When he reached the water, three or four of the animals were already floundering between him and the boat.

He waded slowly toward one of them, and stood beside it.

The man and the creature looked quietly at each other, and then the seal rolled over, with a snuffling, self-satisfied air, winking its soft eyes with immense complacency.
Helen, in her alarm, could not resist a smile at this conclusion of so terrible a demonstration; for, with all their gentle expression, the tusks of the brute looked formidable.

But, when she saw Hazel pushing them aside, and patting a very small cub on the back, she recovered her courage completely.
Then he took to his oars again; and aided by the tide, which was now on the ebb, he rowed round the southwestern extremity of the island.

He found the water here, as he anticipated, very shallow.
It was midday when they were fairly on the southern coast; and now, sailing with the wind aft, the cutter ran through the water at racing speed.