Yet Lad fought on.

To the attack, after each upset or wound, he crawled with deathless courage.
The Mistress, at Lad's first charge, had stepped back.

But, at once she had caught up again the stick and belabored the sow with all her frail muscular might.

She might as well have been beating the side of a concrete wall.

Heedless of the flailing, the sow ignored her; and continued her maddened assault on Lad.