"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.