animal heroes(动物英雄)-第29节
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the moment to attack him。
At another time Jack would have thumped his skull； as he once did the
Cat's； and settled the affair in a minute； but now it took several minutes；
during which he himself got roughly handled； so when the afternoon came
he was suffering from one or two bruises and stiffening wounds； not
serious； indeed； but enough to lower his speed。
The start was much like those of previous runs。 The Warhorse
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steaming away low and lightly； his ears up and the breezes whistling
through his thirteen stars。
Minkie with Fango； the new Dog； bounded in eager pursuit； but； to the
surprise of the starters； the gap grew smaller。 The Warhorse was losing
ground； and right before the Grand Stand old Minkie turned him； and a
cheer went up from the dog…men； for all knew the runners。 Within fifty
yards Fango scored a turn； and the race was right back to the start。 There
stood Slyman and Mickey。 The Rabbit dodged； the Greyhounds plunged；
Jack could not get away； and just as the final snap seemed near； the
Warhorse leaped straight for Mickey； and in an instant was hidden in his
arms； while the starter's feet flew out in energetic kicks to repel the furious
Dogs。 It is not likely that the Jack knew Mickey for a friend； he only
yielded to the old instinct to fly from a certain enemy to a neutral or a
possible friend； and； as luck would have it； he had wisely leaped and well。
A cheer went up from the benches as Mickey hurried back with his
favorite。 But the dog…men protested 〃it wasn't a fair runthey wanted it
finished。〃 They appealed to the Steward。 He had backed the Jack against
Fango。 He was sore now； and ordered a new race。
An hour's rest was the best Mickey could get for him。 Then he went as
before； with Fango and Minkie in pursuit。 He seemed less stiff nowhe
ran more like himself； but a little past the Stand he was turned by Fango
and again by Minkie； and back and across； and here and there； leaping
frantically and barely eluding his foes。 For several minutes it lasted。
Mickey could see that Jack's ears were sinking。 The new Dog leaped。 Jack
dodged almost under him to escape； and back only to meet the second Dog；
and now both ears were flat on his back。 But the Hounds were suffering
too。 Their tongues were lolling out； their jaws and heaving sides were
splashed with foam。 The Warhorse's ears went up again。 His courage
seemed to revive in their distress。 He made a straight dash for the Haven；
but the straight dash was just what the Hounds could do； and within a
hundred yards he was turned again； to begin another desperate game of
zigzag。 Then the dog…men saw danger for their Dogs； and two new ones
were slippedtwo fresh Hounds； surely they could end the race。 But they
did not。 The first two were vanquishedgaspingout of it； but the next
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two were racing near。 The Warhorse put forth all his strength。 He left the
first two far behindwas nearly to the Haven when the second two came
up。
Nothing but dodging could save him now。 His ears were sinking； his
heart was pattering on his ribs； but his spirit was strong。 He flung himself
in wildest zigzags。 The Hounds tumbled over each other。 Again and again
they thought they had him。 One of them snapped off the end of his long
black tail； yet he escaped； but he could not get to the Haven。 The luck was
against him。 He was forced nearer to the Grand Stand。 A thousand ladies
were watching。 The time limit was up。 The second Dogs were suffering；
when Mickey came running； yelling like a madmanwordsimprecations…
…crazy sounds：
〃Ye blackguard hoodlums！ Ye dhirty； cowardly bastes！〃 and he rushed
furiously at the Dogs； intent to do them bodily harm。
Officers came running and shouting； and Mickey； shrieking hatred and
defiance； was dragged from the field； reviling Dogs and men with every
horrid； insulting name he could think of or invent。
〃Fair play！ Whayer's yer fair play； ye liars； ye dhirty cheats； ye bloody
cowards！〃 And they drove him from the arena。 The last he saw of it was
the four foaming Dogs feebly dodging after a weak and worn…out Jack…
rabbit； and the judge on his Horse beckoning to the man with the gun。
The gate closed behind him； and Mickey heard a bang…bang； an
unusual uproar mixed with yelps of Dogs； and he knew that Little Jack
Warhorse had been served with finish No。 4。
All his life he had loved Dogs； but his sense of fair play was outraged。
He could not get in； nor see in from where he was。 He raced along the lane
to the Haven； where he might get a good view； and arrived in time to see
Little Jack Warhorse with his half…masted ears limp into the Haven； and he
realized at once that the man with the gun had missed； had hit the wrong
runner； for there was the crowd at the Stand watching two men who were
carrying a wounded Greyhound； while a veterinary surgeon was
ministering to another that was panting on the ground。
Mickey looked about； seized a little shipping…box； put it at the angle of
the Haven； carefully drove the tired thing into it； closed the lid； then； with
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the box under his arm； he scaled the fence unseen in the confusion and
was gone。
'It didn't matter； he had lost his job anyway。' He tramped away from
the city。 He took the train at the nearest station and travelled some hours；
and now he was in Rabbit country again。 The sun had long gone down； the
night with its stars was over the plain when among the farms； the Osage
and alfalfa； Mickey Doo opened the box and gently put the Warhorse out。
Grinning as he did so； he said： 〃Shure an' it's ould Oireland thot's
proud to set the thirteen stars at liberty wance moore。〃
For a moment the Little Warhorse gazed in doubt； then took three or
four long leaps and a spy…hop to get his bearings。 Now spreading his
national colors and his honor…marked ears； he bounded into his hard…won
freedom； strong as ever； and melted into the night of his native plain。
He has been seen many times in Kaskado； and there have been many
Rabbit drives in that region； but he seems to know some means of baffling
them now； for； in all the thousands that have been trapped and corralled；
they have never since seen the star…spangled ears of Little jack Warhorse。
SNAP
THE STORY OF A BULL…TERRIER
I
It was dusk on Hallowe'en when first I saw him。 Early in the morning I
had received a telegram from my college chum Jack： 〃Lest we forget。 Am
sending you a remarkable pup。 Be polite to him； it's safer。〃 It would have
been just like Jack to have sent an infernal machine or a Skunk rampant
and called it a pup； so I awaited the hamper with curiosity。 When it arrived
I saw it was marked 〃Dangerous；〃 and there came from within a high…
pitched snarl at every slight provocation。 On peering through the wire
netting I saw it was not a baby Tiger but a small white Bull…terrier。 He
snapped at me and at any one or anything that seemed too abrupt or too
near for proper respect； and his snarling growl was unpleasantly frequent。
Dogs have two growls： one deep…rumbled； and chesty； that is polite
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warningthe retort courteous； the other mouthy and much higher in pitch：
this is the last word before actual onslaught。 The Terrier's growls were all
of the latter kind。 I was a dog…man and thought I knew all about Dogs； so；
dismissing the porter； I got out my all…round jackknifetoothpick
nailhammer…hatchet…toolbox…fire…shovel； a specialty of our firm； and lifted
the netting。 Oh； yes； I knew all about Dogs。
