r hold
till at least he had diminished their numbers.

Then it was a sight to see the great brute, huge as a bull-calf, strong
as a bull, rolling over and over and up again, quick as a kitten;
leaping here, striking there; shaking himself free; swinging his
quarters; fighting with feet and body and teeth--every inch of him at
war. More than once he broke right through the mob; only to turn again
and face it. No flight for him; nor thought of it.

Up and down the slope the dark mass tossed, like some hulk the sport
of the waves. Black and white, sable and gray, worrying at that great
centre-piece. Up and down, roaming wide, leaving everywhere a trail of
red.

Gyp he had pinned and hurled over his shoulder. Grip followed; he shook
her till she rattled, then flung her afar; and she fell with a horrid
thud, not to rise. While Grapple, the death to avenge, hung tighter. In
a scarlet, soaking patch of the ground lay Big Bell's lurcher, doubled
up in a dreadful ball. And Hoppin's young dog, who three hours before
had been the children's tender playmate, now fiendish to look on,
dragged after the huddle up the hill. Back the mob rolled on her. When
it was passed, she lay quite still, grinning; a handful of tawny hair
and flesh in her dead mouth.

So they fought on. And ever and anon a great figure rose up from the
heaving inferno all around; rearing to his full height, his head ragged
and bleeding, the red foam dripping from his jaws. Thus he would appear
momentarily, like some dark rock amid a raging sea; and down he would go
again.

Silent now they fought, dumb and determined. Only you might have heard
the rend and rip of tearing flesh; a hoarse gurgle as some dog went
down; the panting of dry throats; and now and then a sob from that
central figure. For he was fighting for his life. The Terror of the
Border was at bay.

All who meant it were on him now. The Venus, blinded with blood, had her
hold at last; and never but once in a long life of battles had she let
go; Rasper, his breath coming in rattles, had him horribly by the loins;
while a dozen other devils with red eyes and wrinkled nostrils clung
still.

Long odds! And down he went, smothered beneath the weight of numbers,
yet struggled up again. His great head was torn and dripping; his eyes a
gleam of rolling red and white; the little tail stern and stiff like
the gallant stump of a flagstaff shot away. He was desperate, but
indomitable; and he sobbed as he f