animal heroes-第26节

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miserable　gang　that　had　the　grit　of　a　Jack…rabbit。〃

We　were　off　at　dawn　the　next　daythe　same　procession　of　fine
Horses　and　superb　riders；　the　big　blue　Dogs；　the　yellow　Dogs；　the
spotted　Dogs；　as　before；　but　there　was　a　new　feature；　a　little
white　Dog　that　stayed　close　by　me；　and　not　only　any　Dogs；　but
Horses　that　came　too　near　were　apt　to　get　a　surprise　from　his
teeth。　I　think　he　quarrelled　with　every　man；　Horse；　and　Dog　in
the　country；　with　the　exception　of　a　Bull…terrier　belonging　to
the　Mendoza　hotel　man。　She　was　the　only　one　smaller　than　himself；
and　they　seemed　very　good　friends。

I　shall　never　forget　the　view　of　the　hunt　I　had　that　day。　We　were
on　one　of　those　large；　flat…headed　buttes　that　give　a　kingdom　to
the　eye；　when　Hilton；　who　had　been　scanning　the　vast　country　with
glasses；　exclaimed：　〃I　see　him。　There　he　goes；　toward　Skull
Creek。　Guess　it's　a　Coyote。〃

Now　the　first　thing　is　to　get　the　Greyhounds　to　see　the　preynot
an　easy　matter；　as　they　cannot　use　the　glasses；　and　the　ground
was　covered　with　sage…brush　higher　than　the　Dogs'　heads。

But　Hilton　called；　〃Hu；　hu；　Dander；〃　and　leaned　aside　from　his
saddle；　holding　out　his　foot　at　the　same　time。　With　one　agile
bound　Dander　leaped　to　the　saddle　and　there　stood　balancing　on
the　Horse　while　Hilton　kept　pointing。　〃There　he　is；　Dander；　sic
himsee　him　down　there。〃　The　Dog　gazed　earnestly　where　his
master　pointed；　then　seeming　to　see；　he　sprang　to　the　ground　with
a　slight　yelp　and　sped　away。　The　other　Dogs　followed　after；　in　an
ever…lengthening　procession；　and　we　rode　as　hard　as　we　could
behind　them；　but　losing　time；　for　the　ground　was　cut　with
gullies；　spotted　with　badger…holes；　and　covered　with　rocks　and
sage　that　made　full　speed　too　hazardous。

We　all　fell　behind；　and　I　was　last；　of　course；　being　least
accustomed　to　the　saddle。　We　got　several　glimpses　of　the　Dogs
flying　over　the　level　plain　or　dropping　from　sight　in　gullies　to
reappear　at　the　other　side。　Dander；　the　Greyhound；　was　the
recognized　leader；　and　as　we　mounted　another　ridge　we　got　sight
of　the　whole　chasea　Coyote　at　full　speed；　the　Dogs　a　quarter　of
a　mile　behind；　but　gaining。　When　next　we　saw　them　the　Coyote　was
dead；　and　the　Dogs　sitting　around　panting；　all　but　two　of　the
Foxhounds　and　Gingersnap。

〃Too　late　for　the　fracas；〃　remarked　Hilton；　glancing　at　these
last　Foxhounds。　Then　he　proudly　petted　Dander。　〃Didn't　need　yer
purp　after　all；　ye　see。〃

〃Takes　a　heap　of　nerve　for　ten　big　Dogs　to　face　one　little
Coyote；〃　remarked　the　father；　sarcastically。　〃Wait　till　we　run
onto　a　Gray。〃

Next　day　we　were　out　again；　for　I　made　up　my　mind　to　see　it　to　a
finish。

From　a　high　point　we　caught　sight　of　a　moving　speck　of　gray。　A
moving　white　speck　stands　for　Antelope；　a　red　speck　for　Fox；　a
gray　speck　for　either　Gray…wolf　or　Coyote；　and　which　of　these　is
determined　by　its　tail。　If　the　glass　shows　the　tail　down；　it　is　a
Coyote；　if　up；　it　is　the　hated　Gray…wolf。

Dander　was　shown　the　game　as　before　and　led　the　motley　mixed
processionas　he　had　beforeGreyhounds；　Wolfhounds；　Foxhounds；
Danes；　Bull…terrier；　horsemen。　We　got　a　momentary　view　of　the
pursuit；　a　Gray…wolf　it　surely　was；　loping　away　ahead　of　the
Dogs。　Somehow　I　thought　the　first　Dogs　were　not　running　so　fast
now　as　they　had　after　the　Coyote。　But　no　one　knew　the　finish　of
the　hunt。　The　Dogs　came　back　to　us　one　by　one；　and　we　saw　no　more
of　that　Wolf。

Sarcastic　remarks　and　recrimination　were　now　freely　indulged　in
by　the　hunters。

〃Pahscairt；　plumb　scairt；〃　was　the　father's　disgusted　comment
on　the　pack。　
〃They　could　catch　up　easy　enough；　but　when　he　turned　on　them；
they　lighted　out　for　homepah！〃

〃Where's　that　thar　onsurpassable；　fearless；　scaired…o'…nort
Tarrier？〃　asked　Hilton；　scornfully。
　
〃I　don't　know；〃　said　I。　〃I　am　inclined　to　think　he　never　saw　the
Wolf；　but　if　he　ever　does；　I'll　bet　he　sails　in　for　death　or
glory。〃

That　night　several　Cows　were　killed　close　to　the　ranch；　and　we
were　spurred　on　to　another　hunt。

It　opened　much　like　the　last。　Late　in　the　afternoon　we　sighted　a
gray　fellow　with　tail　up；　not　half　a　mile　off。　Hilton　called
Dander　up　on　the　saddle。　I　acted　on　the　idea　and　called　Snap　to
mine。　His　legs　were　so　short　that　he　had　to　leap　several　times
before　he　made　it；　scrambling　up　at　last　with　my　foot　as　a
half…way　station。　I　pointed　and　〃sic…ed〃　for　a　minute　before　he
saw　the　game；　and　then　he　started　out　after　the　Greyhounds；
already　gone；　with　energy　that　was　full　of　promise。

The　chase　this　time　led　us；　not　to　the　rough　brakes　along　the
river；　but　toward　the　high　open　country；　for　reasons　that
appeared　later。　We　were　close　together　as　we　rose　to　the　upland
and　sighted　the　chase　half　a　mile　off；　just　as　Dander　came　up
with　the　Wolf　and　snapped　at　his　haunch。　The　Gray…wolf　turned
round　to　fight；　and　we　had　a　fine　view。　The　Dogs　came　up　by　twos
and　threes；　barking　at　him　in　a　ring；　till　last　the　little　white
one　rushed　up。　He　wasted　no　time　barking；　but　rushed　straight　at
the　Wolf's　throat　and　missed　it；　yet　seemed　to　get　him　by　the
nose；　then　the　ten　big　Dogs　closed　in；　and　in　two　minutes　the
Wolf　was　dead。　We　had　ridden　hard　to　be　in　at　the　finish；　and
though　our　view　was　distant；　we　saw　at　least　that　Snap　had　lived
up　to　the　telegram；　as　well　as　to　my　promises　for　him。

Now　it　was　my　turn　to　crow；　and　I　did　not　lose　the　chance。　Snap
had　shown　them　how；　and　at　last　the　Mendoza　pack　had　killed　a
Gray…wolf　without　help　from　the　men。

There　were　two　things　to　mar　the　victory　somewhat：　first；　it　was
a　young　Wolf；　a　mere　Cub；　hence　his　foolish　choice　of　country；
second；　Snap　was　woundedthe　Wolf　had　given　him　a　bad　cut　in　the
shoulder。

As　we　rode　in　proud　procession　home；　I　saw　he　limped　a　little。
〃Here；〃　I　cried；　〃come　up；　Snap。〃　He　tried　once　or　twice　to　jump
to　the　saddle；　but　could　not。　〃Here；　Hilton；　lift　him　up　to　me。〃

〃Thanks；　I'll　let　you　handle　your　own　rattlesnakes；〃　was　the
reply；　for　all　knew　now　that　it　was　not　safe　to　meddle　with　his
person。　〃Here；　Snap；　take　hold；〃　I　said；　and　held　my　quirt　to
him。　He　seized　it；　and　by　that　I　lifted　him　to　the　front　of　my
saddle　and　so　carried　him　home。　I　cared　for　him　as　though　he　had
been　a　baby。　He　had　shown　those　Cattle…men　how　to　fill　the　weak
place　in　their　pack；　the　Foxhounds　may　be　good　and　the　Greyhounds
swift　and　the　Russians　and　Danes　fighters；　but　they　are　no　use　at
all　without　the　crowning　moral　force　of　grit；　that　none　can
supply　so　well　as　a　Bull…terrier。　On　that　day　the　Cattlemen
learned　how　to　manage　the　Wolf　question；　as　you　will　find　if　ever
you　are　at　Mendoza；　for　every　successful　Wolf　pack　there　has　with
it　a　Bull…terrier；　preferably　of　the　Snap…Mendoza　breed。


IV

Next　day　was　Hallowe'en；　the　anniversary　of　Snap's　advent。　The
weather　was　clear；　bright；　not　too　cold；　and　there　was　no　snow　on
the　ground。　The　men　usually　celebrated　the　day　with　a　hunt　of
some　sort；　and　now；　of　course；　Wolves　were　the　one　object。　To　the
disappointment　of　all；　Snap　was　in　bad　shape　with　his　wound。　He
slept；　as　usual；　at　my　feet；　and　bloody　stains　now　marked　the
place。　He　was　not　in　condition　to　fight；　but　we　were　bound　to
have　a　Wolf…hunt；　so　he　was　beguiled　to　an　outhouse　and　locked
up；　while　we　went　off；　I；　at　least；　with　a　sense　of　impending
disaster。　I　knew　we　should　fail　without　my　Dog；　but　I　did　not
realize　how　bad　a　failure　it　was　to　be。

Afar　among　the　buttes　of　Skull　Creek　we　had　roamed　when　a　white
ball　appeared　bounding　through　the　sage…brush；　and　in　a　minute
more　Snap　came；　growling　and　stump…waggling；　up　to　my　Horse's
side。　I　could　not　send　him　back；　he　would　take　no　such　orders；
not　even　from　me。　His　wound　was　looking　bad；　so　I　called　him；
held　down　the　quirt；　and　jumped　him　to　my　saddle。

〃There；〃　I　thought；　〃I'll　keep　you　safe　till　we　get　home。〃　'Yes；
I　thought；　but　I　reckoned　not　with　Snap。　The　voice　of　Hilton；
〃Hu；　hu；〃　announced　that　he　had　sighted　a　Wolf。　Dander　and　Riley；
his　rival；　both　sprang　to　the　point　of　observation；　with　the
result　that　they　collided　and　fell　together；　sprawling；　in　the
sage。　But　Snap；　gazing　hard；　had　sighted　the　Wolf；　not　so　very
far　off；　and　before　I　knew　it；　he　leaped　from　the　saddle　and
bounded　zigzag；　high；　low；　in　and　under　the　sage；　straight　for
the　enemy；　leading　the　whole　pack　for　a　few　minutes。　Not　far；　of
course。　The　great　Greyhounds　sighted　the　moving　speck；　and　the
usual　procession　strung　out　on　the　plain。　It　promised　to　be　a
fine　hunt；　for　the　Wolf　had　less　than　half　a　mile　start　and　all
the　Dogs　were　fully　interested。

〃They　'ye　turned　up　Grizzly　Gully；〃　cried　Garvin。　〃This　way；　and
we　can　head　them　off。〃

So　we　turned　and　rode　hard　around　the　north　side　of　Hulmer's
Butte；　while　the　chase　seemed　to　go　round　the　south。

We　galloped　to　the　top　of　Cedar　Ridge　and　were　about　to　ride
down；　when　Hilton　shouted；　〃By　George；　here　he　is！　We're　right
onto　him。〃　He　leaped　from　his　Horse；　dropped　the　bridle；　and　ran
forward。　I　did　the　same。　A　great　Gray…wolf　came　lumbering　across
an　open　plain　toward　us。　His　head　was　low；　his　tail　out　level；
and　fifty　yards　behind　him　was　Dander；　sailing　like　a　Hawk　over
the　ground；　going　twice　as　fast　as　the　Wolf。　In　a　minute　the
Hound　was　a