He had seized Ernest by his long yellow neck, and, with his other hand, he struck at eyes and cheeks and nose.

He did not secure much purchase for his blows because their bodies were very close against one another, but he felt the soft flesh yield and suddenly something wet against his hand which must, he knew, be blood.

And all the time he was thinking to himself: "I'll teach him to say things about Aunt Amy! Aunt Amy's mine! I'll teach him! He shan't touch Aunt Amy! He shan't touch Aunt Amy!..." Ernest meanwhile kicked and kicked hard; he also tried to bite Jeremy's hand and also to pull his hair.

But his own terror handicapped him; every inch of his body was alarmed, and that alarm prevented the freedom of his limbs.

Then when he felt the blood from his nose trickle on to his cheek his resistance was at an end; panic flooded over him like water.