“Jim-a-ny!” panted Billy, “think of us a-going to sleep in his hole. Oh, Mr Mark, sir, what an awful beast! I thought he’d ha’ had me. I was that scared I couldn’t let go for a moment.”

“Did you hurt yourself much?”

“Hurt myself! I should think I did. I must have half my bones broken. But what a roar!”

“What was it like?”

“Like, sir! Oh, I can’t tell you what it was like.”

“What! didn’t you see it?”

“Don’t you talk so loud, my lad, or we shall have him arter us.”

“No, I won’t, Billy; but did you see it?”

“’Cause, if we gets it arter us, it’s all over.”

“Yes, yes, I know that; but I want to know what sort of a beast it was. Did you see it?”