the woman-haters-第10节

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He　turned　to　enter　the　kitchen；　turning　again　just　in　time　to　find
the　pup　at　his　heels。　　He　lifted　the　shovel；　and　Job　jumped
frantically　out　of　reach；　sat　down　in　a　clump　of　beach　grass；　lifted
his　nose　to　the　sky　and　expressed　his　feelings　in　a　howl　of　utter
misery。

〃Goodheavens！〃　observed　John　Brown　fervently；　and；　shifting　the
shovel　to　his　left　hand；　rubbed　his　forehead　with　his　right。　　Job
howled　once　more　and　gazed　at　him　with　sorrowful　appeal。　　The
situation　was　so　ridiculous　that　the　young　man　began　to　laugh。　　This
merriment　appeared　to　encourage　the　pup；　who　stopped　howling　and
began　to　caper；　throwing　the　loose　sand　from　beneath　his　paws　in
showers。

〃What's　the　matter；　old　boy？〃　inquired　Brown。　　〃Lonesome；　are　you？〃

Job　was　making　himself　the　center　of　a　small…sized　sand　spout。

〃Humph！　　Well　。　。　。　well；　all　right。　　I'm　not　going　to　hurt　you。
Stay　where　you　are；　and　I　won't　shut　the　door。〃

But　this　compromise　was　not　satisfactory；　because　the　moment　the
young　man　started　to　cross　the　threshold　the　dog　started　to　follow。
When　Brown　halted；　he　followed　suitand　howled。　　Then　the
substitute　assistant　surrendered　unconditionally。

〃All　right；〃　he　said。　　〃Come　in；　then；　if　you　want　to。　　Come　in！　but
for　goodness　sake　keep　still　when　you　are　in。〃

He　strode　into　the　kitchen；　leaving　the　door　open。　　Job　slunk　after
him；　and　crouched　with　his　muzzle　across　the　sill；　evidently　not　yet
certain　that　his　victory　was　complete。　　He　did　not　howl；　however；
and　his　late　adversary　was　thankful　for　the　omission。

Brown　bethought　himself　of　the　water　in　the　wash　boiler　and；
removing　the　cover；　tested　it　with　his　finger。　　It　was　steadily
heating；　but　not　yet　at　the　boiling　point。　　He　pushed　the　boiler
aside；　lifted　a　lid　of　the　range　and　inspected　the　fire。　　From
behind　him　came　a　yelp；　another；　a　thump；　and　then　a　series　of
thumps　and　yelps。　　He　turned　and　saw　Job　in　the　center　of　the　floor
apparently　having　a　fit。

The　moment　his　back　was　turned；　the　pup　had　sneaked　into　the
kitchen。　　It　was　not　a　large　kitchen；　and　Job　was　distinctly　a　large
dog。　　Also；　he　was　suspicious　of　further　assaults　with　the　fire
shovel　and　had　endeavored　to　find　a　hiding　place　under　the　table。
In　crawling　beneath　this　article　of　furniture　he　had　knocked　off　a
sheet　of　the　fly　paper。　　This　had　fallen　〃butter　side　down〃　upon　his
back；　and　stuck　fast。　　He　reached　aft　to　pull　it　loose　with　his
teeth　and　had　encountered　a　second　sheet　laid　on　a　chair。　　This　had
stuck　to　his　neck。　　Job　was　an　apprehensive　animal　by　nature　and　as
the　result　of　experience；　and　his　nerves　were　easily　unstrung。　　He
forgot　the　shovel；　forgot　the　human　whom　he　had　been　fearfully
trying　to　propitiate；　forgot　everything　except　the　dreadful　objects
which　clung　to　him　and　pulled　his　hair。　　He　rolled　from　beneath　the
table；　a　shrieking；　kicking；　snapping　cyclone。　　And　that　kitchen　was
no　place　for　a　cyclone。

He　rolled　and　whirled　for　an　instant；　then　scrambled　to　his　feet　and
began　running　in　widening　circles。　　Brown　tried　to　seize　him　as　he
passed；　but　he　might　as　well　have　seized　a　railroad　train。　　Another
chair；　also　loaded　with　fly　paper；　upset；　and　Job　added　a　third
sheet　to　his　collection。　　This　one　plastered　itself　across　his　nose
and　eyes。　　He　ceased　running　forward　and　began　to　leap　high　in　the
air　and　backwards。　　The　net　containing　the　big　lobster　fell　to　the
floor。　　Then　John　Brown　fled　to　the　open　air；　leaned　against　the
side　of　the　building　and　screamed　with　laughter。

Inside　the　kitchen　the　uproar　was　terrific。　　Howls；　shrill　yelps；
thumps　and　crashes。　　Then　came　a　crash　louder　than　any　preceding　it；
a　splash　of　water　across　the　sill；　and　from　the　doorway　leaped；　or
flew；　an　object　steaming　and　dripping；　fluttering　with　fly　paper；
and　with　a　giant　lobster　clamped　firmly　to　its　tail。　　The　lobster
was　knocked　off　against　the　door　post；　but　the　rest　of　the　exhibit
kept　on　around　the　corner　of　the　house；　shrieking　as　it　flew。　　Brown
collapsed　in　the　sand　and　laughed　until　his　sides　ached　and　he　was
too　weak　to　laugh　longer。

At　last　he　got　up　and　staggered　after　it。　　He　was　still　laughing
when　he　reached　the　back　yard；　but　there　he　stopped　laughing　and
uttered　an　exclamation　of　impatience　and　some　alarm。

Of　Job　there　was　no　sign；　though　from　somewhere　amid　the　dunes
sounded　yelps；　screams　and　the　breaking　of　twigs　as　the　persecuted
one　fled　blindly　through　the　bayberry　and　beachplum　bushes。　　But
Brown　was　not　anxious　about　the　dog。　　What　caused　him　to　shout　and
then　break　into　a　run　was　the　sight　of　Joshua；　the　old　horse；
galloping　at　top　speed　along　the　road　to　the　south。　　Even　his　sedate
and　ancient　calm　had　not　been　proof　against　the　apparition　which
burst　from　the　kitchen。　　In　his　fright　he　had　broken　his　halter　rope
and　manageda　miracle；　considering　his　ageto　leap　the　pasture
fence　and　run。

That　horse　was　the　apple　of　Seth　Atkins's　eye。　　The　lightkeeper
believed　him　to　be　a　wonder　of　strength　and　endurance；　and　never
left　the　lights　without　cautioning　his　helper　to　keep　an　eye　on
Joshua；　〃'cause　if　anything　happened　to　him　I'd　have　to　hunt　a
mighty　long　spell　to　find　another　that　could　tech　him。〃　　Brown
accepted　this　trust　with　composure；　feeling　morally　certain　that　the
only　thing　likely　to　happen　to　Joshua　was　death　from　overeating　or
old　age。　　And　now　something　had　happenedJoshua　was　running　away。

There　was　but　one　course　to　take；　Brown　must　leave　the　government's
property　in　its　own　care　and　capture　that　horse。　　He　had　laughed
until　running　seemed　an　impossibility；　but　run　he　must；　and　did；
after　a　fashion。　　But　Joshua　was　running；　too；　and　he　was
frightened。　　He　galloped　like　a　colt；　and　the　assistant　lightkeeper
gained　upon　him　very　slowly。

The　road　was　crooked　and　hilly；　and　the　sand　in　its　ruts　was　deep。
Brown　would　not　have　gained　at　all；　but　for　the　fact　that　the　horse；
from　long　habit；　kept　to　the　roadway　and　never　tried　short　cuts。
His　pursuer　did；　and；　therefore；　just　as　Joshua　entered　the　grove　on
the　bluff　above　Pounddug　Slough；　Brown　caught　up　with　him　and　made　a
grab　at　the　end　of　the　trailing　halter。　　He　missed　it；　and　the　horse
took　a　fresh　start。

The　road　through　the　grove　was　overgrown　with　young　trees　and
bushes；　and　amid　these　the　animal　had　a　distinct　advantage。　　Not
until　the　outer　edge　of　the　grove　was　reached　did　the　panting
assistant　get　another　opportunity　at　the　rope。　　This　time　he　seized
it　and　held　on。

〃Whoa！〃　he　shouted。　　〃Whoa！〃

But　Joshua　did　not　〃whoa〃　at　once。　　He　kept　on　along　the　edge　of　the
high；　sandy　slope。　　Brown；　from　the　tail　of　his　eye；　caught　a
glimpse　of　the　winding　channel　of　the　Slough　beneath　him；　of　a　small
schooner　heeled　over　on　the　mud　flat　at　its　margin；　and　of　the
figure　of　a　man　at　work　beside　it。

〃Whoa！〃　he　ordered　once　more。　　〃Whoa；　Josh！　stand　still！〃

Perhaps　the　horse　would　have　stood　stillhe　seemed　about　to　do　so
but　from　the　distance；　somewhere　on　the　road　he　had　just　traversed；
came　a　howl；　long…drawn　and　terrifyingly　familiar。　　Joshua　heard　it；
jumped　sidewise；　jerked　at　the　halter　and；　as　if　playing　〃snap　the
whip；〃　sent　his　would…be　captor　heels　over　head　over　the　edge　of　the
bank　and　rolling　down　the　sandy　slope。　　The　halter　flew　from　Brown's
hands；　he　rolled　and　bumped　and　clutched　at　clumps　of　grass　and
bushes。　　Then　he　struck　the　beach　and　stopped；　spread…eagled　on　the
wet　sand。

A　voice　said：　〃WellbyTIME！〃

Brown　looked　up。　　Seth　Atkins；　a　paint　pail　in　one　hand　and　a
dripping　brush　in　the　other；　was　standing　beside　him；　blank
astonishment　written　on　his　features。

〃Wellby　time！〃　said　Seth　again；　and　with　even　stronger　emphasis。

The　substitute　assistant　raised　himself　to　his　knees；　rubbed　his
back　with　one　hand；　and　then；　turning；　sat　in　the　sand　and　returned
his　superior's　astonished　gaze　with　one　of　equal　bewilderment。

〃Hello！〃　he　gasped。　　〃Well；　by　George！　it's　you；　isn't　it！　　What　are
you　doing　here？〃

The　lightkeeper　put　down　the　pail　of　paint。

〃What　am　I　doin'？〃　he　repeated。　　〃What　am　I　doin'？　　Say！〃　　His
astonishment　changed　to　suspicion　and　wrath。　　〃Never　you　mind　what
I'm　doin'；〃　he　went　on。　　〃That's　my　affairs。　　What　are　YOU　doin'
here？　　That's　what　I　want　to　know。〃

Brown　rubbed　the　sand　out　of　his　hair。

〃I　don't　know　exactly　what　I　am　doingyet；〃　he　panted。

〃You　don't；　hey？　　Well；　you'd　better　find　out。　　Maybe　I　can　help　you
to　remember。　　Sneakin'　after　me；　wa'n't　you？　　Spyin'；　to　find　out
what　I　was　up　to；　hey？〃

He　shook　the　wet　paint　brush　angrily　at　his　helper。　　Brown　looked　at
him　for　an　instant；　then　he　rose　to　his　feet。

〃Spyin'　on　me；　was　you？〃　repeated　Seth。

〃Didn't　I　tell　you　that　mindin'　your　own　business　was　part　of　our
dicker　if　you　was　goin'　to　stay　at　Eastboro　lighthouse？　　Didn't　I
tell　you　that？〃

The　young　man　answered　with　a　contemptuous　shrug。　　Turning　on　his
heel；　he　started　to　walk　away。　　Atkins　sprang　after　him。

〃Answer　me；〃　he　ordered。　　〃Didn't　I　say　you'd　got　to　mind　your　own
business？〃

〃You　did；〃　coldly。

〃You　bet　I　did！　　And　was　you　mindin'　it？〃

〃No。　　I　was　minding　yourslike　a　fool。　　Now　you　may　mind　it
yourself。〃

〃Hold　on　there！　　Where　you　goin'？〃

〃Back　to　the