animal heroes(动物英雄)-第21章
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not even honest in their ugliness； for each of them was pretending to be
something better than itself。 One had a false front to make it look like two
stories； another was of imitation brick； a third pretended to be a marble
temple。
But all agreed in being the ugliest things ever used as human dwellings；
and in each could be read the owner's secret thoughtto stand it for a year
or so； then move out somewhere else。 The only beauties of the place； and
those unintentional； were the long lines of hand…planted shade…trees；
uglified as far as possible with whitewashed trunks and croppy heads； but
still lovable； growing； living things。
The only building in town with a touch of picturesqueness was the
grain elevator。 It was not posing as a Greek temple or a Swiss chalet； but
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simply a strong； rough； honest； grain elevator。 At the end of each street
was a vista of the prairie； with its farm…houses； windmill pumps； and long
lines of Osage…orange hedges。 Here at least was something of interestthe
gray…green hedges； thick； sturdy； and high； were dotted with their golden
mock…oranges； useless fruit； but more welcome here than rain in a desert；
for these balls were things of beauty； and swung on their long tough
boughs they formed with the soft green leaves a color…chord that pleased
the weary eye。
Such a town is a place to get out of； as soon as possible； so thought the
traveller who found himself laid over here for two days in late winter。 He
asked after the sights of the place。 A white Muskrat stuffed in a case
〃down to the saloon〃； old Baccy Bullin； who had been scalped by the
Indians forty years ago； and a pipe once smoked by Kit Carson； proved
unattractive； so he turned toward the prairie； still white with snow。
A mark among the numerous Dog tracks caught his eye： it was the
track of a large Jack…rabbit。 He asked a passer…by if there were any Rabbits
in town。 〃No； I reckon not。 I never seen none；〃 was the answer。 A mill…
hand gave the same reply； but a small boy with a bundle of newspapers
said： 〃You bet there is； there's lots of them out there on the prairie； and
they come in town a…plenty。 Why； there's a big； big feller lives right round
Si Kalb's melon…patchoh； an awful big feller； and just as black and as
white as checkers！〃 and thus he sent the stranger eastward on his walk。
The 〃big； big； awful big one〃 was the Little Warhorse himself。 He
didn't live in Kalb's melon…patch； he was there only at odd times。 He was
not there now； he was in his west…fronting form or bed； because a raw east
wind was setting in。 It was due east of Madison Avenue； and as the
stranger plodded that way the Rabbit watched him。 As long as the man
kept the road the Jack was quiet； but the road turned shortly to the north；
and the man by chance left it and came straight on。 Then the Jack saw
trouble ahead。 The moment the man left the beaten track； he bounded from
his form； and wheeling； he sailed across the prairie due east。
A Jack…rabbit running from its enemy ordinarily covers eight or nine
feet at a bound； and once in five or six bounds； it makes an observation
hop； leaping not along； but high in the air； so as to get above all herbage
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and bushes and take in the situation。 A silly young Jack will make an
observation hop as often as one in four； and so waste a great deal of time。
A clever Jack will make one hop in eight or nine； do for observation。 But
Jack Warhorse as he sped； got all the information he needed； in one hop
out of a dozen； while ten to fourteen feet were covered by each of his
flying bounds。 Yet another personal peculiarity showed in the trail he left。
When a Cottontail or a Wood…hare runs； his tail is curled up tight on his
back； and does not touch the snow。 When a Jack runs； his tail hangs
downward or backward； with the tip curved or straight； according to the
individual； in some； it points straight down； and so； often leaves a little
stroke behind the foot…marks。 The Warhorse's tail of shining black； was of
unusual length； and at every bound； it left in the snow； a long stroke； so
long that that alone was almost enough to tell which Rabbit had made the
track。
Now some Rabbits seeing only a man without any Dog would have
felt little fear； but Warhorse； remembering some former stinging
experiences with a far…killer； fled when the foe was seventy…five yards
away； and skimming low； he ran southeast to a fence that ran easterly。
Behind this he went like a low…flying Hawk； till a mile away he reached
another of his beds； and here； after an observation taken as he stood on
his heels； he settled again to rest。
But not for long。 In twenty minutes his great megaphone ears； so close
to the ground； caught a regular sound …crunch； crunch； crunchthe tramp
of a human foot； and he started up to see the man with the shining stick in
his hand； now drawing near。
Warhorse bounded out and away for the fence。 Never once did he rise
to a 〃spy…hop〃 till the wire and rails were between him and his foe； an
unnecessary precaution as it chanced； for the man was watching the trail
and saw nothing of the Rabbit。
Jack skimmed along； keeping low and looking out for other enemies。
He knew now that the man was on his track； and the old instinct born of
ancestral trouble with Weasels was doubtless what prompted him to do the
double trail。 He ran in a long； straight course to a distant fence； followed
its far side for fifty yards； then doubling back he retraced his trail and ran
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off in a new direction till he reached another of his dens or forms。 He had
been out all night and was very ready to rest； now that the sun was ablaze
on the snow； but he had hardly got the place a little warmed when the
〃tramp； tramp； tramp〃 announced the enemy； and he hurried away。
After a half…a…mile run he stopped on a slight rise and marked the man
still following； so he made a series of wonderful quirks in his trail； a
succession of blind zigzags that would have puzzled most trailers； then
running a hundred yards past a favorite form； he returned to it from the
other side； and settled to rest； sure that now the enemy would be finally
thrown off the scent。
It was slower than before； but still it came〃tramp； tramp； tramp。〃
Jack awoke； but sat still。 The man tramped by on the trail one hundred
yards in front of him； and as he went on； Jack sprang out unseen； realizing
that this was an unusual occasion needing a special effort。 They had gone
in a vast circle around the home range of the Warhorse and now were less
than a mile from the farm…house of the black Dog。 There was that
wonderful board fence with the happily planned hen…hole。 It was a place
of good memoryhere more than once he had won； here especially he had
baffled the Greyhound。
These doubtless were the motive thoughts rather than any plan of
playing one enemy against another； and Warhorse bounded openly across
the snow to the fence of the big black Dog。
The hen…hole was shut； and Warhorse； not a little puzzled； sneaked
around to find another； without success； until； around the front； here was
the gate wide open； and inside lying on some boards was the big Dog； fast
asleep。 The Hens were sitting hunched up in the warmest corner of the
yard。 The house Cat was gingerly picking her way from barn to kitchen； as
Warhorse halted in the gateway。
The black form of his pursuer was crawling down the far white prairie
slope。 Jack hopped quietly into the yard。 A long…legged Rooster； that ought
to have minded his own business； uttered a loud cackle as he saw the
Rabbit hopping near。 The Dog lying in the sun raised his head and stood
up； and Jack's peril was dire。 He squatted low and turned himself into a
gray clod。 He did it cleverly； but still might have been lost but for the Cat。
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Unwittingly； unwillingly； she saved him。 The black Dog had taken three
steps toward the Warhorse； though he did not know the Rabbit was there；
and was now blocking the only way of escape from the yard； when the Cat
came round the corner of the house； and leaping to a window…ledge
brought a flower…pot rolling down。 By that single awkward act she
disturbed the armed neutrality existing between herself and the Dog。 She
fled to the barn； and of course a flying foe is all that is needed to send a
Dog on the war…path。 They passed within thirty feet of the crouching
Rabbit。 As soon as they were well gone； Jack turned； and with…out even a
〃Thank you； Pussy；〃 he fled to the open and away on the hard…beaten road。
The Cat had been rescued by the lady of the house； the Dog was once
more sprawling on the boards when the man on Jack's trail arrived。 He
carried； not a gun； but a stout stick； sometimes called 〃dog…medicine；〃 and
that was all that prevented the Dog attacking the enemy of his prey。
This seemed to be the end of the trail。 The trick； whether planned or
not； was a success； and the Rabbit got rid of his troublesome follower。
Next day the stranger made another search for the Jack and found； not
himself； but his track。 He knew it by its tail…mark； its long leaps and few
spy…hops； but with it and running by it was the track of a smaller Rabbit。
Here is where they met； here they chased each other in play； for no signs
of battle were there to be seen； here they fed or sat together in the sun；
there they ambled side by side； and here again they sported in the snow；
always
