further adventures of lad-第30部分

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ng　it。

But；　after　sunset；　the　smoke　became　too　pervasive　to　be　ignored　longer。　It　was　not　only　stinging　his　throat　and　lungs；　but　it　was　making　his　eyes　smart。　And　it　had　cut　off　the　view　of　all　save　the　nearer　mountain…peaks。

Lad　got　to　his　feet；　whining　softly；　under　his　breath。　Ancestral　instinct　was　fairly　shouting　to　his　brain　that　here　was　terrible　peril。　He　strained　at　his　thick　rope；　and　looked　imploringly　down　the　wagon…road。

The　wind　had　swelled　into　something　like　a　gale。　And；　now；　to　Lad's　keen　ears　came　the　far…off　snap　and　crack　of　a　million　dry　twigs　as　the　flame　kissed　them　in　its　fast…crawling　advance。　This　sharper　sound　rose　and　fell；　as　a　theme　to　the　endless　and　slowly…augmenting　roar　which　had　been　perceptible　for　hours。

Again；　Laddie　strained　at　his　heavy　rope。　Again；　his　smoke…stung　eyes　explored　the　winding　trail　down　the　mountain。　No　longer　was　the　trail　so　distinguishable　as　before。　Not　only　by　reason　of　darkness；　but　because　from　that　direction　came　the　bulk　of　the　eddying　gusts　of　wind…driven　smoke。

The　fire's　mounting　course　was　paralleling　the　trail；　checked　from　crossing　it　only　by　a　streambed　and　an　outcrop　of　granite　which　zigzagged　upward　from　the　valley。　The　darkness　served　also　to　tinge　the　lowering　sky　to　south　and　to　westward　with　a　steadily　brightening　lurid　glare。　The　Master　had　been　right　in　his　glum　prophecy　that　a　strong　and　sudden　shift　of　wind　would　carry　the　conflagration　through　the　tinder…dry　undergrowth　and　dead　trees　of　that　side　of　the　mountain；　far　faster　than　any　body　of　fire…fighters　could　hope　to　check　it。

The　flame…reflection　began　to　light　the　open　spaces　below　the　knoll；　with　increasing　vividness。　The　chill　of　early　evening　was　counteracted　waves　of　sullen　heat；　which　the　wind　sent　swirling　before　it。

Lad　panted；　from　warmth　as　much　as　from　nervousness。　He　had　gone　all　day　without　water。　And　a　collie；　more　perhaps　than　any　other　dog；　needs　plenty　of　fresh；　cool　water　to　drink；　at　any　and　all　times。　The　hot　wind　and　the　smoke　were　parching　his　throat。　His　thirst　was　intolerable。

Behind　him；　not　very　many　yards　away；　was　the　ice…cold　mountain　lakelet　in　which　so　often　he　had　bathed　and　drunk。　The　thought　of　it　made　him　hate　the　stout　rope。

But　he　made　no　serious　effort　to　free　himself。　He　had　been　tied　there；supposedly　by　the　Master's　command。　And；　as　a　well…trained　dog；　it　was　his　place　to　stay　where　he　was；　until　the　Master　should　free　him。　So；　apart　from　an　instinctive　tug　or　two　at　his　moorings；　he　submitted　to　his　fate。

But；　in　mid…evening；　something　occurred；　to　change　his　viewpoint；　in　this　matter　of　nonresistance。

The　line　of　fire；　climbing　the　mountain　toward　him；　had　encountered　a　marshy　stretch；　where；　in　normal　weather；　water　stood　inches　deep。　Despite　the　drought；　there　was　still　enough　moisture　to　stay　the　advance　of　the　red　line　until　the　dampness　could　be　turned　to　dust　and　tindery　vegetation。　And；　in　the　meanwhile；　after　the　custom　of　its　kind；　the　fire　had　sought　to　spread　to　either　side。　Stopped　at　the　granite…outcrop　to　the　right；　it　had　rolled　faster　through　the　herbage　to　the　left。


Thus；　by　the　time　the　morass　was　dry　enough　for　the　flame　to　pass　it；　there　was　a　great　sickle　of　crawling　red　fire　to　the　left；　which　encircled　a　whole　flank　of　the　mountain　and　which　was　moving　straight　upward。

Lad　knew　nothing　of　this；　nor　why　the　advance　of　the　fire's　direct　line　had　been　so　long　checked。　Nor　did　he　know；　presumably；　that　this　sickle　of　flame　was　girdling　the　mountain…flank；　like　a　murderous　net；　hemming　in　all　live　things　within　the　flaming　arc　and　forcing　them　on　in　panic；　ahead　of　its　advance。　Perhaps　he　did　not　even　note　the　mad　scurryings　in　undergrowth　and　bramble；　in　front　of　the　oncoming　blaze。　But　one　thing；　very　speedily；　became　apparent　to　him：

From　out　a　screen　of　hazel　and　witch…elm　（almost　directly　in　front　of　the　place　where　the　truck；　that　morning；　had　been　loaded）　crashed　a　right　hideous　object。　By　sight　and　by　scent　Lad　knew　the　creature　for　his　olden　foe；　the　giant　black　bear。

Growling；　squealing；　a　dozen　stinging　fiery　sparks　sizzling　through　his　bushy　coat；　the　bear　tore　his　way　from　the　hedge　of　thicket　and　out　into　the　open。　The　fire　had　roused　him　from　his　snug　lair　and　had　driven　him　ahead　of　it　with　a　myriad　hornets　of　flame；　in　a　crazed　search　for　safety。

At　sight　of　the　formidable　monster；　Lad　realized　for　the　first　time　the　full　extent　of　his　own　helplessness。　Tethered　to　a　rope　which　gave　him　scarce　twenty…five　inches　of　leeway；　he　was　in　no　fit　condition　to　fend　off　the　giant's　assault。

He　wasted　no　time　in　futile　struggles。　All　his　race's　uncanny　powers　of　resource　came　rushing　to　his　aid。　Without　an　instant's　pause；　he　wheeled　about；　and　drove　his　keen　teeth　into　the　rope　that　bound　him　to　the　post。

Lad　did　not　chew　aimlessly　at　the　thick　tether；　nor　throw　away　one　ounce　of　useless　energy。　Seizing　the　hempen　strands；　he　ground　his　teeth　deeply　and　with　scientific　skill；　into　their　fraying　recesses。　Thus　does　a　dog；　addicted　to　cutting　his　leash；　attack　the　bonds　which　hold　him。

It　was　Lad's　first　experience　of　the　kind。　But　instinct　served　him　well。　The　fact　that　the　rope　had　been　left　out　of　doors；　in　all　weathers；　for　several　years；　served　him　far　better。　Not　only　did　it　sever　the　more　easily；　but　it　soon　lost　the　cohesion　needed　for　resisting　any　strong　pull。

The　bear；　lurching　half…blindly；　had　reeled　out　into　the　open；　below　the　knoll。　There；　panting　and　grunting；　he　turned　to　blink　at　the　oncoming　fire　and　to　get　his　direction。　For　perhaps　a　half…minute　he　stood　thus；　or　made　little　futile　rushes　from　side　to　side。　And　this　breathing　space　was　taken　up　by　Lad　in　the　gnawing　of　the　rope。

Then；　while　the　collie　was　still　toiling　over　the　hempen　mouthfuls；　the　bear　seemed　to　recover　his　own　wonted　cleverness；　and　to　realize　his　whereabouts。　Straight　up　the　hillock　he　charged；　toward　the　lean…to；　his　splay　feet　dislodging　innumerable　surface　stones　from　the　rocky　steep；　and　sending　them　behind　him　in　a　series　of　tiny　avalanches。

Lad；　one　eye　ever　on　his　foe；　saw　the　onrush。　Fiercely　he　redoubled　his　efforts　to　bite　through　the　rope；　before　the　bear　should　be　upon　him。　But　the　task　was　not　one　to　be　achieved　in　a　handful　of　seconds。

Moving　with　a　swiftness　amazing　for　an　animal　of　his　clumsy　bulk；　the　bear　swarmed　up　the　hillock。　He　gained　the　summit；　not　three　yards　from　where　Laddie　struggled。　And　the　collie　knew　the　rope　was　not　more　than　half　gnawed　through。　There　was　no　further　time　for　biting　at　it。　The　enemy　was　upon　him。

Fear　did　not　enter　the　big　dog's　soul。　Yet　he　grieved　that　the　death…battle　should　find　him　so　pitifully　ill…prepared。　And；　abandoning　the　work　of　self…release；　he　flung　himself　ragingly　at　the　advancing　bear。

Then；　two　things　happened。　Two　things；　on　neither　of　which　the　dog　could　have　counted。　The　bear　was　within　a　hand's　breadth　of　him；　and　was　still　charging；　headlong。　But　he　looked　neither　to　right　nor　to　left。　Seemingly　ignorant　of　Lad's　presence；　the　huge　brute　tore　past　him；　almost　grazing　the　collie　in　his　insane　rush；　and　sped　straight　on　toward　the　lake　beyond。

That　was　one　of　the　two　unforeseen　happenings。　The　other　was　the　snapping　of　the　rotted　rope；　under　the　wrench　of　Lad's　furious　leap。

Free；　and　with　the　severed　rope's　loop　still　dangling　uselessly　from　around　his　shaggy　throat；　the　dog　stood　staring　in　blank　amaze　after　his　former　adversary。　He　saw　the　bear　reach　the　margin　of　the　icy　lake　and　plunge　nose　deep　into　its　sheltering　waters。　Here；　as　Bruin's　instinct　or　experience　had　foretold；　no　forest　fire　could　harm　him。　He　need　but　wallow　there　until　the　Red　Terror　should　have　swept　past　and　until　the　scorched　ground　should　be　once　more　cool　enough　to　walk　on。

Lad　turned　again　toward　the　slope。　He　was　free；　now；　to　follow　the　wagon　track　to　the　main　road　and　so　homeward；　guided　perhaps　by　memory；　perhaps　by　scent；　most　probably　guided　by　the　mystic　sixth　sense　which　has　more　than　once　enabled　collies　to　find　their　way；　over　hundreds　of　miles　of　strange　territory；　back　to　their　homes。

But；　in　the　past　few　minutes；　the　fire's　serpent…like　course　had　taken　a　new　twist。　It　had　flung　volleys　of　sparks　across　the　upper　reach　of　granite　rock…wall；　and　had　ignited　dry　wood　and　brier　on　the　right　hand　side　of　the　track。　This；　far　up　the　mountain；　almost　at　the　very　foot　of　the　rock…hillock。

The　way　to　home　was　barred　by　a　three…foot…high　crackling　fence　of　red…gold　flame；　a　flame　which　nosed　hungrily　against　the　barren　rocks　of　the　knoll…foot；　as　if　seeking　in　ravenous　famine　the　fuel　their　bare　surfaces　denied　it。

And　now；　the　side　of　the　hillock　showed　other　signs　of　forest　life。　Up　the　steep　slope　thundered　a　six…antlered　buck；　snorting　shrilly　in　panic　and　flying　toward　the　cool　refuge　of　the　little　lake。

Far　more　slowly；　but　with　every　tired　muscle　astrain；　a　fat　porcupine　was　mounting　the　hill；　its　claws　digging　frantically　for　foothold　among　the　slippery　stones。　It　seemed　to　flow；　rather　than　to　run。　And　as　it　hurried　on；　it　chuckled　and　scolded；　like　some　idiot　child。

A　bevy　of　squirrels　scampered　past　it。　A　long　snake；　roused　from　its　stony　winter　lair；　writhed　eerily　up　the　slope；　heedless　of　its　fellow　travelers'　existence。　A　raccoon　was　breasting　the　steep；　from　another　angle。　And　behind　it　came　clawing　a　round…paunched　opossum；　grinning　from　the　pain　of　sparks　that　were　stinging　it　to　a　hated　activity。

The　wilderness　was　giving　up　its　secrets；　with　a　vengeance。　And　the　Red　Terror；　as　ever；　was　enforcing　a　truce　among　the　forest…folk；　a　truce　bred　of　stark　fear。　One　and　allof　those　that　had　been　aroused　in　time　to　get　clear　of　the　oncoming　fiery　sicklethe　fugitives　were　making　for　the　cool　safety　of　the　lake。

Lad　scarce　saw　or　noted　any　of　his　companions。　The　road　to　home　was　barred。　And；　again；　ancestral　instinct　and　his　own　alert　wit　came　to　his　aid。　Turning　about；　and　with　no　hint　of　fear　in　his　gait　or　in　the　steady　dark　eyes；　he　trotted　toward　the　lake。

Already　the　bear　had　reached　its　soothing　refuge；　and　was　standing　hip　deep　in　the　black　waters；　now　and　then　ducking　his　head　and　tossing　showers　of　cold　spray　over　his　scorched　shoulder…fur。

Lad　trotted　to　the　brink。　The