asked Tom ; but somehow he seemed to know before he asked . `` Two-legged things , eft : and , now I come to look at you , they are actually something like you , if you had not a tail '' -LRB- she was determined that Tom should have a tail -RRB- , `` only a great deal bigger , worse luck for us ; and they catch the fish with hooks and lines , which get into our feet sometimes , and set pots along the rocks to catch lobsters . They speared my poor dear husband as he went out to find something for me to eat . I was laid up among the crags then , and we were very low in the world , for the sea was so rough that no fish would come in shore . But they speared him , poor fellow , and I saw them carrying him away upon a pole . All , he lost his life for your sakes , my children , poor dear obedient creature that he was . '' And the otter grew so sentimental -LRB- for otters can be very sentimental when they choose , like a good many people who are both cruel and greedy , and no good to anybody at all -RRB- that she sailed solemnly away down the burn , and Tom saw her no more for that time . And lucky it was for her that she did so ; for no sooner was she gone , than down the bank came seven little rough terrier doors , snuffing and yapping , and grubbing and splashing , in full cry after the otter . Tom hid among the water-lilies till they were gone ; for he could not guess that they were the water-fairies come to help him . But he could not help thinking of what the otter had said about the great river and the broad sea . And , as he thought , he longed to go and see them . He could not tell why ; but the more he thought , the more he grew discontented with the narrow little stream in which he lived , and all his companions there ; and wanted to get out into the wide wide world , and enjoy all the wonderful sights of which he was sure it was full . And once he set off to go down the stream . But the stream was very low ; and when he came to the shallows he could not keep under water , for there was no water left to keep under . So the sun burned his back and made him sick ; and he went back again and lay quiet in the pool for a whole week more . And then , on the evening of a very hot day , he saw a sight . He had been very stupid all day , and so had the trout ; for they would not move an inch to take a fly , though there were thousands on the water , but lay dozing at the bottom under the shade of the stones ; and Tom lay dozing too , and was glad to cuddle their smooth cool sides , for the water was quite warm and unpleasant . But toward evening it grew suddenly dark , and Tom looked up and saw a blanket of black clouds lying right across the valley above his head , resting on the crags right and left . He felt not quite frightened , but very still ; for everything was still . There was not a whisper of wind , nor a chirp of a bird to be heard ; and next a few great drops of rain fell plop into the water , and one hit Tom on the nose , and made him pop his head down quickly enough .
And then the thunder roared , and the lightning flashed , and leapt XXXXX Vendale and back again , from cloud to cloud , and cliff to cliff , till the very rocks in the stream seemed to shake : and Tom looked up at it through the water , and thought it the finest thing he ever saw in his life .
across among at for in into like next till with