bruce-第12节
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Dale of his company and Sergeant Vivier of the French infantry。
The Frenchman was slow in learning poker's mysteries。
And； anyway； all three men were temporarily penniless and were
forced to play for I。O。U'swhich is stupid sport； at best。
So when； from the German line； came a quick sputt…sputt…sputt
from a half…dozen sharpshooters' rifles； all three men looked up
from their desultory game in real interest。 Mahan got to his feet
with a grunt。
〃Some other fool has been trying to see how far he can rubber
above the sandbags without drawing boche fire；〃 he hazarded；
starting out to investigate。 〃It's a miracle to me how a boche
bullet can go through heads that are so full of first…quality
ivory as those rubberers'。〃
But Mahan's strictures were quite unwarranted。 The sharpshooters
were not firing at the parapet。 Their scattering shots were
flying high； and hitting against the slope of the hill behind the
trenches。
Adown this shellpocked hillside； as Mahan and the other
disturbed idlers gazed； came cantering a huge dark…brown…and…
white collie。 The morning wind stirred the black stippling that
edged his tawny fur； showing the gold…gray undercoat beneath it。
His white chest was like a snowdrift； and offered a fine mark for
the German rifles。 A bullet or two sang whiningly past his gayly
up…flung head。
A hundred voices from the Here…We…Come trenches hailed the
advancing dog。
〃Why； it's Bruce！〃 cried Mahan in glad welcome。 〃I might 'a'
known he or another of the collies would be along。 I might 'a'
known it； when the telephones went out of commission。 He〃
〃Regardez…donc！〃 interrupted the admiring Vivier。 〃He acts like
bullets was made of flies！ Mooch he care for boche lead…pills； ce
brave vieux！〃
〃Yes；〃 growled Dale worriedly； 〃and one of these days a bullet
will find its way into that splendid carcass of his。 He's been
shot at； a thousand times； to my own knowledge。 And all I ask is
a chance； with a rifle…butt； at the skull of the Hun who downs
him！〃
〃Downs Bruce？〃 queried Vivier in fine scorn。 〃The boche he is no
borned who can do it。 Bruce has what you call it； in Ainglish；
the 'charm life。' He go safe； where other caniche be pepper…
potted full of holes。 I've watch heem。 I know。〃
Unscathed by the several shots that whined past him； Bruce came
to a halt at the edge of a traverse。 There he stood； wagging his
plume of a tail in grave friendliness； while a score of khaki…
clad arms reached up to lift him bodily into the trench。
A sergeant unfastened the message from the dog's collar and
posted off to the colonel with it。
The message was similar to one which had been telephoned to each
of the supporting bodies； to right and to left of the Here…We…
Comes。 It bade the colonel prepare to withdraw his command from
the front trenches at nightfall； and to move back on the main
force behind the hill…crest。 The front trenches were not
important； and they were far too lightly manned to resist a mass
attack。 Wherefore the drawing…in and consolidating of the whole
outflung line。
Bruce； his work done now； had leisure to respond to the countless
offers of hospitality that encompassed him。 One man brought him a
slice of cold broiled bacon。 Another spread pork…grease over a
bit of bread and proffered it。 A third unearthed from some
sacredly guarded hiding…place an excessively stale half…inch
square of sweet chocolate。
Had the dog so chosen； he might then and there have eaten himself
to death on the multitude of votive offerings。 But in a few
minutes he had had enough； and he merely sniffed in polite
refusal at all further gifts。
〃See？〃 lectured Mahan。 〃That's the beast of it！ When you say a
fellow eats or drinks 'like a beast；' you ought to remember that
a beast won't eat or drink a mouthful more than is good for him。〃
〃Gee！〃 commented the somewhat corpulent Dale。 〃I'm glad I'm not a
beastespecially on pay…day。〃
Presently Bruce tired of the ovation tendered him。 These ovations
were getting to be an old story。 They had begun as far back as
his training…camp dayswhen the story of his joining the army
was told by the man to whom The Place's guest had written
commending the dog to the trainers' kindness。
At the training…camp this story had been reenforced by the chief
collie…teachera dour little Hieland Scot named McQuibigaskie；
who on the first day declared that the American dog had more
sense and more promise and more soul 〃than a' t'other tykes south
o' Kirkcudbright Brae。〃
Being only mortal； Bruce found it pleasanter to be admired and
petted than ignored or kicked。 He was impersonally friendly with
the soldiers； when he was off duty； and he relished the dainties
they were forever thrusting at him。
But at times his soft eyes would grow dark with homesickness for
the quiet loveliness of The Place and for the Mistress and the
Master who were his loyally worshiped gods。 Life had been so
happy and so sweetly uneventful for him； at The Place！ And there
had been none of the awful endless thunder and the bewilderingly
horrible smells and gruesome sights which here met him at every
turn。
The dog's loving heart used to grow sick with it all； and he
longed unspeakably for home。 But he was a gallant soldier； and he
did his work not only well； but with a snap and a dash and an
almost uncanny intelligence which made him an idol to the men。
Presently； now； having eaten all he wanted and having been patted
and talked to until he craved solitude； Bruce strolled ever to an
empty dugout； curled up on a torn blanket there； put his nose
between his white paws and went to sleep。
The German artillery…fire had swelled from an occasional
explosion to a ceaseless roar； that made the ground vibrate and
heave； and that beat on the eardrums with nauseating iterance。
But it did not bother Bruce。 For months he had been used to this
sort of annoyance； and he had learned to sleep snugly through it
all。
Meanwhile； outside his dugout； life was speeding up at a dizzying
rate。 The German artillery had sprung to sudden and wholesale
activity。 Far to the right of the Here…We…Come regiment's
trenches a haze had begun to crawl along the ground and to send
snaky tendrils high in air…tendrils that blended into a single
grayish…green wall as they moved forward。 The hazewall's gray…
green was shot by yellow and purple tinges as the sun's weak rays
touched it。 To the left of the Here…We…Comes； and then in front
of them； appeared the same wall of billowing gas。
The Here…We…Comes were ready for it with their hastily donned
masks。 But there was no need of the precaution。 By one of the
sudden windfreaks so common in the story of the war； the gas…
cloud was cleft in two by a swirling breeze； and it rolled dankly
on； to right and left； leaving the central trenches clear。
Now； an artillery barrage； accompanied or followed by a gas…
demonstration； can mean but one thing： a general attack。
Therefore telephonic word came to the detachments to left and
right of the Here…We…Comes； to fall back； under cover of the gas…
cloud； to safer positions。 Two dogs were sent； with the same
order； to the Here…We…Comes。 （One of the dogs was gassed。 A bit
of shrapnel found the other。）
Thus it was that the Here…We…Comes were left alone （though they
did not know it）； to hold the position；with no support on
either side； and with a mere handful of men wherewith to stem the
impending rush。
On the heels of the dispersing gas…cloud； and straight across the
half…mile or less of broken ground； came a line of gray。 In five
successive waves； according to custom； the boches charged。 Each
wave hurled itself forward as fast as efficiency would let it； in
face of the opposing fire； and as far as human endurance would be
goaded。 Then it went down； and its survivors attached themselves
to the succeeding wave。
Hence； by the time the fifth and mightiest wave got into motion；
it was swelled by the survivors of all four of its predecessors
and was an all…but…resistless mass of shouting and running men。
The rifles and machine…guns of the Here…We…Comes played merrily
into the advancing gray swarms； stopping wave after wave； and at
last checking the fifth and 〃master〃 wave almost at the very
brink of the Franco…American parapet。
〃That's how they do！〃 Mahan pantingly explained to a rather shaky
newcomer； as the last wave fell back。 〃They count on numbers and
bullrushes to get them there。 If they'd had ten thousand men； in
that rush； instead of five thousand； they'd have got us。 And if
they had twice as many men in their whole army as they have；
they'd win this war。 But praise be； they haven't twice as many！
That is one of the fifty…seven reasons why the Allies are going
to lick Germany。〃
Mahan talked jubilantly。 The same jubilation ran all along the
line of victors。 But the colo
