white feet and white face, that was bigger than Jack: and behind them, three
more figures, one of which was the tallest of the group. All stopped when they
saw Chad, who dropped the butt of his gun at once to the ground. At once the
strange dog, with a low snarl, started down toward the two little strangers
with his yellow ears pointed, the hair bristling along his back, and his teeth
in sight. Jack answered the challenge with an eager whimper, but dropped his
tail, at Chad's sharp command--for Chad did not care to meet the world as an
enemy, when he was looking for a friend. The group stood dumb with
astonishment for a moment and the small boy's mouth was wide-open with
surprise, but the strange dog came on with his tail rigid, and lifting his
feet high.

"Begone!" said Chad, sharply, but the dog would not begone; he still came on
as though bent on a fight.

"Call yo' dog off," Chad called aloud. "My dog'll kill him. You better call
him off," he called again, in some concern, but the tall boy in front laughed
scornfully.

"Let's see him," he said, and the small one laughed, too.

Chad's eyes flashed--no boy can stand an insult to his dog--and the curves of
his open lips snapped together in a straight red line. "All right," he said,
placidly, and, being tired, he dropped back on a stone by the wayside to await
results. The very tone of his voice struck all shackles of restraint from
Jack, who, with a springy trot, went forward slowly, as though he were making
up a definite plan of action; for Jack had a fighting way of his own, which
Chad knew.

"Sick him, Whizzer!" shouted the tall boy, and the group of five hurried