animal heroes-第2节

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quietly　down　again；　and　presently　finding　a　sheltered　place　in
full　sunlight；　she　lay　down　and　slept　for　an　hour。　A
slight'sniff'　awakened　her；　and　before　her　stood　a　large　Black
Cat　with　glowing　green　eyes；　and　the　thick　neck　and　square　jaws
that　distinguish　the　Tom；　a　scar　marked　his　cheek；　and　his　left
ear　was　torn。　His　look　was　far　from　friendly；　his　ears　moved
backward　a　little；　his　tail　twitched；　and　a　faint；　deep　sound
came　from　his　throat。　The　Kitten　innocently　walked　toward　him。
She　did　not　remember　him。　He　rubbed　the　sides　of　his　jaws　on　a
post；　and　quietly；　slowly　turned　and　disappeared。　The　last　that
she　saw　of　him　was　the　end　of　his　tail　twitching　from　side　to
side；　and　the　little　Slummer　had　no　idea　that　she　had　been　as
near　death　to…day；　as　she　had　been　when　she　ventured　into　the
fox…cage。

As　night　came　on　the　Kitten　began　to　feel　hungry。　She　examined
carefully　the　long　invisible　colored　stream　that　the　wind　is　made
of。　She　selected　the　most　interesting　of　its　strands；　and；
nose…led；　followed。　In　the　corner　of　the　iron…yard　was　a　box　of
garbage。　Among　this　she　found　something　that　answered　fairly　well
for　food；　a　bucket　of　water　under　a　faucet　offered　a　chance　to
quench　her　thirst。

The　night　was　spent　chiefly　in　prowling　about　and　learning　the
main　lines　of　the　iron…yard。　The　next　day　she　passed　as　before；
sleeping　in　the　sun。　Thus　the　time　wore　on。　Sometimes　she　found　a
good　meal　at　the　garbage…box；　sometimes　there　was　nothing。　Once
she　found　the　big　Black　Tom　there；　but　discreetly　withdrew　before
he　saw　her。　The　water…bucket　was　usually　at　its　place；　or；
failing　that；　there　were　some　muddy　little　pools　on　the　stone
below。　But　the　garbage…box　was　very　unreliable。　Once　it　left　her
for　three　days　without　food。　She　searched　along　the　high　fence；
and　seeing　a　small　hole；　crawled　through　that　and　found　herself
in　the　open　street。　This　was　a　new　world；　but　before　she　had
ventured　far；　there　was　a　noisy；　rumbling　rusha　large　Dog　came
bounding；　and　Kitty　had　barely　time　to　run　back　into　the　hole　in
the　fence。　She　was　dreadfully　hungry；　and　glad　to　find　some　old
potato…peelings；　which　gave　a　little　respite　from　the
hunger…pang。　In　the　morning　she　did　not　sleep；　but　prowled　for
food。　Some　Sparrows　chirruped　in　the　yard。　They　were　often　there；
but　now　they　were　viewed　with　new　eyes。　The　steady　pressure　of
hunger　had　roused　the　wild　hunter　in　the　Kitten；　those　Sparrows
were　gamewere　food。　She　crouched　instinctively　and　stalked　from
cover　to　cover；　but　the　chirpers　were　alert　and　flew　in　time。　Not
once；　but　many　times；　she　tried　without　result　except　to　confirm
the　Sparrows　in　the　list　of　things　to　be　eaten　if　obtainable。

On　the　fifth　day　of　ill　luck　the　Slum　Kitty　ventured　forth　into
the　street；　desperately　bent　on　finding　food。　When　far　from　the
haven　hole　some　small　boys　opened　fire　at　her　with　pieces　of
brick。　She　ran　in　fear。　A　Dog　joined　in　the　chase；　and　Kitty's
position　grew　perilous；　but　an　old…fashioned　iron　fence　round　a
house…front　was　there；　and　she　slipped　in　between　the　rails　as
the　Dog　overtook　her。　A　woman　in　a　window　above　shouted　at　the
Dog。　Then　the　boys　dropped　a　piece　of　cat…meat　down　to　the
unfortunate；　and　Kitty　had　the　most　delicious　meal　of　her　life。
The　stoop　afforded　a　refuge。　Under　this　she　sat　patiently　till
nightfall　came　with　quiet；　then　sneaked　back　like　a　shadow　to　her
old　iron…yard。

Thus　the　days　went　by　for　two　months。　She　grew　in　size　and
strength　and　in　an　intimate　knowledge　of　the　immediate
neighborhood。　She　made　the　acquaintance　of　Downey　Street；　where
long　rows　of　ash…cans　were　to　be　seen　every　morning。　She　formed
her　own　ideas　of　their　proprietors。　The　big　house　was　to　her；　not
a　Roman　Catholic　mission；　but　a　place　whose　garbage…tins　abounded
in　choicest　fish　scrapings。　She　soon　made　the　acquaintance　of　the
meat…man；　and　joined　in　the　shy　fringe　of　Cats　that　formed　the
outer　circle。　She　also　met　the　Wharf　Dog　as　well　as　two　or　three
other　horrors　of　the　same　class。　She　knew　what　to　expect　of　them
and　how　to　avoid　them；　and　she　was　happy　in　being　the　inventor　of
a　new　industry。　Many　thousand　Cats　have　doubtless　hung；　in　hope；
about　the　tempting　milk…cans　that　the　early　milk…man　leaves　on
steps　and　window…ledges；　and　it　was　by　the　merest　accident　that
Kitty　found　one　with　a　broken　lid；　and　so　was　taught　to　raise　it
and　have　a　satisfying　drink。　Bottles；　of　course；　were　beyond　her；
but　many　a　can　has　a　misfit　lid；　and　Kitty　was　very　painstaking
in　her　efforts　to　discover　the　loose…jointed　ones。　Finally　she
extended　her　range　by　exploration　till　she　achieved　the　heart　of
the　next　block；　and　farther；　till　once　more　among　the　barrels　and
boxes　of　the　yard　behind　the　bird…man's　cellar。

The　old　iron…yard　never　had　been　home；　she　had　always　felt　like　a
stranger　there；　but　here　she　had　a　sense　of　ownership；　and　at
once　resented　the　presence　of　another　small　Cat。　She　approached
this　newcomer　with　threatening　air。　The　two　had　got　as　far　as
snarling　and　spitting　when　a　bucket　of　water　from　an　upper　window
drenched　them　both　and　effectually　cooled　their　wrath。　They　fled；
the　newcomer　over　the　wall；　Slum　Kitty　under　the　very　box　where
she　had　been　born。　This　whole　back　region　appealed　to　her
strongly；　and　here　again　she　took　up　her　abode。　The　yard　had　no
more　garbage　food　than　the　other　and　no　water　at　all；　but　it　was
frequented　by　stray　Rats　and　a　few　Mice　of　the　finest　quality；
these　were　occasionally　secured；　and　afforded　not　only　a
palatable　meal；　but　were　the　cause　of　her　winning　a　friend。


IV

Kitty　was　now　fully　grown。　She　was　a　striking…looking　Cat　of　the
tiger　type。　Her　marks　were　black　on　a　very　pale　gray；　and　the
four　beauty…spots　of　white　on　nose；　ears；　and　tail…tip　lent　a
certain　distinction。　She　was　very　expert　at　getting　a　living；　and
yet　she　had　some　days　of　starvation　and　failed　in　her　ambition　of
catching　a　Sparrow。　She　was　quite　alone；　but　a　new　force　was
coming　into　her　life。　

She　was　lying　in　the　sun　one　August　day；　when　a　large　Black　Cat
came　walking　along　the　top　of　a　wall　in　her　direction。　She
recognized　him　at　once　by　his　torn　ear。　She　slunk　into　her　box
and　hid。　He　picked　his　way　gingerly；　bounded　lightly　to　a　shed
that　was　at　the　end　of　the　yard；　and　was　crossing　the　roof　when　a
Yellow　Cat　rose　up。　The　Black　Torn　glared　and　growled；　so　did　the
Yellow　Tom。　Their　tails　lashed　from　side　to　side。　Strong　throats
growled　and　yowled。　They　approached　each　other　with　ears　laid
back；　with　muscles　a…tense。

〃Yow…yow…ow！〃　said　the　Black　One。

〃Wow…w…w！〃　was　the　slightly　deeper　answer。

〃Ya…wow…wow…wow！〃　said　the　Black　One；　edging　up　half　an　inch
nearer。

〃Yow…w…w！〃　was　the　Yellow　answer；　as　the　blond　Cat　rose　to　full
height　and　stepped　with　vast　dignity　a　whole　inch　forward。
〃Yow…w！〃　and　he　went　another　inch；　while　his　tail　went　swish；
thump；　from　one　side　to　the　other。

〃Ya…wow…yow…w！〃　screamed　the　Black　in　a　rising　tone；　and　he
backed　the　eighth　of　an　inch；　as　he　marked　the　broad；　unshrinking
breast　before　him。

Windows　opened　all　around；　human　voices　were　heard；　but　the　Cat
scene　went　on。

〃Yow…yow…ow！〃　rumbled　the　Yellow　Peril；　his　voice　deepening　as
the　other's　rose。
〃Yow！　〃　and　he　advanced　another　step。

Now　their　noses　were　but　three　inches　apart；　they　stood　sidewise；
both　ready　to　clinch；　but　each　waiting　for　the　other。　They　glared
for　three　minutes　in　silence　and　like　statues；　except　that　each
tail…tip　was　twisting。

The　Yellow　began　again。　〃Yow…ow…　ow！〃　in　deep　tone。

〃Ya…a…aa…a！〃　screamed　the　Black；　with　intent　to　strike　terror
by　his　yell；　but　he　retreated　one　sixteenth　of　an　inch。　The
Yellow　walked　up　a　long　half…inch；　their　whiskers　were　mixing
now；　another　advance；　and　their　noses　almost　touched。

〃Yo…w…w！〃　said　Yellow；　like　a　deep　moan。

〃Y…a…a…a…a…a…a　！〃　screamed　the　Black；　but　he　retreated　a
thirty…second　of　an　inch；　and　the　Yellow　Warrior　closed　and
clinched　like　a　demon。

Oh；　how　they　rolled　and　bit　and　tore；　especially　the　Yellow　One！

How　they　pitched　and　gripped　and　hugged；　but　especially　the
Yellow　One！

Over　and　over；　sometimes　one　on　top；　sometimes　another；　but
mostly　the　Yellow　One；　and　farther　till　they　rolled　off　the　roof；
amid　cheers　from　all　the　windows。　They　lost　not　a　second　in　that
fall　to　the　junk…yard；　they　tore　and　clawed　all　the　way　down；　but
especially　the　Yellow　One。　And　when　they　struck　the　ground；　still
fighting；　the　one　on　top　was　chiefly　the　Yellow　One；　and　before
they　separated　both　had　had　as　much　as　they　wanted；　especially
the　Black　One！　He　scaled　a　wall　and；　bleeding　and　growling；
disappeared；　while　the　news　was　passed　from　window　to　window　that
Cayley's　Nig　had　been　licked　at　last　by　Orange　Billy。

Either　the　Yellow　Cat　was　a　very　clever
seeker；　or　else　Slum　Kitty　did　not　hide　very
hard；　but　he　discovered　her　among　the　boxes；

and　she　made　no　attempt　to　get　away；　probably　because　she　had
witnessed　the　fight。　There　is　nothing　like　success　in　warfare　to
win　the　female　heart；　and　thereafter　the　Yellow　Tom　and　Kitty
became　very　good　friends；　not　sharing　each　other's　lives　or
food；Cats　do　not　do　that　way　much；but　recognizing　each　other
as　entitled　to　special　friendl