The sea cows had separated and were browsing lazily along the edges of the finest beaches that Kotick had ever seen . There were long stretches of smooth-worn rock running for miles , exactly fitted to make seal-nurseries , and there were play-grounds of hard sand sloping inland behind them , and there were rollers for seals to dance in , and long grass to roll in , and sand dunes to climb up and down , and , best of all , Kotick knew by the feel of the water , which never deceives a true sea catch , that no men had ever come there . The first thing he did was to assure himself that the fishing was good , and then he swam along the beaches and counted up the delightful low sandy islands half hidden in the beautiful rolling fog . Away to the northward , out to sea , ran a line of bars and shoals and rocks that would never let a ship come within six miles of the beach , and between the islands and the mainland was a stretch of deep water that ran up to the perpendicular cliffs , and somewhere below the cliffs was the mouth of the tunnel . `` It 's Novastoshnah over again , but ten times better , '' said Kotick . `` Sea Cow must be wiser than I thought . Men ca n't come down the cliffs , even if there were any men ; and the shoals to seaward would knock a ship to splinters . If any place in the sea is safe , this is it . '' He began to think of the seal he had left behind him , but though he was in a hurry to go back to Novastoshnah , he thoroughly explored the new country , so that he would be able to answer all questions . Then he dived and made sure of the mouth of the tunnel , and raced through to the southward . No one but a sea cow or a seal would have dreamed of there being such a place , and when he looked back at the cliffs even Kotick could hardly believe that he had been under them . He was six days going home , though he was not swimming slowly ; and when he hauled out just above Sea Lion 's Neck the first person he met was the seal who had been waiting for him , and she saw by the look in his eyes that he had found his island at last . But the holluschickie and Sea Catch , his father , and all the other seals laughed at him when he told them what he had discovered , and a young seal about his own age said , `` This is all very well , Kotick , but you ca n't come from no one knows where and order us off like this . Remember we 've been fighting for our nurseries , and that 's a thing you never did . You preferred prowling about in the sea . '' The other seals laughed at this , and the young seal began twisting his head from side to side . He had just married that year , and was making a great fuss about it . `` I 've no nursery to fight for , '' said Kotick . `` I only want to show you all a place where you will be safe . What 's the use of fighting ? ''
`` Oh , XXXXX you 're trying to back out , of course I 've no more to say , '' said the young seal with an ugly chuckle .
above along behind by from if of over than though