bruce-第25章

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greeting。　With　the　air　of　an　epicure；　he　sniffed　at　the　contents

of　one　of　the　kitchen's　bubbling　kettles。　Then　he　walked　off　and

curled　himself　comfortably　on　a　pile　of　bedding；　there　to　rest

until　supper　should　be　ready。



Several　times；　as　he　lay　there；　soldiers　passed　and　repassed。　One

or　two　of　them　snapped　their　fingers　at　the　dog　or　even　stooped；

in　passing；　to　stroke　his　head。　But　on　the　faces　of　all　of　them

was　unrest　and　a　certain　wolfish　eagerness；　which　precluded

playing　with　pets　at　such　a　time。　The　hot　zest　of　the　man…hunt

was　upon　them。　It　was　gnawing　in　the　veins　of　the　newest　recruit；



ever；　as　in　the　heart　of　the　usually　self…contained　colonel　of

the　regiment。



The　colonel；　in　fact；　had　been　so　carried　away　by　the　joy　of

seeing　his　men　drive　the　hated　graycoats　before　them　that　day

that　he　had　overstepped　the　spirit　of　his　own　orders　from　the

division　commander。



In　brief；　he　had　made　no　effort　to　〃dress〃　his　command；　in　the

advance；　upon　the　regiments　to　either　side　of　it。　As　a　result；

when　the　signal　to　bivouac　for　the　night　was　given；　the　〃Here…We…

Comes〃　were　something　like　a　mile　ahead　of　the　regiment　which

should　have　been　at　their　immediate　right；　and　nearly　two　miles

in　front　of　the　brigade　at　their　left。



In　other　words；　the　〃Here…We…Comes〃　now　occupied　a　salient　of

their　own；　ahead　of　the　rest　of　the　FrancoAmerican　line。　It　was

in　rebuke　for　this　bit　of　good　progress　and　bad　tactics　that　the

division　commander　had　written　to　the　colonel；　in　the　dispatch

which　Bruce　had　brought。



German　airmen；　sailing　far　above；　and　dodging　as　best　they　could

the　charges　of　the　Allied　'planes；　had　just　noted　that　the　〃Here…

We…Comes〃　〃salient〃　was　really　no　salient　at　all。　So　far　had　it

advanced　that；　for　the　moment；　it　was　out　of　touch　with　the　rest

of　the　division。　It　was；　indeed；　in　an　excellent　position　to　be

cut　off　and　demolished　by　a　dashing　nightattack。　And　a　report　to

this　effect　was　delivered　to　a　fumingly　distracted　German　major

general；　who　yearned　for　a　chance　to　atone　in　some　way　for　the

day's　shameful　reverses。



〃If　they　hadn't　halted　us　and　made　us　call　it　a　day；　just　as　we

were　getting　into　our　stride；〃　loudly　grumbled　one　Yankee　private

to　another　as　the　two　clumped　up　to　the　kitchen；　〃we'd　have　been

in　Fere…en…Tardenois　by　now。　What　lazy　guy　is　running　this　drive；

anyhow？〃



〃The　same　lazy　guy　that　will　stick　you　into　the　hoosgow　for

insubordination　and　leave　you　to　do　your　bit　there　while　the　rest

of　us　stroll　on　to　Berlin！〃　snapped　Top…Sergeant　Mahan；　wheeling

upon　the　grumbler。　〃Till　you　learn　how　to　obey　orders　without

grouching；　it　isn't　up　to　you　to　knock　wiser　men。　Shut　up！〃



Though　Mahan's　tone　of　reproof　was　professionally　harsh；　his

spirit　was　not　in　his　words。　And　the　silenced　private　knew　it。　He

knew；　too；　that　the　top…sergeant　was　as　savage　over　the　early

halt　as　were　the　rest　of　the　men。



Bruce；　as　a　rule；　when　he　honored　the　〃Here…We…Comes〃　with　a

visit；　spent　the　bulk　of　his　time　with　Mahan　and　old　Vivier。　But

to…day　neither　of　these　friends　was　an　inspiring　companion。　Nor

were　the　rest　of　Bruce's　acquaintances　disposed　to　friendliness。

Wherefore；　as　soon　as　supper　was　eaten；　the　dog　returned　to　his

heap　of　bedding；　for　the　hour　or　so　of　laziness　which　Nature

teaches　all　her　children　to　demand；　after　a　full　meal；and　which

the　so…called　〃dumb〃　animals　alone　are　intelligent　enough　to

take。



Dusk　had　merged　into　night　when　Bruce　got　to　his　feet　again。　Taps

had　just　sounded。　The　tired　men　gladly　rolled　themselves　into

their　blankets　and　fell　into　a　dead　sleep。　A　sentry…relief　set

forth　to　replace　the　first　batch　of　sentinels　with　the　second。



Mahan　was　of　the　party。　Though　the　topsergeant　had　been　a　stupid

comrade；　thus　far　to…day；　he　was　now　evidently　going　for　a　walk。

And　even　though　it　was　a　duty…walk；　yet　the　idea　of　it　appealed

to　the　dog　after　his　long　inaction。



So　Bruce　got　up　and　followed。　As　he　came　alongside　the　stiffly

marching　top…sergeant；　the　collie　so　far　subverted　discipline　as

to　thrust　his　nose；　in　friendly　greeting；　into　Mahan's　slightly

cupped　palm。　And　the　top…sergeant　so　far　abetted　the　breach　of

discipline　as　to　give　the　collie's　head　a　furtive　pat。　The　night

was　dim；　as　the　moon　had　not　risen；　so　the　mutual　contact　of

good…fellowship　was　not　visible　to　the　marching　men　on　either

side　of　Mahan　and　the　dog。　And　discipline；　therefore；　did　not

suffer　much；　after　all。



At　one　post　after　another；　a　sentinel　was　relieved　and　a　fresh

man　took　his　place。　Farthest　in　front　of　the　〃Here…We…Comes〃

lines　and　nearest　to　the　Germanwas　posted　a　lanky　Missourian

whom　Bruce　liked；　a　man　who　had　a　way　of　discovering　in　his　deep

pockets　stray　bits　of　food　which　he　had　hoarded　there　for　the

collie　and　delighted　to　dole　out　to　him。　The　Missourian　had　a

drawlingly　soft　voice　the　dog　liked；　and　he　used　to　talk　to　Bruce

as　if　the　latter　were　another　human。



For　all　these　reasonsand　because　Mahan　was　too　busy　and　too

grumpy　to　bother　with　himBruce　elected　to　stay　where　he　was；

for　a　while；　and　share　the　Missourian's　vigil。　So；　when　the　rest

of　the　party　moved　along　to　the　next　sentry…go；　the　dog　remained。

The　Missourian　was　only　too　glad　to　have　him　do　so。　It　is　tedious

and　stupid　to　pace　a　desolate　beat；　alone；　at　dead　of　night；

after　a　day　of　hard　fighting。　And　the　man　welcomed　the

companionship　of　the　dog。



For　a　time；　as　the　Missourian　paced　his　solitary　stretch　of

broken　and　shrub…grown　ground；　Bruce　gravely　paced　to　and　fro　at

his　side。　But　presently　this　aimless　promenade　began　to　wax

uninteresting。　And；　as　the　two　came　to　the　far　end　of　the　beat；

Bruce　yawned　and　lay　down。　It　was　pleasanter　to　lie　there　and　to

watch　the　sentinel　do　the　walking。



Stretched　out；　in　a　little　grass…hollow；　the　dog　followed

blinkingly　with　his　soft　brown　eyes　the　pendulumlike　progress　of

his　friend。　And　always　the　dog's　plumed　tail　would　beat　rhythmic

welcome　against　the　ground　as　the　sentry　approached　him。



Thus　nearly　an　hour　wore　on。　A　fat　moon　butted　its　lazy　way

through　the　smoke…mists　of　the　eastern　skyline。



Then　something　happenedsomething　that　Bruce　could　readily　have

forestalled　if　the　wind　had　been　blowing　from　the　other

direction；　and　if　a　dog's　eyes　were　not　as　nearsighted　as　his

nose　is　farsmelling。



The　Missourian　paused　to　run　his　hand　caressingly　over　the

collie's　rough　mane；　and　moved　on；　down　the　lonely　beat。　Bruce

watched　his　receding　figure；　drowsily。　At　the　end　of　ninety　yards

or　more；　the　Missourian　passed　by　a　bunch　of　low　bushes　which

grew　at　the　near　side　of　a　stretch　of　hilly　and　shellpocked

ground。　He　moved　past　the　bushes；　still　watched　by　the　somewhat

bored　dog。



It　was　then　that　Bruce　saw　a　patch　of　bushshadow　detach　itself

from　the　rest；　under　the　glow　of　the　rising　moon。　The　shadow　was

humpy　and　squat。　Noiseless；　it　glided　out　from　among　the　bushes；

close　at　the　sentry's　heels；　and　crept　after　him。



Bruce　pricked　his　ears　and　started　to　get　up。　His　curiosity　was

roused。　The　direction　of　the　wind　prevented　him　from　smelling　out

the　nature　of　the　mystery。　It　also　kept　his　keen　hearing　from

supplying　any　clue。　And　the　distance　would　not　permit　him　to　see

with　any　distinctness。



Still　his　curiosity　was　very　mild。　Surely；　if　danger　threatened；

the　sentinel　would　realize　it。　For　by　this　time　the　Shadow　was　a

bare　three　feet　behind　him　near　enough；　by　Bruce's　system　of

logic；　for　the　Missourian　to　have　smelled　and　heard　the　pursuer。

So　Bruce　got　up；　in　the　most　leisurely　fashion；　preparatory　to

strolling　across　to　investigate。　But　at　almost　his　first　step　he

saw　something　that　changed　his　gracefully　slouching　walk　into　a

charging　run。



The　Shadow　suddenly　had　merged　with　the　sentinel。　For　an　instant；

in　stark　silence；　the　two　seemed　to　cling　together。　Then　the

Shadow　fled；　and　the　lanky　Missourian　slumped　to　the　earth