Part 10 (2/2)

But Harry stood bravely before his sister. His face was flushed and his breath came quickly, though he was not frightened, not a whit!

And yet there was absolutely nothing that he could do. He had not his gun with him; he had not even a stick in his hand, and a stick would have been of little use against such a strong man as that, who could have taken Harry in his big red hands and have thrown him over the highest fence in the county.

But for all that, the boy stood boldly up before his sister.

The man looked at him without a word, and then he stepped aside toward a small dogwood-bush.

For an instant, Harry thought that they might run away; but it was only for an instant. That long-legged man could catch them before they had gone a dozen yards--at least he could catch Kate.

The man took out a knife and cut a long and tolerably thick switch from the bush. Then he cut off the smaller end and began to trim away the twigs and leaves.

While doing this he looked at Harry, and said:

”I think I'll take you first.”

Kate's heart almost stopped beating when she heard this, and Harry turned pale; but still the brave boy stood before his sister as stoutly as ever.

Kate tried to call for help, but she had no voice. What could _she_ do?

A boxing on the ears was nothing, she now thought; she wished she had not called out, for it was evident that Harry was going to get a terrible whipping.

She could not bear it! Her dear brother!

She trembled so much that she could not stand, and she sank down on her knees. Rob, the dog, who had been lying near by, snapping at flies, all this time, now came up to comfort her.

”Oh, Rob!” she whispered, ”I wish you were a cross dog.”

And Rob wagged his tail and lay down by her.

”I wonder,” she thought to herself, ”oh! I wonder if any one could make him bite.”

”Rob!” she whispered in the dog's ear, keeping her eyes fixed on the man, who had now nearly finished tr.i.m.m.i.n.g his stick. ”Rob! hiss-s-s-s!”

and she patted his back.

Rob seemed to listen very attentively.

”Hiss-s-s!” she whispered again, her heart beating quick and hard.

Rob now raised his head, his big body began to quiver, and the hair on his back gradually rose on end.

”Hiss! Rob! Rob!” whispered Kate.

The man had shut up his knife, and was putting it in his pocket. He took the stick in his right hand.

All now depended on Rob.

”Oh! will he?” thought Kate, and then she sprang to her feet and clapped her hands.

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