第 24 节
作者:卡车      更新:2021-02-19 00:08      字数:9321
  high   board   fence   with   a   hen…hole;   and   where   also   there   dwelt   his   other
  hated enemy; the big black Dog。 An outer hedge delayed the Greyhound
  for   a   moment   and   gave   Jack   time   to   dash   through   the hen…hole   into   the
  yard; where he hid to one side。 The Greyhound rushed around to the low
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  gate;   leaped   over   that   among   the   Hens;   and   as   they   fled   cackling   and
  fluttering;   some   Lambs   bleated   loudly。   Their   natural   guardian;   the   big
  black Dog; ran to the rescue; and Warhorse slipped out again by the hole at
  which he had entered。 Horrible sounds of Dog hate and fury were heard
  behind him in the hen…yard; and soon the shouts of men were added。 How
  it ended he did not know or seek to learn; but it was remarkable that he
  never afterward was troubled by the swift Greyhound that formerly lived
  in Newchusen。
  II
  Hard times and easy times had long followed in turn and been taken as
  matters of course; but recent years in the State of Kaskado had brought to
  the Jack…rabbits a succession of remarkable ups and downs。 In the old days
  they had their endless fight with Birds and Beasts of Prey; with cold and
  heat; with pestilence and with flies whose sting bred a loathsome disease;
  and   yet   had   held   their   own。   But   the   settling   of   the   country   by   farmers
  made many changes。
  Dogs   and   guns   arriving   in   numbers   reduced   the   ranks   of   Coyotes;
  Foxes; Wolves; Badgers; and Hawks that preyed on the Jack; so that in a
  few years the Rabbits were multiplied in great swarms; but now Pestilence
  broke out and swept them away。 Only the strongestthe double…seasoned
  remained。 For a while a             Jack…rabbit was a rarity; but during this time
  another   change   came   in。   The   Osage…orange   hedges   planted   everywhere
  afforded a new refuge; and now the safety of a Jack…rabbit was less often
  his   speed   than   his   wits;   and   the   wise   ones;   when   pursued   by   a   Dog   or
  Coyote; would rush to the nearest hedge through a small hole and escape
  while the enemy sought for a larger one by which to follow。 The Coyotes
  rose to this and developed the trick of the relay chase。 In this one Coyote
  takes one   field;  another the   next;  and   if the   Rabbit   attempts   the   〃hedge…
  ruse〃   they   work   from   each   side   and   usually   win   their   prey。   The   Rabbit
  remedy for this; is keen eyes to see the second Coyote; avoidance of that
  field; then good legs to distance the first enemy。               Thus the Jack…rabbits;
  after being successively numerous; scarce; in myriads; and rare; were now
  again   on   the   increase;   and   those   which   survived;   selected   by   a   hundred
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  hard trials; were enabled to flourish where their ancestors could not have
  outlived a single season。
  Their  favorite   grounds   were;  not   the broad   open   stretches   of   the   big
  ranches; but the complicated; much…fenced fields of the farms; where these
  were so small and close as to be like a big straggling village。
  One   of   these   vegetable   villages   had   sprung   up   around   the   railway
  station   of   Newchusen。 The   country  a   mile   away  was   well supplied   with
  Jack…rabbits of the new and selected stock。 Among them was a little lady
  Rabbit called 〃Bright…eyes;〃 from her leading characteristic as she sat gray
  in the gray  brush。 She   was a good   runner; but   was especially  successful
  with the fence…play that baffled the Coyotes。 She made her nest out in an
  open   pasture;   an   untouched   tract   of   the   ancient   prairie。   Here   her   brood
  were born and raised。 One like herself was bright…eyed; in coat of silver…
  gray; and partly gifted with her ready wits; but in the other; there appeared
  a rare combination of his mother's gifts with the best that was in the best
  strain of the new Jack…rabbits of the plains。
  This was the one whose adventures we have been following; the one
  that later on the turf won the name of Little Warhorse and that afterward
  achieved a world…wide fame。
  Ancient tricks of his kind he revived and put to new uses; and ancient
  enemies he learned to fight with new…found tricks。
  When a mere baby he discovered a plan that was worthy of the wisest
  Rabbit in Kaskado。 He was pursued by a horrible little Yellow Dog; and he
  had tried in vain to get rid of him by dodging among the fields and farms。
  This is good play against a Coyote; because the farmers and the Dogs will
  often help the Jack; without knowing it; by attacking the Coyote。 But now
  the plan did not work at all; for the little Dog managed to keep after him
  through   one   fence   after   another;   and   Jack   Warhorse;   not   yet   full…grown;
  much   less   seasoned;   was   beginning   to   feel   the   strain。   His   ears   were   no
  longer up straight; but angling back and at times drooping to a level; as he
  darted through a very little hole in an Osage hedge; only to find that his
  nimble enemy had done the same without loss of time。 In the middle of the
  field was a small herd of cattle and with them a calf。
  There is in wild animals a curious impulse to trust any stranger when
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  in desperate straits。 The foe behind they know means death。 There is just a
  chance; and the only one left; that the stranger may prove friendly; and it
  was this last desperate chance that drew Jack Warhorse to the Cows。
  It   is   quite   sure    that   the   Cows      would     have    stood     by   in   stolid
  indifference   so   far   as   the   Rabbit   was   concerned;   but   they   have   a   deep…
  rooted     hatred    of   a  dog;   and    when    they    saw    the  Yellow     Cur    coming
  bounding toward them; their tails and noses went up; they sniffed angrily;
  then   closed     up   ranks;   and   led   by   the   Cow   that   owned   the   Calf;   they
  charged at the Dog; while Jack took refuge under a low thorn…bush。 The
  Dog swerved aside to attack the Calf; at least the old Cow thought he did;
  and   she   followed   him   so   fiercely   that   he   barely   escaped   from   that   field
  with his life。
  It was a good old planone that doubtless came from the days when
  Buffalo and Coyote played the parts of Cow and Dog。 Jack never forgot it;
  and more than once it saved his life。
  In color as well as in power he was a rarity。
  Animals   are   colored   in   one   or   other   of   two   general   plans:   one   that
  matches   them   with        their   surroundings   and       helps   them   to   hidethis     is
  called   〃protective〃;   the   other   that   makes   them   very   visible   for   several
  purposesthis       is  called    〃directive。〃     Jack…rabbits     are   peculiar    in   being
  painted both ways。 As they squat in their form in the gray brush or clods;
  they   are   soft   gray   on   their   ears;   head;   back;   and   sides;   they   match   the
  ground      and    cannot    be   seen   until   close    at  handthey      are  protectively
  colored。 But the  moment   it   is   clear  to   the Jack   that   the  approaching  foe
  will find him;  he   jumps   up   and dashes   away。  He   throws off   all disguise
  now; the  gray seems   to disappear; he   makes a  lightning change;  and   his
  ears   show   snowy   white   with   black   tips;   the   legs   are   white;   his   tail   is   a
  black spot in a blaze of white。 He is a black…and…white Rabbit now。 His
  coloring is all directive。 How is it done? Very simply。 The front side of the
  ear is gray; the back; black and white。 The black tail with its white halo;
  and the legs; are tucked below。 He is sitting on them。 The gray mantle is
  pulled   down   and   enlarged   as   he   sits;   but   when   he   jumps   up   it   shrinks
  somewhat; all his black…and…white marks are now shown; and just as his
  colors formerly whispered; 〃I am a clod;〃 they now shout aloud; 〃I am a
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  Jack…rabbit。〃
  Why should he do this? Why should a timid creature running for his
  life   thus   proclaim   to   all   the   world   his   name   instead   of   trying   to   hide?
  There must be some good reason。 It must pay; or the Rabbit would never
  have done it。
  The answer is; if the creature that scared him up was one of