He went off, bending over with pain, and manifesting no disposition to come within my reach again.

The poor fellow was in the act of trying to catch and tie my right hand, and while flattering himself with success, I gave him the kick which sent him staggering away in pain, at the same time that I held Covey with a firm hand.
Taken completely by surprise, Covey seemed to have lost his usual strength and coolness.

He was frightened, and stood puffing and blowing, seemingly unable to command words or blows.

When he saw that poor Hughes was standing half bent with pain--his courage quite gone the cowardly tyrant asked if I "meant to persist in my resistance." I told him "_I did mean to resist, come what might_;" that I had been by him treated like a _brute_, during the last six months; and that I should stand it _no longer_.

With that, he gave me a shake, and attempted to drag me toward a stick of wood, that was lying just outside the stable door.