further adventures of lad-第16部分

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n　a　bare　second　or　two；　the　demeanor　of　both　showed　him　just　what　a　grossly　unwelcome　interloper　he　was。

Whereat；　after　a　wistfully　miserable　glance　from　one　to　the　other　of　the　exclusive　pair；　Lad　would　trot　slowly　back　to　his　human　deities；　and。　with　a　queerly　sobbing　little　sigh；　he　would　curl　up　at　the　Mistress's　feet。

〃It's　a　shame；　Laddie！〃　declared　the　Mistress；　at　one　such　time。　〃It's　a　SHAME！　Why；　you　are　worth　a　million　of　those　crazy　playdogs！　You're　a　million　times　wiser　and　beautifuller　and　more　lovable。　Why　do　you　bother　with　them？　Master　and　I　are　ever　so　much　better　company　for　you；　and　we　love　to　have　you　with　us。　Stay　right　here；　and　forget　them。〃

Lad；　perhaps；　understood　the　actual　meaning　of　one　word　in　ten　of　the　advice。　But　he　understood　and　loved　the　Mistress's　sweet　voice　and　the　caress　of　her　cool　little　hand；　and　the　sympathy　in　her　tone。　It　all　meant　much　to　Laddie。　Very　much　indeed。　And　he　laid　his　mighty　head　against　her　knee；　happy　in　the　comfort　of　touch　and　voice。

Nevertheless；　that　wistful　glint　was　ever　lurking　in　his　deep…set　eyes；　nowadays。　And　his　gayly　trumpeting　bark　rang　out　less　often　and　less　jubilantly　than　of　old。　He　took　to　moping。　And　he　spent　more　time　than　before　in　his　beloved　〃cave；〃　under　the　music…room　piano。

Moping　and　solitude　are　no　more　beneficial　to　dogs　than　to　humans。　The　Master　racked　his　brain　for　some　way　of　bringing　the　splendid　collie　back　to　his　olden　spirits。

Luck；　or　fate；　took　the　matter　out　of　his　hands。

The　Mistress　and　the　Master　were　invited　to　spend　a　week　with　some　friends　whose　house　stood　in　an　ultra…restricted　residential　park；　high　up　in　the　Catskills。　By　leaving　the　Place　at　sunrise；　they　could　reach　the　Park；　by　motor；　in　time　for　afternoon　tea。

At　dawn；　the　car　was　brought　to　the　door。　Its　tonneau　was　piled　with　luggage；　and　all　was　ready　for　a　start　as　soon　as　the　unappetizingly　early　breakfast　could　be　swallowed。

Wolf　and　Lady；　after　following　the　car　from　the　garage　to　the　door；　wearied　of　the　uninspiring　wait；　and　set　forth　at　a　hand…gallop　for　the　woods。　There；　at　dawning；　the　dew　would　lie　heavy。　And　wet　ground　ever　holds　scent　better　than　does　dry。　It　would　be　easy　to　pick　up　and　follow　rabbit　trails；　through　the　damp。

Lad　made　as　though　to　follow　them。　He　ran　out　of　the　house　and　half…way　up　the　drive　in　pursuit　of　their　flashing　gold…and…white　flight。　Neither　turned　a　head　at　sound　of　his　following　steps。　Neither　slackened　pace　to　include　him　in　the　hunt。

Always　abnormally　sensitive；　the　big　collie　noted　this　aloofness。　And　he　came　to　an　irresolute　halt。　For　a　moment；　he　stared　after　the　two　vanishing　runaways；　his　plumed　tail　swaying　ever　so　little；　in　groundless　expectation　of　an　invitingly　glance　or　yelp　from　Lady。　Then；　tail　and　crest　adroop；　he　turned　slowly　back　toward　the　house。

From　puppyhood；　an　odd　trait　of　Lad's　had　caused　amusement　at　the　Place。　Whenever　he　was　unhappy　or　considered　himself　ill…treated；　it　was　his　way　to　hunt　for　something　wherewith　he　might　comfort　himself。　For　instance；　as　a　pup；　a　scolding　for　some　petty　misdeed　would　send　him　in　search　of　his　cherished　flannel　doll　or　his　squeaking　ball。　In　later　years；　the　car　had　taken　the　place　of　these　babyhood　comforters。

Lad　cared　more　for　motoring　than　for　any　other　amusement。　In　moments　of　stress　he　sometimes　ran　to　the　garage　and　curled　himself　up　in　the　tonneau；　as　though　in　hope　someone　might　take　pity　on　his　unhappiness　and　give　him　a　drive。　And；　usually；　somebody　did。

Now；　turning　back；　rebuffed；　from　the　forest　gallop；　he　caught　sight　of　the　car。　Not　in　the　garage；　either；　but　at　the　front　door；　where　its　presence　could　mean　nothing　except　an　immediate　ride。

With　one　high　spring；　Lad　had　cleared　the　ground　and　was　over　the　closed　tonneau　door　and　amid　a　ruck　of　luggage　and　rugs。　The　rear　seat　was　filled　by　a　steamer…trunk；　strapped　tightly　in　place　there。　And　the　bottom　of　the　car　was　annoyingly　crowded　by　bumpy　bags　and　other　gear。

Still；　by　the　simple　and　ancestral　process　of　turning　himself　around　several　times；　Lad　was　able　to　clear　enough　space　on　the　floor　to　permit　of　his　lying　down；　albeit　in　a　very　compact　bunch。

He　settled　himself　into　place　on　the　floor　with　a　satisfied　jounce　which　loosened　a　car…rug　draped　over　the　trunk。　Down　slithered　the　rug；　and　fell　athwart　the　dog's　shaggy　back　and　one　of　the　bags。　It　was　not　heavy　enough　to　annoy　Lad　or　hurt　his　feelings。　And　its　draped　folds　served　as　the　top　of　a　sort　of　cave　for　him。　On　the　whole；　Lad　rather　enjoyed　the　rug's　descent。　It　made　his　narrow　resting…place　snugger　and　warmer　on　this　chilly　early　morning。　Patiently；　Lad　lay　there；　waiting　for　the　car　to　start。

He　did　not　have　long　to　wait。　In　another　minute　or　two；　the　Mistress　and　the　Master　came　out　from　breakfast；　and　got　into　the　front　seat。　Then　the　car　was　breasting　the　winding　slope　of　the　drive；　in　first　speed；　the　faint　jar　of　the　engine　sending　undulations　over　the　mahogany…and…white　coat　of　the　stowaway　dog。　And；　in　a　minute　more；　they　were　out　on　the　smooth　highway；　headed　for　the　distant　Catskills。

Now；　Lad　had　not　the　remotest　notion　he　was　a　stowaway。　On　the　few　times　when　it　had　not　been　convenient　to　take　him　on　drives；　the　Master　had　always　bidden　him　stay　at　home。　And　when；　at　such　times；　the　dog　chanced　already　to　be　its　the　car；　he　had　been　ordered　back　to　earth。　There；　was　no　way　for　Lad　to　know；　this　morning；　that　neither　of　the　car's　other　occupants　had　seen　him　as　he　lay　curled　up　on　the　floor；　three…quarters　hidden　under　the　fallen　rug。　The　luggage　had　been　arranged　in　the　tonneau；　before　breakfast。　And　nobody　had　given　a　second　glance　at　it　since　then。

The　sun　was　rising　over　a　new…made　world；　alive　with　summer　glory　and　thrilling　with　bird…songs。　The　air；　later　in　the　day；　would　be　warm。　But；　at　sunrise；　it　was　sharp　and　bracing。　The　mystic　wonder　and　the　hush　of　dawn　were　still　brooding　over　the　earth。　The　hard　white　road　stretched　out；　like　a　winding　river；　between　banks　of　dew…gleaming　verdure。　The　mountain…tops　were　glowing　with　the　touch　of　the　sun。　In　the　deeper　valleys　floated　a　shimmering　dusk。

The　car　sped　swiftly　along　the　empty　highway；　slowing　down　only　as　it　spun　through　half…awakened　villages；　or　checked　its　pace　to　allow　a　sleepy　boy　to　drive　a　straggling　bunch　of　cows　across　the　road　to　pasturage。

For　an　hour　or　more；　Lad　lay　cuddled　under　the　rug　in　contented　laziness。　Then　the　recumbent　posture　tired　him；　and　he　sat　up。　As　a　rule；　one　or　the　other　of　his　deities　was　wont　to　turn　around；　at　intervals；　and　speak　to　him　or　pet　him。　Today；　neither　of　them　paid　him　the　slightest　attention。　Still；　the　ride　was　a　joy。　And　the　surrounding　country　was　new　and　interesting。　So　Lad　had　a　good　time；　in　spite　of　human　neglect。　After　another　hour　or　so；　he　curled　up　again；　among　the　bags；　and　fell　to　drowsing。

A　six…hour　run；　over　good　roads；　brought　the　car　to　Kingston；　at　the　gateway　to　the　Catskills。　Here；　at　a　hotel　entrance；　the　machine　came　to　a　standstill。　The　Master　got　out；　and　turned　to　help　the　Mistress　to　alight。　It　was　the　place　they　had　decided　on　for　luncheon。　Another　three　hours；　at　most；　would　carry　them　to　their　destination。

A　negro　boy；　loafing　aimlessly　at　the　street　corner；　had　begun　to　whistle　industriously　to　himself　as　the　car　slowed　down。　And　he　had　wakened　into　active　motion。　Apparently；　he　remembered　all　at　once　an　important　mission　on　the　other　side　of　the　street。　For　he　set　off　at　a　swinging　pace。

His　course　took　him　so　near　the　back　of　the　car　that　he　had　to　turn　out；　a　step　or　so；　to　avoid　collision　with　it。　He　accompanied　this　turning…out　maneuver　by　another　which　was　less　ostentatious；　but　more　purposeful。　Timing　his　steps；　so　as　to　pass　by　the　rear　of　the　car　just　as　the　Master　was　busy　helping　his　wife　to　descend；　the　youth　thrust　an　arm　over　the　side　of　the　tonneau；　with　the　speed　of　a　striking　snake。　His　hand　closed　on　the　handle　of　a　traveling　bag；　among　the　heap　of　luggage。　Never　slackening　his　pace；　the　negro　gave　a　fierce　yank　at　his　plunder；　to　hoist　it　over　the　closed　door。

In　that　tourist…ridden　city；　bag…stealing　offered　much　profit。　In　the　rare　chance　of　detection　when　he　was　at　work；　the　boy　had　only　to　plead　over…zeal　in　trying　to　earn　an　honest　dime　by　helping　lift　the　luggage　to　the　sidewalk。

It　was　a　pretty　bit　of　theft；　and　it　betokened　long　and　careful　practice。　Thus；from　the　thief's　standpoint；it　was　almost　a　pity　the　brilliant　effort　was　wasted。　For　wasted　it　was。

This　young　negro　prided　himself　on　his　powers　of　speed　and　of　silence；　in　plying　his　trade。　And；　today；　though　he　proceeded　to　excel　in　the　first　of　these　qualities；　he　disgraced　himself　most　woefully　as　regarded　the　second。

For　he　jerked　his　hand　out　of　the　tonneau　far　faster　than　he　had　thrust　it　in。　As　he　did　so；　he　woke　the　echoes　with　the　most　blood…curdling　screech　his　leathern　lungs　could　compass。

As　his　dusky　fingers　had　closed　on　the　bag；　something　viselike　and　relentless　had　fastened　upon　those　same　expert　fingers；　breaking　two　of　them；　and　rending　the　flesh　of　the　lower　hand。

Lad；　in　rising　to　his　feet；　after　his　pleasant　nap；　at　the　slowing　of　the　car；　had　been　aware　of　that　predatory　hand；　as　it　groped　for　the　bag。　Now；　from　puppyhood；　Lad　had　been　taught　to　regard　everything　in　the　car　as　under　his　own　careful　guardianship。　Hence；　he　lunged　forward　and　sank　his　terrible　white　teeth　deep　into　the　groping　fingers。

By　main　force　the　youth　tore　free。　With　a　second　screech；　he　reeled　back　from　the　unseen　peril　which　had　assailed　him。　But　Lad　would　not　have　it　so。

There　was　a　harsh…breathed　growl；　from　down　in　the　tonneau；　and；　on　the　instant；　a　tawny　giant　shape　came　catapulting　over　the　top　of　the　shut　door　and　hurled　itself　upon　the　staggering　negro。

The　Master；　turning　at　sound　of　the　yell；　was　just　in　time　to　see　the　attack。　The　collie；supposedly　ninety　miles　away；　and　peacefully　guarding　the　Place；was　hurtling　through　the　air　and　crashing　against　the　chest　of　a　gray…faced　and　pop…eyed　young　negro。　To　earth　went　the　two；　in　a　cloud　of　dust；　a　second　before　the　Master's　sharp　call　brought　Lad　reluctantly　away　from　his　prey；　and　just　as　a　policeman　and　a　score　of　idlers　came　running　up。

The　thief　did