She's dead. They fought,
and one ran away; and this one is dead.'
"And is she a-lying on your feet, did you say? It's so dark in here,
I can't see the fust thing,' says I, feeling round for the critter's
head, and gitting my paws tore by the young ones, who, I must say
for 'em, was mighty handy with their claws for their age. So says
I,--
"'Well, fust thing, I'll get red o' these little devils; and then
I'll drag out the karkiss, and see to you, my poor gal.'
"So I clinched the fust one by the throat, and, when he hung like a
rag, pitched him out, and grappled t'other; but he was a case, I
tell you. Fight!--you'd ought ter have seen him!-and scratch and
bite, and spit and yowl, till the whole woods rung with his uproar.
I mastered him finally; but he'd done his work, and come nigh
beating me even arter he was dead, as ye shall hear.
"When the kittens was out of the way, I clinched the karkiss uv the
old painter, and dragged it to'rst the mouth uv the cave. It wor
hard work; and, when I'd got part way, I left it lying, and squeezed
by (for it most filled up the passage), and went to see how bad
Harnah might be hurt; for, when I spoke to her last, she hadn't made
no reply. Leaning over her, I felt round for her face, and had jist
touched her cold cheek, and called to her to know if she was alive,
when I heerd jist over my head the awfulest roar that ever come out
uv a creter's throat; and so loud, that it echoed through and
through the cave enough to deaf you.
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