uld
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 trimming 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.

"Catch him, Rob!" she screamed. "Catch him!"

With a rush, Rob hurled himself full at the breast of the man, and the
tall fellow went over backward, just like a ten-pin.

Then he was up and out into the road, Rob after him!

You ought to have seen the gravel fly!

Harry and Kate ran out into the road and cheered and s