further adventures of lad-第8部分

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te。

As　Lad　tugged　his　burden　beneath　the　stringpiece；　the　Master　bent　down　and　gripped　the　sodden　wet　shoulders　of　the　constable。　One　none…too…gentle　heave；　and　Wefers　was　lying　in　a　panting　and　dripping　heap　on　the　clean　dock。　Lad；　relieved　of　his　heavy　load；　swam　leisurely　around　to　shore。　It　had　been　a　delightfully　thrilling　day；　thus　far；　for　the　collie。　But　he　was　just　a　bit　tired。

By　the　time　the　dazed　constable　was　able　to　sit　up　and　peer　owlishly　into　the　unloving　faces　of　the　Mistress　and　the　Master；　Lad　had　shaken　himself　thrice　and　was　pattering　across　the　dock　toward　the　group。　From　the　two　humans；　Wefers'　gaze　shifted　to　the　oncoming　dog。　Then　he　glanced　back　at　the　sullen　depths　of　lake　water　beyond　the　string…piece。　Then　he　let　his　head　sink　on　his　chest。　For　perhaps　a　whole　minute；　he　sat　thus；　his　eyes　shut；　his　breath　still　fast　and　hysterical。

Nobody　spoke。　The　Mistress　looked　down　at　the　drenched　man。　Then　she　winked　at　the　equally　silent　Master；　and　laid　a　caressing　little　hand　on　Lad's　wet　head。　At　length；　Wefers　lifted　his　face　and　glowered　at　the　trio。　But；　as　his　eye　met　Lad's　quizzically　interested　gaze；　he　fidgeted。

〃Well？〃　prompted　the　Master；　〃do　you　want　those　cartridges　back？〃

Wefers　favored　him　with　a　scowl　of　utter　dislike。　Then；　his　eyes　again　averted；　the　wet　man　mumbled

〃I　come　over　here　today；　to　do　my　dooty。Dogs　that　get　bit　by　mad　dogs　had　ought　to　be　shot。I　come　over　here　to　do　my　dooty。　Likewise；　I　done　it。I　shot　that　dog　of　yours　that　got　bit；　yest'day。〃

〃Huh？〃　ejaculated　the　Master。

〃This　dog　here　looks　some　like　him；〃　went　on　Wefers；　sulkily。　〃But　it　ain't　him。　And　I'll　so　report　to　the　author'ties。I　done　what　I　come　to　do。　The　case　is　closed。　And…and…if　you　folks　ever　want　to　sell　your　dog；　why；well；　I'll　just　go　mortgage　something　andand　buy　him　off'n　you！〃



CHAPTER　III。　No　Trespassing！

There　were　four　of　them；　two　gaudily…clad　damsels　and　two　men。　The　men；　in　their　own　way；　were　attired　as　gloriously　as　the　maidens　they　were　escorting。　　The　quartet　added　generously　to　the　glowing　beauty　of　the　summer　day。

Down　the　lake　they　came；　in　a　canoe　modestly　scarlet　except　for　a　single　broad　purple　stripe　under　the　gunwale。　The　canoe's　tones　blended　sweetly　with　the　pink　parasol　and　blue　picture　hat　of　one　of　the　women。

Stolid　and　unshaven　fishermen；　in　drab　scows；　along　the　canoe's　route；　looked　up　from　their　lines；　in　bovine　wonder　at　the　vision　of　loveliness　which　swept　resonantly　past　them。　For　the　quartet　were　warbling。　They　were　also　doing　queer　musical　stunts　which　are　fondly　miscalled　〃close　harmony。〃

Thus　do　they　and　their　kind　pay　homage　to　a　divine　day　on　a　fire…blue　lake；　amid　the　hush　of　the　eternal　hills。　Lesser　souls　may　find　themselves　speaking　in　few　and　low…pitched　words；　under　the　holy　spell　of　such　surroundings。　But　to　loftier　types　of　holiday…seekers；　the　benignant　silences　of　the　wilderness　are　put　there　by　an　all…wise　Providence　for　the　purpose　of　being　fractured　by　any　racket　denoting　care…free　merriment；the　louder　the　merrier。　There　is　nothing　so　racket…breeding　as　a　perfect　day　amid　perfect　scenery。

The　four　revelers　had　paddled　down　into　the　lake；　on　a　day's　picnicking。　They　had　come　from　far　up　the　Ramapo　river；　beyond　Suffern。　And　the　long　downstream　jaunt　had　made　them　hungry。　Wherefore；　as　they　reached　mid…lakes　they　began　to　inspect　the　wooded　shores　for　an　attractive　luncheon…site。　And　they　found　what　they　sought。

A　half…mile　to　southward；　a　gently　rolling　point　of　land　pushed　out　into　the　lake。　It　was　smooth…shaven　and　emerald…bright。　It　formed　the　lower　end　of　a　lawn；　sloping　gently　downward；　a　hundred　yards　or　more；　from　a　gray　old　house　which　nestled　happily　among　mighty　oaks　on　a　plateau　at　the　low　hill's　summit。

The　point　（with　its　patch　of　beach…sand　at　the　water's　edge；　and　with　comfortable　shade　from　a　lakeside　tree　or　so）；　promised　an　ideal　picnic…ground。　The　shaven　grass　not　only　offered　fine　possibilities　for　an　after…luncheon　snooze；　but　was　the　most　convenient　sort　of　place　for　the　later　strewing　of　greasy　newspapers　and　Japanese　napkins　and　wooden　platters　and　crusts　and　chicken　bones　and　the　like。

Moreover；　a　severely　plain　〃No　Trespass〃　sign；　at　the　lake…margin；　would　serve　as　ideal　kindling　for　a　jolly　little　camp…fire。　There　is　always　a　zest　in　using　trespass　boards　for　picnic　fires。　Not　only　are　they　seasoned　and　painted　in　a　way　to　cause　quick　ignition；　but　people　laugh　so　appreciatively；　when　one　tells；　afterward；　of　the　bit　of　jovial　audacity。

Yes；　this　point　was　just　the　place　for　luncheon　and　for　siesta。　It　might　have　been　made　to　order。　And　by　tacit　consent　the　two　paddlers　sent　their　multi…chrome　canoe　sweeping　toward　it。　Five　minutes　later；　they　had　helped　the　girls　ashore　and　were　lifting　out　the　lunch…basket　and　various　newspaper　parcels　and　the　red…and…purple　cushions。

With　much　laughter　and　a　snatch　or　two　of　close　harmony；　the　lunch　was　spread。　One　of　the　men　picked　out　a　place　for　the　fire　（against　the　trunk　of　a　two…century　oak；　perhaps　the　millionth　noble　old　tree　to　be　threatened　thus　with　death　from　care…free　picnickers'　fires）　and　the　other　man　sauntered　across　to　the　trespass　board　to　annex　it　for　kindling。

Everything　was　so　happy　and　so　complete　and　everyone　was　having　such　a　perfect　time！　Into　such　moments　Fate　loves　best　to　toss　Trouble。　And；　this　day；　Fate　played　true　to　form。

As　the　fire…maker's　hand　was　laid　on　the　trespass　board；　even　as　his　inconsequential　muscles　were　braced　to　rip　it　loose　from　its　post；a　squeal　from　the　girl　in　the　blue　picture　hat　and　the　Nile…green　georgette　waist；　checked　his　mirthful　activities。

Now；　there　was　nothing　remarkable　in　the　fact　that　the　chromatic　lass　had　squealed。　Indeed；　she　and　her　equally　fair　companion　had　been　squealing　at　intervals；　all　morning。　But　there　was　nothing　coquettish　or　gay　about　this　particular　squeal。　It　savored　rather　of　a　screech。　In　its　shrill　note　was　a　tiny　thread　of　terror。　And　the　two　men　wheeled　about；　to　look。

The　blue…hatted　girl　had　paused　in　her　dainty　labor　of　helping　to　spread　out　the　lunch；　in　order　to　peep　inquisitively　up　the　slope　toward　the　tree…framed　house　above。　It　might　be　fun；　after　eating；　to　stroll　up　there　and　squint　in　through　the　veranda　windows；　or；if　no　one　was　at　home；　to　gather　an　armful　of　the　roses　that　clambered　over　one　end　of　the　porch。

During　that　brief　exploratory　glance；　her　eye　had　been　caught　by　something　moving　through　the　woods　beyond。

Behind　the　house；　these　woods　ran　up　to　the　highroad；　a　furlong　above。　A　driveway　led　twistingly　down　from　the　gate…lodge；　to　the　house。　Along　this　drive；　was　pacing　a　dog。

As　the　girl　caught　sight　of　him；　the　dog　halted　in　his　lazy　stroll　and　stood　eagerly　erect；　his　nose　upraised；　his　tulip　ears　pricked。　Sound　or　scent；　or　both；　had　been　arrested　by　some　unusual　presence。　And　he　paused　to　verify　the　warning。

As　he　stood　there；　an　instant；　in　the　shade…flecked　driveway；　the　girl　saw　he　was　a　collie；　massive；　graceful；　majestic；　in　the　full　strength　of　his　early　prime；　his　shaggy　coat　of　burnished　mahogany…and…snow　glinting　back　the　showers　of　sun…rays　that　filtered　down　through　the　leaves。

Before　the　watching　girl　could　take　further　note　of　him；　the　dog's　aspect　of　tense　listening　merged　into　certainty。　With　no　further　shadow　of　doubt　as　to　direction；　he　set　off　at　a　sweeping　run　past　the　house　and　toward　the　point。

He　ran　with　head　down；　and　with　tawny　ruff　abristle。　There　was　something　in　his　lithe　gallop　that　was　as　ominous　as　it　was　beautiful。　And；　nervous　at　the　great　collie's　approach；　the　girl　squealed。

It　had　been　a　dull　morning　for　Lad。　The　Mistress　was　in　town　for　the　day。　The　Master　was　shut　up　in　his　study；　hard　at　work。　And；　for　once；　he　had　not　remembered　to　call　Lad　to　a　resting　place　on　the　study　rug；　before　closing　the　door　on　the　outside　world。　Alone　and　bored；　the　collie　had　wandered　into　the　woods；　in　quest　of　possible　rabbits　to　chase　or　squirrels　to　tree。　Finding　the　sport　tame；　he　started　homeward。　Midway　down　the　drive；　his　supersensitive　nostrils　caught　the　whiff　of　alien　humans　on　the　Place。　At　the　same　time；　he　heard　the　raucous　gabbling　of　several　voices。　Though　his　near…sighted　eyes　did　not　yet　show　the　intruders　to　him；　yet　scent　and　sound　made　it　ridiculously　easy　for　him　to　trace　them。

From　early　puppyhood；　Lad　had　been　the　official　guardian　of　the　Place。　He　knew　the　limits　of　its　thirty　acres；　from　lake　to　highroad；　from　boundary　fence　to　boundary　fence。　He　knew；　too；　that　visitors　must　not　be　molested　as　long　as　they　were　on　the　driveway；　but　that　no　stranger　might　be　allowed　to　cross　the　land；　by　any　other　route；　or　to　trespass　on　lawn　or　oak…grove。

And　now；　apparently；　strangers　were　holding　some　sort　of　unlicensed　revelry；　down　on　the　point。　His　sense　of　smell　told　him　that　neither　the　Master　nor　anyone　else　belonging　to　the　Place　was　with　them。　True　watchdog　indignation　swelled　up　in　Lad's　heart。　And　he　ran　at　top　speed。

The　girl's　three　companions；　turning　at　sight　of　her　gesturing　hand；　beheld　a　mahogany…and…white　thunderbolt　whizzing　down　the　hundred…yard　slope　toward　them。

It　chanced　that　both　the　men　had　served　long　apprenticeship　as　dog…fanciers；　and　that　both　of　them　knew　collies。　Thus；　no　second　look　was　needed。　One　glimpse　of　the　silently　charging　Lad　told　them　all　they　needed　to　know。　Not　in　this　way　does　a　blatant　or　bluffing　watchdog　seek　to　shoo　off　trespassers。　This　giant　collie；　with　his　lowered　head　and　glinting　fangs　and　ruffling　hackles；　meant　business。　And　the　men　acted　accordingly。

〃Run　for　it！〃　bellowed　one　of　them；　setting　a　splendid　example　by　reaching　the　beached　canoe　at　a　single　scrambling　bound。　The　second　man　was　no　whit　behind　him。　Between　them；　the　canoe；　at　one　shove；　was　launched。　The　first　man　grabbed　one　of　the　girls　by　the　arm　and　propelled　her　into　the　wobbling　craft；　while　the　other　shoved　off。　The　remaining　girl；she　of　the　azure　headgear　and　the　verdant　waist；slipped　on　the　grassy　bank；　in　her　flight；　and　sat　down　very　hard；　at　the　water's　edge。　Already　the　　canoe　was　six　feet　from　shore；　and　both　men　were　doing　creditable　acrobatic　stunts　to　keep　it　from　turning　turtle。

〃Stand　perfec'ly　still；〃　one　of　them　ex