animal heroes-第19节

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made；　and　the　night　wore　on；　but　early　in　the　morning；　Thor　was
again　awakened　rudely　by　the　sound　of　lapping　water　by　his　bed；
and　there；　as　before；　were　the　glowing　eyeballs；　the　great　head；
the　gray　form　relieved　by　the　dim　light　from　the　dawning　window。

Thor　put　all　his　strength　into　what　was　meant　for　a　bold　shout；
but　it　was　merely　a　feeble　screech。　He　rose　slowly　and　called
out：　〃Loo；　Margat！　The　Lynxhere's　the　Lynx　again！〃

〃May　God　help　ye；　for　we　can't；〃　was　the　answer。

〃Sssh…hi！〃　Thor　tried　again　to　drive　the　Beast　away。　It　leaped　on
to　the　table　by　the　window　and　stood　up　growling　under　the
useless　gun。　Thor　thought　it　was　going　to　leap　through　the　glass
as　it　faced　the　window　a　moment；　but　it　turned　and　glared　toward
the　Boy；　for　he　could　see　both　eyes　shining。　He　rose　slowly　to
the　side　of　his　bunk　and　he　prayed　for　help；　for　he　felt　it　was
kill　or　be　killed。　He　struck　a　match　and　lighted　his　pine…root
candle；　held　that　in　his　left　hand　and　in　his　right　took　the　old
fish…spear；　meaning　to　fight；　but　he　was　so　weak　he　had　to　use
the　fish…spear　as　a　crutch。　The　great　Beast　stood　on　the　table
still；　but　was　crouching　a　little　as　though　for　a　spring。　Its
eyes　glowed　red　in　the　torchlight。　Its　short　tail　was　switching
from　side　to　side　and　its　growling　took　a　higher　pitch。　Thor's
knees　were　smiting　together；　but　he　levelled　the　spear　and　made　a
feeble　lunge　toward　the　brute。　It　sprang　at　the　same　moment；　not
at　him；　as　he　first　thoughtthe　torch　and　the　boy's　bold　front
had　had　effectit　went　over　his　head　to　drop　on　the　ground
beyond　and　at　once　to　slink　under　the　bunk。

This　was　only　a　temporary　repulse。　Thor　set　the　torch　on　a　ledge
of　the　logs；　then　took　the　spear　in　both　hands。　He　was　fighting
for　his　life；　and　he　knew　it。　He　heard　the　voices　of　the　women
feebly　praying。　He　saw　only　the　glowing　eyes　under　the　bed　and
heard　the　growling　in　higher　pitch　as　the　Beast　was　nearing
action。　He　steadied　himself　by　a　great　effort　and　plunged　the
spear　with　all　the　force　he　could　give　it。

It　struck　something　softer　than　the　logs：　a　hideous　snarl　came
forth。　The　boy　threw　all　his　weight　on　the　weapon；　the　Beast　was
struggling　to　get　at　him；　he　felt　its　teeth　and　claws　grating　on
the　handle；　and　in　spite　of　himself　it　was　coming　on；　its
powerful　arms　and　claws　were　reaching　for　him　now；　he　could　not
hold　out　long。　He　put　on　all　his　force；　just　a　little　more　it　was
than　before；　the　Beast　lurched；　there　was　a　growling；　a　crack；
and　a　sudden　yielding；　the　rotten　old　spear…head　had　broken　off；
the　Beast　sprang　outat　himpast　him　never　touched　him；　but
across　through　the　hole　and　away；　to　be　seen　no　more。

Thor　fell　on　the　bed　and　lost　all　consciousness。

He　lay　there　he　knew　not　how　long；　but　was　awakened　in　broad
daylight　by　a　loud；　cheery　voice：

〃Hello！　Hello！are　ye　all　dead？　Loo！　Thor！　Margat！〃

He　had　no　strength　to　answer；　but　there　was　a　trampling　of　horses
outside；　a　heavy　step；　the　door　was　forced　open；　and　in　strode
Corney；　handsome　and　hearty　as　ever。　But　what　a　flash　of　horror
and　pain　came　over　his　face　on　entering　the　silent　shanty！

〃Dead？〃　he　gasped。　〃Who's　deadwhere　are　you？　Thor？〃　Then；　〃Who
is　it？　Loo？　Margat？〃

〃CorneyCorney；〃　came　feebly　from　the　bunk。　〃They're　in　there。
They're　awful　sick。　We　have　nothing　to　eat。〃

〃Oh；　what　a　fool　I　be！〃　said　Corney　again　and　again。　〃I　made　sure
ye'd　go　to　Ellerton's　and　get　all　ye　wanted。〃

〃We　had　no　chance；　Corney；　we　were　all　three　brought　down　at
once；　right　after　you　left。　Then　the　Lynx　came　and　cleared　up　the
Hens；　and　all　in　the　house；　too。〃

〃Well；　ye　got　even　with　her；〃　and　Corney　pointed　to　the　trail　of
blood　across　the　mud　floor　and　out　under　the　logs。

Good　food；　nursing；　and　medicine　restored　them　all。

A　month　or　two　later；　when　the　women　wanted　a　new
leaching…barrel；　Thor　said：　〃I　know　where　there　is　a　hollow
basswood　as　big　as　a　hogshead。〃

He　and　Corney　went　to　the　place；　and　when　they　cut　off　what　they
needed；　they　found　in　the　far　end　of　it　the　dried…up　bodies　of
two　little　Lynxes　with　that　of　the　mother；　and　in　the　side　of　the
old　one　was　the　head　of　a　fish…spear　broken　from　the　handle。



LITTLE　WARHORSE

The　History　of　a　Jack…rabbit

The　Little　Warhorse　knew　practically　all　the　Dogs　in　town。　First；
there　was　a　very　large　brown　Dog　that　had　pursued　him　many　times；
a　Dog　that　he　always　got　rid　of　by　slipping　through　a　hole　in　a
board　fence。　Second；　there　was　a　small　active　Dog　that　could
follow　through　that　hole；　and　him　he　baffled　by　leaping　a
twenty…foot　irrigation　ditch　that　had　steep　sides　and　a　swift
current。　The　Dog　could　not　make　this　leap。　It　was　〃sure　medicine〃
for　that　foe；　and　the　boys　still　call　the　place　〃Old　Jacky's
Jump。〃　But　there　was　a　Greyhound　that　could　leap　better　than　the
Jack；　and　when　he　could　not　follow　through　a　fence；　he　jumped
over　it。　He　tried　the　Warhorse's　mettle　more　than　once；　and　Jacky
only　saved　himself　by　his　quick　dodging；　till　they　got　to　an
Osage　hedge；　and　here　the　Greyhound　had　to　give　it　up。　Besides
these；　there　was　in　town　a　rabble　of　big　and　little　Dogs　that
were　troublesome；　but　easily　left　behind　in　the　open。

In　the　country　there　was　a　Dog　at　each　farm…house；　but　only　one
that　the　Warhorse　really　feared；　that　was　a　long…legged；　fierce；
black　Dog；　a　brute　so　swift　and　pertinacious　that　he　had　several
times　forced　the　Warhorse　almost　to　the　last　extremity。

For　the　town　Cats　he　cared　little；　only　once　or　twice　had　he　been
threatened　by　them。　A　huge　Tom…cat　flushed　with　many　victories
came　crawling　up　to　where　he　fed　one　moonlight　night。　Jack
Warhorse　saw　the　black　creature　with　the　glowing　eyes；　and　a
moment　before　the　final　rush；　he　faced　it；　raised　up　on　his
haunches；his　hind　legs；at　full　length　on　his　toes；with　his
broad　ears　towering　up　yet　six　inches　higher；　then　letting　out　a
loud　churrr…churrr；　his　best　attempt　at　a　roar；　he　sprang　five
feet　forward　and　landed　on　the　Cat's　head；　driving　in　his　sharp
hind　nails；　and　the　old　Tom　fled　in　terror　from　the　weird
two…legged　giant。　This　trick　he　had　tried　several　times　with
success；　but　twice　it　turned　out　a　sad　failure：　once；　when　the
Cat　proved　to　be　a　mother　whose　Kittens　were　near；　then　Jack
Warhorse　had　to　flee　for　his　life；　and　the　other　time　was　when　he
made　the　mistake　of　landing　hard　on　a　Skunk。

But　the　Greyhound　was　the　dangerous　enemy；　and　in　him　the
Warhorse　might　have　found　his　fate；　but　for　a　curious　adventure
with　a　happy　ending　for　Jack。

He　fed　by　night；　there　were　fewer　enemies　about　then；　and　it　was
easier　to　hide；　but　one　day　at　dawn　in　winter　he　had　lingered
long　at　an　alfalfa　stack　and　was　crossing　the　open　snow　toward
his　favorite　form；　when；　as　ill…luck　would　have　it；　he　met　the
Greyhound　prowling　outside　the　town。　With　open　snow　and　growing
daylight　there　was　no　chance　to　hide；　nothing　but　a　run　in　the
open　with　soft　snow　that　hindered　the　Jack　more　than　it　did　the
Hound。

Off　they　wentsuperb　runners　in　fine　fettle。　how　they　skimmed
across　the　snow；　raising　it　in　little　puff…puff…puffs；　each　time
their　nimble　feet　went　down。　This　way　and　that；　swerving　and
dodging；　went　the　chase。　Everything　favored　the　Dog；his　empty
stomach；　the　cold　weather；　the　soft　snow；while　the　Rabbit　was
handicapped　by　his　heavy　meal　of　alfalfa。　But　his　feet　went
puffpuff　so　fast　that　a　dozen　of　the　little　snow…jets　were　in
view　at　once。　The　chase　continued　in　the　open；　no　friendly　hedge
was　near；　and　every　attempt　to　reach　a　fence　was　cleverly　stopped
by　the　Hound。　Jack's　ears　were　losing　their　bold　　　up…cock；　a
sure　sign　of　failing　heart　or　wind；　when　all　at　once　these　flags
went　stiffly　up；　as　under　sudden　renewal　of　strength。　The
Warhorse　put　forth　all　his　power；　not　to　reach　the　hedge　to　the
north；　but　over　the　open　prairie　eastward。　The　Greyhound
followed；　and　within　fifty　yards　the　Jack　dodged　to　foil　his
fierce　pursuer；　but　on　the　next　tack　he　was　on　his　eastern　course
again；　and　so　tacking　and　dodging；　he　kept　the　line　direct　for
the　next　farm…house；　where　was　a　very　high　board　fence　with　a
hen…hole；　and　where　also　there　dwelt　his　other　hated　enemy；　the
big　black　Dog。　An　outer　hedge　delayed　the　Greyhound　for　a　moment
and　gave　Jack　time　to　dash　through　the　hen…hole　into　the　yard；
where　he　hid　to　one　side。　The　Greyhound　rushed　around　to　the　low
gate；　leaped　over　that　among　the　Hens；　and　as　they　fled　cackling
and　fluttering；　some　Lambs　bleated　loudly。　Their　natural
guardian；　the　big　black　Dog；　ran　to　the　rescue；　and　Warhorse
slipped　out　again　by　the　hole　at　which　he　had　entered。　Horrible
sounds　of　Dog　hate　and　fury　were　heard　behind　him　in　the
hen…yard；　and　soon　the　shouts　of　men　were　added。　How　it　ended　he
did　not　know　or　seek　to　learn；　but　it　was　remarkable　that　he
never　afterward　was　troubled　by　the　swift　Greyhound　that　formerly
lived　in　Newchusen。

II

Hard　times　and　easy　times　had　long　followed　in　turn　and　been
taken　as　matters　of　course；　but　recent　years　in　the　State　of
Kaskado　had　brought　to　the　Jack…rabbits　a　succession　of
remarkable　ups　and　downs。　In　the　old　days　they　had　their　endless
fight　with　Birds　and　Beasts　of　Prey；　with　cold　and　heat；　with
pestilence　and　with　flies　whose