What could _she_ do?
A boxing on the ears was nothing, she now thought; she wished she had not called out, for it was evident that Harry was going to get a terrible whipping.
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.
"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.
Then he was up and out into the road, Rob after him! You ought to have seen the gravel fly! Harry and Kate ran out into the road and cheered and shouted.