his dog(狗儿莱德)-第3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！
bulletin board of that rarefied resort's post…office。 And he waited for
results。
He did more。 He bought two successive copies of the county's daily
paper and scanned it for word of a missing dog。 But in neither copy did he
find what he sought。
True； both editions carried display advertisements which offered a
seventy…five dollar reward for information leading to the return of a 〃dark…
sable…and…white collie lost somewhere between Hohokus and Suffern。〃
The first time he saw this notice Link was vaguely troubled lest it
might refer to Chum。 He told himself he hoped it did。 For seventy…five
dollars just now would be a godsend。 And in self…disgust he choked back a
most annoying twinge of grief at thought of parting with the dog。
Two things in the advertisement puzzled him。 In the first place； as
Chum was longhaired and graceful； Link had mentally classified him as
belonging to the same breed as did the setters which accompanied hunters
on mountain rambles past his farm in the autumns。 Being wholly unversed
in canine lore； he had； therefore； classified Chum as a 〃bird dog〃。 The
word 〃collie〃； if ever he had chanced to hear it before； carried no meaning
to him。
Moreover； he did not know what 〃sable〃 meant。 He asked Dominie
Jansen； whom he met on the way home。 And the dominie told him 〃sable〃
9
… Page 10…
HIS DOG
was another name for 〃black。〃 Jansen went on to amplify the theme；
dictionary…fashion； by quoting a piece of sacred poetry about 〃the sable
wings of night。〃
A great load was off Link's heart。 Chum； most assuredly； was not black
and white。 So the advertisement could not possibly refer to him。 The
reverend gentleman； not being a dog fancier； of course had no means of
knowing that 〃sable〃； in collie jargon； means practically every shade of
color except black or gray or white。
Link was ashamed of his own delight in finding he need not give up
his peteven for seventy…five dollars。 He tried to recall his father's
invectives against dogs； and to remind himself that another mouth to feed
on the farm must mean still sharper poverty and skimping。 But logic could
not strangle joy； and life took on a new zest for the lonely man。
By the time Chum could limp around on the fasthealing foreleg； he
and Link had established a friendship that was a boon to both and a stark
astonishment to Ferris。
Link had always loved animals。 He had an inborn 〃way〃 with them。
Yet his own intelligence had long since taught him that his 〃farm critters〃
responded but dully to his attempts at a more perfect understanding。
He knew； for example； that the horse he had bred and reared and had
taught to come at his call； would doubtless suffer the first passing stranger
to mount him and ride him away； despite any call from his lifelong master。
He knew that his presence； to the cattle and sheep； meant only food or a
shift of quarters； and that an outsider could drive or tend them as readily as
could he on whose farm they had been born。 Their possible affection for
him was a hazy thing； based solely on what he fed them and on their
occasional mild interest in being petted。
But with Chum it was all different。 The dog learned quickly his new
master's moods and met them in kind。 The few simple tricks Link sought
to teach him were grasped with bewildering ease。 There was a human
quality of sympathy and companionship which radiated almost visibly
from Chum。 His keen collie brain was forever amazing Ferris by its
10
… Page 11…
HIS DOG
flashes of perception。 The dog was a revelation and an endless source of
pleasure to the hermit…farmer。
When Chum was whole of his hurt and when the injured leg had knit
so firmly that the last trace of lameness was gone； Link fell to recalling his
father's preachments as to the havoc wrought by dogs upon sheep。 He
could not afford to lose the leanest and toughest of his little sheep flock
even as price for the happiness of owning a comrade。 Link puzzled
sorely over this。
Then one morning it occurred to him to put the matter up to Chum
himself。 Hitherto he had kept the dog around the house； except on their
daily walks； and he had always tied him when driving the sheep to or from
pasture。 This morning he took the collie along when he went out to release
the tiny flock from their barnyard fold and send them out to graze。
Link opened the fold gate； one hand on Chum's collar。 Out billowed
the sheep in a ragged scramble。 Chum quivered with excitement as the
woolly catapults surged past him。 Eagerly he looked up into his master's
face； then back at the tumbling creatures。
〃Chum！〃 spoke Ferris sharply。 〃Leave 'em be！ Get that？ LEAVE 'EM
BE！〃
He tightened his hold on the collar as he gave the command。 Chum
ceased to quiver in eagerness and stood still； half puzzled； half grieved by
the man's unwonted tone。
The sheep； at sight and smell of the dog； rushed jostlingly from their
pen and scattered in every direction； through barnyard and garden and
nearer fields。 Bleating and stampeding； they ran。 Link Ferris blinked after
them； and broke into speech。 Loudly and luridly he swore。
This stampede might well mean an hour's running to and fro before the
scattered flock could be herded once more。 An hour of panting and
blasphemous pursuit； at the very outset of an overbusy day。 And all
because of one worthless dog。
His father had been right。 Link saw thatnow that it was too late。 A
dog had no place on a farm。 A poor man could not afford the silly luxury
11
… Page 12…
HIS DOG
of a useless pet。 With whistle and call Ferris sought to check the flight of
the flock。 But； as every farmer knows； there is nothing else on earth quite
so unreasonable and idiotic as a scared sheep。 The familiar summons did
not slacken nor swerve the stampede。
The fact that this man had been their protector and friend made no
difference to the idiotic sheep。 They were frightened。 And； therefore； the
tenuously thin connecting line between them and their human master had
snapped。 For the moment they were merely wild animals； and he was a
member of a hostile racealmost as much as was the huge dog that had
caused their fright。
A wistful whine from Chum interrupted Link's volley of swearing。 The
dog had noted his master's angry excitement and was seeking to offer
sympathy or help。
But the reminder of Chum's presence did not check Link's wrath at the
unconscious cause of the stampede。 He loosed his hold on the collar；
resolving to take out his rage in an unmerciful beating should the dog seek
to chase the fleeing sheep。 That would be at least an outlet for the impotent
wrath which Ferris sought to wreak on someone or something。
〃Go get 'em then； if you're so set on it！〃 he howled at the collie；
waving a windmill arm at the fugitives。 〃Only I'll whale your measly head
off if you do！〃
The invitation and the gesture that went with it seemed to rouse some
long…dormant memory in the collie's soul。 Like a flash he was off in flying
pursuit of the sheep。 Ferris； in the crazy rage which possessed him； hoped
Chum might bite at least one of the senseless creatures that were causing
him such a waste of precious time and of grudged effort。
Wherefore he did not call back the fastrunning collie。 It would be time
enough to whale the daylight out of himyes； and to rescue his possible
victims from deathwhen the dog should have overhauled the woolly
pests。 So； in dour fury； Link watched the pursuit and the flight。
Then； of a sudden； the black rage in Ferris's visage changed to
perplexity； and slowly from that to crass wonderment。
12
… Page 13…
