further adventures of lad-第31部分

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d　and　tossing　showers　of　cold　spray　over　his　scorched　shoulder…fur。

Lad　trotted　to　the　brink。　There；　stoopingnot　fifty　feet　away　from　Bruinhe　lapped　thirstily　until　he　had　at　last　drunk　his　fill。　Then；　looking　back　once　in　the　direction　of　the　fire…line；　he　lay　down；　very　daintily　indeed；　in　shallow　water；　and　prepared　to　enjoy　his　liberty。　Scourged　by　none　of　the　hideous　fear　which　had　goaded　his　fellow　fugitives；　he　watched　with　grave　interest　the　arrival　of　one　after　another　of　the　refugees；　as　they　came　scurrying　wildly　down　to　the　water。

Lad　was　comfortable。　Here；　the　smoke…reek　stung　less　acutely。　Here；　too；　were　grateful　darkness；　after　the　torrid　glare　of　the　fire；　and　cold　water　and　security。　Here　were　also　many　diverting　creatures　to　watch。　It　would　have　been　pleasant　to　go　home　at　once。　But；　since　that　was　out　of　the　question；　there　were　far　worse　things　than　to　lie　interestedly　at　ease　until　the　Master　should　come　for　him。

The　fire　raged　and　flickered　along　the　base　of　the　bare　rocky　knoll；　and；　finding　no　path　of　advance；　turned　back　on　itself；　fire…fashion；　seeking　new　outlet。　The　thin　line　of　bushes　and　other　undergrowth　at　the　hillock's　foot　were　quickly　consumed；　leaving　only　a　broad　bed　of　ember　and　spark。　And　the　conflagration　swept　on　to　the　left；　over　the　only　course　open　to　it。　To　the　right；　the　multiple　ridges　of　rock　and　the　dearth　of　vegetation　were　sufficient　〃No　Thoroughfare〃　enforcement。

This　same　odd　rock…formation　had　kept　the　wagon　track　clear；　up　to　the　twist　where　it　bore　to　leftward　at　the　base　of　the　knoll。　And　the　Mistress　and　the　Master　were　able　to　guide　their　rattlingly　protesting　car　in　safety　up　the　trail　from　the　main　road　far　below。　The　set　of　the　wind　prevented　them　from　being　blinded　or　confused　by　smoke。　Apart　from　a　smarting　of　the　eyes　and　a　recurrent　series　of　heat　waves；　they　made　the　climb　with　no　great　discomfort；until　the　final　turn　brought　them　to　an　abrupt　halt　at　the　spot　where　the　wide　swath　of　red　coals　and　flaming　ashes　marked　the　burning　of　the　hillock　foot　bushes。

The　Master　jumped　to　earth　and　stood　confronting　the　lurid　stretch　of　ash　and　ember　with；　here　and　there；　a　bush　stump　still　crackling　merrily。　It　was　not　a　safe　barrier　to　cross；　this　twenty…foot…wide　fiery　stretch。　Nor；　for　many　rods　in　either　direction；　was　there　any　way　around　it。

〃There's　one　comfort；〃　the　Master　was　saying；　as　he　began　to　explore　for　an　opening　in　the　red　scarf　of　coals；　〃the　fire　hasn't　gotten　up　to　the　camp…site。　He〃

〃But　the　smoke　has；〃　said　the　Mistress；　who　had　been　peering　vainly　through　the　hazecurtain　toward　the　summit。　〃And　so　has　the　heat。　If　only〃

She　broke　off；　with　a　catch　in　her　sweet　voice。　And；　scarce　realizing　what　she　did；　she　put　the　silver　whistle　to　her　lips　and　blew　a　piercingly　loud　blast。

〃What's　that　for？〃　asked　the　Master；　crankily；　worry　over　his　beloved　dog　making　his　nerves　raw。　〃If　Lad's　alive；　he's　fastened　there。　You　say　you　saw　him　struggling　to　get　loose；　this　morning。　He　can't　come；　when　he　hears　that　whistle。　There's　no　sense　inHow　in　blue　blazes　he　ever　got　fastened　there；if　he　really　was；is　more　than　I　can〃

〃Hush！〃　begged　the　Mistress；　breaking　in　on　his　grumbled　monologue。　〃Listen！〃

Out　of　the　darkness；　beyond　the　knoll…top；　came　the　sound　of　a　bark；the　clear　trumpeting　welcome…bark　which　Lad　reserved　for　the　Mistress　and　the　Master；　alone；　on　their　return　from　any　absence。

Through　the　night　it　echoed；　gaily；　defiantly；　again　and　again；　ringing　out　above　the　obscene　hiss　and　crackle　and　roar　of　the　forest…fire。　And　at　every　repetition；　it　was　nearer　and　nearer　the　dumfounded　listeners　at　the　knoll　foot。

〃It'sit's　Laddie！〃　cried　the　Mistress；　in　wondering　rapture。　〃Oh；　it's　LADDIE！〃

The　Master；　hearing　the　glad　racket；　did　a　thoroughly　asinine　thing。　Drawing　in　his　breath　and　holding　his　coat　in　front　of　him；　he　prepared　to　make　a　dash　through　the　wide　smear　of　embers；　to　the　hilltop；　where；　presumably；　Lad　was　still　tied。　But；　before　he　could　take　the　first　step；　the　Mistress　stayed　him。

〃Look！〃　she　cried；　pointing　to　the　hither　side　of　the　knoll；　lividly　bright　in　the　ember…glow。

Down　the　steep　was　galloping　at　breakneck　speed　a　great；　tawny　shape。　Barking　rapturously；even　as　　he　had　barked　when　first　the　whistle's　blast　had　roused　him　from　his　lazy　repose　in　the　lakeside　shallows；Lad　　came　whizzing　toward　the　two　humans　who　watched　so　incredulously　his　wild　approach。

The　Master；　belatedly；　saw　that　the　collie　could　not　avoid　crashing　into　the　spread　of　embers；　and　he　opened　his　mouth　to　order　Lad　back。　But　there　was　not　time。

For　once；　the　wise　dog　took　no　heed　of　even　the　simplest　caution。　His　lost　and　adored　deities　had　called　him　and　were　awaiting　him。　That　was　all　Lad　knew　or　cared。　They　had　come　back　for　him。　His　horrible　vigil　and　loneliness　and　his　deadly　peril　were　ended。

Too　insanely　happy　to　note　where　he　was　treading；　he　sprang　into　the　very　center　of　the　belt　of　smoldering　coals。　His　tiny　white　forefeetdrenched　with　icy　waterdid　not　remain　among　them　long　enough　to　feel　pain。　In　two　more　bounds　he　had　cleared　the　barrier　and　was　dancing　in　crazy　excitement　around　the　Mistress　and　the　Master；　patting　at　them　with　his　scorched　feet；　licking　their　eagerly　caressing　hands；　〃talking〃　in　a　dozen　different　keys　of　rapture；　his　whimpers　and　growls　and　gurgles　running　the　entire　gamut　of　long…pent…up　emotions。

His　coat　and　his　feet　had；　for　hours；　been　immersed　in　the　cold　water　of　the　lake。　And；　he　had　fled　through　the　embers　at　express…train　speed。　Scarce　a　blister　marked　the　hazardous　passage。　But　Lad　would　not　have　cared　for　all　the　blisters　and　burns　on　earth。　His　dear　gods　had　come　back　to　him；even　as　he　had　known　they　would！

Once　more；and　for　the　thousandth　timethey　had　justified　his　divine　Faith　in　them。　Nothing　else　mattered。


CHAPTER　IX。　Old　　Dog；　New　Tricks

A　mildewed　maxim　runs：　〃You　can't　teach　an　old　dog　new　tricks。〃

Some　proverbs　live　because　they　are　too　true　to　die。　Others　endure　because　they　have　a　smug　sound　and　because　nobody　has　bothered　to　bury　them。　The　one　about　old　dogs　and　new　tricks　belongs　in　both　categories。　In　a　sense　it　is　true。　In　another　it　is　not。

To　teach　the　average　elderly　dog　to　sit　up　and　beg；　or　to　roll　over　twice；　or　to　do　other　of　the　asinine　things　with　which　humans　stultify　the　natural　good　sense　of　their　canine　chums；　is　as　hard　as　to　teach　a　sixty…year…old　grave…digger　to　become　a　musical　composer。

But　no　dog　with　a　full　set　of　brains　is　ever　past　learning　new　things　which　are　actually　needful　for　him　to　learn。　And；　sad　to　say；　many　an　old　dog；　on　his　own　account；　picks　up　odd　new　accomplishmentsexploits　which　would　never　have　occurred　to　him　in　his　early　prime。　Nobody　knows　why。　But　it　has　happened；　numberless　times。

And　so　it　was　with　Sunnybank　Lad。

Laddie　had　passed　his　twelfth　birthday；　when；　by　some　strange　freak；　he　brought　home　one　day　a　lace　parasol。　He　had　found　it　in　the　highroad；　on　his　way　back　to　the　Place　after　a　sedate　ramble　in　the　forest。　Now；　it　was　nothing　new　for　the　great　collie　to　find　missing　articles　belonging　to　the　Mistress　or　to　the　Master。　Every　now　and　then　he　would　lay　at　their　feet　a　tobacco　pouch　or　a　handkerchief　or　a　bunch　of　keys　that　had　been　dropped；　carelessly；　somewhere　on　the　grounds；　and　which　Lad　recognized；　by　scent；　as　belonging　to　one　of　the　two　humans　he　loved。

These　bits　of　treasure　trove；　he　delighted　in　finding　and　restoring。　Yes；　andthough　those　who　had　never　seen　him　do　this　were　prone　to　doubt　ithe　was　certain　to　lay　the　recovered　object　at　the　feet　of　whichever　of　the　two　had　lost　it。　For　instance；　it　never　occurred　to　him　to　drop　a　filmy　square　of　lace…and…cambric　at　the　muddied　feet　of　the　Master；　or　a　smelly　old　tobacco…pouch　at　the　Mistress's　little　feet。

There　was　nothing　miraculous　about　this　knowledge。　To　a　high…bred　dog；　every　human　of　his　acquaintance　has　a　distinctive　scent；　which　cannot　be　mistaken。　Lad　used　no　occult　power　inn　returning　to　the　rightful　owner　any　article　he　chanced　to　find　on　lawn　or　on　veranda。

But　the　lace　parasol　was　different。　That；　presumably；　had　fallen　from　some　passing　motor…car。　bound　for　Tuxedo　or　for　the　Berkshires。　It　did　not　belong　at　the　Place。

Lad　happened　to　see　it；　lying　there　in　the　highway。　And　he　brought　it；　forthwith；　to　the　house；　carrying　it　daintily　between　his　mighty　jaws；　and　laying　it　on　the　living…room　floor　in　front　of　the　astonished　Mistress。　Probably；　he　laid　it　before　her；　instead　of　before　the　Master；　because　she　was　the　first　of　the　two　whom　he　happened　to　encounter。　It　is　doubtful　if　he　realized　that　a　parasol　is　a　purely　feminine　adjunct；although　the　Mistress　always　declared　he　did。

She　picked　up　the　gift　and　looked　it　over　with　real　admiration。　It　was　a　flimsily　beautiful　and　costly　thing；　whose　ivory　handle　was　deftly　carven　and　set　with　several　uncut　stones；　and　whose　deep　fringe　of　lace　was　true　Venetian　Point。

〃Why；　Laddie！〃　she　exclaimed；　in　wondering　delight。　〃Where　in　the　world　did　you　get　this？　Look！〃　she　went　on；　as　her　husband　came　in　from　his　study。　〃See　what　Laddie　brought　me！　I　saw　him　coming　down　the　drive　with　something　in　his　mouth。　But　I　had　no　idea　what　it　was。　Isn't　it　a　beauty？　Where　do　you　suppose　he？〃

〃As　long　as　motorists　go　around　curves　at　forty　miles　an　hour；〃　decided　the　Master；　〃so　long　their　piled…up　valuables　are　likely　to　be　jostled　out　of　the　tonneau。　I　found　a　satchel；　last　week；　at　the　curve；　up　there；　you　remember；　and　a　hat；　the　week　before。　What　are　you　going　to　do　about　this　thing？〃

〃Oh；〃　said　the　Mistress；　with　a　sigh　of　renunciation；　〃I　suppose　we'll　have　to　advertise　it；　and　watch　the　'Lost　and　Found'　columns；　too。　Butwouldn't　it　be　glorious　if　nobody　should　see　our　advertisement　oror　ever　advertise　for　it？　It's　so　lovely！　I　hate　to　think　it　may　belong　to　somebody　who　can't　appreciate　it　as　I　do。〃

Now；　Laddie　had　lived　on　the　Place　for　many　more　years　than　he　could　remember。　And　he　had　spent　the　bulk　of　that　time　in　studying　the　faces　and　the　voices　and　the　moods　of　these　two　people　whom　he　worshiped。　Moreover；　he　had　an　intelligence　that　is　not　given　to　most　dogs；even　to　colliesand　a　queer　psychic　twist　to　his　brain　that　had　puzzled　his　owners　a