It was so in this case. The other girls, not heeding Amy's frantic appeal, stood still, but she ran back toward the road, her short skirt giving her a chance to exercise her speed. The dog saw, and singling out her as the most favorable for his purposes, he leaped the fence in a great bound and rushed after the startled girl. "Stop him! Stop him!" "Oh, Amy!" "If she falls!" "I know I'm going to faint!" "Don't you dare do it, Grace Ford!" "Why doesn't that man keep his dog chained?" These were only a few of the expressions that came from the lips of the girls as, horror-stricken, they watched the dog rush after poor Amy. Never had she run so fast--not even during one of the basket ball games in which she had played, nor when they had races at the Sunday school picnic. And, had it not been for a certain hired man, who, taking in the situation as he came on the run from the barn, acted promptly, Amy might have been severely injured. As it was the farmer's man, crossing the yard diagonally, was able to intercept the dog. "Run to the left, Miss! Run to the left!" he cried. Then, leaping the low fence at a bound, he threw the pitchfork he carried at the dog with such skill that the handle crossed between the brute's legs and tripped it. Turning over and over in a series of somersaults, the dog's progress was sufficiently halted to enable the hired man to get to it. He took a firm grip in the collar of the dog and held on. Poor Amy stumbled a few steps farther and then Betty, recovering her scattered wits, cried out: "All right, Amy! All right! You're in no danger!" And Amy sank to the ground while her chums rushed toward her. "Hold him, Zeke! Hold him!" cried the farmer, as he came lumbering up. "Hold on to him!" "That's what I'm doin'!" responded the hired man. "Is th' gal hurted? Land sakes, I never knew Nero to act so!" went on the farmer apologetically. "He must have been teased by some of th' boys. Be you hurted, Miss?" Pale and trembling, Amy arose. But it was very evident that she had suffered no serious harm, for the dog had not reached her, and she had simply collapsed on the grass, rather than fallen. The dog, choking and growling, was firmly held by the hired man, who seemed to have no fear of him. "I'm awfully sorry," said the farmer, contritely. "I never knew him to act like that." "Some one has tied a lot of burrs on his tail," called out the hired man. "That's what set him off." "I thought so. Well, clean 'em off, and he'll behave. Poor old Nero!" Even now the dog was quieting down, and as the hired man removed the irritating cause of the beast's anger it became even gentle, whining as though to offer excuses. "I can't tell you how sorry I am," went on the farmer. "You're strangers around here, I take it." "Yes," said Betty, "and we lost our way. We're going to Rockford. We must be there to-night." "Rockford?" "Yes, my aunt lives there." "And who might your aunt be?" "Mrs. Palmer." "Bill Palmer's wife?"