A Great Fright. 145

and it might be that he was not
used to children, and did not like
them.

At any rate, he only turned round
and growled in a very surly, disagree-
able way, instead of coming forward
politely, as a well-bred dog would
do, to meet the little boy.

Johnny, however, did not wait to
see how he met him. He rushed
forward, and, standing in front of
the surly animal, began to talk to
him, and to try to pat his back.

‘That isn’t to be borne at all,’
thinks Mr. Stranger Doggie. ‘I
wonder who this upstart of a boy
can be.’ And he growled again.

IO