“But it doesn’t lead down to the lake,” said Jack.
However, it was decided to follow the road for awhile, which seemed to pass from the woods quarter of a mile further on. Then they came to an apple orchard, but, of course, none of the apples were ripe.
“Hark! I hear some dogs approaching!” ejaculated Jack, a few minutes later. “I hope they are not unfriendly.”
“They are bulldogs!” came from Pepper. “Say, I don’t like this at all!”
“Nor I,” added Andy, as the dogs came closer. There were three bulldogs, all of large size, and each looked particularly savage.
The three boys did not know what to do, but as the bulldogs came closer, Andy ran for a nearby tree. The others followed, and all got up into the tree just as the animals reached the vicinity.
The dogs were baying loudly, and as they gathered under the tree, they snapped and snarled in anything but a pleasant fashion. They had evidently run quite a distance, for they looked hot.
“Here’s a pretty kettle of fish,” remarked Jack. “We got out of one difficulty only to tumble into another.”
“Thanks, but I don’t want to tumble just now,” answered Pepper, with a shake of his head. “I don’t think those brutes would like anything better than to chew us up.”
“I wonder if I can beat them off with a stick?” said Andy, beginning to cut off a tree-bough with his pocketknife.