animal heroes-第22节

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As　soon　as　they　were　well　gone；　Jack　turned；　and　with…out　even　a
〃Thank　you；　Pussy；〃　he　fled　to　the　open　and　away　on　the
hard…beaten　road。

The　Cat　had　been　rescued　by　the　lady　of　the　house；　the　Dog　was
once　more　sprawling　on　the　boards　when　the　man　on　Jack's　trail
arrived。　He　carried；　not　a　gun；　but　a　stout　stick；　sometimes
called　〃dog…medicine；〃　and　that　was　all　that　prevented　the　Dog
attacking　the　enemy　of　his　prey。

This　seemed　to　be　the　end　of　the　trail。　The　trick；　whether
planned　or　not；　was　a　success；　and　the　Rabbit　got　rid　of　his
troublesome　follower。

Next　day　the　stranger　made　another　search　for　the　Jack　and　found；
not　himself；　but　his　track。　He　knew　it　by　its　tail…mark；　its　long
leaps　and　few　spy…hops；　but　with　it　and　running　by　it　was　the
track　of　a　smaller　Rabbit。　Here　is　where　they　met；　here　they
chased　each　other　in　play；　for　no　signs　of　battle　were　there　to
be　seen；　here　they　fed　or　sat　together　in　the　sun；　there　they
ambled　side　by　side；　and　here　again　they　sported　in　the　snow；
always　together。　There　was　only　one　conclusion：　this　was　the
mating　season。　This　was　a　pair　of　Jack…rabbitsthe　Little
Warhorse　and　his　mate。


IV

Next　summer　was　a　wonderful　year　for　the　Jack…rabbits。　A　foolish
law　had　set　a　bounty　on　Hawks　and　Owls　and　had　caused　a　general
massacre　of　these　feathered　policemen。　Consequently　the　Rabbits
had　multiplied　in　such　numbers　that　they　now　were　threatening　to
devastate　the　country。

The　farmers；　who　were　the　sufferers　from　the　bounty　law；　as　well
as　the　makers　of　it；　decided　on　a　great　Rabbit　drive。　All　the
county　was　invited　to　come；　on　a　given　morning；　to　the　main　road
north　of　the　county；　with　the　intention　of　sweeping　the　whole
region　up…wind　and　at　length　driving　the　Rabbits　into　a　huge
corral　of　close　wire　netting。　Dogs　were　barred　as　unmanageable；
and　guns　as　dangerous　in　a　crowd；　but　every　man　and　boy　carried　a
couple　of　long　sticks　and　a　bag　full　of　stones。　Women　came　on
horseback　and　in　buggies；　many　carried　rattles　or　horns　and　tins
to　make　a　noise。　A　number　of　the　buggies　trailed　a　string　of　old
cans　or　tied　laths　to　scrape　on　the　wheel…spokes；　and　thus　add　no
little　to　the　deafening　clatter　of　the　drive。　As　Rabbits　have
marvellously　sensitive　hearing；　a　noise　that　is　distracting　to
mankind；　is　likely　to　prove　bewildering　to　them。

The　weather　was　right；　and　at　eight　in　the　morning　the　word　to
advance　was　given。　The　line　was　about　five　miles　long　at　first；
and　there　was　a　man　or　a　boy　every　thirty　or　forty　yards。　The
buggies　and　riders　kept　perforce　almost　entirely　to　the　roads；
but　the　beaters　were　supposed；　as　a　point　of　honor；　to　face
everything；　and　keep　the　front　unbroken。　The　advance　was　roughly
in　three　sides　of　a　square。　Each　man　made　as　much　noise　as　he
could；　and　threshed　every　bush　in　his　path。　A　number　of　Rabbits
hopped　out。　Some　made　for　the　lines；　to　be　at　once　assailed　by　a
shower　of　stones　that　laid　many　of　them　low。　One　or　two　did　get
through　and　escaped；　but　the　majority　were　swept　before　the
drive。　At　first　the　number　seen　was　small；　but　before　three　miles
were　covered　the　Rabbits　were　running　ahead　in　every　direction。
After　five　milesand　that　took　about　three　hoursthe　word　for
the　wings　to　close　in　was　given。　The　space　between　the　men　was
shortened　up　till　they　were　less　than　ten　feet　apart；　and　the
whole　drive　converged　on　the　corral　with　its　two　long　guide　wings
or　fences；　the　end　lines　joined　these　wings；　and　the　surround　was
complete。　The　drivers　marched　rapidly　now；　scores　of　the　Rabbits
were　killed　as　they　ran　too　near　the　beaters。　Their　bodies
strewed　the　ground；　but　the　swarms　seemed　to　increase；　and　in　the
final　move；　before　the　victims　were　cooped　up　in　the　corral；　the
two…acre　space　surrounded　was　a　whirling　throng　of　skurrying；
jumping；　bounding　Rabbits。　Round　and　round　they　circled　and
leaped；　looking　for　a　chance　to　escape；　but　the　inexorable　crowd
grew　thicker　as　the　ring　grew　steadily　smaller；　and　the　whole
swarm　was　forced　along　the　chute　into　the　tight　corral；　some　to
squat　stupidly　in　the　middle；　some　to　race　round　the　outer　wall；
some　to　seek　hiding　in　corners　or　under　each　other。

And　the　Little　Warhorsewhere　was　he　in　all　this？　The　drive　had
swept　him　along；　and　he　had　been　one　of　the　first　to　enter　the
corral。　But　a　curious　plan　of　selection　had　been　established。　The
pen　was　to　be　a　death…trap　for　the　Rabbits；　except　the　best；　the
soundest。　And　many　were　there　that　were　unsound；　those　that　think
of　all　wild　animals　as　pure　and　perfect　things；　would　have　been
shocked　to　see　how　many　halt；　maimed；　and　diseased　there　were　in
that　pen　of　four　thousand　or　five　thousand　Jack…rabbits。

It　was　a　Roman　victorythe　rabble　of　prisoners　was　to　be
butchered。　The　choicest　were　to　be　reserved　for　the　arena。　The
arena？　Yes；　that　is　the　Coursing　Park。

In　that　corral　trap；　prepared　beforehand　for　the　Rabbits；　were　a
number　of　small　boxes　along　the　wall；　a　whole　series　of　them；
five　hundred　at　least；　each　large　enough　to　hold　one　Jack。

In　the　last　rush　of　driving；　the　swiftest　Jacks　got　first　to　the
pen。　Some　were　swift　and　silly；　when　once　inside　they　rushed
wildly　round　and　round。　Some　were　swift　and　wise；　they　quickly
sought　the　hiding　afforded　by　the　little　boxes；　all　of　these　were
now　full。　Thus　five　hundred　of　the　swiftest　and　wisest　had　been
selected；　in；　not　by　any　means　an　infallible　way；　but　the
simplest　and　readiest。　These　five　hundred　were　destined　to　be
coursed　by　Greyhounds。　The　surging　mass　of　over　four　thousand
were　ruthlessly　given　to　slaughter。

Five　hundred　little　boxes　with　five　hundred　bright…eyed
Jack…rabbits　were　put　on　the　train　that　day；　and　among　them　was
Little　Jack　Warhorse。


V

Rabbits　take　their　troubles　lightly；　and　it　is　not　to　be　supposed
that　any　great　terror　was　felt　by　the　boxed　Jacks；　once　the
uproar　of　the　massacre　was　over；　and　when　they　reached　the
Coursing　Park　near　the　great　city　and　were　turned　out　one　by　one；
very　gently；yes；　gently；　the　Roman　guards　were　careful　of　their
prisoners；　being　responsible　for　them；the　Jacks　found　little　to
complain　of；　a　big　inclosure　with　plenty　of　good　food；　and　no
enemies　to　annoy　them。

The　very　next　morning　their　training　began。　A　score　of　hatchways
were　opened　into　a　much　larger　fieldthe　Park。　After　a　number　of
Jacks　had　wandered　out　through　these　doors　a　rabble　of　boys
appeared　and　drove　them　back；　pursuing　them　noisily　until　all
were　again　in　the　smaller　field；　called　the　Haven。　A　few　days　of
this　taught　the　Jack…rabbits　that　when　pursued　their　safety　was
to　get　back　by　one　of　the　hatches　into　the　Haven。

Now　the　second　lesson　began。　The　whole　band　were　driven　out　of　a
side　door　into　a　long　lane　which　led　around　three　sides　of　the
Park　to　another　inclosure　at　the　far　end。　This　was　the　Starting
Pen。　Its　door　into　the　arenathat　is；　the　Parkwas　opened；　the
Rabbits　driven　forth；　and　then　a　mob　of　boys　and　Dogs　in　hiding；
burst　forth　and　pursued　them　across　the　open。　The　whole　army　went
bobbing　and　bounding　away；　some　of　the　younger　ones　soaring　in　a
spy…hop；　as　a　matter　of　habit；　but　low　skimming　ahead　of　them　all
was　a　gorgeous　black…and…white　one；　clean…limbed　and　bright…eyed；
he　had　attracted　attention　in　the　pen；　but　now　in　the　field　he
led　the　band　with　easy　lope　that　put　him　as　far　ahead　of　them　all
as　they　were　ahead　of　the　rabble　of　common　Dogs。

〃Luk　at　thot；　would　yebut　ain't　he　a　Little　Warhorse？〃　shouted
a　villainous…looking　Irish　stable…boy；　and　thus　he　was　named。
When　halfway　across　the　course　the　Jacks　remembered　the　Haven；
and　all　swept　toward　it　and　in　like　a　snow…cloud　over　the　drifts。

This　was　the　second　lessonto　lead　straight　for　the　Haven　as
soon　as　driven　from　the　Pen。　In　a　week　all　had　learned　it；　and
were　ready　for　the　great　opening　meet　of　the　Coursing　Club。

The　Little　Warhorse　was　now　well　known　to　the　grooms　and
hangers…on；　his　colors　usually　marked　him　clearly；　and　his
leadership　was　in　a　measure　recognized　by　the　long…eared　herd
that　fled　with　him。　He　figured　more　or　less　with　the　Dogs　in　the
talk　and　betting　of　the　men。

〃Wonder　if　old　Dignam　is　going　to　enter　Minkie　this　year？〃

〃Faix；　an'　if　he　does　I　bet　the　Little　Warhorse　will　take　the
gimp　out　av　her　an'　her　runnin'　mate。〃

〃I'll　bet　three　to　one　that　my　old　Jen　will　pick　the　Warhorse　up
before　he　passes　the　grand　stand；〃　growled　a　dog…man。

〃An'　it's　meself　will　take　thot　bet　in　dollars；〃　said　Mickey；
〃an'；　moore　than　thot；　Oi'll　put　up　a　hull　month's　stuff　thot
there　ain't　a　dog　in　the　mate　thot　kin　turrn　the　Warrhorrse　oncet
on　the　hull　coorse。〃

So　they　wrangled　and　wagered；　but　each　day；　as　they　put　the
Rabbits　through　their　paces；　there　were　more　of　those　who
believed　that　they　had　found　a　wonderful　runner　in　the　Warhorse；
one　that　would　give　the　best　Greyhounds　something　that　is　rarely
seen；　a　straight　stern　chase　from　Start　to　Grand　Stand　and　Haven。


VI

The　first　morning　of　the　meet　arrived　bright　and　promising。　The
Grand　Stand　was　filled　with　a　city　crowd。　The　usual　types　of　a
racecourse　appeared　in　force。　Here　and　there　were　to　be　seen　the
dog…grooms　leading　in　leash　single　Greyhounds　or　couples；
shrouded　in　blank