His right arm bled from the wounds of the leopard's claws.

He was alarmed lest the old palm branch should break or should loosen from the wall.

If he once fell back into the leopard's jaws, there would be a swift end to this skirmishing.
Timokles looked down at the eager eyes.

Then he scanned the palm branch narrowly.

It did not hang parallel with the wall, but stood out a little from it, and Timokles thought that the branch was partly broken, up next the roof.