further adventures of lad-第22部分

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ped　over　an　outcrop　of　rock；　and　tumbled　into　a　drift。　Getting　to　his　feet；　he　sought　to　regain　the　fence；　but　the　fall　had　shaken　his　senses　and　he　floundered　off　in　the　opposite　direction。　After　a　rod　or　two　of　such　futile　plunging；　a　stumbling　step　took　him　clean　off　the　edge　of　the　world；　and　into　the　air。

All　this；　for　the　merest　instant。　Then；　he　landed　with　a　jounce　in　a　heap　of　brush　and　dead　leaves。　Squatting　there；　breathless；　he　stretched　out　his　mittened　hand；　along　the　ground。　At　the　end　of　less　than　another　yard　of　this　exploring；　his　fingers　came　again　to　the　edge　of　the　world　and　were　thrust　out　over　nothingness。

With　hideous　suddenness；　Cyril　understood　where　he　was；　and　what　had　happened　to　him　and　why。　He　knew　he　had　followed　the　fence　for　a　full　　mile；　AWAY　from　the　road；　through　the　nearer　woods；　and　gradually　upward　until　he　had　come　the　line　of　hazels　on　the　lip　of　the　ninety…foot　ravine　which　dipped　down　into　a　swamp…stretch　known　as　〃Pancake　Hollow。〃

That　was　what　he　had　done。　In　trying　to　skirt　the　hazels；　he　had　stepped　over　the　cliff…edge；　and　had　dropped　five　feet　or　more　to　a　rather　narrow　ledge　that　juts　out　over　the　ravine。

Well　did　he　remember　this　ledge。　More　than　once；　on　walks　with　the　Mistress　and　the　Master；　he　had　paused　to　look　down　on　it　and　to　think　fun　it　would　be　to　imprison　someone　there　and　to　stand　above；　guying　the　victim。　It　had　been　a　sweet　thought。　And　now；　he；　himself；　was　imprisoned　there。

But　for　luck；　he　might　have　fallen　the　whole　ninety　feet；　for　the　ledge　did　not　extend　far　along　the　face　of　the　cliff。　At　almost　any　other　spot　his　tumble　might　have　meant

Cyril　shuddered　a　little；　and　pursued　the　grisly　theme　no　further。　He　was　safe　enough；　till　help　should　come。　And；　here；　the　blast　of　the　wind　did　not　reach　him。　Also；　by　cuddling　low　in　the　litter　of　leaves　and　fallen　brush；　he　could　ward　off　a　little　of　the　icy　cold。

He　crouched　there；　shaking　and　worn　out。　He　was　only　eleven。　His　fragile　body　had　undergone　a　fearful　hour　of　toil　and　hardship。　As　he　was　drawing　in　his　breath　for　a　cry　to　any　chance　searchers；　the　boy　was　aware　of　a　swift　pattering；　above　his　head。　He　looked　up。　The　sky　was　shade　or　two　less　densely　black　than　the　ravine　edge。　As　Cyril　gazed　in　terror；　a　shaggy　dark　shape　outlined　itself　against　the　sky…line；　just　above　him。

Having　followed　the　eccentric　footsteps　of　the　wanderer；　with　great　and　greater　difficulty；　to　the　fence…lee　where　the　tracing　was　much　easier；　Lad　came　to　the　lip　of　the　ravine　a　bare　five　minutes　after　the　child's　drop　to　the　ledge。

There；　for　an　instant；　the　great　dog　stood；　ears　cocked；　head　inquiringly　on　one　side；　looking　down　upon　the　ledge。　Cyril　shrank　to　a　quivering　little　heap　of　abject　terror；　at　sight　of　the　indistinct　animal　shape　looming　mountain…high　above

This　for　the　briefest　moment。　Then　back　went　Lad's　head　in　a　pealing　bark　that　seemed　to　fill　the　world　and　to　reecho　from　a　myriad　directions　at　once。　Again　and　again；　Lad　gave　clamorous　voice　to　his　discovery　of　the　lost　child。

On　a　clear　or　windless　night；　his　racket　must　have　penetrated　to　the　dullest　ears　at　the　Place；　and　far　beyond。　For　the　bark　of　a　dog　has　more　carrying　power　than　has　any　other　sound　of　double　its　volume。　But；　in　the　face　of　a　sixty…mile　gale　laden　with　tons　of　flying　snow；　the　report　of　a　cannon　could　scarce　have　carried　over　the　stretch　of　windswept　ground　between　the　ravine　and　the　Place。

Lad　seemed　to　understand　this。　For；　after　a　dozen　thunderous　barks；　he　fell　silent；　and　stood　again；　head　on　one　side；　in　thought。

At　first　sound　of　the　barking；　Cyril　had　recognized　the　dog。　And　his　terror　had　vanished。　In　its　place　surged　a　peevish　irritation　against　the　beast　that　had　so　frightened　him。　He　groped　for　a　rock…fragment　to　hurl　up　at　the　rackety　collie。

Then；　the　child　paused　in　his　fumbling。　The　dog　had　scant　reason　to　love　him　or　to　seek　his　society。　Of　late；　Lad　had　kept　out　of　his　way　as　much　as　possible。　Thus　it　was　not　likely　the　collie　had　come　here　of　his　own　accord；　on　such　a　night；　for　the　mere　joy　of　being　with　his　tormentor。

His　presence　must　mean　that　the　Master　was　close　behind；　and　that　the　whole　Place　was　in　a　ferment　of　anxiety　about　the　wanderer。　By　stoning　Lad　away　and　checking　the　barks；　Cyril　might　well　prevent　the　searchers　from　finding　him。　Too　weak　and　too　numb　with　cold　to　climb　up　the　five…foot　cliff…face　to　the　level　ground　above；　he　did　not　want　to　miss　any　chance　for　rescue。

Hence；　as　Lad　ceased　to　bark；　the　child　set　up　a　yell；　with　all　his　slight　lung…power；　to　attract　the　seekers'　notice。　He　ordered　Lad　to　〃Speak！〃　and　shook　his　fist　angrily　at　the　dog；　when　no　answering　bark　followed。

Despairing　of　making　anyone　hear　his　trumpeting　announcement　that　he　had　found　the　child；　Lad　presently　made　up　his　mind　as　to　the　only　course　that　remained。　Wheeling　about；　head　down；　he　faced　the　storm　again；　and　set　off　at　what　speed　he　could　compass；　toward　home；　to　lead　the　Master　to　the　spot　where　Cyril　was　trapped。　This　seemed　the　only　expedient　left。　It　was　what　he　had　done；　long　ago；　when　Lady　had　caught　her　foot　in　a　fox…trap；　back　in　the　woods。

As　the　dog　vanished　from　against　the　gray…black　sky…line；　Cyril　set　up　a　howl　of　wrathful　command　to　him　to　come　back。　Anything　was　better　than　to　be　in　this　dreary　spot　alone。　Besides；　with　Lad　gone；　how　could　Lad's　Master　find　the　way　to　the　ledge？

Twice　the　child　called　after　the　retreating　collie。　And；　in　another　few　steps；　Lad　had　halted　and　begun　to　retrace　his　way　toward　the　ledge。

He　did　not　return　because　of　Cyril's　call。　He　had　learned；　by　ugly　experience；　to　disregard　the　child's　orders。　They　were　wont　to　mean　much　unpleasantness　for　him。　Nevertheless；　Lad　halted。　Not　in　obedience　to　the　summons；　but　because　of　a　sound　and　a　scent　that　smote　him　as　he　started　to　gallop　away。　An　eddy　of　the　wind　had　borne　both　to　the　dog's　acute　senses。

Stiffening；　his　curved　eyeteeth　baring　themselves；　his　hackles　bristling；　Lad　galloped　back　to　the　ravine…lip；　and　stood　there　sniffing　the　icy　air　and　growling　deep　in　his　throat。　Looking　down　to　the　ledge　he　saw　Cyril　was　no　longer　its　sole　occupant。　Crouched　at　the　opening　of　a　crevice；　not　ten　feet　from　the　unseeing　child；　was　something　bulky　and　sinister；　a　mere　menacing　blur　against　the　darker　rock。

Crawling　home　to　its　lair；　supper…less　and　frantic　with　hunger；　after　a　day　of　fruitless　hunting　through　the　dead　forest　world；　a　giant　wildcat　had　been　stirred　from　its　first　fitful　slumber　in　the　ledge's　crevice　by　the　impact　of　the　child　upon　the　heap　of　leaves。　The　human　scent　had　startled　the　creature　and　it　had　slunk　farther　back　into　　the　crevice。　The　more　so　when　the　bark　and　inimical　odor　of　a　big　dog　were　added　to　the　shattering　of　the　ravine's　solitude。

Then　the　dog　had　gone　away。　Curiosity；the　besetting　trait　of　the　cat　tribe；had　mastered　the　crevice's　dweller。　The　wildcat　had　wriggled　noiselessly　forward　a　little　way；　to　learn　what　manner　of　enemy　had　invaded　its　lair。　And；　peering　out；　it　had　beheld　a　spindling　child；　a　human　atom；　without　strength　or　weapon。

Fear　changed　to　fury　in　the　bob…cat's　feline　heart。　Here　was　no　opponent；　but　a　mere　item　of　prey。　And；　with　fury；　stirred　long…unsatisfied　hunger；　the　famine　hunger　of　mid…winter　which　makes　the　folk　of　the　wilderness　risk　capture　or　death　by　raiding　guarded　hencoops。

Out　from　the　crevice　stole　the　wildcat。　Its　ears　were　flattened　close　to　its　evil　head。　Its　yellow　eyes　were　mere　slits　of　fire。　Its　claws　unsheathed　themselves　from　the　furry　pads；long；　hooked　claws；　capable　of　disemboweling　a　grown　deer　at　one　sabre…stroke　of　the　muscular　hindlegs。　Into　the　rubble　and　litter　of　the　ledge　the　claws　sank；　and　receded；　in　rhythmic　motion。

The　compact　yellow　body　tightened　into　a　ball。　The　back　quivered。　The　feet　braced　themselves。　The　cat　was　gauging　its　distance　and　making　ready　for　a　murder…spring。　Cyril；　his　head　turned　the　other　way；　was　still　peering　up　along　the　cliff…edge　for　sight　of　Lad。

This　was　what　Lad's　scent　and　hearing；and　perhaps　something　else；had　warned　him　of；　in　that　instant　of　the　wind's　eddying　shift。　And　this　was　the　scene　he　looked　down　upon；　now；　from　the　ravine…lip；　five　feet　above。

The　collie　brain；though　never　the　collie　heart；is　wont　to　flash　back；　in　moments　of　mortal　stress；　to　the　ancestral　wolf。　Never　in　his　own　life　had　Sunnybank　Lad　set　eyes　on　a　wildcat。　But；　in　the　primal　forests；　wolf　and　bob…cat　had　perforce　met　and　clashed；　a　thousand　times。　There　they　had　begun　and　had　waged　the　eternal　cat…and…dog　feud；　of　the　ages。

Ancestry　now　told　Lad　that　there　is　perhaps　no　more　murderously　dangerous　foe　than　an　angry　wildcat。　Ancestry　also　told　him　a　wolf's　one　chance　of　certain　victory　in　such　a　contest。　Ancestry's　aid　was　not　required；　to　tell　him　the　mortal　peril　awaiting　this　human　child　who　had　so　grievously　and　causelessly　tormented　him。　But　the　great　loyal　heart；　in　this　stark　moment；　took　no　thought　of　personal　grudges。　There　was　but　one　thing　to　do；one　perilous；　desperate　chance　to　take；　if　the　child　were　to　be　saved。

The　wildcat　sprang。

Such　a　leap　could　readily　have　carried　it　across　double　the　space　which　lay　between　it　and　Cyril。　But　not　one…third　of　that　space　was　covered　in　the　lightning　pounce。

From　the　upper　air；apparently　from　nowhere；a　huge　shaggy　body　launched　itself　straight　downward。　As　unerringly　as　the　swoop　of　an　eagle；　the　down…whizzing　bulk　flew。　It　smote　the　leaping　wildcat；　in　mid…flight。

A　set　of　mighty　jaws；jaws　that　could　crack　a　beef…bone　as　a　man　cracks　a　filbert；clove　deep　and　unerringly　into　the　cat's　back；　just　behind　the　shoulders。　And　those　jaws　flung　all　their　strength　into　the　ravening　grip。

A　squall；hideous　in　its　unearthly　clangor；split　the　night　silences。　The　maddened　cat　whirled　about；　spitting　and　yowling；　and　set　its　foaming　teeth　in　the　dog's　fur…armored　shoulder。　But　before　the　terrible　curved　claws　could　be　called　into　action；　Lad's　rending　jaws　had　done　their　work　upon　the　spine。

To　the　verge　of　the　narrow　ledge　the　two　combatants　had　rolled　in　their　unloving　embrace。　Its　last　lurch　of　agony　carped　the　stricken　wildcat　over　the　edge　and　out　the　ninety…foot　drop　into　the　ravine。　Lad　was　all…but　c