further adventures of lad-第35部分

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The　baby；　industriously　and　unsanitarily　sucking　one　pudgy　thumb；　was　cuddled　down　to　sleep　in　the　Mistress's　lap。　And；　in　the　depths　of　his　cave　under　the　living…room　piano；　Lad　was　stretched　at　perfect　ease；　his　tiny　white　forepaws　straight　in　front　of　him。

But　his　deep　breathing　was　interrupted；　now　and　then；　by　a　muttered　sigh。　For；　at　last；　one　of　his　beautiful　presents　had　failed　to　cause　happiness　and　praise　from　his　gods。　Instead；　it　had　apparently　turned　the　whole　household　inside　out；　to　judge　by　the　noisy　excitement　and　the　telephoning　and　all。　And；　even　in　sleep；　the　old　dog　felt　justly　chagrined　at　the　way　his　loveliest　present　to　the　Mistress　had　been　received。

It　was　so　hard　to　find　out　what　humans　would　enjoy　and　what　they　wouldn't！



CHAPTER　X。　The　Intruders

It　began　with　a　gap　in　a　line　fence。　The　gap　should　never　have　been　there。　For；　on　the　far　side　of　it　roamed　creatures　whose　chief　zest　in　life　is　the　finding　of　such　gaps　and　in　breaking　through　for　forage。

The　Place's　acreage　ended；　to　northward；　in　the　center　of　an　oak　grove　whose　northern　half　was　owned　by　one　Titus　Romaine；　a　crabbed　little　farmer　of　the　old　school。　Into　his　half　of　the　grove；　in　autumn　when　mast　lay　thick　and　rich　amid　the　tawny　dead　leaves；　Romaine　was　wont　to　turn　his　herd　of　swine。

To　Lad；　the　giant　collie；　this　was　always　a　trying　season。　For　longer　than　he　could　remember；　Lad　had　been　the　official　watchdog　of　the　Place。　And　his　chief　duties　were　to　keep　two…footed　and　four…footed　strays　from　trespassing　thereon。

To　an　inch；　he　knew　the　boundaries　of　the　Master's　land。　And　he　knew　that　no　human　intruder　was　to　be　molested；　so　long　as　such　intruder　had　the　sense　to　walk　straight　down　the　driveway　to　the　house。　But　woe　to　the　tramp　or　other　trespasser　who　chanced　to　come　cross　lots　or　to　wander　in　any　way　off　the　drive！　Woe　also　to　such　occasional　cattle　or　other　livestock　as　drifted　in　from　the　road　or　by　way　of　a　casual　fence…gap！

Human　invaders　were　to　be　met　in　drastic　fashion。　Quadruped　trespassers　were　to　be　rounded　up　and　swept　at　a　gallop　up　the　drive　and　out　into　the　highroad。　With　cattle　or　with　stray　horses　this　was　an　easy　job；。　and　it　contained；　withal；　much　fun；at　least；　for　Lad。

But；　pigs　were　different。

Experience　and　instinct　had　taught　Lad　what　few　humans　realize。　Namely；　that　of　all　created　beasts；　the　pig　is　the　worst　and　meanest　and　most　vicious；　and　hardest　to　drive。　When　a　horse　or　a　cow；　or　a　drove　of　them；　wandered　into　the　confines　of　the　Place；　it　was　simple　and　joyous　to　head　them　off；　turn　them；　set　them　into　a　gallop　and　send　them　on　their　journey　at　top　speed。　It　took　little　skill　and　less　trouble　to　do　this。　Besides；　it　was　gorgeous　sport。　But　pigs！

When　a　porker　wriggled　and　hunched　and　nosed　a　space　in　the　line　fence；　and　slithered　greasily　through；　Lad's　work　was　cut　out　for　him。　It　looked　simple　enough。　But　it　was　not　simple。　Nor　was　it　safe。

In　the　first　instance；　pigs　were　hard　to　start　running。　Oftener　than　not　they　would　stand；　braced；　and　glare　at　the　oncoming　collie　from　out　their　evil　little　red…rimmed　eyes；　the　snouts　above　the　hideous　masked　tushes　quivering　avidly。　That　meant　Lad　must　circle　them；　at　whirlwind　speed；　barking　a　thunderous　fanfare　to　confuse　them；　and　watching　his　chance　to　flash　in　and　nip　ear　or　flank；　or　otherwise　get　the　brutes　to　running。

And；　even　on　the　run；　they　had　an　ugly　way　of　wheeling；　at　close　quarters；　to　face　the　pursuer。　The　razor　tushes　and　the　pronged　forefeet　were　always　ready；　at　such　times；　to　wreak　death　on　the　dog；　unless　he　should　have　the　wit　and　the　skill　and　the　speed　to　change；　in　a　breath；　the　direction　of　his　dash。　No；　pigs　were　not　pleasant　trespassers。　There　was　no　fun　in　routing　them。　And　there　was　real　danger。

Except　by　dint　of　swiftness　and　of　brain；　an　eighty…pound　collie　has　no　chance　against　a　six…hundred…pound　pig。　The　pig's　hide；　for　one　thing；　is　too　thick　to　pierce　with　an　average　slash　or　nip：　And　the　pig　is　too　close　to　earth　and　too　well…balanced　by　build　and　weight；　to　be　overturned：　And　the　tushes　and　forefeet　can　move　with　deceptive　quickness。　Also；　back　of　the　red…rimmed　little　eyes　flickers　the　redder　spirit　of　murder。

Locomotive　engineers　say　a　cow　on　a　track。　is　far　less　perilous　to　an　oncoming　train　than　is　a　pig。　The　former　can　be　lifted；　by　the　impact；　and　flung　to　one　side。　A　pig；　oftener　than　not；　derails　the　engine。　Standing　with　the　bulk　of　its　weight　close　to　the　ground；　it　is　well…nigh　as　bad　an　obstacle　to　trains　as　would　be　a　boulder　of　the　same　size。　Lad　had　never　met　any　engineers。　But　he　had　identically　their　opinion　of　pigs。

In　all　his　long　life；　the　great　collie　had　never　known　fear。　At　least；　he　never　had　yielded　to　it。　Wherefore；　in　the　autumns；　he　had　attacked　with　gay　zest　such　of　Titus　Romaine's　swine　as　had　found　their　way　through　the　fence。

But；　nowadays；　there　was　little　enough　of　gay　zest　about　anything　Laddie　did。　For　he　was　old；very；　very　old。　He　had　passed　the　fourteenth　milestone。　In　other　words；　he　was　as　old　for　a　dog　as　is　an　octogenarian　for　a　man。

Almost　imperceptibly；　but　to　his　indignant　annoyance；　age　had　crept　upon　the　big　dog；　gradually　blurring　his　long　clean　lines；　silvering　his　muzzle　and　eyebrows；　flecking　his　burnished　mahogany　coat　with　stipples　of　silver；　spreading　to　greater　size　the　absurdly　small　white　forepaws　which　were　his　one　gross　vanity；　dulling　a　little　the　preternaturally　keen　hearing　and　narrowing　the　vision。

Yes；　Lad　was　old。　And　he　was　a　bit　unwieldy　from　weight　and　from　age。　No　longer　could　he　lead　Wolf　and　Bruce　in　the　forest　rabbit　chases。　Wherefore　he　stayed　at　home；　for　the　most　part　and　seldom　strayed　far　from　the　Mistress　and　the　Master　whom　he　worshiped。

Moreover；　he　deputed　the　bulk　of　trespass…repelling　to　his　fiery　little　son；　Wolf；　and　to　the　graver　and　sweeter　Bruce；〃Bruce；　the　Beautiful。〃

Which　brings　us　by　needfully　prosy　degrees　to　a　morning；　when　two　marauders　came　to　the　Place　at　the　same　time；　if　by　different　routes。　They　could　not　well　have　come　at　a　more　propitious　time；　for　themselves；　nor　at　a　worse　time　for　those　whose　domain　they　visited。

Bruce　and　Wolf　had　trotted　idly　off　to　the　forest；　back　of　the　Place；　for　a　desultory　ramble　in　quest　of　rabbits　or　squirrels。　This　they　had　done　because　they　were　bored。　For；　the　Mistress　and　the　Master　had　driven　over　for　the　morning　mail；　and　Lad　had　gone　with　them；　as　usual。　Had　it　been　night；　instead　of　morning；　neither　Wolf　nor　Bruce　would　have　stirred　a　step　from　the　grounds。　For　both　were　trained　watchdogs；　But；　thus　early　in　the　day；　neither　duty　nor　companionship　held　them　at　home。　And　the　autumn　woods　promised　a　half…hour　of　mild　sport。

The　superintendent　and　his　helpers　were　in　the　distant　〃upper　field；〃　working　around　the　roots　of　some　young　fruit　trees。　But　for　the　maids；　busy　indoors；　the　Place　was　deserted　of　human　or　canine　life。

Thus；　luck　was　with　the　two　intruders。

Through　the　fence…gap　in　the　oak…grove；　bored　Titus　Romaine's　hugest　and　oldest　and　crankiest　sow。　She　was　in　search　of　acorns　and　of　any　other　food　that　might　lie　handy　to　her　line　of　march。　In　her　owner's　part　of　the　grove；　there　was　too　much　competition；　in　the　food…hunt；　from　other　and　equally　greedy　pigs　of　the　herd。　These　she　could　fight　off　and　drive　from　the　choicest　acorn…hoards。　But　it　was　easier　to　forage　without　competition。

So　through　the　gap　she　forced　her　grunting　bulk；　and　on　through　the　Place's　half　of　the　oak…grove。　Pausing　now　and　then　to　root　amid　the　strewn　leaves；　she　made　her　leisurely　way　toward　the　open　lawn　with　its　two…hundred…year…old　shade…oaks；　and　its　flower…borders　which　still　held　a　few　toothsome　bulbs。

The　second　intruder　entered　the　grounds　in　much　more　open　fashion。　He　was　a　man　in　the　late　twenties；　well…set　up；　neatly；　even　sprucely；　dressed；　and　he　walked　with　a　slight　swagger。　He　looked　very　much　at　home　and　very　certain　of　his　welcome。

A　casual　student　of　human　nature　would　have　guessed　him　to　be　a　traveling　salesman；　finely　equipped　with　nerve　and　with　confidence　in　his　own　goods。　The　average　servant　would　have　been　vastly　impressed　with　his　air　of　self　assurance；　and　would　have　admitted　him　to　the　house；　without　question。　（The　long…memoried　warden　of　Auburn　Prison　would　have　recognized　him　as　Alf　Dugan；　one　of　the　cleverest　automobile　thieves　in　the　East。）

Mr。　Dugan　was　an　industrious　young　man；　as　well　as　ingenious。　And　he　had　a　streak　of　quick…witted　audacity　which　made　him　an　ornament　to　his　chosen　profession。　His　method　of　work　was　simple。　Coming　to　a　rural　neighborhood；　he　would　stop　at　some　local　hotel；　and；　armed　with　clever　patter　and　a　sheaf　of　automobile　insurance　documents；　would　make　the　rounds　of　the　region's　better…class　homes。

At　these　he　sold　no　automobile　insurance；　though　he　made　seemingly　earnest　efforts　to　do　so。　But　he　learned　the　precise　location　of　each　garage；　the　cars　therein；　and　the　easiest　way　to　the　highroad；　and　any　possible　obstacles　to　a　hasty　flight　thereto。　Usually；　he　succeeded　in　persuading　his　reluctant　host　to　take　him　to　the　garage　to　look　at　the　cars　and　to　estimate　the　insurable　value　of　each。　While　there；　it　was　easy　to　palm　a　key　or　to　get　a　good　look　at　the　garage　padlock　for　future　skeleton…key　reference；　or　to　note　what　sort　of　car…locks　were　used。

A　night　or　two　later；　the　garage　was　entered　and　the　best　car　was　stolen。　Dugan；　like　love；　laughed　at　locksmiths。

Sometimes；notably　in　places　where　dogs　were　kept；he　would　make　his　initial　visit　and　then；　choosing　a　time　when　he　had　seen　some　of　the　house's　occupants　go　for　a　walk　with　their　dogs；　would　enter　by　broad　daylight；　and　take　a　chance　at　getting　the　car　out；　unobserved。　If　he　were　interrupted　before　starting　off　in　the　machine；　why；　he　was　that　same　polite　insurance　aunt　who　had　come　back　to　revise　his　estimate　on　the　premium　needed　for　the　car；　and　was　taking　another　look　at　it　to　make　certain。　Once　in　the　driver's　seat　and　with　the　engine　going；　he　had　no　fear　of　capture。　A　whizzing　rush　to　the　highroad　and　down　it　to　the　point　where　his　confederate　waited　with　the　new　number…plates；　and　he　could　snap　his　fat　fingers　at　pursuit。

Dugan　had　called　at　the　Place；　a　week　earlier。　He　had　taken　int