with yellow gleams flashing here and
there from her deck as the sun caught her polished brasswork, was
cleaving the light waves northward. The seals, their round, dark heads
bobbing above the water at a distance of perhaps three hundred yards
from her port-quarter, gazed at the spectacle with childlike interest.
They saw a group of men eying them from the deck of the swift monster.
All at once from this group spurted two thin jets of flame. The Pup
heard some tiny vicious thing go close over his head with a cruel
whine, and _zip_ sharply through a wave-crest just beyond. On the
instant, even before the sharp clatter of the two reports came to
their ears, all the seals dived, and swam desperately to get as far
away as possible