his dog(狗儿莱德)-第7节
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fast…retreating human feet； and showed him the course the two men were
taking。 He would have liked to give chase。 It had been a good fightlively
and exciting withaland Chum wished he might carry it into the enemies'
own country。
But his god was lying helpless at his feet and making queer sounds of
distress。 The dog's place was here。 The joy of battle must be foregone。
Solicitously Chum leaned over Ferris and sought to lick the sufferer's
face。 As he did so his supersensitive nostrils were smitten by an odor
which caused the collie to shrink back in visible disgust。 The sickly；
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HIS DOG
pungent smell of whisky on Ferris's labored breath nauseated Chum。 He
stood； head recoiled； looking down at Link in bewilderment。
There were many things； this night； which Chum did not understand。
First of all； he had been grieved and offended that Ferris should have
locked him in the kitchen instead of taking him along as usual on his
evening stroll。 It had been lonely in the unlighted kitchen。 Link had not
ordered the dog to stay there。 He had simply shut Chum in and left him。
So； tiring at last of solitude； the collie had leaped lightly out of the
nearest window。 The window had been open。 Its thin mosquito net
covering had not served in the least as a deterrent to the departing Chum。
To pick up his master's trailand to hold to it even when it merged
with a score of others at the edge of the villagehad been absurdly simple。
The trail had led to a house with closed doors。 So； after circling the tavern
to find if his master had gone out by any other exit； Chum had curled
himself patiently on the doorstep and had waited for Link to emerge。
Several people had come in and out while he lay there。 But all of them
had shut the door too soon for him to slip inside。
At last Ferris had appeared between his two new friends。 Chum had
been friskily happy to see his long…absent god again。 He had sprung
forward to greet Link。 Then； his odd collie sense had told him that for
some reason this staggering and hiccuping creature was not the master
whom he knew and loved。 This man was strangely different from the Link
Ferris whom Chum knew。
Puzzled； the dog had halted and had stood irresolute。 As he stood there；
Ferris had stumbled heavily over him； hurting the collie's ribs and his
tender flesh； and had meandered on without so much as a word or a look
for his pet。
Chum； still irresolute and bewildered； had followed at a distance the
swaying progress of the trio； until Link's yell and the attack had brought
him in furious haste to Ferris's rescue。
Link presently recovered enough of his breath to enable him to move。
The ducking in icy water had cleared his bemused brain。 Approximately
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HIS DOG
sober； he got to his feet and stood swaying and dazed。 As he rose； his
groping hand closed over something cold and hard that had fallen to the
ground beside him。 And he recognized it。 So he picked it up and stuck it
into his pocket。
It was a pint flask of whiskyone he had received as a farewell gift
from his two friends as the three had left the tavern。 It had been an easy
gift for the men to make。 For they were confidently certain of recovering it
a few minutes later when they should go through their victim's clothes。
Dawning intelligence told Link he had not come through the adventure
very badly； after allthanks to Chum。 Ferris well understood now why the
thieves had picked acquaintance with him at sight of his money； and why
they had gotten him drunk。
The memory of what he had escaped gave him a new qualm of nausea。
The loss of his cash would have meant suspended credit at the store and
the leanest three months he had ever known。
But soon the joy in his triumph wiped out this thought。
The native North Jersey mountaineer has a peculiar vein of cunning
which makes him morbidly eager to get the best of anyone at alleven if
the victory brings him nothing worth while。
Link Ferris had had an evening of limitless liquor。 He still had a pint of
whisky to take home。 And it had cost him not a cent； except for his first
two rounds of drinks。
He had had his spree。 He still had all his check money。 And he had a
flask of whisky。 True； he had been roughly handled。 And he had had a
ducking in the lake。 But those were his sole liabilities。 They were
insignificant by comparison to his assets。
He grinned in smug self…gratulation。 Then his eye fell on Chum；
standing ten feet away； looking uncertainly at him。
Chum！ To Chum he owed it all！ He owed the dog his money； perhaps
his very life。 Yesas he rehearsed the struggle to get out of the lakehe
owed the collie his life as well as his victory over the holdup men。 To
Chum！
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A great wave of love and gratitude surged up in Ferris。 He had a
sloppily idiotic yearning to throw his arms about the dog's furry neck and
kiss him。 But he steadied himself and chirped to the collie to come
nearer。 Slowly； with queer reluctance； Chum obeyed。
〃Listen；〃 mumbled Link incoherently； 〃I saved you from dying from a
bust leg and hunger the night I fust met you； Chummie。 An' tonight you
squared the bill by saving me from drownin'。 But I'm still a whole lot in
your debt； friend。 I owe you for all the cash in my pocket an'an' for a pint
of the Stuff that Killed Fatheran'an' maybe for a beatin' that might of
killed me。 Chum； I guess God did a real day's work when He built you。 I
ILet it go at that。 Only I ain't forgettin'。 Nor yet I ain't li'ble to forget。
Come on home。 I'm a…gittin' the chatters！〃
He had been stroking the oddly unresponsive dog's head as he spoke。
Now； for the first time； Link realized that the night was cool； that his
drenched clothes were like ice on him； and that the cold and the shock
reaction were giving him a sharp congestive chill。 Walking fast to restore
circulation to his numbed body he made off for his distant farmhouse；
Chum pattering along at his heels。
The rapid walk set him into a glow。 But by the time he had reached
home and had stripped off his wet clothes and swathed himself in a rough
blanket； his racked nerves reasserted themselves。 He craved a drinka
number of drinksto restore his wonted poise。 Lighting the kitchen lamp；
he set the whisky bottle on the table and put a thick tumbler alongside it。
Chum was lying at his master's feet。 In front of Ferris was a pint of good
cheer。 The lamplight made the kitchen bright and cozy。 Link felt a sense of
utter well…being pervade him。
This was homethis was the real thing。 Three successive and man…size
drinks of whisky presently made it seem more and more the real thing。
They made all things seem possible； and most things highly desirable。
Link wanted to sing。 And after two additional drinks he gratified this taste
by lifting his voice in a hiccup…punctuated ditty addressed to one Jenny；
whom the singer exhorted to wait till the clouds rolled by。
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He was following this appeal by a rural lyric which recited in
somewhat wearisome tonal monotony the adventures of a Little Black Bull
that came Over the Mountain； when he observed that Chum was no longer
lying at his feet。 Indeed； the dog was in a far corner of the room； pressed
close to the closed outer door； and with crest and ruff a…droop。
Puzzled by his pet's defection； Link imperiously commanded Chum to
return to his former place。 The collie； in most unwilling obedience； turned
about and came slowly toward the drinker。
Every line of Chum's splendid body told of reluctance to approach his
master。 The deep…set； dark eyes were eloquen
