michael, brother of jerry-第46节

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　off　my　chest　anyway。　When　a　dog　gets　a　perpetual　sour…ball　like　that　he's　finished。　Never　can　do　a　thing　with　them。　　I've　had　them　on　my　hands　before。〃


And　Michael　went　to　make　the　acquaintance　of　Jack；　the　surviving　Airedale；　and　to　do　his　daily　turn　with　the　leopards。　　In　the　big　spotted　cats　he　recognized　the　hereditary　enemy；　and；　even　before　he　was　thrust　into　the　cage；　his　neck　was　all　a…prickle　as　the　skin　nervously　tightened　and　the　hair　uprose　stiff…ended。　　It　was　a　nervous　moment　for　all　concerned；　the　introduction　of　a　new　dog　into　the　cage。　　The　tow…headed　leopard　man；　who　was　billed　on　the　boards　as　Raoul　Castlemon　and　was　called　Ralph　by　his　intimates；　was　already　in　the　cage。　　The　Airedale　was　with　him；　while　outside　stood　several　men　armed　with　iron　bars　and　long　steel　forks。　These　weapons；　ready　for　immediate　use；　were　thrust　between　the　bars　as　a　menace　to　the　leopards　who　were；　very　much　against　their　wills；　to　be　made　to　perform。

They　resented　Michael's　intrusion　on　the　instant；　spitting；　lashing　their　long　tails；　and　crouching　to　spring。　　At　the　same　instant　the　trainer　spoke　with　sharp　imperativeness　and　raised　his　whip；　while　the　men　on　the　outside　lifted　their　irons　and　advanced　them　intimidatingly　into　the　cage。　　And　the　leopards；　bitter…wise　of　the　taste　of　the　iron；　remained　crouched；　although　they　still　spat　and　whipped　their　tails　angrily。

Michael　was　no　coward。　　He　did　not　slink　behind　the　man　for　protection。　　On　the　other　hand；　he　was　too　sensible　to　rush　to　attack　such　formidable　creatures。　　What　he　did　do；　with　bristling　neck…hair；　was　to　stalk　stiff…leggedly　across　the　cage；　turn　about　with　his　face　toward　the　danger；　and　stalk　stiffly　back；　coming　to　a　pause　alongside　of　Jack；　who　gave　him　a　good…natured　sniff　of　greeting。

〃He's　the　stuff；〃　the　trainer　muttered　in　a　curiously　tense　voice。　〃They　don't　get　his　goat。〃

The　situation　was　deservedly　tense；　and　Ralph　developed　it　with　cautious　care；　making　no　abrupt　movements；　his　eyes　playing　everywhere　over　dogs　and　leopards　and　the　men　outside　with　the　prods　and　bars。　　He　made　the　savage　cats　come　out　of　their　crouch　and　separate　from　one　another。　　At　his　word　of　command；　Jack　walked　about　among　them。　　Michael；　on　his　own　initiative；　followed。　　And；　like　Jack；　he　walked　very　stiffly　on　his　guard　and　very　circumspectly。

One　of　them；　Alphonso；　spat　suddenly　at　him。　　He　did　not　startle；　though　his　hair　rippled　erect　and　he　bared　his　fangs　in　a　silent　snarl。　　At　the　same　moment　the　nearest　iron　bar　was　shoved　in　threateningly　close　to　Alphonso；　who　shifted　his　yellow　eyes　from　Michael　to　the　bar　and　back　again　and　did　not　strike　out。

The　first　day　was　the　hardest。　　After　that　the　leopards　accepted　Michael　as　they　accepted　Jack。　　No　love　was　lost　on　either　side；　nor　were　friendly　overtures　ever　offered。　　Michael　was　quick　to　realize　that　it　was　the　men　and　dogs　against　the　cats　and　that　the　men　and　does　must　stand　together。　　Each　day　he　spent　from　an　hour　to　two　hours　in　the　cage；　watching　the　rehearsing；　with　nothing　for　him　and　Jack　to　do　save　stand　vigilantly　on　guard。　　Sometimes；　when　the　leopards　seemed　better　natured；　Ralph　even　encouraged　the　two　dogs　to　lie　down。　　But；　on　bad　mornings；　he　saw　to　it　that　they　were　ever　ready　to　spring　in　between　him　and　any　possible　attack。

For　the　rest　of　the　time　Michael　shared　his　large　pen　with　Jack。　They　were　well　cared　for；　as　were　all　animals　at　Cedarwild；　receiving　frequent　scrubbings　and　being　kept　clean　of　vermin。　　For　a　dog　only　three　years　old；　Jack　was　very　sedate。　　Either　he　had　never　learned　to　play　or　had　already　forgotten　how。　　On　the　other　hand；　he　was　sweet…tempered　and　equable；　and　he　did　not　resent　the　early　shows　of　crustiness　which　Michael　made。　　And　Michael　quickly　ceased　from　being　crusty　and　took　pleasure　in　their　quiet　companionship。　　There　were　no　demonstrations。　　They　were　content　to　lie　awake　by　the　hour；　merely　pleasantly　aware　of　each　other's　proximity。

Occasionally；　Michael　could　hear　Sara　making　a　distant　scene　or　sending　out　calls　which　he　knew　were　for　him。　　Once　she　got　away　from　her　keeper　and　located　Michael　coming　out　of　the　leopard　cage。　　With　a　shrill　squeal　of　joy　she　was　upon　him；　clinging　to　him　and　chattering　the　hysterical　tale　of　all　her　woes　since　they　had　been　parted。　　The　leopard　man　looked　on　tolerantly　and　let　her　have　her　few　minutes。　　It　was　her　keeper　who　tore　her　away　in　the　end；　cling　as　she　would　to　Michael；　screaming　all　the　while　like　a　harridan。　　When　her　hold　was　broken；　she　sprang　at　the　man　in　a　fury；　and；　before　he　could　throttle　her　to　subjection；　sank　her　teeth　into　his　thumb　and　wrist。　　All　of　which　was　provocative　of　great　hilarity　to　the　onlookers；　while　her　squalls　and　cries　excited　the　leopards　to　spitting　and　leaping　against　their　bars。　And；　as　she　was　borne　away；　she　set　up　a　soft　wailing　like　that　of　a　heart…broken　child。


Although　Michael　proved　a　success　with　the　leopards；　Raoul　Castlemon　never　bought　him　from　Collins。　　One　morning；　several　days　later；　the　arena　was　vexed　by　uproar　and　commotion　from　the　animal　cages。　　The　excitement；　starting　with　revolver　shots；　was　communicated　everywhere。　　The　various　lions　raised　a　great　roaring；　and　the　many　dogs　barked　frantically。　　All　tricks　in　the　arena　stopped；　the　animals　temporarily　unstrung　and　unable　to　continue。　　Several　men；　among　them　Collins；　ran　in　the　direction　of　the　cages。　　Sara's　keeper　dropped　her　chain　in　order　to　follow。

〃It's　Alphonsoshillings　to　pence　it　is；〃　Collins　called　to　one　of　his　assistants　who　was　running　beside　him。　　〃He'll　get　Ralph　yet。〃

The　affair　was　all　but　over　and　leaping　to　its　culmination　when　Collins　arrived。　　Castlemon　was　just　being　dragged　out；　and　as　Collins　ran　he　could　see　the　two　men　drop　him　to　the　ground　so　that　they　might　slam　the　cage…door　shut。　　Inside；　in　so　wildly　struggling　a　tangle　on　the　floor　that　it　was　difficult　to　discern　what　animals　composed　it；　were　Alphonso；　Jack；　and　Michael　looked　together。　　Men　danced　about　outside；　thrusting　in　with　iron　bars　and　trying　to　separate　them。　　In　the　far　end　of　the　cage　were　the　other　two　leopards；　nursing　their　wounds　and　snarling　and　striking　at　the　iron　rods　that　kept　them　out　of　the　combat。

Sara's　arrival　and　what　followed　was　a　matter　of　seconds。　Trailing　her　chain　behind　her；　the　little　green　monkey；　the　tailed　female　who　knew　love　and　hysteria　and　was　remote　cousin　to　human　women；　flashed　up　to　the　narrow　cage…bars　and　squeezed　through。　Simultaneously　the　tangle　underwent　a　violent　upheaval。　　Flung　out　with　such　force　as　to　be　smashed　against　the　near　end　of　the　cage；　Michael　fell　to　the　floor；　tried　to　spring　up；　but　crumpled　and　sank　down；　his　right　shoulder　streaming　blood　from　a　terrible　mauling　and　crushing。　　To　him　Sara　leaped；　throwing　her　arms　around　him　and　mothering　him　up　to　her　flat　little　hairy　breast。　She　uttered　solicitous　cries；　and；　as　Michael　strove　to　rise　on　his　ruined　foreleg；　scolded　him　with　sharp　gentleness　and　with　her　arms　tried　to　hold　him　away　from　the　battle。　　Also；　in　an　interval；　her　eyes　malevolent　in　her　rage；　she　chattered　piercing　curses　at　Alphonso。

A　crowbar；　shoved　into　his　side；　distracted　the　big　leopard。　　He　struck　at　the　weapon　with　his　paw；　and；　when　it　was　poked　into　him　again；　flung　himself　upon　it；　biting　the　naked　iron　with　his　teeth。　　With　a　second　fling　he　was　against　the　cage　bars；　with　a　single　slash　of　paw　ripping　down　the　forearm　of　the　man　who　had　poked　him。　　The　crowbar　was　dropped　as　the　man　leaped　away。　Alphonso　flung　back　on　Jack；　a　sorry　antagonist　by　this　time；　who　could　only　pant　and　quiver　where　he　lay　in　the　welter　of　what　was　left　of　him。

Michael　had　managed　to　get　up　on　his　three　legs　and　was　striving　to　stumble　forward　against　the　restraining　arms　of　Sara。　　The　mad　leopard　was　on　the　verge　of　springing　upon　them　when　deflected　by　another　prod　of　the　iron。　　This　time　he　went　straight　at　the　man；　fetching　up　against　the　cage…bars　with　such　fierceness　as　to　shake　the　structure。

More　men　began　thrusting　with　more　rods；　but　Alphonso　was　not　to　be　balked。　　Sara　saw　him　coming　and　screamed　her　shrillest　and　savagest　at　him。　　Collins　snatched　a　revolver　from　one　of　the　men。

〃Don't　kill　him！〃　Castlemon　cried；　seizing　Collins's　arm。

The　leopard　man　was　in　a　bad　way　himself。　　One　arm　dangled　helplessly　at　his　side；　while　his　eyes；　filling　with　blood　from　a　scalp　wound；　he　wiped　on　the　master…trainer's　shoulder　so　that　he　might　see。

〃He's　my　property；〃　he　protested。　　〃And　he's　worth　a　hundred　sick　monkeys　and　sour…balled　terriers。　　Anyway；　we'll　get　them　out　all　right。　　Give　me　a　chance。Somebody　mop　my　eyes　out；　please。　　I　can't　see。　　I've　used　up　my　blank　cartridges。　　Has　anybody　any　blanks？〃

One　moment　Sara　would　interpose　her　body　between　Michael　and　the　leopard；　which　was　still　being　delayed　by　the　prodding　irons；　and　the　next　moment　she　would　turn　to　screech　at　the　fanged　cat　is　if　by　very　advertisement　of　her　malignancy　she　might　intimidate　him　into　keeping　back。

Michael；　dragging　her　with　him；　growling　and　bristling；　staggered　forward　a　couple　of　three…legged　steps；　gave　at　the　ruined　shoulder；　and　collapsed。　　And　then　Sara　did　the　great　deed。　　With　one　last　scream　of　utmost