It was a much
prettier walk, but rather longer.

"Are you tired, Juliet?" she asked kindly.

"Of course I am."

"Well, we shall soon be home now."

"It don't matter," said the child; "I'm 'most always tired."

They went through some pasture-fields where cows lay about quiet and
happy, and through corn-fields where green wheat and barley rustled in
the evening breeze.

"You're right," muttered Juliet; "it ain't all churchyard, 'cause they
don't have cows and green flowers in churchyards."

"Do you like the country, my dear?"

"I don't know yet. I ain't seen any shops, nor any mutton-chops."

"Well, you shall see them all by and by. Now we are going through a
farmyard, where you will see cocks and hens, and perhaps some little
pigs."

But before they had time to look for either pigs or poultry they heard
a succession of alternate fierce growls and short shrieks, and both
Mrs. Rowles and Juliet stopped short.

The growls seemed to be those of a big dog, and the shrieks those of a
little girl. Both sounds came from an inner yard of the farm, through
which there was a public right of way. Something in the shrieks made
Mrs. Rowles's cheek turn pale, and something in the growls made
Juliet's face flush red.

"Oh, dear!" cried Mrs. Rowles, "it is some child in danger!"

[Illustration: JULIET SEIZED THE DOG BY HIS COLLAR.]

"It is some horrid cruel dog!" said Juliet.

The aunt went cautiously through the gate into the inner yard, and the
niece rushed through it boldly. What they saw was indeed alarming.

Little Emily Rowles was in a corner of the wall, shut in there on one
side by a great high kennel, and on the other side by the huge mastiff
who belonged to the kennel. He lay on the ground, his head on his
paws, and his eyes fixed on the child; and whenever she made the
slightest movement he growled in the fiercest manner. No wonder she
uttered cries of dread and despair.

Before Mrs. Rowles could think what was best to do, Juliet had done
it.

Fearless, because she did not understand the danger, Juliet rushed at
the dog, seized him by his collar, and with all her strength pulled
him away from the corner. He was so astonished at finding himself thus
handled that all his fierceness, half of which was pretended, died out
of him, and he looked up wildly at the new-comer, and forgot the other
girl whom he had been bullying with such pleasure.

Emily had leaped into her mother's arms, and was sobbing with