CHAP. vii. FIGHT WITH THE POLECAT. 119 



" I was just in the act of rising, when I saw my 

 adversary once more make his appearance at the 

 entrance. He seemed to be alone. I slipped quietly 

 down again to my former position, and waited his 

 attack. After a rather slow and protracted march, 

 in the course of which he several times turned his 

 head towards the door a manoeuvre which I did 

 not at all like he at last approached me. He at 

 once leapt upon me, and looked back towards the 

 entrance. I lifted my head, and he looked full 

 in my face. Then he leapt down, and ran to the 

 entrance once more, and gave a squeak. No answer. 

 He returned, and leapt upon me again. He was 

 now in a better position than before, but not 

 sufficiently far up for my purpose. Down went his 

 nose, and up, up he crawled over my body towards 

 the bird in my breast pocket. His head was low 

 down, so that I couldn't seize him. 



" I lay as still as death ; but, being forced to 

 breathe, the movement of my chest made the brute 

 raise his head, and at that moment I gript him by the 

 throat ! I sprang instantly to my feet, and held on. 

 But I actually thought that he would have torn my 

 hands to pieces with his claws. I endeavoured to 

 get him turned round, so as to get my hand to -the 

 back of his neck. Even then, I had enough to do to 

 hold him fast. How he screamed and yelled ! What 

 an unearthly noise in the dead of night ! The vault 

 rung with his howlings ! And then what an awful 



