He twisted up one leg, and with the foot (or hind-hand) made so savage an onslaught upon my abdomen as to threaten to disembowel me.

I had to release him in order to save myself, and then we went at it again.
Lop-Ear was a year older than I, but I was several times angrier than he, and in the end he took to his heels.

I chased him across the open and down a run-way to the river.

But he was better acquainted with the locality and ran along the edge of the water and up another run-way.
He cut diagonally across the open space and dashed into a wide-mouthed cave.
Before I knew it, I had plunged after him into the darkness.

The next moment I was badly frightened.