The seals weren’t the only life on the beach. A group of young boys, their hands in their pockets, stood bunched together eyeing the seals. Of greater interest were the man and woman who circled the seals in matching rain slickers and rubber boots. The woman carried a metal clipboard and was taking notes. The man held an expensive-looking camera with a six-inch lens that he clicked nonstop as he attempted to capture every angle of each seal.

At first the two girls hung back, but then Emily stepped forward and approached the woman, pulling Ali with her. “Are the seals all right?” she asked.

The woman paused to look up and smile. “Most of them seem quite healthy.”

The man stopped taking pictures and clambered over the damp stones to join them. “Most of them are sleeping.”

Emily crouched down and stared at the face of the closest seal. “Kingdom: Animalia. Phylum: Chordata. Class: Mammalia. Order: Carnivora,” she recited.

“Impressive,” said the man.

“We’re studying classification in science at school,” Ali explained. “Today we’re doing a field study of all the organisms in uptown Saint John.”

“Looks like we have a couple of future marine biologists with us, David,” said the woman. Both Emily and Ali puffed out a little.

“I didn’t know seals were carnivores,” said Ali.

The man nodded. “Don’t worry, they eat fish, although they have been known to eat the odd duck. They’re also known as pinnipeds, because—”

“They’re fin footed,” Emily finished.

Ali shook her head. “How do you even know that?”

Emily smiled. “I searched online last night.”

“I’m impressed,” said the man. “Lots of people have come to see the seals since they came ashore, but none have been quite as educated as you two.” He slung his camera over his shoulder and stuck out his hand. “My name’s Doctor David McAloon. I’m chief zoologist for the New Brunswick Museum.” He nodded to the woman. “And this is Doctor Abby Reynolds. She’s a marine biologist who works for the Huntsman Marine Science Center in St. Andrews. It’s not every day we have a pod of seals come ashore in the heart of the city. It seems the fog is stranding everyone and everything.”

“They’re so cute,” Emily murmured. She reached out to pat the closest seal. It opened its eyes and made a strange raspy sound, and Emily drew back her hand. Ali stared at the seal. There was a slick ring around its eyes that made it look like it was crying.

“No touching,” said Dr. Reynolds. “They seem gentle until they take a chunk out of you.”

Emily jumped to her feet and backed up until she was beside Ali. “But they’re so sweet!”

Dr. McAloon chuckled. “Being cute doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous.” Ali had met enough mean kids over the years to know Dr. McAloon was right.