But, the collie, for all his years and unwieldiness, was still a
collie. And, by the time he stopped rolling, he was scrambling to
his feet. Shrinking quickly to one side, as the sow bore down
upon him, he eluded her rush, by the fraction of an inch; and
made a wolflike slash for her underbody, as she hurtled by.
The blunted eyetooth made but a superficial furrow; which served
only to madden its victim still further. Wheeling, she returned
to the attack. Again, with a ghost of his old elusive speed;
Laddie avoided her rush, by the narrowest of margins; and,
snapping furiously, caught her by the ear.
Now, more than once, in other frays, Lad had subdued and scared
trespassing pigs by this hold. But, in those days, his teeth had
been keen and his jaw strong enough to crack a beef bone.
Moreover, the pigs on which he had used it to such effect were
not drunk with the lust of killing.
The sow squealed, afresh, with pain; and once more braced herself
and shook her head with all her might: Again, Lad was flung aside
by that shake; this time with a fragment of torn ear between his
teeth.
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