ly, there was a terrific uproar, the dogs barking and wrangling
furiously, Hector shouting: 'Away, you brutes!' while he laid his stick
stoutly upon the backs and heads of the Huskies, and poor little Ailie
shrieked pitifully at what she believed to be the imminent peril of all
four.

The collies fought superbly. Fearfully outnumbered as they were, their
superior sagacity and speed of movement for a while enabled them to
hold their own. Keeping close together in front of the children, they
struck to right and left with their keen white fangs, slashing the
Huskies on head and shoulder, so that one after another slunk away,
howling dolefully.

But for each one thus driven off, two others rushed to the attack, and,
in spite of the splendid play Hector made with his stick, at the risk
of being badly bitten himself, the issue must have gone hard against
the gallant collies, for the Huskies would not have stopped until they
had torn them to pieces. But, in the nick of time, a stalwart figure
came charging down the beach with mighty strides.

Into the thick of the melee plunged Andrew Macrae, using, with
unsparing energy, not only his heavily booted feet, but his tightly
clenched fists. On this side and that fell his tremendous blows, and
every one meant a disabled or disheartened dog, until, presently, the
whole pack had fled out of reach, and the wrathful Scotsman stood
panting but triumphant, Ailie clinging sobbingly to one knee, and
Hector standing breathless at the other, while Dour and Dandy, after a
brief greeting, made haste to take stock of themselves, and see what
damage they had suffered at the teeth of the evil-tempered Huskies.

CHAPTER II

At Odds with Bruin

'Ech, bairns!' exclaimed Andrew, putting a calming hand upon the head
of each of the agitated children, 'but they're an ill lot of curs to
set upon ye in that unmannerly fashion. I'm richt glad I heard the row
they were making, and thocht that maybe Dour and Dandy might be glad o'
my help. I'm sore mistaken if those snarling beasts,' and he indicated
with a sweep of his hand the Huskies now hovering at a respectful
distance, 'will be ettlin' to feel my foot verra soon. They're nae
fules, though they don't know how to be decent to strangers.'

By this time Ailie's tears were stayed, and Hector had recovered his
wind, so they continued along the beach, the collies keeping close to
Andrew's heels, giving vent to triumphant little growls whe