bruce(布鲁斯)-第6节
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once in ten times are there less than six in a collie…litter。 Sometimes there
are a dozen。 And here the dog you wheedled me into keeping has just one！
I expected at least seven。〃
〃If it's a freak to be the only puppy in a litter；〃 answered the Mistress；
refusing to part with her enthusiasm over the miracle； 〃then this one ought
to bring us luck。 Let's call him 'Bruce。' You remember； the original Bruce
won because of the mystic number； seven。 This Bruce has got to make up
to us for the seven puppies that weren't born。 See how proud she is of him！
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Isn't she a sweet little mother？〃
The second of the morning's events was a visit from the foreman of the
Rothsay Kennels； who motored across to The Place； intent on clearing up
a mystery。
〃The Boss found a collie yesterday； tied in the front yard of a negro
cabin a mile or two from our kennels；〃 he told the Master。 〃He recognized
her right away as Rothsay Princess。 The negro claims to have found her
wandering around near the railroad tracks； one night； six months ago。 Now；
what's the answer？〃
〃The answer；〃 said the Master； 〃is that your boss is mistaken。 I've had
Rothsay Princess for the past six months。 And she's the last dog I'll ever
get from the Rothsay Kennels。 I was stung； good and plenty； on that deal。
〃My wife wanted to keep her； or I'd have made a kick in the courts for
having to pay two hundred dollars for a cheeky； apple… …domed； prick
eared〃
〃Prick…eared！〃 exclaimed the foreman； aghast at the volleyed sacrilege。
〃Rothsay Princess has the best ears of any pup we've bred since Champion
Rothsay Chief。 Not a flaw in that pup。 She〃
〃Not a flaw； hey！〃 sniffed the Master。 〃Come down to the kennel and
take a look at her。 She has as many flaws as a street…cur has fleas。〃
He led the way to the kennel。 At sight of the stranger Lass growled and
showed her teeth。 For a collie mother will let nobody but proven friends
come near to her newborn brood。
The foreman stared at the hostile young mother for a half…minute；
whistling bewilderedly between his teeth。 Then he laughed aloud。
〃That's no more Rothsay Princess than I am！〃 he declared。 〃I know
who she IS； though。 I'd remember that funny mask among a million。 That's
Rothsay Lass！ Though how she got HERE！
〃We couldn't have shipped her by mistake； either；〃 he went on；
confused。 〃For we'd sold her； that same day； to a kid in our town。 I ought
to know。 Because the kid kept on pestering us every day for a month
afterward； to find if she had come back to us。 He said she ran away in the
night。 He still comes around； once a week or so； to ask。 A spindly； weak；
sick…looking little chap； he is。 I don't get the point of this thing； from any
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angle。 But we run our kennels on the square。 And I can promise the boss'll
either send back your check or send Rothsay Princess to you and take Lass
back。〃
Two days later； while all The Place was still mulling over the mystery；
a letter came for the Master from Lass's home town。 It was signed 〃Edw'd
Hazen；〃 and it was written on the cheap stationery of his employer's
bottling works。 It read：
Dear Sir：
〃Six months ago； my son bought a dog from the Rothsay Kennels。 It
was a she…dog； and his ma and I didn't want one around。 So I put it aboard
a freight…car on the sly。 My boy went sick over losing his dog。 He has
never rightly got over it； but he peaks and mopes and gets thinner all the
time。 If I had known how hard he was going to take it； I would of cut off
my hand before I would of done such a thing。 And my wife feels just like I
do about it。 We would both of us have given a hundred dollars to get the
dog back for him； when we saw how bad he felt。 But it was too late。
Somehow or other it is most generally too late when a rotten thing has
been done。
〃To…day he went again to the Rothsay Kennels to ask if she had come
back。 He has always been hoping she would。 And they told him you have
her。 Now； sir； I am a poor man； but if one hundred dollars will make you
sell me that dog； I'll send it to you in a money order by return mail。 It will
be worth ten times that much； to my wife and me； to have Dick happy
again。 I inclose a stamp。 Will you let me know？〃
Six weeks afterward The Place's car brought Dick Hazen across to
receive his long…lost pet。
The boy was thinner and shakier and whiter than when he had gone to
sleep with his cherished puppy curled against his narrow chest。 But there
was a light in his eyes and an eagerness in his heart that had not been there
in many a long week。
Lass was on the veranda to welcome him。 And as Dick scrambled out
of the car and ran to pick her up； she came more than half…way to meet
him。 With a flurry of fast…pattering steps and a bark of eager welcome； she
flung herself upon her long…vanished master。 For a highbred collie does
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not forget。 And at first glimpse of the boy Lass remembered him。
Dick caught her up in his armsa harder feat than of yore； because of
her greater weight and his own sapped strength；and hugged her tight to
his breast。 Winking very fast indeed to disperse tears that had no place in
the eyes of a self…contained man of twelve； he sputtered rapturously：
〃I KNEW I'd find you； LassieI knew it all the time；even the times
when I was deadsure I wouldn't！ Gee； but you've grown； though！ And
you're beautifuler than ever。 Isn't she； Miss？〃 he demanded； turning to the
Mistress with instinctive knowledge that here at least he would find
confirmation。 〃Indeed she is！〃 the Mistress assured him。
〃And see how glad she is to be with you again！ She〃
〃And Dad says she can stay with me； for keeps！〃 exulted Dick。 〃He
says he'll put a new lock on the cellar door； so she can't ever push out
again； the way she did； last time。 But I guess she's had her lesson in going
out for walks at night and not being able to find her way back。 She and I
are going to have the dandiest times together； that ever happened。 Aren't
we； Lass？ Is that her little boy？〃 he broke off； in eager curiosity； as the
Master appeared from the kennels； carrying Bruce。
The puppy was set down on the veranda floor for Dick's inspection。
〃He's cunning； isn't he？ Kind of like a Teddy Bear；the sort kids play
with。 But；〃 with a tinge of worry； 〃I'm not sure Ma will let me keep two。
Maybe〃
〃Perhaps；〃 suggested the Mistress； 〃perhaps you'd like us to keep little
Bruce； to remember Lass by？ We'll try to make him very happy。〃
〃Yes'm！〃 agreed Dick； in much haste； his brow clearing from a mental
vision of Mrs。 Hazen's face when she should see him return with twice as
many dogs as he had set out for。 〃Yes'm。 If you wouldn't mind； very much。
S'pose we leave it that way？ I guess Bruce'll like being with you； Miss。 II
guess pretty near anybody would。 You'llyou'll try not to be too homesick
for Lass； won't you？〃
On the steps of the veranda the downy and fat puppy watched his
mother's departure with no especial interest。 By the Mistress's wish； Mr。
Hazen had not been required to make any part of his proffered hundred…
dollar payment for the return of his boy's pet。 All the Mistress had
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stipulated was that Lass might be allowed to remain at The Place until
baby Bruce should no longer need her。
〃Bruce；〃 said the Mistress as the car rolled up the drive and out of
sight； 〃you are the sole visible result of The Place's experiment in raising
prize collies。 You have a tremendous responsibility on those fat little
shoulders of yours；to live up to it all。〃
By way of showing his scorn for such trifles as a 〃tremendous
responsibility；〃 Bruce proceeded to make a ferocious onslaught at the
Mistress's temperamental gray Persian kitten； 〃Tipperary；〃 which was
pickin
