第 26 节
作者:漂亮格子      更新:2021-04-30 16:08      字数:9322
  miserable gang that had the grit of a Jack…rabbit。〃
  We were off at dawn the next daythe same procession of fine
  Horses and superb riders; the big blue Dogs; the yellow Dogs; the
  spotted Dogs; as before; but there was a new feature; a little
  white Dog that stayed close by me; and not only any Dogs; but
  Horses that came too near were apt to get a surprise from his
  teeth。 I think he quarrelled with every man; Horse; and Dog in
  the country; with the exception of a Bull…terrier belonging to
  the Mendoza hotel man。 She was the only one smaller than himself;
  and they seemed very good friends。
  I shall never forget the view of the hunt I had that day。 We were
  on one of those large; flat…headed buttes that give a kingdom to
  the eye; when Hilton; who had been scanning the vast country with
  glasses; exclaimed: 〃I see him。 There he goes; toward Skull
  Creek。 Guess it's a Coyote。〃
  Now the first thing is to get the Greyhounds to see the preynot
  an easy matter; as they cannot use the glasses; and the ground
  was covered with sage…brush higher than the Dogs' heads。
  But Hilton called; 〃Hu; hu; Dander;〃 and leaned aside from his
  saddle; holding out his foot at the same time。 With one agile
  bound Dander leaped to the saddle and there stood balancing on
  the Horse while Hilton kept pointing。 〃There he is; Dander; sic
  himsee him down there。〃 The Dog gazed earnestly where his
  master pointed; then seeming to see; he sprang to the ground with
  a slight yelp and sped away。 The other Dogs followed after; in an
  ever…lengthening procession; and we rode as hard as we could
  behind them; but losing time; for the ground was cut with
  gullies; spotted with badger…holes; and covered with rocks and
  sage that made full speed too hazardous。
  We all fell behind; and I was last; of course; being least
  accustomed to the saddle。 We got several glimpses of the Dogs
  flying over the level plain or dropping from sight in gullies to
  reappear at the other side。 Dander; the Greyhound; was the
  recognized leader; and as we mounted another ridge we got sight
  of the whole chasea Coyote at full speed; the Dogs a quarter of
  a mile behind; but gaining。 When next we saw them the Coyote was
  dead; and the Dogs sitting around panting; all but two of the
  Foxhounds and Gingersnap。
  〃Too late for the fracas;〃 remarked Hilton; glancing at these
  last Foxhounds。 Then he proudly petted Dander。 〃Didn't need yer
  purp after all; ye see。〃
  〃Takes a heap of nerve for ten big Dogs to face one little
  Coyote;〃 remarked the father; sarcastically。 〃Wait till we run
  onto a Gray。〃
  Next day we were out again; for I made up my mind to see it to a
  finish。
  From a high point we caught sight of a moving speck of gray。 A
  moving white speck stands for Antelope; a red speck for Fox; a
  gray speck for either Gray…wolf or Coyote; and which of these is
  determined by its tail。 If the glass shows the tail down; it is a
  Coyote; if up; it is the hated Gray…wolf。
  Dander was shown the game as before and led the motley mixed
  processionas he had beforeGreyhounds; Wolfhounds; Foxhounds;
  Danes; Bull…terrier; horsemen。 We got a momentary view of the
  pursuit; a Gray…wolf it surely was; loping away ahead of the
  Dogs。 Somehow I thought the first Dogs were not running so fast
  now as they had after the Coyote。 But no one knew the finish of
  the hunt。 The Dogs came back to us one by one; and we saw no more
  of that Wolf。
  Sarcastic remarks and recrimination were now freely indulged in
  by the hunters。
  〃Pahscairt; plumb scairt;〃 was the father's disgusted comment
  on the pack。
  〃They could catch up easy enough; but when he turned on them;
  they lighted out for homepah!〃
  〃Where's that thar onsurpassable; fearless; scaired…o'…nort
  Tarrier?〃 asked Hilton; scornfully。
  〃I don't know;〃 said I。 〃I am inclined to think he never saw the
  Wolf; but if he ever does; I'll bet he sails in for death or
  glory。〃
  That night several Cows were killed close to the ranch; and we
  were spurred on to another hunt。
  It opened much like the last。 Late in the afternoon we sighted a
  gray fellow with tail up; not half a mile off。 Hilton called
  Dander up on the saddle。 I acted on the idea and called Snap to
  mine。 His legs were so short that he had to leap several times
  before he made it; scrambling up at last with my foot as a
  half…way station。 I pointed and 〃sic…ed〃 for a minute before he
  saw the game; and then he started out after the Greyhounds;
  already gone; with energy that was full of promise。
  The chase this time led us; not to the rough brakes along the
  river; but toward the high open country; for reasons that
  appeared later。 We were close together as we rose to the upland
  and sighted the chase half a mile off; just as Dander came up
  with the Wolf and snapped at his haunch。 The Gray…wolf turned
  round to fight; and we had a fine view。 The Dogs came up by twos
  and threes; barking at him in a ring; till last the little white
  one rushed up。 He wasted no time barking; but rushed straight at
  the Wolf's throat and missed it; yet seemed to get him by the
  nose; then the ten big Dogs closed in; and in two minutes the
  Wolf was dead。 We had ridden hard to be in at the finish; and
  though our view was distant; we saw at least that Snap had lived
  up to the telegram; as well as to my promises for him。
  Now it was my turn to crow; and I did not lose the chance。 Snap
  had shown them how; and at last the Mendoza pack had killed a
  Gray…wolf without help from the men。
  There were two things to mar the victory somewhat: first; it was
  a young Wolf; a mere Cub; hence his foolish choice of country;
  second; Snap was woundedthe Wolf had given him a bad cut in the
  shoulder。
  As we rode in proud procession home; I saw he limped a little。
  〃Here;〃 I cried; 〃come up; Snap。〃 He tried once or twice to jump
  to the saddle; but could not。 〃Here; Hilton; lift him up to me。〃
  〃Thanks; I'll let you handle your own rattlesnakes;〃 was the
  reply; for all knew now that it was not safe to meddle with his
  person。 〃Here; Snap; take hold;〃 I said; and held my quirt to
  him。 He seized it; and by that I lifted him to the front of my
  saddle and so carried him home。 I cared for him as though he had
  been a baby。 He had shown those Cattle…men how to fill the weak
  place in their pack; the Foxhounds may be good and the Greyhounds
  swift and the Russians and Danes fighters; but they are no use at
  all without the crowning moral force of grit; that none can
  supply so well as a Bull…terrier。 On that day the Cattlemen
  learned how to manage the Wolf question; as you will find if ever
  you are at Mendoza; for every successful Wolf pack there has with
  it a Bull…terrier; preferably of the Snap…Mendoza breed。
  IV
  Next day was Hallowe'en; the anniversary of Snap's advent。 The
  weather was clear; bright; not too cold; and there was no snow on
  the ground。 The men usually celebrated the day with a hunt of
  some sort; and now; of course; Wolves were the one object。 To the
  disappointment of all; Snap was in bad shape with his wound。 He
  slept; as usual; at my feet; and bloody stains now marked the
  place。 He was not in condition to fight; but we were bound to
  have a Wolf…hunt; so he was beguiled to an outhouse and locked
  up; while we went off; I; at least; with a sense of impending
  disaster。 I knew we should fail without my Dog; but I did not
  realize how bad a failure it was to be。
  Afar among the buttes of Skull Creek we had roamed when a white
  ball appeared bounding through the sage…brush; and in a minute
  more Snap came; growling and stump…waggling; up to my Horse's
  side。 I could not send him back; he would take no such orders;
  not even from me。 His wound was looking bad; so I called him;
  held down the quirt; and jumped him to my saddle。
  〃There;〃 I thought; 〃I'll keep you safe till we get home。〃 'Yes;
  I thought; but I reckoned not with Snap。 The voice of Hilton;
  〃Hu; hu;〃 announced that he had sighted a Wolf。 Dander and Riley;
  his rival; both sprang to the point of observation; with the
  result that they collided and fell together; sprawling; in the
  sage。 But Snap; gazing hard; had sighted the Wolf; not so very
  far off; and before I knew it; he leaped from the saddle and
  bounded zigzag; high; low; in and under the sage; straight for
  the enemy; leading the whole pack for a few minutes。 Not far; of
  course。 The great Greyhounds sighted the moving speck; and the
  usual procession strung out on the plain。 It promised to be a
  fine hunt; for the Wolf had less than half a mile start and all
  the Dogs were fully interested。
  〃They 'ye turned up Grizzly Gully;〃 cried Garvin。 〃This way; and
  we can head them off。〃
  So we turned and rode hard around the north side of Hulmer's
  Butte; while the chase seemed to go round the south。
  We galloped to the top of Cedar Ridge and were about to ride
  down; when Hilton shouted; 〃By George; here he is! We're right
  onto him。〃 He leaped from his Horse; dropped the bridle; and ran
  forward。 I did the same。 A great Gray…wolf came lumbering across
  an open plain toward us。 His head was low; his tail out level;
  and fifty yards behind him was Dander; sailing like a Hawk over
  the ground; going twice as fast as the Wolf。 In a minute the
  Hound was a