“Oh, stop him! Somebody please stop him!” screamed the girl. “He is a bad dog and wants to bite me!”
Of course Dido did not know all the girl said, but he could see that the dog was angry and had sharp teeth. He might bite the girl, though why any dog should want to bite such a nice girl Dido could not tell.
“Don’t let him get me!” begged the girl, and she ran toward Dido and the two men, who were now awake.
“Here!” cried Dido to the bad dog in animal language. “You let that girl alone!”
“No, I’ll not!” barked the dog. “I am going to bite her!”
“Oh, no, you’re not!” said Dido, and he growled now, for he did not like this kind of a dog. Then, [just as the dog was going to jump] at the girl, [Dido stepped in between them], and, with one sweep of his big paw, the dancing bear knocked the dog to one side, so that he rolled over and over in the leaves.
“There! Now I guess you’ll let little girls alone!” said Dido, standing ready to knock the dog away again if he sprang at the girl.