further adventures of lad-第19部分

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〃It's　Mrs。　McMurdle！〃　exclaimed　Harmon。　〃The　maid　was　right。　She　must　have　disobeyed　the　ordinance　and　had　the　miserable　monkey　hidden　in　her　house　all　the　time。　It　must　have　gotten　out；　this　morning；　and　she　hunted　around　till　she　saw　it　perched　on　the　top　of　the　window　cornice。　I　suppose　it　dived　back　in　here；　at　sight　of　her。　She〃

〃Come　on；　Laddie！〃　whispered　the　Mistress；　under　cover　of　a　new　outbreak　of　multiple　talk。　〃YOU'RE　acquitted；　anyhow。　And　the　rest　of　the　scene　is　really　no　business　of　ours。　The　sooner　we　get　you　to　the　boarding　kennels　again；　the　less　chance　there　is　of　trouble。　And　Master　and　I　will　come　to　see　you　there；　every　single　day；　till　we　go　back　home。〃

A　week　later；　the　car　turned　in　again　at　the　gates　of　the　Place。　This　time；　Lad　rode　in　state　atop　the　flat　trunk　on　the　rear　seat。　As　the　car　halted　at　the　veranda；　he　sprang　to　earth　without　waiting　for　the　tonneau　door　to　be　opened。

For；　dashing　toward　him　from　the　direction　of　the　lake；　Lady　hove　in　sight。　Behind　her；　and　trotting　more　leisurely；　came　Wolf。　At　sight　and　scent　of　her　returned　mate；　Lady　fairly　squealed　with　delight。　She　whirled　up　to　Lad；　frantically　licking　his　face　and　spinning　about　him　with　little　staccato　yelps　of　joy。

Lad　was　deliriously　happy。　Not　only　was　he　at　home　again；　but　Lady　was　welcoming　him　with　an　effusion　that　she　had　not　shown　him　for　many　a　sorrowful　month。　He　could　not　understand　it。　Nor　did　he　try　to。　He　was　content　to　accept　the　miracle；　and　to　rejoice　in　it　with　all　his　great　honest　heart。

Knowing　nothing　of　feminine　psychology；　he　could　not　realize　that　a　week　of　Puppy　Wolf's　sole　and　undiluted　companionship　had　bored　Lady　horribly　and　had　begun　to　get　on　her　nerves；nor　that　she　had　learned　to　miss　and　yearn　for　the　big；　wise；　ever…gentle　mate　whom　she　had　so　long　neglected。

It　was　enough　for　Lad　to　know　that　he　was　no　longer　a　neglected　outsider；　in　the　Place's　canine　family；　but　that　his　worshiped　mate　was　wild　with　joy　to　see　him　again。

〃Look！〃　said　the　Master。　〃The　old　chap　has　forgiven　her　for　every　bit　of　her　rottenness　to　him。　He's　insanely　happy；　just　because　she　chooses　to　make　much　of　him；　once　more。〃

〃Yes；〃　assented　the　Mistress；　cryptically　〃Sometimes　dogs　are　pitifullyhuman！〃



CHAPTER　VI。　The　Tracker

The　child's　parents　were　going　to　Europe　for　three　months；　that　winter。　The　child　himself　was　getting　over　a　nervous　ailment。　The　doctors　had　advised　he　be　kept　out　of　school　for　a　term；　and　be　sent　to　the　country。

His　mother　was　afraid　the　constant　travel　from　place　to　place；　in　Europe；　might　be　too　much　for　him。　So　she　asked　leave　of　the　Mistress　and　the　Master；one　of　whom　was　her　distant　relative；for　the　convalescent　to　stay　at　the　Place　during　his　parents'　absence。

That　was　how　it　all　started。

The　youngster　was　eleven　years　old；　lank　and　gangling；　and　blest　with　a　fretful　voice　and　with　far　less　discipline　and　manners　than　a　three…month　collie　pup。　His　name　was　Cyril。　Briefly；　he　was　a　pest；an　unspeakable　pest。

For　the　first　day　or　two　at　the　Place；　the　newness　of　his　surroundings　kept　Cyril　more　or　less　in　bounds。　Then；　as　homesickness　and　novelty　alike　wore　off；　his　adventurous　soul　expanded。

He　was　very　much　at　home；　far　more　so　than　were　his　hosts；　and　infinitely　more　pleased　than　they　with　the　situation　in　general。　He　had　an　infinite　genius　for　getting　into　trouble。　Not　in　the　delightfully　normal　fashion　of　the　average　growing　boy；　but　in　furtively　crafty　ways　that　did　not　belong　to　healthy　childhood。

Day　by　day；　Cyril　impressed　his　odd　personality　more　and　more　on　everything　around　him。　The　atmosphere　of　sweet　peace　which　had　brooded；　like　a　blessing；　over　the　whole　Place；　was　dispersed。

The　cook；a　marvel　of　culinary　skill　and　of　long　service；　gave　tearful　warning；　and　departed。　This　when　she　found　the　insides　of　all　her　cooking　utensils　neatly　soaped；　and　the　sheaf　of　home…letters　in　her　work…box　replaced　by　cigar…coupons。

One　of　the　workmen　threw　over　his　job　with　noisy　blasphemy；　when　his　room　above　the　stables　was　invaded　by　stealth　and　a　comic…paper　picture　of　a　goat's　head　substituted　for　his　dead　mother's　photograph　in　the　well…polished　little　bronze　frame　on　his　bureau。

And　so　on；　all　along　the　line。

The　worst　and　most　continuous　sufferer　from　Cyril's　loathed　presence　on　the　Place　was　the　massive　collie；　Lad。

The　child　learned；　on　the　first　day　of　his　visit；　that　it　would　be　well…nigh　as　safe　to　play　with　a　handful　of　dynamite　as　with　Lad's　gold…and…white　mate；　Lady。　Lady　did　not　care　for　liberties　from　anyone。　And　she　took　no　pains　to　mask　her　snappish　first…sight　aversion　to　the　lanky　Cyril。　Her　fiery　little　son；　Wolf；　was　scarce　less　formidable　than　she；　when　it　came　to　being　teased　by　an　outsider。　But　gallant　old　Lad　was　safe　game。

He　was　safe　game　for　Cyril；　because　Lad's　mighty　heart　and　soul　were　miles　above　the　possibility　of　resenting　anything　from　so　pitifully　weak　and　defenseless　a　creature　as　this　child。　He　seemed　to　realize；　at　a　glance；　that　Cyril　was　an　invalid　and　helpless　and　at　a　physical　disadvantage。　And；　as　ever　toward　the　feeble；　his　big　nature　went　out　in　friendly　protection　to　this　gangling　wisp　of　impishness。

Which　was　all　the　good　it　did　him。

In　fact；　it　laid　the　huge　collie　open　to　an　endless　succession　of　torment。　For　the　dog's　size　and　patience　seemed　to　awaken　every　atom　of　bullying　cruelty　in　the　small　visitor's　nature。

Cyril；　from　the　hour　of　his　arrival；　found　acute　bliss　in　making　Lad's　life　a　horror。　His　initial　step　was　to　respond　effusively　to　the　collie's　welcoming　advances；　so　long　as　the　Mistress　and　the　Master　chanced　to　be　in　the　room。　As　they　passed　out；　the　Mistress　chanced　to　look　back。

She　saw　Cyril　pull　a　bit　of　cake　from　his　pocket　and；　with　his　left　hand；　proffer　it　to　Lad。　The　tawny　dog　stepped　courteously　forward　to　accept　the　gift。　As　his　teeth　were　about　to　close　daintily　on　the　cake；　Cyril　whipped　it　back　out　of　reach；　and　with　his　other　hand　rapped　Lad　smartly　across　the　nose。

Had　any　grown　man　ventured　a　humiliating　and　painful　trick　of　that　sort　on　Lad；　the　collie　would　have　been　at　the　tormentor's　throat；　on　the　instant。　But　it　was　not　in　the　great　dog's　nature　to　attack　a　child。　Shrinking　back；　in　amaze；　his　abnormally　sensitive　feelings　jarred；　the　collie　retreated　majestically　to　his　beloved　〃cave〃　under　the　music…room　piano。

To　the　Mistress's　remonstrance；　Cyril　denied　most　earnestly　that　he　had　done　the　thing。　Nor　was　his　vehemently　tearful　denial　shaken　by　her　assertion　that　she　had　seen　it　all。

Lad　soon　forgave　the　affront。　And　he　forgave　a　dozen　other　and　worse　mal…treatments　which　followed。　But；　at　last；　the　dog　took　to　shunning　the　neighborhood　of　the　pest。　That　availed　him　nothing；　except　to　make　Cyril　seek　him　out　in　whatsoever　refuge　the　dog　had　chosen。

Lad；　trotting　hungrily　to　his　dinner　dish；　would　find　his　food　thick…strewn　with　cayenne　pepper　or　else　soaked　in　reeking　gasoline。

Lad；　seeking　peace　and　solitude　in　his　piano　cave；　would　discover　his　rug；　there；　cleverly　scattered　with　carpet　tacks；　points　upward。

Lad；　starting　up　from　a　snooze　at　the　Mistress's　call；　would　be　deftly　tripped　as　he　started　to　bound　down　the　veranda　steps；　and　would　risk　bruises　and　fractures　by　an　ugly　fall　to　the　driveway　below。

Wherever　Lad　went；　whatever　Lad　did；　there　was　a　cruel　trick　awaiting　him。　And；　in　time；　the　dog's　dark　eyes　took　on　an　expression　of　puzzled　unhappiness　that　went　straight　to　the　hearts　of　the　two　humans　who　loved　him。

All　his　life；　Lad　had　been　a　privileged　character　on　the　Place。　Never　had　he　known　nor　needed　whip　or　chain。　Never　had　he；or　any　of　the　Place's　other　dogs；been　wantonly　teased　by　any　human。　He　had　known；　and　had　given；　only　love　and　square　treatment　and　stanch　friendliness。　He　had　ruled　as　benevolent　monarch　of　the　Place's　Little　People；　had　given　loyal　service　to　his　two　deities；　the　Mistress　and　the　Master；　and　had　stood　courteously　aloof　from　the　rest　of　mankind。　And　he　had　been　very；　very　happy。

Now；　in　a　breath；　all　this　was　changed。　Ever　at　his　heels；　ever　waiting　to　find　some　new　way　to　pester　him；　was　a　human　too　small　and　too　weak　to　attack；a　human　who　was　forever　setting　the　collie's　high…strung　nerves　on　edge　or　else　actively　hurting　him。　Lad　could　not　understand　it。　And　as　the　child　gained　in　health　and　strength；　Lad's　lot　grew　increasingly　miserable。

The　Mistress　and　the　Master　were　keenly　aware　of　conditions。　And　they　did　their　best；a　useless　best；to　mitigate　them　for　the　dog。　They　labored　over　Cyril；　to　make　him　leave　Lad　alone。　They　pointed　out　to　him　the　mean　cowardice　of　his　course　of　torture。　They　even　threatened　to　send　him　to　nearer　relatives　until　his　parents'　return。　All　in　vain。　Faced　with　the　most　undeniable　proofs；　the　child　invariably　would　lie。　He　denied　that　he　had　ever　ill…used　Lad　in　any　way；　and　would　weep；　in　righteous　indignation；　at　the　charges。　What　was　to　be　done？

〃I　thought　it　would　brighten　up　the　house　so；　to　have　a　child　in

it　again！〃　sighed　the　Mistress　as　she　and　her　husband　discussed　the　matter；　uselessly；　for　the　fiftieth　time；　after　one　of　these　scenes。　〃I　looked　forward　so　much　to　his　coming　here！　But　he'soh；　he　isn't　like　any　child　I　ever　heard　of　before！〃

〃If　I　could　devote　five　busy　minutes　a　day　to　him；〃　grunted　the　Master；　〃with　an　axe…handle　or　perhaps　a　bale…stick〃

〃You　wouldn't　do　it！〃　denied　his　wife。　〃You　wouldn't　harm　him；　any　more　than　Lad　does。　That's　the　trouble。　If　Cyril　belonged　to　us；　we　could　punish　him。　Not　with　aa　balestick；　of　course。　But　he　needs　a　good　wholesome　spanking；　more　than　anyone　else　I　can　think　of。　That　or　some　other　kind　of　punishment　that　would　make　an　impression　on　him。　But　what　can　we　do？　He　isn't　ours〃

〃Thank　God！〃　interpolated　the　Master；　piously。

〃And　we　can't　punish　other　people's　child；〃　she　finished。　〃I　don't　know　what　we　CAN　do。　I　wouldn't　mind　half　so　much　about　the　other　sneaky　things　he　does；　if　it　wasn't　for　the　way　he　treats　Laddie。　I〃

〃Suppose　we　send　Lad　to　the　boarding　kennels；　at　Ridgewood；　till　the　brat　is　gone？　〃　suggested　the　Master。　〃I　hate　to　do　it。　And　the　good　old　chap　will　be　blue　with　homesickness　there。　But　at　least　he'll　get　kind　treatment。　When　he　comes　over　to　m