До Адама

           Buthewastoolarge.Hecouldnotgetintous.Suddenlyhewentaway.Thiswassuspicious.ByallweknewofFolknatureheshouldhaveremainedandhadouthisrage.Icrepttotheentranceandpeepeddown.Icouldseehimjustbeginningtomountthebluffagain.Inonehandhecarriedalongstick.BeforeIcoulddivinehisplan,hewasbackattheentranceandsavagelyjabbingthestickinatus.

           Histhrustswereprodigious.Theycouldhavedisembowelledus.Weshrankbackagainsttheside-walls,wherewewerealmostoutofrange.Butbyindustriouspokinghegotusnowandagain—cruel,scrapingjabswiththeendofthestickthatrakedoffthehideandhair.Whenwescreamedwiththehurt,heroaredhissatisfactionandjabbedtheharder.

           Ibegantogrowangry.Ihadatemperofmyowninthosedays,andprettyconsiderablecourage,too,albeititwaslargelythecourageofthecorneredrat.Icaughtholdofthestickwithmyhands,butsuchwashisstrengththathejerkedmeintothecrevice.Hereachedformewithhislongarm,andhisnailstoremyfleshasIleapedbackfromtheclutchandgainedthecomparativesafetyoftheside-wall.

           Hebeganpokingagain,andcaughtmeapainfulblowontheshoulder.Beyondshiveringwithfrightandyellingwhenhewashit,Lop-Eardidnothing.Ilookedforastickwithwhichtojabback,butfoundonlytheendofabranch,aninchthroughandafootlong.IthrewthisatRed-Eye.Itdidnodamage,thoughhehowledwithasuddenincreaseofrageatmydaringtostrikeback.Hebeganjabbingfuriously.