"Mongrel curs are clever, though I don't know why they should be. They had sense enough—bad sense I then thought it; but now I laugh at the adventure, as it is happily over, and as I paid the dogs back in their own coin—well, they had sense enough to separate and drive me into a corner. 'Now, surely, it is all over with me!' I said to myself; but I managed to keep them off for a long while by setting up my back and spitting at them. They dared not draw nigh, they dared not touch me, for they knew my claws were all ready stretched out to scratch their eyes out.
"How long we stood thus I cannot say. My nerves were so tight-strung that I was scarcely myself at all."
"THEY DARED NOT DRAW NIGH."
"Well, and what did you do?" asked King Charlie, his big eyes almost starting from his head, and his tongue far protruded from his mouth. "Do go on! You keep one so long in suspense! Did they kill you or not?"
I could not help laughing at his silly question; but Charlie seemed mightily offended at my conduct, so I smothered my merriment as best I could.
"Shall I go on?" asked Pussy; to which we both eagerly replied, "Yes, yes, please, Pussy."
She continued: "I was in this awkward position, hissing, spitting, back up, claws shot out, when an idea struck me. The dogs were close together in a body, and it was not much of a jump for me—I sprang forward, right over their heads, and rushed away towards the gate which stood straight before me. I reached it in safety, and looked around.
"There were the three dogs, barking loudly, close behind me! 'Now for my idea!' thought I, 'now or never! Victory or death!'