animal heroes-第24节

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〃Oh；　you　get　out。〃

Many　more　Rabbits　had　been　added　to　the　pen；big　and　small；
peaceful　and　warlike；and　one　big　Buck　of　savage　instincts；
seeing　Jack　Warhorse's　hurried　dash　into　the　Haven　that　morning；
took　advantage　of　the　moment　to　attack　him。

At　another　time　Jack　would　have　thumped　his　skull；　as　he　once　did
the　Cat's；　and　settled　the　affair　in　a　minute；　but　now　it　took
several　minutes；　during　which　he　himself　got　roughly　handled；　so
when　the　afternoon　came　he　was　suffering　from　one　or　two　bruises
and　stiffening　wounds；　not　serious；　indeed；　but　enough　to　lower
his　speed。

The　start　was　much　like　those　of　previous　runs。　The　Warhorse
steaming　away　low　and　lightly；　his　ears　up　and　the　breezes
whistling　through　his　thirteen　stars。

Minkie　with　Fango；　the　new　Dog；　bounded　in　eager　pursuit；　but；　to
the　surprise　of　the　starters；　the　gap　grew　smaller。　The　Warhorse
was　losing　ground；　and　right　before　the　Grand　Stand　old　Minkie
turned　him；　and　a　cheer　went　up　from　the　dog…men；　for　all　knew
the　runners。　Within　fifty　yards　Fango　scored　a　turn；　and　the　race
was　right　back　to　the　start。　There　stood　Slyman　and　Mickey。　The
Rabbit　dodged；　the　Greyhounds　plunged；　Jack　could　not　get　away；
and　just　as　the　final　snap　seemed　near；　the　Warhorse　leaped
straight　for　Mickey；　and　in　an　instant　was　hidden　in　his　arms；
while　the　starter's　feet　flew　out　in　energetic　kicks　to　repel　the
furious　Dogs。　It　is　not　likely　that　the　Jack　knew　Mickey　for　a
friend；　he　only　yielded　to　the　old　instinct　to　fly　from　a　certain
enemy　to　a　neutral　or　a　possible　friend；　and；　as　luck　would　have
it；　he　had　wisely　leaped　and　well。　A　cheer　went　up　from　the
benches　as　Mickey　hurried　back　with　his　favorite。　But　the　dog…men
protested　〃it　wasn't　a　fair　runthey　wanted　it　finished。〃　They
appealed　to　the　Steward。　He　had　backed　the　Jack　against　Fango。　He
was　sore　now；　and　ordered　a　new　race。

An　hour's　rest　was　the　best　Mickey　could　get　for　him。　Then　he
went　as　before；　with　Fango　and　Minkie　in　pursuit。　He　seemed　less
stiff　nowhe　ran　more　like　himself；　but　a　little　past　the　Stand
he　was　turned　by　Fango　and　again　by　Minkie；　and　back　and　across；
and　here　and　there；　leaping　frantically　and　barely　eluding　his
foes。　For　several　minutes　it　lasted。　Mickey　could　see　that　Jack's
ears　were　sinking。　The　new　Dog　leaped。　Jack　dodged　almost　under
him　to　escape；　and　back　only　to　meet　the　second　Dog；　and　now　both
ears　were　flat　on　his　back。　But　the　Hounds　were　suffering　too。
Their　tongues　were　lolling　out；　their　jaws　and　heaving　sides　were
splashed　with　foam。　The　Warhorse's　ears　went　up　again。　His
courage　seemed　to　revive　in　their　distress。　He　made　a　straight
dash　for　the　Haven；　but　the　straight　dash　was　just　what　the
Hounds　could　do；　and　within　a　hundred　yards　he　was　turned　again；
to　begin　another　desperate　game　of　zigzag。　Then　the　dog…men　saw
danger　for　their　Dogs；　and　two　new　ones　were　slippedtwo　fresh
Hounds；　surely　they　could　end　the　race。　But　they　did　not。　The
first　two　were　vanquishedgaspingout　of　it；　but　the　next　two
were　racing　near。　The　Warhorse　put　forth　all　his　strength。　He
left　the　first　two　far　behindwas　nearly　to　the　Haven　when　the
second　two　came　up。

Nothing　but　dodging　could　save　him　now。　His　ears　were　sinking；
his　heart　was　pattering　on　his　ribs；　but　his　spirit　was　strong。
He　flung　himself　in　wildest　zigzags。　The　Hounds　tumbled　over　each
other。　Again　and　again　they　thought　they　had　him。　One　of　them
snapped　off　the　end　of　his　long　black　tail；　yet　he　escaped；　but
he　could　not　get　to　the　Haven。　The　luck　was　against　him。　He　was
forced　nearer　to　the　Grand　Stand。　A　thousand　ladies　were
watching。　The　time　limit　was　up。　The　second　Dogs　were　suffering；
when　Mickey　came　running；　yelling　like　a
madmanwordsimprecationscrazy　sounds：

〃Ye　blackguard　hoodlums！　Ye　dhirty；　cowardly　bastes！〃　and　he
rushed　furiously　at　the　Dogs；　intent　to　do　them　bodily　harm。

Officers　came　running　and　shouting；　and　Mickey；　shrieking　hatred
and　defiance；　was　dragged　from　the　field；　reviling　Dogs　and　men
with　every　horrid；　insulting　name　he　could　think　of　or　invent。

〃Fair　play！　Whayer's　yer　fair　play；　ye　liars；　ye　dhirty　cheats；
ye　bloody　cowards！〃　And　they　drove　him　from　the　arena。　The　last
he　saw　of　it　was　the　four　foaming　Dogs　feebly　dodging　after　a
weak　and　worn…out　Jack…rabbit；　and　the　judge　on　his　Horse
beckoning　to　the　man　with　the　gun。

The　gate　closed　behind　him；　and　Mickey　heard　a　bang…bang；　an
unusual　uproar　mixed　with　yelps　of　Dogs；　and　he　knew　that　Little
Jack　Warhorse　had　been　served　with　finish　No。　4。

All　his　life　he　had　loved　Dogs；　but　his　sense　of　fair　play　was
outraged。　He　could　not　get　in；　nor　see　in　from　where　he　was。　He
raced　along　the　lane　to　the　Haven；　where　he　might　get　a　good
view；　and　arrived　in　time　to　seeLittle　Jack　Warhorse　with　his
half…masted　ears　limp　into　the　Haven；　and　he　realized　at　once
that　the　man　with　the　gun　had　missed；　had　hit　the　wrong　runner；
for　there　was　the　crowd　at　the　Stand　watching　two　men　who　were
carrying　a　wounded　Greyhound；　while　a　veterinary　surgeon　was
ministering　to　another　that　was　panting　on　the　ground。

Mickey　looked　about；　seized　a　little　shipping…box；　put　it　at　the
angle　of　the　Haven；　carefully　drove　the　tired　thing　into　it；
closed　the　lid；　then；　with　the　box　under　his　arm；　he　scaled　the
fence　unseen　in　the　confusion　and　was　gone。

'It　didn't　matter；　he　had　lost　his　job　anyway。'　He　tramped　away
from　the　city。　He　took　the　train　at　the　nearest　station　and
travelled　some　hours；　and　now　he　was　in　Rabbit　country　again。　The
sun　had　long　gone　down；　the　night　with　its　stars　was　over　the
plain　when　among　the　farms；　the　Osage　and　alfalfa；　Mickey
Doo　opened　the　box　and　gently　put　the　Warhorse　out。

Grinning　as　he　did　so；　he　said：　〃Shure　an'　it's　ould　Oireland
thot's　proud　to　set　the　thirteen　stars　at　liberty　wance　moore。〃

For　a　moment　the　Little　Warhorse　gazed　in　doubt；　then　took　three
or　four　long　leaps　and　a　spy…hop　to　get　his　bearings。　Now
spreading　his　national　colors　and　his　honor…marked　ears；　he
bounded　into　his　hard…won　freedom；　strong　as　ever；　and　melted
into　the　night　of　his　native　plain。

He　has　been　seen　many　times　in　Kaskado；　and　there　have　been　many
Rabbit　drives　in　that　region；　but　he　seems　to　know　some　means　of
baffling　them　now；　for；　in　all　the　thousands　that　have　been
trapped　and　corralled；　they　have　never　since　seen　the
star…spangled　ears　of　Little　jack　Warhorse。


SNAP

THE　STORY　OF　A　BULL…TERRIER

I

It　was　dusk　on　Hallowe'en　when　first　I　saw　him。　Early　in　the
morning　I　had　received　a　telegram　from　my　college　chum　Jack：
〃Lest　we　forget。　Am　sending　you　a　remarkable　pup。　Be　polite　to
him；　it's　safer。〃　It　would　have　been　just　like　Jack　to　have　sent
an　infernal　machine　or　a　Skunk　rampant　and　called　it　a　pup；　so　I
awaited　the　hamper　with　curiosity。　When　it　arrived　I　saw　it　was
marked　〃Dangerous；〃　and　there　came　from　within　a　high…pitched
snarl　at　every　slight　provocation。　On　peering　through　the　wire
netting　I　saw　it　was　not　a　baby　Tiger　but　a　small　white
Bull…terrier。　He　snapped　at　me　and　at　any　one　or　anything　that
seemed　too　abrupt　or　too　near　for　proper　respect；　and　his
snarling　growl　was　unpleasantly　frequent。　Dogs　have　two　growls：
one　deep…rumbled；　and　chesty；　that　is　polite　warningthe　retort
courteous；　the　other　mouthy　and　much　higher　in　pitch：　this　is　the
last　word　before　actual　onslaught。　The　Terrier's　growls　were　all
of　the　latter　kind。　I　was　a　dog…man　and　thought　I　knew　all　about
Dogs；　so；　dismissing　the　porter；　I　got　out　my　all…round
jackknifetoothpicknailhammer…hatchet…toolbox…fire…shovel；　a
specialty　of　our　firm；　and　lifted　the　netting。　Oh；　yes；　I　knew
all　about　Dogs。　The　little　fury　had　been　growling　out　a
whole…souled　growl　for　every　tap　of　the　tool；　and　when　I　turned
the　box　on　its　side；　he　made　a　dash　straight　for　my　legs。　Had　not
his　foot　gone　through　the　wire　netting　and　held　him；　I　might　have
been　hurt；　for　his　heart　was　evidently　in　his　work；　but　I　stepped
on　the　table　out　of　reach　and　tried　to　reason　with　him。　I　have
always　believed　in　talking　to　animals。　I　maintain　that　they
gather　something　of　our　intention　at　least；　even　if　they　do　not
understand　our　words；　but　the　Dog　evidently　put　me　down　for　a
hypocrite　and　scorned　my　approaches。　At　first　he　took　his　post
under　the　table　and　kept　up　a　circular　watch　for　a　leg　trying　to
get　down。　I　felt　sure　I　could　have　controlled　him　with　my　eye；
but　I　could　not　bring　it　to　bear　where　I　was；　or　rather　where　he
was；　thus　I　was　left　a　prisoner。　I　am　a　very　cool　person；　I
flatter　myself；　in　fact；　I　represent　a　hardware　firm；　and；　in
coolness；　we　are　not　excelled　by　any　but　perhaps　the　nosy
gentlemen　that　sell　wearing…apparel。　I　got　out　a　cigar　and　smoked
tailor…style　on　the　table；　while　my　little　tyrant　below　kept
watch　for　legs。　I　got　out　the　telegram　and　read　it：　〃Remarkable
pup。　Be　polite　to　him；　it's　safer。〃　I　think　it　was　my　coolness
rather　than　my　politeness　that　did　it；　for　in　half　an　hour　the
growling　ceased。　In　an　hour　he　no　longer　jumped　at　a　newspaper
cautiously　pushed　over　the　edge　to　test　his　humor；　possibly　the
irritation　of　the　cage　was　wearing　off；　and　by　the　time　I　had　lit
my　third　cigar；　he　waddled　out　to　the　fir