out from among the trees to get a closer view of the struggle.
Unconsciously also the British left their shelter and crowded about to
get a better view.

With his right hand Stubbs succeeded in grasping the cat that had bitten
him by the back of the neck, and in spite of the animal's frantic clawing
and scratching he raised it in the air and brought its head against the
ground violently. The cat lay still.

But while Stubbs was thus engaged with one of the enemy, the other two
were busy. Stubbs had now jumped to his feet, and one of the animals had
succeeded in crawling to his shoulder, where it was making desperate
efforts to reach the war correspondent's eyes with its claws. Stubbs
protected his eyes with one upraised arm, and groped blindly for the cat.

At last he grasped it securely by the neck and raised it aloft; the other
now was biting so fiercely at the back of his neck that he did not take
time to dash the first one to the ground, but still holding it aloft with
his left hand sought to pluck the other away with his right.

He was unsuccessful in this, for he could not obtain a good hold on the
last cat. With a cry of rage he suddenly dashed the cat he held aloft to
the ground, and then threw himself to the ground backward, pinioning the
cat beneath him.

The cat screamed angrily, and succeeded in squirming from beneath Stubbs;
but instead of running away it launched itself directly at Stubbs' face.
Stubbs threw up his arm just in time and caught the animal by the neck.
Then he walked over to a tree, the Germans allowing him to pass, and
dashed the animal's head against the trunk.