we was only havin ' some fun with this ... thing , '' and i goes to pull out me shiv , which i only oncet before pulled with serious intent and that when me very life was in danger , but i do n't have to get it all the way out 'fore john thomas 's balled fist smashes into the mouth of the cove what was talkin ' his trash talk to me and blood squirts out of the cove 's nose and he goes down and ephraim has the heads of two of the dogs under his strong arms and is proceedin ' to squeeze the life out of 'em and brave henry puts his fists up in the face of yet another knave , but the knave retreats and the others retreat and so leave the field of battle to us .