Nag　by　the　hood　last　night　in　the　bathroom。〃　　Then　he　began　to
  jump　up　and　down；　all　four　feet　together；　his　head　close　to　the
  floor。　　〃He　threw　me　to　and　fro；　but　he　could　not　shake　me　off。
  He　was　dead　before　the　big　man　blew　him　in　two。　　I　did　it！
  Rikki…tikki…tck…tck！　　Come　then；　Nagaina。　　Come　and　fight　with　me。
  You　shall　not　be　a　widow　long。〃
  Nagaina　saw　that　she　had　lost　her　chance　of　killing　Teddy；　and
  the　egg　lay　between　Rikki…tikki's　paws。　　〃Give　me　the　egg；
  Rikki…tikki。　　Give　me　the　last　of　my　eggs；　and　I　will　go　away　and
  never　come　back；〃　she　said；　lowering　her　hood。
  〃Yes；　you　will　go　away；　and　you　will　never　come　back。　　For　you
  will　go　to　the　rubbish　heap　with　Nag。　　Fight；　widow！　　The　big　man
  has　gone　for　his　gun！　　Fight！〃
  Rikki…tikki　was　bounding　all　round　Nagaina；　keeping　just　out
  of　reach　of　her　stroke；　his　little　eyes　like　hot　coals。　　Nagaina
  gathered　herself　together　and　flung　out　at　him。　　Rikki…tikki
  jumped　up　and　backward。　　Again　and　again　and　again　she　struck；　and
  each　time　her　head　came　with　a　whack　on　the　matting　of　the　veranda
  and　she　gathered　herself　together　like　a　watch　spring。　　Then
  Rikki…tikki　danced　in　a　circle　to　get　behind　her；　and　Nagaina　spun
  round　to　keep　her　head　to　his　head；　so　that　the　rustle　of　her　tail
  on　the　matting　sounded　like　dry　leaves　blown　along　by　the　wind。
  He　had　forgotten　the　egg。　　It　still　lay　on　the　veranda；　and
  Nagaina　came　nearer　and　nearer　to　it；　till　at　last；　while
  Rikki…tikki　was　drawing　breath；　she　caught　it　in　her　mouth；　turned
  to　the　veranda　steps；　and　flew　like　an　arrow　down　the　path；　with
  Rikki…tikki　behind　her。　　When　the　cobra　runs　for　her　life；　she
  goes　like　a　whip…lash　flicked　across　a　horse's　neck。
  Rikki…tikki　knew　that　he　must　catch　her；　or　all　the　trouble
  would　begin　again。　　She　headed　straight　for　the　long　grass　by　the
  thorn…bush；　and　as　he　was　running　Rikki…tikki　heard　Darzee　still
  singing　his　foolish　little　song　of　triumph。　　But　Darzee's　wife　was
  wiser。　　She　flew　off　her　nest　as　Nagaina　came　along；　and　flapped
  her　wings　about　Nagaina's　head。　　If　Darzee　had　helped　they　might
  have　turned　her；　but　Nagaina　only　lowered　her　hood　and　went　on。
  Still；　the　instant's　delay　brought　Rikki…tikki　up　to　her；　and　as
  she　plunged　into　the　rat…hole　where　she　and　Nag　used　to　live；　his
  little　white　teeth　were　clenched　on　her　tail；　and　he　went　down
  with　herand　very　few　mongooses；　however　wise　and　old　they　may
  be；　care　to　follow　a　cobra　into　its　hole。　　It　was　dark　in　the
  hole；　and　Rikki…tikki　never　knew　when　it　might　open　out　and　give
  Nagaina　room　to　turn　and　strike　at　him。　　He　held　on　savagely；　and
  stuck　out　his　feet　to　act　as　brakes　on　the　dark　slope　of　the　hot；
  moist　earth。
  Then　the　grass　by　the　mouth　of　the　hole　stopped　waving；　and
  Darzee　said；　〃It　is　all　over　with　Rikki…tikki！　　We　must　sing　his
  death　song。　　Valiant　Rikki…tikki　is　dead！　　For　Nagaina　will　surely
  kill　him　underground。〃
  So　he　sang　a　very　mournful　song　that　he　made　up　on　the　spur　of
  the　minute；　and　just　as　he　got　to　the　most　touching　part；　the
  grass　quivered　again；　and　Rikki…tikki；　covered　with　dirt；　dragged
  himself　out　of　the　hole　leg　by　leg；　licking　his　whiskers。　　Darzee
  stopped　with　a　little　shout。　　Rikki…tikki　shook　some　of　the　dust
  out　of　his　fur　and　sneezed。　　〃It　is　all　over；〃　he　said。　　〃The
  widow　will　never　come　out　again。〃　　And　the　red　ants　that　live
  between　the　grass　stems　heard　him；　and　began　to　troop　down　one
  after　another　to　see　if　he　had　spoken　the　truth。
  Rikki…tikki　curled　himself　up　in　the　grass　and　slept　where　he
  wasslept　and　slept　till　it　was　late　in　the　afternoon；　for　he
  had　done　a　hard　day's　work。
  〃Now；〃　he　said；　when　he　awoke；　〃I　will　go　back　to　the　house。
  Tell　the　Coppersmith；　Darzee；　and　he　will　tell　the　garden　that
  Nagaina　is　dead。〃
  The　Coppersmith　is　a　bird　who　makes　a　noise　exactly　like　the
  beating　of　a　little　hammer　on　a　copper　pot；　and　the　reason　he　is
  always　making　it　is　because　he　is　the　town　crier　to　every　Indian
  garden；　and　tells　all　the　news　to　everybody　who　cares　to　listen。
  As　Rikki…tikki　went　up　the　path；　he　heard　his　〃attention〃　notes
  like　a　tiny　dinner　gong；　and　then　the　steady　〃Ding…dong…tock！　　Nag
  is　deaddong！　　Nagaina　is　dead！　　Ding…dong…tock！〃　　That　set　all
  the　birds　in　the　garden　singing；　and　the　frogs　croaking；　for　Nag
  and　Nagaina　used　to　eat　frogs　as　well　as　little　birds。
  When　Rikki　got　to　the　house；　Teddy　and　Teddy's　mother　（she
  looked　very　white　still；　for　she　had　been　fainting）　and　Teddy's
  father　came　out　and　almost　cried　over　him；　and　that　night　he　ate
  all　that　was　given　him　till　he　could　eat　no　more；　and　went　to　bed
  on　Teddy's　shoulder；　where　Teddy's　mother　saw　him　when　she　came　to
  look　late　at　night。
  〃He　saved　our　lives　and　Teddy's　life；〃　she　said　to　her
  husband。　　〃Just　think；　he　saved　all　our　lives。〃
  Rikki…tikki　woke　up　with　a　jump；　for　the　mongooses　are　light
  sleepers。
  〃Oh；　it's　you；〃　said　he。　　〃What　are　you　bothering　for？　　All
  the　cobras　are　dead。　　And　if　they　weren't；　I'm　here。〃
  Rikki…tikki　had　a　right　to　be　proud　of　himself。　　But　he　did
  not　grow　too　proud；　and　he　kept　that　garden　as　a　mongoose　should
  keep　it；　with　tooth　and　jump　and　spring　and　bite；　till　never　a
  cobra　dared　show　its　head　inside　the　walls。