further adventures of lad-第17部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


away　from　his　prey；　and　just　as　a　policeman　and　a　score　of　idlers　came　running　up。

The　thief　did　not　wait　to　explain。　No　sooner　did　he　see　the　Master　catch　the　infuriated　dog　by　the　ruff　than　he　scrambled　to　his　feet；　ducked　under　the　policeman's　arm　and　set　off；　around　a　corner；　in　something　better　than　record　time。　Somehow；　the　encounter　had　deprived　him　of　the　nerve　and　the　pluck　to　stand　his　ground　and　to　explain　that　he　had　merely　been　trying　to　help　with　the　luggage。　His　only　desire；　just　then；　was　to　put　as　many　thousand　miles　as　possible　between　himself　and　the　tawny　demon　that　had　assaulted　him。

〃Laddie！〃　gasped　the　Mistress；　unbelieving；　as　the　policeman　and　most　of　the　little　crowd　set　off　after　the　fugitive。　〃LADDIE！　What　in　the　world？〃

〃Hehe　must　have　been　in　the　car；　all　the　time；〃　gabbled　the　Master；　brilliantly。　〃He　must　have　jumped　in；　while　we　were　at　breakfast。　See；　he's　cleared　a　space　for　himself　between　two　of　the　bags。　He's　been　there；　all　the　time；　and　we　never〃

〃If　he　hadn't　been　there；〃　suggested　the　Mistress；　〃we'd　be　looking　now　for　one　or　two　pieces　of　luggage　that　had　disappeared。　When　the　Grays　went　through　here；　one　of　their　suitcases　was〃

〃But　what　in　blazes　are　we　going　to　do　with　him？〃　broke　in　the　Master；　worriedly。　〃We　can't　take　him　all　the　way　home。　And　I　won't　trust　to　sending　him　by　express。　He　might　get　backed　onto　a　siding　and　be　kept　there　for　days；　without　food　or　water。　Besides；　they　won't　let　a　dog　go　by　express　unless　he's　in　a　crate。　What　are　we　to　do？〃

〃Why；〃　said　the　Mistress；　stooping　to　stroke　the　silken　head　that　rested　against　her　knee；　〃Why；　Laddie　seems　to　have　settled　that　for　us；　by　coming　along。　He's　surely　paid　his　way。　We'll　have　to　take　him　the　rest　of　the　trip。　The　Harmons　will　be　glad　to　see　him；　I'm　sure。　Everybody's　always　glad　to　see　Laddie；　wherever　we　go。　Let's　take　him。　It's　the　only　thing　to　do。　We　can　explain　to　them　how　it　happened。〃

And　so；　after　more　discussion；　it　was　settled。　Even　as　most　things　had　a　way　of　being　settled　when　the　Mistress　proposed　them。

Three　hours　later；　the　car　stopped　before　the　entrance　of　a　roomily　beautiful　house　in　a　roomily　beautiful　residence　park；　in　the　upper　Catskills。

The　welcoming　smiles　on　the　faces　of　host　and　hostess　suffered　sudden　eclipse；　as　a　huge　mahogany…and…white　collie　stepped　majestically　from　the　car　at　the　heels　of　the　two　guests。

〃This　is　Lad；〃　introduced　the　Mistress。　〃I　hope　you　don't　mind　our　bringing　him。　I　can　promise　he　won't　be　a　bit　of　trouble　to　anybody。　We　didn't　mean　to　bring　him。　It　just　happened。　This　was　the　way：〃

While　she　was　recounting　the　adventure　to　Mrs。　Harmon；　their　host　drew　the　Master　to　one　side。

〃Say；　old　man；〃　began　Harmon；　with　visible　discomfort；　〃please　don't　misunderstand　me　or　anything。　But　I'm　a　little　bothered　about　just　what　to　do。　This　is　the　idea：　There　was　a　mad　dog　scare　here　in　Daylight　Park；　last　month；　when　a　Pom　puppy　snapped　at　some　kids　that　were　teasing　it。　Then；　a　day　or　so　later；　a　Persian　cat　had　fits　and　chased　old　Mrs。　Cratchitt　across　a　lawn　and　gave　her　a　spell　of　palpitation　of　the　heart。　And　the　next　day　an　Angora　goat　that　the　Varian　children　had　as　a　pet　got　loose　and　chewed　up　several　hundred　dollars'　worth　of　lingerie　off　a　line。　Then　the　Clives'　spaniel　took　to　barking　under　Rutherford　Garretse's　study　window。　And　…〃

〃You　needn't　be　afraid　of　Lad's　doing　any　of　those　fool　things；〃　bragged　the　Master。　〃He　behaves　as　well　as　any　human。　Better　than　most　of　them。　He〃

〃That　isn't　the　point；〃　said　his　host；　with　growing　uneasiness。　〃You　see；　Daylight　Park　is　run　as　a　club。　Home　government　and　all　that　sort　of　thing。　Well；　these　livestock　fracases　raised　such　a　row　that　the　club's　Board　of　Governors　has　passed　an　ordinance；　forbidding　the　keeping　of　any　pet　animals　in　the　whole　park。　Nothing　bigger　than　a　canary　bird　can　be　harbored　here。　It's　a　hard…and…fast　rule。　It　seemed　the　only　way　to　save　our　whole　summer　colony　from　disruption。　You　know　a　livestock　squabble　can　cause　more　ructions　in　a　small　community　than〃

〃I　see；〃　mused　the　Master；　staring　glumly　after　Lad　who　was　just　vanishing　into　the　house　in　the　wake　of　the　Mistress　and　the　unhappy　Mrs。　Harmon。　〃I　see。　H'm！〃

He　pondered　for　an　instant；　while　his　host　shifted　from　foot　to　foot　and　looked　apologetic。　Then　the　Master　spoke　again。

〃The　only　way　out；　that　I　see；〃　he　hazarded；　〃is　for　me　to　drive　back　home　with　Lad；　and　leave　him　there　and　come　on　here；　tomorrow。　I　can〃

〃Nothing　of　the　sort！〃　protested　Harmon；　〃There's　an　easier　way　than　that。　Wittsville　is　only　a　mile　or　so　from　the　Park　gates。　They've　got　a　fine　boarding　kennel　there。　Several　of　the　Park's　dogs　were　exiled　to　it；　when　our　ordinance　went　into　effect。　Jump　into　the　car；　and　we'll　take　your　collie　there　in　ten　minutes。　He'll　be　well　treated。　And　you　and　your　wife　can　go　to　see　him；　every　day　you're　here。　Come　along。　II　hate　to　seem　inhospitable　about　this　thing。　But　you　see　for　yourself　how　it　is。　We〃

〃Certainly；〃　assented　the　Master。　〃I'll　go　in　and　get　him　and　explain　to　my　wife。　Don't　let　it　make　you　feel　uncomfortable。　We　both　understand。〃

Which　accounts　for　the　fact　that　Lad；　within　the　next　half　hour；　was　preparing　to　spend　his　first　night　away　from　home　and　from　the　two　people　who　were　his　gods。　He　was　not　at　all　happy。　It　had　been　an　interesting　day。　But　its　conclusion　did　not　please　Laddie；　in　any　manner。

And；　when　things　did　not　please　Lad；　he　had　a　very　determined　fashion　of　trying　to　avoid　them；unless　perchance　the　Mistress　or　the　Master　had　decreed　otherwise。

The　Master　had　brought　him　to　this　obnoxious　strange　place。　But　he　had　not　bidden　Lad　stay　there。　And　the　collie　merely　waited　his　chance　to　get　out。　At　ten　o'clock；　one　of　the　kennelmen　made　the　night　rounds。　He　swung　open　the　door　of　the　little　stall　in　which　Lad　had　been　locked　for　the　night。　At　least；　he　swung　the　door　halfway　open。　Lad　swung　it　the　rest　of　the　way。

With　a　plunge；　the　collie　charged　out　through　the　opening　portal；　ducked　between　the　kennelman's　legs；　reached　the　open　gate　of　the　enclosure　in　two　more　springs；　and　vanished　down　the　road　into　the　darkness。

As　soon　as　he　felt　the　highway　under　his　feet；　Lad's　nose　drooped　earthward；　and　he　sniffed　with　all　his　might。　　Instantly；　he　caught　the　scent　he　was　seeking；a　scent　as　　familiar　to　him　as　that　of　his　own　piano　cave；　the　scent　of　the　Place's　car…tires。

It　had　taken　Harmon　and　the　Master　the　best　part　of　ten　minutes　to　drive　through　the　park　and　to　the　boarding　kennels。　It　took　Lad　less　than　half　that　time　to　reach　the　veranda　of　the　Harmon　house。　Circling　the　house　and　finding　all　doors　shut；　he　lay　down　on　the　mat；　and　settled　himself　to　sleep　there　in　what　comfort　he　might；　until　the　Mistress　and　the　Master　should　come　down　in　the　morning　and　find　him。

But　the　Harmons　were　late　risers。　And　the　sun　had　been　up　for　some　hours　before　any　of　the　household　were　astir。

If　Lad　had　been　the　professionally　Faithful　Hound；　of　storybooks；　he　would　doubtless　have　waited　on　the　mat　until　someone　should　come　to　let　him　in。　But；　after　lying　there　until　broad　daylight；　he　was　moved　to　explore　this　new　section　of　the　world。　The　more　so；　since　house　after　house　within　range　of　his　short　vision　showed　signs　of　life　and　activity。

Several　people　passed　and　repassed　along　the　private　roadway　in　front　of　the　Harmons'　door；　and　nearly　all　of　these　paused　to　peer　at　Lad；　in　what　seemed　to　the　collie　a　most　flattering　show　of　interest。

At　last；　the　dog　got　to　his　feet；　stretched　himself　fore…and…aft；　in　true　collie　fashion；　and　trotted　down　the　paved　walk　to　the　road。　There　for　a　moment；　he　stood　hesitant。　As　he　stood；　he　was　surveying　the　scene；not　only　with　his　eyes；　but　with　those　far　stronger　sense　organs；　his　ears　and　his　nostrils。　His　ears　told　him　nothing　of　interest。　His　nose　told　him　much。　Indeed；　before　he　had　fairly　reached　the　road；　these　nostrils　had　telegraphed　to　his　brain　an　odor　that　not　only　was　highly　interesting；　but　totally　new　to　him。　Lad's　experience　with　scents　was　far…reaching。　But　this　smell　lay　totally　outside　all　his　knowledge　or　memory。

It　was　a　rank　and　queer　smell；not　strong　enough；　out　there　in　the　open；　to　register　in　a　human…brain；　but　almost　stingingly　acute　to　the　highly　sensitized　dog。　It　was　an　alluring　scent；　the　sort　of　odor　that　roused　all　his　curiosity　and　seemed　to　call　for　prompt　investigation。

Nose　to　ground；　Lad　set　off　to　trace　the　smell　to　its　source。　Strong　as　it　was；　it　grew　stronger　and　fresher　at　every　step。　Even　a　mongrel　puppy　could　have　followed　it。　Oblivious　to　all　else；　Lad　broke　into　a　canter；　nose　still　close　to　earth；　pleasurably　excited　and　keenly　inquisitive。

He　ran　along　the　private　road　for　perhaps　a　hundred　yards。　Then；　he　wheeled　in　at　another　paved　walk　and　ran　up　a　low　flight　of　veranda　steps。　The　front　door　of　a　house　stood　invitingly　open　to　the　cool　air　of　the　morning。　In　through　the　doorway　went　Lad；　unheeding　the　gobbling　call　of　a　maid…servant　who　was　sweeping　the　far　end　of　the　veranda。

Lad　did　not　know　he　was　committing　trespass。　To　him　an　open　door　had　always　meant　permission　to　enter。　And　the　enticingly　rank　scent　was　tenfold　stronger　indoors　than　out。　Across　a　hallway　he　trotted；　still　sniffing；　and　up　a　flight　of　stairs　leading　to　the　second　story　of　the　house。

At　the　stairhead；　a　room　door　stood　wide。　And　into　this　room　led　the　odor。　Lad　went　in。　He　was　in　a　large　and　sunlit　room；　but　in　the　most　disorderly　room　he　had　ever　set　eyes　on。　The　room　needed　airing；　too。　For　all　its　four　windows　were　closed；　except　one　which　was　open　for　perhaps　six　inches　from　the　top。

Lad　circled　the　room；　twice；　from　door　to　windows；　and　thence　to　center　table　and　around　the　walls；　pausing　at　one　window　sill　and　again　at　the　threshold；　picking　his　way　daintily　over　heaps　of　litter　on　the　floor。　Yes；　the　room　was　full　of　the　scent。　But；　whence　the　scent　emanated；　Lad　could　not；　for　the　life　of　him；　tell。　The　room　gave　him　no　clew。　And；　after　a　few　minutes　of　futile　investigation；　he　turned　to　depart。

At　the　stairhead；　he　came　upon　the　same　servant　he　had　seen　sweeping　the　veranda。　She　cried：　〃Shoo！〃　at　him　and　brandished　her　broom。　Lad；　in　offended　dignity；　stalk