his dog(狗儿莱德)-第10节
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eye over the flaring reading matter。
The poster announced； to all and sundry； that on Labor Day a
mammoth dog show was to be held in the country club grounds at
Craigswolda show for the benefit of the Red Cross。 Entries were to be
one dollar for each class。 〃Thanks to generous contributions； the
committee was enabled to offer prizes of unusual beauty and value； in
addition to the customary ribbons。〃
Followed a list of cups and medals。 Link scanned them with no great
interest； But suddenly his roving gaze came to an astonished standstill。 At
the bottom of the poster； in forty…eight…point bold…face type； ran the
following proclamation：
COL。 CYRUS MARDEN OF CRAIGSWOLD MANOR OFFERS A
CASH AWARD OF ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS （100） TO THE BEST
DOG OF ANY BREED EXHIBITED
One hundred dollars！
Link reread the glittering sentence until he could have said it backward。
It would have been a patent lie had he heard it by word of mouth。 But as it
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was in print； of course it was true。
One hundred dollars！ And as a prize for the finest dog in the show。 Not
to BUY the dog； mind you。 Just as a gift to the man who happened to own
the best dog。 It did not seem possible。 Yet
Link knew by hearsay and by observation the ways of the rich colony
at Craigswold。 He knew the Craigswolders spent money like mud； when it
so pleased themalthough more than one fellow huckster was at times
sore put to it to collect from them a bill for fresh vegetables。
Yes； and he knew Col。 Cyrus Marden by sight； too。 He was a long…
faced little man who used to go about dressed in funny knee pants and
with a leather bag of misshapen clubs over his shoulder。 Link had seen
him again and again。 He had seen the Colonel's enormous house at
Craigswold Manor； too。 He had no doubt Marden could afford this gift of
a hundred dollars。
〃TO THE BEST DOG OF ANY BREED！〃
Ferris knew nothing about the various breeds of dogs。 But he did know
that Chum was by far the best and most beautiful and the wisest dog ever
born。 If Marden were offering a hundred dollar prize for the best dog；
there was not another dog on earth fit to compete with Chum。 That was a
cinch。
As for the hundred dollarswhy； it would be a godsend on the
mortgage payment！ Every cent of it could go toward the principal。 That
meant Ferris could devote the extra few dollars he had already saved for
the principal to the buying of fertilizers and several sorely…needed utensils
and to the shingling of the house。
Avid for more news of the offer； he entered the store and hunted up the
postmaster； who also chanced to be the store's proprietor and the mayor of
Hampton and the local peace justice。 Of this Pooh…Bah the inquiring Ferris
sought for details。
〃Some of the Red Cross ladies from up Craigswold way were here this
morning； to have me nail that sign on the store；〃 reported the postmaster。
〃They're making a tour of all the towns hereabouts。 They asked me to try
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to int'rest folks at Hampton in their show； too； and get them to make
entries。 They left me a bunch of blanks。 Want one？〃
〃Yep；〃 said Link。 〃I guess I'll take one if it don't cost nothin'； please。〃
He studied the proffered entry blank with totally uncomprehending
gaze。 The postmaster came to his relief。
〃Let me show you；〃 he suggested； taking pity on his customer's
wrinkled brow and squinting helplessness。 〃I've had some experience in
this folderol。 I took my Airedale over to the Ridgewood show last spring
and got a third with him。 I'm going to take him up to Craigswold on Labor
Day； too。 What kind of dog is yours？〃
〃The dandiest dawg that ever stood on four legs；〃 answered Link； afire
with the zeal of ownership。 〃Why； that dawg of mine c'n〃
〃What breed is he？〃 asked the postmaster； not interested in the
dawning rhapsody。
〃Ohbreed？〃 repeated Link。 〃Why； I don't rightly know。 Some kind of
a bird dawg； I guess。 Yes。 A bird dawg。 But he's sure the grandest〃
〃Is he the dog you had down here； one day last month？〃 asked the
postmaster； with a gleam of recollection。
〃Yep。 That's him；〃 assented Link。 〃Only dawg I've got。 Only dawg I
ever had。 Only dawg I ever want to have。 He's〃
But the postmaster was not attending。 His time was limited。 So； taking
out a fountain pen； he had begun to scribble on the blank。 Filling in Link's
name and address； he wrote； in the 〃breed and sex〃 spaces； the words；
〃Scotch collie； sable…and…white； male。〃
〃Name？〃 he queried； breaking in on Ferris's rambling eulogy。
〃Huh？〃 asked the surprised Link； adding： 〃Oh； his name； hey？ I call
him 'Chum。' You see； that dawg's more like a chum to me than〃
〃No use asking about his pedigree； I suppose；〃 resumed the postmaster；
〃I mean who his parents were and〃
〃Nope；〃 said Link。 〃II found him。 His leg was〃
〃Pedigree unknown；〃 wrote the postmaster； then； 〃What classes are
you entering him for？〃
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〃Classes？〃 repeated Link dully。 〃Why； I just want to put him into that
contest for 'best dawg；' you see。 He〃
〃Hold on！〃 interposed the postmaster impatiently。 〃You don't catch
the idea。 In each breed there are a certain number of classes： 'Puppy；'
'Novice；' 'Limit；' 'Open；' and so on。 The dogs that get a blue ribbonthat's
first prizein these classes all have to appear in what is called the 'Winners
Class。' Then the dog that gets 'Winner's'the dog that gets first prize in this
'Winners' Class'competes for best dog of his breed in the show。 After
thatas a 'special'the best in all the different breeds are brought into the
ring。 And the dog that wins in that final class is adjudged the 'best in the
show。' He's the dog in this particular show that will get Colonel Marden's
hundred…dollar cash prize。 See what I mean？〃
〃Ye…es；〃 replied Link； after digesting carefully what he had heard。 〃I
guess so。 But〃
〃Since you've never shown your dog before；〃 went on the postmaster；
beginning to warm with professional interest； 〃you can enter him in the
'Novice Class。' That's generally the easiest。 If he loses in that； no harm's
done。 If he wins he has a chance later in the 'Winners' Class。' I'm mailing
my entry to…night to the committee。 If you like； I'll send yours along with
it。 Give me a dollar。〃
While Link extracted a greasy dollar bill from his pocket； the
postmaster filled in the class space with the word 〃Novice。〃
〃Thanks for helpin' me out；〃 said Ferris； grateful for the lift。
〃That's all right；〃 returned the postmaster； pocketing the bill and
folding the blank； as he prepared to end the interview by moving away。
〃Be sure to have your dog at the gate leading into the Craigswold Country
Club grounds promptly at ten o'clock on Labor Day。 If you don't get a
card and a tag sent to you； before then； tell your name to the clerk at the
table there； and he'll give you a number。 Tie your dog to the stall with that
number on it； and be sure to have him ready to go into the ring when his
number is called。 That's all。〃
〃Thanks！〃 said Link； again。 〃An' now I guess I'll go back home an'
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commence brightenin' Chum up； a wee peckle； on his tricks。 Maybe I'll
have time to learn him some new ones； too。 I want him to make a hit with
them judges； an' everything。〃
〃Tricks？〃 scoffed the postmaster； pausing as he started to walk away。
〃Dogs don't need tricks in the show ring。 All you have to do is to lead your
dog into the ring； and parade him round with the rest of them till the judge
tells you to stop。 Then he'll make them stand on the show platform while
he examines them。 The dog's only 'tricks' are to st
