animal heroes(动物英雄)-第28节
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Four finishes are possible： a speedy kill； a speedy winning of the Haven；
new Dogs to relieve the first runners； who would suffer heart…collapse in
the terrific strain of their pace； if kept up many minutes in hot weather；
and finally； for Rabbits that by continued dodging defy and jeopardize the
Dogs； and yet do not win the Haven； there is kept a loaded shotgun。
There is just as much jockeying at a Kaskado coursing as at a Kaskado
horse…race； just as many attempts at fraud； and it is just as necessary to
have the judge and slipper beyond suspicion。
The day before the next meet a man of diamonds saw Irish Mickeyby
chance。 A cigar was all that visibly passed； but it had a green wrapper that
was slipped off before lighting。 Then a word： 〃If you wuz slipper to…
morrow and it so came about that Dignam's Minkie gets done； wall；it
means another cigar。〃
〃Faix； an' if I wuz slipper I could load the dice so Minkie would flyer
score a p'int； but her runnin' mate would have the same bad luck。〃
〃That so？〃 The diamond man looked interested。 〃All rightfix it so； it
means two cigars。〃
Slipper Slyman had always dealt on the square； had scorned many
approachesthat was well known。 Most believed in him； but there were
some malcontents； and when a man with many gold seals approached the
Steward and formulated charges； serious and well…backed； they must
perforce suspend the slipper pending an inquiry； and thus Mickey Doo
reigned in his stead。
Mickey was poor and not over…scrupulous。 Here was a chance to make
a year's pay in a minute； nothing wrong about it； no harm to the Dog or the
Rabbit either。
One Jack…rabbit is much like another。 Everybody knows that； it was
simply a question of choosing your Jack。
The preliminaries were over。 Fifty Jacks had been run and killed。
Mickey had done his work satisfactorily； a fair slip had been given to
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every leash。 He was still in command as slipper。 Now came the final for
the cupthe cup and the large stakes。
VII
There were the slim and elegant Dogs awaiting their turn。 Minkie and
her rival were first。 Everything had been fair so far； and who can say that
what followed was unfair？ Mickey could turn out which Jack he pleased。
〃Number three！〃 he called to his partner。
Out leaped the Little Warhorse；black and white his great ears； easy
and low his five…foot bounds； gazing wildly at the unwonted crowd about
the Park； he leaped high in one surprising spy…hop。
〃Hrrrrr！〃 shouted the slipper； and his partner rattled a stick on the
fence。 The Warhorse's bounds increased to eight or nine feet。
〃Hrrrrrr！〃 and they were ten or twelve feet。 At thirty yards the Hounds
were slippedan even slip； some thought it could have been done at
twenty yards。
〃Hrrrrrr！ Hrrrrrrr！〃 and the Warhorse was doing fourteen…foot leaps；
not a spy…hop among them。
〃Hrrrrr！ 〃wonderful Dogs！ how they sailed； but drifting ahead of them；
like a white sea…bird or flying scud； was the Warhorse。 Away past the
Grand Stand。 And the Dogswere they closing the gap of start？ Closing！ It
was lengthening！ In less time than it takes to tell it； that black…and…white
thistledown had drifted away through the Haven door；the door so like
that good old hen…hole；and the Grey…hounds pulled up amidst a roar of
derision and cheers for the Little Warhorse。 How Mickey did laugh！ How
Dignam did swear！ How the newspaper men did scribblescribble
scribble！
Next day there was a paragraph in all the papers： 〃WONDERFUL
FEAT OF A JACKRABBIT。 The Little Warhorse； as he has been styled；
completely skunked two of the most famous Dogs on the turf；〃 etc。
There was a fierce wrangle among the dog…men。 This was a tie； since
neither had scored； and Minkie and her rival were allowed to run again；
but that half…mile had been too hot； and they had no show for the cup。
Mickey met 〃Diamonds〃 next day； by chance。
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〃Have a cigar； Mickey。〃
〃Oi will thot； sor。 Faix； thim's so foine； I'd loike twothank ye； sor。〃
VIII
From that time the Little Warhorse became the pride of the Irish boy。
Slipper Slyman had been honorably reinstated and Mickey reduced to the
rank of Jack…starter； but that merely helped to turn his sympathies from the
Dogs to the Rabbits； or rather to the Warhorse； for of all the five hundred
that were brought in from the drive he alone had won renown。 There were
several that crossed the Park to run again another day； but he alone had
crossed the course without getting even a turn。 Twice a week the meets
took place； forty or fifty Jacks were killed each time； and the five hundred
in the pen had been nearly all eaten of the arena。
The Warhorse had run each day； and as often had made the Haven。
Mickey became wildly enthusiastic about his favorite's powers。 He begot a
positive affection for the clean…limbed racer； and stoutly maintained
against all that it was a positive honor to a Dog to be disgraced by such a
Jack。
It is so seldom that a Rabbit crosses the track at all； that when Jack did
it six times without having to dodge； the papers took note of it； and after
each meet there appeared a notice： 〃The Little Warhorse crossed again
today； old…timers say it shows how our Dogs are deteriorating。〃
After the sixth time the rabbit…keepers grew enthusiastic； and Mickey；
commander…in…chief of the brigade； became intemperate in his admiration。
〃Be jabers； he has a right to be torned loose。 He has won his freedom loike
ivery Amerikin done；〃 he added； by way of appeal to the patriotism of the
Steward of the race； who was； of course； the real owner of the Jacks。
〃All right； Mick； if he gets across thirteen times you can ship him back
to his native land；〃 was the reply。
〃Shure now； an' won't you make it tin； sor？〃
〃No； no； I need him to take the conceit out of some of the new Dogs
that are coming。〃
〃Thirteen toimes and he is free； sor； it's a bargain。〃
A new lot of Rabbits arrived about this time； and one of these was
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colored much like Little Warhorse。 He had no such speed； but to prevent
mistakes Mickey caught his favorite by driving him into one of the padded
shipping…boxes； and proceeded with the gate…keeper's punch to earmark
him。 The punch was sharp； a clear star was cut out of the thin flap； when
Mickey exclaimed： 〃Faix； an' Oi'll punch for ivery toime ye cross the
coorse。〃 So he cut six stars in a row。 〃Thayer now； Warrhorrse； shure it's a
free Rabbit ye'll be when ye have yer thirteen stars like our flag of liberty
hed when we got free。〃
Within a week the Warhorse had vanquished the new Greyhounds and
had stars enough to go round the right ear and begin on the left。 In a week
more the thirteen runs were completed； six stars in the left ear and seven in
the right； and the newspapers had new material。
〃Whoop！〃 How Mickey hoorayed！ 〃An' it's a free Jack ye are；
Warrhorrse！ Thirteen always wuz a lucky number。 I never knowed it to
fail。〃
IX
〃Yes； I know I did；〃 said the Steward。 〃But I want to give him one
more run。 I have a bet on him against a new Dog here。 It won't hurt him
now； he can do it。 Oh； well。 Here now； Mickey； don't you get sassy。 One
run more this afternoon。 The Dogs run two or three times a day； why not
the Jack？〃
〃They're not shtakin' thayre loives； sor。〃
〃Oh； you get out。〃
Many more Rabbits had been added to the pen；big and small；
peaceful and warlike；and one big Buck of savage instincts； seeing Jack
Warhorse's hurried dash into the Haven that morning； took advantage of
the moment to attack him。
At another time Jack would have thumped his skull； as he once
