"Make haste! much haste! He saw you throw his apple away!" Before she ended, I was on my feet.

She stood pointing up the slope.

On the brow of it was a clownish, bad-looking fellow, a few inches taller than myself.

He looked hostile, but I saw no reason to fear him, for he had no weapon, and my little friends had vanished every one.
He began to descend, and I, in the hope of better footing and position, to go up.

He growled like a beast as he turned toward me.
Reaching a more level spot, I stood and waited for him.