Elias, however, was not slow; from the rock where he stood he thrust the long heavy pike into its back, just below the head.
And then there was a scene! All at once the seal raised itself upon its tail straight up in the air, as high as a boat-mast, showed its teeth and looked at Elias with two bloodshot eyes, so maliciously and venomously, that he was nearly frightened out of his senses.

Then the seal rushed straight into the sea, leaving a track of blood-tinged foam behind it.

Elias saw nothing more of it; but the same afternoon the halibut pike, with the iron point broken off, was washed up at the landing-stage in Kval creek where the house stood.
Elias thought no more of the affair.

The same autumn he bought his six-oared boat, for which he had put up a little boat-house during the summer.
One night as he lay thinking about this new boat of his, it struck him that in order to make it thoroughly secure he ought, perhaps, to put one more plank to support it on each side.

He was so fond of the boat, that it was nothing but a pleasure for him to get up and go with a lantern to look at it.
While he stood holding the light up over the boat, he suddenly caught sight of a face in the corner, upon a heap of fishing-net, that exactly resembled the seal's.