Chapter 5 THINGS MIGHT BE WORSE!
The three snarling¹ dogs took no notice of George. It was Timmy they wanted. Who was this strangedog who dared to come wandering round their home? They tried to get at him, but 19George stood there, swinging the leather lead, and giving first one dog and then another a sharp flick².
Julian rushed to help her - and then Timmy gave a sharp yelp³. He had been bitten!
Someone came rushing round the corner. It was Mrs. Jones, running as if she were a twelve-year-old!
'Tang! Bob! Dai!' she called, but the three dogs took no notice of her. And then, from somewhere,came a voice. What a voice! It echoed all round the farmyard as if it had come through a megaphone.
'DAI! BOB! TANG!'
And at the sound of that stentorian⁴ voice the three dogs stopped as if shot. Then they turned aboutand tore off at top speed.
'Thank God! That was Morgan,' panted the old woman, clutching her shawl round her. 'He must haveheard the barking. Oh, my little dear - are you hurt?' She took hold of George's arm, and looked at heranxiously.
'I don't know. I don't think so,' said George, looking rather white. 'It's Timmy that's hurt. Oh, Tim,darling Tim, where did they bite you?'
'Woof!' said Timmy, who, though extremely startled, didn't seem at all frightened. It had all happenedso suddenly. George dropped down on her knees in the snow, and gave a little scream.
'He's been bitten on the neck - oh look! Poor, poor, Timmy. Why did I let you off the lead?'
'It's not much, George,' said Julian, looking at the bleeding place. 'The other dog bit just where hiscollar is, look - and his teeth went through the collar, not really into Tim's neck. It's really not muchmore than a graze.'
Anne was leaning against the wall, looking sick, and Dick suddenly felt as if his legs were wobblyagain. He couldn't help thinking what would have happened if the three savage⁵ dogs had bittenGeorge instead of Timmy. Good old George! She was as brave as a lion!
'What a thing to happen!' said old Mrs. Jones, upset. 'Why for did you let him loose, my boy?
You should have waited for my Morgan to come along with his dogs, and tell them your Timmy wasa friend.'
'I know,' said George, still on her knees beside Timmy. 'It was all my fault. Oh, Timmy, I'm sothankful you've only got that one small bite. Mrs. Jones, have you any

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