animal heroes-第23节
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dog…grooms leading in leash single Greyhounds or couples；
shrouded in blankets； but showing their sinewy legs； their snaky
necks； their shapely heads with long reptilian jaws； and their
quick； nervous yellow eyeshybrids of natural force and human
ingenuity； the most wonderful running…machines ever made of flesh
and blood。 Their keepers guarded them like jewels； tended them
like babies； and were careful to keep them from picking up odd
eatables； as well as prevent them smelling unusual objects or
being approached by strangers。 Large sums were wagered on these
Dogs； and a cunningly placed tack； a piece of doctored meat； yes；
an artfully compounded smell； has been known to turn a superb
young runner into a lifeless laggard； and to the owner this might
spell ruin。 The Dogs entered in each class are paired off； as
each contest is supposed to be a duel； the winners in the first
series are then paired again。 In each trial； a Jack is driven
from the Starting…pen； close by in one leash are the rival Dogs；
held by the slipper。 As soon as the Hare is well away； the man
has to get the Dogs evenly started and slip them together。 On the
field is the judge； scarlet…coated and well mounted。 He follows
the chase。 The Hare； mindful of his training； speeds across the
open； toward the Haven； in full view of the Grand Stand。 The Dogs
follow the Jack。 As the first one comes near enough to be
dangerous； the Hare balks him by dodging。 Each time the Hare is
turned； scores for the Dog that did it； and a final point is made
by the kill。
Sometimes the kill takes place within one hundred yards of the
startthat means a poor Jack； mostly it happens in front of the
Grand Stand； but on rare occasions it chances that the Jack goes
sailing across the open Park a good half…mile and； by dodging for
time； runs to safety in the Haven。 Four finishes are possible： a
speedy kill； a speedy winning of the Haven； new Dogs to relieve
the first runners； who would suffer heart…collapse in the
terrific strain of their pace； if kept up many minutes in hot
weather； and finally； for Rabbits that by continued dodging defy
and jeopardize the Dogs； and yet do not win the Haven； there is
kept a loaded shotgun。
There is just as much jockeying at a Kaskado coursing as at a
Kaskado horse…race； just as many attempts at fraud； and it is
just as necessary to have the judge and slipper beyond suspicion。
The day before the next meet a man of diamonds saw Irish
Mickeyby chance。 A cigar was all that visibly passed； but it
had a green wrapper that was slipped off before lighting。 Then a
word： 〃If you wuz slipper to…morrow and it so came about that
Dignam's Minkie gets done； wall；it means another cigar。〃
〃Faix； an' if I wuz slipper I could load the dice so Minkie would
flyer score a p'int； but her runnin' mate would have the same bad
luck。〃
〃That so？〃 The diamond man looked interested。 〃All rightfix it
so； it means two cigars。〃
Slipper Slyman had always dealt on the square； had scorned many
approachesthat was well known。 Most believed in him； but there
were some malcontents； and when a man with many gold seals
approached the Steward and formulated charges； serious and
well…backed； they must perforce suspend the slipper pending an
inquiry； and thus Mickey Doo reigned in his stead。
Mickey was poor and not over…scrupulous。 Here was a chance to
make a year's pay in a minute； nothing wrong about it； no harm to
the Dog or the Rabbit either。
One Jack…rabbit is much like another。 Everybody knows that； it
was simply a question of choosing your Jack。
The preliminaries were over。 Fifty Jacks had been run and killed。
Mickey had done his work satisfactorily； a fair slip had been
given to every leash。 He was still in command as slipper。 Now
came the final for the cupthe cup and the large stakes。
VII
There were the slim and elegant Dogs awaiting their turn。 Minkie
and her rival were first。 Everything had been fair so far； and
who can say that what followed was unfair？ Mickey could turn out
which Jack he pleased。
〃Number three！〃 he called to his partner。
Out leaped the Little Warhorse；black and white his great ears；
easy and low his five…foot bounds； gazing wildly at the unwonted
crowd about the Park； he leaped high in one surprising spy…hop。
〃Hrrrrr！〃 shouted the slipper； and his partner rattled a stick on
the fence。 The Warhorse's bounds increased to eight or nine feet。
〃Hrrrrrr！〃 and they were ten or twelve feet。 At thirty yards the
Hounds were slippedan even slip； some thought it could have
been done at twenty yards。
〃Hrrrrrr！ Hrrrrrrr！〃 and the Warhorse was doing fourteen…foot
leaps； not a spy…hop among them。
〃Hrrrrr！ 〃wonderful Dogs！ how they sailed； but drifting ahead of
them； like a white sea…bird or flying scud； was the Warhorse。
Away past the Grand Stand。 And the Dogswere they closing the
gap of start？ Closing！ It was lengthening！ In less time than it
takes to tell it； that black…and…white thistledown had drifted
away through the Haven door；the door so like that good old
hen…hole；and the Grey…hounds pulled up amidst a roar of
derision and cheers for the Little Warhorse。 How Mickey did
laugh！ How Dignam did swear！ How the newspaper men did
scribblescribblescribble！
Next day there was a paragraph in all the papers： 〃WONDERFUL FEAT
OF A JACKRABBIT。 The Little Warhorse； as he has been styled；
completely skunked two of the most famous Dogs on the turf；〃 etc。
There was a fierce wrangle among the dog…men。 This was a tie；
since neither had scored； and Minkie and her rival were allowed
to run again； but that half…mile had been too hot； and they had
no show for the cup。
Mickey met 〃Diamonds〃 next day； by chance。
〃Have a cigar； Mickey。〃
〃Oi will thot； sor。 Faix； thim's so foine； I'd loike twothank
ye； sor。〃
VIII
From that time the Little Warhorse became the pride of the Irish
boy。 Slipper Slyman had been honorably reinstated and Mickey
reduced to the rank of Jack…starter； but that merely helped to
turn his sympathies from the Dogs to the Rabbits； or rather to
the Warhorse； for of all the five hundred that were brought in
from the drive he alone had won renown。 There were several that
crossed the Park to run again another day； but he alone had
crossed the course without getting even a turn。 Twice a week the
meets took place； forty or fifty Jacks were killed each time； and
the five hundred in the pen had been nearly all eaten of the
arena。
The Warhorse had run each day； and as often had made the Haven。
Mickey became wildly enthusiastic about his favorite's powers。 He
begot a positive affection for the clean…limbed racer； and
stoutly maintained against all that it was a positive honor to a
Dog to be disgraced by such a Jack。
It is so seldom that a Rabbit crosses the track at all； that when
Jack did it six times without having to dodge； the papers took
note of it； and after each meet there appeared a notice： 〃The
Little Warhorse crossed again today； old…timers say it shows how
our Dogs are deteriorating。〃
After the sixth time the rabbit…keepers grew enthusiastic； and
Mickey； commander…in…chief of the brigade； became intemperate in
his admiration。 〃Be jabers； he has a right to be torned loose。 He
has won his freedom loike ivery Amerikin done；〃 he added； by way
of appeal to the patriotism of the Steward of the race； who was；
of course； the real owner of the Jacks。
〃All right； Mick； if he gets across thirteen times you can ship
him back to his native land；〃 was the reply。
〃Shure now； an' won't you make it tin； sor？〃
〃No； no； I need him to take the conceit out of some of the new
Dogs that are coming。〃
〃Thirteen toimes and he is free； sor； it's a bargain。〃
A new lot of Rabbits arrived about this time； and one of these
was colored much like Little Warhorse。 He had no such speed； but
to prevent mistakes Mickey caught his favorite by driving him
into one of the padded shipping…boxes； and proceeded with the
gate…keeper's punch to earmark him。 The punch was sharp； a clear
star was cut out of the thin flap； when Mickey exclaimed： 〃Faix；
an' Oi'll punch for ivery toime ye cross the coorse。〃 So he cut
six stars in a row。 〃Thayer now； Warrhorrse； shure it's a free
Rabbit ye'll be when ye have yer thirteen stars like our flag of
liberty hed when we got free。〃
Within a week the Warhorse had vanquished the new Greyhounds and
had stars enough to go round the right ear and begin on the left。
In a week more the thirteen runs were completed； six stars in the
left ear and seven in the right； and the newspapers had new
material。
〃Whoop！〃 How Mickey hoorayed！ 〃An' it's a free Jack ye are；
Warrhorrse！ Thirteen always wuz a lucky number。 I never knowed it
to fail。〃
IX
〃Yes； I know I did；〃 said the Steward。 〃But I want to give him
one more run。 I have a bet on him against a new Dog here。 It
won't hurt him now； he can do it。 Oh； well。 Here now； Mickey；
don't you get sassy。 One run more this afternoon。 The Dogs run
two or three times a day； why not the Jack？〃
〃They're not shtakin' thayre loives； sor。〃
〃Oh； you get out。〃
Many more Rabbits had been added to the pen；big and small；
peaceful and warlike；and one big
