"Yes, sirrees! It were that--sitting down on his hams like a big dog within two yards of me. No, I were not skeered, for the burning pain in my head and the throbbing in my shin-bone didn't give room for fear of that kind--and the tiger, he seemed to know what were up, for after a while he stretched himself out on his stummick, and yawned till I could see the gleam of his teeth. Well, I went on groanin' and tossin' my head, and rubbin' my knee-cap, and chewin' up the quince leaves, every now and then taking a look at the big crittur lying stretched in the dark with his eyes opening and shutting like's if you moved the slide over a bull's-eye lantern when he rolled over on his back and reached out a claw for me, like a kitten playing with a leaf. He hooked a claw inter the trousers of my well leg, and the jerk on it gave him a _schreik_, for he let out a growl and jumped away, looking back at me over his shoulder. Then he slunk away, but bymby when I looked ag'in he were standing up against the fence with his nose jes' peeping round, and his near eye squintin' at me through a hole in the leaves. That give me a queer feeling--for the beggar'd come up so sly, and I lit out a yell this time which stuck in my throat. The pain made me feel faint inside, an' I jes' closed my eyes. Soon's the tiger saw I wern't looking he jes' poked his nose up ag'in the trap, and I yeard him licking the iron where the blood had run. Then I felt on my sound leg the pressure of his body, and yeard the snarly purr of him. Then he began licking at my trousers where the trap held fast, and I opened my eyes. The weight of his body held my leg down, and one of his paws were right into my weskit; and, blow me, if he didn't begin shovin' it inter my body, and opening and shutting his claws like a pleased cat, while the jar of his purring ran up through my bones, and his big tongue were rasping at my trousers. A sort o' stupor, don't-care-what-he-does feeling come over me, and with it the burning in the pain left my brain, and the hammering at my bones dropped away inter jes' a sort of tired feeling. Nex' minute I felt his tongue on my flesh--for he'd worn a hole right through them cord tweeds I were wearin'. At the taste of the blood then he purred louder than ever, and shuved his paw quicker and harder into my stummick, until I gasped for breath. Then he drew fresh blood, and his purr went inter a savage growl, while, the weight of his body lightened on my leg. I tell you, that growl brought back my luv for life in a moment. I saw that crittur would in his eagerness take a bite at my leg--then the game would be up. What d'ye think I did?" "Began to jaw," said Topper; "and he bolted with his tail down." "Jobbed him with a knife back of the head," suggested Long Jim.