There are five other men on her , all from the Harbour , and their folks down there are pretty wild about the schooner . '' Nothing more was said about the sheep , and soon , in the pleasures of chestnutting , Curtis forgot his anxiety . Old Tom Grier had called to the boys as they passed his house to come back and have dinner there when the time came . This they did , and it was late in the afternoon when Curtis , with his bag of chestnuts over his shoulder , walked into the Locksley yard . His uncle was standing before the open barn doors , talking to an elderly , grizzled man with a thin , shrewd face . Curtis 's heart sank as he recognized old Paul Stockton . What could have brought him over ? `` Curtis , '' called his uncle , `` come here . '' As Curtis crossed the yard , Don came bounding down the slope from the house to meet him . He put his hand on the dog 's big head and the two of them walked slowly to the barn . Old Paul included them both in a vindictive scowl . `` Curtis , '' said his uncle gravely , `` here 's a bad business . Mr. Stockton tells me that your dog has been worrying his sheep . '' `` It 's a -- '' began Curtis angrily . Then he checked himself and went on more calmly . `` That ca n't be so , Mr. Stockton . My dog would not harm anything . '' `` He killed or helped to kill six of the finest sheep in my flock ! '' retorted old Paul . `` What proof have you of it ? ''
demanded Curtis , trying XXXXX keep his anger within bounds .
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