“I’ll drive him away!” declared Russ.
“And I’ll help,” added Laddie. “He’s a bad dog!”
Before the two brothers could reach their sister there came running toward Rose another boy. This boy had a freckled face and red hair.
“Don’t hit my dog!” cried this red-haired boy. “He won’t hurt you. Hi, Jimsie!” called this new boy, “behave yourself! Down! Quiet! Quit your barking!”
The dog looked around at the voice, wagged his tail to show that he was friendly, and stopped barking. Just then up rushed Russ and Laddie with sticks in their hands. Rose also had a stick which she had raised toward the dog, but she had not hit him.
“Don’t beat my dog Jimsie!” begged the strange boy. “He didn’t mean any harm.”
“What did he try to bite my sister for?” demanded Russ, who was angry.
“Oh, he didn’t exactly try to bite me,” said Rose. “He just barked a lot and he wouldn’t let me get away, and I was afraid he’d bite me.”
“Jimsie wouldn’t bite anybody,” said the boy, whose name was Ralph Watson. He lived on the farm next to that of Mr. Todd.
“Well, then, what made him bark at my sister?” asked Russ.