"May I ask what you were doing?" continued David blandly.
"A job that I mean to finish, you young rascal!" girned Mr. Hockheimer gruffly.
"Excuse me, but that fence is my mother's property, and if anybody interferes with it we're out here to protect it."
"And I'm here to remove it!" roared the German. "Take yourselves off, you young chimpanzees!"
"You forget it's our own field," continued David with icy politeness. "It's we who must ask you to take yourself off. Oh, very well!" as the German made a threatening movement towards him, "Billy, will you give Mr. Hockheimer a hint to go?"
Billy had been straining at his collar to suffocation point. Now, released and encouraged by his master, he flew, barking furiously, at the intruder, and seized him by the leg of his wet trouser.
Mr. Hockheimer yelled, freed himself by a kick, and, turning to see the angry dog ready to spring at him again, saved himself by suddenly climbing up an old willow stump that overhung the brook. He swarmed up with an agility surprising in a man of his stout build. Wet and draggled from his dip in the stream, he cut a sorry figure clinging among the branches, while Billy, mad with rage, jumped and yelped down below.
"Call off that brute!" shouted the German hoarsely.
"There's no hurry," answered David. "I want to talk to you a little, Mr. Hockheimer. It's a good opportunity while you're resting."
"Call him off and let me go, you little villain!"