"Put him down at once! What do you mean by saying 'No' when I tell you to do a thing?"
"I mean 'no,'" said Bobby.
"You impudent monkey!" said Loring, as peculiarly angry as only a child can make one. "Here—give me the brute this instant."
He grasped the dog by its nape—Bobby held it tightly about the stomach. The dog naturally howled.
"Let go, you little imp!" said Loring.
He gave another tug at the dog. It yelped again.
"Leggo my doggie! Leggo—man!" cried Bobby furiously.
For reply, Loring wrenched the puppy from him and held it yowling out of his reach. In a second the boy had thrown himself upon Loring's free hand, and silently, like a little bull-terrier himself, had set his small, crimped teeth in it.
Loring gave a savage cry of pain and anger, and dropping the puppy, which fled under a hall-chair, grabbed the boy. He prized open the furious little jaws. The child was white and red in patches with the extremity of his wrath. Loring pinioned him, and started towards the stairs. He was met by Sophy running down them. She was very pale.
"What's the matter? What are you doing with Bobby?" she asked. She held out her arms. "Give him to me," she said.