The minute I heerd it, I knew
what was tew pay, and give up for lost. It wor the man o' the house
come home in a hurry to see what them squalls uv the dying kittens
meant; and that's how I said they come nigh beating me even arter
they was dead.
"Now, mister, what would you say a man had ought to have done in
such a fix as that?-run, or stay? Mind ye, I hadn't the fust thing
in shape uv a we'pon, nor couldn't get hold even uv my stick, nor
the stones outside; and what could a feller do with his naked fists,
shet up in a hole with a wild-cat?"
"It was a trying situation; but I don't believe you ran away," said
Mr. Brown good-humoredly.
"Yer bet your life on that, stranger," replied Seth with emphasis.
"I hadn't no idee on't; though the only other chance seemed to be to
jump down the critter's throat, and choke him, so's ter spile his
stomach for Harnah.
"I looked to the mouth uv the cave, and thought, 'He won't get by
that karkiss very easy;' and then, all of a sudden, the strangest
idee you ever heerd come acrost me, and I jumped as though I'd been
shot. It wor to play off one of the critters agin the other, and
keep the old painter out uv his den with the karkiss of his mate.
"It wor a curus idee, now, worn't it; but they say a drownding
man'll clinch to a straw, and this wor worth the trying to a feller
in as tight a place as I.
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