ld. Your story of the stout lady and the dogs and the
china is very amusing."

"Perhaps, friend, but it did not amuse me. Nothing is amusing when one
is going to be eaten alive."

"Of course it isn't," I answered. "Please forgive me and go on."

"Well, I tumbled down that cliff, followed by some of the dogs and Tom
and the girl Ella and the huntsman Jerry on foot, and dragged myself
across the sands till I came to the lip of the sea."

Just here there was a boat and by it stood Giles the keeper. He had come
there to get out of the way of the hunting, which he hated as much as he
did the coursing. The sight of him settled me--into the sea I went. The
dogs wanted to follow me, but Jerry called and whipped them off.

"I won't have them caught in the current and drowned," he said. "Let the
flea-bitten old devil go, she's brought trouble enough already."

"Help me shove off the boat, Giles," shouted Tom. "She shan't beat us;
we must have her for the hounds. Come on, Ella."

"Best leave her alone, Master Tom," said Giles. "I think she's an
unlucky one, that I do."

Still the end of it was that he helped to float the little boat and got
into it with Tom and Ella.

Just after they had pushed off I saw a man running down the steps on
the cliff waving his arms while he called out something. But of him they
took no heed. I do not think they noticed him. As for me, I swam on.

I could not go very fast because I was so dreadfully tired; also I did
not like swimming, and the cold waves broke over my head, making the cut
in my nose smart and filling my eyes with something that stung them.
I could not see far either, nor did I know where I was going. I knew
nothing except I was about to die, and that soon everything would be at
an end; men, dogs--everything, yes, even Tom. I wanted things to come
to an end. I had suffered so dreadfully, life was so horrible, I was so
very tired. I felt that it was better to die and have done.

So I swam on a long way and began to forget things; indeed I thought
that I was playing in the big turnip field with my mother and sister.
But just as I was sinking exhausted a hand shot down into the water and
caught me by the ears, although from below the fingers looked as though
they were bending away from me. I saw it coming and tried to sink more
quickly, but could not.

"I've got her," said the voice of Tom gleefully. "My! isn't she a
beauty? Over nine pounds if she is an ounce. Only just in ti