his dog(狗儿莱德)-第11节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 stand and walk at his best；
and to look alert； so the judge can see the shape of his ears and get his
expression。 Teach your dog to walk around with you； on the leash； without
hanging back； and to prick up his ears and stand at attention when you tell
him to。 That's all he needs to do。 The judge will do the rest。 Have him
clean and well brushed； of course。〃
〃II sure feel bitter sorry for there other dawgs at the show！〃 mumbled
Link。 〃A hundred dollars！ Of all the dawgs that ever happened； Chummie
is that one！ Why； there ain't a thing he can't do； from herdin' sheep to
winnin' a wad of soft money！ An'an' he's all MINE。〃
38
… Page 39…
HIS DOG
CHAPTER III。 The Ordeal
By dawn on Labor Day Link Ferris was astir。 A series of discomfiting
baths and repeated currying with the dandy brush had made Chum's grand
coat stand out in shimmering fluffiness。 A course of carefully…conducted
circular promenades on the end of a chain had taught the dog to walk gaily
and unrestrainedly in leash。 And any of several cryptic words； relating to
hypothetical rats； and so forth； were quite enough to send up his ears。
It was sheer excitement that brought Link broad awake before sunrise
on that day of days。 Ferris was infected with the most virulent form of
that weird malady known as 〃dog…showitis。〃 At first he had been tempted
solely by the hope of winning the hundred…dollar prize。 But latterly the
urge of victory had gotten into his blood。 And he yearned； too； to let the
world see what a marvelous dog was his。
He hurried through the morning chores； then dressed himself in his
shabby best and hitched his horse to the antiquated Concord buggya
vehicle he had been washing for the state occasion almost as vehemently
as he had scrubbed Chum。
After a gobbled breakfast； Ferris mounted to the seat of the aged
buggy； signaled Chum to leap to the battered cushion at his side and set off
for Craigswold。 Long before ten o'clock his horse was safely stabled at the
Craigswold livery； and Ferris was leading Chum proudly through the
wicket gate leading into the country…club grounds。
All happened as the postmaster had foretold。 The clerk at the wicket
asked him his name； fumbled through a ledger and a pile of envelopes and
presently handed Ferris a numbered tag。
〃Sixty…five；〃 read the clerk for Link's benefit。 〃That's down at the
extreme right。 Almost the last bench to the right。〃
Into the hallowed precinct Link piloted the much…interested Chum。
There he paused for a dazzled instant。 The putting green and the fore…lawn
39
… Page 40…
HIS DOG
in front of the field…stone clubhouse had been covered with a mass of
wooden alleyways； each lined with a double row of stalls about two feet
from the ground； carpeted with straw and having individual zinc water
troughs in front of them。 In nearly every one of these 〃benches〃 was tied a
dog。
There were more dogs than Link Ferris had seen before in all his
quasi…dogless life。 And all of them seemed to be barking or yelping。 The
din was egregious。 Along the alleyways； men and women in sport clothes
were drifting； in survey of the chained exhibits。 In a central space among
the lines of benches was a large square enclosure； roped off except for one
aperture。 In the middle of this space； which Link rightly guessed to be the
judging ring； stood a very low wooden platform。 At one side of the ring
were a chair and a table； where sat a steward in a Palm Beach suit； fussily
turning over the leaves of a ledger and assorting a heap of high…packed
and vari…colored ribbons。
Link； mindful of instructions； bore to the right in search of a stall
labeled 〃65。〃 As he went； he noted that the dogs were benched in such a
way that each breed had a section to itself。 Thus； while he was still some
distance away from his designated bench； he saw that he was coming into
a section of dogs which； in general aspect； resembled Chum。 Above this
aggregation； as over others； hung a lettered sign。 And this especial sign
read 〃Collie Section。〃
So Chum was a 〃collie〃whatever that might be。 Link took it to be a
fancy term for 〃bird dog。〃 He had seen the word before somewhere。 And
he remembered now that it had been in the advertisement that offered
seventy…five dollars for the return of a lost 〃sable…and…white collie。〃 Yes；
and Dominie Jansen had said； 〃sable〃 meant 〃black。〃 Link felt a glow of
relief that the advertisement had not said 〃a brown…and…white collie。〃
Chum was viewing his new surroundings with much attention； looking
up now and then into his master's face as they moved along the rackety
lineas though to gain reassurance that all was well。
To a high…strung and sensitive dog a show is a terrific ordeal。 But
40
… Page 41…
HIS DOG
Chum； like the aristocrat he was； bore its preliminaries with debonair
calm。
Arriving at Bench 65 in the collie section； Link enthroned his dog
there； fastening the chain's free end to a ring in the stall's corner。 Then；
after seeing that the water pan was where Chum could reach it in case he
were thirsty and that the straw made a comfortable couch for him； Ferris
once more patted the worried dog and told him everything was all right。
After which Link proceeded to take a survey of the neighboring collies；
the sixteen dogs which were to be Chum's competitors。
His first appraising glance of the double row of collies caused the
furrow between his eyes to vanish and brought a grin of complacent
satisfaction to his thin lips。 For he did not see a single entrant that； in his
eyes； seemed to have a ghost of a chance against his idolized petnot a
dog as handsome or with half the look of intelligence or with the proudly
gay bearing of Chum。
Of the sixteen other collies the majority were sables of divers shades。
There were three tricolors and two mist…hued merles。 Over nearly all the
section's occupants a swarm of owners and handlers were just now busy
with brush and cloth。 For word had come that collies were to be the
second breed judged that day。 The first breed was to be the Great Danes。
As there were but three Danes in the show； their judging would be brief。
And it behooved the collies' attendants to have their entries ready。
Link； following the example of those around him； took from his pocket
the molting dandy brush and set to work once more on Chum's coat。 He
observed that the rest were brushing their dogs' fur against the grain； to
make it fluff up。 And he reversed his own former process in imitation of
them。 He had supposed until now that a collie's hair； like a man's； ought to
be slicked down smooth for state occasions。 And it troubled him to find
that Chum's coat rebelled against such treatment。 Now； under the reverse
process； it stood out in wavy freedom。
At the adjoining stall to the left a decidedly pretty girl was watching a
groom put the finishing touches to the toilet of her tricolor collie。 Link
41
… Page 42…
HIS DOG
heard her exclaim in protest as the groom removed from the dog's collar a
huge cerise bow she had just affixed there。
〃Sorry； Miss；〃 Ferris heard the groom explain； 〃but it's agin rules for a
dog to go in the ring with a ribbon on。 If the judge thinks he's good enough
for a ribbon he'll award him one。 But〃
〃Oh； he simply can't help awarding one to Morven； here！〃 broke in the
girl。 〃CAN he； Stokes？〃
〃Hard to say； Miss；〃 answered the groom imperturbably； as he wrought
with brush and cloth。 〃Judges has their own ideas。 We'll have to hope for
the best for him and not be too sick if he gets gated。〃
〃Gated？〃 echoed the girlan evident newcomer to the realm of
showdom。
〃Y
