animal heroes-第3节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


food；Cats　do　not　do　that　way　much；but　recognizing　each　other
as　entitled　to　special　friendly　privileges。


V

September　had　gone。　October's　shortening　days　were　on　when　an
event　took　place　in　the　old　cracker…box。　If　Orange　Billy　had　come
he　would　have　seen　five　little　Kittens　curled　up　in　the　embrace
of　their　mother；　the　little　Slum　Cat。　It　was　a　wonderful　thing
for　her。　She　felt　all　the　elation　an　animal　mother　can　feel；　all
the　delight；　and　she　loved　them　and　licked　them　with　a　tenderness
that　must　have　been　a　surprise　to　herself；　had　she　had　the　power
to　think　of　such　things。

She　had　added　a　joy　to　her　joyless　life；　but　she　had　also　added　a
care　and　a　heavy　weight　to　her　heavy　load。　All　her　strength　was
taken　now　to　find　food。　The　burden　increased　as　the　offspring
grew　up　big　enough　to　scramble　about　the　boxes；　which　they　did
daily　during　her　absence　after　they　were　six　weeks　old。　That
troubles　go　in　flocks　and　luck　in　streaks；　is　well　known　in
Slumland。　Kitty　had　had　three　encounters　with　Dogs；　and　had　been
stoned　by　Malee's　negro　during　a　two　days'　starve。　Then　the　tide
turned。　The　very　next　morning　she　found　a　full　milk…can　without　a
lid；　successfully　robbed　a　barrow　pensioner；　and　found　a　big
fish…head；　all　within　two　hours。　She　had　just　returned　with　that
perfect　peace　which　comes　only　of　a　full　stomach；　when　she　saw　a
little　brown　creature　in　her　junk…yard。　Hunting　memories　came
back　in　strength；　she　didn't　know　what　it　was；　but　she　had　killed
and　eaten　several　Mice；　and　this　was　evidently　a　big　Mouse　with
bob…tail　and　large　ears。　Kitty　stalked　it　with　elaborate　but
unnecessary　caution；　the　little　Rabbit　simply　sat　up　and　looked
faintly　amused。　He　did　not　try　to　run；　and　Kitty　sprang　on　him
and　bore　him　off。　As　she　was　not　hungry；　she　carried　him　to　the
cracker…box　and　dropped　him　among　the　Kittens。　He　was　not　much
hurt。　He　got　over　his　fright；　and　since　he　could　not　get　out　of
the　box；　he　snuggled　among　the　Kittens；　and　when　they　began　to
take　their　evening　meal　he　very　soon　decided　to　join　them。　The
old　Cat　was　puzzled。　The　hunter　instinct　had　been　dominant；　but
absence　of　hunger　had　saved　the　Rabbit　and　given　the　maternal
instinct　a　chance　to　appear。　The　result　was　that　the　Rabbit
became　a　member　of　the　family；　and　was　thenceforth　guarded　and
fed　with　the　Kittens。

Two　weeks　went　by。　The　Kittens　romped　much　among　the　boxes　during
their　mother's　absence。　The　Rabbit　could　not　get　out　of　the　box。
Jap　Malee；　seeing　the　Kittens　about　the　back　yard；　told　the　negro
to　shoot　them。　This　he　was　doing　one　morning　with　a　22…calibre
rifle。　He　had　shot　one　after　another　and　seen　them　drop　from
sight　into　the　crannies　of　the　lumber…pile；　when　the　old　Cat　came
running　along　the　wall　from　the　dock；　carrying　a　small　Wharf　Rat。
He　had　been　ready　to　shoot　her；　too；　but　the　sight　of　that　Rat
changed　his　plans：　a　rat…catching　Cat　was　worthy　to　live。　It
happened　to　be　the　very　first　one　she　had　ever　caught；　but　it
saved　her　life。　She　threaded　the　lumber…maze　to　the　cracker…box
and　was　probably　puzzled　to　find　that　there　were　no　Kittens　to
come　at　her　call；　and　the　Rabbit　would　not　partake　of　the　Rat。
Pussy　curled　up　to　nurse　the　Rabbit；　but　she　called　from　time　to
time　to　summon　the　Kittens。　Guided　by　that　call；　the　negro
crawled　quietly　to　the　place；　and　peering　down　into　the
cracker…box；　saw；　to　his　intense　surprise；　that　it　contained　the
old　Cat；　a　live　Rabbit；　and　a　dead　Rat。

The　mother　Cat　laid　back　her　ears　and　snarled。　The　negro
withdrew；　but　a　minute　later　a　board　was　dropped　on　the　opening
of　the　cracker…box；　and　the　den　with　its　tenants；　dead　and　alive；
was　lifted　into　the　bird…cellar。

〃Say；　boss；　look　a…hyarhyar's　where　de

little　Rabbit　got　to　wot　we　lost。　Yo'　sho　t'ought　Ah　stoled　him
for　de　'tater…bake。〃

Kitty　and　Bunny　were　carefully　put　in　a　large　wire　cage　and
exhibited　as　a　happy　family　till　a　few　days　later；　when　the
Rabbit　took　sick　and　died。

Pussy　had　never　been　happy　in　the　cage。　She　had　enough　to　eat　and
drink；　but　she
craved　her　freedomwould　likely　have　gotten　'death　or　liberty'
now；　but　that　during　the　four　days'　captivity　she　had　so　cleaned
and　slicked　her　fur　that　her　unusual　coloring　was　seen；　and　Jap
decided　to　keep　her。


LIFE　II

VI

Jap　Malee　was　as　disreputable　a　little　Cockney　bantam　as　ever
sold　cheap　Canary…birds　in　a　cellar。　He　was　extremely　poor；　and
the　negro　lived　with　him　because　the　'Henglish…man'　was　willing
to　share　bed　and　board；　and　otherwise　admit　a　perfect　equality
that　few　Americans　conceded。　Jap　was　perfectly　honest　according
to　his　lights；　but　he　hadn't　　any　lights；　and　it　was　well　known
that　his　chief　revenue　was　derived　from　storing　and　restoring
stolen　Dogs　and　Cats。　The　half…dozen　Canaries　were　mere　blinds。
Yet　Jap　believed　in　himself。　〃Hi　tell　you；　Sammy；　me　boy；　you'll
see　me　with　'orses　of　my　own　yet；〃　he　would　say；　when　some
trifling　success　inflated　his　dirty　little　chest。　He　was　not
without　ambition；　in　a　weak；　flabby；　once…in…a…while　way；　and　he
sometimes　wished　to　be　known　as　a　fancier。　Indeed；　he　had　once
gone　the　wild　length　of　offering　a　Cat　for　exhibition　at　the
Knickerbocker　High　Society　Cat　and　Pet　Show；　with　three　not
over…clear　objects：　first；　to　gratify　his　ambition；　second；　to
secure　the　exhibitor's　free　pass；　and；　third；　〃well；　you　kneow；
one　'as　to　kneow　the　valuable　Cats；　you　kneow；　when　one　goes
a…catting。〃　But　this　was　a　society　show；　the　exhibitor　had　to　be
introduced；　and　his　miserable　alleged　half…Persian　was　scornfully
rejected。　The　'Lost　and　Found'　columns　of　the　papers　were　the
only　ones　of　interest　to　Jap；　but　he　had　noticed　and　saved　a
clipping　about　'breeding　for　fur。'　This　was　stuck　on　the　wall　of
his　den；　and　under　its　influence　he　set　about　what　seemed　a　cruel
experiment　with　the　Slum　Cat。　First；　he　soaked　her　dirty　fur　with
stuff　to　kill　the　two　or　three　kinds　of　creepers　she　wore；　and；
when　it　had　done　its　work；　he　washed　her　thoroughly　in　soap　and
warm　water；　in　spite　of　her　teeth；　claws；　and　yowls。　Kitty　was
savagely　indignant；　but　a　warm　and　happy　glow　spread　over　her　as
she　dried　off　in　a　cage　near　the　stove；　and　her　fur　began　to
fluff　out　with　wonderful　softness　and　whiteness。　Jap　and　his
assistant　were　much　pleased　with　the　result；　and　Kitty　ought　to
have　been。　But　this　was　preparatory：　now　for　the　experiment。
〃Nothing　is　so　good　for　growing　fur　as　plenty　of　oily　food　and
continued　exposure　to　cold　weather；〃　said　the　clipping。　Winter
was　at　hand；　and　Jap　Malee　put　Kitty's　cage　out　in　the　yard；
protected　only　from　the　rain　and　the　direct　wind；　and　fed　her
with　all　the　oil…cake　and　fish…heads　she　could　eat。　In　a　week　a
change　began　to　show。　She　was　rapidly　getting　fat　and　sleekshe
had　nothing　to　do　but　get　fat　and　dress　her　fur。　Her　cage　was
kept　clean；　and　nature　responded　to　the　chill　weather　and　the
oily　food　by　making　Kitty's　coat　thicker　and　glossier　every　day；
so　that　by　midwinter　she　was　an　unusually　beautiful　Cat　in　the
fullest　and　finest　of　fur；　with　markings　that　were　at　least　a
rarity。　Jap　was　much　pleased　with　the　result　of　the　experiment；
and　as　a　very　little　success　had　a　wonderful　effect　on　him；　he
began　to　dream　of　the　paths　of　glory。　Why　not　send　the　Slum　Cat
to　the　show　now　coming　on？　The　failure　of　the　year　before　made
him　more　careful　as　to　details。　〃'T　won't　do；　ye　kneow；　Sammy；　to
henter　'er　as　a　tramp　Cat；　ye　kneow；〃　he　observed　to　his　help；
〃but　it　kin　be　arranged　to　suit　the　Knickerbockers。　Nothink　like
a　good　noime；　ye　kneow。　Ye　see　now　it　had　orter　be　'Royal'
somethink　or　othernothink　goes　with　the　Knickerbockers　like
'Royal'　anythink。　Now　'Royal　Dick；'　or　'Royal　Sam；'　'ow's　that？
But　'owld　on；　them's　Tom　names。　Oi　say；　Sammy；　wot's　the　noime　of
that　island　where　ye　wuz　born？〃

〃Analostan　Island；　sah；　was　my　native　vicinity；　sah。〃

〃Oi　say；　now；　that's　good；　ye　kneow。　'Royal　Analostan；'　by　Jove！
The　onliest　pedigreed　'Royal　Analostan'　in　the　'ole　sheow；　ye
kneow。　Ain't　that　foine？〃　and　they　mingled　their　cackles。

〃But　we'll　'ave　to　'ave　a　pedigree；　ye　kneow。〃　So　a　very　long
fake　pedigree　on　the　recognized　lines　was　prepared。　One　dark
afternoon　Sam；　in　a　borrowed　silk　hat；　delivered　the　Cat　and　the
pedigree　at　the　show　door。　The　darkey　did　the　honors。　He　had　been
a　Sixth　Avenue　barber；　and　he　could　put　on　more　pomp　and　lofty
hauteur　in　five　minutes　than　Jap　Malee　could　have　displayed　in　a
lifetime；　and　this；　doubtless；　was　one　reason　for　the　respectful
reception　awarded　the　Royal　Analostan　at　the　Cat　Show。

Jap　was　very　proud　to　be　an　exhibitor；　but　he　had　all　a　Cockney's
reverence　for　the　upper　class；　and　when　on　the　opening　day　he
went　to　the　door；　he　was　overpowered　to　see　the　array　of
carriages　and　silk　hats。　The　gate…man　looked　at　him　sharply；　but
passed　him　on　his　ticket；　doubtless　taking　him　for　stable…boy　to
some　exhibitor。　The　hall　had　velvet　carpets　before　the　long　rows
of　cages。　Jap；　in　his　small　cunning；　was　sneaking　down　the　side
rows；　glancing　at　the　Cats　of　all　kinds；　noting　the　blue　ribbons
and　the　reds；　peering　about　but　not　daring　to　ask　for　his　own
exhibit；　inly　trembling　to　think　what　the　gorgeous　gathering　of
fashion　would　say　if　they