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While still watching the birds at their game of grab, the spectators observe that the kelp-bed has become darker in certain places, as though from the weeds being piled up in swathes. "It's lowering to ebb-tide," remarks Captain Gancy, in reply to an interrogation from his wife, "and the rocks are awash. They'll soon be above water, I take it."
But, in the present case, the "festival" does not prove satisfactory, as the diving has yielded a poor return, and others of the savages therefore prepare to explore the kelp-bed the reef being now above water. Presently, enough of it is bare to afford footing, and off go the shell-gatherers in their canoes, taking the dogs along with them.
While seated at their midday meal, they have before their eyes a moving world of nature, such as may be found only in her wildest solitudes. All around the kelp-bed, porpoises are ploughing the water, now and then bounding up out of it; while seals and sea-otters show their human-like heads, swimming among the weeds.
A flock habitually frequents the kelp-bed, so that the boat-builders have them almost continuously before their eyes, and derive amusement from watching their odd ways and movements; listening also to the strange sounds that proceed from them.
The wherewithal for breakfast is, of course, their first consideration, and this they find along the strand and around the edge of the woods, though more sparingly than in their search yesterday. Only enough is obtained to afford them a stinted repast a mere luncheon. But the kelp-bed is still to be explored, and for this they must wait until the tide begins to ebb.
If they will stay but a week, all will be well, as by that time the boat will be finished, launched, and away. Confidence of brief duration, dispelled almost as soon as conceived! The canoes again appear on the open water at the point of the promontory, making around it, evidently intending to run between the kelp-bed and the shore, and probably to land by the shell-heap.
In this case, they will surely at some time come round, if but to despoil the kelp-bed of its shell-fish treasures. All is conjecture now, with continuing apprehension and suspense. To put an end to the latter, the two youths, alike impatient and impetuous, propose a reconnaissance, to go to the cranberry ridge and take a peep over it. "No!" objects Seagriff, restraining them.
The supply, however, proves less precarious than was anticipated, the kelp-bed yielding an unlimited amount of shell-fish.
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