further adventures of lad-第7部分
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to get bit。 I'm not here to argue over it。 I'm here to enforce the law of the sov'r'n State of Noo Jersey； County of P'saic； Township of〃
〃But the law declares a prisoner innocent； till he's proved guilty；〃 urged the Mistress； restraining the Master； by a light hand on his restless arm。 〃And Lad's not been proved guilty。 It isn't proved he was bitten； at all。 I can testify he wasn't。 My husband washed the scratch and he can tell you it wasn't made by a bite。 Any veterinary can tell you the same thing； at a glance。 We can establish the fact that Lad was not bitten。 So even if the law lets you shoot a bitten dog；which I don't believe it does；it doesn't empower you to shoot Lad。 Why！〃 she went on； shuddering slightly； 〃if Lad hadn't sprung between that brute and myself； you'd probably be wanting to shoot ME！ For I'd have been bitten； terribly； if Lad hadn't〃
〃I'm not here to listen to silly nonsense！〃 announced Wefer； glaring at the watchful dog and back at the man and woman； 〃I came here in p'soot of my sworn dooty。 I been balked and resisted by the two of you； and my pistol's been stole from me and a savage dog's been pract'c'lly sicked onto me。 I'm an of'cer of the law。 And I'm going to have the law on both of you； for
int'fering with me like you have。 And I'm going to get a court order to shoot〃
〃Then you haven't a court order or any other authority to shoot him？〃 the Master caught him up。 〃You admit that！ You came over here； thinking you could bluff us into letting you do it； just because you happen to wear a tin badge！ I thought so。 Now； my pink…whiskered friend； you'll stop shouting and making faces； and you'll listen to me； a minute。 You aren't the first officer who has exceeded his authority on the chance that people will think he's acting within his rights。 This time the bluff fails。 With no warrant or summons or other legal power to back him； a constable has no more right on my place than any negro trespasser。 What you may or may not be able to persuade some magistrate to do about this； I don't know。 But； for the present； you'll clear out。 Get that？ I've warned you； in the presence of a witness。 If you know anything of law； you know that a landowner； after such warning； may eject a trespasser by force。 Go。 And keep going。 That's all。〃
Wefers sputtered wordlessly； from time to time； during the tirade。 But before its end； he fell silent and began to fidget。 He himself was none too well versed in the matter of his legal rights of intrusion。 And； for the moment； he had no chance to execute his errand。 Later； armed with a magistrate's order； he could pay back with interest his humiliation of this morning。 In the meantime
〃Gimme my gun！〃 he demanded in grouchy surrender。
The Master stooped； picked up the pistol； and held it in both hands。 Lad； all eagerness； stood dancingly waiting for him to throw it again。 But it was not thrown。 Instead； the Master 〃broke〃 the weapon； shaking the greasy cartridges out on to his own palm and then transferring them to his pockets。
〃In case of accidents；〃 he explained； pleasantly； as he handed the pistol back to its scowling owner。 〃And if you'll stop at the post…office； this afternoon； you'll find these shells in an envelope in your letter…box。 Now； chase； unless you want Lad to escort you to your boat。 Lad is fine at escorting undesirables off the Place。 Want to see him perform？〃
But Wefers did not answer。 Snatching the impotent pistol and shoving it back into his coattail pocket； he strode lakeward； muttering lurid threats as he went。
The Mistress watched his lank figure on its way down the lawn to the dock。
〃It's…it's AWFUL！〃 she faltered； clutching at her husband's arm。 〃Oh； you don't suppose he cancan really get leave to shoot Laddie； do you？〃
〃I don't know；〃 answered the Master； as uneasy as she。 〃A mad…dog scare has a way of throwing everybody into a fool panic。 There's no knowing what some magistrate may let him do。 But one thing is mighty certain；〃 he reassured her。 〃If the whole National Guard of New Jersey comes here； with a truckload of shooting…warrants； they aren't going to get Laddie。 I promise you that。 I don't quite know how we are going to prevent it。 But we're going to。 That's a pledge。 So you're not to worry。〃
As they talked they continued to watch the constable in his clumping exit from the Place。 Wefers reached the dock； and stamped out to its extreme end； where was moored the livery scow he had commandeered for his journey across the lake from the village。
A light wind was blowing。 It had caught the scow's wide stern and had swung it out from the dock。 Wefers unhooked the chain and dropped it clankingly into the bottom。 Then； with ponderous uncertainty； he stepped from the dock's string…piece to the prow of his boat。
A whiff of breeze slapped the loosened scow； broadside on； and sent it drifting an inch or two away。 As a result； Homer Wefers' large shoe…sole was planted on the edge of the prow； instead of its center。 His sole was slippery from the dew of the lawn。 The prow's edge was still more slippery； from having been the scene of a recent fish…cleaning。
The constable's gangling body strove in vain to hold any semblance of balance。 His foot slid out from its precarious perch； pushing the boat farther into the lake。 And the dignified officer flapped wildly in mid…air。
Not being built on a lighter…than…air principle； he failed to hold this undignified aerial pose for more than the tenth of a second。 At the end of that time he plunged splashingly into the lake； at a depth of something like eight feet of water。
〃Good！〃 applauded the Master； as the Mistress gasped aloud in not wholly sorrowful surprise and as Lad ambled gayly down the lawn for a closer view of this highly diverting sight。 〃Good！ I hope he ruins every stitch he has on； and then gets rheumatism and tonsilitis。 He〃
The Master's babbling jaw fell slack； and the pleased grin faded from his face。
Wefers had come to the surface； after his ducking。 He was fully three yards beyond the dock and as far from his drifting scow。 And he was doing all manner of sensational things with his lanky arms and legs and body。 In brief； he was doing everything except swim。
It was this phenomenon which had wiped away the Master's grin of pure happiness。
Any man may fall into the water； and may present a most ludicrous spectacle in doing so。 But； on the instant he comes to the surface； his very first motions will show whether or not he is a swimmer。 It had not occurred to the Master that anyone reared in the North Jersey lake…country should not have at least enough knowledge of swimming to carry him a few yards。 But； even as many sailors cannot swim a stroke； so many an inlander； born and brought up within sight of fresh water； has never taken the trouble to grasp the simplest rudiments of natation。 And such a man； very evidently； was Homer Wefers； Township Head Constable。
His howl of crass panic was not needed to prove this to the Master。 His every wild antic showed it。 But that same terror…stricken screech was required to set forth the true situation to the one member of the trio who had learned from birth to judge by sound and by scent； rather than by mere sight。
With no good grace； the Master yanked off his own coat and waistcoat； and bent to unstrap his hiking boots。 He did not relish the prospect of a wetting； for the mere sake of saving from death this atrocious trespasser。 He knew the man could probably keep afloat for at least a minute longer。 And he was not minded to shorten the period of fear by ripping off his own outer garments with any melodramatic haste。
As he undid the first boot…latchet； he felt the Mistress's tense fingers on his shoulder。
〃Wait！〃 she exhorted
Astounded at this cold…blooded counsel from his tender…hearted wife； he looked up； and followed the direction of her eagerly pointing hand。
〃Look！〃 she was exulting。 〃It'll all solve itself！ See if it doesn't。 Look！ He can't shoot Laddie； afterafter〃
The Master was barely in time to see Lad swirl along the dock with express…train speed and spring far out into the lake。
The dog struck water； a bare ten inches from Wefers' madly tossing head。 The constable； in his crazy panic； flung both bony arms about the dog。 And； man and collie together disappeared under the surface； in a swirl of churned foam。
The Mistress cried aloud； at this hideous turn her pretty plan had taken。 The Master； one shoe off and one shoe on； hobbled at top pace toward the dock。
As he reached the foot of the lawn； Lad's head and shoulders came into view above the little whirlpool caused by the sinking bodies' suction。 And； at the same moment； the convulsed features of Homer Wefers showed through the eddy。 The man was thrashing and twisting in a way that turned the lake around him into a white maelstrom。
As the Master set foot on the dock he saw the Collie rush forward with an impetus that sent both shaggy mahogany shoulders far out of water。 Striking with brilliant accuracy； the dog avoided Wefers' flailing arms and feet； and clinched his strong teeth into the back of the drowning man's collar。
Thus； Lad was safe from the blindly clinging arms and from a kick。 He had chosen the one strategic hold； and he maintained it。 A splashing of the unwieldy body made both heads vanish under water； for a bare half…second； as the Master poised himself on the string…piece for a dive。 But the dive was not made。
For the heads reappeared。 And now； whether from palsy of fright or from belated intelligence；Wefers ceased his useless struggles； though not his strangled shrieks for help。 The collie； calling on all his wiry power； struck out for the dock； keeping the man's face above water； and tugging at his soggy weight with a scientific strength that sent the two； slowly but steadily； shoreward。
After the few feet of the haul； Wefers went silent。 Into his blankly affrighted face came a look of foolish bewilderment。 The Master； remembering his wife's hint； and certain now of Lad's ability to complete the rescue； stood waiting on the string…piece。 Once； for a second； Wefers' eyes met his； but they were averted in queer haste。
As Lad tugged his burden beneath the stringpiece； the Master bent down and gripped the sodden
