michael, brother of jerry-第8节

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upt　danger；　and　before　he　could　know　what　it　was；　he　leaped　sideways　and　saved　himself。　From　his　point　of　view；　the　assault　was　unprovoked。　　He　was　staring　at　her　with　bristling　hair；　recognizing　her　for　what　she　was；　a　cat；　when　she　sprang　again；　her　tail　the　size　of　a　large　man's　arm；　all　claws　and　spitting　fury　and　vindictiveness。

This　was　too　much　for　a　self…respecting　Irish　terrier。　　His　wrath　was　immediate　with　her　second　leap；　and　he　sprang　to　the　side　to　avoid　her　claws；　and　in　from　the　side　to　meet　her；　his　jaws　clamping　together　on　her　spinal　column　with　a　jerk　while　she　was　still　in　mid…air。　　The　next　moment　she　lay　sprawling　and　struggling　on　the　deck　with　a　broken　back。

But　for　Michael　this　was　only　the　beginning。　　A　shrill　yelling；　rather　than　yelping；　of　more　enemies　made　him　whirl　half　about；　but　not　quick　enough。　　Struck　in　flank　by　two　full…grown　fox…　terriers；　he　was　slashed　and　rolled　on　the　deck。　　The　two；　by　the　way；　had　long　before　made　their　first　appearance　on　the　Makambo　as　little　puppies　in　Dag　Daughtry's　coat　pocketsDaughtry；　in　his　usual　fashion；　having　appropriated　them　ashore　in　Sydney　and　sold　them　to　Captain　Duncan　for　a　guinea　apiece。

By　this　time；　scrambling　to　his　feet；　Michael　was　really　angry。　In　truth；　it　was　raining　cats　and　dogs；　such　belligerent　shower　all　unprovoked　by　him　who　had　picked　no　quarrels　nor　even　been　aware　of　his　enemies　until　they　assailed　him。　　Brave　the　fox…　terriers　were；　despite　the　hysterical　rage　they　were　in；　and　they　were　upon　him　as　he　got　his　legs　under　him。　　The　fangs　of　one　clashed　with　his；　cutting　the　lips　of　both　of　them；　and　the　lighter　dog　recoiled　from　the　impact。　　The　other　succeeded　in　taking　Michael　in　flank；　fetching　blood　and　hurt　with　his　teeth。　With　an　instant　curve；　that　was　almost　spasmodic；　of　his　body；　Michael　flung　his　flank　clear；　leaving　the　other's　mouth　full　of　his　hair；　and　at　the　same　moment　drove　his　teeth　through　an　ear　till　they　met。　　The　fox…terrier；　with　a　shrill　yelp　of　pain；　sprang　back　so　impetuously　as　to　ribbon　its　ear　as　Michael's　teeth　combed　through　it。

The　first　terrier　was　back　upon　him；　and　he　was　whirling　to　meet　it；　when　a　new　and　equally　unprovoked　assault　was　made　upon　him。　This　time　it　was　Captain　Duncan；　in　a　rage　at　sight　of　his　slain　cat。　　The　instep　of　his　foot　caught　Michael　squarely　under　the　chest；　half　knocking　the　breath　out　of　him　and　wholly　lifting　him　into　the　air；　so　that　he　fell　heavily　on　his　side。　　The　two　terriers　were　upon　him；　filling　their　mouths　with　his　straight；　wiry　hair　as　they　sank　their　teeth　in。　　Still　on　his　side；　as　he　was　beginning　to　struggle　to　his　feet；　he　clipped　his　jaws　together　on　a　leg　of　one；　who　screamed　with　pain　and　retreated　on　three　legs；　holding　up　the　fourth；　a　fore　leg；　the　bone　of　which　Michael's　teeth　had　all　but　crushed。

Twice　Michael　slashed　the　other　four…footed　foe　and　then　pursued　him　in　a　circle　with　Captain　Duncan　pursuing　him　in　turn。　Shortening　the　distance　by　leaping　across　a　chord　of　the　arc　of　the　other's　flight；　Michael　closed　his　jaws　on　the　back　and　side　of　the　neck。　　Such　abrupt　arrest　in　mid…flight　by　the　heavier　dog　brought　the　fox…terrier　down　on　deck　with；　a　heavy　thump。　Simultaneous　with　this；　Captain　Duncan's　second　kick　landed；　communicating　such　propulsion　to　Michael　as　to　tear　his　clenched　teeth　through　the　flesh　and　out　of　the　flesh　of　the　fox…terrier。

And　Michael　turned　on　the　Captain。　　What　if　he　were　a　white　god？　In　his　rage　at　so　many　assaults　of　so　many　enemies；　Michael；　who　had　been　peacefully　looking　for　Kwaque　and　Steward；　did　not　stop　to　reckon。　　Besides；　it　was　a　strange　white　god　upon　whom　he　had　never　before　laid　eyes。

At　the　beginning　he　had　snarled　and　growled。　　But　it　was　a　more　serious　affair　to　attack　a　god；　and　no　sound　came　from　him　as　he　leaped　to　meet　the　leg　flying　toward　him　in　another　kick。　　As　with　the　cat；　he　did　not　leap　straight　at　it。　　To　the　side　to　avoid；　and　in　with　a　curve　of　body　as　it　passed；　was　his　way。　　He　had　learned　the　trick　with　many　blacks　at　Meringe　and　on　board　the　Eugenie；　so　that　as　often　he　succeeded　as　failed　at　it。　　His　teeth　came　together　in　the　slack　of　the　white　duck　trousers。　　The　consequent　jerk　on　Captain　Duncan's　leg　made　that　infuriated　mariner　lose　his　balance。　　Almost　he　fell　forward　on　his　face；　part　recovered　himself　with　a　violent　effort；　stumbled　over　Michael　who　was　in　for　another　bite；　tottered　wildly　around；　and　sat　down　on　the　deck。

How　long　he　might　have　sat　there　to　recover　his　breath　is　problematical；　for　he　rose　as　rapidly　as　his　stoutness　would　permit；　spurred　on　by　Michael's　teeth　already　sunk　into　the　fleshy　part　of　his　shoulder。　　Michael　missed　his　calf　as　he　uprose；　but　tore　the　other　leg　of　the　trousers　to　shreds　and　received　a　kick　that　lifted　him　a　yard　above　the　deck　in　a　half…somersault　and　landed　him　on　his　back　on　deck。

Up　to　this　time　the　Captain　had　been　on　the　ferocious　offensive；　and　he　was　in　the　act　of　following　up　the　kick　when　Michael　regained　his　feet　and　soared　up　in　the　air；　not　for　leg　or　thigh；　but　for　the　throat。　　Too　high　it　was　for　him　to　reach　it；　but　his　teeth　closed　on　the　flowing　black　scarf　and　tore　it　to　tatters　as　his　weight　drew　him　back　to　deck。

It　was　not　this　so　much　that　turned　Captain　Duncan　to　the　pure　defensive　and　started　him　retreating　backward；　as　it　was　the　silence　of　Michael。　　Ominous　as　death　it　was。　　There　were　no　snarls　nor　throat…threats。　　With　eyes　straight…looking　and　unblinking；　he　sprang　and　sprang　again。　　Neither　did　he　growl　when　he　attacked　nor　yelp　when　he　was　kicked。　　Fear　of　the　blow　was　not　in　him。　　As　Tom　Haggin　had　so　often　bragged　of　Biddy　and　Terrence；　they　bred　true　in　Jerry　and　Michael　in　the　matter　of　not　wincing　at　a　blow。　　Alwaysthey　were　so　madethey　sprang　to　meet　the　blow　and　to　encounter　the　creature　who　delivered　the　blow。　　With　a　silence　that　was　invested　with　the　seriousness　of　death；　they　were　wont　to　attack　and　to　continue　to　attack。

And　so　Michael。　　As　the　Captain　retreated　kicking；　he　attacked；　leaping　and　slashing。　　What　saved　Captain　Duncan　was　a　sailor　with　a　deck　mop　on　the　end　of　a　stick。　　Intervening；　he　managed　to　thrust　it　into　Michael's　mouth　and　shove　him　away。　　This　first　time　his　teeth　closed　automatically　upon　it。　　But；　spitting　it　out；　he　declined　thereafter　to　bite　it；　knowing　it　for　what　it　was；　an　inanimate　thing　upon　which　his　teeth　could　inflict　no　hurt。

Nor；　beyond　trying　to　avoid　him；　was　he　interested　in　the　sailor。　It　was　Captain　Duncan；　leaning　his　back　against　the　rail；　breathing　heavily；　and　wiping　the　streaming　sweat　from　his　face；　who　was　Michael's　meat。　　Long　as　it　has　taken　to　tell　the　battle；　beginning　with　the　slaying　of　the　Persian　cat　to　the　thrusting　of　the　mop　into　Michael's　jaws；　so　swift　had　been　the　rush　of　events　that　the　passengers；　springing　from　their　deck…chairs　and　hurrying　to　the　scene；　were　just　arriving　when　Michael　eluded　the　mop　of　the　sailor　by　a　successful　dodge　and　plunged　in　on　Captain　Duncan；　this　time　sinking　his　teeth　so　savagely　into　a　rotund　calf　as　to　cause　its　owner　to　splutter　an　incoherent　curse　and　howl　of　wrathful　surprise。

A　fortunate　kick　hurled　Michael　away　and　enabled　the　sailor　to　intervene　once　again　with　the　mop。　　And　upon　the　scene　came　Dag　Daughtry；　to　behold　his　captain；　frayed　and　bleeding　and　breathing　apoplectically；　Michael　raging　in　ghastly　silence　at　the　end　of　a　mop；　and　a　large　Persian　mother…cat　writhing　with　a　broken　back。

〃Killeny　Boy！〃　the　steward　cried　imperatively。

Through　no　matter　what　indignation　and　rage　that　possessed　him；　his　lord's　voice　penetrated　his　consciousness；　so　that；　cooling　almost　instantly；　Michael's　ears　flattened；　his　bristling　hair　lay　down；　and　his　lips　covered　his　fangs　as　he　turned　his　head　to　look　acknowledgment。

〃Come　here；　Killeny！〃

Michael　obeyednot　crouching　cringingly；　but　trotting　eagerly；　gladly；　to　Steward's　feet。

〃Lie　down；　Boy。〃

He　turned　half　around　as　he　flumped　himself　down　with　a　sigh　of　relief；　and；　with　a　red　flash　of　tongue；　kissed　Steward's　foot。

〃Your　dog；　Steward？〃　Captain　Duncan　demanded　in　a　smothered　voice　wherein　struggled　anger　and　shortness　of　breath。

〃Yes；　sir。　　My　dog。　　What's　he　been　up　to；　sir？〃

The　totality　of　what　Michael　had　been　up　to　choked　the　Captain　completely。　　He　could　only　gesture　around　from　the　dying　cat　to　his　torn　clothes　and　bleeding　wounds　and　the　fox…terriers　licking　their　injuries　and　whimpering　at　his　feet。

〃It's　too　bad；　sir　。　。　。　〃　Daughtry　began。

〃Too　bad；　hell！〃　the　captain　shut　him　off。　　〃Bo's'n！　　Throw　that　dog　overboard。〃

〃Throw　the　dog　overboard；　sir；　yes；　sir；〃　the　boat…swain　repeated；　but　hesitated。

Dag　Daughtry's　face　hardened　unconsciously　with　the　stiffening　of　his　will　to　dogged　opposition；　which；　in　its　own　slow　quiet　way；　would　go　to　any　length　to　have　its　way。　　But　he　answered　respectfully　enough；　his　features；　by　a　shrewd　effort；　relaxing　into　a　seeming　of　his　customary　good…nature。

〃He's　a　good　dog；　sir；　and　an　unoffending　dog。　　I　can't　imagine　what　could　a…made　'm　break　loose　this　way。　　He　must　a…had　cause；　sir〃

〃He　had；〃　one　of　the　passengers；　a　coconut　planter　from　the　Shortlands；　interjected。

The　steward　threw　him　a　grateful　glance