-Chapter Three:
A large bulldog came rushing down the path towards us. It's head was up to my waist and it was one of the ugliest dogs I have ever seen. It galloped towards us -faster than any horse- and there was a string of drool hanging from it's jaws.
I did the first thing I could think of...I looked for a place of safety.
Shrieking shrilly, and dropping my clipboard, I raced towards the ladder leaned against the hog's shed. Melissa came right after me, pushing me on as I scrambled up the ladder rungs. The dog first inspected my clipboard, and that gave me enough time to help my cousin up onto the flat shingled roof.
"Is...that...dog...still...there?" Melissa asked, panting for breath. Neither of us are used to this kind of exercise.
Since I was the closest I scooted over and peered over the edge. Right beneath me sat the large dog, looking up at us. As soon as it saw my face it began to howl and it's beady black eyes seemed to say: "I've got you two unprincipled subscription hunters treed and it's treed you're going to stay."
"Are we safe?" Melissa asked.
"As long as that diabolical dog can't climb ladders we are. But he doesn't seem short on time. I expect he's gonna stay there."
Indeed that dog plopped himself on his haunches and continued to growl whenever I peeked my head over.
"What are we gonna do?"
"Well," replied Melissa snappishly. "It's obvious that the only thing we can do is wait for Issac to come and take that brute away."
"What if he's not home?"
"We'll have to stay here until he does!"
I was about to suggest that we go down and face our fears -which seemed better than sitting on a roof-top all day- until I saw the dog yawn and got a good view of all his teeth.
"You don't suppose anyone will come by here and rescue us?"
"No," answered my cousin pessimistically. "We're too far away from the city for anyone to drive by here, and this shed is hidden by the grove of trees."
"We can shout."
"Go ahead," said Melissa scornfully.
For a full five minutes I shouted for Issac. The dog, joined in with long howls.
"It's no use," Melissa replied sulkily. "Issac is either away in the city...or dead."
Nearly on the verge of tears, I tried to settle myself more comfortably. The shingled roof was soaking up the rays of the sun, which was burning down through a cloudless sky. I could see the colors of my dress fading before my eyes. And my hat!
A most welcome sight came when we spotted Issac, carrying a hoe across his shoulders. He appeared from behind the house. He must have been farming in the fields behind his house...where he couldn't hear our shouts.
A large bulldog came rushing down the path towards us. It's head was up to my waist and it was one of the ugliest dogs I have ever seen. It galloped towards us -faster than any horse- and there was a string of drool hanging from it's jaws.
I did the first thing I could think of...I looked for a place of safety.
Shrieking shrilly, and dropping my clipboard, I raced towards the ladder leaned against the hog's shed. Melissa came right after me, pushing me on as I scrambled up the ladder rungs. The dog first inspected my clipboard, and that gave me enough time to help my cousin up onto the flat shingled roof.
"Is...that...dog...still...there?" Melissa asked, panting for breath. Neither of us are used to this kind of exercise.
Since I was the closest I scooted over and peered over the edge. Right beneath me sat the large dog, looking up at us. As soon as it saw my face it began to howl and it's beady black eyes seemed to say: "I've got you two unprincipled subscription hunters treed and it's treed you're going to stay."
"Are we safe?" Melissa asked.
"As long as that diabolical dog can't climb ladders we are. But he doesn't seem short on time. I expect he's gonna stay there."
Indeed that dog plopped himself on his haunches and continued to growl whenever I peeked my head over.
"What are we gonna do?"
"Well," replied Melissa snappishly. "It's obvious that the only thing we can do is wait for Issac to come and take that brute away."
"What if he's not home?"
"We'll have to stay here until he does!"
I was about to suggest that we go down and face our fears -which seemed better than sitting on a roof-top all day- until I saw the dog yawn and got a good view of all his teeth.
"You don't suppose anyone will come by here and rescue us?"
"No," answered my cousin pessimistically. "We're too far away from the city for anyone to drive by here, and this shed is hidden by the grove of trees."
"We can shout."
"Go ahead," said Melissa scornfully.
For a full five minutes I shouted for Issac. The dog, joined in with long howls.
"It's no use," Melissa replied sulkily. "Issac is either away in the city...or dead."
Nearly on the verge of tears, I tried to settle myself more comfortably. The shingled roof was soaking up the rays of the sun, which was burning down through a cloudless sky. I could see the colors of my dress fading before my eyes. And my hat!
A most welcome sight came when we spotted Issac, carrying a hoe across his shoulders. He appeared from behind the house. He must have been farming in the fields behind his house...where he couldn't hear our shouts.