Bear for it all, just as if she were a
Mohawk.
Ah, yes. Well, Master Lox, seeing them fighting in a great rage, burst
out laughing, so that he actually burst himself, and fell down dead
with delight. It was a regular side-splitter. When my grandfather said
_that_ we _always_ laughed.
In the morning, when the women came out, there lay a dead devil at the
door. He must indeed have looked like a Raccoon this time; but whatever
he was, they took him, skinned him, and dressed him for breakfast. Then
the kettle was hung and the water boiled, and they popped him in. But
as soon as it began to scald he began to come to life. In a minute he
was all together again, alive and well, and with one good leap went
clear of the kettle. Rushing out of the lodge, he grabbed his skin,
which hung on a bush outside, put it on, and in ten seconds was safe in
the greenwood. He just saved himself with a whole skin.
Now Master Lox had precious little time, you will say, to do any more
mischief between his coming to life and running away; yet, short as the
allowance was, he made a great deal of it. For even while jumping out
his wits for wickedness came to him, and he just kicked the edge of the
pot, so that it spilled all the scalding hot water into the fire, and
threw up the ashes with a great splutter. They flew into the eyes of
Dame Bear and blinded her.
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