"Mad dog! Mad dog!" Maude Hillman was the first to see the dog and sound out a warning.

We all looked at her at once. The cold chills ran up my back. We looked at each other; each face seemed to say, "What’ll we do?"

"Mad dog!" The hoe handle Maude pointed with trembled in her hand. "Lookie yonder! See that big-big black dog coming up the cove road. Hit’s done and gone mad."

We all stood still as fence posts and watched the dog snap at every laurel bush and twig he came near; white foam covered the head and chest like soap suds. We couldn’t take our eyes off the thing.

"Mad dog! Mad dog!" Maude said.

"That’s what I’ve been a warnin you-uns about!"

"Mama," one of the little girls said, "what if it comes across the bridge?"

"Lord-a-mercy youn’ns!" Maude said, "run put the dogs in the barn and get yoreselfs in the house. That dog yonder done and gone mad."