She could not bear it! Her dear brother!

She trembled so much that she could not stand, and she sank down on her
knees. Rob, the dog, who had been lying near by, snapping at flies, all
this time, now came up to comfort her.

"Oh, Rob!" she whispered, "I wish you were a cross dog."

And Rob wagged his tail and lay down by her.

"I wonder," she thought to herself, "oh! I wonder if any one could make
him bite."

"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.