The Bobbsey Twins Or, Merry Days Indoors and Out

Excerpt: ...by the door, Nan, I'll try to guard the window." Nan threw her form against the door and held it as hard as if a giant were outside trying to force it in. Bert felt around the empty shed and picked up the handle of a broken spade. With this in hand he stalked over to the one little window which was opposite the door. "Are there any cows here?" asked Nan. It was so dark she could see next to nothing. "No cows here, I guess," answered Bert. "This building is 'most ready to tumble down." The dog outside was barking still. Once in a while he would stop to catch his breath and then he would continue as loudly as ever. He scratched at the door with his paw, which made Nan shiver from head to feet. "He is trying to work his way in," she cried. "If he does that, I'll hit him with this," answered her twin brother, and brandished the Pg 99 spade handle over his head. He watched the window closely and wondered what they had best do if the dog leaped straight through and attacked them in the dark. The barking continued for over quarter of an hour. To Nan and Bert it seemed hours and hours. Then came a call from a distance. "Hi, Tige, what's the matter? Have you spotted a tramp in the shed?" "Help! help!" called out Bert. "Call off your dog!" "A tramp, sure enough," said the man who was coming toward the cow-shed. "I am not a tramp," answered Bert. "And my sister isn't a tramp, either." "What's that? You've got your sister with you? Open the door." "Please, we are afraid of the dog," came from Nan. "He came after us and we ran into the shed for shelter." "Oh, that's it?" The farmer gave a short laugh. "Well, you needn't be skeert! Tige won't hurt ye none." "Are you sure of that?" put in Bert. "He seems to be very savage." Pg 100 "I won't let him touch ye." Thus assured Nan opened the door and followed Bert outside. At a word from the farmer Tige stopped barking and began to wag his tail. "That dog wouldn't hurt nobody, 'ceptin' he was attacked, or if a person...