animal heroes(动物英雄)-第2章
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under the influence of this stored…up heat and power； Kitty was very lively。
She walked around the piled…up rubbish； cast curious glances on far…away
Canary…birds in cages that hung from high windows； she peeped over
fences； discovered a large Dog； got quietly down again； and presently
finding a sheltered place in full sunlight； she lay down and slept for an
hour。 A slight'sniff' awakened her； and before her stood a large Black Cat
with glowing green eyes； and the thick neck and square jaws that
distinguish the Tom； a scar marked his cheek； and his left ear was torn。 His
look was far from friendly； his ears moved backward a little； his tail
twitched； and a faint； deep sound came from his throat。 The Kitten
innocently walked toward him。 She did not remember him。 He rubbed the
sides of his jaws on a post； and quietly； slowly turned and disappeared。
The last that she saw of him was the end of his tail twitching from side to
side； and the little Slummer had no idea that she had been as near death to…
day； as she had been when she ventured into the fox…cage。
As night came on the Kitten began to feel hungry。 She examined
carefully the long invisible colored stream that the wind is made of。 She
selected the most interesting of its strands； and； nose…led； followed。 In the
corner of the iron…yard was a box of garbage。 Among this she found
something that answered fairly well for food； a bucket of water under a
faucet offered a chance to quench her thirst。
The night was spent chiefly in prowling about and learning the main
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lines of the iron…yard。 The next day she passed as before； sleeping in the
sun。 Thus the time wore on。 Sometimes she found a good meal at the
garbage…box； sometimes there was nothing。 Once she found the big Black
Tom there； but discreetly withdrew before he saw her。 The water…bucket
was usually at its place； or； failing that； there were some muddy little pools
on the stone below。 But the garbage…box was very unreliable。 Once it left
her for three days without food。 She searched along the high fence； and
seeing a small hole； crawled through that and found herself in the open
street。 This was a new world； but before she had ventured far； there was a
noisy； rumbling rusha large Dog came bounding； and Kitty had barely
time to run back into the hole in the fence。 She was dreadfully hungry； and
glad to find some old potato…peelings； which gave a little respite from the
hunger…pang。 In the morning she did not sleep； but prowled for food。
Some Sparrows chirruped in the yard。 They were often there； but now they
were viewed with new eyes。 The steady pressure of hunger had roused the
wild hunter in the Kitten； those Sparrows were gamewere food。 She
crouched instinctively and stalked from cover to cover； but the chirpers
were alert and flew in time。 Not once； but many times； she tried without
result except to confirm the Sparrows in the list of things to be eaten if
obtainable。
On the fifth day of ill luck the Slum Kitty ventured forth into the street；
desperately bent on finding food。 When far from the haven hole some
small boys opened fire at her with pieces of brick。 She ran in fear。 A Dog
joined in the chase； and Kitty's position grew perilous； but an old…
fashioned iron fence round a house…front was there； and she slipped in
between the rails as the Dog overtook her。 A woman in a window above
shouted at the Dog。 Then the boys dropped a piece of cat…meat down to
the unfortunate； and Kitty had the most delicious meal of her life。 The
stoop afforded a refuge。 Under this she sat patiently till nightfall came
with quiet； then sneaked back like a shadow to her old iron…yard。
Thus the days went by for two months。 She grew in size and strength
and in an intimate knowledge of the immediate neighborhood。 She made
the acquaintance of Downey Street； where long rows of ash…cans were to
be seen every morning。 She formed her own ideas of their proprietors。 The
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big house was to her； not a Roman Catholic mission； but a place whose
garbage…tins abounded in choicest fish scrapings。 She soon made the
acquaintance of the meat…man； and joined in the shy fringe of Cats that
formed the outer circle。 She also met the Wharf Dog as well as two or
three other horrors of the same class。 She knew what to expect of them
and how to avoid them； and she was happy in being the inventor of a new
industry。 Many thousand Cats have doubtless hung； in hope； about the
tempting milk…cans that the early milk…man leaves on steps and window…
ledges； and it was by the merest accident that Kitty found one with a
broken lid； and so was taught to raise it and have a satisfying drink。
Bottles； of course； were beyond her； but many a can has a misfit lid； and
Kitty was very painstaking in her efforts to discover the loose…jointed ones。
Finally she extended her range by exploration till she achieved the heart of
the next block； and farther； till once more among the barrels and boxes of
the yard behind the bird…man's cellar。
The old iron…yard never had been home； she had always felt like a
stranger there； but here she had a sense of ownership； and at once resented
the presence of another small Cat。 She approached this newcomer with
threatening air。 The two had got as far as snarling and spitting when a
bucket of water from an upper window drenched them both and
effectually cooled their wrath。 They fled； the newcomer over the wall；
Slum Kitty under the very box where she had been born。 This whole back
region appealed to her strongly； and here again she took up her abode。 The
yard had no more garbage food than the other and no water at all； but it
was frequented by stray Rats and a few Mice of the finest quality； these
were occasionally secured； and afforded not only a palatable meal； but
were the cause of her winning a friend。
IV
Kitty was now fully grown。 She was a striking…looking Cat of the tiger
type。 Her marks were black on a very pale gray； and the four beauty…spots
of white on nose； ears； and tail…tip lent a certain distinction。 She was very
expert at getting a living； and yet she had some days of starvation and
failed in her ambition of catching a Sparrow。 She was quite alone； but a
new force was coming into her life。
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She was lying in the sun one August day； when a large Black Cat came
walking along the top of a wall in her direction。 She recognized him at
once by his torn ear。 She slunk into her box and hid。 He picked his way
gingerly； bounded lightly to a shed that was at the end of the yard； and was
crossing the roof when a Yellow Cat rose up。 The Black Torn glared and
growled； so did the Yellow Tom。 Their tails lashed from side to side。
Strong throats growled and yowled。 They approached each other with ears
laid back； with muscles a…tense。
〃Yow…yow…ow！〃 said the Black One。
〃Wow…w…w！〃 was the slightly deeper answer。
〃Ya…wow…wow…wow！〃 said the Black One； edging up half an inch
nearer。
〃Yow…w…w！〃 was the Yellow answer； as the blond Cat rose to full
height and stepped with vast dignity a whole inch forward。 〃Yow…w！〃 and
he went another inch； while his tail went swish； thump； from one side to
the other。
〃Ya…wow…yow…w！〃 screamed the Black in a rising tone； and he backed
the eighth of an inch； as he marked the broad； unshrinking breast before
him。
Windows opened all around； human voices were heard； but the Cat
scene went on。
〃Yow…yow…ow！〃 rumbled the Yellow Peril； his voice deepening as the
other's rose。 〃Yow！ 〃 and he advanced another step。
Now their noses were but three inches apart； they stood sidewise； both
ready to clinch； but each waiting for the other。 They glared for three
minutes in silence and like statues； except that each tail…tip was twisting。
The Yellow began again。 〃Yow…ow… ow！〃 in deep tone。
〃Ya…a…aa…a！〃 screamed the Black； with intent to strike terror by his
yell； but he retreated one sixteenth of an inch。 The Yellow walked up a
long half…inch； their whiskers were mixing now； another advance； and
their noses almost touched。
〃Yo…w…w！〃 said Yellow； like a deep moan。
〃Y…a…a…a…a…a…a ！〃 screamed the Black； but he retreated a thirty…second
of an inch； and the Yellow Warrior closed and clinched like a demon。
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Oh； how they rolled and bit and tore； especially the Yellow One！
How they pitched and gripped and hugged； but especially the Yellow
One！
Over and over； sometimes one on top； sometimes another； but mostly
the Yellow One； and farther till they rolled off the roof； amid cheers from
all the windows。 They lost not a second in that fall to the junk…yard； they
tore and clawed all the way down； but especially the Yellow One。 And
when they struck the ground； still fighting； the one on top was chiefly the
Yellow One； and before they separated both had had as much as they
wanted； especially the Black One！ He scaled a wall and； bleeding and
growling； disappeared； while the news was passed from window to
window that Cayley's Nig had been licked at last by Orange Billy。
Either the Yellow Cat was a very clever seeker； or else Slum Kitty did
