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第16章

bruce-第16章

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after dark; at nighthaven't we got the searchlights and the

starshells and all that?〃



〃Son;〃 replied Mahan; 〃we have。 Though I don't see how you ever

guessed such an important secret。 But since you know everything;

maybe you'll just kindly tell us what good all the lights in the

world are going to do us when the filthy yellow…gray fog begins

to ooze up out of the mud and the shell…holes; and the filthy

gray mist oozes down from the clouds to meet it。 Fog is the one

thing that all the warscience won't overcome。 A fogpenetrator

hasn't been invented yet。 If it had been; there'd be many a husky

lad living today; who has gone West; this past few years; on

account of the fogs。 Fog is the boche's pet。 It gives Fritzy a

lovely chance to creep up or; us。 It〃



〃It is the helper of US; too;〃 suggested old Vivier。 〃More than

one time; it has kept me safe when I was on patrol。 And did it

not help to save us at Rache; when〃



〃The fog may have helped us; one per cent; at Rache;〃 admitted

Mahan。 〃But Bruce did ninety…nine per cent of the saving。〃



〃A Scotch general?〃 asked the recruit; as Vivier nodded cordial

affirmation of Mahan's words; and as others of the old…timers

muttered approval。



〃No;〃 contradicted Mahan。 〃A Scotch collie。 If you were dry

behind the ears; in this life; you wouldn't have to ask who Bruce

is。〃



〃I don't understand;〃 faltered the rookie; suspicious of a

possible joke。



〃You will soon;〃 Mahan told him。 〃Bruce will be here to…day。 I

heard the K。O。 saying the big dog is going to be sent down with

some dispatches or something; from headquarters。 It's his first

trip since he was cut up so。〃



〃I am saving himthis!〃 proclaimed Vivier; disgorging from the

flotsam of his pocket a lump of once…white sugar。 〃My wife; she

smuggle three of these to me in her last paquet。 One I eat in my

cafe noir; one I present to mon cher vieux; ce bon Mahan; one I

keep for the grand dog what save us all that day。〃



〃What's the idea?〃 queried the mystified rookie。 〃I don't〃



〃We were stuck in the front line of the Rache salient;〃 explained

Mahan; eager to recount his dog…friend's prowess。 〃On both sides

our supports got word to fall back。 We couldn't get the word;

because our telephone connection was knocked galley…west。 There

we were; waiting for a Hun attack to wipe us out。 We couldn't

fall back; for they were peppering the hillslope behind us。 We

were at the bottom。 They'd have cut us to ribbons if we'd shown

our carcasses in the open。 Bruce was here; with a message he'd

brought。 The K。O。 sent him back to headquarters for the reserves。

The boche heavies and snipers and machine…guns all cut loose to

stop him as he scooted up the hill。 And a measly giant of a

German police dog tried to kill him; too。 Bruce got through the

lot of them; and he reached headquarters with the SOS call that

saved us。 The poor chap was cut and gouged and torn by bullets

and shell…scraps; and he was nearly dead from shell…shock; too。

But the surgeon general worked over him; himself; and pulled him

back to life。 He〃



〃He is a loved pet of a man and a woman in your America; I have

heard one say;〃 chimed in Vivier。 〃And his home; there; was in

the quiet country。 He was lent to the cause; as a patriotic

offering; ce brave! And of a certainty; he has earned his

welcome。〃



When Bruce; an hour later; trotted into the trenches; on the way

to the 〃Here…We…Come〃 colonel's quarters; he was received like a

visiting potentate。 Dozens of men hailed him eagerly by name as

he made his way to his destination with the message affixed to

his collar。



Many of these men were his well…remembered friends and comrades。

Mahan and Vivier; and one or two more; he had grown to likeas

well as he could like any one in that land of horrors; three

thousand miles away from The Place; where he was born; and from

the Mistress and the Master; who were his loyally worshiped gods。



Moreover; being only mortal and afflicted with a hearty appetite;

Bruce loved the food and other delicacies the men were forever

offering him as a variation on the stodgy fare dished out to him

and his fellow war…dogs。



As much to amuse and interest the soldiers whose hero he was; as

for any special importance in the dispatch he carried; Bruce had

been sent now to the trenches of the Here…We…Comes。 It was his

first visit to the regiment he had saved; since the days of the

Rache assault two months earlier。 Thanks to supremely clever

surgery and to tender care; the dog was little the worse for his

wounds。 His hearing gradually had come back。 In one shoulder he

had a very slight stiffness which was not a limp; and a

new…healed furrow scarred the left side of his tawny coat。

Otherwise he was as good as new。



As Bruce trotted toward the group that so recently had been

talking of him; the Missouri recruit watched with interest for

the dog's joy at this reunion with his old friends。 Bruce's snowy

chest and black…stippled coat were fluffed out by many recent

baths。 His splendid head high and his dark eyes bright; the

collie advanced toward the group。



Mahan greeted him joyously。 Vivier stretched out a hand which

displayed temptingly the long…hoarded lump of sugar。 A third man

produced; from nowhere in particular; a large and meat…fringed

soup…bone。



〃I wonder which of you he'll come to; first;〃 said the interested

Missourian。



The question was answered at once; and right humiliatingly。 For

Bruce did not falter in his swinging stride as he came abreast of

the group。 Not by so much as a second glance did he notice

Mahan's hail and the tempting food。



As he passed within six inches of the lump of sugar which Vivier

was holding out to him; the dog's silken ears quivered slightly;

sure sign of hard…repressed emotion in a thoroughbred collie;

but he gave no other manifestation that he knew any one was

there。



〃Well; I'll be blessed!〃 snickered the Missourian in high

derision; as Bruce passed out of sight around an angle of the

trench。 〃So that's the pup who is such a pal of you fellows; is

he? Gee; but it was a treat to see how tickled he was to meet you

again!〃



To the rookie's amazement none of his hearers seemed in the least

chagrined over the dogs chilling disregard of them。 Instead;

Mahan actually grunted approbation。



〃He'll be back;〃 prophesied the Sergeant。 〃Don't you worry。 He'll

be back。 We ought to have had more sense than try to stop him

when he's on duty。 He has better discipline than the rest of us。

That's one of very first things they teach a courier…dogto pay

no attention to anybody; when he's on dispatch duty。 When Bruce

has delivered his message to the K。O。; he'll have the right to

hunt up his chums。 And no one knows it better'n Bruce himself。〃



〃It was a sina thoughtlessnessof me to hold the sugar at

him;〃 said old Vivier。 〃Ah; but he is a so good soldier; ce brave

Bruce! He look not to the left nor yet to the right; nor yet to

the so…desired sugar…lump。 He keep his head at attention! All but

the furry tips of his ears。 Them he has not yet taught to be good

soldiers。 They tremble; when he smell the sugar and the good

soup…bone。 They quiver like the little leaf。 But he keep on。 He…

…〃



There was a scurry of fast…cantering feet。 Around the angle of

the trench dashed Bruce。 Head erect; soft dark eyes shining with

a light of gay mischief; he galloped up to the grinning Sergeant

Vivier and stood。 The dog's great plume of a tail was wagging

violently。 His tulip ears were cocked。 His whole interest in life

was fixed on the precious lump of sugar which Vivier held out to

him。



From puppyhood; Bruce had adored lump sugar。 Even at The Place;

sugar had been a rarity for him; for the Mistress and the Master

had known the damage it can wreak upon a dog's teeth and

digestion。 Yet; once in a while; as a special luxury; the

Mistress had been wont to give him a solit

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