animal heroes-第1节

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Animal　Heroes

by　Ernest　Thompson　Seton





Note　to　Reader

A　hero　is　an　individual　of　unusual　gifts　and　achievements。
Whether　it　be　man　or　animal；　this　definition　applies；　and　it　is
the　histories　of　such　that　appeal　to　the　imagination　and　to　the
hearts　of　those　who　hear　them。

In　this　volume　every　one　of　the　stories；　though　more　or　less
composite；　is　founded　on　the　actual　life　of　a　veritable　animal
hero。　The　most　composite　is　the　White　Reindeer。　This　story　I
wrote　by　Utrovand　in　Norway　during　the　summer　of　1900；　while　the
Reindeer　herds　grazed　in　sight　on　the　near　uplands。

The　Lynx　is　founded　on　some　of　my　own　early　experiences　in　the
backwoods。

It　is　less　than　ten　years　since　the　'Jack　Warhorse'　won　his
hero…crown。　Thousands　of　〃Kaskadoans〃　will　remember　him；　and　by
the　name　Warhorse　his　coursing　exploits　are　recorded　in　several
daily　papers。

The　least　composite　is　Arnaux。　It　is　so　nearly　historical　that
several　who　knew　the　bird　have　supplied　additional　items　of
information。

The　nest　of　the　destroying　Peregrines；　with　its　owners　and　their
young；　is　now　to　be　seen　in　the　American　Museum　of　Natural
History　of　New　York。　The　Museum　authorities　inform　me　that　Pigeon
badges　with　the　following　numbers　were　found　in　the　nest：　9970…S；
1696；　U。　63；　77；　J。　F。　52；　Ex。　705；　6…1894；　C　20900。
Perhaps　some　Pigeon…lover　may　learn　from　these　lines　the　fate　of
one　or　other　wonderful　flier　that　has　long　been　recorded　〃never
returned。〃


THE　SLUM　CAT

LIFE　I

I

M…e…a…t！　M…e…a…t！〃　came　shrilling　down　Scrimper's　Alley。　Surely
the　Pied　Piper　of　Hamelin　was　there；　for　it　seemed　that　all　the
Cats　in　the　neighborhood　were　running　toward　the　sound；　though
the　Dogs；　it　must　be　confessed；　looked
scornfully　indifferent。

〃Meat！　Meat！　〃and　louder；　then　the　centre　of　attraction　came　in
viewa　rough；　dirty　little　man　with　a　push…cart；　while
straggling　behind　him　were　a　score　of　Cats　that　joined　in　his　cry
with　a　sound　nearly　the　same　as　his　own。　Every　fifty　yards；　that
is；　as　soon　as　a　goodly　throng　of　Cats　was　gathered；　the
push…cart　stopped。　The　man　with　the　magic　voice　took　out　of　the
box　in　his　cart　a　skewer　on　which　were　pieces　of　strong…smelling
boiled　liver。　With　a　long　stick　he　pushed　the　pieces　off。　Each
Cat　seized　on　one；　and　wheeling；　with　a　slight　depression　of　the
ears　and　a　little　tiger　growl　and　glare；　she　rushed　away　with　her
prize　to　devour　it　in　some　safe　retreat。

〃Meat！　Meat！〃　And　still　they　came　to　get　their　portions。　All　were
well　known　to　the　meat…man。　There　was　Castiglione's　Tiger；　this
was　Jones's　Black；　here　was　Pralitsky's　〃Torkershell；〃　and　this
was　Madame　Danton's　White；　there　sneaked　Blenkinshoff's　Maltee；
and　that　climbing　on　the　barrow　was　Sawyer's　old　Orange　Billy；　an
impudent　fraud　that　never　had　had　any　financial　backing；all　to
be　remembered　and　kept　in　account。　This　one's　owner　was　sure　pay；
a　dime　a　week；　that　one's　doubtful。　There　was　John　Washee's　Cat；
that　got　only　a　small　piece　because　John　was　in　arrears。　Then
there　was　the　saloon…keeper's　collared　and　ribboned　ratter；　which
got　an　extra　lump　because　the　'barkeep'　was　liberal；　and　the
rounds…man's　Cat；　that　brought　no　cash；　but　got　unusual
consideration　because　the　meat…man　did。　But　there　were　others。　A
black　Cat　with　a　white　nose　came　rushing　confidently　with　the
rest；　only　to　be　repulsed　savagely。　Alas！　Pussy　did　not
understand。　She　had　been　a　pensioner　of　the　barrow　for　months。
Why　this　unkind　change？　It　was　beyond　her　comprehension。　But　the
meat…man　knew。　Her　mistress　had　stopped　payment。　The　meat…man
kept　no　books　but　his　memory；　and　it　never　was　at　fault。

Outside　this　patrician　'four　hundred'　about　the　barrow；　were
other　Cats；　keeping　away　from　the　push…cart　because　they　were　not
on　the　list；　the　Social　Register　as　it　were；　yet　fascinated　by
the　heavenly　smell　and　the　faint　possibility　of　accidental　good
luck。　Among　these　hangers…on　was　a　thin　gray　Slummer；　a　homeless
Cat　that　lived　by　her　witsslab…sided　and　not　over…clean。　One
could　see　at　a　glance　that　she　was　doing　her　duty　by　a　family　in
some　out…of…the…way　corner。　She　kept　one　eye　on　the　barrow　circle
and　the　other　on　the　possible　Dogs。
She　saw　a　score　of　happy　Cats　slink　off　with　their　delicious
'daily'　and　their　tiger…like　air；　but　no　opening　for　her；　till　a
big　Tom　of　her　own　class　sprang　on　a　little　pensioner　with　intent
to　rob。　The　victim　dropped　the　meat　to　defend　herself　against　the
enemy；　and　before　the　'all…powerful'　could　intervene；　the　gray
Slummer　saw　her　chance；　seized　the　prize；　and　was　gone。

She　went　through　the　hole　in　Menzie's　side　door　and　over　the　wall
at　the　back；　then　sat　down　and　devoured　the　lump　of　liver；　licked
her　chops；　felt　absolutely　happy；　and　set　out　by　devious　ways　to
the　rubbish…yard；　where；　in　the　bottom　of　an　old　cracker…box；　her
family　was　awaiting　her。　A　plaintive　mewing　reached　her　ears。　She
went　at　speed　and　reached　the　box　to　see　a　huge　Black　Tom…cat
calmly　destroying　her　brood。　He　was　twice　as　big　as　she；　but　she
went　at　him　with　all　her　strength；　and　he　did　as　most　animals
will　do　when　caught　wrong…doing；　he　turned　and　ran　away。　Only　one
was　left；　a　little　thing　like　its　mother；　but　of　more　pronounced
colorgray　with　black　spots；　and　a　white　touch　on　nose；　ears；
and　tail…tip。　There　can　be　no　question　of　the　mother's　grief　for
a　few　days；　but　that　wore　off；　and　all　her　care　was　for　the
survivor。　That　benevolence　was　as　far　as　possible　from　the
motives　of　the　murderous　old　Tom　there　can　be　no　doubt；　but　he
proved　a　blessing　in　deep　disguise；　for　both　mother　and　Kit　were
visibly　bettered　in　a　short　time。　The　daily　quest　for　food
continued。　The　meat…man　rarely　proved　a　success；　but　the　ash…cans
were　there；　and　if　they　did　not　afford　a　meat…supply；　at　least
they　were　sure　to　produce　potato…skins　that　could　be　used　to
allay　the　gripe　of　hunger　for　another　day。

One　night　the　mother　Cat　smelt　a　wonderful　smell　that　came　from
the　East　River　at　the　end　of　the　alley。　A　new　smell　always　needs
investigating；　and　when　it　is　attractive　as　well　as　new；　there　is
but　one　course　open。　It　led　Pussy　to　the　docks　a　block　away；　and
then　out　on　a　wharf；　away　from　any　cover　but　the　night。　A　sudden
noise；　a　growl　and　a　rush；　were　the　first　notice　she　had　that　she
was　cut　off　by　her　old　enemy；　the　Wharf　Dog。　There　was　only　one
escape。　She　leaped　from　the　wharf　to　the　vessel　from　which　the
smell　came。　The　Dog　could　not　follow；　so　when　the　fish…boat
sailed　in　the　morning　Pussy　unwillingly　went　with　her　and　was
seen　no　more。


II

The　Slum　Kitten　waited　in　vain　for　her　mother。　The　morning　came
and　went。　She　became　very　hungry。　Toward　evening　a　deep…laid
instinct　drove　her　forth　to　seek　food。　She　slunk　out　of　the　old
box；　and　feeling　her　way　silently　among　the　rubbish；　she　smelt
everything　that　seemed　eatable；　but　without　finding　food。　At
length　she　reached　the　wooden　steps　leading　down　into　Jap　Malee's
bird…store　underground。　The　door　was　open　a　little。　She　wandered
into　a　world　of　rank　and　curious　smells　and　a　number　of　living
things　in　cages　all　about　her。　A　negro　was　sitting　idly　on　a　box
in　a　corner。　He　saw　the　little　stranger　enter　and　watched　it
curiously。　It　wandered　past　some　Rabbits。　They　paid　no　heed。　It
came　to　a　wide…barred　cage　in　which　was　a　Fox。　The　gentleman　with
the　bushy　tail　was　in　a　far　corner。　He　crouched　low；　his　eyes
glowed。　The　Kitten　wandered；　sniffing；　up　to　the　bars；　put　its
head　in；　sniffed　again；　then　made　toward　the　feed…pan；　to　be
seized　in　a　flash　by　the　crouching　Fox。　It　gave　a　frightened
〃mew；〃　but　a　single　shake　cut　that　short　and　would　have　ended
Kitty's　nine　lives　at　once；　had　not　the　negro　come　to　the　rescue。
He　had　no　weapon　and　could　not　get　into　the　cage；　but　he　spat
with　such　copious　vigor　in　the　Fox's　face　that　he　dropped　the
Kitten　and　returned　to　the　corner；　there　to　sit　blinking　his　eyes
in　sullen　fear。

The　negro　pulled　the　Kitten　out。　The　shake　of　the　beast　of　prey
seemed　to　have　stunned　the　victim；　really　to　have　saved　it　much
suffering。　The　Kitten　seemed　unharmed；　but　giddy。　It　tottered　in
a　circle　for　a　time；　then　slowly　revived；　and　a　few　minutes　later
was　purring　in　the　negro's　lap；　apparently　none　the　worse；　when
Jap　Malee；　the　bird…man；　came　home。

Jap　was　not　an　Oriental；　he　was　a　full…blooded　Cockney；　but　his
eyes　were　such　little　accidental　slits　aslant　in　his　round；　flat
face；　that　his　first　name　was　forgotten　in　the　highly　descriptive
title　of　〃Jap。〃　He　was　not　especially　unkind　to　the　birds　and
beasts　whose　sales　were　supposed　to　furnish　his　living；　but　his
eye　was　on　the　main　chance；　he　knew　what　he　wanted。　He　didn't
want　the　Slum　Kitten。

The　negro　gave　it　all　the　food　it　could　eat；　then　carried　it　to　a
distant　block　and　dropped　it　in　a　neighboring　iron…yard。


III

One　full　meal　is　as　much　as　any　one　needs　in　two　or　three　days；
and　under　the　influence　of　this　stored…up　heat　and　power；　Kitty
was　very　lively。　She　walked　around　the　piled…up　rubbish；　cast
curious　glances　on　far…away　Canary…birds　in　cages　that　hung　from
high　windows；　she　peeped　over　fences；　discovered　a　large　Dog；　got
quietly　down　again；　and　presently　finding　a　sheltered　place　in
ful