Chapter XXX.
KATY TAMES THE WILD DOGS.
When half-way down the hill on their return they saw Katy, who hadbeen at the beach, wave her handkerchief, and turn to come and meetthem. At the same instant they caught sight of wolfish figuresstealing along among the rocks and bushes at the base.
"The wild dogs!" both exclaimed, in the same breath, and both felttheir blood stop flowing for an instant, for in a minute or two moreKaty would meet the brutes, and she must do so before they could getthere to help her. They shouted to her, as they hurried atneck-breaking speed down the rough ledges; but she did not hear or didnot understand them, and then they lost sight of both her and the dogsbehind some bushes. A moment later they saw her again, but with whatsurprise!
The girl stood in the middle of a smooth, grassy plat, facing thethree dogs, which were gathered in a group, the father of the familyin front, and only a few feet from her. All were silent, and the bigone was stretching his neck forward, as if debating whether he daredlead his mate and the pup any closer. Katy caught a glimpse of theboys, and quickly raised her right hand, as though signing to them notto advance; but she never took her eye off the animals, nor ceased tospeak to them in coaxing tones, while she held out her left handbeckoning them to come nearer. Thus far this had had no effect. Thebig leader could not make up his mind to trust her, though as yet heshowed no disposition to attack.
"What shall we do?" Aleck whispered to Tug, in an agony of suspense."She can't keep that up long. Let us rush in."
"All right," Tug whispered back; "but we must get a stone or a club!'Twon't do to go at 'em naked-handed."
Clubs were not handy, but each took heavy stones in both hands, andbegan a stealthy advance. At that same instant they saw the foremostdog begin to wag his tail slowly, while, one by one, as it were, thehairs upon the back of his neck were lowered. The lads halted, andwatched the scene with astonishment and anxiety. Katy still spokecoaxingly, and at last took a gentle step forward. The dog, thoughsuspicious, still wagged his tail. She quietly walked backward threeor four steps, and sat down upon a bowlder--an act which the lesserdogs behind at once imitated. "Good dog! fine fellow! come here; come,Tiger," she said, over and over, changing the name every time inhopes of hitting some one that might have been this mastiff's beforehe was an outcast. Finally, as she sat there with her eyes steadily onhis, and beginning to feel very tired, the animal's big square facesuggested a picture she had seen of a German prince, just thenbeginning to become famous.
"Why, Bismarck!" she called out, in confident tones, "don't you knowme? and don't you want a bone? Good old Bismarck!"
She knew instantly that she had hit it. The dog dropped his ears andhung his head, walked slowly up, and laid his great muzzle, big as atiger's almost, in her lap, while slowly and suspiciously hisfollowers came nearer and nearer to her by slow advances.
"Well, I vum!" muttered Tug, in utter amazement, while Aleck was tooastounded to say even that much. "I'm 'fraid we shall spoil that verypretty tea-party unless we sneak home another way; and I 'low two orthree bullets in the gun would do no harm."
But their first movement was heard. The mastiff lifted his head,erected his mane, and with a hoarse growl sprang towards the lads.Katy was terribly frightened, but kept her presence of mind.
"Bismarck!" she commanded sternly, "keep quiet! come back here, sir!"and the great dog, growling and showing his teeth, stopped hiscourse, and slowly returned to his mistress.
"Boys," the girl called out, when she saw this, "go right along, andpay no attention to the dogs. When I see you safely near the houseI'll come. Don't be alarmed for me."
"Come on, Tug," said Aleck; "the sister knows best."
Just before they reached the door they turned and saw her walkingslowly towards them, the huge, lean father-mastiff close by her side,quiet and submissive, and the mother of the wild crew following tamelyin his footsteps; while the whelp, that had never known, as the olderdogs had, what it was to have a human master, straggled along behind,apparently in great doubt whether his respected parents had not losttheir senses.
Tug hastily entered the house, and quickly appeared at the window withhis gun at his shoulder, ready to shoot if the mastiff showed anysigns of treachery; but he did nothing of the sort. Forty yards or sofrom the house, however, he declined to go any farther, and Katy,without once looking round, walked steadily on to the door, where herbrother caught her in his arms, almost at the point of fainting, forthe strain upon her nerves had nearly exhausted her strength.