further adventures of lad-第29节

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〃Hello；　folks！〃　Rhuburger　was　declaiming；　to　a　wholly　unenthusiastic　circle　of　acquaintances。　〃Made　another　record；　just　now。　The　little　boat　spun　me　here　from　Montclair　in　exactly　nineteen　minutes。　That'sthat's　roughly　an　average　rate　of　a　mile　in　seventy…five　seconds。　Not　so　bad；　eh？　That　car　sure　made　a　hit　with　ME；　all　right。　Not　so　much　of　a　hit；　maybe；　with　a　couple　of　chickens　and　a　fat　old　dog　that　had　the　bad　luck　to　be　asleep　in　the　middle　of　the〃

His　plangent　brag　was　lost　in　a　sound　seldom　heard　on　the　hither　side　of　jungle　or　zoo。　From　the　group　of　slightly　disgusted　onlookers；　a　huge　and　tawny　shape　burst　forth；　hurtling　through　the　air；　straight　for　the　fat　throat　of　the　boaster。

Rhuburger；　by　some　heaven…sent　instinct；　flung　up　his　arms　to　shield　his　menaced　jugular。　He　had　no　time　to　do　more。

Lad's　fury…driven　eighty　pounds　of　muscular　weight　crashed　full　against　his　chest。　Lad's　terrible　teeth；　missing　their　throat…goal；　drove　deep　into　the　uplifted　right　forearm；　shearing　through　imported　tweed　coat…sleeve　and　through　corded　silken　shirt；　and　through　flabby　flesh　and　clean　to　the　very　bone。

The　dog's　lion…roar　blended　with　the　panic…screeches　of　the　victim。　And；　under　that　fearful　impact；　Rhuburger　reeled　back　from　the　stairhead；　and　went　crashing　down　the　steps；　to　the　broad　stone　flagging　at　the　bottom。

Not　once；　during　that　meteoric；　shriek…punctured　downward　flight；　did　Lad　loose　his　grip　on　the　torn　forearm。　But　as　the　two　struck　the　flagging　at　the　bottom；　he　shifted　his　hold；　with　lightning　speed；　stabbing　once　more　for　the　exposed　jugular。

He　lunged　murderously　at　his　mark。　Yes；　and　this　time　he　found　it。　His　teeth　had　touched　the　pudgy　throat；　and　began　to　cleave　their　remorseless　way　to　the　very　life　of　the　man　who　had　slain　Lady。

But；　out　of　the　jumble　of　cries　and　stamping　feet　and　explosive　shouts　from　the　scared　onlookers　on　the　veranda　above；　one　staccato　yell　pierced　the　swirl　of　rage…mists　in　the　avenging　collie's　brain。

〃LAD！〃　came　the　Master's　sharp；　scandalized　mandate。　〃LAD！！！〃

Hating　the　thought　of　desisting　from　his　cherished　revenge；　the　dog　heard　and　heeded。　With　visible　reluctance；　he　drew　back　from　the　slaughter；　and　turned　his　noble　head　to　face　the　man　who　was　running　down　the　steps　toward　him。

Lad　knew　well　what　he　might　expect；　for　this　thing　he　had　done。　He　knew　the　Law。　He　knew；　almost　from　birth；　the　courteous　tolerance　due　to　folk　among　whom　his　deities　took　him。　And　now　he　had　made　an　industrious　effort　to　kill　one　of　these　people。

It　was　no　light　offense　for　a　dog　to　attack　a　human。　Lad；　like　every　well…trained　collie；　knew　that。　His　own　death　might　well　follow。　Indeed；　from　the　babel　of　voices　on　the　veranda；　squalling　confusedly　such　hackneyed　sentiments　as　〃Mad　dog！〃　and　〃Get　a　gun！〃　it　seemed　highly　probable　that　Lad　was　due　to　suffer　full　penalty；　from　the　man…pack。

Yet　he　gave　no　heed　to　the　clamor。　Instead；　turning　slowly；　he　faced　the　Master；　ready　for　whatever　might　follow。　But　nothing　followed；nothing　at　least　that　he　expected。

The　Master　simply　commanded：

〃Down；　Lad！〃

As　the　dog；　obediently；　dropped　to　the　ground；　the　Master　bent　to　examine　the　groaning　and　maudlinly　weeping　Rhuburger。　In　this　Samaritan　task　he　was　joined　by　one　or　two　of　the　club's　more　venturesome　members　who　had　followed　him　down　the　steps。

Rhuburger　was　all…but　delirious　with　fright。　His　throat　was　scored　by　the　first　raking　of　Lad's　teeth；　but　in　the　merest　of　flesh…wounds。　The　chewed　arm　was　more　serious；　but　no　bone　or　tendon　was　injured。　A　fortnight　of　care　would　see　it　as　good　as　new。　By　more　or　less　of　a　miracle；　no　bones　had　been　broken　and　no　concussion　caused　by　the　backward　dive　down　the　flight　of　steps。　There　were　bad　bruises　a…plenty；　but　there　was　nothing　worse。

As　the　Master　and　the　few　others　who　had　descended　the　steps　were　working　over　the　fallen　man；　the　Mistress　checked　the　turmoil　on　the　veranda。　At　Lad's　leap；　memory　of　this　speed…mad　motorist　had　rushed　back　to　her。

Now；　tersely；　for　the　benefit　of　those　around；　she　was　identifying　him　with　the　killer　of　Lady；　whose　death　had　roused　so　much　indignation　in　the　village。　And；　as　she　spoke；　the　people　who　had　clamored　loudest　of　mad　dogs　and　who　had　called　so　frantically　for　a　gun；　waxed　silent。　The　myriad　glances　cast　at　the　prostrate　and　blubbering　Rhuburger　were　not　loving。　Someone　even　said；　loudly

〃GOOD　old　Laddie！〃

As　the　Mistress　and　the　Master　were　closing　the　house　for　the　night；　a　car　came　down　the　drive。　Out　of　it　stepped　their　friend　of　many　years；　Maclay；　the　local　Justice　of　the　Peace。

〃Hello；　Mac！〃　hailed　the　Master。　〃Here　to　take　us　all　to　jail　for　assault…and…battery；　or　just　to　serve　a　'dangerous　dog'　notice　on　us？〃

He　spoke　lightly；　but　he　was　troubled。　Today's　escapade　might　well　lead　the　village　law　to　take　some　cognizance　of　Lad's　ferocious　deed。

〃No；〃　laughed　Maclay。　〃Neither　of　those　things。　I'm　here；　unprofessionally。　I　thought　you　people　might　like　to　know　a　few　things；　before　you　go　to　bed。　In　the　first　place；　the　doctor　patched　up　Rhuburger's　bites　and　took　him　home。　He　couldn't　take　him　home　in　Rhuburger's　own　car。　For　some　of　the　tennis　crowd　had　gotten　at　that。　What　they　did　to　that　6；000　runabout　was　a　crime！　They　stripped　it　of　everything。　They　threw　the　carburetor　and　the　wheels　and　the　steering　gear　and　a　lot　of　other　parts　into　the　lake。〃

〃WHAT？〃

〃Then　they　left　their　cards　pinned　to　the　dismantled　machine's　cushions；in　case　Rhuburger　cares　to　go　further　into　the　matter。　While　they　were　doing　all　that；　the　club's　Governors　had　a　hurry…call　meeting。　And　for　once　the　Board　was　unanimous　about　something。　It　was　unanimousin　expelling　Rhuburger　from　the　club。　Then　weBy　the　way；　where's　Laddie？　Curled　up　by　Lady's　grave；　as　usual；　I　suppose？　Poor　old　dog！〃

〃No；〃　denied　the　Mistress。　〃He's　asleep　in　his　'cave'　under　the　piano。　He　went　there；　of　his　own　accord。　And　he　ate　a　perfectly　tremendous　supper；　tonight。　He'she's　CURED！〃



CHAPTER　VIII。　In　Strange　Company

Lad　was　getting　along　in　years。

Not　yet　had　age　begun　to　claw　at　him；　blearing　the　wondrous　deep…set　dark　eyes　and　silvering　the　classic　muzzle　and　broadening　the　shapely　skull　and　stiffening　the　sweepingly　free　gait；　dulling　the　sharp　ears　or　doing　any　of　the　other　pitiably　tragic　things　that　nature　does　to　the　dog　who　is　progressing　in　his　teens。　Those；　humiliations　were　still　waiting　for　Lad；　one　by　one；　beyond　the　next　Turn　of　the　Road。

Yet　the　romp　and　the　spirit　of　bubbling　fun　and　the　lavishly　needless　exercisethese　were　merging　into　sobriety。　True；　at　rare　times；　with　the　Mistress　or　the　Masterespecially　with　the　Mistress；　Lad　would　forget　he　was　middle…aged　and　dignified；　and　would　play　like　a　crazy　puppy。　But；　for　the　most　part　he　had　begun　to　carry　his　years　a　trifle　seriously。

He　was　not　yet　in　the　winter　or　even　the　Indian　Summer　of　his　beautiful　life。　But；　at　least；　he　had　strolled　into　its　early　autumn。

And　this；　be　it　well　remembered；　is　the　curse　which　Stepmother　Nature　placed　upon　The　Dog；　when　he　elected　to　turn　his　back　on　his　own　kind；　and　to　become　the　only　one　of　the　world's　four…footed　folk　to　serve　Man　of　his　own　accord。　To　punish　the　Dog　for　this　abnormality；　Nature　decreed　that　his　life　should　begin　to　fail；　almost　as　soon　as　it　had　reached　the　glory　of　its　early　prime。

A　dog　is　not　at　his　best；　in　mind　or　in　body；　until　he　has　passed　his　third　year。　And；　before　he　nears　the　ten…year　mark；　he　has　begun　to　decline。　At　twelve　or　thirteen；　he　is　as　decrepit　as　is　the　average　human　of　seventy。　And　not　one　dog　in　a　hundred　can　be　expected　to　live　to　fourteen。

（Lad；　by　some　miracle；　was　destined　to　endure　past　his　own　sixteenth　birthday；　a　record　seldom　equaled　among　his　race。）

And　so　to　our　story：

When　the　car　and　the　loaded　equipment…truck　drew　up　at　the　door；　that　golden　October　day；　Lad　forgot　his　advancing　years。　In　a　moment；　he　was　once　more　a　puppy。　For　he　knew　what　it　all　meant。　It　did　not　need　the　advent　of　the　Mistress　and　the　Master　from　the　house；　in　rough　outing　clothes；　nor　the　piling　of　duffle…bags　and　the　like　into　the　car's　tonneau；　to　send　Laddie　into　a　transport　of　trumpeting　and　gyrations。　The　first　sight　and　sniff　of　the　tents；　rolled　tight　in　the　truck；　had　done　that。　Lad　understood。　Lad　always　understood。

This　gear　meant　the　annual　fall　camping　trip　in　the　back　reaches　of　the　Ramapo　Mountains；　some　twenty…odd　miles　north　of　the　Place；　the　fortnight　of　tent…life；　of　shooting；　of　fishing；　of　bracingly　chill　nights　and　white…misted　dawns　and　of　drowsily　happy　campfire　evenings。　It　meant　all　manner　of　adventure　and　fun　for　Lad。

Now；　on　a　fishing　jaunt；　the　presence　of　any　kind　of　dog　is　a　liability；　not　an　asset。　A　thousand　dog…fancier　fishermen　can　attest　to　that。　And；　when　humans　are　hunting　any　sort　of　game；　a　collie　is　several　degrees　worse　than　worthless。

Thus；　Lad's　usefulness；　as　a　member　of　the　party；　was　likely　to　be　negligible；except　in　the　matter　of　guarding　camp　and　as　an　all…round　pal　for　the　two　campers。

Yet；　as　on　former　years；　there　was　no　question　of　leaving　him　at　home。　Where　the　Mistress　and　the　Master　went；　he　went；　too；　whenever　such　a　thing　were　possible。　He　was　th