Then suddenly, quite close to her on the other side of the planking, sounded a whisper, and Huldah never knew afterwards whether she was most frightened or relieved—­frightened by the nearness of somebody, or relieved that the somebody was not her “uncle.”

“Bill, where’s the sack?” the voice asked, impatiently.

“I dunno!” answered another voice, sourly.  “You had it.  I’ve cut my knee on that there wall; I can feel the blood running down my leg.”

“You always manages to do something,” was all the sympathy Bill got.  “We’ve got to ’ave the sack, so you’d better find it.  How’re we to carry the birds without it?  In our hats?”

“It’s the fowls!” thought Huldah, thrilling with excitement.  “They’re going to steal the fowls.  Oh, they shan’t!  The lady’ll think it’s me.  Oh, what can I do?  How can I tell her?  I must stop them, somehow!”

Bill had gone back in search of the sack, and the other thief stood waiting for him.  Huldah had time to think, but no plan came to her.  She did not know her way, nor where to turn for help; and if she screamed, they would only find her out, and knock her about.  They would steal the fowls all the same.  A slight movement beside her recalled her thoughts, and sent her spirits up with a bound.  “Dick! why, of course Dick would help her!”

Quick as thought she crept to the door, and with one hand on Dick’s collar she gently raised the latch with the other.  Bill had evidently found the sack, for the thieves were together again; she heard them whispering.  One even seemed to be already fumbling with the latch of the fowls’ house door.

“Quick, Dick, catch them!” she whispered, excitedly.  “Go for them, Dick! bring them down!” With one fierce yelp Dick was out of her grasp and out of her sight.

It had all happened so swiftly that the thieves were bewildered, dazed, and frightened almost beyond power of speech or movement.  They had heard nothing, and certainly had expected nothing, yet suddenly, from somewhere quite near by, came a voice, and out of the darkness came a large dog bounding upon them, growling savagely.  For a second they were too frightened to move; then, with an oath, they dashed across the garden, making for the wall they had come over.  Fast though they went, Dick was after them and on them, and Bob, as well as Bill, knew what it was to feel blood trickling down his leg.  Bob yelled, Bill groaned, Dick growled and snarled and barked furiously with excitement.  The frightened hens, startled by the hubbub, added their share to the uproar.

In the cottage a curtain was drawn back quickly from a window, and a white frightened face stared out.  Huldah caught sight of it, and coming out of the shelter of the barn, raced eagerly along the path to the house.

“It’s all right,” she cried, panting.  “It’s all right, ma’am, some fellows come stealing your fowls, but Dick’s after them.”