Chapter XV

           Lop-Eargotmarried.Itwasthesecondwinterafterouradventure-journey,anditwasmostunexpected.Hegavemenowarning.ThefirstIknewwasonetwilightwhenIclimbedtheclifftoourcave.IsqueezedintotheentranceandthereIstopped.Therewasnoroomforme.Lop-Earandhismatewereinpossession,andshewasnoneotherthanmysister,thedaughterofmystep-father,theChatterer.

           Itriedtoforcemywayin.Therewasspaceonlyfortwo,andthatspacewasalreadyoccupied.Also,theyhadmeatadisadvantage,and,whatofthescratchingandhair-pullingIreceived,Iwasgladtoretreat.Isleptthatnight,andformanynights,intheconnectingpassageofthedouble-cave.Frommyexperienceitseemedreasonablysafe.AsthetwoFolkhaddodgedoldSaber-Tooth,andasIhaddodgedRed-Eye,soitseemedtomethatIcoulddodgethehuntinganimalsbygoingbackandforthbetweenthetwocaves.

           Ihadforgottenthewilddogs.TheyweresmallenoughtogothroughanypassagethatIcouldsqueezethrough.Onenighttheynosedmeout.Hadtheyenteredbothcavesatthesametimetheywouldhavegotme.Asitwas,followedbysomeofthemthroughthepassage,Idashedoutthemouthoftheothercave.Outsideweretherestofthewilddogs.TheysprangformeasIsprangforthecliff-wallandbegantoclimb.Oneofthem,aleanandhungrybrute,caughtmeinmid-leap.Histeethsankintomythigh-muscles,andhenearlydraggedmeback.Heheldon,butImadenoefforttodislodgehim,devotingmywholeefforttoclimbingoutofreachoftherestofthebrutes.