further adventures of lad-第33节
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home。
Home！ The charm and novelty of the wilderness all at once faded。 Lad was desperately lonely and desperately unhappy。 And his feelings were cruelly hurt； at the strange treatment accorded him。
Yet； it did not occur to him to seek freedom and to follow his gods to the home he loved。 He had been tied here； presumably by their order； certainly with their knowledge。 And it behooved him to wait until they should come to release him。 He knew they would come back； soon or late。 They were his gods； his chums； his playmates。 They would no more desert him than he would have deserted them。 It was all right； somehow。 Only； the waiting was tedious！
With a tired little sigh； the collie curled up in a miserable heap on the stony ground； the shortness of his tether making even this effort at repose anything but comfortable。 And he waited。
A dog； that is happy and well； settles himself for a prolonged wait； by stretching out on his side；oftenest the left side； and by dropping off into slumber。 Seldom； unless he be cold or ill； does a big dog curl up into a ball； to rest。 Nor is he thoroughly comfortable in such a posture。
Lad was not comfortable。 He was not resting。 He was wretched。 Nor did he try to snooze。 Curled in a compact heap； his sorrowful eyes abrim with sorrow； he lay scanning the bumpy mountainside and straining his ears； for sign of the car's return。 His breathing was not as splendidly easy as usual。 For； increasingly； that earlier twinge of acrid smoke…reek was tickling his throat。 The haze； that had hovered over the farther hilltops and valleys； was thickening； and it was creeping nearer。 The breath of morning breeze was stiffening into a steady wind； a wind that blew strong from the west and carried on it the smell of forest fire。
Lad did not enjoy the ever…stronger smoke scent。 But he gave only half…heed to it。 His main attention was centered on that winding wagon…track whence the car and the truck had vanished into the lowlands。 And； through the solemnly spent hours he lay forlornly watching it。
But； after sunset； the smoke became too pervasive to be ignored longer。 It was not only stinging his throat and lungs； but it was making his eyes smart。 And it had cut off the view of all save the nearer mountain…peaks。
Lad got to his feet； whining softly； under his breath。 Ancestral instinct was fairly shouting to his brain that here was terrible peril。 He strained at his thick rope； and looked imploringly down the wagon…road。
The wind had swelled into something like a gale。 And； now； to Lad's keen ears came the far…off snap and crack of a million dry twigs as the flame kissed them in its fast…crawling advance。 This sharper sound rose and fell； as a theme to the endless and slowly…augmenting roar which had been perceptible for hours。
Again； Laddie strained at his heavy rope。 Again； his smoke…stung eyes explored the winding trail down the mountain。 No longer was the trail so distinguishable as before。 Not only by reason of darkness； but because from that direction came the bulk of the eddying gusts of wind…driven smoke。
The fire's mounting course was paralleling the trail； checked from crossing it only by a streambed and an outcrop of granite which zigzagged upward from the valley。 The darkness served also to tinge the lowering sky to south and to westward with a steadily brightening lurid glare。 The Master had been right in his glum prophecy that a strong and sudden shift of wind would carry the conflagration through the tinder…dry undergrowth and dead trees of that side of the mountain； far faster than any body of fire…fighters could hope to check it。
The flame…reflection began to light the open spaces below the knoll； with increasing vividness。 The chill of early evening was counteracted waves of sullen heat； which the wind sent swirling before it。
Lad panted； from warmth as much as from nervousness。 He had gone all day without water。 And a collie； more perhaps than any other dog； needs plenty of fresh； cool water to drink； at any and all times。 The hot wind and the smoke were parching his throat。 His thirst was intolerable。
Behind him； not very many yards away； was the ice…cold mountain lakelet in which so often he had bathed and drunk。 The thought of it made him hate the stout rope。
But he made no serious effort to free himself。 He had been tied there；supposedly by the Master's command。 And； as a well…trained dog； it was his place to stay where he was； until the Master should free him。 So； apart from an instinctive tug or two at his moorings； he submitted to his fate。
But； in mid…evening； something occurred； to change his viewpoint； in this matter of nonresistance。
The line of fire； climbing the mountain toward him； had encountered a marshy stretch； where； in normal weather； water stood inches deep。 Despite the drought； there was still enough moisture to stay the advance of the red line until the dampness could be turned to dust and tindery vegetation。 And； in the meanwhile； after the custom of its kind； the fire had sought to spread to either side。 Stopped at the granite…outcrop to the right； it had rolled faster through the herbage to the left。
Thus； by the time the morass was dry enough for the flame to pass it； there was a great sickle of crawling red fire to the left； which encircled a whole flank of the mountain and which was moving straight upward。
Lad knew nothing of this； nor why the advance of the fire's direct line had been so long checked。 Nor did he know； presumably； that this sickle of flame was girdling the mountain…flank； like a murderous net； hemming in all live things within the flaming arc and forcing them on in panic； ahead of its advance。 Perhaps he did not even note the mad scurryings in undergrowth and bramble； in front of the oncoming blaze。 But one thing； very speedily； became apparent to him：
From out a screen of hazel and witch…elm （almost directly in front of the place where the truck； that morning； had been loaded） crashed a right hideous object。 By sight and by scent Lad knew the creature for his olden foe； the giant black bear。
Growling； squealing； a dozen stinging fiery sparks sizzling through his bushy coat； the bear tore his way from the hedge of thicket and out into the open。 The fire had roused him from his snug lair and had driven him ahead of it with a myriad hornets of flame； in a crazed search for safety。
At sight of the formidable monster； Lad realized for the first time the full extent of his own helplessness。 Tethered to a rope which gave him scarce twenty…five inches of leeway； he was in no fit condition to fend off the giant's assault。
He wasted no time in futile struggles。 All his race's uncanny powers of resource came rushing to his aid。 Without an instant's pause； he wheeled about； and drove his keen teeth into the rope that bound him to the post。
Lad did not chew aimlessly at the thick tether； nor throw away one ounce of useless energy。 Seizing the hempen strands； he ground his teeth deeply and with scientific skill； into their fraying recesses。 Thus does a dog； addicted to cutting his leash； attack the bonds which hold him。
It was Lad's first experience of the kind。 But instinct served him well。 The fact that the rope had been left out of doors； in all weathers； for several years； served him far better。 Not only did it sever the more easily； but it soon lost the cohesion needed for resisting any strong pull。
The bear； lurching half…blindly； had reeled out into the open； below the knoll。 There； panting and grunting； he turned to blink at the oncoming fire and to get his direction。 For perhaps a half…minute he stood thus； or made little futile rushes from side to side。 And this breathing space was taken up by Lad in the gnawing of the rope。
Then； while the collie was still toiling over the hempen mouthfuls； the bear seemed to recover his own wonted cleverness； and to realize his whereabouts。 Straight up the hillock he charged； toward the lean…to； his splay feet dislodging innumerable surface stones from the rocky steep； and sending them behind him in a series of tiny avalanches。
Lad； one eye ever on his foe； saw the onrush。 Fiercely he redoubled his efforts to bite through the rope； before the bear should be upon him。 But the task was not one to be achieved in a handful of seconds。
Moving with a swiftness amazing for an animal of his clumsy bulk； the bear swarmed up the hillock。 He gained the summit； not three yards from where Laddie struggled。 And the collie knew the rope was not more than half gnawed through。 There was no further time for biting at it。 The enemy was upon him。
Fear did not enter the big dog's soul。 Yet he grieved that the death…battle should find him so pitifully ill…prepared。 And； abandoning the work of self…release； he flung himself ragingly at the advancing bear。
Then； two things happened。 Two things； on neither of which the dog could have counted。 The bear was within a hand's breadth of him； and was still charging； headlong。 But he looked neither to right nor to left。 Seemingly ignorant of Lad's presence； the huge brute tore past him； almost grazing the collie in his insane rush； and sped straight on toward the lake beyond。
That was one of the two unforeseen happenings。 T
