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Dawson.</title> +<style type="text/css"> + <!-- + body {margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%;} + p {text-align: justify;} + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {text-align: center;} + hr {text-align: center; width: 50%;} + .ctr {text-align: center;} + blockquote {text-align: justify;} + .figcenter {padding: 1em; margin: 0; text-align: center; font-size: 0.8em;} + .figcenter {margin: auto;} + .figure img {border: none;} + .figcenter p {margin: 0; text-indent: 1em;} + table {margin: auto;} + .toc {margin : 0 10%;} + ol.RU { list-style-type: upper-roman; } + a:link {color: blue; text-decoration: none} + link {color: blue; text-decoration: none} + a:visited {color: blue; text-decoration: none} + a:hover {color: red} + --> +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Jan, by A. J. Dawson + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Jan + A Dog and a Romance + +Author: A. J. Dawson + +Release Date: July 9, 2005 [EBook #16252] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JAN *** + + + + +Produced by Bill Tozier, Barbara Tozier, Ed Casulli and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<h1><i>JAN</i></h1> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width:400px"> +<a href="images/frontis.jpg"><img src="images/frontis_th.jpg" alt="Jan's opinion in the matter could hardly be ascertained" /> +</a><p>Jan's opinion in the matter could hardly be ascertained: +but no one who had seen Dick and Betty on the Downs with +Jan and Finn, would have entertained any doubt about this.</p> +</div> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h1>JAN</h1> + +<h2>A DOG AND A ROMANCE</h2> + +<h3>BY</h3> + +<h2>A. J. DAWSON</h2> + +<p> </p><p> </p> + + +<h5>NEW YORK<br /> + +GROSSET & DUNLAP<br /> + +PUBLISHERS</h5> + +<p class="ctr">Published by Arrangement with Harper & Brothers</p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h5>JAN: A DOG AND A ROMANCE</h5> + +<h5>Copyright, 1915, by Harper & Brothers<br /> + +Printed in the United States of America<br /> +Published October, 1915</h5> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<h2><i>CONTENTS</i></h2> + +<div class="toc"> +<ol class="RU"> +<li><a href="#I">HOW FINN CAME HOME</a></li> +<li><a href="#II">NUTHILL AND SHAWS</a></li> +<li><a href="#III">INTRODUCING THE LADY DESDEMONA</a></li> +<li><a href="#IV">THE OPEN-AIR CALL</a></li> +<li><a href="#V">DESDEMONA'S WANDERINGS</a></li> +<li><a href="#VI">HOW DESDEMONA FOUND HER NEST</a></li> +<li><a href="#VII">DESDEMONA FORGETS HER MANNERS</a></li> +<li><a href="#VIII">FINN IS ENLIGHTENED</a></li> +<li><a href="#IX">THE LONE MOTHER</a></li> +<li><a href="#X">FAMILY LIFE—AND DEATH</a></li> +<li><a href="#XI">JAN GOES TO NUTHILL</a></li> +<li><a href="#XII">SOME FIRST STEPS</a></li> +<li><a href="#XIII">SAPLING DAYS</a></li> +<li><a href="#XIV">VWITH REFERENCE TO DICK VAUGHAN</a></li> +<li><a href="#XV">JAN'S FIRST FIGHT</a></li> +<li><a href="#XVI">GOOD-BY TO DICK</a></li> +<li><a href="#XVII">JAN BEFORE THE JUDGES</a></li> +<li><a href="#XVIII">FIT AS A TWO-YEAR-OLD</a></li> +<li><a href="#XIX">DISCIPLINE</a></li> +<li><a href="#XX">SUSSEX TO SASKATCHEWAN</a></li> +<li><a href="#XXI">INTRODUCING SOURDOUGH</a></li> +<li><a href="#XXII">MURDER!</a></li> +<li><a href="#XXIII">THE FIGHT ON THE PRAIRIE</a></li> +<li><a href="#XXIV">PROMOTION</a></li> +<li><a href="#XXV">JAN GOES ON HIS TRAVELS</a></li> +<li><a href="#XXVI">THE RULE OF TRACE AND THONG</a></li> +<li><a href="#XXVII">MUTINY IN THE TEAM</a></li> +<li><a href="#XXVIII">THE FEAST AND THE FASTER</a></li> +<li><a href="#XXIX">THE FIGHT IN THE WOODS</a></li> +<li><a href="#XXX">REAL LEADERSHIP</a></li> +<li><a href="#XXXI">THE COST OF INCOMPETENCE</a></li> +<li><a href="#XXXII">JAN OBEYS ORDERS AT THE GREAT DIVIDE</a></li> +<li><a href="#XXXIII">BACK TO THE TRAIL</a></li> +<li><a href="#XXXIV">THE PEACE RIVER TRAIL</a></li> +<li><a href="#XXXV">THE END OF JAN'S LONE TRAIL</a></li> +<li><a href="#XXXVI">"SO LONG, JAN!"</a></li> +<li><a href="#XXXVII">BACK TO REGINA</a></li> +<li><a href="#XXXVIII">THE FALL OF SOURDOUGH</a></li> +<li><a href="#XXXIX">HOW JAN CAME HOME</a></li> +</ol> +</div> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + + + +<h1><i>JAN</i></h1> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="I" id="I"></a>I</h2> + +<h3>HOW FINN CAME HOME</h3> + + +<p>Rightly to appreciate Jan's character and +parts you must understand his origin. For +this you must go back to the greatest of modern +Irish wolfhounds, Finn; and to the Lady Desdemona, +of whom it was said, by no less an authority than +Major Carthwaite, that she was "the most perfectly +typical bloodhound of her decade." And that was +in the fifteenth month of her age, just six weeks +before Finn's arrival at Nuthill.</p> + +<p>When the Master was preparing to leave Australia +with Finn he said, "It's 'Sussex by the sea' for us, +Finn, boy, in another month or so; and, God willing, +that's where you shall end your days."</p> + +<p>Just fourteen weeks after making that remark +(and, too, after a deal more of land and sea travel +for Finn than comes into the whole lives of most +hounds) the Master bought Nuthill, the little estate +on the lee of the most beautiful of the South Downs +from the upper part of which one sees quite easily +on a clear day the red chimneys and white gables of +the cottage in which Finn was born. But at the +time of that important purchase Finn was lying +perdu in quarantine, down in Devonshire; a melancholy +period for the wolfhound, that. The +Master spent many shipboard hours in discussing +this very matter with the Mistress of the Kennels +on their passage home from Australia, and he tried +hard to find a way out of the difficulty, for Finn's +sake. But there it was. You cannot hope to +smuggle ashore, even in the most fashionably capacious +of lady's muffs, a hound standing thirty-six +inches high at the shoulder and weighing nearer +two hundred than one hundred pounds. It was a +case of quarantine or perpetual exile, and so Finn +went into quarantine. But, as you may guess, +there were pretty careful arrangements made for +his welfare.</p> + +<p>The wolfhound had special quarters of his own in +quarantine, and his enforced stay there had just +this advantage about it, that when the great day +of his release arrived there was no more travel and +hotel life to be suffered, for by this time the Master +was thoroughly settled down at Nuthill, the Mistress +of the Kennels had made that snug place a real home, +and her niece, Betty Murdoch, was already an established +member of the household. So Finn went +straight from quarantine at Plymouth to the best +home he had ever known, and to one in which his +honored place was absolutely assured to him.</p> + +<p>But it must not be supposed that, because of his +much-honored place in the Master's world, Finn had +entirely put behind him and forgotten his strange +life among the wild kindred in Australia. That +could hardly be. The savor of that life would remain +for ever in his nostrils, no matter how ordered +and humanized his days at Nuthill; just as consciousness +of human cruelty and the torture of imprisonment +had been burned into his memory and nature, +indelibly as though branded there by the hot irons +of the circus folk in New South Wales. Finn +adapted himself perfectly to the life of the household +at Nuthill, and with ease. Had he not a thousand +years of royal breeding in his veins? But he never +forgot the wild. He never forgot his days of circus +imprisonment as a wild beast. He never for one +instant reverted to the gaily credulous attitude toward +mankind which had helped the dog-stealers to +kidnap him after the first great triumph of his +youth, when he defeated all comers, from puppy +and novice to full-fledged champion, and carried +off the blue riband of his year at the Crystal Palace. +Well-mannered he would always be; but in these +later days his attitude toward all humans, and most +animal folk outside his own household, was characterized +by a gravely alert and watchful kind of +reserve. As the Master once said, in talking on his +homeward way to England of that dog-stealing +episode of the wolfhound's salad days:</p> + +<p>"It would take a tough and wily old thief to +tempt Finn across a garden-path nowadays, with +the best doctored meat ever prepared. And as for +really getting away with him—well, they're welcome +to try; and I fancy they'd get pretty well all they +deserve from old Finn, without the law's assistance."</p> + +<p>Betty Murdoch—round-figured, rosy, high-spirited, +a great lover of out of doors, and aged now +twenty-two—had been much exercised in her mind +as to what Finn would think of her, when he arrived +at Nuthill, after the long railway journey from +Plymouth. She had seen the wolfhound only once +before, when she was somewhat less grown-up and +he was still in puppyhood, before the visit to Australia. +The Master, who went specially to Plymouth +to fetch Finn, said Betty must expect a certain +reserve at first in the wolfhound's attitude.</p> + +<p>"He can't possibly remember you, of course, and, +nowadays, he is not effusive, not very ready to +make new friends."</p> + +<p>The Mistress of the Kennels, on the other hand—she +still was spoken of as "the Mistress," though +at Nuthill there never were any kennels—insisted +that Finn would know perfectly well that Betty +was one of the family; as, of course, he did. Apart +from her physical resemblance to her aunt, Betty +had very many of the Mistress's little ways, and +especially of her ways in dealings with and thinking +of animal folk.</p> + +<p>Finn's heart had swelled almost to bursting when +the Master came to him in the quarantine station +at Plymouth, for, to tell the truth, he never had +been able to make head or tail of being left alone +in this place, though the Master had tried hard to +explain. But he had been well treated there, and +was certain the Master would eventually return to +him. Yet, when the moment came, there was a +sudden overwhelming swelling of his heart which +made Finn gasp. He almost staggered as the +Master greeted him. The emotion of gladness hurt +him, and his dark eyes were flooded.</p> + +<p>After that there were no further surprises for Finn. +Once he had felt the Master's hand burrowing in the +wiry gray hair of his neck, Finn knew well that +they were homeward bound, that the unaccountable +period of separation was over, and that he would +very presently see the Mistress of the Kennels; +as in fact he did, that very night, at Nuthill by the +Downs. And Betty—well, it was perfectly clear +to Finn that she was somehow part and parcel with +the Mistress; and whilst never now effusive to any +one, he made it clear at once that he accepted Betty +as one of his own little circle of human folk, to be +loved and trusted, and never suspected. In the +evening the great hound lay extended on the hearthrug +of the square, oak-paneled hall at Nuthill. (He +occupied a good six feet of rug.) Betty stepped +across his shoulders once, to reach matches from the +mantel; and Finn never blinked or moved a hair, +save that the tip of his long tail just languidly rose +twice, ever so gently slapping the rug. The Master, +who was watching, laughed at this.</p> + +<p>"You may account yourself an honored friend +already, Betty," he said. "I'll guarantee no other +living soul, except the Mistress or I, could step over +old Finn like that without his moving. In these +days he doesn't unguard to that extent with any one +else."</p> + +<p>"Ah, well," laughed Betty; "even less wise dogs +than Finn know who loves them—don't they, old +man?"</p> + +<p>Finn blinked a friendly response as she rubbed his +ears. But as yet it was not that. Finn had given +no thought to Betty's loving him; but he had +realized that she was kin to the Mistress and the +Master, and therefore, for him, in a category apart +from all other folk, animal or human; a person to be +trusted absolutely, even by a hound of his unique +experience.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="II" id="II"></a>II</h2> + +<h3>NUTHILL AND SHAWS</h3> + + +<p>In a recess beside the hearth in the hall at Nuthill +Finn found an oaken platform, or bench, five feet +long by two and a half feet wide. It stood perhaps +fifteen inches from the floor, on four stout legs, and +its two ends and back had sides eight inches high. +The front was open, and the bench itself was covered +by a 'possum-skin rug.</p> + +<p>"This, my friend, is your own bed," said the +Master, when he showed the bench to Finn, after +all the household had retired that night. "You've +slept hard, old chap, and you've lived hard, in your +time; but when you want it, there will always be +comfort for you here. But you're free, old chap. +You can go wherever you like; still, I'd like you to +try this. See! Up, lad!"</p> + +<p>Finn sniffed long and interestedly at the 'possum-rug +which had often covered the Mistress's feet on +board ship and elsewhere. Then he stepped on to +the bed and lowered his great bulk gracefully upon it.</p> + +<p>"How's that?" asked the Master. And Finn +thrust his muzzle gratefully into the hand he loved. +The bed was superlatively good, as a matter of fact. +But when, in the quite early morning hours, the +Master opened his bedroom door, bound for the +bath, he found Finn dozing restfully on the doormat.</p> + +<p>So that was the end of the hall bed as a hall bed. +That night Finn found it beside the Master's bedroom +door; and there in future he slept of a night, +when indoors at all. But he was allowed perfect +freedom, and there were summer nights he spent +in the outer porch and farther afield than that, +including the queer little Sussex slab-paved courtyard +outside the kitchen door, where he spent the +better part of one night on guard over a smelly +tramp who, in a moment unlucky for himself, had +decided to try his soft and clumsy hand at burglary. +The gardener found the poor wretch in the morning +aching with cramp and bailed up in a dampish corner +by the dust-bin, by a wolfhound who kept just half +an inch of white fang exposed, and responded with +a truly awe-inspiring throaty snarl to the slightest +hint of movement on the tramp's part.</p> + +<p>"Six hours 'e's kep' me there, an', bli'me, I'd +sooner do six months quod," the weary tramp +explained, when the Master had been roused and +Finn called off.</p> + +<p>On the morning of his third day at Nuthill it was +that Finn first met the Lady Desdemona. And it +happened in this wise: Colonel Forde, of Shaws, +which, as you may know, lies just across the green +shoulder of Down from Nuthill—its fault is that the +house is reached only by the westering sun, while +Nuthill's windows catch the first morning rays on one +side and hold some of any sunshine there may be the +day through—wrote, saying that he had heard of +Finn's arrival, and would the Master come across +to luncheon with the Mistress and Miss Murdoch, +and bring the wolfhound.</p> + +<p>"I hope you will have a look through my kennels +with me in the afternoon," added the Colonel; and +that was the kind of invitation seldom refused by +the Master.</p> + +<p>It is, of course, a good many years now since the +Shaws kennels first earned the respect of discerning +breeders and lovers of bloodhounds. But to this +day there is one kind of doggy man (and woman) +who smiles a shade disdainfully when Colonel Forde's +name is mentioned.</p> + +<p>"Very much the amateur," they say. And—"A +bit too much of a sentimentalist to be taken +seriously," some knowing fellow in a kennel coat of +the latest style will tell you. Perhaps they do not +quite know what they mean. Or perhaps they are +influenced by the known fact that the Colonel has +more than once closed his kennel doors to a long +string of safe prizes by refusing to exhibit a second +time some hound who, on a first showing, has won +golden opinions and high awards. But these refusals +were never whimsical. They were due always to the +Colonel's decision, based upon close and sympathetic +observation, that, for the particular hound in question, +exhibition represented a painful ordeal.</p> + +<p>Among the breeders who at one time or another +have visited the Shaws kennels are a few of the +knowing fellows who smile at mention of the Colonel's +name. Well, let them smile. It is perhaps as well +for them that the Colonel is pretty tolerably indifferent +alike to their smiles and to the awards of +show judges; for, if Colonel Forde were seriously +bent upon "pot-hunting," there would not be anything +like so many "pots" about for other people; +and these particular gentry would not at all like that.</p> + +<p>"Kennels!" said one of them at a dog-show in +Brighton, "why, it's more like a kindergarten. +There's a sitting-room, a kind of drawing-room, if +you'll believe me, in the middle of the kennels, for +tea-parties! And as for the dogs, well, they just do +whatever they like. As often as not the kennels are +empty, except for pups, and the hounds all over the +garden and house—a regular kindergarten."</p> + +<p>It will be seen then that the Colonel must clearly +have merited the disdainful smiles. But I am bound +to say I never heard of any one being bitten or +frightened by a dog at Shaws, and it is notorious +that, difficult though bloodhound whelps are to rear, +the Colonel rarely loses one in a litter. Still, +"kindergarten" is certainly a withering epithet in +this connection; and one can perfectly understand +the professional's attitude. A sitting-room, nay, +worse—"A kind of drawing-room," in the midst of +the kennels! Why, it almost suggests that, forgetful +of prize-winning, advertising, and selling, the +Colonel must positively have enjoyed the mere +pleasure of spending a leisure hour among his dogs; +not at a show or in the public eye, but in the privacy +of his own home! Glaring evidence of amateurishness, +this. The knowing ones, as usual, were perfectly +correct. That is precisely what the Colonel +was; a genuine amateur of hounds.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="III" id="III"></a>III</h2> + +<h3>INTRODUCING THE LADY DESDEMONA</h3> + + +<p>April was uniformly dull and wet that year, +but May seemed to bring full summer in her +train; and it was on the morning of the third of +May that Finn went to Shaws with the Nuthill +house party.</p> + +<p>The turf of the Downs was so springy on this +morning that one felt uplifted by it in walking. +Each separate blade of the clover-scented carpet +seemed surcharged with young life. The downland +air was as a tonic wine to every creature that +breathed it. The joy of the day was voiced in the +liquid trilling of two larks that sang far overhead. +The place and time gave to the Nuthill party England +at her best and sweetest, than which, as the +Master often said, the world has nothing more +lovely to offer; and he was one who had fared far +and wide in other lands.</p> + +<p>There is the tiny walled inclosure above the +stables at Shaws, once used as a milking-yard, and +just now a veritable posy of daisies, buttercups, +rich green grass, and apple-blossom. For in it +there are six or seven gnarled and lichen-grown old +apple-trees, whose fruit is of small account, but +whose bloom is a gift sent straight from heaven to +gladden the hearts of men and beasts, birds and +bees. The big double doors in the ivy-grown flint +wall of this inclosure stood wide open. Humming +bees sailed booming to and fro, like ships in a tropical +trade-wind. And through the lattice-work of the +gray old apple-trees' branches (so virginally clothed +just now) clean English sunshine dappled all the +earth and grass in moving checkers of light and shade.</p> + +<p>When the Nuthill party looked in through the +gates of this delectable pleasaunce they beheld in +its midst the Lady Desdemona, gazing solemnly +down her long nose at the moving checkers of sunlight +on the grass. Her head was held low—the +true bloodhound poise—and that position exaggerated +the remarkable wealth of velvety "wrinkle" +with which her forehead had been endowed by nature, +after the selective breeding of centuries. Low +hung her golden dewlap over the grass at her feet; +and all across the satin blackness of her saddle intricately +woven little patterns of sunlight flicked +back and forth as the breeze stirred the branches +overhead.</p> + +<p>"There's all the wisdom and philosophy of the +ancients in her face," said the Master, as the beautiful +young bloodhound bitch winded them and +raised her head.</p> + +<p>As a fact, her thought had been far from abstruse. +She was merely watching the moving patches of +sunlight, and not reflecting upon it as humans do, +but feeling the joyousness and beauty of that time +and place. She gave no thought to these matters, +but was, as it were, inhaling them, and enjoying +them profoundly; more profoundly than most men-folk +would.</p> + +<p>Finn eyed her gravely, appraisingly, yet also without +thought. He, too, had been unreflectingly absorbing +the beauty of the morning; and now his +enjoyment became suddenly narrowed down and +concentrated. The rest of the world dropped out +of the picture, or rather it became merged for Finn +in the picture he beheld of the Lady Desdemona; +a study in tawny orange-gold and jetty black, +gleaming where the sun touched her and embodying +the quintessence of canine health, youth, and +high-breeding.</p> + +<p>So the world stood still for a moment while all +concerned felt, without thought, how good it was. +Then her youth and sex spoke in the bloodhound, +and Lady Desdemona, head and stern uplifted now, +came passaging gaily, proudly forward down the +grassy slope to the gateway, entirely ignoring the +human people, as was natural, and making direct +for Finn, the tallest, most stately representative of +her own kind she had ever seen. The Master +stepped aside, with a smile, the better to watch the +meeting of the hounds. It was worth watching. +Till they met, the movement, the provocativeness +was all on Lady Desdemona's side, Finn standing +erect and still as graven bronze. Then they met, +and at a given signal the tactics of each were +sharply reversed. The signal consisted of a little +flicking contact, light as thistle-down. As Desdemona +curveted down past Finn the tip of her +gaily-waving tail was allowed once to glance over +the Irish wolfhound's wiry coat; the merest suggestion +of a touch. But it seemed this was a magic +signal, converting the dancing Desdemona into a +graven image and transforming the statuesque Finn +into a hound of abounding and commanding activity.</p> + +<p>They made quite a notable picture. The Lady +Desdemona stood now, tense, rigid, immobile as +any rock, though instinct with life in every hair. +Finn became the very personification of action, +eager movement, alert interest. Inside of one minute +he had examined the motionless Desdemona +(by means of the most searchingly concentrated application +of his senses of sight and smell) at least +as thoroughly as your Harley Street expert examines +a patient in half an hour. Finn needed no stethoscope +to assure him of Desdemona's soundness. +But, having seen her in the inclosure, and been +interested so far, he now examined her with his +keen eyes and nostrils at close quarters, in order +that he might know her. And so superior to our +own faculties are some of a hound's senses, that +at the end of this examination Finn the wolfhound +actually did know Lady Desdemona the bloodhound +quite as thoroughly as humans know anybody +after a dozen or so of meetings and much +beating of the air in speech.</p> + +<p>This process ended, the two hounds turned and, +with many friendly nudges and shoulder-rubbings, +proceeded up the meadow together in the wake of +the Nuthill party, toward the house of Shaws. One +cannot translate precisely Finn's remark to Desdemona +at the end of the examination, but the sense +of it was probably something of this sort:</p> + +<p>"Yes, you are all right. I like you. Let's be friends."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="IV" id="IV"></a>IV</h2> + +<h3>THE OPEN-AIR CALL</h3> + + +<p>That meeting with Desdemona in the walled +inclosure at Shaws was the beginning of many +jolly days for Finn. Colonel Forde and his family +were both interested and amused by the warm +friendship struck up between their beautiful young +bloodhound and the famous Finn, with his long +record of unique experiences on both sides of the +world. Neither hound found any meaning whatever, +of course, in the laughing remark made to the +Master by Colonel Forde that afternoon, as they +strolled round the kennels, followed by the now +inseparable Finn and Desdemona. The Colonel +paused to lay a hand affectionately on Finn's head, +and, with a smile in the Master's direction, he +said:</p> + +<p>"I suppose it's the old Shakespearian story over +again, eh, Finn? Desdemona loves you for the +dangers you have passed—is that it? Well, your +friendship will have to be strictly platonic, my son, +for this particular Desdemona is pledged to no less +puissant a prince than Champion Windle Hercules, +the greatest bloodhound sire of this age. 'A marriage +has been arranged,' as the papers say, Finn; +and I hope it won't put your long muzzle too badly +out of joint—what?"</p> + +<p>The Master laughed, and both men passed on, +Finn following cheerfully enough by Desdemona's +side, conscious only that the men-folk were talking +in friendly, kindly fashion, and reeking nothing of +the meaning of their words. From his point of +view, men-folk use such a mort of words at all times, +most of them quite unnecessary, and only a few of +them comprehensible. To folk accustomed, like +the dog people, to intercourse confined chiefly to +looks and movements, the continuous babble of +words which humans indulge in is one of their +most puzzling attributes. When the Master really +wanted Finn to understand anything, the wolfhound +very rarely failed him. But Colonel Forde's +references to Othello—well, it was all so much +puppy talk, just amiable, meaningless nickering to +Finn and Desdemona.</p> + +<p>That evening, while the Master and his folk +were dining at Nuthill, Finn arose from a nap in +the hall and, strolling out through the garden, +loped easily away across the shoulder of Down +betwixt Shaws and Nuthill to visit Desdemona. +He found her close to the walled inclosure by the +stable, and together they whiled away a couple +of evening hours on the springy thyme-and-clover-scented +turf of the Downs. Just as darkness was +taking the place of twilight the scuttering of an +over-venturesome rabbit's tail caught Finn's eye, +and cost that particular bunny its life. Desdemona, +to whom this little event opened up a quite new +chapter in life, was hugely excited over the kill, +and could hardly allow Finn, with his veteran's +skill, to tear the pelt from the creature's warm +body before she made her first meal of rabbit's +hind quarters.</p> + +<p>It was a trivial episode enough, and especially +so for a hunter of Finn's experience, who, in his time, +had pulled down dozens of old-men kangaroos, not +to mention the smaller fry of the Australian bush. +And yet, though he did not show it as Desdemona +did, this trifling incident was of quite epoch-marking +importance for Finn, and stirred him profoundly.</p> + +<p>"Hullo, old friend! What of the hunting? I +declare, you've quite the old bush-ranging air to-night. +Where have you been?" asked the Master, +when Finn rejoined his own family circle in the +hall at Nuthill, toward bedtime that night. Finn +silently nuzzled the under side of the Master's +right wrist; but, though his dark eyes were eloquent, +it was beyond him to explain either his doings +or his emotions. Yet the Master was not +altogether without understanding of these.</p> + +<p>"Fact is," he said to Betty Murdoch, as he affectionately +rubbed one of Finn's ears, "I believe +this old gallant has quite fallen in love with Miss +Desdemona, and I could swear he's been hunting +in her company to-night. He has all the look of +it. I suspect it carries him back to old days, past +the quarantine, past even Australia—eh, old chap?—and +back to his hunting days about these very +Downs, when we were at the cottage, you know. +I had to be a great deal in town in those days, before +we went to Australia, and Finn ran pretty +much wild through his last summer in England."</p> + +<p>So the Master did know something of what +passed in the wolfhound's mind, though they had +no common language. As a matter of fact, the +evening meeting with Desdemona, the frolic on the +Downs, and, at the last, the running down of that +rabbit, had combined to stir Finn more than anything +else had stirred him since he had fought for +the Master's life in a drought-smitten corner of +the bush in Australia. Much that had lain dormant +in the great hound since the adventurous days of +his leadership of a dingo pack had waked into active, +insistent life that evening, and, brushing aside the +habits of a year's soft living, had filled him once +more with the keenness of the hunter and the fire +of the masterful mate and leader.</p> + +<p>It must not be supposed that nostalgia is a modern +weakness, or the monopoly of human minds. +When Finn looked out across the moonlit Downs +that night, while strolling round the house with the +Master before going to bed, nostalgia filled his +heart to aching-point and clouded his mind with +its elusive, tormenting vapors as surely as ever it +clouded the brain of any human wanderer. It was +the nostalgia of the wilderness, of the life of the +wild; and, as he looked out into the moonlight, +Finn saw again in fancy, the boundary-rider's lonely +humpy, the rugged, rocky hills of the Tinnaburra; +a fleeing wallaby in the distance, himself in hot pursuit. +He smelt again the tang of crushed gum-leaves, +and heard the fascinating rustle which tells +of the movements of game, of live food, over desiccated +twigs and leaves, in bush untrodden by human +feet.</p> + +<p>Yes, Finn tasted to the full that night the nostalgia +of the wilderness. But if it stirred him deeply, +it by no means made him unhappy. Across the +Downs' shoulder there was Desdemona; and he was +free, save for the ties of affection—stronger these +than any dog-chain—which bound him to the Nuthill +folk. And as for Desdemona; owing to what many +fanciers would have regarded as the reprehensible +eccentricity of the owner of Shaws, Desdemona was +almost as free as Finn.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="V" id="V"></a>V</h2> + +<h3>DESDEMONA'S WANDERINGS</h3> + + +<p>A week later, even easy-going Colonel Forde +was a little perturbed by the news that Lady +Desdemona had been away all night and that nobody +knew of her whereabouts. However, the bitch +strolled into the house during the forenoon, looking +none the worse for her night out, and, much to his +kennelman's annoyance, the Colonel refused to have +her confined to the kennels. He did not know that +Finn was schooling this blood-royal princess in the +ways of the wild; but he could see that she looked +fit as a fiddle and was obviously very much enjoying +her life. And so he turned a deaf ear to his kennelman, +even when the good fellow said, protestingly:</p> + +<p>"You don't see such a bitch once in twenty years, +sir. She's just on her eighteenth month and she's +worth taking care of."</p> + +<p>"She certainly is, Bates," replied the Colonel, +"and you must keep a sharp lookout. Look to +her each day. But, upon my word, I think she's +also worth giving a good time to. Give her her +head, and I don't think she will ever disappoint us. +Thank goodness, there are no traps or poison about +here, or none that I ever heard of."</p> + +<p>"No, it's not that, sir," persisted the kennelman; +"but Desdemona she's good enough to win in the +best company, and to mother winners, too. And +you know, sir, if a dog's to do hisself justice on the +bench, you can't let him go skirmishing around the +country like a gipsy's lurcher. It sorter roughs 'em +somehow. The judges don't like it, and the Fancy +don't, neither, sir. Look at the chalk an' that on +her coat this morning, sir."</p> + +<p>"Ah well," said the Colonel, with a little laugh, +"we never have bred for the judges, Bates; nor +yet for the Fancy, either; and if they can't recognize +the merits of a bitch like that because she's +been living a natural, happy sort of life, instead of +a cage-life—why, then, that's their loss, not ours, +and we must chance it."</p> + +<p>And so the kennelman shrugged his shoulders +and the Lady Desdemona continued to enjoy life, +the new and wider life to which she was being introduced +by that hardened wanderer and past-master +in the lore of the wild—Finn.</p> + +<p>It may be that Colonel Forde himself was more +than a little worried about it when, a week later, +the young bloodhound disappeared one afternoon +and did not show up again next day. There had been +further communications with the house of the redoubtable +champion Windle Hercules in Hampshire. +The Lady Desdemona's line of travel had been +chosen. Bates was to escort her on the nuptial +journey, and all arrangements for the wedding of +the distinguished pair had been completed. And +now—"Just as if she mighter bin any tramp's cur," +as Bates feelingly put it—Desdemona had elected +to stay away and to remain away. And the news +from Nuthill showed that—"That there plaguy +great wolfhound" was also on the missing list.</p> + +<p>On the fourth day of absence, all search having +proved unsuccessful, the police were notified. Then, +bright and early on the morning of the fifth day, +the Lady Desdemona walked quietly up to the +kitchen door at Shaws, followed leisurely by Finn, +who, after seeing his mate welcomed with some enthusiasm +by the cook and several members of her +excited staff, turned about and loped easily away in +the direction of Nuthill.</p> + +<p>But to the experts concerned it speedily became +apparent that the alliance with Champion Windle +Hercules must be indefinitely postponed. Lady +Desdemona would have none of him. It seemed she +knew her own mind very well, was perfectly calm +and content, but quite determined in her opposition +to any hint of matrimonial <i>pourparlers</i> with +the admitted champion of her race. Bates the +kennelman pished and tushed, and thought he knew +all about it. The Master felt pretty sure he knew +all about it. The Colonel just smiled and said that +Desdemona was young yet, and that, for his part, +he always had thought two years a better marrying +age than eighteen months.</p> + +<p>Meantime, you could not have found a more +placidly happy and contented hound in England +than the Lady Desdemona; and there were very +few days on which she did not meet Finn, either at +Nuthill or at Shaws.</p> + +<p>The beautiful early summer weeks slid by, and +the young bloodhound grew more sedate and less +given to violent exercise. And then Bates succeeded +in persuading the Colonel into allowing him to kennel +the Lady Desdemona. It is true the kennel +given her was pretty nearly the size of a horse's +loose box, and had a little covered outside yard of +its own. But it was a kennel, and securely inclosed. +Despite the watchfulness of Bates, Finn the wolfhound +came nuzzling round its sides fairly often +in search of the prisoner.</p> + +<p>After four days of confinement the bitch was released +by Colonel Forde's orders. For two days +she had taken no food; and as she obviously fretted +when Finn was kept away from her, the wolfhound +was allowed to come and go at Shaws as he chose, +and as he did at Nuthill.</p> + +<p>Thus a week passed, and it was seen that the +Lady Desdemona grew restless and uneasy.</p> + +<p>"Take my advice and leave them severely alone," +said the Master. "Finn will go his own way whether +we like it or not. He's too old a hand to be cajoled, +and I've sworn I'll never coerce him. The bitch +will be better left to go her own way. She's got a +good mate."</p> + +<p>Bates sighed, but the Colonel agreed; and very +little was said about it when, a few days later, Desdemona +passed out beyond the ken of her friends at +Shaws and Nuthill, and for the time was seen no +more.</p> + +<p>What did rather surprise the Master, however, +was that after an absence of a few hours, on the +day of Desdemona's disappearance, Finn turned up +as usual in the evening at Nuthill, and spent the +night on his own bed. This fact did strike the +Master as odd when he heard that nothing had been +seen at Shaws of the bloodhound.</p> + +<p>"Evidently, then, Finn has nothing to do with +her disappearance," said Colonel Forde next day.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" replied the Master, musingly. "I wonder!" +And he thoughtfully pulled Finn's ears, as +though he thought this might extract information +regarding the whereabouts of Desdemona. But +Finn, as his way was, said nothing. He maintained +in this matter a policy of masterly reserve.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="VI" id="VI"></a>VI</h2> + +<h3>HOW DESDEMONA FOUND HER NEST</h3> + + +<p>It would, of course, be highly interesting if one +were able to map out precisely the effect produced +in Desdemona's mind by the influence of +Finn the wolfhound. One would very much like +to trace the mental process; to know exactly how +much and in what manner the influence of the wolfhound, +with his experiences of life among the wild +kindred of Australia, affected the development of +the highly domesticated, the thoroughly sophisticated, +young bloodhound. This one cannot pretend +to do. But, as it happens, one is able faithfully +to record the Lady Desdemona's actions and experiences; +and from that record, in the light of her +previous intercourse with the Irish wolfhound, one is +free to draw one's own conclusions as to motives +and inspirations.</p> + +<p>During the course of their various absences from +Shaws and Nuthill, Finn and the Lady Desdemona +very thoroughly scoured the South Downs within +a radius of a dozen miles from home. In the beginning +of their longest jaunt, which kept the pair +of them five days away, Desdemona made a discovery +that greatly interested both of them.</p> + +<p>It happened that Finn ran down and killed a rabbit, +rather, perhaps, from lightness of heart, or by +way of displaying his powers to Desdemona, than +from any desire for food. And so it fell out that, +having slain the bunny, the hunter and his mate +proceeded to amuse themselves in the vicinity, +leaving the rabbit lying where it had received its +<i>coup de grâce</i>, at the foot of a stunted, wind-twisted +thorn-bush.</p> + +<p>It might have been an hour later when (with appetites +whetted, no doubt, by exercise in the finest +air to be found in southern England) Finn and +Desdemona forsook their play and made for the +thorn-bush, with a view to a cold rabbit supper. +But a glance at the spot showed that the very +thoroughly killed rabbit was no longer there. Finn's +eyes blazed for a moment with the sort of masterful +wrath he had not shown since his dingo-leading +days in the Tinnaburra. Desdemona noticed this +exhibition of lordly anger and thought it rather +fine. But, being female, she was more practical +than Finn; and being a bloodhound, she had a +sense of smell by comparison with which Finn's +scenting powers were as naught—a mere gap in his +equipment; and this despite the fact that the training +his wild life had given him in this respect +placed him far ahead of the average wolfhound. +But by comparison with bloodhounds, the fleet +dogs who hunt by sight and speed—deerhounds, +greyhounds, Irish wolfhounds and the like—have +very little sense of smell.</p> + +<p>Now the Lady Desdemona, having no experience +of wild life, did not know in the least what had become +of that rabbit. She formed no conclusions +whatever about it. But obeying one of her strongest +instincts, she picked up a trail leading in the direction +opposite to that from which Finn had overtaken +the bunny, and, with one glance of encouragement +over her shoulder at Finn, began to +follow this up at a loping trot. As she ran, her +delicate, golden-colored flews skimmed the ground; +her sensitive nostrils questioned almost every blade +of grass, her brain automatically registering every +particle of information so obtained, and guiding +her feet accordingly. Her strong tail waved above +and behind her in the curve of an Arab scimitar. +She ceased to be the Lady Desdemona and became +simply a bloodhound at work; an epitome of the +whole complex science of tracking. Finn trotted +admiringly beside her, his muzzle never passing her +shoulder; and now and again when he happened +to lower his head from its accustomed three-foot +level, his nostrils caught a whiff or two of something +reminiscent of long-past hunting excursions when +he was barely out of puppyhood.</p> + +<p>The dog-folk are not greatly given to discussion. +It was obvious that Desdemona had some purpose +earnestly in view. (As a fact, she herself did not +as yet know what that purpose was.) And that +was enough for Finn. The bloodhound's pace was +slow, and Finn could have kept up this sort of traveling +for a dozen hours on end without really exerting +himself.</p> + +<p>But this was not to be a long trail as the event +proved, though it was mostly up-hill. Before a +mile and a half had been covered Desdemona began +to show excitement and emitted a single deep +bay, mellow as the note of an organ. Finn remarked +her fine voice with sincere approval. Like +all hounds, he detested a sharp, high, or yapping cry. +A few seconds later Desdemona came to a standstill +beside the stem of a starveling yew-tree, and +just below the crest of the Down. Her muzzle +was thrust into an opening in the steep side of the +Down, over which there hung a thatch of furze. +But though her head entered the opening, her +shoulders could not pass it and there was wrath +and excitement in the belling note she struck as +she drew back.</p> + +<p>This was Finn's opportunity and, stepping forward, +he attacked the overhanging furze and stony +chalky earth with both his powerful fore feet. He +had winded now a scent that roused him; and +what is more, he remembered precisely what that +twangy, acrid scent betokened. The chalky earth +flew from under his great paws faster than two men +could have shifted it with mattocks; and, as the +shelving crust was thin, it took him no more than +one or two minutes to make an opening through +which even his great bulk could pass with a little +stooping.</p> + +<p>Another moment and Desdemona had forced her +way past Finn, baying hoarsely, and was inside the +cave. There followed a yowling, snarling cry, a +scuffling sound, and a big red fox emerged, low to +the ground like a cat, his brush between his legs, +fight in his bared jaws, and flight in his red rolling +eyes. But fate had knocked at Reynard's door, +and would not be denied. His running did not +carry him far. It is probably somewhat disturbing +to be rooted out of one's own particular sanctuary +by a baying bloodhound. But it is worse to find +at one's front door a vision of vengeance and destruction +in the shape of a giant Irish wolfhound +whose kill one has purloined.</p> + +<p>In Finn's salad days it might have meant a fight. +As things were, it was rather an execution; and +though the fox died snapping, his neck was broken +before he had decided upon his line of action. As +Finn flung the furry corpse aside, Desdemona appeared +in the mouth of the cave with most of the +stolen rabbit between her jaws. It was noteworthy +that she gave no heed at all to the fox. Her business +as a tracker had been with her mate's stolen +kill. In the absence of Finn, Reynard would have +paid no other penalty for his theft than the loss of +the rabbit. As it was, the incident cost him his +life; and he was a master fox, too, who had ranged +that countryside with considerable insolence for +some years; a terribly familiar foe in a number of +neighboring farm-yards.</p> + +<p>Neither Finn nor Desdemona ate the remains of +that rabbit. For one thing, they were not yet really +hungry, and for another thing they did not relish +the musky tang left by Reynard's jaws. Apart +from this (and despite its strong scent) they were +both keenly interested in the cave which had been +Reynard's home; especially Desdemona.</p> + +<p>It seemed the bloodhound would never tire of +investigating the cave, once she had satisfied herself +as to Finn fully understanding that she alone, +unaided, and with most complete success, had +tracked down and retrieved the stolen rabbit. This +fact had to be clearly appreciated before Desdemona +could bring herself to lay aside the mangled rabbit. +Then she invited Finn's attention to the interior +of the cave. Together they explored its resources +till Finn felt almost nauseated by the smell +of fox which filled the place. But Desdemona, +with her far more delicate sense of smell, seemed +quite unaffected by this. To and fro she padded, +closely examining every inch of the place, and +dragging out into the open scores of bones and other +oddments which told of its long occupancy.</p> + +<p>It really was a rather fascinating lair, despite +its musky smell; and its position was superb. +Being on a southern slope, and just below the crest +of the highest point of Downs thereabouts, one +plainly saw the sparkle of sunlight on the waters +of the Channel from the mouth of this cave. On +the other hand, an obliging cup-shaped hollow of +the Downs, some hundred yards away to the west, +gave one a vista of Sussex farm-lands extending +over scores of miles; a view that many a caveless +millionaire would give a fortune to secure for his +home.</p> + +<p>Again, the extreme steepness of the particular +little spur, or swelling of the Downs, in which this +cave had been formed, made it highly improbable +that the feet of man would ever come that way. +The surrounding turf had doubtless known the +sharp little feet of many hundreds of generations +of sheep; but it had never known the plow. It was +the same unbroken turf which our early British +ancestors knew in these parts, and had remained +unscathed by any such trifling happenings as the +Roman invasion, the Fire of London, the Wars of +the Roses, or the advent of Mr. Lloyd George. The +very cave itself may easily have been older than +Westminster Abbey; and if there is a lord in the +land whose ancestral hall can boast a longer record +of un-"restored" antiquity, he may fairly claim +that his forebears built most superlatively well.</p> + +<p>At all events, the place appealed most strongly +to the Lady Desdemona, and since her heart seemed +set upon it, Finn cheerfully endeavored to forget +the foxy smell, busied himself in securing a fresh, +rabbit for supper, and generally behaved as a good +mate should in the matter of helping to make a new +home. And that is the plain truth in the matter +of how Desdemona found her nest.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="VII" id="VII"></a>VII</h2> + +<h3>DESDEMONA FORGETS HER MANNERS</h3> + + +<p>It has been recorded that, as the weeks slipped +by after Desdemona's first little term of absence +from her home at Shaws, she grew daily more sedate +in her manner and less given to the irresponsible +activities of hound youth.</p> + +<p>It was also noticed that she developed a habit of +carrying off all her best bones, or other solid comestibles, +instead of despatching them beside her +dish as her sophisticated habit had always been. +What was not known, even to the astute Bates, +was that the most of such eatables were laboriously +carried over close upon four miles of downland by +the Lady Desdemona, for ultimate storage in her +cave, where, a little reluctantly, she devoured some +of them and stowed away others to be more or less +devoured by insects, and, it may be, by prowling +stoats and other vermin, during the bloodhound's +periods of residence in her own proper home.</p> + +<p>Finn accompanied his mate, as a matter of course, +upon most of her pilgrimages to the cave. But, +somewhat to his chagrin, he found, as time went on, +that Desdemona became less and less keen upon his +company. Latterly, in fact, she came as near as +so courtly a creature could to sending him about +his business flatly, and she formed a habit of lying +across the mouth of her cave in a manner which +certainly suggested that she grudged Finn entry +to the old place—a thing which ruffled him more +than he cared to admit.</p> + +<p>As a matter of fact, the Lady Desdemona had not +the faintest idea why she should adopt this tone +and manner toward her mate. She admired Finn +as much as ever; she liked him well, and had no +shadow of a reason for mistrusting him. But she +had her own weird to dree; and inherited memories +and instincts far stronger than any wish or inclination +of her daily life, were just now dominating her +utterly.</p> + +<p>She was full of a vague anxiousness; a sense of +impending difficulties; a blind but undeniable determination +to be forearmed against she knew not +what dangers and needs. And among other things, +other vague instincts the which she must obey with +or without understanding, there was the desire to +store up food, and to preserve intact her sole command +of the privacy of her cave. If Finn had been +human, he would have shrugged his shoulders, and +in private given vent to generalizations regarding +the inscrutability of females. As it was, he very +likely shrugged his great gray shoulders, but went +his way without remark.</p> + +<p>Then came the day upon which Desdemona disappeared +from Shaws, and Finn, to the Master's +surprise, slept in his own proper bed at Nuthill.</p> + +<p>The fact was he had parted with Desdemona that +evening under rather painful circumstances. In +the early evening he had journeyed with her to the +cave—she carrying a large mutton-bone which she +made no pretense of offering to share with her mate—and +her attitude throughout had been one of +really unaccountable chilliness and reserve. They +had drunk together—the cold nectar of a prehistoric +dew-pond that lay within a hundred yards of the +cave—and Desdemona had turned away curtly and +hurried back to the cave, with never a lick or a +look in Finn's direction, as though she feared he +might take the place away in his teeth. Finn had +noticed that she moved wearily, as though action +taxed her strength; yet he thought her unaccountably +ready to walk away from him.</p> + +<p>He ran down a rabbit for his mate, and deposited +it before her at the cave's mouth in the most friendly +manner. Then, before he could get time to tear +the pelt off for her, the Lady Desdemona, with a +snappishness more suggestive of a hedge-side cur +than of a hound of her rank, actually snatched +away the rabbit, and with never a "Thank you," +or a "By your leave," carried it right inside the +cave, dropping it there and returning to bar the +entrance, with a look in her red-hawed eyes and a +lift of her golden flews which, if not actual snarling, +was, as folks say, near enough to make no difference. +At least it very plainly told Finn he was not wanted +there; and the limits of his punctilious courtesy +having now been passed, he had turned away without +look or sound and descended the Down in high +dudgeon.</p> + +<p>It was clear to Finn that his mate needed a lesson +in manners, and so, moodily, he stalked away +and went hungry to bed like the illogical male creature +he was, vaguely surmising that in his discomfort +there must be something of retribution for Desdemona. +Had he but known it, he had a long line +of human precedents in the matter of this particular +piece of foolishness, even to the detail of the untasted +dinner-dish which he left in the back porch +when he went to bed at Nuthill.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="VIII" id="VIII"></a>VIII</h2> + +<h3>FINN IS ENLIGHTENED</h3> + + +<p>Next morning courtesy demanded that Finn +should accept Betty Murdoch's invitation to +accompany her on a rather long walk. She had +bills to pay and calls to make in the village. Finn +went, of course, stalking silently beside pretty, +cheery Betty. But he made a poor companion, and +Betty even told the Master at luncheon that she +thought Finn was not very well, so dull and uninterested +in anything he had appeared all the morning.</p> + +<p>"H'm! I suspect he misses Lady Desdemona," +said the Master. "Puzzling thing, that. I can't +make out why they're not together."</p> + +<p>The fact was, Finn found the nursing of his offended +dignity a wearisome task. It was all very +well to rebuke Desdemona by ignoring her existence; +but could he be quite sure that she noticed +his absence or cared about it? And in any case, +whether or not it affected her, it certainly bored +him very much. He missed greatly the companionship +of his mate, and not a bit the less because she +had been so rude to him the day before.</p> + +<p>The upshot of it was that, after disposing of a good +portion of the dinner placed in his big dish at six +o'clock that evening (in the little courtyard in which +he had once held a tramp bailed up all night), he +picked up the large, succulent, and still decently +covered knuckle-bone designed for his dessert, and, +carrying this in his mouth, set out for the cave on +the Downs. He probably had some small twinges +of misgiving, but endeavored to dismiss these by +assuring himself that poor Desdemona was no doubt +very sorry for her ill-temper of the previous day; +that she doubtless was feeling his protracted absence +keenly, and that it would be only courteous +and fair now to let bygones be bygones, and present +her with a really choice knuckle-bone by way of +proving his forgiveness.</p> + +<p>This was more or less the way in which the wolfhound's +mind worked as he ambled over the Downs +that evening with his big knuckle-bone. (The +cook at Nuthill was one of Finn's most devoted +admirers. In addition to the appetizing golden-brown +skin that coated it, this bone carried quite +a good deal of the short, dark-colored sort of meat +which, though devoid of juice, makes very agreeable +eating, and lends itself well to canine mastication.) +And in view of this attitude of mind of +his, Finn was rather grievously disappointed by the +result of his visit.</p> + +<p>He found the Lady Desdemona uneasily prowling +back and forth, and in and out of the entrance to +her cave. She perfunctorily touched Finn's nose +with her own (rather rough and hot) muzzle in +greeting and, accepting the knuckle-bone with somewhat +unmannerly eagerness, carried it at once to +the rear of the cave. But when Finn made to follow +her she returned nervously to the mouth of the +cave and stood there, blocking the entrance. Most +strangely stiff, preoccupied, and ill-at-ease, Finn +thought her.</p> + +<p>"Glad to see you, and all that," her manner suggested; +"but I don't much think you'd better stay. +I'm—er—busy, and—er—don't let me detain you +here."</p> + +<p>That was the suggestion conveyed; and Finn +would have been the more angered about it, but for +a vague feeling he had which he could in no way +account for—a sort of yearning desire to help his +mate and do something for her.</p> + +<p>"She certainly doesn't seem to want me," he +thought. And he tried to brace himself by means +of resentful recollection of the eager way she had +taken the bone he brought her. But much as he +would have preferred to sniff, look coldly down his +muzzle, and walk off, he found himself licking one +of Desdemona's heavily pendulous ears in quite +a humble and solicitous manner. It was really +rather annoying.</p> + +<p>She jerked herself nervously away from him, +with no more of deference than she might have +shown some too effusive and presumptuous puppy. +And yet, and yet the great wolfhound's bowels +yearned in kindliness toward this ungracious bloodhound +mate of his; and when he did finally accept +her numerous hints and take his leave, it was with +no thought of resentment in his mind, but, on the +contrary, with many a backward glance over his +wire-coated shoulder, and several low whines of +farewell from deep down in his throat. Altogether +the evening, like the day preceding it, was a depressing +one for Finn, and he was not sorry when the +time came to stretch his great length upon his bed +by the door of the Master's room and sleep.</p> + +<p>But when morning arrived Finn surprised his +friend the cook by not waiting for his customary +dish of milk. Directly the back door was opened +he slipped out into the sweet, early sunshine of +that fragrant neighborhood, and was off at a good +loping gait for the Downs. (It was a thousand pities +he could not have carried his milk with him as a +morning draught for Desdemona.)</p> + +<p>There was no sign of the bloodhound near the +mouth of the cave when Finn breasted the steep +rise it faced. But as he drew nearer there came +sounds from out the cave which, while altogether +bewildering in themselves, did at least indicate +Desdemona's presence there. The first sound to +reach him was a hoarse and threatening growl, +a quite unmistakably minatory growl, from the +throat of his own mate as she got her first wind +of his, Finn's, approach to the cave he had helped +to make a home. Finn paused for a moment, head +raised and ears cocked, to consider this truly remarkable +manifestation. And as he listened, there issued +from the den other small sounds of a totally +different kind: mild, twittering little bleatings; +several voices, each weak and thin, and in some +subtle way most curiously appealing to the wolfhound.</p> + +<p>Then, in one flash of memory and reason, came +vivid understanding of the whole business; as usual, +in the form of a picture, Finn saw again, from that +sun-washed English hill-side, the gaunt, bald foothills +around Mount Desolation. He saw the heat +shimmering above the scorched rocks on which he +slew Lupus in open fight, and witnessed the terrible +disintegration of that fighter's redoubtable sire, +Tasman, under the foaming jaws and flashing feet +of his own dingo mate, Warrigal. But the picture +did not show Finn any fighting. It showed +himself, at the den's mouth, gazing in upon Warrigal, +and Warrigal's curved flank supporting a +little bunch of wolfhound-dingo pups, helpless, +blind, new-born, and cheeping thinly like caged +birds. Again came the sound of the small bleatings +from the cave on the South Downs. The Australian +picture faded out from Finn's excited mind, +its task accomplished. He knew now; and into +the gentle whining which escaped his throat as he +stepped forward to the cave's entrance Finn introduced +a note of reassurance and soothing understanding +which even human ears would have comprehended +and been satisfied by.</p> + +<p>"All right, my mate," said Finn's gentle whining. +"I know, I know. I'll be very careful."</p> + +<p>And then came Desdemona's answer as Finn's +great bulk blocked the entrance. This time her +voice struck a note quite new to her. She understood +now that Finn understood; she knew she was +not to be called upon to shield that which she cherished +in the cave there from immediate peril. There +was rest and thankfulness in Desdemona's voice +now; but withal, as Finn entered, there was more.</p> + +<p>"Oh, please be very careful! Be very careful!" +said her whine, as her swimming eyes, with their +deep-pouched crimson haws, looked up at Finn. +It would have been hard for Desdemona if she had +been obliged now to take the defensive, for Finn +found the beautiful bitch most utterly exhausted. +But, as he well knew, it had gone hardly too with +the man or beast who should have forced the Lady +Desdemona to her defense. Weak and exhausted +though she clearly was, the mother-passion looked +out from her brimming eyes, and the call of need +would have found her a living flame for valor, a +most deadly force in a fight.</p> + +<p>"All right! All right! Don't stir, my mate," +said Finn's low whine. And then he entered the cave +and gazed down upon the miracle the night had +brought. Five sleek-sided puppies nestled in a +row within the Lady Desdemona's carefully curved +flank. They were so new to the world as to be no +more than a few hours' old; they were blind and +helpless as stranded jellyfish. But they were vigorously +breakfasting, none the less; and as Finn +gazed down upon them from his three-foot height, +their mother proceeded to wash and groom their +fat bodies for the twentieth time that morning, +interrupting herself from time to time to glance +proudly up into her mate's face, as who should say: +"See what I have given you! Now you understand. +These, my lord, are princes of your royal +blood and mine."</p> + +<p>Neither she nor Finn could realize, of course, +just why these children of their union—their lamentable +<i>mésalliance</i>, as the fanciers would have +said—were the first of their kind the world had +ever seen: the offspring of an Irish wolfhound +champion and a daughter of generations of bloodhound +champions. But to Desdemona it was clear +enough that a miracle unique in history had occurred; +and as for Finn, he looked and looked, +and his bowels yearned over the group at his feet +even more mightily than over Desdemona, his mate, +on the previous evening.</p> + +<p>Here certainly was food for wonder and astonishment. +Two dog people had met outside this lonely +cave the night before; and here there were seven. +The new-comers were, with one exception, black +and golden-brown in color, like their mother; yet +their short coats were sensibly different from hers +in texture. The exception was black as to his +saddle and head, but iron-gray for the rest, a blend +one sometimes sees in other hounds. And Finn +noticed that this exception was somewhat larger +than either of his four brothers and sisters. (Two +of them were brothers, and two sisters; the black-and-gray +fellow was a brother.)</p> + +<p>Finn gently licked the round back of one of the +pups. A moment before Desdemona's tongue had +crossed the same fat back. Yet its blind little +owner whimpered instant complaint at the very +gentle touch of Finn's tongue.</p> + +<p>"Be very careful!" whined the mother.</p> + +<p>So Finn turned to the bigger pup, the black-and-gray, +and licked him carefully. There was no sign +of a whimper from this sturdy chap. On the contrary, +he wriggled over on his round back and presented +his equally round, gray belly for the same +treatment. So Finn gravely licked his largest son +all over in the approved maternal fashion, while +Desdemona looked on with a quaint mixture of expressions +in her pain-drawn eyes. The mixture +was of pride and jealousy, approval and solicitude, +motherhood and matehood—quite a curious little +study in expression.</p> + +<p>And then came an odd, rather touching little incident. +Using infinite care to avoid disturbing or +unsettling her full-fed little ones, the bloodhound +mother slowly, gently, and with much effort, raised +her aching body from the ground and stood a moment +tremulously resting. Then she nudged Finn with +her nose, and gently, but quickly, nervously, edged +him out to the mouth of the cave. There the appeal +of her liquid eyes, no less than the meaning +little whine which escaped her, said, plainly:</p> + +<p>"Don't go inside! Stay there, on guard!"</p> + +<p>And with a rush (despite her pain-racked state) +Desdemona ran down the slope in obedience to an +imperative natural call. A few seconds later and +she stood drinking eagerly, quickly, beside the dew-pond. +But for all her haste and her parched throat +and aching body, the mother bitch was careful not +to wet her coat, since that might have made their +bed chilly for the pups. Returning hotfoot, she +found Finn immovable beside the mouth of the +cave, a formidable sentry.</p> + +<p>But while yet distant some ten or twelve yards, +Desdemona heard a whimper from within-sides +(doubtless a pup had turned over on its back and +forgotten how to roll round again); and accordingly +her weary limbs must lift her up the steep slope almost +at a bound, leaving her no time for thanks to +Finn, and care for nothing but her little ones.</p> + +<p>To see her lower herself again to make of her +aching body a nest and bulwark for the pups was to +see a really beautiful study of animal motherhood. +The deep wrinkles of her long forehead were all +twisted from the pains of the night; but not by one +hair's-breadth did she miscalculate the place for +her descent to earth, or the nice disposition of her +body to secure the maximum of comfort and shelter +for her brood.</p> + +<p>If her mate looked for any companionable attention +now, he looked in vain. Each of the five +young ones must be scrupulously washed and +groomed once more to make up for the neglect of +the past few minutes. And by that time they were +greedily pounding at her dugs for another meal. +However, Finn understood now; and as sentry he +spent the rest of the forenoon by the cave.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="IX" id="IX"></a>IX</h2> + +<h3>THE LONE MOTHER</h3> + + +<p>Through many, many generations past the +forebears of the Lady Desdemona had been +wont at all such crises in their lives as she was now +experiencing to receive the closest and most unremitting +human care and supervision. In the Shaws +breeding-kennels, for example, there would always +be at such times an abundance of fresh warm milk, +clean, warm bedding for the new arrivals and their +mother, and every other sort of comfort and attention +which men-folk have devised for the benefit +of the aristocrats among dog-folk.</p> + +<p>Thus, if the alliance between the Lady Desdemona +and the great champion of her race, Windle +Hercules, had been consummated, a foster-mother +would have been held in readiness to share the task +of nursing her family when it came. Two or three +pups would have been left with Desdemona; the +others would have been taught to derive their +nutriment and nursing from some plebeian little +shepherd bitch, specially bereaved of her own offspring +for this purpose. But in the cave on the +Downs, and in the aftermath of the runaway match +of Finn and Desdemona, no human eye saw Desdemona's +family, and no human care played any part +in its rearing. Now, since we are all, in greater +or less measure, the product of our respective +environments, and as for centuries before her +time Desdemona's ancestors had been accustomed +to the fostering care of humankind, she and her +family must have been profoundly affected by +the peculiar circumstances of her first maternal experiences.</p> + +<p>It did not take long for Finn to realize that his +mate attached more importance than she ever had +before to the food-supply question. It was easy +to bring her a bone from his own daily supply at +Nuthill, though that did involve carrying the bone +over four or five miles of Downs. But, as was natural, +Desdemona wanted more than bones. It was +not for nothing that five little mouths (armed with +teeth like pin-points) tugged and pounded at her +dugs by day and by night. Whenever Finn thought +of it, he would run down and kill a rabbit for his +mate, and for these the bloodhound was duly grateful. +But dogs do not discuss such needs. Finn +himself was well fed each day at Nuthill, as a matter +of course. Frequently though he visited the +down-ridge cave, he did not live there, and being +still attached to a regular man-made home, he +never adopted any set hunting routine, any more +than he reverted to any other among the habits +of wild life. He did not reason with himself regarding +Desdemona's position or needs. When he +thought of it, he gave her food; but these thoughts +of his were, quite naturally, less frequent than the +recurrence of Desdemona's conscious needs, underlined +and emphasized as these were by the tireless +assertiveness of her five children.</p> + +<p>One result was that, within three days of the arrival +of the puppies, Desdemona was doing a certain +amount of hunting on her own account, especially +in the seasons of twilight, both morning +and evening. In her movements she was, of course, +infinitely slower than her wolfhound mate. He could +easily have run circles round her when she was +traveling at her fastest. Her sense of smell and +tracking ability were immeasurably ahead of Finn's +powers in these directions, and in some countries +this would have stood her in good stead. It was no +very great help to her, however, in rabbit-hunting; +and many a long and patient tracking ended for +Desdemona in nothing more nutritious than a view +of her intended quarry disappearing into the security +of its earth or burrow while the hungry hunter +was still twenty paces distant. Then, perforce, +poor Desdemona would hurry back to her nursing, +hungry as when she left it.</p> + +<p>If Finn should arrive with food on such an +evening or morning, so much the better. If not—well, +Desdemona gave herself utterly to her +puppies. There was no thought of grievance or +complaint in her mind, but only the earnest endeavor +to satisfy, so far as she was able, all the +calls of her little blind tyrants. Her will to succeed +as a mother was at least equal to that which +any creature of the wild could have known. But +her powers of contrivance, her cunning, endurance, +and, in short, her command of success, in conditions +approximating to those of motherhood in +lined and emphasized as these were by the tireless +assertiveness of her five children.</p> + +<p>One result was that, within three days of the arrival +of the puppies, Desdemona was doing a certain +amount of hunting on her own account, especially +in the seasons of twilight, both morning +and evening. In her movements she was, of course, +infinitely slower than her wolfhound mate. He could +easily have run circles round her when she was +traveling at her fastest. Her sense of smell and +tracking ability were immeasurably ahead of Finn's +powers in these directions, and in some countries +this would have stood her in good stead. It was no +very great help to her, however, in rabbit-hunting; +and many a long and patient tracking ended for +Desdemona in nothing more nutritious than a view +of her intended quarry disappearing into the security +of its earth or burrow while the hungry hunter +was still twenty paces distant. Then, perforce, +poor Desdemona would hurry back to her nursing, +hungry as when she left it.</p> + +<p>If Finn should arrive with food on such an +evening or morning, so much the better. If not—well, +Desdemona gave herself utterly to her +puppies. There was no thought of grievance or +complaint in her mind, but only the earnest endeavor +to satisfy, so far as she was able, all the +calls of her little blind tyrants. Her will to succeed +as a mother was at least equal to that which +any creature of the wild could have known. But +her powers of contrivance, her cunning, endurance, +and, in short, her command of success, in conditions +approximating to those of motherhood in +the wild, were necessarily not equal to those of +wild-born folk.</p> + +<p>For the first time in her life the Lady Desdemona +was now living hardly, but it must not be supposed +that this meant unhappiness for her. That would +be far from the truth. The modern hound's sophisticated +ancestry is almost as ancient as that of men-folk; +but withal he remains very much nearer in +every way to the life of the wild, and can revert to +it with far more ease. There are penalties attaching +to the process, however, and even at the time her +puppies were born the Lady Desdemona had grown +noticeably less sleek than her habit had been at +Shaws; just as even a few days of unsheltered life +in the woods—nay, even twenty-four hours without +a bedroom—will make a man or woman notably +less sleek.</p> + +<p>The fact was that, upon her present diet, at all +events, the young bloodhound was not quite equal +to the task of nourishing five puppies. No doubt +Nature—whose wisdom so often is mistaken for +ruthlessness by pessimistically inclined observers of +the surfaces of things—had a watchful eye upon +Desdemona in her cave.</p> + +<p>On the morning of the fifth day of the puppies' +lives Desdemona was out and about before the sun, +and her hunting took her somewhat far afield. +While she hunted—doubtless introducing fear into +several rabbit earths, and tragedy into one—Destiny +came knocking at the door of her own cave, +and left his sign manual there in letters of blood. +On her homeward way, the half of a young rabbit +gripped between her jaws, Desdemona suddenly +picked up a fresh trail close to the cave. In the +same instant the half-rabbit fell from her parted +jaws and her nose went to earth, while premonition +of disaster smote at her heart and all the channeled +lines of her forehead deepened.</p> + +<p>A few urgent bounds carried her to the mouth +of the cave. Two more steps, and the events of +the last half-hour lay plain before her eyes. Two +of her puppies lay dead, and in the throat of one of +them there still were fastened the teeth of their +slayer: a full-grown, tawny-coated stoat. The +blood-drinking stoat was of no greater length than +one of Desdemona's low-hanging ears, yet without +the smallest flicker of hesitation the terrible little +beast wheeled about to attack the bereaved mother +of his quarry. With bared fangs—flecked now with +blood—the stoat crouched, breathing quite fearless +defiance.</p> + +<p>For the moment Desdemona gave no thought to +the stoat, but lowered her massive head to the inspection +of the dead puppy which lay nearest. In +that moment the fearless stoat saw his chance. +Brave though he was—and no creature is more brave—the +stoat did not court death; and so, like a yellow +snake, he slid out of the cave and down the +steep slope beyond. But, being fearless, he halted +when he came to the remains of Desdemona's rabbit. +Fresh-killed meat was something he could not pass, +even though the investigation should cost him his +life.</p> + +<p>In the cave, a very few seconds showed Desdemona +that two of her pups were dead. A frantically +hurried licking sufficed to assure her that the remaining +three were unhurt. And then, the fire of +judgment in her red-brown eyes, she swept out from +the cave on the trail of her enemy. In three bounds +she reached the stoat, who was perfectly prepared +now to fight an elephant for possession of the half-rabbit +he had found. The tiny creature did, as a +fact, draw blood, with one slashing bite, from Desdemona's +muzzle. And then he died (snarling defiance), +his spine smashed through in two places +between the bloodhound's powerful jaws.</p> + +<p>Without a moment's pause, after completing this +act of vengeance, Desdemona hurried back to her +young. With a fine effort of will she ignored the +two corpses and settled herself down, as though +thoroughly at ease in mind and body, to the task +of suckling her three remaining youngsters. It is +worth noting that, whereas a tithe of the strain and +shock she had sustained during the past hour would +have made worse than useless the ministrations of +a human nursing mother, there was no fault in the +quality of this particular meal taken by the puppies, +nor any momentary imperfection about the manner +in which it was made available to them, or the way +in which they were washed and groomed after it, +and disposed for their nap.</p> + +<p>That Desdemona was none the less acutely conscious +of her bereavement is proved by the fact +that, so soon as her three full-fed pups were asleep, +she rose very deftly and carefully, and drew out to the +mouth of the cave the body of the puppy at whose +throat she had found the stoat. Depositing the +limp little body upon the chalky ledge before the +cave, Desdemona regarded it mournfully, sitting +on her haunches the while, her muzzle pointing +earthward, her splendid brow deeply wrinkled—a +true bloodhound.</p> + +<p>After a few minutes given to sad contemplation +she went inside again, and carried out the other +little corpse, laying it near by its fellow and nosing +it sadly, till the two were touching. There was +another interval of melancholy contemplation. And +then, suddenly lifting her muzzle heavenward, so +that its deep flews swayed in the breeze, Desdemona +broke into vocal mourning, in a long, deep, baying +howl; a less eerie sound, perhaps, than the siren-like +howl of an Irish wolfhound in distress, yet +withal, in its different, deeper, more resonant way, +a cry quite equally impressive.</p> + +<p>It was at this employ that Finn found his mate +when he arrived at the cave that morning from +Nuthill. For some moments Finn also gazed down +at the victims, pondering over their immobility and +his mate's mournful cries. Then, very tenderly +at first, he nuzzled the dead puppies. That process +flashed a picture into his mind, and he saw again +Warrigal's dead children in the Mount Desolation +cave. So he understood. His head moved now far +more vigorously, almost roughly, indeed, as he +pushed the little bodies forward with his nose, +thrusting them out upon the turf, so that they +rolled, one over the other, down the steep part of +the slope.</p> + +<p>Then Finn turned to his mate and affectionately +licked her low-hanging ears, flews, and dewlap. It +was perfectly obvious that he understood her grief +and sought to assuage it. Finding that she paid +no heed to him, Finn turned from her gravely and +walked within to where the three remaining pups +lay. Carefully he licked the big black-and-gray +dog pup. Still Desdemona remained outside. So +Finn proceeded to lick one of the other pups, the +weakling of the group. This produced at once a +faint whimpering from the puppy, and that brought +her mother quickly to her side. Standing aside now, +Finn watched the bloodhound settle herself down +to the task of nursing. Contented then, he walked +to the mouth of the cave and lay down there, gazing +out reflectively across the green ridge to the far-off +Sussex weald.</p> + +<p>It is easy for scientists to affirm that dogs cannot +think. Call the process what one may, Finn saw +and understood his mate's grief. He recognized +that he could not give her comfort. He knew that +if Desdemona would not answer to a call from him +she would respond immediately to the claims of +her offspring, and to her offspring he led her. This +is what actually occurred, and no matter what the +theorists may say in their learned generalizations, +the rest of us are free to draw our own conclusions.</p> + +<p>What happened was that Finn led his mate from +the abandonment of her lonely mourning to renewed +absorption in her motherly duties. It is true enough +that nature was at work on Finn's side in this matter, +and without the wolfhound's aid would presently +have achieved the same result. But Finn assisted +and hastened the process; and is that not as much +as one can often say of the high task of the physician?</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="X" id="X"></a>X</h2> + +<h3>FAMILY LIFE—AND DEATH</h3> + + +<p>In the very early morning of their ninth day in +the world, one of Desdemona's three pups +died—it was the weakling sister—and the eyes of +the big black-and-gray dog pup began to open. It +seemed he had absorbed all the strength of his +weakling sister to add to his own, and, as is so often +the case with the largest pup of a litter, he thrived +apace; growing almost visibly "like a weed" as +the breeders say.</p> + +<p>Desdemona paid very little heed to the puppy that +died. Had it been a human child, skilled nurture +would likely have sustained its weakling life, possibly +for many years. But it was not part of Nature's +plan that any of the bloodhound mother's energies +should be wasted over the weakling of her little brood. +The race is to the swift in Nature's scheme. The +black-and-gray pup always secured the most warmth +because he burrowed forcibly under his brothers +and sisters. He secured the lion's share of nutriment +because he was strong enough to force his way from +teat to teat, ousting all other comers, till his lusty +appetite was satisfied. He secured the most of his +mother's attention, partly because of his ability +and will to thrust himself to the fore at all times, +and partly, it may be, by compelling her prideful +admiration.</p> + +<p>When Finn found the little dead body he silently +nosed and drew it out from the cave. Out there on +the open turf of the Down Nature would see speedily +to its sepulture, for Nature employs many grave-diggers +and suffers no unseemly waste. She works +on a huge scale, but only the superficial see wastefulness +in Nature's plans.</p> + +<p>So now Desdemona's family was reduced to two—the +big black-and-gray dog pup and one black-and-tan +bitch pup. The reduction was probably a beneficent +one for Desdemona, for her flanks were very +hollow now. Two puppies were quite enough for +her to nourish, more especially since one of the two +already demanded as much nourishment as any two +ordinary youngsters of his age. The sunken hollows +of the Lady Desdemona's sides gave extraordinary +prominence to her low-hanging and not too well-filled +dugs. Her shape and general appearance were +strangely different from those of the sleek and shining +young bitch whose beauty had aroused so much +enthusiasm in the minds of all judges who had seen +her at Shaws. An uninformed outsider would +scarcely have recognized her as the satin-coated +beauty whose supple grace had so impressed Finn +a few months back, in the walled inclosure above +the stables.</p> + +<p>Yet in some ways the Lady Desdemona of the +cave was a more admirable creature than the beautiful +young hound who won so much admiration at +Shaws. Desdemona had learned more during the +past few weeks than in all the rest of her life. Sustained +effort for others and consistent self-sacrifice +had set their distinctive seal upon a merely beautiful +young animal; and now she had elements of +grandeur and dignity, of fineness and nobility, such +as no amount of human care and kindness can give +even to the handsomest of creatures. She had +gone out into the open to meet life and deal with it +in her own way; she had brought new life into the +world, and nurtured it with loving devotion and self-forgetfulness; +she had freely courted some of the +severest of Nature's tests, and withstood them with +credit to herself. So that, whatever the show judges +might have said or thought, she was a finer, better +creature to-day than she had ever been at Shaws.</p> + +<p>As the days slipped past in that early summer-time, +the black-and-gray dog pup thrived wonderfully in +Desdemona's cave. Having keen sight now in addition +to the wonderful sense of smell which was his +at birth, the black-and-gray had become a definite +person already. Young though he was, he already +knew the taste of rabbit's flesh, and would growl +masterfully at his own mother if she claimed his +attention—say, for a washing—when he had stolen +one of her bones, and was busily engaged in gnawing +and scraping it with his pin-point teeth. When Finn +appeared, this masterful youngster would waddle +purposely forward, growling at times so forcibly as +to upset his precarious equilibrium.</p> + +<p>Twice he had adventured alone to the cave's +mouth, and tumbled headlong down the steep slope +outside, grunting and growling the while (instead +of whimpering, as his sister would have done), and +threatening the whole South Downs with his displeasure. +With never a hint of anything to fill the +place of the much-discussed attribute we call filial +instinct in the young of human kind, the black-and-gray +pup conceived the greatest admiration for his +father. But it was little he recked of fatherhood +and he always vigorously challenged Finn's entry +to the cave, which he regarded as his property +and his mother's. Her authority he was, of course, +obliged to recognize, and, too, he liked her well. But +though he recognized Desdemona's authority, he +disputed it a dozen times a day, and made a brave +show of resistance every time he was washed.</p> + +<p>His little sister was his abject slave, and if in her +slow peregrinations about the cave she should stumble +upon a scrap of anything edible, he would promptly +roll her over with one of his exaggeratedly podgy +front paws and snatch the morsel from her without +the slightest compunction. In the same way he +would chase her from teat to teat when they both +were nursing, and when full-fed himself would +ruthlessly scratch and tug at his mother's aching +flanks from sheer boisterous wantonness. At such +times he would climb about her hollow sides, holding +on by his sharp claws, and scratch and chew her +huge pendulous ears, rarely meeting with any more +serious check or rebuke than a low, rumbling hint +of a maternal growl, which, as a matter of fact, +alarmed his little sister more than it impressed him. +In fact, Master Black-and-Gray was a healthily +thriving and insolent young cub, who enjoyed every +minute of his life and gave every promise of growing +into a big hound—providing he should chance to +escape the thousand-and-one pitfalls that lay before +him, regarding the whole of which his ignorance +was, of course, complete.</p> + +<p>The greatest adventure of his infancy came when +he was just twenty-eight days old. The time was +late afternoon on a warm day. Having thrust his +sister out from the coolest innermost corner of the +cave, the black-and-gray pup had curled himself up +there, and was sleeping soundly, while his sister lay +somewhat nearer the opening of the cave. Had the +weather been less warm, the black-and-gray pup +would have used his sister as a pillow, a blanket, or +a mattress, and in that case the adventure might +have ended differently. As it was, his dream fancies +were suddenly dispelled by the coming of a musky, +acrid odor that swept across his small but sensitive +nostrils with much the same effect that a +sound box on the ear would have upon a sleeping +child.</p> + +<p>He awoke with a jerk, to see silhouetted against +the irregular path of sky that was framed by the +cave's mouth the figure of a full-grown mother fox. +This vixen was closely related to the red fox to whom +this cave had formerly belonged. She had long since +learned of Reynard's end, of course, and, indeed, +had seen his corpse within twenty-four hours of the +execution. Though frequently moved by curiosity, +she had never before ventured so near to the cave and +would hardly have been there now but for the fact +that she had seen Desdemona hunting a mile away +and more. Now she peered in at the cave's mouth, +informing herself chiefly through her sharp nose +regarding its condition and inhabitants.</p> + +<p>The black-and-gray pup snarled furiously, and the +vixen leaped backward on the instant. Reflection +made her scornfully ashamed of this movement, and +she stepped delicately forward again. The smaller +pup whimpered fearfully, and that was the poor +thing's death-knell. The vixen promptly broke its +neck with one snap of her powerful jaws and dragged +the little creature out into the sunshine. All this +time Master Black-and-Gray had been growling +fiercely—his entire small body quivering under the +strain of producing this martial sound. His fat +back was pressed hard against the rear wall of the +cave—partly, perhaps, to give him courage, and +partly, no doubt, by way of getting a better purchase, +so to say, for the task of growling, which +really required all his small stock of strength.</p> + +<p>Outside the cave, in the sunshine, the vixen was +sniffing and nosing at the body of the puppy she +had killed. She presented her flank to Black-and-Gray's +view, and, for herself, could see nothing inside +the cave now. Black-and-Gray had seen his +sister slain. The blood of great aristocrats and heroes +was in his veins. His wrath was tremendous, overwhelming, +in fact, and, but for the support of the +cave's wall, would certainly have been too much +for his still uncertain sense of balance. Suddenly +now his ancestry spoke in this undeveloped creature. +Determination took and shook him, and spurred +him forward. With a sort of miniature roar—the +merest little mixture of breathless growl, snarl, and +embryonic bark—he blundered forth from his dark +corner, hurtling over the cave's floor at a gait partaking +of roll, crawl, and gallop, and flung himself +straight at the well-furred throat of the unsuspecting +vixen.</p> + +<p>Even as an accomplished swordsman may be +wounded by the unexpectedness of the onslaught +of some ignorant youngster who hardly knows a +sword's pommel from its point, so this murderously +inclined vixen was bowled over by the astounding +attack of Master Black-and-Gray. The slope was +very steep and the pup's spring a bolt from the +blue. The vixen slipped, lost her footing, and went +slithering down the dry grass from the ledge, snapping +at the air as she slid, with bites, any one of +which would easily have closed Black-and-Gray's +career if they had reached him. But the puppy +was quite powerless to put on the brake, so to say, +and his progress down the slope was therefore far +more rapid than that of the vixen. The breath was +entirely knocked out of Black-and-Gray when he +finally was brought up, all standing, by a sharp +little rise of ground alongside the gap past which +one saw across the Sussex weald from Desdemona's +cave. Here it seemed he must pay the ultimate +penalty of his unheard-of temerity, and be despatched +by the now thoroughly angered vixen at +her leisure.</p> + +<p>But in that same moment a number of other +things happened. In the first place, having reached +it from the far side of the ridge, Desdemona appeared +beside the mouth of her cave, dangling a young +rabbit from her jaws. In the second place, Finn +appeared, climbing from the landward side, in the +gap beside which the puppy came to the end of its +long tumbling flight. Midway between the gap +and the cave, the startled vixen crouched on the +slope, turning her head from the terrible vision of +Finn, upward to the scarcely less alarming vision of +Desdemona, now sniffing in the fact of her little +daughter's murder.</p> + +<p>The position was a parlous one for the vixen, and +as she pulled herself together for flight along the +side of the slope she doubtless regretted bitterly +the curiosity which had impelled her to visit the +den of her departed relative.</p> + +<p>The vixen leaped warily and doubled with real +agility. But Finn was easily her master in the arts +of the chase, and his strength was ten times greater +than that of any fox in Sussex. The vixen was still +well within sight from Desdemona's cave when her +time came. She leaped and snapped, and faced +overwhelming odds without wavering, but her race +was run when the wolfhound's great weight bore +her to the earth and his massive jaw closed about +her ruff as a vise grips wood.</p> + +<p>And in the moment of the vixen's death, just as +Master Black-and-Gray so far recovered his breath +and his senses as to sit up and take stock of himself; +a pony's nose appeared in the gap alongside him and +introduced another new experience into this adventurous +puppy's life. The pony must have appeared +to his gaze very much as an elephant would +appear to a child upon first view. But Black-and-Gray +growled threateningly, though he did take +two or three backward steps. On the pony's back +sat Betty Murdoch, who now slid to the ground +and knelt down beside the pup.</p> + +<p>Then Desdemona came shuffling down the slope +with reassuring little whines of response to her son's +growling. And to these there came Finn, a trifle +winded, and bearing traces of blood and fur about +his bearded gray muzzle. So Master Black-and-Gray, +whose knowledge of his fellow-inhabitants of +the earth had hitherto been confined to Finn and +Desdemona and his own brothers and sisters—now +defunct—found himself, at the close of this most +adventurous afternoon, the center of an admiring, +wondering circle formed by his mother and her +wolfhound mate, and the pony and Betty Murdoch. +Having regarded each one among his audience in +turn questioningly, he finally waddled out to his +mother and thrust his somewhat bruised little nose +greedily into her hanging dugs, so that Desdemona, +forgetful for the moment of other matters, was impelled +to lower herself to the turf and yield sustenance +to her only surviving offspring.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XI" id="XI"></a>XI</h2> + +<h3>JAN GOES TO NUTHILL</h3> + + +<p>The idea came to me quite suddenly when I +saw Finn walk off with the best of his dinner +bones to the Downs. I'd just come in from the village, +and Punch was hitched to the gate-post, so I +got into the saddle again and set out on Master +Finn's trail.</p> + +<p>Thus Betty Murdoch, later on in the evening, +explaining the position to the Master and to the +Mistress of the Kennels.</p> + +<p>"I felt sure he must be going to Desdemona," +continued Betty. "And—"</p> + +<p>"It really is a wonder we none of us thought of +that before," said her aunt.</p> + +<p>They were all assembled now in a roomy loose +box in the Nuthill stables. Comfortably ensconced +in a bed of clean straw, Desdemona was nursing +her puppy under the approving gaze of Finn, who +sat on his haunches beside the Master, gravely reviewing +his mate's changed situation.</p> + +<p>"I think the cave must be quite four miles away; +right out past Fritten Ring and the long barrow, +you know, and I fancy poor Desdemona must have +had quite a family, because, besides the one dead +pup close to the cave, I saw several little skeletons; +quite a lot of animal remains scattered about—pieces +of rabbit and the remains of another fox besides +the one Finn killed. The extraordinary thing +is that Jan, here, appeared to me to have been +fighting the fox that killed his sister. He was +growling away most ferociously when I found him."</p> + +<p>"Yes, he's a real 'well-plucked un,' is Jan, as you +call him," said the Master. "Your pup, Betty. +I'm sure the Colonel will say he must be yours, for +you found him, and there's fully as much Finn as +Desdemona about him. He will make a wonderful +dog, that, unless I'm greatly mistaken. Well, now +I must get over to Shaws and let them know about +Desdemona. I dare say the Colonel will want to +come back with me to see the bitch; so I'll ask him +to have dinner with us."</p> + +<p>As the event proved, the Nuthill family and +Colonel Forde spent most of the evening in that +loose box. Stools were brought in from the harness-room; +and Betty Murdoch had to tell her story all +over again, while the others made suggestions and +filled in gaps with their surmises; and everybody's +gaze centered upon Desdemona and her son, lying +among the fresh straw. It is likely that Desdemona +might have noticed the confinement of that loose +box a good deal more than she did, but for the fact +that she was thoroughly tired out. Her health was +not good just then, and the events of the day seemed +rather to have overcome her.</p> + +<p>To the eyes of Colonel Forde and the Nuthill +folk she appeared most cruelly emaciated. She certainly +was thinner than hounds who live with men-folk +grow; for she had gone rather short of food while +nursing her pups and had had to hunt for most of +the food she did get. But in any case unless specially +nourished for the task, and given the abundant rest +of kennel or stable life, a bitch will always lose a lot +of flesh over suckling her young. Desdemona was +not really so emaciated as her friends thought her; +but she was much thinner than she had ever been +before; and above all, had not a trace left of that +sleekness which sheltered life gives. The veterinary +surgeon who came to see her next morning, by +Colonel Forde's request, had never before seen a +dog fresh from wild life; and he, too, thought Desdemona +more dangerously emaciated than she was.</p> + +<p>"We must get that pup away from her just as +soon as ever we can," said the vet.</p> + +<p>"But won't that make her fret?" asked the Mistress +of the Kennels.</p> + +<p>"Not very much if we let Finn be with her, I +think," said the Master.</p> + +<p>"And, in any case, she really isn't fit to go on +feeding of that great pup," repeated the vet. He +even spoke of threatening trouble of the milk-glands, +which might mean losing Desdemona altogether. +Her complete loss of that smooth sleekness which +life with humans gives deceived the vet more than +a little. And the upshot of it all was that Betty +Murdoch took over the sole management of the +black-and-gray pup—her pup, as Colonel Forde +called him; and Desdemona and Finn were taken +over to Shaws in a cart, Finn being kept with the +bloodhound to prevent her from fretting for her +puppy. At Shaws, Desdemona was established in +a loose box under the vet's supervision, and Finn +spent some days there with her.</p> + +<p>Betty always said she had no earthly reason for +christening her black-and-gray pup Jan; but that, +somehow, the name occurred to her as fitting him +from the moment at which she first saw him endeavoring +to stand up and growl at her pony, Punch, +at the vixen, and at the world generally on the +Downs. From that same time Jan seemed to every +one else to fit his name; and it was clear he had +taken a great fancy to Betty Murdoch ever since +she had wrapped him in her jacket and carried him +home triumphantly on her saddle-bow from the +cave on the Downs.</p> + +<p>If the season had been winter instead of midsummer, +the orphaned Jan would doubtless have +missed greatly the warmth of his mother's body. +As it was, the harness-room stove was kept going +at night to insure warmth in the stable; and a +large box, too deep for Jan to climb out from, and +snugly lined with carefully dried hay, was provided +for his use o' nights. Just at first, the deeply +interested Betty tried feeding her new pet with +warm milk food in a baby's bottle. But Jan soon +showed her that though only a month old he was +much too far advanced for such childish things as +this. He needed little teaching in the matter of +lapping up milk food from a dish (especially as he +was allowed to suck one of Betty's rosy finger-tips +under the milk for a beginning); and as for gravy +and meat and bones, it might be said that he tackled +these things with the enthusiasm of a practised +gourmet.</p> + +<p>As a matter of fact, Desdemona did sorely miss +Jan for a couple of days, despite the comforting +society of her mate; but Jan did not miss her a +scrap. At present there was not an ounce of sentiment +in his composition. He was kept warm, he +lay snugly soft, and his stomach was generally full. +He had great gristly bones to gnaw and play with, +and Betty Murdoch, with a little solid-rubber ball, +played with him also by the hour together. Beyond +these things Jan had no thought or desire at present. +He grew fast, and enjoyed every minute of the +growing.</p> + +<p>The Master's intimate knowledge of puppy needs +caused certain mixtures to be introduced into Jan's +food from time to time, which saved the youngster +(without his knowing anything about it) from the +worst of the minor ills to which puppy flesh is heir. +The same carefully exercised knowledge, born of +long practice, introduced other specially blended +elements into the pup's food which made for rapid +bone and muscle development. In a variety of ways +the resources of man's civilization and skill were +made to serve Jan's welfare; and it must be admitted +that in most respects he gained considerably by +losing his mother and the life of the cave.</p> + +<p>With Desdemona matters were somewhat different. +For a little while she was moodily conscious +of the loss of her pups; and, too, missed the wide +open freedom of her cave life on the Downs. But, +physically, she was in some disorder, and the treatment +now meted out to her was very helpful and +soothing in that direction. The fomenting of her +sore and badly scratched dugs was most comforting. +The cleansing, healing medicine given her was helpful. +The gradually increased generosity of her diet +was gratifying; and at the end of a week her coat +began to shine once more under the application of +Bates's grooming-gloves.</p> + +<p>It is to be remembered that Desdemona, so far +from being a creature of the wild, had centuries of +high civilization behind her. Her little excursion +into wild life was chiefly due to the inspiration of +Finn's society; and Finn himself, despite occasional +attacks of the nostalgia of the bush, was none the +less a product of civilization; a deal more subtle +and complex in many ways than the native folk of +the wild.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XII" id="XII"></a>XII</h2> + +<h3>SOME FIRST STEPS</h3> + + +<p>The phase upon which little Jan now entered +A was as jolly and enjoyable as any form of sheltered +dog life could well be. There were no kennels at +Nuthill, and it must be admitted that kennel life +is never the happiest sort of existence for a dog, +though in some establishments it is so organized, +as to be a very healthy one.</p> + +<p>Jan speedily became an object of affectionate interest +for every member of the Nuthill household, +and was, from the first, the special and well-loved +protégé of Betty Murdoch, a privilege which, of +itself, would have insured his well-being. For Betty +was an eminently sensible girl, besides being a kindly, +merry lover of animals and outdoor life. And in +her aunt and the Master she had perhaps the best +sources of doggy information to be found in Sussex.</p> + +<p>Thus Jan was never subjected to the cruel kind +of ordeals from which so many petted dogs suffer. +He was not treated as a delicate infant in arms for +a day or so, and then ignored for a week. His internal +economy was never poisoned or upset by means +of absurd gifts of sweetmeats. His meals reached +him with the unfailing regularity of clockwork, and +were so carefully designed that, whilst his growth +never was retarded for lack of frequent nutriment, +the finish of a meal always left him with some little +appetite. And he never saw food save at his mealtimes.</p> + +<p>But, be it said, Betty did not forget that in Jan's +case weaning had been a very abrupt process. During +his first few days at Nuthill he had as many as +nine meals in the twenty-four hours, and for a week +or more after that he had eight. Six daily meals +was his allowance for several weeks, and in the later +stage of four a day he was kept for months. After +the first two days he never had two consecutive +meals of the same composition. That fact affected +his appetite and, in consequence, his bodily development, +very materially. In fact, when Jan had been +only a few days at Nuthill, and but thirty-four days +in the world, he turned the big kitchen scale at +13 lb. 7-1/2 oz. In point of size and weight his thirty-fourth +day found him pretty much on a level with +a fully grown fox-terrier; though he was, of course, +still quite unshapen, and somewhat insecure upon +his thick, gristly legs.</p> + +<p>"He's going to be a slashing big hound, Betty," +said the Master, after weighing Jan. "And I think +he's going to do you credit in every way. You stick +religiously to the feeding chart and the phosphates, +and we shall presently have Jan lording it over his +own father—eh, Finn, boy!"</p> + +<p>The wolfhound had been gravely watching the +weighing operation, and now nuzzled the Master's +hand, his invariable method of answering unimportant +inquiries of this sort. Then he walked forward +and good-humoredly sniffed round the puppy's +head; whereupon Jan impudently bit at his wolfhound +father's gray beard, and had to be rolled +over on his back under one of Finn's massive fore +feet. There followed upon this a few minutes of +romping that was most amusing to watch. Little +Jan would rush forward at Finn, growling ferociously. +Finn would spread out his fore legs widely, +and lower his great frame till his muzzle almost +reached the ground, while his tail waved high astern. +Just as the bellicose pup reached his muzzle, Finn +would spring forward or sideways, often clean over +Jan, alighting at some little distance, and wheeling +round upon the still growling pup with a grin that +said, plainly:</p> + +<p>"Missed me again! You're not half quick enough, +young man!"</p> + +<p>And then, by way of encouraging the youngster, +Finn would lower himself to the ground, head well +out, and, covering his eyes and muzzle with his +two fore legs, would allow Jan to plunge like a little +battering-ram upon the top of his head, furiously +digging into the wolfhound's wiry coat in futile +pursuit of flesh-hold for his teeth, and still exhausting +fifty per cent. of his energies in maintaining a warlike +growl.</p> + +<p>Hardly a day passed now that did not bring the +introduction of some new interest for the black-and-gray +pup. Novel experiences crowded upon him at +such a rate that he was always in some way absorbed. +Meals were frequent, and, of course, a matter of unfailing +interest. Sleep also was frequent, as it is +with all healthy young things. Given, as he was, +plentiful liberty and abundance of fresh air and sunshine, +Jan exhausted himself about once an hour, +and took a nap, from which he would awake within +five, ten, fifteen, or thirty minutes, as the case might +be, once more charged to the throat with high spirits, +energy, and puppyish abandon.</p> + +<p>More by luck than good management, it happened +in his seventh week that he killed a mouse in +the stable. For some time he mounted guard over +his kill, solemnly parading round and about it, +emitting from time to time blood-curdling growls +and snarls intended to warn the dead mouse of +the frightful penalties it would incur as the result +of any attempt to come to life again.</p> + +<p>Then, the stable door having been left ajar, Jan +valorously gripped the small corpse between his +jaws and went swaggering off toward the house +with it, questing kudos. In the garden he met +Finn, who with careless good humor strolled toward +him, offering a game. Jan tried his best to growl +and to turn up his nose at the same time, indicating +serious preoccupation with matters more weighty +than play. But finding that his hold upon the +mouse was gravely endangered by this process, he +gave up the attempt, and swaggered on toward the +front entrance, followed quizzingly by the wolfhound. +Finding nobody in the porch, Jan fell over the step, +dropped his mouse, growled fiercely, and then with a +plunge regained his prize, and so, past the place where +the caps and coats hung, over the mats into the hall.</p> + +<p>Here he found Betty and the Mistress, and at +their feet deposited his now rather badly mangled +mouse; while Finn, like a big nurse taking pride in +the escapades of her charge, stood at one side and +smiled, with lolling tongue.</p> + +<p>"Oh, what a fearsome beast it is!" laughed +Betty, and ran to call the Master. Then Jan was +patted and petted, and told what a fine fellow he +was; what a mighty hunter before the Lord; and +Finn smiled more broadly than ever. This over, +Jan was taken into the kitchen to be weighed (he +being now seven weeks old), and was told in an impressive +manner that he was within four ounces of +twenty pounds.</p> + +<p>"Pretty nearly half-a-pound-a-day increase. +You'll have to take a cure soon, my friend, if this +goes on," said the Master.</p> + +<p>From this time onward many of Jan's games were +sensibly affected by his slaughter of the mouse. +He now treated the big shin-bones that were provided +for his delectation as live game of a peculiarly +treacherous sort. He stalked, tracked, hunted, and +slew those bones with unerring skill and remarkable +daring. Their tenacity of life was most striking. +There were times when, having slain a bone +after a long chase, poor Jan would give way to his +natural exhaustion and fall sound asleep with his +head pillowed on one end of the apparently well-killed +and harmless bone. Yet as often as not, +when he would wake, perhaps a quarter of an hour +later, this same bone would once more betray its +desperate and treacherous vitality by means of an +attempt at escape. So that even in the very moment +of waking the dauntless Jan would be obliged +to growl fiercely and plunge straightway into hard +fighting again.</p> + +<p>His first real bark was another dazzling experience. +It came in his eleventh week, when he was as heavy +as two terriers, though still somewhat shapeless, and +gristly, rather than bony, as to his limbs. Colonel +Forde walked into the garden one afternoon, followed +very sedately by the Lady Desdemona, now sleek +and shining, and more aristocratic-looking than +ever. Jan was dozing in the front porch, and Finn +away somewhere in the orchard. Jan sprang rashly +to his feet and, losing his balance, rolled over. Rising +again, with more of caution and considerable +anger, he took a good look at the visitors, and glared +with special severity at Desdemona, who serenely +ignored his existence.</p> + +<p>Then, bracing himself firmly against the door-jamb, +Jan opened his jaws and—barked. But the +novelty of the performance, superimposed upon the +concussion and the exertion involved, was too much +for his stability, and with one prolonged but unsuccessful +effort to hold on to his dignity Jan rolled +over on the side farthest from the door-jamb. It +was not to be denied, however, that he had barked; +and the strange sound—it was part bark, part growl, +and in part a bloodhound's bay—brought Finn from +the near-by orchard, and Betty Murdoch from the +morning-room, and the Master from his study, and +the Persian cat from her perch on the hall mantelshelf; +so Master Black-and-Gray had no lack of +audience, and, indeed, received an almost embarrassing +amount of congratulation, in the course of +which he made shift to get a good sniff at Desdemona's +legs and satisfy himself that she was art +inoffensive person.</p> + +<p>That Desdemona was any relation of his own +neither he nor she seemed for one moment to guess, +though less than a couple of months had passed +since he ceased to derive his sole nutriment and +support in life from this same stately hound, at +whose golden-brown fore legs and low-hanging dewlap +he now sniffed so curiously.</p> + +<p>One result of her return to the sheltered life was +that Desdemona looked almost twice as big and +massive as she had looked in her nursing days. +The pendulous dugs were no longer in evidence; +but the rich, silky rolls about her neck lay fold in +fold; the immensely long ears were veritable buttresses +to her massy head. Her black nose gleamed +like satin at the end of her long muzzle, above which +lay an interminable array of deep wrinkles, radiating +out and downward from her high-peaked crown. +Just once the noble head was lowered—as that of +an ancient Greek philosopher to an inquisitive +child—and the crimson-hawed eyes directed downward +as, in a calm, aloof spirit of investigation, the +Lady Desdemona took note of the fussy movements +of her own son.</p> + +<p>"I don't think we have been introduced, have +we?" she seemed to say. It was difficult to realize +that, not many weeks before, hollow of flank, with +the mother anxiety in her eyes, the same noble +creature had battled and contrived to keep life in +herself and in this same lusty pup out there on the +open Down, four miles and more away, among the +small wild creatures and the débris of her cave +home.</p> + +<p>Among the dog-folk Nature has arranged matters +in this way, wisely and kindly. Separated from her +good master, Colonel Forde, for many months, or +even years, Desdemona would have recognized him +again without hesitation. But like every other +canine mother, and like every creature of the wild, +her own flesh and blood became utterly strange to +her within a very few weeks, when separated from +her during its first months of life. And from Nature's +standpoint this is a highly necessary ordinance, +since, after a few more months, Desdemona, mated +elsewhere, might easily find herself called upon to +rear an entirely new family in new surroundings. +So it is that whilst among her kind, as among the +creatures of the wild, there is nothing to prevent +mother and son or daughter from becoming friends +in the youngster's adult life; yet never, after the +first separation, can they meet consciously as mother +and offspring.</p> + +<p>It was an interesting picture for the Nuthill folk +and Colonel Forde to see Finn and Desdemona +sedately strolling across the lawn together, tried +friends and mates, divided sometimes by the impudent +gambols and even by the mock attacks and +invitations to play of their own lusty son—the only +whelp in existence, probably the only one who ever +had lived, to carry in his veins in equal parts the +blood of centuries of Irish wolfhound and bloodhound +champions.</p> + +<p>"Do keep them there!" cried pretty Betty Murdoch. +"I simply must have that picture; I'll fetch +my camera." And after some skilled manoeuvering +to secure the son's collaboration, the promised picture +was secured.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XIII" id="XIII"></a>XIII</h2> + +<h3>SAPLING DAYS</h3> + + +<p>At the age of six months, Jan, the son of Finn +and Desdemona, weighed just ninety-eight and +one-half pounds, and by reason of his well-furnished +appearance might easily have been mistaken by +many people for a grown hound. He was not +really anything like fully grown and furnished, of +course, nor would be until his second year was far +advanced. But the free and healthy life he led, +combined with a generous and correctly thought-out +diet, had given him remarkably rapid development, +and the strength to carry it without strain.</p> + +<p>At this time Jan had, in outline, assumed his adult +appearance. As time went on he would increase +greatly in weight, and to some extent in height and +length. His body would thicken, and his frame +would harden and set; his coat would improve, and +his muscles would develop to more than double +their present growth. But in his seventh month +one knew what Jan's appearance was to be; his +type had declared itself, and so, to a considerable +extent, had his personality.</p> + +<p>There was not a brown hair in Jan's coat; not one +hair of any other color than black or iron-gray. His +saddle and haunches were jetty black, so was the +crown of his head. But his muzzle was the right +wolfhound steel-gray. So were his chest, belly, +and legs, though the black hairs crept fairly low +down on the outsides of his thighs and hocks, the +inner sides being all hard gray. The gray of his +chest extended, like a ruff, right round the upper +part of his neck, forming a break of three or four +inches between the silky blackness of his head and +saddle. And all his coat was thicker, more dense, +and longer in the hair than his sire's coat, which, +again, was of course much longer than Desdemona's.</p> + +<p>Thus, in color and texture of coat Jan was neither +all wolfhound nor all bloodhound. For the rest, +his bodily appearance and build favored his mother's +race more than his father's. The depth and solidity +of his head and muzzle, the length and shape of his +ears, the rolling elasticity and plenitude of his skin +and the deep wrinkles it had already formed about +his face, were all features true to bloodhound type, +as were also the thickness and solidity of his frame, +the downward poise of his head, and his deep-pouched +crimson-hawed eyes.</p> + +<p>But when one saw Jan extended at the gallop, +or in the act of leaping a gate or other obstruction, +one was apt to forget the bloodhound in him, and +to remember only his kinship with Finn, the fleetest +son of a fleet race of hunters. Jan had all the +wonderfully springy elasticity of the wolfhound. +Already he leaped and ran as a greyhound leaps +and runs. Already, too, his accuracy of balance and +his agility were remarkable. He could trot quickly +across the long drawing-room at Nuthill without +sound, and without grazing anything. Occasional +tables and the like were perfectly safe in his path. +Despite his ninety-eight and a half pounds of weight +(still rapidly increasing), he could, on occasion, tread +lightly as a cat.</p> + +<p>But the bloodhound came out in Jan in other +ways besides his appearance. He was for ever +trailing, and used his dark hazel eyes far less than +any wolfhound uses his. In questing about the +place for Betty Murdoch, one noticed that Jan often +did not raise his eyes or muzzle from the ground +until he almost touched her skirt. Withal, his +vision was keener than that of Desdemona's or any +other typical bloodhound. His eyes served him +well for scanning the Downs; and often he would +see a rabbit in the far distance before picking up +its trail. Still, once he did pick up a trail, he would +follow it as no wolfhound could, with unfailing +certitude, and without troubling to use his eyes.</p> + +<p>The first notable demonstration of his trailing +powers was his tracking down of a missing ewe, +across several miles of open Down, to the edge of a +remote, disused chalk-pit, into which the foolish +creature had fallen and broken its neck.</p> + +<p>The trifling episode which served to draw more +general attention to Jan's all-round intelligence—which +actually was considerably above the average +level for a half-grown youngster—concerned Betty +Murdoch in particular. It chanced that on a certain +gray morning toward the close of the year +Betty had a sudden curiosity to see again the hill-side +cave beside which she had found Desdemona and +Jan six months before. The gray weather, so far +from depressing Betty, often moved her to take +long walks; and if no other companion happened +to be available, she could always be sure of Jan's +readiness to bear her company, as he did on this +occasion.</p> + +<p>The fact that Betty did not appear at luncheon-time +roused little comment. She often was late for +luncheon, and the only meal over which Nuthill +folk made a special point of being punctual was +dinner. Still, when three o'clock brought no sign +of Betty, and the short day's decline was at hand, +the Master and the Mistress did begin to wonder. +Then Jan arrived, apparently rather in a hurry, +and very talkative. His short barks and little +whines left no doubt about his determination to +attract attention; and the manner in which he +bustled into the hall, hastily nuzzled the Master's +hand or coat-sleeve, and bustled, whining, back to +the porch, told those concerned, as plainly as words +could, that he wanted them to accompany him.</p> + +<p>"Why, what's this?" said the Master. "I wonder +if Betty is in sight."</p> + +<p>Out in the garden nothing could be seen of Betty; +but having led his friends so far, Jan became more +than ever insistent in demanding their attendance +on the path leading to the little orchard gate +that opened upon the Downs.</p> + +<p>"H'm! Looks to me as though Betty were in a +difficulty. I wish you'd send out word to the +stable for Curtin to saddle Punch and ride on after +me. Or, wait a moment. You stay here with Jan. +I'll send the message, and get my brandy—flask. +One never knows. I'll be out again in a minute."</p> + +<p>But this hardly met with Jan's views. He seemed +determined that the Master should not go back. +Whining and barking very urgently, he actually +laid hold upon the Master's coat with his teeth, +dragging with all his strength to prevent a return +to the house.</p> + +<p>"So, then. All right, good dog. I'll come, Jan."</p> + +<p>And after all, the Mistress had to go back for the +flask, and to send word to the stable, while the +Master walked out to the Downs. Jan was overjoyed +by his victory; but within a few moments he +was urging haste, and expressing obvious dissatisfaction +with the Master's slow pace.</p> + +<p>"Now you just simmer down, my son, simmer +down," said the Master, soothingly. "We haven't +all got your turn of speed, so you might as well +make up your mind to it. I'll have a horse here +directly, and then you shall have your head I +promise you. Meantime, just keep your teeth out +of this shooting-jacket. It may be old, but I won't +have it tattered. So you simmer down, my son."</p> + +<p>Jan did his best, but it clearly did seem to him +that the Master's pace was maddeningly slow; and +so, to make up for this, Jan tried the experiment +of covering just six times as much ground himself, +apparently with the idea that hurrying ought to be +done, and that if he could not make the Master do +it the next best thing was to put in a double share +himself. So Jan led the way downward in loops. +He would gallop on for fifty yards, turn sharply, +and canter back to the Master, emitting little whining +noises through his nose. Having described a +circle about the Master, on he would dash again, +with more whines, only to repeat the process a few +moments later.</p> + +<p>Then Curtin, the groom, overtook them, riding +Betty's cob, Punch, and carrying the flask which +had been given him by the Mistress, who herself +was following on foot. The Master slipped the +flask into his coat pocket and mounted Punch.</p> + +<p>"Now then, Jan, my son," said he, "I'm with +you. Off you go!"</p> + +<p>They were soon out of Curtin's sight. Jan perfectly +understood the position; and it seemed, too, +that he communicated some idea of it to Punch, +upon whose velvety nose he administered one hurried +lick before starting. Then, with frequent backward +glances over one shoulder, Jan lay down to his +task, and, followed by Punch and the Master, began +to fly over the springy turf with occasional short bays, +his powerful tail waving flagwise over his haunches.</p> + +<p>Within eighteen or twenty minutes they were +a good four miles from Nuthill and nearing the gap +in the high ridge through which one looked out over +the Sussex weald from Desdemona's cave. In another +couple of minutes the Master was on the +ground beside Betty, and Punch, with the nonchalance +of his kind, was nosing the turf, as though to +distract attention from his hard breathing. The +gallop had been mostly up-hill.</p> + +<p>Betty was genuinely glad to welcome her visitors, +for she had already spent several hours in the +chalky hollow where she now sat; the evening air +was cold, and Betty was in some pain. Clambering +on the steep Downside below Desdemona's cave, +she had trodden on a loose piece of chalk, her ankle +had twisted as the chalk rolled, and Betty had fallen, +with a sharp cry of pain, quite unable to put her +injured foot to the ground. For a long while neither +she nor Jan had thought of any way of obtaining +assistance.</p> + +<p>"Then I thought of sending a message by Jan," +said Betty, in explaining matters to the Master, +after she had been given a sip from his flask, which +brought some color back to her pale lips. "I told +him again and again to go home, waving my arm +and trying hard to drive him off on the way. But +he would only go backward a few yards, and then +return to me. I had almost given it up when the +thought came into my head that I ought to have +had pencil and paper, and been able to tie a note +to his collar. But I thought my handkerchief +would do just as well, without any writing. I was +on the point of calling Jan to me again, so that I +could tie my handkerchief to his collar, when, +quite suddenly, he also had a brilliant idea. You +could see it plainly in his face. He had suddenly +realized what I wanted. He gave one bark, blundered +up against my shoulder, tore my hair-net by the +hurried lick he gave me, and was off like the wind +for Nuthill. It really was most odd the way the +inspiration came to him."</p> + +<p>The Master nodded agreement. "It was extraordinarily +intelligent for an untrained pup of six +months. I doubt if either his father or his mother +would have had wit enough for that at the same +age. Very few dogs would."</p> + +<p>After another little sip of brandy Betty was +lifted carefully into the saddle and, Jan and the +Master pacing beside him, Punch began the homeward +journey. Jan was quite sedate again now, +but he had fussed about a good deal, upon first arrival +at the hollow, in his capacity as guide and +messenger. An hour later and Betty was comfortably +settled on the big couch beside the hall fire at +Nuthill, and very shortly after that Dr. Vaughan +was in attendance, so that when tea came to be +handed round everybody's mind was at ease again. +The doctor was for giving Jan a share of his plum +cake as a reward for meritorious conduct. But +Betty would have none of this.</p> + +<p>"I'm surprised at you, Doctor," said Betty. +"Bad habits and an impaired digestion as a reward +for heroism! Never! Extra meat, and an extra-choice +bone at supper-time, if you like; but no +plum cake for my Jan boy, if I know it."</p> + +<p>But this sensible decision did not prevent Jan +being made much of by the whole household that +evening; and partly by way of compliment, and +in part because Betty could not go to the stable, +he was promoted to grown-up privileges and allowed +to take his supper in the porch that night beside +his father. Upon showing a casual inclination +to investigate his sire's supper-dish, he was firmly +but good-humoredly put into his place by the wolfhound. +Upon the whole, Jan bore his new honors +well during this his first evening spent in a house. +No doubt he received useful hints from Finn. In +any case, it was decided next morning, by the Master's +full consent, that from this time on, subject +to his proper behavior, Jan need not again be sent +to his bench in the stable.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XIV" id="XIV"></a>XIV</h2> + +<h3>WITH REFERENCE TO DICK VAUGHAN</h3> + + +<p>One might search the English villages through +without finding another such medical practitioner +as Dr. Vaughan, the man who dressed Betty +Murdoch's sprained ankle. For example, he was a +Fellow of the Royal Society, and the records of his +original-research work won respectful attention in +at least four languages. When he inherited Upcroft +(the estate which flanks Nuthill to the eastward) +and decided to establish himself there, it certainly +was not with any idea of playing the general practitioner. +But, as the event proved, he was given +small choice. For Sussex this district is curiously +remote. It contains a few scattered large houses, +and outside these the population is made up of +small farmers and shepherds, very good fellows, +most of them, but not at all typical of home-county +residents, and having more than a little in common +with the dalesmen of the north country. Their +nearest resident medical practitioner, before Dr. +Vaughan came, was eight miles away, in Lewes.</p> + +<p>Dr. Vaughan used to say that his only son, Dick, +should relieve him by forming a practice in the +district. But that was before Dick was sent down +from Oxford for ducking his tutor in the basin of a +fountain and then trying to revive that unfortunate +gentleman by plastering his head and face in +chocolate meringues. It was prior also to Dick's +unfortunate expulsion from Guy's as the result of +a stand-up fight with a house-surgeon, and to his +final withdrawal from the study of medicine as a +profession he was adjudged unworthy to adorn. +The judgment was emphatically indorsed by the +young man himself, and so could not be called +over-severe.</p> + +<p>When it became apparent that Dick was never +to be a G.P., Dr. Vaughan obtained the services of +Edward Hatherley, a young doctor in search of a +practice, and specially altered and enlarged for his +occupancy one of the Upcroft cottages. This enabled +Dr. Vaughan to decline the work of a general +practitioner without hurt to his naturally sensitive +conscience. But there still were people in the district +whom he visited upon occasion as a doctor, +and his friends at Nuthill were among the favored +few. Such visits, however, did not in any way +affect his income, which, as the result of an unexpected +legacy some twelve or fourteen years before +this time, was a substantial one, even apart +from professional earnings or the rents of Upcroft.</p> + +<p>Riding, shooting, fishing, coursing, breaking in +young horses and dogs, and playing polo when opportunity +offered—these, with occasional rather +wild doings in London and Brighton, made up the +sum of Dick Vaughan's contribution to the world's +work so far, since the period of what he euphemistically +called his retirement from the practice of +pill-making. And it must be confessed that, until +some time after the establishment of the Nuthill +household in that locality, Dick Vaughan had shown +no symptom of dissatisfaction with his lot, or of +desire to tackle any more serious sort of occupation.</p> + +<p>What was generally regarded as Dick's idleness, +and, by the more rigid moralists, as his worthlessness, +was a source of some anxiety and much disappointment +to that distinguished man, his father. +From the doctor's standpoint a life given to sport +meant a life wasted; and, gifted man of science +that he was, it puzzled him completely that a son +of his should have no ability as a student. Withal, +he had never brought himself to show any harshness +to Dick; for, "wild" as the young man undoubtedly +had been, he was a lovable fellow, and for +the doctor his fair face was a reflection of the face +of the woman Dick had never really known; of +the mother he had lost while still a child; the wife +whose loss had withdrawn Dr. Vaughan from the +world of successful men and women and prematurely +whitened his hair and lined his lofty brow.</p> + +<p>Yet in one respect the doctor had shown a certain +sternness. He had told his son, with some +emphasis, that, until he accomplished some creditable +work in the world, he must never expect one +penny more than his present allowance of £150 +a year. There were good horses and dogs at Upcroft, +however, and a very comfortable home. The farmers' +sons of the district, like their social superiors, +mostly liked Dick Vaughan well. He need never +lack a companion in his sporting enterprises, and so +far had never felt very urgently the need of money. +Indeed, the bulk of his allowance was wasted during +the trips he made to town after quarter-days. +Money was not very necessary to him at Upcroft, +where most people were quite content to "put it +down to the Doctor," and all were ready to oblige +"young Mr. Vaughan."</p> + +<p>And then had come Betty Murdoch, and a certain +all-round modification of Dick Vaughan's outlook +upon life.</p> + +<p>It happened that one reason why Betty had no +other companion than Jan on the day of her accident +was the fact that the Master had an appointment +at Upcroft that morning with Dick. The +Master was very good-natured in his talk with Dick, +but he was also quite firm and straightforward. +Dick rather shamefacedly pleaded guilty to having +paid pointed attentions to Betty, and admitted +that he was in love with her.</p> + +<p>"Well, there's nothing to be ashamed of in that, +old chap. I'm in love with her myself, if you come +to that," said the Master, with a smile. "If you'd +said you meant nothing and were not in love with +her, I—well, I should be taking a rather different +tone, perhaps. But you are, and I knew it."</p> + +<p>Dick's characteristic smile, the sunny, affectionate +smile that won him friends wherever he went and +had given him a champion even in the tutor he +ducked, broke momentarily through the rueful expression +of his face, as he said: "Oh, there's no +sort of doubt about that, sir."</p> + +<p>"Exactly. Well, now, my friend, what I have to +point out to you is this: Betty is not only very +dear to me; she is also my heir and my ward. I'm +speaking to you about it earlier than some men +might have spoken, because I don't want to cure +heartaches—I want to prevent 'em. I'm pretty +certain there's no harm done as yet."</p> + +<p>The Master managed to keep a straight face when +Dick absently intimated that he was afraid there +was no harm done as yet.</p> + +<p>"It would make Betty miserable to go against +my wishes, I think," continued the Master, "and I +don't want her to be made miserable. That's why +I'm talking to you now. She could not possibly +become engaged, except against my very strongest +wishes, to a man who had never earned his own +living or done any work at all in the world. And +that—well, that—"</p> + +<p>"That's me, of course," said the rueful Dick, +cutting at his gaiters with a crop.</p> + +<p>"Well, so far it does rather seem to fit, doesn't +it?" continued the Master. "But, mind you, Dick, +don't you run away with the idea that I have any +down on you or want to put any obstacles in your +way. Not a bit of it. God knows I'm no Puritan, +neither have I any quarrel with a man's love of sport +and animals; not much. But there's got to be +something else in a real man's life, you know, Dick. +Beer and skittles are all very well—an excellent institution, +especially combined with the sort of admirable +knowledge of horses and dogs, and the sort +of seat in the saddle that you have, my friend. But +over and above all that, you know, I want something +else from the man who is to marry our Betty. I +don't ask you to become an F.R.S., but, begad! +Dick, I do ask you to prove that you can play a man's +part in the world, outside sport as well as in it; +and that, if you're put to it, you can earn your own +living and enough to give a wife bread and butter. +And if you'll just think of it for a minute, I believe +you'll see that it's not too much to ask, either. +It's what I'd ask of a man before I'd trust him to +carry out a piece of business for me; and Betty—well, +she's more than any other piece of business I +can think of to me."</p> + +<p>Dick Vaughan saw it all very clearly. He quite +frankly admitted the justification for the Master's +remarks.</p> + +<p>"And so," he added, rather despondently—"so +this is my notice to quit, eh?"</p> + +<p>"If you took it as that, and acted on it permanently, +I should think I had greatly overrated +you, my friend," replied the Master, with warmth. +"No; but, as between men, it's my notice to you +that I appeal to your sense of honor to say nothing +to Betty, to go no farther in the matter, until—until +you've proved yourself as well in other ways as +you've already proved yourself over the hurdles."</p> + +<p>"Oh, that! But, of course, I love riding, and—"</p> + +<p>"You'll find you'll love some other things, too, +once you've mastered them, as you have horses and +dogs. I can tell you there's just as much fun in +mastering men as there is in handling horses. I +used to think the only thing I could do, besides +breeding wolfhounds, was to write. And I suppose +I didn't do the writing very well. Anyway, it +didn't bring in money enough for the wolfhounds +and—and some other matters. So I went out to +Australia and did something else. Now I can do +the writing when I like, and—well, old Finn there is +in no danger of being sold to pay the butcher."</p> + +<p>"Ah yes, in Australia. I wanted the governor to +let me go there when I left Rugby, boundary-riding, +and that. But of course he was dead set on the +pill-making for me, then. And now—"</p> + +<p>"Now there's been a rather empty interval of +seven years. Yes, I know. Well, you think it over, +old chap. I lay down no embargoes, not I. But I +do trust to your honor in this matter—for Betty's +sake—and I'm sure I'm safe. You think it over, +and come and talk to me any time you feel like it. +Be sure I'll be delighted to give any help I can. +Look here! there's a friend of mine staying at the +White Hart in Lewes: Captain Arnutt, of the +Royal North-west Mounted Police. Go and look +him up and have a yarn with him about how he +made his start. He nearly broke his heart trying +to pass into Sandhurst without getting the necessary +stuff into his hard head. But, begad! there isn't a +finer man in the North-west to-day than Will Arnutt. +I'll write him a letter if you'll go. Will you?"</p> + +<p>Dick agreed readily, and as a matter of fact he +lunched in Lewes with Captain Arnutt that very +day, thereby missing all the excitement over Betty +Murdoch's sprained ankle and Jan's clever rescue-work, +but gaining quite a good deal in other ways.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XV" id="XV"></a>XV</h2> + +<h3>JAN'S FIRST FIGHT</h3> + + +<p>Dick Vaughan was away from home a good +deal during the next few weeks, and Jan and +Finn often missed him, for his frequent visits to +Nuthill had been full of interest for them. It may +be, too, that Jan's mistress missed Dick Vaughan; +but according to the Master, the young man was +well employed and by no means wasting his time. +And Jan did have at least one useful lesson in the +week following Betty's accident on the Downs; and +it was a lesson which he never entirely forgot.</p> + +<p>Jan was busily doing nothing in particular—"mucking +about" as the school-boys elegantly put +it—in the little lane which forms a right-of-way +across the Downs, between the Nuthill orchard and +the westernmost of the Upcroft fields. Betty Murdoch +was still nursing her ankle; and, fast asleep +in the hall beside her couch, Finn, the wolfhound, +was dreaming of a great kangaroo-hunt in which he +and the dingo bitch Warrigal were engaged in replenishing +their Mount Desolation larder. Suddenly +Jan looked up, sniffing, from his idle play, and saw +against the sky-line, where the narrow lane rises +sharply toward the Downs, a gray-clad man in +gaiters, with a long ash staff in his hand and a big +sheep-dog of sorts, descending together from the +heights.</p> + +<p>The man was David Crumplin, the sheep-dealer, +and the dog was Grip, whose reputation, all unknown +though it was to Jan, reached from the Romney +marshes to the Solent; even as his sire's had carried +weight from York to the Border. Grip's dam, so +the story went, had been a gipsy's lurcher with +Airedale blood in her. If so, his size and weight were +rather surprising; but his militant disposition may, +to some extent, have been explained. At all events, +there was no sheep-dog of experience between Winchelsea +and Lewes who would have dreamed of +treating Grip with anything save the most careful +respect and deference, since, while hardly to be +called either quarrelsome or aggressive, he was a +noted killer, a most formidable fighter when roused. +He was also a past-master in the driving of sheep, +his coat was of the density of several door-mats, +and he had china-blue eyes with plenty of fire in +them, but no tenderness.</p> + +<p>These things would, of course, have been ample +in the shape of credentials and introduction for any +dog of ripe experience. For puppy Jan (despite +his hundred pounds of weight) they all went for +nothing at all. His salutation was a joyous, if slightly +cracked, bark; a sort of—</p> + +<p>"Hullo! a stranger! Come on! What larks!"</p> + +<p>And he went prancing like a rocking-horse up +the lane to meet Grip, prepared to make a new +friend, to romp, or do any other kind of thing that +was not serious. But, as it happened, the dour +Grip was far more than usually serious that morning. +By over-severity in driving he had lost a lamb that +day in rounding up a flock across the Downs. The +little beast had slipped, under the pressure of the +drive, and broken both fore legs at the bottom of +a deep pit. Grip had not made three such blunders +in his life, and the lambasting he had received for +this one had bruised every bone in his body. But +for all this, he might have shown a shade more +tolerance toward Jan, since ninety-nine dogs in a +hundred, even among the fighters, will show patience +and good humor where puppies are concerned.</p> + +<p>Jan's actual greeting of the sheep-dog was exceedingly +clumsy and awkward.</p> + +<p>"Hullo, old hayseed!" he seemed to say as he +bumped awkwardly into Grip's right shoulder. +"Come and have a game!"</p> + +<p>That shoulder ought to have warned him. Its +wiry mat of coat stood out like quills upon the +fretful porcupine. But the rollicking, galumphing +Jan was just then impervious to any such comparatively +subtle indication as this.</p> + +<p>Grip spake no single word; but his wall-eyes +flashed white firelight and his long jaws snapped +like a spring trap as Jan rebounded from the bump +against his buttress of a shoulder. When those +same steel jaws parted again, as they did a moment +later, an appreciable piece of Jan's left ear fell +from them to the ground. Jan let out a cry, an exclamation +of mingled anger, pain, bewilderment, +and wrath. He turned, leaning forward, as though +to ask the meaning of this outrage. On the instant, +and again without a sound, the white-toothed trap +opened and closed once more; this time leaving a +bloody groove all down the black-and-gray side of +Jan's left shoulder.</p> + +<p>At that point the sheep-dealer spoke, just a little +too late.</p> + +<p>"Get out o' that!" he said, with a thrust of his +staff at Jan. And—"Come in here, Grip," he added +to his own dog. But his orders came too late.</p> + +<p>For his part, Jan had lost blood and realized that +he was attacked in fierce earnest. As for Grip, he +had tasted blood, and found it as balm to his aching +ribs. This big blundering black-and-gray thing was +no sheep, at all events. Then let it keep away from +him, or take the consequences. Life was no game +for Grip; but rather a serious routine of work, of +fighting to kill, of getting food, of resting when he +might, and of avoiding his master's ashen staff. +Nothing could be more different from Jan's gaily +irresponsible and joyously immature conception of +life.</p> + +<p>However, Jan was in earnest now; more so than +he had ever been since, more than five months +earlier, he had flung his gristly bulk upon the vixen +fox who slew his sister in the cave. Some breath +he wasted in a second cry—all challenge and fury, +and no questioning wonder this time—and then, +like a Clydesdale colt attacking a leopard, he flung +himself upon the sheep-dog, roaring and grappling +for a hold. It seemed that Grip was made of steel +springs and india-rubber. The shock of Jan's assault +was doubtless something of a blow; for Jan +weighed more than the sheep-dog; but he tossed +it from him with a twist of his densely clad shoulders, +and again as the youngster blundered past him he +took toll (this time of the loose skin on the right +side of the hound's neck) in his precisely worked +jaws.</p> + +<p>All unlearned though he was in these wolf-like +(or any other) fighting tactics, Jan presented an +imposing picture of rampant fury as he wheeled +again to face his calmly resourceful enemy. David +Crumplin had now recognized the young hound as +an animal of value and consequence in the world, +and in all sincerity was doing his best to separate +the pair. But the fight had gone too far now for +verbal remonstrances to have any effect, even with +disciplined Grip; and as for Jan, he was merely +unconscious, alike in the matter of David's adjurations +and the thrusts and thwacks of his stave.</p> + +<p>In the pages of a correctly conceived romance, +one man (providing, of course, that he is a hero) +is always able without much difficulty to separate +two fighting dogs, even though he be innocent of +doggy lore and attired blamelessly, as judged by +the illustrator's standards for walking out with +the heroine. But in real life the thing is somehow +different. Not only are two pairs of strong hands +needed, but it is necessary that the possessors of +those hands should approach the fray from opposite +sides, and be nimble and strong enough to get clear +away, one from the other, when each pair has grabbed +its dog. No single pair of hands can manage it in the +case of big dogs, and a man's feet are not far enough +removed from his hands to make them an adequate +substitute for a second pair of hands.</p> + +<p>David Crumplin, having speedily given up persuasion, +yelled for help, and cursed and swore vehemently +at the dogs, banging and thrusting at +each in turn, without prejudice and without effect. +Much they cared for his curses, or his ashen staff. +Jan was bleeding now from half a dozen gaping +wounds; and Grip, the famous killer, was in an icy +fury of wrath, for the reason that this blundering +young elephant of a puppy was actually pressing +and hurting him—the best feared dog in that +countryside. For, be it said, Jan learned with surprising +quickness. He could not acquire in a minute +or in a month the sort of fighting craft that made +Grip terrible; but he did learn in one minute that +he could not afford to repeat the blundering rushes +which had lost him his first blood.</p> + +<p>At first he strove hard to bowl the sheep-dog over +by sheer weight and strength. Then he struggled +bravely to get his teeth through Grip's coat of mail +at the neck. And if all the time he was getting +punishment, he also was getting learning; as was +proved by the fact that immediately after his own +third wound he tore one of Grip's ears in sunder, +and, a minute later, got home on the sheep-dog's +right fore leg (where the coat of mail was thin) +with a bite which would surely mean a week of +limping for Grip. It was this last thrust that placed +Grip definitely outside his master's reach, by fanning +into white flame the smoldering fire of his +nature. Indeed, for a minute or two it even made +the sheep-dog forgetful of his cunning, so angry +was he; with the result that he lost a section from +his sound ear and came near to being overturned +by the impetuosity of Jan's onslaught.</p> + +<p>And then suddenly the sheep-dog completely +changed, as though by magic. His flame died down +to still, white fire; his jaws ceased to clash; his +ferocious snarl died away into deadly silence; he +crouched like a lynx at bay. At that moment Jan's +number was very nearly up, for Grip had coldly +determined to kill. He had practically ceased +fighting. He was merely sparring defensively now, +with bloody murder in his blue eyes, watching +grimly for his opening—the opening through which +he was wont to end his serious fights, the opening +which would yield him the death-hold.</p> + +<p>Jan, who knew naught of death-holds, and was +at this moment blind to every consideration in life +save that of combat, would assuredly yield the +fatal opening within a very few seconds; and that +being so, it was a small matter to Grip that in the +mean time the youngster should rob him of a little +fur and blood and skin. No orders, no suasion, +could touch Grip now; neither could any form of +attack move his anger. He was about to kill; and, +for him, that fact filled the universe.</p> + +<p>At last the moment arrived. When the breath +was out of Jan's body after a missed rush, he stumbled +badly in wheeling, and almost choked as the +spume of blood and froth and fur flew from his +aching jaws. At that psychological moment Grip, +balanced to the perfection of a hair-spring, and +calmly calculating, leaped upon him from the side, +and brought the youngster's four feet into the air at +one time. That was the opening, and, in the same +second, Grip's jaws sprang apart to profit by it and +to inclose Jan's throat in a final and sufficing hold.</p> + +<p>And then, as a medieval observer might have said, +the heavens opened and a whirling vision of gray-clad +muscle and gleaming fangs descended from the +high hedge-top, landing fairly and squarely athwart +Grip's back. For a moment the sheep-dog sprawled, +paralyzed by this inexplicable event. In that moment +his last chance was lost. The new arrival had +whirled his huge body clear and gripped the sheep-dog's +neck in jaws longer and more powerful than +those of any other dog in Sussex. Grip weighed close +upon ninety pounds; but he was shaken and battered +now from side to side, very much as a rat is shaken +by a terrier. And, finally, with one tremendous +lift of the greatest neck the hound world has known, +Grip was flung clear to the far side of the lane, at +the very feet of his master, who promptly grabbed +him by the collar and, as though to complete Finn's +prescription, hammered him repeatedly upon the +nose with his clenched fist.</p> + +<p>"I'll larn'ee to answer me—by cripes, I will!" +quoth David.</p> + +<p>By this time the sorely trounced Jan was on his +feet and Finn had begun to lick his son's streaming +ears. From the inside of the high hedge came hurrying +footsteps; and in another moment the Master +appeared at the white gate, twenty paces lower +down the lane. David Crumplin was offered the +hospitality of the scullery for the examination of +his dog, but preferred to get Grip away with him +after an admission that—</p> + +<p>"Your puppy there will do some killin' in his day, +sir, if he lives to see it. But as for this other fellow"—pointing +to Finn—"he could down any dog this side +o' Gretna Green, an' you can say as I said so. I +know most of 'em."</p> + +<p>That was how Jan learned his first big lesson, +and the good of it never left him, and often saved +his life; just as surely as his father's great speed +and strength saved it on this morning, in the very +breathless nick of time when his throat had been +bared to the knife that was between Grip's killing +jaws.</p> + +<p>In the beginning of Jan's first fight Finn had +been dreaming of a hunt in the Australian bush. +Once or twice, as David Crumplin cursed and ranted +in the lane, Finn's dark ears had twitched as though +in semi-consciousness of the trouble. Later, as Jan +had snarlingly roared in his fourth or fifth attack, +his sire's brown eyes had opened wide and he had +lain a moment with ears pricked and head well up, +at Betty's feet. And then with a long, formidable +growl he had leaped for the porch. Half a dozen +great bounds took him through the garden. A leap +which hardly broke his stride carried him across +the iron fence into the orchard, and a score of +strides from there brought him to the hedge-side. +The hedge was six feet high here. In the lane, +which lay low, it was ten feet high. There was a +gate twenty yards away. Finn scorned this and went +soaring through the bramble-ends at the top of the +hedge, and thence, a bolt of fire from the blue, to +Grip's shoulders.</p> + +<p>There was that in Finn's preliminary growl which +told Betty serious things were toward. She dared +not try to walk; but she shouted to the Master, and +he very speedily was in the orchard upon Finn's trail.</p> + +<p>A Fellow of the Royal Society, with a score of +letters after his name and a reputation in two +hemispheres, stitched the worst of Jan's wounds +that morning, on the couch in the Master's study. +Even Dr. Vaughan could not replace the missing +section of Jan's right ear; but, short of that, he +made a most masterly job of the repairs. And all +the while wise, gray old Finn sat erect on his +haunches beside the writing-table, looking on approvingly, +and reflecting, no doubt, upon the prowess +of the youngster who had caused all this pother.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XVI" id="XVI"></a>XVI</h2> + +<h3>GOOD-BY TO DICK</h3> + + +<p>On a day in February, Dr. Vaughan and his son +Dick ate their dinner at Nuthill, and spent +most of the evening there, around the hall fire. +On the flanks of the big recessed fireplace, one on +either side, Finn and Jan lay stretched, dozing happily. +Jan's wounds were long since healed now, and +the rapid growth of his thick coat had already gone +far toward hiding the scars, though it could not +quite mask the fact that a piece of his right ear was +missing. Jan was more than eight months old now, +and scaled just over a hundred and twenty pounds.</p> + +<p>Late in the evening Dick Vaughan (who had +honorably held to his pact with the Master where +Betty Murdoch was concerned) had a little chat +with Jan, whose ears he pulled affectionately, while +the youngster sat with muzzle resting on Dick's +knee.</p> + +<p>"Don't much like saying good-by to you, Jan, +boy," said Dick Vaughan.</p> + +<p>"Ah, well, there need not be any good-bys to-night, +Dick," said the Master. "We'll all be at the +station in the morning, Finn and Jan as well."</p> + +<p>"Ha! that's good of you," said Dick. "But you'll +never let that youngster run five miles behind a carriage, +will you? Isn't he too gristly in the legs yet, +for the weight he carries?"</p> + +<p>The Master smiled. "Trust me for that, Dick. +I've reared too many big wolfhound pups to make +that mistake. A few such road trips as that, and +Master Jan would never again show a real gun-barrel +fore leg. Why, he weighs a hundred and twenty +pounds! No; old Finn will lope alongside of us, +but Master Jan can have a seat inside. I have seen +some of the best and biggest hounds ever bred +spoiled for life by being allowed to follow horses on +the road in their first year. There was Donovan, +by Champion Kerry, you know. He might have +beaten Finn, I believe, if they hadn't ruined him in +his sixth month, trying to harden his feet behind +a dog-cart on the great north road. The result was, +when he was shown at the Palace in his eleventh +month, his fore legs had gone for ever—like a +dachshund's."</p> + +<p>"Ah! When I get back," said Dick, musingly, +you'll be pretty nearly a two-year-old, Jan, boy."</p> + +<p>"And if all goes well, he will be as strong a hound +as any in England; won't he, Betty? You'll see to +that."</p> + +<p>"I will if you'll help to keep us going the right +way," said Betty, smiling at the Master.</p> + +<p>And so, directly after an early breakfast, the Nuthill +party drove to the station, with Jan on the +floor of the wagonette and Finn pacing easily beside +it. There was quite an assembly on the platform +of the little station to see "young Mr. Vaughan" +off. For he was bound for Liverpool that day, +where he was to meet Captain Will Arnutt, of the +Royal North-west Mounted Police of Canada, with +whom he was to embark for Halifax, <i>en route</i> for +Regina, in Saskatchewan, the headquarters of the +R.N.W.M.P., for which fine service Dick Vaughan +had enlisted, after a stiff course of training under +Captain Arnutt's personal supervision.</p> + +<p>"Between ourselves," the captain had told the +Master, in Lewes, a week or two earlier, "neither +I nor the Royal North-west have much to teach +young Vaughan in the matter of horsemanship, and +I look to see him make as fine a trooper as any we've +got. But there's one thing we can give him, and +that's discipline. We can teach him to face the +devil himself at two o'clock in the morning without +blinking—and I think he'll take it well. I don't +mind a scrap about his having been a bit wild. +He's got the right stuff in him; and, man, he's got +as pretty a punch, with the gloves on, as ever I saw +in my life. An archangel couldn't make better use +of his left than young Vaughan."</p> + +<p>This rather tickled the Master, who up till then +had never considered archangelic possibilities in +boxing.</p> + +<p>"I was certain the boy was all right," he said.</p> + +<p>There was a rousing cheer from the group on +the platform as the up-train moved off, with +Dick Vaughan leaning far out from one of its +windows.</p> + +<p>"I'll be home in eighteen months," Dick had +said when he bade Betty Murdoch good-by. And +the Master, who was beside her, nodded his sympathy +and approval.</p> + +<p>"You'll lose nothing by the five-thousand-mile +gap, old chap, and you'll gain a whole lot," he said.</p> + +<p>"You'll larn 'em about 'osses, Master Dick," +shouted old Knight, the head groom, to the M.F.H. +And the farmers' sons roared lustily at that. Jan +barked once as the train began to move, and the +Master's hand fell sharply over Betty's upon his +collar; for Jan, though not yet half so strong as +his sire, was a deal harder to hold when anything +excited him. Like his friend Dick Vaughan, he was +of good stuff, but had not as yet learned much of +discipline.</p> + +<p>As the Nuthill party walked down the station +approach to their wagonette, among quite a crowd +of other people, Betty felt Jan's collar suddenly +tighten—his height, even now, allowed her to hold +the young hound's collar easily without using a +lead, for he stood over thirty-one inches at the +shoulder—and, glancing down, saw the hair all +about his neck and shoulder-bones rise, stiffly +bristling. In the same moment came a low growl +from Finn, who walked at large on the far side of +Jan and a little behind the Master. There was no +anger in this growl of Finn's; but it was eloquent +of warning, and magisterial in its hint of penalties +to follow neglect of warning.</p> + +<p>"Why, what's wrong now, old—Ah! I see!" +exclaimed the Master.</p> + +<p>On the opposite side of the approach was David +Crumplin, walking toward the goods-shed of the +little station, and followed closely by the redoubtable +Grip. Grip's hackles were well up, too, for the +three dogs had seen one another before their human +friends had noticed anything out of the ordinary. +But though Grip's bristles had risen just as stiffly +as Jan's, and though the sensitive skin over his +nostrils had wrinkled harshly and his upper lip +lifted slightly, the gaze of his wall-eyes was fixed +straight before him upon his master's gaiters. He +saw Finn and Jan just as plainly as they saw +him, but he never turned a hair's-breadth in their +direction, or betrayed his recognition by a single +glance.</p> + +<p>Grip was no swashbuckler, and he never played. +Life, as he saw it, was too serious a business for that. +But and if fighting was toward, well, Grip was ready; +not eager, but deadly ready, and nothing backward. +Grip had his black cap either in place on his head +or very close at hand all the time. It was doubtless +with a sufficiently sardonic sneer that he presently +saw Jan jump obediently into the wagonette. +Grip had seen to the carting of thousands of lambs +and sick ewes; but for himself to climb into a horse-drawn +vehicle at the bidding of a lady!—one can +imagine how scornfully Grip breathed through his +nostrils as he saw Jan driven off, with Finn, as escort, +trotting alongside.</p> + +<p>He bore no particular malice against Jan, and in +his hard old heart probably thought rather well of +the bellicose youngster. But, given reasonable excuse +for the fray, he had been blithe to tear out the same +youngster's jugular; and, be the odds what they +might, he would quite cheerfully have stood up to +mortal combat with Finn himself. But as things +were, the first meeting of these three since the fight +in the lane passed off quite peacefully.</p> + +<p>All the same, there was a ragged fringe to one of +Grip's ears, and for weeks he had limped sorely on +his near fore leg. It was written in his mind that +Jan must pay, and pay dearly, for those things, +when a suitable occasion offered. He was no swashbuckler, +and did not know what it meant to ruffle +it among the peaceably inclined for the fun of the +thing; but, or it may be because of that, Grip +never forgot an injury, and, if he had known what +forgiveness meant, would have regarded it as an +evidence of silly weakness unworthy any grown +dog.</p> + +<p>It is certain that Finn bore Grip no malice. That +was not his way. Grip had offended by his ruthless +onslaught upon a half-grown pup, and Finn had +trounced him soundly for that. Now that they met, +some months afterward, Finn thought it wise to +give warning, by way of showing that he, in his high +place, was watchful. Hence his long, low growl. +In his adventurous life Finn had many times killed +to eat, as he had frequently killed in fighting and as +an administrator of justice. But he never had borne +malice and never would, for that would have been +clean contrary to the instincts of his nature and +breeding.</p> + +<p>As for Jan, it would not be easy nor yet quite fair +to analyze his feelings toward the wall-eyed sheep-dog. +Jan's mind, like his big frame, was not yet +half developed. It may be that he could never be +quite so fine a gentleman as his sire; and in any +case it were foolish to look for old heads on puppy +shoulders. He did not think at all when he saw +Grip. But in that instant he tugged at his collar, +without conscious volition, just as his hackles rose, +just as sharp consciousness penetrated every part +of him, of the wounds he had sustained under Grip's +punishing jaws. It was not malice, but a sudden +heady rush in his veins of the lust of combat, that +kept his thick coat so erectly bristling, the soft +skin about his nostrils wrinkling so actively, for +several minutes after his recognition of the sheep-dog. +Unlike Grip, it might be that Jan would, as +he developed, learn easily to forgive; but it was +already tolerably obvious that he was not of the +stuff of which those dogs who forget are made.</p> + +<p>"They don't forget the affair in the lane, either +of them," said the Master, with a smile, after the +wagonette had started. It may be Jan understood +the words had reference to his first fight. In any +case, he looked eagerly up into the Master's face, +and from that to Betty's; and in that moment he +was living over again through the strenuous rounds +of his struggle with Grip.</p> + +<p>"Silly old Jan," said Betty, as her hand smoothed +his head affectionately.</p> + +<p>"Truculent infant," laughed the Master. "Take +note of the easy sedateness of your father in the +road there." (The round trot of the Nuthill horses—and +they frequently did the trip to the station +in twenty-five minutes—was no more than a comfortable +amble for Finn.)</p> + +<p>"Jan," said Betty Murdoch to her favorite, as +they walked together on the Downs some three or +four hours later; "he's gone away to Sas-sas-katchewan; +and—he never said a word, Jan! I wonder if +he thought—what he thought."</p> + +<p>If Jan had been human, he might so far have +failed, as a companion, as to have reminded Betty +that, in fact, Dick had said a good many words before +starting for "Sas-sas-katchewan." Being only +a dog, Jan failed not at all in the sympathy he exchanged +for Betty's confidence. He just gently +nuzzled her hand, thrusting his nose well up to her +coat-cuff, and showed her the loving devotion in his +dark hazel eyes.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XVII" id="XVII"></a>XVII</h2> + +<h3>JAN BEFORE THE JUDGES</h3> + + +<p>Eighteen months went by before Dick Vaughan +returned to England; and this period was one +of happy and largely uneventful development +for Jan, the son of Finn and Desdemona. (It +brought high honors to the Lady Desdemona, by +the way, both as a champion bloodhound and as +the dam of some fame-winning youngsters.) It +brought no very marked signs of advancing age to +Finn, for the life the wolfhound led, while admittedly +devoid of any kind of hardship, was sufficiently +active in a moderate way, and very healthy. Jan +made no history during this time, beyond the smooth +record of happy days and healthy growth.</p> + +<p>"Just for the fun of the thing," he was entered +in the "variety" class at the Brighton dog-show, +when twenty months old, and that was certainly +a memorable experience for him. There were bloodhound +men at the show who vowed he would have +won a card in their section; and there were wolfhound +breeders who said the same thing of Jan with +reference to their particular division. Be that as +it may, Finn's son won general admiration when +led out into the judging ring with the other entrants +of the "variety" class.</p> + +<p>The judge was a specially great authority on +bulldogs and terriers; but it was admitted that +there was no better or fairer all-round dog judge in +the show, and his experience in the past at hound +field trials and such like events proved him qualified +to judge of such an animal as Jan. Still, his special +association with bulldogs and terriers was regarded +as something of a handicap by the exhibitors of +other kinds of dogs in this class, which, as it happened, +was an unusually full one.</p> + +<p>As Jan had never before been shown and was +quite unaccustomed to being at close quarters with +numbers of strange dogs, Betty asked the Master +to take him into the ring for her. (Jan weighed +one hundred and forty-eight pounds now, and a +pretty strong arm was required for his restraint +among strangers, the more so as he was quite unaccustomed +to being led.) So Betty and the Mistress +secured stools for themselves outside the ring +and the Master led in Jan to a place among no +fewer than twenty-seven other competitors, ranging +all the way from a queer little hairless terrier from +Brazil, to a huge, badly cow-hocked animal, of perhaps +two hundred pounds in weight, said to combine +St. Bernard and mastiff blood in his veins.</p> + +<p>There was also an Arab hunting-dog, a slogi from +Morocco, two boarhounds of sorts, some Polar dogs, +several bulldogs and collies, and a considerable +group of terrier varieties in one way or another exceptional. +One of the bulldogs was a really magnificent +creature of the famous Stone strain, whose +only fault seemed to be a club-foot. There was also +a satanic-looking creature of enormous stature; a +great Dane, with very closely cropped prick ears, and +a tail no more than five inches long. This gentleman +was further distinguished by wearing a muzzle, and +by the fact that his leader carried a venomous-looking +whip. The lady with the hairless terrier +was particularly careful to avoid the proximity of +this rather ill-conditioned brute, and of the weedy-looking +little man in a frock-coat who led him.</p> + +<p>In the course of ten or fifteen minutes, during +which the ring was uncomfortably crowded, the +judge managed to reduce his field of selection down +to a group of six, which did not include the crop-eared +Dane or exclude Jan.</p> + +<p>"Well, come," said the Mistress to Betty, "this +does not look like prejudice against the larger breeds: +Jan, and two other big dogs, with one bulldog and +two terriers." Betty only nodded. She was too much +excited on Jan's behalf for conversation; and her +bright eyes missed no single movement in the ring. +It was all very well to say that Jan was only shown +"for the fun of the thing," and because "a one-day +show is rather a joke, and not long enough to bore +him." But from the moment her Jan had entered +that ring with the Master, Betty knew that in all +seriousness she badly wanted him to—well, if not to +win outright, at all events to "get a card"; to come +honorably through the ordeal.</p> + +<p>The dogs now left in the ring were the Moorish +hound—a creature full of feline grace and suppleness, +with silky drop-over ears and a tufted tail—an +exceptionally fine cross-bred collie, the Stone +bulldog, a Dandie Dinmont, and a Welsh terrier, +the last extraordinarily small, bright, shapely, and +game. The slogi had apparently been most carefully +trained for the ring. He entirely ignored the other +dogs, stood erect on his hind feet at his master's +word of command, jumped a chair with exquisite +grace and agility, and in a variety of other ways exhibited +both wonderful suppleness and remarkable +docility. The collie was handsome, beautifully +groomed, and rather snappish. The Stone bulldog +made a picture of good-humored British stolidity, +and if his hind quarters had been equal to his superbly +massive front and marvelously "smashed-up" face +he would have been tolerably sure of a win in any +class. The Dandie Dinmont had the most delightful +eyes imaginable, and was a good-bodied dog, faulty +only in tail and in a tendency to be leggy. The +Welshman was a little miracle of Celtic grace—the +very incarnation of doggy sharpness.</p> + +<p>The only member of this select company whose +presence was really distasteful to Jan was the collie. +This lady's temper was clearly very uncertain; she +had a cold blue eye, and in some way she reminded +Jan strongly of Grip, a fact which served to lift his +hackles markedly every time he passed the bitch. +The Master quickly noticed this, and did his best +to keep a good wide patch of ring between them.</p> + +<p>The six were each favored with a long and careful +separate examination by the judge, upon a patch of +floor space which, fortunately, was right opposite to +Betty Murdoch's seat. Betty rustled her show +catalogue to call Jan's attention when his turn +came, and kept up direct telepathic communication +with him during the whole operation. This, +combined with the Master's studious care in handling—a +business of which he had had considerable +experience—served to keep Jan keyed up to concert-pitch +while in the judge's hands.</p> + +<p>When these individual examinations were ended, +the collie and the Dandie were allowed to leave the +ring. Their leaders creditably maintained the traditional +air of being glad <i>that</i> was over, as they escorted +their entries back to their respective benches; +and then the judge settled down to further study of +the bulldog, the Welshman, the Moor, and Jan.</p> + +<p>Long time the judge pondered over the honest, +beautifully ugly head of the bulldog, while that +animal's leader did his well-meaning but quite futile +best to distract attention from his charge's hind +quarters. He would jam the dog well between his +own legs, and with a brisk lift under the chest, endeavor +to widen the dog's already splendid frontage. +But, gaze as he might into Bully's wrinkled +mask, the judge never for an instant lost consciousness +of the weak hind quarters, the sidelong drag +of the club-foot.</p> + +<p>Very nippily the clever little Welshman went +through his nimble paces, dancing to the wave of +his master's handkerchief on toes as springily supple +as those of any ballerina. For the admiration of +the judge and his attendants, the Moorish hound +performed miracles of sinuous agility. With the +size of a deerhound the Moor combined the delicate +graces of an Italian greyhound.</p> + +<p>Jan offered no parlor tricks. Indeed, in these +last minutes his young limbs wearied somewhat—the +morning had been one of most exceptional stress +and excitement for him—and while the other three +were being passed in a final review, Jan lay down +at full length on his belly in the ring, his muzzle +outstretched upon his paws, neck slightly arched, +crown high and nose very low—a pose he inherited +from his distinguished mother, and in part, it may +be, from his paternal grandam, old Tara, who +loved to lie that way. The position was so beautiful, +so characteristic, and so full of breeding that, +rather to Betty's consternation, the Master refrained +from disturbing it, unorthodox though such behavior +might be in a judging ring. The Master +nodded reassuringly to anxious Betty, and, after all, +he knew even when the judge paced slowly forward, +pencil in mouth, Jan was not disturbed.</p> + +<p>"I suppose he's hardly done furnishing yet?" +asked the judge.</p> + +<p>"No, he still has, perhaps, half a year for that; +four months, anyhow," replied the Master. "He +is only twenty months, and weighs just on a hundred +and fifty pounds."</p> + +<p>"Does he indeed? A hundred and fifty. Now, +I put him down as twenty pounds less than that."</p> + +<p>"A tribute to his symmetry, sir," said the Master, +with a smile.</p> + +<p>"Ye—es, to be sure. May I see him on the scale?"</p> + +<p>So Jan was carefully weighed by the judge himself, +and scaled one hundred and forty-eight and one-half +pounds. And then he was carefully measured +for height—at the shoulder-bone—and touched the +standard at a fraction over thirty-two and one-half +inches.</p> + +<p>"Re—markable," said the judge; "especially in +the weight. He certainly is finely proportioned. +Would you mind just running him across the ring +as quickly as you can?"</p> + +<p>The owners of the other three dogs wore during +this time an expression of inhuman selflessness of +superhumanly kind interest in Jan and his doings.</p> + +<p>"It's a thousand pities he's so very coarse," murmured +one disinterested admirer, the owner of the +Welsh terrier. A moment later the Master had to +hide a smile as he heard the owner of the bulldog +whisper: "Nice beast. Pity he's so weedy. A +little less on the fine side and one could back him as +a winner."</p> + +<p>To run well while on the lead is an accomplishment +rare among large dogs, and one which demands +careful training. So the Master took chances. +He signaled Betty to call Jan to her, and then +loosed Jan's lead. This was a signal of delight for +Jan. He was tired of the judging now and thought +this ended it. Not only did he canter very springily +across the ring, but he cleared the four-foot barricade +as though it had not been there and greeted +Betty with effusion. A moment later, at her urgent +behest, and in response to the Master's call, +he returned as easily to the ring. Then the judge, +thoughtfully tapping his note-book with his pencil, +bowed to the exhibitors, and said:</p> + +<p>"Thank you, gentlemen; I think that will do."</p> + +<p>The order of the awards was:</p> + +<table summary="order of awards" width="30%" align="center"> +<tr><td align="left">No. 214</td><td align="left">1</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">No. 23</td><td align="left">2</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">No. 97</td><td align="left">3</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">No. 116</td><td align="left">H.C.</td></tr> +</table> + +<p>which meant that the Welshman was highly commended—and +deserved it—the Moor took third +prize, the bulldog second prize, and Jan, the son +of Finn and Desdemona, first prize. And so, in +the only show-ring test to which he had been submitted, +Jan did every credit to both the noble +strains represented in his ancestry. Finn was never +beaten. The Lady Desdemona had never lowered +her flag to any bloodhound. Jan had passed his +first test at the head of the list, among twenty-seven +competitors, and despite his judge's special predilection +for terriers and bulldogs.</p> + +<p>"Wouldn't Dick Vaughan have been proud of +him!" said the Master. And when Betty nodded +her excited assent, he added: "I'll tell you what, +we'll send him a cable."</p> + +<p>And so it was that, a few hours later, a trooper in +the Regina Barracks of the R.N.W.M. Police, +five thousand miles away, read, with keen delight, +this message:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Greeting from Nuthill. Jan won first prize any variety +class Brighton.</p></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XVIII" id="XVIII"></a>XVIII</h2> + +<h3>FIT AS A TWO-YEAR-OLD</h3> + + +<p>Outside the highly beneficial advantages of +very healthy surroundings and a generous, +well-chosen dietary, Jan's development during all +this time was largely influenced by two factors—the +constant companionship of Finn, and the fact +that all the human folk with whom he came into +contact, barring a largely negligible under-gardener, +loved him.</p> + +<p>His mistress, fortunately for Jan, was not alone +a cheery, wise little woman, but also a confirmed +lover of out of doors. But all the same, if it had +not been for Finn's influence, Jan would probably +have been somewhat lacking in hardihood, and too +great a lover of comfort. The circumstances of his +birth had all favored the development of alert hardiness; +but his translation to the well-ordered Nuthill +home had come at a very early stage. The influence +of Finn, with his mastery of hunting and +knowledge of wild life, formed a constant and most +wholesome tonic in Jan's upbringing; a splendid +corrective to the smooth comforts of Nuthill life.</p> + +<p>From his memorable struggle in the lane with +Grip, Jan had learned much regarding general deportment +toward other dogs. Under Finn's influence, +and his own inherited tracking powers, Jan became +proficient as a hunter and confirmed as a sportsman. +But experience had brought him none of those +lessons which had given Finn his prudent reserve, +his carefully non-committal attitude where human +strangers were concerned.</p> + +<p>For example, supposing Finn and Jan to be lying +somewhere in the neighborhood of the porch at +Nuthill when a strange man whom neither had ever +seen before appeared in the garden, both dogs would +immediately rise to their feet. Jan would probably +give a jolly, welcoming sort of bark. Finn would +make no sound. Jan would amble amiably forward, +right up to the stranger's feet, with head upheld for +a caress. Finn would sooner die than do anything +of the sort. He would keep his ground, motionless, +showing neither friendliness nor hostility; nothing +but grave unwinking watchfulness. If that stranger +should pass the threshold without knocking and +without invitation from any member of the household, +Finn might safely be relied upon to bark and +to follow closely the man's every step. Jan would +probably gambol about him with never a thought of +suspicion.</p> + +<p>If a tramp on the road carried a big stick, that +fact would not deter Jan from trotting up to make +the man's acquaintance, whereas Finn, without introduction, +never went within reach of any stranger +with any amiable intent. Again, if any person at +all, with the exception of Betty, the Master, or the +Mistress, approached Finn when he was in a recumbent +position, he would invariably rise to his +feet. Jan would loll at full length right across a +footpath when he felt like taking his ease, even to +the point of allowing people to step across his body. +On the strength of a ten minutes' acquaintance he +would go to sleep with his head under your foot, if +it chanced that he was sleepy at the time.</p> + +<p>Yet, for all his trustfulness, Jan probably growled +a score of times or more for every one that Finn +growled, and no doubt barked more often in a day +than Finn barked in a month. Jan hunted with +joyous bays; Finn in perfect silence. Jan trusted +everybody and observed folk—when they interested +him and he felt like observing. Finn, without +necessarily mistrusting anybody, observed everybody +watchfully and trusted only his proven friends. +Jan, in his eagerness for praise and commendation, +sought these from any one. Finn would not seek +praise even from the Master, and was gratified by +it only when it came from a real friend.</p> + +<p>By the same token Finn was far more sensitive +to spoken words than Jan. It was not once in three +months that the Master so much as raised or sharpened +his voice in speaking to Finn. If Finn were +verbally reproached by a member of the household, +one saw his head droop and his eyes cloud. Jan +would wag his tail while being scolded, even vehemently, +and five minutes later would require a +second call, and in a sharp tone, before turning +aside from an interesting scent or a twig in the +path.</p> + +<p>Withal, Jan's faults, such as they were, were no +more seriously objectionable than the faults of a +well-bred, high-spirited, good-hearted English school-boy. +Finn's disposition was knightly; but it was +the disposition of a tried and veteran knight and +not of a dashing young gallant. Under his thick +black-and-gray coat Jan did carry a few scars, so +shrewdly had Grip's fangs done their work; but life +had hardly marked him as yet; certainly he carried +none of life's scars. Also, good and sound as his +heart was, clean and straight though he was by +nature, he never had that rare and delicate courtliness +which so distinguished his sire among hounds. +Even Desdemona, great lady that she undoubtedly +was, had not the wolfhound's grave courtesy. +Neither had Jan. He was more bluff. The bloodhound +in him made him look solemn at times; but +he was not naturally a grave person at all.</p> + +<p>On the other hand, Jan was no longer a puppy. +The hardening and furnishing process would continue +to improve his physique till after the end of +his second year; but he had definitely laid aside +puppyhood in his eighteenth month and had a truly +commanding presence. He was three inches lower +at the shoulder than his sire—the tallest hound in +England—yet looked as big a dog because built on +slightly heavier lines. He had the wolfhound's +fleetness, but with it much of the massy solidity of +the bloodhound. His chest was immensely deep, +his fore legs, haunches, and thighs enormously powerful. +And the wrinkled massiveness of his head, +like the breadth of his black saddle, gave him the +appearance of great size, strength, and weight.</p> + +<p>As a fact he scaled one hundred and sixty-four +pounds on his second birthday, and that was eight +pounds heavier than his sire; a notable thing in +view of the fact that he was in no way gross and +carried no soft fat, thanks to the many miles of +downland he covered every day of his life in hunting +with Finn and walking with Betty Murdoch.</p> + +<p>Taking him for all in all, Jan was probably as +finely conditioned and developed a hound as any in +England when he reached his second birthday, and +it is hardly likely that a stronger hound could have +been found in all the world. It may be that for +hardness and toughness and endurance he might +have found his master without much difficulty; +for hardship begets hardihood, and Jan had known +no hardship as yet. But at the end of his second +year he was a very splendid specimen of complete +canine development, and, by reason of his breeding, +easily to be distinguished from all other hounds.</p> + +<p>And then, two months after that second birthday, +Dick Vaughan came home on short furlough, +a privilege which, as Captain Will Arnutt wrote to +Dr. Vaughan, he had very thoroughly earned.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XIX" id="XIX"></a>XIX</h2> + +<h3>DISCIPLINE</h3> + +<p>Dick Vaughan's home-coming was something +of an event for the district, as well as +for Dr. Vaughan and the Upcroft household, and for +Betty Murdoch and the Nuthill folk. He was a +totally different person from the careless, casual, +rather reckless Dick Vaughan who had left for +Canada eighteen months before. Every one had +liked the old Dick Vaughan who had disappeared; +yet nobody now regretted the apparently final loss +of him, and all were agreed in admiring the new Dick +with more or less enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>Already he had won promotion in the fine corps to +which he belonged, and his scarlet uniform coat had +a stripe on one sleeve. But this was a small matter +—though Dr. Vaughan was prouder of it than of +any of his own long list of learned degrees and other +honors—by comparison with the other and unofficial +promotion Dick had won in the scale of manhood. +No uniform was needed to indicate this. +One became aware of it the moment one set eyes +upon him. It showed itself in the firm lines of his +thin, tanned face, in the carriage of his shoulders, +the swing of his walk, the direct, steady gaze of his +eyes, and the firm, assured tone of his voice.</p> + +<p>Always a sportsman and a good fellow, Dick +Vaughan was now a full man, a man handled and +made; a strong, disciplined man, decently modest, +but perfectly conscious of his strength, and easily +able to control other men. This was what Canada +and membership of the Royal North-west Mounted +Police had done for Dick Vaughan in a short eighteen +months.</p> + +<p>For young and healthy men there is perhaps no +other country which has more to give than Canada +in the shape of discipline; of that kind of mental, +moral, and physical tonic which makes for swift, +sure character-development, and the stiffening and +bracing of the human fibers. In English life there +has been of late years a rather serious scarcity of +this tonic influence. Canada is very rich in her +supply of it; but the tonic is too potent for the use +of weaklings.</p> + +<p>Then, too, there were the R.N.W.M.P. influences, +representing a concentrated distillation of the same +tonic. The traditions of this fine force form a great +power for the shaping and making of men. First, +they have a strongly testing and selective influence. +They winnow out the weeds among those who come +under their influence with quite extraordinary celerity +and thoroughness. Those who come through +the selective process satisfactorily may be relied +upon as surely as the grain-buyer may rely on the +grade of wheat which comes through its tests as +"No. 1, hard." The trooper who comes honorably +out of his first year in the R.N.W.M.P. is quite +certainly "No. 1, hard," as much to be relied upon +as any other single product of the prairies.</p> + +<p>"It is not only that the man in any way weak +is quite unable to stand the steady test of R.N.W.M.P. +life. Apart from that, no blatherskite can +endure it; no vain boaster, no aggressive bully, no +slacker, and no humbug of any kind can possibly +keep his end up in the force." So wrote a widely +experienced and keen-witted "old-timer," in 1908, +and he was perfectly right.</p> + +<p>For example, the R.N.W.M.P. man who made +an unnecessary use or display of weapons, by way +of enforcing his authority, would be laughed and +ridiculed out of the force. The thing has been done, +and will be done again, if necessary. Aided only +by the weight of the fine traditions belonging to +his uniform, the R.N.W.M.P. man is expected to +be capable, without any fuss at all, of arresting a +couple of notorious toughs, and, with his naked +hands, of taking them away with him from among +the roughest sort of crowd of their associates.</p> + +<p>And in the R.N.W.M.P., if a man does not show +himself consistently capable of doing that which +the traditions of the force say is to be expected of +him, his place in the force will know him no more. +There are no failures in the R.N.W.M.P.—they +are not allowed. The force could not afford to allow +them, because their existence—the existence of any +of them—would weaken R.N.W.M.P. prestige; and +that prestige is the armor without which the work +of the force would be utterly impossible; not +merely for the average trooper, but even for an +individual possessed of the combined genius of a +Napoleon, a Sherlock Holmes, and an Admirable +Crichton.</p> + +<p>As things stand, the maintenance of law and +order in the western and north-western prairies, +with their vast, trackless stretches of as yet almost +uninhabited territory, is fully equal to the level +attained in London or New York. The law is quite +as much respected there; infractions of it are quite +as surely punished; peace and security are to the +full as well preserved. This truth is speedily understood +even by the least desirable brand of foreign +immigrant. The fugitive from justice reckons his +chances considerably better in any other place than +the territory of the Riders of the Plains. And all +this because of a handful of mounted men in red +coats.</p> + +<p>"The fact is," said a Minnesota farmer to the +present writer, "it don't matter a cent what sort +of a pull a man has, how many guns he carries, or +how many dollars are behind him; if he breaks the +law up there in the North-west, he knows he's just +got to be jailed for it, sure as he's alive. It may +take a day, or it may take a year. It may +cost the authorities a dollar, or it may cost 'em a +million, and a life or two thrown in. But that +tough is just going to be jailed, and he durned well +knows it. That's what the R.N.W.M.P. means to +the North-west; and you take it from me, it's a +pretty big thing to mean."</p> + +<p>It is a big thing. And what makes it possible for +that handful of redcoats is not money, or guns, or +numbers, but a solid, four-square foundation of +irreproachable prestige; an unspotted tradition of +incorruptible honesty, tirelessness, braveness, fairness, +and real <i>decency</i>. This is the reason why no +failures are allowed in the R.N.W.M.P.; this is the +reason why eighteen months of service in that corps, +of a sort that earns promotion, means so much for +the man who accomplishes it. It demands a great +deal of him. It gives him an indisputable title to +complete manhood.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Though the point was often discussed, it never +was made quite clear who first suggested that Jan +should accompany Dick Vaughan when, after three +short weeks at home, he set out again for the West. +The Master privately believed the first suggestion +came from him. Dick was sure he had begun by +begging for the privilege. Betty cherished the idea +that her gift was unsought and quite spontaneous. +At all events, once the thing was decided, nobody +concerned doubted for a moment the fitness of it. +Betty's own arrangements may have had something +to do with it. For the Master and the Mistress +had set their hearts upon Betty having a season in +London and a month or two on the Continent, in +part with her Nuthill friends, and, for a portion of +the time, with another relative. This made the +prospect of parting for a time with Jan a good deal +easier.</p> + +<p>Then, again, Dick Vaughan had certainly "said +a word" to Betty now. He had, indeed, said a good +deal to her. And there was one little affirmative +word she had given him which he held more preciously +significant than all the rest of the world's +oratory put together. It was Dick Vaughan's own +suggestion that he should serve a further probationary +term. It was his own idea that he should +earn the Master's blessing by winning sergeant's +rank in the R.N.W.M.P.; and that not till then +should he allow his father to set him up in England. +His decision in this delighted Dr. Vaughan and +confirmed the Master in his faith. It meant a further +term of absence, but Betty Murdoch was sensible +enough to be proud of the pride behind Dick's +plan; and thus all were agreed.</p> + +<p>Jan's opinion in the matter could hardly be ascertained; +but no one who had ever seen Dick and +Betty on the Downs with Jan and Finn, and noted +the wonderful responsiveness of the young hound +to Dick's control, would have entertained any doubt +about this. Dick's mastery of animals had always +been remarkable; his hold upon their affections +had been one of the most striking characteristics +of his life. And in this, as in other matters, his experiences +in the West had taught him a good deal.</p> + +<p>At home in Sussex, and even as a youngster, it +had been recognized that Dick Vaughan could get +rather more out of an average horse than any one +else in the district. On the prairies he had so far +developed this gift of his that his charger would +lie down on the ground at a word from him, and +remain lying, as though dead, without ever injuring +or displacing his saddle, until given the word to +rise; and this even though his neck were used as a +gun-rest, and Dick's rifle fired from it.</p> + +<p>Dick's horses in Canada—and he trained many—required +no tethering. They would remain, all day +if need be, upon the exact spot at which he bade +them stand. They would push and nuzzle a man +along a road, and never upset him. They would +gallop, unridden, in any given direction, at the word +of command, and halt as if shot at the sound of +Dick's voice. He actually taught a mare to leave +her foal and come to him at the word of command. +Not the wildest and most vicious of broncos could +resist him when he set his mind to their subjugation, +yet he wore drilled sixpences in place of rowels +in his spurs, and rarely carried a whip; though on +certain occasions he might borrow one for a specific +use.</p> + +<p>During his walks on the Downs with Betty and +the two hounds he taught Jan to lie down, stand to +attention, gallop in any direction, wheel and return +without hesitation; and all this upon the instant of +the word of command, or in obedience to a wave of +the hand. He arranged for Betty to take Jan away +with her for, say, a quarter of a mile, and then, +short of holding him, to use every persuasion she +could to keep him beside her. Then Dick would +give a long call, and then another. It was almost +uncanny to see, from the expression on his face, the +struggle going on in Jan's mind. But the end was +always the same. The second call took him away +at the gallop, even from Betty. Then Jan was +taught to remain on guard over any object, such as +a stick, a glove, or a cap, while Dick and Betty, +and Finn, too, went right away out of sight for, it +might be, half an hour.</p> + +<p>Jan learned these things readily, and with apparent +ease. Yet his only rewards were an occasional +caress and words of praise. And, apparently, +there were no punishments in Dick's educational +system. At least he never struck Jan. He really +seemed so to influence the young hound that the +withholding of praise became a sharp rebuke. Jan +himself had no notion why he allowed Dick to +school him, or why he yielded this man a measure +of obedience and instant devotion that he had +given to no one else. The basis of Dick's power +was the exceptional gift of magnetism he had—the +special kind of magnetism which makes for the +subjugation of their wills and personalities, be they +human or animal.</p> + +<p>But, over and above this gift, Dick had faultless +patience with animals. He never gave an order +without making perfectly certain that it was understood. +And he never betrayed the smallest hint of +indecision or lack of assured confidence.</p> + +<p>"Stay—right—there—Jan," he would say. +"Guard—that." His voice was low, his speech +slow, emphatic, distinct. It was a compelling form +of speech, and yet, withal, hardly ever harsh or +even peremptory. And when, in the earlier stages, +he had occasion to say: "No, no; that's no good. +That won't do at all, Jan"; or, "You've got to do +a heap better than that, Jan," the words or their +tone seemed to cut the dog as it might have been +with a whip-lash. You could see Jan flinch; not +cowed or disheartened, as the dogs trained by public +performers often are, but touched to the very quick +of his pride, and hungrily eager to do better next +time and win the low-voiced: "Good dog! That's +fine! Good dog, Jan!" with, it may be, a caressing +pat on the head or a gentle rubbing of both ears.</p> + +<p>Jan did not know why he learned, why he loved +the lessons and the teacher, why he obeyed so +swiftly, or why praise filled him to the throat with +glad, swelling pride, while the withholding of it, +or an expression of disapproval, sent his flag down +between his hocks, and his spirits with it, to zero. +Jan did not know, but he was merely exemplifying +a law as old as the hills. The Israelites found out +that righteousness was happiness, and that no joy +existed outside of it. Righteousness—do ye right—is +another word for discipline. The proudest and +the happiest people in the world are the best disciplined +people. Perfect discipline is righteousness +for righteousness' sake. According to his lights, +obedience to Dick was righteousness for Jan. Hence +his joyous pride in the progress of his education. +No form of self-indulgence could yield Jan (or any +one else) a tithe of the satisfaction he derived from +this subordination of himself.</p> + +<p>His greatest trial, and, by that token, once he +really understood it, his greatest source of pride, +came in the severe lesson of being sent home in the +early stages of a morning's walk. First it was from +the garden gate; then from the orchard gate in the +lane; and later from the open Down, perhaps half +a mile or more away. He would be gamboling to +and fro with Finn, exulting in the joy of out of +doors, and swift and unanswerable would come the +order to return home and wait. Finn was to go on +and enjoy the ramble. Jan, for no fault, was to go +home alone to wait. And in the end he did it with +no pause for protest or hesitation, and at length +with no regret, all that being swallowed up by his +immense pride in his own understanding and perfect +subordination.</p> + +<p>He might have to wait ten minutes or an hour +or more on the door-step at Nuthill; but it was +notable that he never went unrewarded for this +particular performance of duty. He was always +specially commended and caressed for this; and he +never altogether lost a ramble by it, for Dick would +make a point of taking him out again, either at once +or at some time during the same day. It was a +stiff lesson to learn, this; and that was why, once +learned, the practice of it was highly stimulating to +Jan's self-respect and dignity of bearing.</p> + +<p>Upon the whole, in the course of those three +crowded weeks of holiday happiness and courting +Dick Vaughan managed to pass on to Jan a quite +appreciable simulacrum of all the benefits which +had made so markedly for his own development +during the preceding eighteen months. And most +notably was Jan developed in the process.</p> + +<p>"We gave Jan a good physique, didn't we, Betty?" +said the Master, admiringly; "but in three weeks +this wizard has made a North-west Mounted Policeman +of him, absolutely fully equipped, bar speech +and a uniform!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, well," replied Dick, with a laugh, "we don't +reckon to be very much as speakers out West, you +know; and for uniform, Jan's black and iron-gray +coat is good tough wear, and will outlast the best +of tunics, and turn snow or hail or rain a deal better. +Won't it, Jan?"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XX" id="XX"></a>XX</h2> + +<h3>SUSSEX TO SASKATCHEWAN</h3> + + +<p>In the absence of that three weeks' schooling, +there is no doubt the journey to Regina would +have been a pretty dismal business for Jan. It occupied +close upon a fortnight, and there was very +little liberty for Jan during that time.</p> + +<p>Unlike his great sire, Jan had never been stolen, +and had learned nothing of the dire possibilities +connected with confinement behind iron bars. He +tasted some tolerably close confinement during this +journey; but he thought each day would bring an +end to it; and, meantime, nobody ill-treated him, +and, what was more to the point, he had some converse +with Dick each day.</p> + +<p>As the habit of his kind is, he had, of course, +parted with Finn and the Nuthill folk without the +slightest premonition regarding the duration of their +separation. In the confinement of the cupboard +beside the butcher's shop which he occupied while +crossing the Atlantic, Jan thought a good deal of +Finn, of Betty, and of Nuthill; yet not with melancholy. +While at sea he had several visits each day +from Dick Vaughan, and during the preceding few +weeks Dick had become very securely established +as Jan's hero and sovereign lord.</p> + +<p>Jan would never cease to love Betty Murdoch; +but in the nature of things it was impossible for +gentle, merry Betty to give this big hound quite +all that masterful Dick Vaughan could give him. +His heart had often swelled in answer to a caress +from Betty; but his whole being thrilled again to +the touch of Dick's strong hand or to a word of +command or praise or deprecation from him. Jan +was a grown hound now, and newly initiated to +the joys of disciplined service.</p> + +<p>The train was worse, far worse, than the ship; +but it came after the major part of a day at large +with Dick in the picturesque streets of Quebec. +And even on the train, with its demoniacal noises, +and groaning, jarring, jolting lack of ease, each day +brought its glimpses of Dick, and its blessed respites +of ten minutes or so at a time on station platforms. +Jan had traveled before in an English train; but +that had been as a passenger, and with passengers, +in an ordinary compartment. In the dark, cramped, +and incredibly noisy hole of a dog-box on "No. +93" (as this particular west-bound train was called) +Jan realized that railway traveling could be a very +unpleasant business for a hound. A month earlier +the experience would have exhausted him, because +he would have frittered away his energies in futile +fretting and fuming, and in equally futile efforts to +force his way out through steel walls. Now his +cramped quarters were made tolerable by the fact +that quiet submission to them represented obedience +to a personal order from his sovereign. What had +otherwise been wretchedness and misery was now +willingly accepted discipline, the earning of a substantial +reward: his sovereign's approval and his +own pride of subordination—a totally different matter +from mere painful imprisonment.</p> + +<p>Captain Will Arnutt had heard all about Jan by +letter from Nuthill. One would not altogether say +that so important a person as the captain went to +Regina station expressly to meet Dick and Jan; but +it certainly did happen that he was admiring the +flower-beds in the station's garden when No. 93 +hove in sight from the eastward; and being there, +he decided to stroll on to the platform and watch +the train's arrival, along with every one else who +happened to be in sight at the time.</p> + +<p>It might, perhaps, lead to awkward consequences +if every non-commissioned man of the R.N.W.M.P. +took to keeping animals in barracks. Both Dick +and Captain Arnutt had thought of this, and, accordingly, +Jan, the son of Finn and Desdemona, was welcomed +upon his first appearance in the capital of +Saskatchewan as Captain Arnutt's hound, brought +from England by Dick Vaughan, and to be looked +after for Captain Arnutt by the same man. Jan +would have been tickled could he have perceived +this harmless piece of human deception; but it was +just as well he did not understand, since he would +never have lent himself to it very convincingly.</p> + +<p>By reason of his breeding Jan was, as a matter of +fact, unique among hounds. Apart from this, no +hound of his size or splendid development had ever +before been seen upon Regina station platform. +The people of the West are a forthright, plain-spoken, +and enterprising folk, and before he left the station +Captain Arnutt was offered fifty dollars for Jan. +Nothing damped by the captain's smiling refusal +of his offer, the sporting stranger said:</p> + +<p>"Well, an' I don't blame ye, Colonel, neither. +But, say, it's a pity to miss a good deal. I like the +looks o' that dog, and"—drawing out a fat wallet +from his hip-pocket—"we'll make it a hundred +dollars, an' the deal's done."</p> + +<p>As Dick subsequently explained to Captain Arnutt, +two thousand dollars had been offered, and refused, +for Jan's mother. "And I'm dead sure twenty +thousand wouldn't buy his sire."</p> + +<p>But these figures were for private consumption, +of course. Dick had no wish to invite the attention +of the predatory; and, in any case, buyers and +sellers of dogs do not talk in thousands of dollars +on the prairie.</p> + +<p>At the entrance to the R.N.W.M.P. barracks the +unsuspecting Jan was violently attacked by a fox-terrier, +the pet of one of the senior officers of the +corps. This pugnacious little chap wasted no time +over preliminaries, and apparently had no desire +whatever to examine the new-comer. He just flew +straight at Jan's throat, snarling furiously. Captain +Arnutt was distressed, for he made sure the terrier +would be killed, and that Jan would thereby make +an enemy of one of the senior officers. But his fears +were groundless, thanks to Jan's few weeks of discipline +and training before leaving Nuthill.</p> + +<p>"Come in here—in—here—Jan, boy. Don't touch +him. Come—in—here!"</p> + +<p>Jan stood for one moment, listening, his hackles +bristling resentment of the terrier's insolence. And +then he walked obediently to Dick's side, the snarling, +yapping terrier literally pendent from his +neck.</p> + +<p>"That was stupid of you, little chap," said Dick, +when he had detached the terrier and was holding +him firmly in both his hands, still snarling angrily. +"If you were mine, you'd probably get a hiding, +my son. As it is, you'll stop that snarling. You—hear—me? +Stop it!"</p> + +<p>And reluctantly the terrier did cease his snarling. +One could see the little beast slowly calming down +in Dick's strong hands, like an excited patient under +the spell of some mild anesthetic. And then, +having calmed him, Dick very carefully showed the +terrier to Jan.</p> + +<p>"Look at him, Jan, boy. He's privileged—not to +be hurt. Never touch him, lad. He belongs to us, +you see. Never hurt him."</p> + +<p>Then, rather ostentatiously stroking the terrier +in full view of Jan, Dick put the little beast down +and bade it run away.</p> + +<p>"No more snarling at Jan, mind. He belongs to +us, you see."</p> + +<p>And whether or not the terrier understood, he +did, at all events, walk off toward the veranda of +his master's quarters without further demonstrations +of belligerency. Captain Arnutt joined enthusiastically +with Dick in bestowing praises upon +Jan for his forbearance and docility.</p> + +<p>"I made sure the little fellow's number was up," +said the captain. "One good bite from this chap +would have about settled his business. And, mind +you, he bit hard, too. There's blood on Jan's coat—look. +A fine welcome we've given you, old chap."</p> + +<p>Dick had noticed the fleck of blood on the gray +of Jan's dewlap, which showed that the terrier had +been very much in earnest. Jan's dense coat was +thinner just there than in most spots; but even +there a good deal of energy was required to yield +flesh-hold to a terrier's jaws. But the wound was +trifling, and Dick, knowing his hound, wasted no +sentiment over a scratch of this sort.</p> + +<p>"It's just as well, sir," said he to Captain Arnutt. +"There are some pretty tough huskies hanging +about our quarters, and this little start will warn +Jan to keep a sharp lookout. He has to get used to +more warlike conditions than he knew in Sussex, +and the sooner he understands, the better for him—and +for the others. I fancy he can take care of +himself."</p> + +<p>"He's certainly got the first essential—discipline. +I never saw a more obedient dog."</p> + +<p>Dick looked his pleasure at this, and ventured +upon the hope that Captain Arnutt would pass on +this testimonial among his brother officers; for well +Dick knew the value to a dog like Jan of a good reputation, +more particularly in so well-ordered a little +world as that of the R.N.W.M.P. barracks.</p> + +<p>This opening incident ended, Dick was free to +take Jan down to the stables and introduce him to +his own horse and the other chargers in that division, +as well as to their riders. Dick devoted +considerable time and care to this introductory process, +because he realized its importance. He had +obtained permission to quarter Jan with his horse; +and an hour's work provided a rough bench for Jan +at one end of Paddy's manger—Paddy being Dick's +charger. Dick had another day and a half before +having to report himself for duty, and had made +up his mind so to instruct Jan during that period +as to make it unnecessary that the hound should +ever be called upon to suffer the indignity of being +tethered, even during his, Dick's, absence.</p> + +<p>The task proved an easy one, and Dick was given +every kind of assistance by his comrades, most of +whom were at once attracted by Jan, and inclined +to regard him as an acquisition to be proud of. +Before the day was out Jan had successfully passed +through a number of tolerably severe tests of trustworthiness, +and Dick was satisfied that he might +safely be spared the indignity of the chain.</p> + +<p>For example, being left on his rough bench with +an old dandy-brush to guard, Jan was approached +in turn by half a dozen of Dick's comrades, who +exhausted their ingenuity in trying to entice, frighten, +or persuade him from his post. Jan eyed them +all quite good-humoredly, wagging his tail in response +to enticements, and growling a little, very +quietly, when they tried harsher tactics, but remaining +throughout immovably in charge of his post.</p> + +<p>Then Dick went well out into the barrack-yard, +and called quietly to Jan. Instantly the long, +silky ears lifted. Snatching up his dandy-brush +and gripping it firmly between his jaws, Jan rushed +out into the yard, there to be rewarded with the +assurance of Dick's affectionate approval and the +enthusiastic plaudits of the other troopers.</p> + +<p>"You've put the Indian sign on him, all right," +said French, the Devonshire man. "It must have +taken some doing to lick him into that shape."</p> + +<p>"There's no Indian sign about it, old man," +said Dick. "It isn't any lambasting Jan's afraid of. +You watch his face now, when I lift this stick."</p> + +<p>The men all watched, and noted that Jan did not +move so much as an eyelid in response to the lifting +of a stick.</p> + +<p>"Well, that's queer," said old Cartier, the French-Canadian +dealer, who was visiting a friend in the +barracks. "Don't seem as though that dog ever +was licked."</p> + +<p>"And so far as I know," said Dick, "he never has +been. But, mind you, that's not to say he never +will be. I'd never hesitate to thrash a dog if he +deserved it, and thrash him good and hard, too. +But so far Master Jan has never asked for lickings. +Have you Jan? That's why he's not afraid of a +stick; for I'd never hit a dog or a horse unless really +to punish him, so that he'd know it was a thrashing—not +just a bit of bad luck for him, or temper in +me."</p> + +<p>"H'm! I believe you could get two hundred an' +feefty dollar for that dog, up north," said Cartier, +musingly; "maybe three hundred, if you broke him +to harness."</p> + +<p>Dick smiled quietly, and nodded.</p> + +<p>"No, no," said O'Malley, the man of Cork; +"he's going to stay right here an' be our mascot. +Aren't ye, Jan?" And Jan affably signified his +agreement.</p> + +<p>"That's all right," said French, knocking his +pipe out against the heel of his boot. "But what's +going to happen to-morrow when Sergeant Moore +gets back with his Sourdough? You'll see some +fun then, I fancy. Old Sourdough's been boss dog +around here a goodish while now, you know. He +won't stand for having this chap put his nose out +of joint. And, mind you, there's no dog in Regina +can cock his tail at Sourdough. I saw him knock +the stuffing out of that big sheep-dog of MacDougall's +last year, and I tell you he'd have buried +the sheep-dog before he left him, if Sergeant Moore +hadn't managed to get a halter through his collar +and pretty near choked him. It was a close thing; +an' they reckoned the sheep-dog had never met his +master till then."</p> + +<p>"Yep, that's a fact," said another man. "There'll +be trouble with Sourdough if you're not careful, +Vaughan. He's a demon of a dog, an', by gee! +he's sourer than his boss, an' that's saying something."</p> + +<p>"Well, yes, I'd thought about Sourdough," said +Dick; "and I'm glad his quarters are the other side +of the yard."</p> + +<p>"The other side!" said French. "Why, man, he +owns the whole place. You see how the other dogs +kow-tow to him. He's sour, all right, and a fighter +from way back; but the way he's built he somehow +doesn't seem to make trouble with any dog that +kow-tows to him. But God help the husky that +don't kow-tow. Sourdough will have his salute as +boss, or he'll have blood. That's the sort of a duck +Sourdough is."</p> + +<p>"Ah! Well, he'll get civility from us, won't he, +Jan? and if that's all he wants, there'll be no trouble. +But I'll tell you what, you fellows: if Jan's in the +stable there with Paddy any time when I'm not +about, don't you let Sourdough come into our quarters +at all."</p> + +<p>"It'd take a hefty chap to keep Sourdough out, +if he meant coming in," said O'Malley. "But I +guess we'll do our best—eh, boys? I reckon our Jan's +a better mascot than the sergeant's tyke."</p> + +<p>"But there mustn't be any fighting," added +Dick; "and there won't be if we're careful; for +there's nothing sour about Jan here, and you've +seen he's obedient."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXI" id="XXI"></a>XXI</h2> + +<h3>INTRODUCING SOURDOUGH</h3> + + +<p>In some respect Jan's life at the R.N.W.M.P. +headquarters might have been simpler if he +had been less lovable and less popular. As a matter +of fact, while pretty nearly every one in the barracks +took a fancy to the big hound and felt a certain +pride in his unique appearance as a R.N.W.M.P. +dog, the members of Dick's own division adored +Jan to a man. His docility, his affectionate nature, +and his uniform courtesy bound them to him, even +apart from their pride in him and the influence of +Dick Vaughan as champion heavy-weight boxer and +crack horseman of the force.</p> + +<p>There were eight or ten other dogs in the barracks, +all of whom (including the bellicose fox-terrier who +first welcomed Jan at the gates) took kindly to the +big hound from Sussex as soon as they knew him +and had tested his frank and kindly nature. They +were none of them really big dogs, and that fact +alone, apart from Dick's teaching, made Jan specially +indulgent in his attitude toward them. After +certain curt warnings, the two or three dogs among +them whose natures inclined them to fighting +seemed to realize contentedly enough that Jan was +somewhat outside their class, and in any case not +a good person to quarrel with.</p> + +<p>But there were two people who hated Jan from +the moment they first set eyes upon his fine form, +and these were Sergeant Moore and his dog Sourdough. +The sergeant and his dog had a good deal +in common with each other and not very much in +common with any one else. Sergeant Moore was +one of the few really unpopular men in the force. +But, if nobody in the district liked him, it is but fair +to say that many feared him, and none could be +found who spoke ill of him in the sense of calling +his honesty or his competence into question.</p> + +<p>The sergeant was a terror to evil-doers, a hard +man to cross, and too grim and sour to be any one's +companion. But no man doubted his honesty, and +those who had no call to fear him entertained a +certain respect for him, even though they could +not like the man. In addition to his grimness he +had a stingingly bitter tongue. He was not a fluent +speaker; but most of his words had an edge to them, +and he dealt not at all in compliments, never going +beyond a curt nod by way of response to another +man's "Good day!" When, with the punctiliousness +of the perfectly disciplined man, he saluted an officer, +there was that in his expression and in the almost +fierce quality of his movement which made the salute +something of a menace.</p> + +<p>His forbidding disposition had probably stood +between Sergeant Moore and further promotion. +His contemporaries, the older men of the corps, +knew he had once been married. His juniors had +never seen the sergeant in converse with a woman. +Withal it was believed that Sergeant Moore had one +weakness, one soft spot in his armor. It was said +that when he believed himself to be quite alone with +his dog Sourdough he indulged himself in some +of the tendernesses of a widowed father who lavishes +all his heart upon a single child.</p> + +<p>There was little enough about Sourdough to remind +one of a human child, lovable or otherwise. If the +master was grim and forbidding in manner and appearance, +the dog exhibited a broadly magnified +reflection of the same attributes. His color was a +sandy grayish yellow without markings. His coat +was coarse, rather ragged, and extraordinarily dense. +His pricked ears were chipped and jagged from a +hundred fights, and in a diagonal line across his +muzzle was a broad white scar, gotten, men said, +in combat with a timber-wolf in the Athabasca +country.</p> + +<p>It was a part of Sourdough's pose or policy in life +to profess short-sightedness. He would walk past +a group of dogs as though unaware of their existence. +Yet let one of those dogs but cock an eye of impudence +in his direction, or glance with lifting eyebrow at +one of his fellows, with a sneer or jeer in his heart +for Sourdough, and in that instant Sourdough would +be upon him like an angry lynx, with a bitter snarl +and a snap that was pretty certain to leave its scar. +This done, Sourdough would pass on, with hackles +erect and a hunch of his shoulders which seemed to +say:</p> + +<p>"When next you are inclined to rudeness, remember +that Sourdough knows all things, forgets +nothing, and bites deep."</p> + +<p>The story went that in his youth Sourdough had +led a team of sled-dogs, and that he had saved +Moore's life on one occasion when every one of his +team-mates had either died or deserted his post. +He was of the mixed northern breed whose members +are called huskies, but he was bigger and heavier +than most huskies and weighed just upon a hundred +pounds. A wagon-wheel had once gone over his +tail (when nine dogs out of ten would have lost +their lives by receiving the wheel on their hind +quarters), and this appendage now had a curious +bend in the middle of it, making it rather like a +bulldog's "crank" tail, but long and bushy. He +was far from being a handsome dog; but he looked +every inch a fighter, and there was a certain invincibility +about his appearance which, combined with +his swiftness in action and the devastating severity +of all his attacks, served to win for him the submissive +respect of almost every dog he met. Occasionally, +and upon a first meeting, some careless, undiscerning +dog would overlook these qualities. The +same dog never made the same mistake a second time.</p> + +<p>Dick Vaughan made it his business to be on hand +when Sourdough first met Jan. When ordered to +do so, Jan had learned to keep his muzzle within a +yard of Dick's heels, and that was his position when +Sergeant Moore came striding across the yard with +Sourdough. Jan's hackles rose the moment he set +eyes on the big husky. Sourdough, as his way was, +glared in another direction. But his hackles rose +also, and his upper lip lifted slightly as the skin +of his nose wrinkled. Clearly there was to be no +sympathy between these two.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, and without apparently having looked +in Jan's direction, Sourdough leaped sideways at +him, with an angry snarl.</p> + +<p>"Keep in—Jan; keep in—boy!" said Dick, firmly, +as he jumped between the two dogs.</p> + +<p>"Who gave you permission to bring that dog +here?" snapped the sergeant at Dick.</p> + +<p>"Taking care of him for Captain Arnutt, sir," was +the reply.</p> + +<p>"H'm! Well, see you take care of him, then, and +keep him out of the way. Sourdough's boss here, +and if this one is to stay around, the sooner he learns +it the better."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir. He's thoroughly good-tempered and +obedient, though he is such a big fellow," said Dick, +still manoeuvering his legs as a barrier betwixt the +two dogs.</p> + +<p>"It's little odds how big he is," growled the sergeant. +"He'll have to learn his lesson, an' I guess +Sourdough will teach him."</p> + +<p>Just then Sourdough succeeded in evading Dick +and got well home on Jan's right shoulder with a +punishing slash of his razor fangs. Jan gave a snarl +that was half a roar. His antipathy had been +aroused at the outset. Now his blood was drawn. +He had been ordered to keep to heel, but—</p> + +<p>"Keep in, there—Jan; keep in—keep in!"</p> + +<p>The warning came not a second too soon. Almost +the hound had sprung.</p> + +<p>"Would you call your dog off, sir?" said Dick.</p> + +<p>"I guess Sourdough'll call himself off when he's +good an' ready," replied the sergeant; and himself +strode on across the yard.</p> + +<p>Once more Jan had to submit to the bitter ordeal +of being slashed at by Sourdough's teeth, as the big +husky snarlingly passed him in the sergeant's wake. +It was little Jan cared for the bite, shrewd as that +was. His coat was dense. But again, and with a +visible gulp of pain, he was compelled to swallow +the humiliation of lowering his muzzle in answer +to his lord's—</p> + +<p>"Keep in, there! Steady! Keep in, Jan!"</p> + +<p>It was a tough morsel to swallow. But the disciplined +Jan swallowed it, in full view of several +lesser dogs and of half a dozen of Dick's comrades. +With it, however, came a natural swelling of the +antipathy which his first glimpse of Sourdough had +implanted in the big hound, and it may be, all +things considered, that it would have been better +for both of them if Dick Vaughan had allowed the +dogs to settle matters in their own fashion. But +he had Jan's future position in the barracks to think +of, and wished to consult Captain Arnutt before +permitting any open breach of the peace. Meantime, +Jan's prestige had been lowered in the eyes of +half a dozen other dogs, each one of whom would +certainly presume upon the unresented affront they +had seen put upon him by their common enemy.</p> + +<p>Captain Arnutt's advice was to let the dogs take +their chances.</p> + +<p>"Every one knows Sourdough is a morose old +devil," he said, "and every one has seen now that +Jan is not a quarrelsome dog. If there's trouble, +they won't blame Jan, and Master Sourdough will +have to take his gruel. You don't think he'd +seriously damage Jan, do you?"</p> + +<p>"Well, he's got a deal more of ring-craft, sir, of +course," said Dick, with a smile. "Jan has had +very little fighting experience, but he's immensely +strong and fit, and—No, I don't much think Sourdough +could do him any permanent harm; but one +can't be certain. Sourdough is practically a wolf, +so far as fighting goes. He and his forebears have +fought ever since their eyes were opened. Whereas, +I suppose there's hardly been a fighter in a hundred +generations of Jan's ancestors."</p> + +<p>Dick Vaughan was probably thinking of the +Lady Desdemona when he said this. And, of course, +it was true that, even on Finn's side, Jan had had +no fighting ancestors for very many generations. +But Finn had been a mighty fighter, and in the +wild at that. And Jan had been born in a cave +and in his first weeks had tasted the wild life. +Also he had fought Grip, who fought like a wolf. +Also he had learned many things from Finn on the +Sussex Downs; he did not know the meaning of +fear, and his hundred and sixty-four pounds of perfect +development consisted almost entirely of fighting +material. There was no waste matter in Jan. Still, +Sourdough was a veritable wolf in combat, and for +so long as he could prevent a breach of the peace +Dick decided he would do so. Accordingly, while in +barracks, Jan was kept pretty closely to sentinel +duty in Paddy's stall.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXII" id="XXII"></a>XXII</h2> + +<h3>MURDER!</h3> + + +<p>A day or so after Jan's first meeting with Sourdough +a thing occurred in Regina which, for +a little while, occupied the minds of most people, +to the exclusion of such matters as the relations +between any two dogs.</p> + +<p>A woman and her husband were found murdered +in a little fruiterer's and greengrocer's shop. Evidence +showed that the murder must have occurred +late at night. It was discovered quite early in the +morning, and before the first passenger-trains of the +day stopped at Regina the line was closely watched +for a good many miles. It was believed that the +murderer could not be very far away. Suspicion +attached to a compatriot of the murdered pair, a +Greek, who was found to be missing from his lodging. +Within three hours Sergeant Moore had +rounded this man up a few miles from the city, +and placed him under arrest. But the man had +been found in the act of fishing, and there was +not a tittle of evidence of any kind against him.</p> + +<p>Then a neighbor called at the R.N.W.M.P. +barracks with word of an Italian, now nowhere +to be found, who had done some casual work for +the murdered couple, and had more than once +been seen talking with the woman in the little +yard behind their shop. As it happened, the +bearer of this information imparted it to Dick +Vaughan, who promptly went with it to Captain +Arnutt.</p> + +<p>"Look here, sir," said Dick, with suppressed excitement, +"my Jan is half a bloodhound, and a +splendid tracker. Will you let me take him down to +the shop and—"</p> + +<p>"Why the deuce didn't you think of that earlier, +before all the world and his wife began investigating +the place? Come on! Bring my horse and your +own."</p> + +<p>Within half an hour, Captain Arnutt, Dick +Vaughan, Jan, and one town constable were alone in +the little littered room of the tragedy, where the dead +lay practically as they had been discovered. Two +incriminating articles only had been found: a sheath-knife +with a carved haft, and a black soft felt hat. +There was no name or initials on either, and both +might conceivably have belonged to the murdered +man. As yet no one had identified either article +with any owner. The hat had been trodden down by +a boot-heel in a slither of blood on the floor-cloth of +the squalid little room.</p> + +<p>Some chances had to be taken. Dick believed +the hat and knife belonged to the murderer, who had +apparently ransacked the till of the little shop and +broken open a small carved and painted box which +may have contained money. It was perhaps impossible +that Jan could understand that murder +had been done. But there was no shadow of doubt +he knew grave matters were toward. The concentrated +earnestness of Dick Vaughan had somehow +communicated itself to the hound's mind. It was +the hat and not the knife to which Dick pinned his +faith—the cheap, soiled, crimson-lined felt hat, +with its horrid stains and its imprint of a boot-heel.</p> + +<p>"It may have belonged to this poor chap," said +Captain Arnutt, pointing to the body of the shopkeeper. +"It's just the kind nine Dagoes out of ten +do wear."</p> + +<p>"That's true, sir, but the missing man's a Dago, +too, you know; an Italian. Italians are fond of +knives like this and hats like that. Let's try it, sir. +Jan knows. Look at him."</p> + +<p>Jan had sniffed long and meaningly at the bedraggled +hat, and now was unmistakably following +a trail to the closed back door. The trouble was that +many feet had trodden that floor during the past +few hours. Still, there was a chance. Dick carefully +wrapped the hat in paper, for safe-keeping in his +saddle-bag. Then the door was opened, and with +eager care the two men followed Jan out into the +yard. Here it was obvious that the confusion of +fresh trails puzzled Jan for some minutes. Again +Dick showed him the hat, and again Jan sniffed. +Then back to earth went his muzzle, and all unseeing +he brought up against the yard gate with a sudden +deep bay.</p> + +<p>"That's the tracking note," said Dick, with +suppressed eagerness. "We'd better get our horses, +sir."</p> + +<p>Through the town streets Jan faltered only twice +or thrice, and then not for long. Within ten minutes +he was on the open prairie, heading northwestward, +as for Long Lake, his pace steady and increasing +now, his deep-flewed muzzle low to the +ground.</p> + +<p>For more than two-and-twenty miles Jan loped +along over the cocolike dust of the trail, and never +faltered once save at the side of a little slough, +where the two horsemen in his rear spent a few anxious +minutes while Jan paced this way and that, +with indecision showing in each movement of his +massive head. And then, again with a rich deep +bay—a note of reassurance for the horseman, and +of doom for a fugitive, if such an one could have +heard it—Jan was off again on the trail, closely, +but by no means hurryingly, followed by the captain +and Dick.</p> + +<p>In the twenty-second mile Jan brought his followers +to the door of a settler's little two-roomed +shack, and then, within the minute, was off again +along the side of a half-mile stretch of wheat. Captain +Arnutt dismounted for a moment to speak to +a woman who came to the door. Not half an hour +earlier she said, she had given a drink of tea and some +bread and meat to a dark, thin man with a red +handkerchief tied over his head. "A Dago he was," +she said. And Captain Arnutt bit hard on one end +of his mustache as he thanked the woman, mounted +again, and galloped off after Dick and Jan.</p> + +<p>As he rode, the captain turned back the flap of +his magazine-pistol holster; but the precaution was +not needed. Jan was traveling at the gallop now, +and the height of his muzzle from the ground showed +clearly that he was on a warm trail, which, for such +nostrils as his, required no holding at all.</p> + +<p>It was under the lee of a heap of last year's wheat-straw +that Jan came to the end of his trail; his fore +feet planted hard in the dust before him, his head +well lifted, his jaws parted to give free passage to +the deep, bell-like call of his baying. The man with +the red 'kerchief tied over his head was evidently +roused from sleep by Jan, and though the hound +showed no sign of molesting him, yet must he have +formed a terrifying picture for the newly opened eyes +of the Italian. Almost before the man had raised +himself into a sitting posture Dick Vaughan had +jumped from the saddle and was beside him.</p> + +<p>"Don't move," said Dick, "and the dog won't +hurt you. If you move your hands he'll be at +your throat. See! Better let me slip these on—so! +All right, Jan, boy. Stay there."</p> + +<p>When Captain Arnutt dismounted he found his +subordinate standing beside a handcuffed man, who +sat on the ground, glaring hopelessly at the hound +responsible for his capture. Jan's tongue hung out +from one side of his parted jaws, and his face expressed +satisfaction and good humor. He had done +his job and done it well. The thought of injuring +his quarry had never occurred to him, as Dick +Vaughan very well knew, despite his warning remark +to the Italian. But although Jan had had no +thought of attacking the recumbent man he had +trailed, he was very fully conscious that this man +was his quarry. The handcuffing episode had not +been lost upon him.</p> + +<p>From the outset he had known that he and Dick +were hunting that day. Why they hunted man +he had no idea. Personally, he had not so much +pursued an individual as he had hunted a certain +smell. In coming upon the sleeping Italian he had +tracked down this particular smell. His conception +of his duty was, having tracked the smell to the +man, to hand the man over to Dick. That marked +for him the end of his work; but not by any means +the end of his interest in the upshot of it.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXIII" id="XXIII"></a>XXIII</h2> + +<h3>THE FIGHT ON THE PRAIRIE</h3> + + +<p>Even without the confession he ultimately +made, Jan's tracking, the man's own empty +leather sheath fitting the dagger he had left behind +him, and the watch, money, and rings found in his +pockets, and proved to be the property of the murdered +couple, would have been sufficient to condemn +the Italian.</p> + +<p>It appeared that the primary motive of the crime +had not been theft, but jealousy. At all events, +the man's own story was that he had been the lover +of the woman he had killed. He paid the law's +last penalty within the confines of the R.N.W.M.P. +barracks, and his capture and trial made Jan +for the time the most famous dog in Saskatchewan. +Pictures of him appeared in newspapers circulating +all the way from Mexico to the Yukon; and in his +walks abroad with Dick Vaughan he was pointed +out as "the North-west Mounted Police bloodhound," +and credited with all manner of wonderful +powers.</p> + +<p>It was natural, of course, that he should be called +a bloodhound; and it did not occur to any one in +Regina that his height, his fleetness, and his shaggy +black and iron-gray coat were anything but typical +of the bloodhound.</p> + +<p>With one exception every man in the R.N.W. +M.P. headquarters was proud of Jan. Even the +different barracks dogs were conscious of some great +addition to the big hound's prestige. The senior +officers of the corps went out of their way to praise +and pet Jan, and Captain Arnutt had a light steel +collar made for him, with a shining plated surface, +a lock and key, and an inscription reading thus:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>Jan, of the Royal North-west Mounted Police, Regina.</p></div> + +<p>But Jan's triumph earned him the mortal hatred +of one man, and the deference shown to him in barracks +added bitterness to the jealous antipathy already +inspired by him in the hard old heart of Sourdough. +Sergeant Moore said nothing, but hate +glowed in his somber eyes whenever they lighted +upon Jan's massive form.</p> + +<p>"I believe he'd stick a knife in Jan, if he dared," +said French, the man of Devon. "You take my +tip, Dick, and keep Jan well out of the sergeant's +way. The man's half crazed. His old Sourdough +is all he's got in the world for chick or child, and he'll +never forgive your dog for doing what Sourdough +couldn't do."</p> + +<p>"Oh, well," said Dick, with a tolerant smile, "I +think he's too much of a man to try and injure a good +dog."</p> + +<p>"An' that's precisely where you get left right +away back," said O'Malley. "I tell ye that blessed +sergeant wouldn't think twice about giving Jan a +dose of poison if he thought he could get away with +the goods. And if he can teach Sourdough to kill +Jan, I reckon he'd sooner have that than a commission +any day in the week. Man, you should watch +his face when he sees the dog. There's murder in +it."</p> + +<p>It was a fact that the praises showered upon Jan, +the publicity given to his doings, and, above all, +the respect shown for the big hound within R.N. +W.M.P. circles, were the cause of real wretchedness +to Sergeant Moore. When a man who is well on in +middle life becomes so thoroughly isolated from +friendly human influences as Sergeant Moore was, +his mind and his emotions are apt to take queer +twists and turns, his judgment to become strangely +warped, his vision and sense of proportion to assume +the highly misleading characteristics of convex and +concave mirrors, which distort outrageously everything +they reflect.</p> + +<p>Sourdough, like his master, was dour, morose, +forbidding, and a confirmed solitary. He was also +a singularly ugly and unattractive creature, whom +no man had ever seen at play. But prior to Jan's +arrival he had been the unquestioned chief and +master among R.N.W.M.P. dogs.</p> + +<p>"Surly old devil, Sourdough," men had been +wont to say of him; "but, by gee! there's no getting +around him; you can't fool Sourdough. He'd go +for a grizzly, if the grizzly wouldn't give him the +trail. Aye, he's a hard case, all right, is Sourdough. +You can't faze him."</p> + +<p>And Sergeant Moore, without ever moving a +muscle in his mahogany face (all the skin of which +was indurated from chin to scalp with the finest of +fine-drawn lines) had yet been moved to rare delight +by such remarks. He hugged them to him. +He gloried in all such tributes to Sourdough's +dourness.</p> + +<p>"Aye, you're tough, Old-Timer," he had been +heard to growl to his dog; "you're a hard case, all +right. There isn't a soft hair on you, is there, +Sourdough? And they all know it. They may +squeal, but they've got to give trail when Sourdough +comes along."</p> + +<p>There were times when he would cuff the dog, +or snatch his food from him, for the sheer delight +of hearing the beast snarl—as he always would—at +his own master.</p> + +<p>"What a husky!" he would say in an ecstasy of +admiration. "You'd go for me if I gave you half a +chance, wouldn't you, Sourdough? And I don't +blame you, you old tough."</p> + +<p>And now it seemed the barracks had no time to +note Sourdough's implacable sourness; everybody +was too busy praising that sleek, well-groomed brute +from England, of whom the sergeant thought very +much as some savage old-timers think of tenderfeet +and remittance men, but with a deal more of bitterness +in his contempt.</p> + +<p>"But Sourdough will spoil your fine coat for you, +my gentleman, the first time you come in our way," +the sergeant would mutter to himself when he +chanced to see Dick giving Jan his morning brush-down +after Paddy was groomed.</p> + +<p>He had been foiled half a dozen times in his attempts +to get Sourdough into Paddy's stall when +Jan was there and Dick Vaughan engaged in any +way elsewhere. It seemed that some of Dick's +comrades were always on hand to bar the way; and, +for appearance's sake, the sergeant could not have +it said that he had deliberately brought about a +fight between his dog and the valued hound of an +officer, who was everybody's favorite.</p> + +<p>"They're afraid, Sourdough, that's what it is; +they're afraid you might chew up the overgrown +brute and spit him out in scraps about the yard. +Let 'em wait. We'll give 'em something to be afraid +of presently."</p> + +<p>He meant it, and he kept his word.</p> + +<p>Since the Italian murder case, a regular craze +had developed among the men for trailing and the +education of dogs. The barracks dogs were constantly +being added to, and every man who owned +or could obtain a dog gave his leisure to attempts—largely +unsuccessful—at training the animal to +track.</p> + +<p>O'Malley was one of the first to succumb to the +new diversion, and was lavishing immense care and +patience upon the education of a cross-bred Irish +terrier, who would soon be able to wipe the eye of +any Sassenach dog in Canada, so he would! Meanwhile +O'Malley, conveniently forgetful of Jan's +English nationality, was fond of borrowing the big +hound for an hour or so together to help him in his +educational efforts on behalf of Micky Doolan, the +terrier. In such a matter Dick Vaughan and Jan +were equally approachable and good-natured. Indeed, +the pair of them had already done more than +any of the different pupils' masters in the matter of +this revival of schooling among the barracks dogs.</p> + +<p>It happened toward four o'clock of a late autumn +day that Dick Vaughan was engaged in Regina in +attendance upon a great personage from Ottawa. +O'Malley, having borrowed Jan's services as helper, +was busy giving tracking lessons to Micky Doolan +on the prairie, half a mile from barracks. Chancing +to look up from his work, O'Malley saw Sergeant +Moore approaching on foot, with Sourdough (as +ever) at his heels. He did not know that the sergeant +had been watching him through binoculars +from the barracks, and that he had spent a quarter +of an hour in carefully devised efforts to exacerbate +the never very amiable temper of Sourdough.</p> + +<p>O'Malley swore afterward that as the sergeant +drew level with little Micky Doolan (a dozen paces +or so from the Irishman), he whispered to Sourdough, +and "sooled him on."</p> + +<p>"Tsss—sss! To him, then, lad," is what O'Malley +vowed the sergeant said.</p> + +<p>Be that as it may, Sourdough did wheel aside, +as his way was, and administer a savage slash of +his fangs upon poor little Micky's neck. As O'Malley +rushed forward to protect his pet the game little +beast, instead of slinking back from tyrant Sourdough, +a tribute that hard case demanded from +every dog he met, sprang forward with a snarl and +a plucky attempt to return the unsolicited bite he +had received.</p> + +<p>"Come in, come in, ye little fool!" yelled O'Malley.</p> + +<p>But he was too late. A light of malevolent joy +gleamed in the big husky's red eyes as he plunged +upon the terrier. One thrust of his mighty shoulder +sent the little chap spinning on his back, and there +was the throat-hold exposed to Sourdough's practised +fangs. His bitter temper had been carefully +inflamed in advance, and demanded now the sacrifice +of blood, warm life-blood. His wide jaws flashed +in upon the terrier's throat just as O'Malley's boot +took him in the rear.</p> + +<p>"If ye touch that dog again, my man, I'll break +your jaw for you," came from the sergeant in a +hoarse growl.</p> + +<p>Now O'Malley was a disciplined man, and the +sergeant was his official superior. But, as it happened, +the matter was now taken out of his hands. +Jan, who, before the sergeant's arrival, had been +lying stretched in the dust thirty paces distant, +had risen then and stood stiffly, watching Sourdough +with raised hackles. At the moment that +the husky's fangs touched the skin of Micky's +throat, Jan was upon him like a battering-ram, +shoulder to shoulder, with an impact that sent the +husky rolling, all four feet in the air, a position in +which no barracks dog had ever before seen Sourdough, +and one in which any of them would have +given a day's food to find him. For that is the +one position in which even a Sourdough may with +safety be attacked.</p> + +<p>But Jan apparently (and very recklessly) scorned +to avail himself of this splendid opportunity. His +own great weight and swiftly silent movement had +been responsible for Sourdough's complete downfall. +And now, while O'Malley grabbed his terrier +in both arms, thankful the little beast's throat was +whole, Jan stood stiff-legged, with stiffly arched +neck and bristling hackles, glaring down at Sourdough, +with the expression which, among pugilistic +school-boys, goes with the question, "Have you had +enough?"</p> + +<p>"Enough!" Any such question could but prove +abysmal ignorance of Sourdough's quality. The +big husky was not scratched, and of fighting he could +hardly be given enough while his heart continued +to beat. Before, he had been angered. Before, he +had loathed and hated Jan. And now Jan had +rolled him over on his back as though he were a +helpless whelp. Jan had glared menacingly at him, +at Sourdough, while he, the acknowledged canine +master and terror of that countryside, had all four +feet in the air. A flame of hatred surged about the +husky's heart. His snarl as he bounded to his feet +was truly awe-inspiring. His writhen lips drew up +and back crescent-wise over red gums, showing +huge yellow fangs and an expression of most daunting +ferocity.</p> + +<p>In the next moment he tore a groove six inches +long down Jan's left shoulder, scooping out skin and +fur as a machine saw might have done it; and in +the same second he was away again, wolf-like, his +steel muscles already contracting for the next attack.</p> + +<p>Now Jan had no thought of fighting when he +bowled Sourdough over. His sole preoccupation +had been the rescue of his little friend, Micky Doolan, +from what looked like certain death. Contact +with Sourdough had greatly stirred the combatant +blood in him, as had also the hated smell of the +husky. Even then a call from Dick Vaughan would +have met with instant response from Jan. But there +was no Dick Vaughan in sight. Sergeant Moore +stood gazing eagerly, a little anxiously even, but +with no hint of any thought of interfering with the +meeting he had schemed to bring about. O'Malley, +clutching his terrier in his arms, was rather distractedly +calling:</p> + +<p>"Come away in, Jan! Drop it now, Jan! Come +in here, come in here, Jan!"</p> + +<p>But O'Malley, after all, though an amiable person +enough, and, as a friend of Dick's, a man to +be obeyed cheerfully enough in the ordinary way, +yet was not Dick. He was hardly a shadow of the +sovereign. And then came that fiery stroke that had +opened a groove down Jan's left shoulder.</p> + +<p>After that, it is a moot point whether even Dick +Vaughan's voice would have served to penetrate +the cloud of fury in which Jan moved. He became +very terrible in his wrath. One saw less of +the bloodhound and more, far more, of his sire, +of royal Finn, the fighting wolfhound of the Tinnaburra +ranges, in his splendid pose, in the upward, +scimitar curve of his great tail, the rage in his red-hawed +eyes, the vibrant defiance of his baying roar.</p> + +<p>But he lacked as yet his sire's inimitable fighting +craft, just as he lacked entirely the lightning cunning +of the half-wolf Sourdough. And before he +had touched the husky his sound shoulder had been +grooved, and one of his ears badly torn.</p> + +<p>It might have been better tactics on Sourdough's +part to have made direct for some killing hold, instead +of administering these instructive preliminary +chastenings. Seeing clearly Jan's inferiority in wolf +tactics, Sourdough underrated the forces of his +size, weight, endurance, power, and quite indomitable +bravery. In fact, the cunning Sourdough was very +thoroughly deceived by Jan. Never having in his +varied experiences encountered chivalry, nobility, +nor yet much gallantry in a dog, he made no allowance +for these qualities in Jan. He could not conceive +that the attack which had bowled him over +was no more than a generous attempt to save +Micky Doolan. And so he thought it was a challenge +to combat; and combat, as the husky saw it, meant +an effort to kill by any and every means available. +In the same way, the reckless scorn of himself +and of a palpable advantage, which Jan had +shown after knocking him over, was a thing not to +be comprehended for what it really was by Sourdough. +He thought it evidence of weakening, of +sudden fear, of terror inspired in Jan by the sight +of the thing he had impulsively done.</p> + +<p>Yes, Sourdough entirely misread Jan; and he +believed now that he had ample time in which to +bleed and cripple the big hound by means of his +natural wolf tactics, and then to finish off a helpless +enemy at leisure. Cunning often does mislead those +who possess it. In this case it was responsible for +tactics by which, had he but known it, Sourdough +presented his enemy with triple-thick armor, and +schooled him finely for the task that lay before him.</p> + +<p>Sourdough's second slash cost Jan a split ear, but +gave him flashlight vision of his fight with Grip in +Sussex, with Grip of the wolf-like fighting methods. +Sourdough's third attack cost Jan a burning groove +down his hitherto untouched shoulder; but, by +that token, it effectually completed the lesson of +attack number two, and brought a final end to the +period of Sourdough's really enjoyable fighting. +So poorly, then, did Sourdough's cunning serve him, +that his fourth attack came near to costing him his +life.</p> + +<p>With bloody glee in his eyes, and wide-parted +drooling jaws, he darted in to take his fourth cut +at Jan, eager for the joyous moment in which the +repetition of these slashes should have reduced Jan +to ripeness for the killing thrust—the throat-hold. +But Jan had learned his lesson. At the psychological +fraction of a moment he changed his position, +and, instead of passing on comfortably through +space after his attack, Sourdough's shoulder met +another bigger shoulder, braced like a granite buttress +to receive the impact, and the husky reached +earth on his side. That rather shook the wind out +of him; but that was nothing by comparison with +the fact that, in the same moment, Jan's viselike jaws +closed about one side of his neck, close in to the +skull where the hair shortened. That was a serious +moment, if you like, for Sourdough; for in addition +to the huge power of those jaws there was weight—a +hundred and sixty-four pounds of sinew, bone, +and rubber-like muscle behind and above the jaws.</p> + +<p>A very desperate vigor stirred in Sourdough's +limbs as he took the course which is only taken at +critical moments. He deliberately turned farther +on his back—the position of all others most dreaded—in +order to bring his feet into play, his jaws being +momentarily helpless. His abdominal muscles were +in splendid order. Like a lynx, Sourdough drew in +and up his powerful hind quarters, and, as if they +had been a missile launched from a catapult, slashed +his two hind feet along Jan's belly, as a carpenter +might rip a board down with a chisel.</p> + +<p>In that same moment Sergeant Moore stepped +forward, with a hoarse cry:</p> + +<p>"Here, damme!" he shouted at O'Malley, "you'd +better haul off your captain's dog, or—or mine'll +kill him!"</p> + +<p>And with a resounding thwack he brought his +riding-cane down across Jan's forehead. It was this, +rather than his own very serviceable two chisels, +that brought the husky sudden release from the +grip upon his neck, which, already deep-sunk, had +been like to finish his career. The high-crowned +shape of Jan's skull, and the soft fineness of the +skin and hair that covered it, made him very sensitive +to a blow on the head. Also he knew it was +a man's attack, and not a dog's. When he saw who +the man was, he roared at him very ferociously. +And that was the first occasion upon which Jan had +ever shown his teeth in real anger to a human.</p> + +<p>Had not Sourdough been there, it is hard to say +what might have happened. As it was, the sergeant's +intervention and Jan's angry response thereto +gave Sourdough the opportunity he had longed +for. It gave him, in safety, the rush at Jan from the +side. It would have availed him little if Jan had seen +him coming. But Jan, engaged in threatening his +human enemy, saw nothing till the tremendous impact +of Sourdough's rush took him off his feet, and +the husky got, not precisely the true throat-hold +he wanted, but a deadly hold, none the less, in the +flesh of Jan's dewlap.</p> + +<p>The position of a few seconds earlier had been +practically reversed. Jan's blood was running between +Sourdough's fangs now—a fiery tonic, and +veritable <i>eau-de-vie</i> to the husky. Sourdough's +catlike tactics—perhaps the best and safest in such +a case—were not adopted by Jan, who never yet +had used such a method. With a huge effort the +hound managed to twist his body in such a way +as to gain foothold for his hind feet; and then, by +the exercise of sheer muscular strength, he curved +his neck and shoulder inch by inch (while still his +blood slaked Sourdough's thirst) until with sudden +swiftness he was able to grip the husky's near +fore leg between his jaws, just on and below the +knee.</p> + +<p>Then Jan concentrated his whole being into the +service of his jaws. Sourdough gave a cry that was +almost a scream, and his jaws flew apart, dripping +Jan's blood. Jan's teeth sank a shade deeper. +Sourdough pivoted round in agony, snapping at +the air, and emitting an unearthly yowling, snarling, +grunting cry the while. Jan's teeth locked together, +and then were sharply withdrawn, leaving a very +thoroughly smashed and punctured fore leg to dangle +by its skin and sinew.</p> + +<p>During the past few seconds the sergeant had +been raining down blows of his cane on Jan's head. +Now O'Malley grabbed Jan by his steel collar.</p> + +<p>"By hivens, sergeant!" he spluttered, "if ye'll +meet me afterwards, without your stripes on, I'll—I'll +give ye what Jan here'd give your bloody +wolf, if ye had the honesty to l'ave 'em to ut."</p> + +<p>Jan dragged back momentarily, and—in justice +to Sourdough's gameness, be it said—the husky +struggled hard from his master's entwining arms to +be at the enemy again on three legs. But O'Malley's +pleadings were urgent and his right arm strong +(the left was curled round Micky Doolan); and so +it befell that, while Sergeant Moore remained +tending his wounded favorite, O'Malley, leading +Jan, whose front was bleeding badly, as were his +shoulders and one ear, arrived at the barracks gates +just as Dick Vaughan trotted up to them, on his +return from duty in Regina.</p> + +<p>"My hat!" cried Dick, as he dismounted. "Has +he killed the sergeant's dog?"</p> + +<p>"He would ha' done, the darlin', if the sergeant +had bin a man, in place o' the mad divil he is," +replied O'Malley.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXIV" id="XXIV"></a>XXIV</h2> + +<h3>PROMOTION</h3> + + +<p>For a week and more after the fight the barracks +saw nothing of Sourdough, whose leg +was being mended for him in the stable of a veterinary +surgeon in Regina. Sergeant Moore would +have made no difficulty over spending half his pay +upon the care of his beloved husky.</p> + +<p>Jan's ills were confined to flesh-wounds, and in +any case Dick preferred to doctor the big hound +himself. The story of the fight, and of Sergeant +Moore's not very sporting part therein, was now +known to every one in the barracks, with the result +that Jan became more than ever the favorite of the +force, and the sergeant more than ever its Ishmaelite, +against whom every man's hand was turned in +thought, if not in deed. It was little Sergeant +Moore cared for that. It almost seemed as though +he welcomed and thrived upon the antipathy of his +kind, even as a normal person prospers upon the +love of his fellows. The scowls of his comrades +were accepted by the sergeant as a form of tribute, +so curiously may a certain type of mind be warped +by the influence of isolation.</p> + +<p>It was at this stage, when Jan's flesh-wounds +were no more than half healed, that Captain Arnutt +brought Dick Vaughan the intelligence that, as +the result of the Italian murder case and other +matters, he was to be promoted to acting-sergeant's +rank, and given charge, on probation, of +the small post at Buck's Crossing, some sixty-odd +miles north-west of Regina.</p> + +<p>The news brought something of a thrill to Dick, +because it had been arranged, by his own suggestion +in Sussex, that his promotion to full sergeant's +rank should mark the period of quite another probationary +term; and here, undoubtedly, was a step +toward it. On the other hand, he had formed +friendships in Regina; and while most of the people +in the barracks would be genuinely sorry to lose him, +he, for his part, could not contemplate without +twinges of regret the prospect of exchanging their +society for the isolation of the two-roomed post-house +at Buck's Crossing.</p> + +<p>"And in some ways it will be just as well for you +and Jan to be out of here for a time," said Captain +Arnutt. "Sergeant Moore has quite a number of +fleas in his bonnet, and you can't afford to come to +blows with him—here, anyhow."</p> + +<p>"No fear of that, sir," said Dick. "Why, he's +nearly twice my age, and—"</p> + +<p>"Don't you make any mistake of that sort, my +friend. There are limits to any man's self-control. +The sergeant may be twice your age, but he's made +of steel wire and moose-hide, and let me tell you he +could give a pretty good account of himself in a +ring against any man in Saskatchewan. Then, +again, your intentions might be ever so good, but +I wouldn't like to answer for you, or for any other +white man, if it comes to being actually tackled by +as heavy-handed a hard case as Sergeant Moore. +And then there's Sourdough. When that husky's +leg is sound again he'll be about as safe a domestic +pet as a full-grown grizzly. No, it's better you +should be away for a bit. Also, my friend, it's a +chance for you. There are some pretty queer customers +pass along that Buck's Crossing trail these +days, making north. Your beat's a long one. You'll +have a good deal of responsibility; and, who knows? +You might win a commission out of it. You won't +be forgotten here, you know."</p> + +<p>Then the order came that Dick was to take over +the Buck's Crossing post that same week. It was +necessary for Dick to ride the whole sixty-odd miles, +but his kit was to be sent thirty-two miles by rail, +and there picked up by wagon for the remainder +of the journey. Meantime there were a number of +stitches in Jan's dewlap and shoulders not yet ripe +for removal, and Dick decided that he would not +ask the hound to cover over sixty miles of trail in +a day, as he meant to do. Therefore it was arranged +that O'Malley should see to putting Jan on the +train when Dick's kit was sent off, and that Jan +should have a place in the wagon for the thirty-odd +miles lying between Buck's Crossing and its nearest +point of rail.</p> + +<p>And then, having seen to these arrangements, +Dick bade good-by to his comrades, rubbed Jan's +ears and told him to be a good lad till they met +again, in forty-eight hours' time, and rode away, +carrying with him the good wishes of every one in +the barracks, with the exception of one who looked +out at him from the windows of the sergeants' +quarters, with grimly nodding head and a singularly +baleful light in his eyes.</p> + +<p>Sergeant Moore, who had just returned from +three days' leave, had learned from the veterinary +surgeon that morning that Sourdough must always +limp a little on his near fore leg, which would be +permanently a little shorter than its fellow, by reason +of the slight twist which surgical care had been +unable to prevent. Yet Sergeant Moore, for all +the glow of hatred in his eyes as he watched Dick +Vaughan's departure, nodded his grizzled head with +the air of a man quite satisfied.</p> + +<p>"So long, Tenderfoot," he growled. "You'll +maybe find Sourdough's reach a longer one than +you reckon for, I'm thinking."</p> + +<p>It was evident that day, to O'Malley and to all +his friends, that Jan felt the temporary parting +with his lord and master a deal more than Dick +had seemed to feel it. And yet Jan could not possibly +have known, any more than Dick knew, as +to what the promised forty-eight hours of separation +were to bring forth.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXV" id="XXV"></a>XXV</h2> + +<h3>JAN GOES ON HIS TRAVELS</h3> + + +<p>Jan spent that night beside O'Malley's bunk, +in the face of regulations to the contrary.</p> + +<p>In the absence of Paddy from his stall, the good-hearted +O'Malley had not liked to leave Jan to the +solitude of his bench. And shortly after daylight +next morning, with a new steel chain, purchased +for this journey, attached to his collar, Jan was put on +board the west-bound train consigned to Lambert's +Siding, for wagon carriage, with Dick's kit, to +Buck's Crossing. Jan did not like this business at +all. The chain humiliated him, and the train was +an abomination in his eyes. But at the back of +his mind was a dim consciousness that he was going +to his sovereign, and by his sovereign's will, and +that was sufficient to prevent any sort of protest +on his part.</p> + +<p>Arrived at Lambert's Siding, Jan's chain was +fastened to a post by a humorous person in greasy +overalls, who said, as he noted the fine dignity of +Jan's appearance:</p> + +<p>"Guess your kerridge will be along shortly, me +lord."</p> + +<p>The man in the overalls was a new hand transferred +from the East, and but lately settled in Canada, +or he might probably have recognized Jan as +"the R.N.W.M.P. bloodhound," of newspaper +celebrity.</p> + +<p>A few minutes later a man in a fur cap drove up +to the siding in a light buckboard wagon, with a +lot of sacking in its tray.</p> + +<p>"Has Sergeant Vaughan's dog come from Regina?" +asked the new-comer.</p> + +<p>"Yep, I guess that's him," said Overalls.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm to pay his freight an' take him, and +a wagon will call for the other truck."</p> + +<p>"That so?" rejoined Overalls, with indifference. +"Well, I told me lord his kerridge would be along +shortly. Jest give us yer auto here, will yer? Third +line down. Hold on. Ye'd better have a receipt +for the money. Where's that blame pen?"</p> + +<p>The first light snow of the season began to flutter +down from out a surprisingly clear sky, as Jan +settled down in the buckboard, his chain passed +down through a hole and secured to the step outside, +an arrangement which struck Jan as highly unnecessary, +since it kept his head so low that he could +not stand up in the wagon. However, Overalls +and the man in the fur cap (who had signed his name +as Tom Smith) seemed to think it all right, and so +friendly Jan, his mind full of thoughts of Dick +Vaughan, accommodated himself docilely to the position, +and was soon quite a number of miles away +from Lambert's Siding.</p> + +<p>When the Buck's Crossing wagon arrived there +an hour or so later, its driver seemed surprised that +there was no dog for him to carry with Sergeant +Vaughan's kit. But he was not a man given to speculation. +He just grunted, expectorated, and said, +shortly:</p> + +<p>"Well, I guess that's right, then. Muster made +some other arrangement; an' it's just as well, for +I'm late an' I've got to have my near front wheel +off an' doctor it a bit, so I won't make the Crossin' +till midday to-morrow, I reckon. I'll be campin' +at Lloyd's to-night."</p> + +<p>Overalls just nodded as he took the wagoner's +signature for Sergeant Vaughan's kit; and without +another thought both men dismissed from their +rather vacant minds (as was perfectly natural, no +doubt) all further thought of a matter which did +not concern them, despite its life-and-death importance +to the son of Finn and Desdemona.</p> + +<p>After perhaps an hour and a half, the buckboard +was pulled up in a fenced yard beside a small homestead. +Here Jan parted with the man in the fur +cap and never set eyes upon him again. His chain +was now taken by a different sort of man; a very +lean, spare, hard-bitten little man, with bright +dark eyes and a leather-colored face. He thanked +the fur-capped man for having kindly brought Jan +along. Fur-cap deprecated thanks, but accepted +a dollar. And then the leather-faced man led Jan +away. They walked for perhaps a couple of miles, +and then they were joined by another man, who +called the first man Jean, so that Jan looked up +quickly, thinking he had been addressed.</p> + +<p>"Hees name Jan," explained the first man, casually, +pointing to Jan's collar.</p> + +<p>"H'm! That so? Better get rid o' that collar, +Jean, eh?"</p> + +<p>From a bag in the buggy in which they had found +the second man, wire-cutters were produced, and +Jan's collar cut in sunder and removed, after a +leather collar had been buckled on in its place and +the chain attached to that. Jan had a vague feeling +of uneasiness about this operation; but only a +vague feeling. Like all other animal-folk, he had +long ago arrived at the conclusion that men-folk +frequently did quite unaccountable things; that a +dog would have no rest in life if he set himself to +puzzle out a reason for everything he saw the +sovereign people do. Captain Arnutt had locked +that collar about his neck, and a very silly, stiff, and +awkward contraption he had thought it. Now another +man, equally without apparent rhyme or +reason, took it off and substituted a leathern collar +with a queer, fishy, gamy sort of smell. Well, it +would make little odds to Jan; if only these people +would hurry up about taking him to his own man.</p> + +<p>Thinking of that, Jan quite gladly made the +best of the very cramped quarters given him in +the buggy, though he grew desperately tired of those +same quarters before night fell and he was transferred +to the more roomy dog-box of a Canadian +Northern train. Without doubt the train would +take him direct to Dick. (Until the previous day, +his sole experience of trains in Canada had been +closely connected with Dick.) So confident was Jan +of this, that he bent himself quite cheerfully to the +task of tearing and eating the lump of meat given +him by Jean before the train started. Evidently +this Jean was a friendly, well-disposed sort of a +person, and in any case any man at all engaged in +taking Jan to Dick Vaughan deserved ready obedience +and respect.</p> + +<p>In some such way Jan reflected what time the +C.N.R. train by which he traveled rumbled swiftly +along its course for Edmonton; and Dick Vaughan, +away back in Buck's Crossing, wondered what +might be delaying the wagoner from Lambert's +Siding; the wagoner he was not to see before the +middle of the next day, and then only to learn that +the man knew nothing of Jan's whereabouts.</p> + +<p>When Jan left that train in the big crowded depot +at Edmonton next day, winter had descended upon +the greater part of North America. The change +was the more marked for Jan by reason that snow +had come to Edmonton a full day earlier than it +came to Lambert's Siding. Jan had seen snow before +on the Sussex Downs; but that had been a +kind of snow quite different from this. That snow +had been soft and clammy. This was crisp and +dry as salt. Also the air was colder than any air +Jan had ever known, though mild enough for northern +winter air, seeing that the thermometer registered +only some five and twenty degrees of frost. And the +sun shone brightly. There was no wind. It was an +air rich in kindling, stimulating properties; an air +that made life, movement, and activity desirable +for all, and optimistic determination easy and natural +for most folk.</p> + +<p>"By gar!" said Jean to his friend Jake, as together +they led Jan from the train. "You mark +me now what I say, thees Jan he's got all them +huskies beat beefore he start. Eh? Hee's great +dog, thees Jan."</p> + +<p>Jake nodded, and the three of them strode on +through the dry powdery snow. One knew by their +walk that these men had covered great distances +on their feet. Their knees swung easily to every +stride, with a hint of the dip that comes from long +use of snow-shoes. For a little while Jan hardly +thought of Dick Vaughan, so busy was he in absorbing +new impressions. But when the walk had lasted +almost an hour, he began again to wonder about +Dick, and his deep-pouched eyes took on once +more the set look of waiting watchfulness which +meant that he was hoping at any moment to sight +his man.</p> + +<p>And then they came to a small wooden house +with a large barn and a sod-walled stable beside it. +Jan's chain was hitched round a stout center post +in the barn, and there he was left. Later Jean +brought him a tin dish of water and a big lump of +dried fish which had had some warm fat smeared +over it, Jean having rightly guessed that it was +Jan's first experience of this form of dog-food. The +fat was well enough, and Jan licked it rather languidly. +But the fish did not appeal to him, and so +he left it and went off to sleep, little thinking that +he would get no other kind of food than this for +many days to come.</p> + +<p>Toward the middle of the next day, Jan, feeling +cramped and rather miserable as the result of his +unaccustomed confinement, changed his mind about +that fish and ate it; slowly, and without enjoyment, +but yet with some benefit to himself. Less than an +hour later Jean entered to him, carrying in his hands +a contrivance of leather, with long trailing ends.</p> + +<p>For a minute or so Jean stood looking down +upon Jan appraisingly. There was no better judge +of a dog—from one standpoint—in that part of +Canada.</p> + +<p>"By gar!" he muttered between his teeth. "That +Sergeant Moore hee's a queer cuss, sure 'nuff, to +give away a dog like thees for nothing; and then, +by gar, to pay me ten dollar for takin' heem."</p> + +<p>Then he stooped down and rubbed Jan's ears, +with a friendly, knowledgeable way he had.</p> + +<p>"Ah, you, Jan," he said, cheerily. "Here's your +harness. Here, good dog, I show you."</p> + +<p>And he proceeded to buckle a set of dog-harness +about Jan's massive chest and shoulders. In doing +so he noticed for the first time Dick's stitches in +the hound's dewlap and shoulders.</p> + +<p>"By gar!" he said, with a grin. "You bin fightin', +Jan, eh? Ah, well, take care, Jan. We get no +nursin' after fightin' here. Bes' leave that job to +the huskies, Jan. Come on—good dog."</p> + +<p>A hundred yards away, on the far side of the shack, +Jan came upon the first dog-sled he had ever seen, +with a team of seven dogs attached, now lying +resting on the dry snow. They were a mixed team, +four of them unmistakable huskies, one with collie +characteristics, one having Newfoundland blood +(through many crosses), and one, the leader, having +the look of something midway between a big +powerful Airedale and an old English sheep-dog, +including the bobtail. This leader, Bill, as he was +called, had the air of a master-worker, and was the +only member of the pack (except the wheeler) who +did not snarl as Jan was led toward them.</p> + +<p>With the dogs was Jake, wearing a deep fur cap +that came well down over the tops of his ears. In +one hand Jake held a short-hafted whip with a rawhide +thong, the point of which he could put through +a dog's coat from ten paces distant.</p> + +<p>"Take Mixer out an' put heem in behind Bill," +said Jean. "We'll try Jan in front of old Blackfoot."</p> + +<p>It was not without thought, and kindly thought, +that Jean ordered this arrangement, for Blackfoot, +though old and scarred, a trail-worn veteran, had +not a spark of unkindness in his composition. He +was the dog with Newfoundland blood in him, who, +like Bill the leader, and unlike the rest of the pack, +had not snarled at sight of Jan. He even held out +a friendly muzzle in welcome as, rather reluctantly, +Jan allowed himself to be led to his place in front +of Blackfoot. The husky who filled the next forward +place wheeled about as far as he could in the +traces and snapped viciously at Jan.</p> + +<p>"Ah, Snip!" said Jean, quite pleasantly. But +even as he spoke so pleasantly, the whip he had +picked up sang, and its thong, doubled, landed fair +and square in Snip's face, causing that worthy to +whirl back to his place with a yowl of consternation.</p> + +<p>Jan was just beginning to think that he had put +up with enough of this sort of thing, and that he +would leave these men and their dogs altogether, +when he heard a peremptory order given by Jean +and felt himself jerked forward by means of the +harness he wore. In the same moment Blackfoot's +teeth nipped one of his hocks from behind, not +savagely, but yet sharply, and he bounded forward +till checked by the proximity of Snip's stern. He +had no wish to touch Snip. But Snip also was +bounding forward it seemed. So Jan thrust out his +fore feet and checked. Instantly two things happened. +A whip-lash curled painfully round his +left shoulder, crossing one of his newly healed +wounds. And again came a nip at one of his hocks, +a sharper nip this time, and one that drew two spots +of blood.</p> + +<p>"Mush, Jan! Mush on there!" said Jean, firmly, +but not harshly; and again the whip curled about +Jan's shoulders as, puzzled, humiliated, hurt, and +above all bewildered, he plunged forward again in +the traces, and heard Jean mutter behind him:</p> + +<p>"Good dog, thees Jan. By gar! hee's good dog."</p> + +<p>And that was how the new life, the working life, +began for Jan, the son of Finn and Desdemona.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXVI" id="XXVI"></a>XXVI</h2> + +<h3>THE RULE OF TRACE AND THONG</h3> + + +<p>From this point there began for Jan a life so +strangely, wildly different from anything he +had ever known or suspected to exist, that only +a dog of exceptionable fiber and stamina—in character +as well as physique—could possibly have survived +transition to it from the smooth routines +which Jan had so far known.</p> + +<p>To begin with, it was a life in which all days +alike were full of toil, of ordered, unremitting work. +And until it began Jan had never done an hour's +work in his life. (In England, outside the sheep-dog +fraternity and a few of the sporting breeds, all dogs +spend their lives in unordered play, uncontrolled +loafing, and largely superfluous sleeping.)</p> + +<p>The Lady Desdemona, his mother, for example, +would certainly not have lived through a month of +Jan's present life; very possibly not a week. Finn +would have endured it much longer, because of +his experiences in Australia, his knowledge of the +wild kindred and their ways. But even Finn, despite +his huge strength and exceptional knowledge, +would not have come through this ordeal so well as +Jan did, unless it had come to him as early in life +as it came to Jan. And even then his survival +would have been doubtful. The difference between +the climates of Australia and the North-west Territory +is hardly greater than the difference in stress +and hardness between Finn's life in the Tinnaburra +ranges, as leader of a dingo pack, and Jan's life in +North-west Canada as learner in a sled-team.</p> + +<p>The physical strength of Finn the wolfhound, +in whose veins ran the unmixed blood of many +generations of wolfhound champions, might have +been equal to the strain of Jan's new life. But his +pride, his courtliness, his fine gentlemanliness, would +likely have been the death of him in such a case. +He would have died nobly, be sure of that. But it +is likely he would have died. Now in the case of +Jan, while he had inherited much of his sire's fine +courtesy, much of his dam's noble dignity, yet +these things were not so vitally of the essence of +him as they were of his parents. They were a part +of his character, and they had formed his manners. +But they were not Jan.</p> + +<p>The essential Jan was an immensely powerful +hound of mixed blood reared carefully, trained intelligently +and well, and endowed from birth with +a tremendously keen appetite for life—a keener appetite +for life than falls to the lot of any champion-bred +wolfhound or bloodhound. Jan was a gentleman +rather than a fine gentleman; before either he +was a hound, a dog; and before all else he was a +master and lover of his life. And since, by the arrangements +of Sergeant Moore, "Tom Smith," Jean, +and Jake, he had to take his place between Snip and +Blackfoot in a sled-team, it was well, exceedingly +well, for Jan that these things were thus and not +otherwise.</p> + +<p>Jan's supper on the evening of his first day in +the traces was a meal he never forgot. The slab +of dried fish Jean tossed to him was half as big again +as the pieces given to the other dogs. For Jean—a +just and not unkindly man in all such matters—well +recognized that Jan was very much bigger and +heavier than the average husky. (Jan was three +and a half inches higher at the shoulder, and forty +to fifty pounds heavier and more massive than any +of his team-mates.) His previous night's supper +Jan had eaten that morning. Still, the afternoon's +work, in some thirty or forty degrees of frost, had +put an edge on his appetite, and he tackled the +fish—which two days before he would have scorned—with +avidity.</p> + +<p>He had swallowed one mouthful and was about +to tear off another, when Snip intervened with a +terrifying snarl between Jan and his food. Jan, who +was learning fast, turned also with a snarling growl +to ward off Snip's fangs. And in that moment—it +was no more than a moment—Bill, the leader, +stole and swallowed the whole remainder of Jan's +supper.</p> + +<p>Jean was watching this, and did not try to prevent +it. But leaving Jan to settle with Snip, he +descended upon Bill with his whip, double-thonged, +and administered as sound a trouncing to that +hardy warrior as any member of the team had ever +received. That ended, Jean swung on his heel and +gave Snip the butt of the whip-handle across the +top of his nose, and this so shrewdly that Snip's +muzzle ached for twenty-four hours, reminding him, +every minute of the time, that he must not harry +Jan—while his master was in sight.</p> + +<p>It would have been easy for Jean to have spared +another ration of fish for Jan, since in a few more +days they would reach a Hudson Bay post at which +fresh supplies were to be taken in. But Jean was +too wise for this. He preferred that Jan should go +hungry because he wanted Jan to learn quickly. +Jan educated meant dollars to Jean, and a good +many of them. Jan uneducated, or learning but +slowly, would, as Jean well knew, very soon mean +Jan dead—a mere section of dog-food worth no +dollars at all. So Jean laughed at the big hound.</p> + +<p>"You see, Jan," he said. "You watch um, Jan, +an' learn queek—eh? Yes, I think you learn queek."</p> + +<p>Thus in that little matter of the daily meal, if +Jan had gone on making the mistake he made on +his first night in the wilderness, not all Jean's +authority could have saved him. The rest of the +team, by hook or crook, would have kept him food-less +and killed him outright long before the slower +process of starvation could have released him. But, +his first lesson sufficed for Jan. When his next supper +came he had done a day and a half's work; he +had lived and exerted himself more in that day +and a half than during any average month of his +previous life. As a consequence, when Bill and +Snip looked round for Jan's supper, after bolting +their own, they saw a great hound with stiff legs and +erect hackles, alert in every hair of his body—but +no supper. The supper, very slightly masticated +and swallowed with furious haste, was already beginning +its task of helping to stiffen Jan's fibers +and give fierceness to the lift of his upper lip.</p> + +<p>But that was far from being the end of the lesson. +In point of size, and in other ways, Jan was exceptional. +He needed more than the other dogs; +and because he needed more, and had the sort of +personality which makes for survival, he got more. +Jean gave him more than was given to the others. +But that was not enough. Jan was so hungry, +what with his strivings in the traces and the novelty +for him of this life of tense unceasing effort and alertness, +that his appetite was as a thorn in his belly +and as a spur to his ingenuity and enterprise.</p> + +<p>It is the law of the sled-dog that you shall not +steal your trace-mates' grub. Jan broke this law +wherever he saw the glint of a chance to do so; +that is, wherever he could manage it by force of +fang and shoulder, or by cunning—beyond the +range of the whip. He did more. He stole his +master's food; not every day, of course, but just +as often as extreme cunning and tireless watchfulness +enabled him to manage it. He was caught +once, and only once, and beaten off with a gee-pole +and a club; pretty sorely beaten, too. But—</p> + +<p>"Don' mark heem, Jake! Don' touch hees head."</p> + +<p>Jean might be ever so angry, but he never lost +his temper. He might punish ever so sorely, but +he never lost sight of his main objective and could +not be induced to knock dollars off his own property. +Incidentally he knew precisely what his aching +hunger meant to Jan, and why the big dog stole. +But that knowledge did not weigh one atom with +Jean in apportioning Jan's food, or his punishment +for stealing; both being meted out, not with any +view to Jan's comfort, but solely with the aim of +protecting the food-supply and keeping up Jan's +value in dollars. For Jean, before and above all +else, was able; a finished product of the quite pitiless +wilderness in which he made out, not only to +survive where many went under, but in surviving +to prosper.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXVII" id="XXVII"></a>XXVII</h2> + +<h3>MUTINY IN THE TEAM</h3> + + +<p>Jean made sure he would sell Jan at Fort Frontenac. +And that he did not was due to accidental +causes over which he had no control.</p> + +<p>Jean asked three hundred dollars. The would-be +buyer—a man pretty nearly as able as Jean himself +in northland craft—had only two hundred in +cash; but possessed, besides, an invincible objection +to owing or borrowing. (Resembling Jean in his +knowledge of the wild, he was curiously different +in most other ways, having a good deal of sentiment +and a keen, almost conventional sense of +honor.)</p> + +<p>"He's worth three hundred, all right," said the +man—who hailed from New England—when he had +seen Jan at work.</p> + +<p>"You bet," said Jean, laconically.</p> + +<p>"But I just haven't got the money, or he'd be +my dog."</p> + +<p>Jean grinned. "Ah, well, eet's money talks," +said he. And on that they parted; for this last talk +between them came when Jean's team was pulling +out for the north-west, after a profitable little rest-time +in which Jean had exchanged a little rubbish +for a lot of good food and a quite considerable wad +of dollars.</p> + +<p>But Jean did, on occasion, make mistakes; not +vital mistakes, but slips that might injure his +pocket. He made one when he put Jan in the lead, +and named Bill wheeler, in place of Blackfoot. Jean +wanted to make a completely educated dog of Jan +as soon as might be. But he did not want to lose +Bill—a very useful dog—nor yet to injure Blackfoot's +health and efficiency. Bill, as leader reduced +to wheeling, made Blackfoot's life a hell upon earth +for the kindly wise old dog with Newfoundland +blood in him; and that, of course, was not good for +Blackfoot.</p> + +<p>But this was not the worst of it. As recognized +leader of the team, Bill could endure Jan's officious +zeal, and even make shift to suffer the big hound's +real supremacy, while by craft he could avoid +a conflagration. So far, then, Bill had remained a +force making for discipline and the working efficiency +of the team. As wheeler, he became at one +stride a crafty and embittered mutineer, aiming +primarily at Jan's discomfiture, and generally at +the disruption of the team as a compact entity. +When not occupied in working off his vindictive +spleen upon poor Blackfoot, whose hind quarters he +gashed at every opportunity, Bill concentrated all +his notable energies upon stirring up disorder, indiscipline, +confusion, and strife among his mates.</p> + +<p>Jean flogged Bill pretty severely; and in the interval +he said:</p> + +<p>"Tha's all right, Bill. Jan 'll lick all thees outer +you, bimeby."</p> + +<p>And that was where Jean's mistake lay. Jan +could safely be trusted to lick pretty well anything +into, or out of, the rest of the team; but there +was that in Bill, the ex-leader, which no power on +earth would lick out of him. He knew it; and Jan +knew it. And that was where, in this one matter, +they both saw a little farther than the astute Jean. +The thing of it was that what they saw did not +trouble either of them. They were content to bide +the issue. But had he known of it, Jean would not +have been at all content with anything of the sort. +Far from it.</p> + +<p>In any event, the issue involved loss for Jean, +since, as both dogs well knew, it meant death for +Jan or for Bill. They were quite content in their +knowledge. But Jean could not conceivably have +found content in any prospect involving himself in +monetary loss; for that would have been contrary +to the only guiding principles he knew. Pride in +his own unfailing knowledge of dogs and life in the +north helped to make Jean establish Jan as leader +of the team. But if he could have foreseen monetary +loss in the arrangement, his pride had assuredly +been called down and Bill re-established in the +lead.</p> + +<p>Jean saw that Jan made an exceptionally fine +leader. There was no sort of doubt about it. He +set a tremendously high working standard, and +hustled the team into accepting it by the exercise +of an almost uncannily far-seeing severity. Nothing +escaped him, least of all a hint of any kind of shirking. +He was quicker than Jean's whip, more sure, +and more compelling. But while Jean saw all this, +and more, with genuine admiration for Jan, and for +his own astuteness in foretelling this exceptional +capacity and acquiring ownership of the hound, he +also saw, with angry puzzlement, that his team was +falling off in condition and in efficiency as a unit.</p> + +<p>It was not that the leader lacked either justice +or discretion in his fiery severity. Jan displayed +both to a miracle. But the team had to live between +his severity while at work, and Bill's bitter and tireless +persecution and crafty incendiarism outside +the traces. Over all, for their consolation, were the +whips of the masters. But so infernally crafty was +Bill, that he never once allowed the masters to detect +the real wickedness of the part he played. +They could see poor Blackfoot's bleeding hocks: +"We got to call heem Redleg soon. Damn that +Beel!"—but they could not see Bill's continuous +crafty incitements to mutiny, or the hundred and +one ways in which he strove, when out of harness, +to work up hatred of Jan among his mates, or when +in harness to play subtle tricks which should produce +an effect discreditable to the new leader.</p> + +<p>Intuitively Jan became aware of most of these +things. But even where he detected Bill at fault, +he could not trounce the ex-leader as he trounced +the other dogs, because he and Bill knew very well +that there could be no sparring, no such lightsome +thing as mere chastisement, between them. There +was war to the death in Bill's snarl when Jan so +much as looked at him. He was perfectly certain +he could, and would, kill Jan directly a suitable +opportunity offered. Jan was not so sure about that; +but he did know very well that he was not capable +of just thrashing Bill and letting it go at that; for +over and above Bill's unbeaten prowess as a fighter +and master dog there was a mortal hatred in him +where Jan was concerned—a hatred which, weighed +as a fighting asset, was almost equivalent to a second +set of fangs.</p> + +<p>And then came the memorable evening upon which +Jean killed a bull-moose and all the team fed full—except +Bill.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXVIII" id="XXVIII"></a>XXVIII</h2> + +<h3>THE FEAST AND THE FASTER</h3> + + +<p>Jean and Jake were not out on a hunting expedition, +and if it had involved hunting, the probabilities +are Jean would never have bagged that +bull-moose. But it happened that, when his sharp +eyes sighted the moose in mid-afternoon, the poor +beast had just managed to break one of its forelegs +in a deep hole masked by snow. It was practically +a sitting shot for Jean, and that at a range which +made missing impossible for such a man.</p> + +<p>The dogs were wild with excitement, but fortunately +they were still in the traces and anchored +to a laden sled. In spite of this there was something +of a stampede among them until Jean made it clear +that he meant the team to remain in harness for +the present. Then the masters' whips, backed by +policeman Jan's remorseless fangs, soon had order +re-established. And this was as well, for at that +particular juncture Jean and Jake were traveling +fairly light, and a strong team can quickly work +serious damage by stampeding among trees with a +light sled.</p> + +<p>When Jean had examined the moose, he decided +to avail himself of the magnificent supply of fresh +food it offered, and to carry on as large a share of +the meat when frozen as the sled would take. To +this end he and Jake decided to camp for the night +at a spot no more than a few hundred paces away +from the dead moose. The dogs were too much excited +to lie down in their traces. (It was many +weeks since any of them had tasted fresh meat, and +though dried salmon makes an excellent working +dietary, it is, of course, a very different thing from +fresh meat with blood in it.) So they stood and sat +erect, with parted jaws all drooling, while Jean and +Jake set to work with their long knives on the great +carcass.</p> + +<p>The cutting up of a full-grown moose is no light +task, and darkness had fallen before the two men +had finished stowing away all the heavy frozen +strips of moose-meat the sled could carry. Then, +having removed the choicest portions for their own +use for that night and the next day, Jean and Jake +set to work to loose the dogs that they might tackle +their banquet. Jean knew the eight of them could give +a pretty good account of the remains on the skeleton.</p> + +<p>According to custom the leader was the first dog +loosed. Jan made a bee-line for the skeleton. Within +a few seconds six other dogs were streaking across +the intervening stretch of soft snow between the +camp and the belt of timber in which the moose had +fallen. But the seventh dog, Bill—though his jaws +had been dripping eagerness like all the rest of them—walked +slowly in the same direction as though +food were a matter of indifference to him.</p> + +<p>"What in hell's the matter with that Bill?" said +Jake. "Seems like as if he's full, but he can't be."</p> + +<p>"Beel, hee's an angry dog for sure," said Jean, +with a grin.</p> + +<p>"Looks 'most as if he's sick," said Jake.</p> + +<p>"H'm! Hate-seeck, mebbe," replied Jean, as +the two turned to the task of preparing their own +supper.</p> + +<p>As a fact no dog was ever more fit or more perfectly +self-controlled than Bill was at that moment. +In his own good time and with a most singular deliberateness +he did set his teeth in fresh moose. +But he did it much as house-dogs in the world of +civilization put their noses into their well-filled +dinner-dishes, with a deliberate absence of gusto +which would have simply astounded any understanding +observer who could have seen it. The +other seven dogs were blissfully unconscious of anything +under heaven outside their own ravening +lust of flesh. In a temperature well below zero, +the lure of fresh-killed meat at the end of fourteen +hundred miles of solid pulling, and five or six weeks +of fish rations, is a force the strength of which cannot +easily be conceived by livers of the sheltered +life. It is the pull of an overwhelming strong +passion.</p> + +<p>And Bill, the deposed leader of the team, just +nosed and tasted with the calm indifferent temperateness +of an English house-dog; while every organ +of his supremely healthy body ached with a veritable +neuralgia of longing for red meat.</p> + +<p>The rest of the team, including Jan, fed like +wolves; indeed, some of them were literally but +one or two removes from the wolf, and all of them +had of late lived a life which brings any dog very +close to the wolf in his habits and instincts. It is +a life which, so far as his instincts are concerned, +carries a dog back and back through innumerable +generations till his contact with his primeval ancestors +is very close and real.</p> + +<p>They fed like hungry wolves, and their feeding +was not a pretty sight. When in his ravenous +guzzling one dog's nose chanced to be thrust at +all nearly to another's, there would arise a horrid +sound of half-choked snarling; the fierce hissing +rattle of snarls which came from flesh and blood-glutted +jaws. Obeying instincts to the full as strong +as any human passion which has ever gone to the +making of tragedy, these working-dogs made a +wild orgy of their feast. They wantoned and they +wallowed in their perfectly natural gluttony. Having +fed full and overfull, they desired more by reason +of their long hunger for meat and the hard +vigor of their lives. The last remains of flesh exhausted, +they gnawed and tugged at bones, each +snarling still, though half exhausted, whenever +other fangs than his own touched a chosen bone.</p> + +<p>And Bill, despite the flame of desire in his bowels, +just nosed and tasted, eating no more than an ordinary +workaday ration. Long before the final +stage of bone-gnawing he actually walked away +and curled himself down at the roots of a big spruce +where the ground rose slightly, some fifty paces distant +from the place of orgy.</p> + +<p>A couple of hundred yards away, by the shelter +of their fire, Jean and Jake composed themselves +to rest and smoke; for they also had fed full. One +by one even the lustiest of the dogs forsook the +bones, drawing back heavily, lazily licking their +chops. The dense calm of satiety descended slowly +upon all the visible life-shapes in that place like the +fumes of some potent narcotic—upon all forms of +life save one. Bill, curled at the root of his spruce, +had within him a blazing fire of life and activity +which no earthly force could slake while his breath +remained to fan it. But the rest of the world slept.</p> + +<p>The moon that night was too young to shed +much light. But just after Jean and Jake sleepily +laid aside their pipes and closed their eyes, the +aurora borealis flamed out icily in a clear sky, +bringing more than all the light Bill needed. In +that frozen stillness Bill's brain was like the interior +of a lighted factory with all its machinery in full +swing. Fed by hate and slowly accumulated stores +of bitter anger, his thoughts went throbbing in and +out the lighted convolutions of his brain with the +silent positive efficiency of a gas-engine's pistons.</p> + +<p>Bill understood everything in the world that +night in his own world, and he overlooked nothing. +He would have given much, very much, to have +been able to remove Jean's camp a mile or so away. +The belt of open snow-space between it and him +was all too narrow for his liking. Well he knew +how swiftly Jean could move, how certainly he +could strike when the need arose. But for this +Bill had done murder that night, as surely as ever +softly treading human desperado in the dead of +night has done murder at a bedside. As it was he +thought he must fight. Well, he was prepared. +Nay, his bowels yearned for it just as strongly as +any dog's bowels had yearned for fresh-killed meat +that night. More strongly, for in him the one yearning +had mastered and ridden down the other yearning, +thus giving him his perfect preparation.</p> + +<p>The full-fed team-dogs had been too idle that +night to dig out proper sleeping-nests for themselves +in the snow. A mere circling whisp of head and +tail and feet had served them, and the upper half +of Jan's magnificent frame lay fully exposed halfway +down the slope from Bill's tree. Very deliberately +now Bill rose, and moved toward Jan, walking +with dainty, springy steps like a cat at play. In all +that countryside Bill possessed an absolute monopoly +of springiness and elasticity. But, at their most +sluggish, dogs in the northland are, of course, more +alert than the home-staying dogs of civilization. +Snip snarled fatly as Bill passed with his catlike +tread. Jan, the crimson haw of one eye gleaming +as its lid lifted, growled savagely but low as Bill +approached him. His big limbs twitched convulsively +and the hair about his shoulders stiffened; +but so grossly full-fed was he that he did not rise, +though the note of his growl ascended toward that +of a snarl as Bill came nearer.</p> + +<p>Here again, and for the hundredth time that +night, Bill's icy self-control, his really marvelous +command of his impulses, was sorely tried. His +enemy actually was recumbent in the snow before +him, while he, taut as a strung bow, was most exquisitely +poised for the attack. Why fight? Why +not swift delicious murder, and the gush of the +loathed one's throat-blood between his fangs? Bill +knew well why it must not be. But given the +knowledge, how many dogs in his case, nay, how +many men similarly tempted, could have forced discretion +to master impulse?</p> + +<p>Attempted murder must mean furious uproar, +and uproar must mean attempted rescue; and attempted +rescue, so close to camp, might well rob +Bill of the life he claimed. It might leave Jan alive +and himself clubbed into insensibility. In the fire-lighted +brain of Bill was understanding of all things, +and the determination to take no chances with regard +to this the greatest killing of his life.</p> + +<p>And so, with the most delicate care, the most +minutely measured instalments of provocation, he +proceeded to "crowd" the infinitely sluggish Jan. +So sunk in sloth was Jan that he, who three hours +earlier had been pricked to fury by an insolent +glance from Bill's eyes, now positively submitted +to the actual touch of Bill's nose on his hocks before +he would budge. And then with a long snarl +he only edged himself a yard or two away.</p> + +<p>"Be still, be still! For God's sake give peace!" +his heavy movements seemed to say.</p> + +<p>Peace! And in Bill's lighted brain the roar of +furnaces and the remorseless whirl of swiftly driven +machinery!</p> + +<p>With the fathomless scorn of the self-mastering +ascetic for the sodden debauchee, Bill proceeded +coldly with his task of "crowding" Jan out and away +from the safety of that place and into the wilderness. +In a few minutes he ventured to hasten matters by +actually nipping one of Jan's hind legs with his +teeth. But with what precise delicacy! It had +been sweet to drive the fangs home and feel the +bone and sinew crack. But that would not mean +death and might bring rescue. So Bill's jaws +pressed no more hardly than those of a nursing-mother +of his kind what time she draws a too venturesome +pup into the shelter of her warm dugs.</p> + +<p>It was beautifully done; a triumph of self-mastery +and an exquisitely gauged piece of tactics. It brought +Jan quickly lumbering to his feet, snarling savagely +but not very loudly. It sent him sullenly some +twenty, thirty paces nearer to his doom and farther +from the camp. A dozen paces Bill followed him, +crowding threateningly to enforce the right direction. +And then Bill halted, not wishing to risk +causing Jan to dodge and double backward toward +the camp. And because his persecutor stopped when +he did, Jan followed the line of least resistance, +lumbering on down the slope into the deep wood +for twenty paces more before lowering himself again +with a grunt for the repose which, to his glutted +sloth, seemed more desirable now than all the +meat in the world, aye, and of more pressing import +than all his dignity, than all his new pride in +working efficiency in his leadership.</p> + +<p>With a patience no red Indian could have excelled, +Bill repeated these tactics twenty or thirty +times; but always with the same nicely balanced +accuracy; with ample pauses between each fresh +beginning; with mathematically accurate gauging +of the precise provocation needed to shift Jan farther +and farther into the wilderness without seriously +and dangerously arousing his somnolent faculties.</p> + +<p>But though he himself did not know it, and Bill +could not possibly suspect it, it yet was a fact that +something of wakefulness remained and grew through +the intervals between Jan's forced marches. It +seemed that though he did most unwillingly move +on and on at Bill's cunningly given behests, Jan barely +was roused from his heavy sleep into which he +plunged fathoms deep every time he resumed the +recumbent position. So it seemed. Thus Bill +saw the outworking of his devilishly ingenious tactics. +And could Jan have understood any challenge +on the subject, he would have admitted that +this was the way it worked.</p> + +<p>And now, toward the end of Jan's twentieth or +thirtieth move, when his subconsciousness was +simply one ache of continuous boding discomfort, +while still his outer consciousness barely permitted +the lifting of his heavy eyelids, now Bill, that incarnation +of calculating watchfulness, gathered up +his magnificent muscles for the act which should +bring the first instalment of his reward, the guerdon +of his season of super-canine self-mastery. In another +second or so Jan would sink down again to +sleep. Bill did not snarl or growl. He needed no +trumpet-call. He made no more sound than a cat +makes in leaping for a bird. Yet he rushed upon +the blinking, half-comatose Jan as though impelled +thereto from the mouth of a spring cannon.</p> + +<p>There was no possibility that in his then condition +Jan could withstand the shock of that furious +impact. And he did not. Indeed, he spun through +the air feet uppermost, and Bill, in his eyes a cold +flame of elation, knew that when he did reach earth +it would be to yield the throat-hold at which your +fighting-dog always aims, and to die the death which +he, Bill, had long pictured for the usurper of his office.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXIX" id="XXIX"></a>XXIX</h2> + +<h3>THE FIGHT IN THE WOODS</h3> + + +<p>The one thing for which Bill had made no allowance +was the thing of which he could not +possibly have any knowledge; the strength of Jan's +subconscious self which had now been wide awake +for some time.</p> + +<p>During the fraction of time which Jan's body +spent in mid-air this subconscious self of his worked +several miracles simultaneously. It jagged the +whole of Jan's outer consciousness into the widest +wakefulness. It explained to him the inner meaning +of most things that had happened since Jean +shot the moose. And acting through a muscular +system which, always fine, had been made well-nigh +perfect during the past six weeks, it succeeded +in accomplishing the patently impossible and bringing +Jan to earth again almost erect, certainly on +his four feet and with spread jaws pointing toward +Bill—instead of landing him on the broad of his +back where Bill had quite properly and logically +expected to see him.</p> + +<p>Now began the fight between Bill and Jan, ex-leader +and leader; the veteran northland dog, comparatively +empty and exquisitely poised and prepared; +and the new-comer from the outside world, +terribly full, heavy, and unprepared. All, or nearly +all, had fallen out as Bill had planned. Their distance +from the camp was a safe one; Jan was +grossly bloated and he, Bill, was in quite perfect +fighting trim.</p> + +<p>Only one thing was wrong: Jan ought, by all the +calculations of his enemy, to be lying feet up with +his throat exposed; and instead he was standing, +and as it happened, on slightly raised ground, +waiting with dripping jaws for Bill's attack. Bill +knew not fear. His brain was as brilliantly lighted, +his furnace of hate as hot within him, as ever. But—the +new-wakened Jan's snarl was certainly terrific, +and his bulk, as he stood there with erect stern, +bristling hackles, high-lifted lips, and legs planted like +buttresses—the bulk of him was immense.</p> + +<p>"Come on!" his roaring snarl seemed to say. +And fiery Bill, like a wrestler, pranced to and fro +for an opening. Rage filled him to the throat, but +never for an instant did it cloud his vision. Jan's +instinct kept him still, warning him that he was too +heavy now for the lightning footwork of the wolves, +that his sole chance lay in his strength, and that +by the same token his strength must be conserved.</p> + +<p>Whoof! Tsss!</p> + +<p>Jan's right ear hung in two separate flaps. Valiantly +he strove to extort some penalty by thrust of +massive shoulder and clash of fangs. But Bill to +all seeming was twice his own length away in the +same instant that he flashed in to the attack. Jan +breathed hard in a defiant snarl.</p> + +<p>Hup! Grrrr!</p> + +<p>The massive shoulder which had missed its thrust +was cut clear into the bone, a groove four inches +long, and in the selfsame fraction of a second the +catlike Bill, from two lengths distant, darted his +red tongue in and out at Jan in cold ribaldry.</p> + +<p>A little show of temper now on Jan's part had +been a thing of priceless worth to Bill. Indeed, it +was the ex-leader's one desire, its provocation his +sole objective for the moment. This it was that +drew his pointed red tongue in and out like a flame, +this the tuning-fork that gave his snarl its key; the +note of insolent, jeering defiance.</p> + +<p>"You hog! You're bloated. Ungainly beast, I +can bleed you when and where I will. Take that!" +snarled Bill, as he flashed in again, tearing clean +away a little section of soft-coated fine skin from the +left side of Jan's dewlap, where Desdemona's blood +in him left him but lightly covered.</p> + +<p>(In the bloodhound the skin is very loose and +fine in texture all about the head and flews and +dewlap. In Jan it hardened quickly on the neck, +where the mat of his dense coat thickened.)</p> + +<p>Again and again, not fewer than a dozen times in +all, Bill drank deep of sheer delight as he flashed +in and out upon Jan, drawing blood every single +time, reaching bone more than once or twice, and +winning back to safety without the loss of so much +as one hair.</p> + +<p>Jan no longer snarled. He had no breath to +waste. He was standing to his fearsome punishment +like a bulldog now. And like a bulldog he +seemed, in a heavy, dogged way, and almost to glory +in the bitter thrusts he took.</p> + +<p>Then Bill overstepped himself. Striving to win a +second bite from the one rush, he got the full thrust +of Jan's bloody right shoulder so shrewdly directed +that Bill went down under it as corn under a sickle. +So far so good for Jan; and by good rights that +thrust should have given him his lead to victory. +But the plain truth is Jan was too full of moose-meat. +He plunged down and forward for the +throat-hold—appreciably too late—and lost more +than blood and fur from his flank as Bill wheeled +into action again without any apparent loss of +poise, though he had turned completely over on the +snow.</p> + +<p>Jan breathed like a bull as he resumed the defensive; +and like a bull he lowered his head with a +swaying motion as though to ease his labored +breathing and drain his jaws of the spume that +clogged them. He was bleeding now from more than +a dozen wounds. The frost nipped those wounds +stingingly. The hard trampled snow about his +feet was flecked with blood and foam—his life-blood, +his foam. Bill remained unscathed and to +all seeming as coldly calculating as ever.</p> + +<p>At this stage a backer of Jan (if any such reckless +wight existed) might easily have booked a hundred +to one against the big hound from an audience +of experienced northland men, had any been +there to see this wonderful fray. It seemed a breathless +business enough, with never a moment for anything +like reflection. But of a truth, as Jan swung +his massive head now in a gesture which added +blazing coals to the fire of triumphant hate in Bill, +his mind was busy with a mort of curious things. +There were many differences between Jan and +the average dog, and this illustrated one of them. +As he stood heavily swaying to Bill's lightning attacks, +he saw pictures in his busy mind through a +mist of blood; pictures that made the whole business +of this fight far more terrible for him than it +would have been for most dogs.</p> + +<p>The dominating picture Jan saw, and the one +that kept forcing itself forward upon the screen +of his imagination through and over all the others +that came and went, was a picture of himself on +his back in the trampled snow. Bill's jaws were +at his throat in this picture, and his blood ebbed +out, an awful tide, flooding the snow with its crimson +for as far as he could see. And then the picture +moved and showed him the satisfied, triumphant +Bill, walking proudly away to the camp to his regained +leadership; and himself, Jan, stark, helpless, +dead, in that forsaken clear patch in the woods +with only the cold gleam of the aurora borealis to +bear him company.</p> + +<p>Another picture showed him the stripped framework +of the moose and his own reckless feasting +there with the rest of the pack, while Bill, pitilessly +far-seeing Bill, watched them and abstained. +Jan saw it all now and gulped upon his bitterness +as he realized how cunningly it had all been planned, +and just why it was that, while his enemy seemed +made of steel springs actuated by electricity, he, +Jan, was heavy and clumsy as an English house-dog.</p> + +<p>So that was the way of this bloody business +thought Jan as, swifter than a bullet, Bill registered +another visit to his streaming right shoulder. There +was no trace left now of that queer stubborn sort +of bulldog glory in the endurance of punishment +which Jan had shown during the first half-dozen +attacks. His stern was still erect, bladelike, his +hackles almost as stiff as before. But the flame of +his deep-hawed and now glazing eyes had died +down to a dim red smolder; his hard breathing +spared nothing for a snarl now, and his head and +body movements were, if anything, a little slower +than before.</p> + +<p>And in and out among the vivid pictures in his +mind of immediate local happenings came swiftly +passing little silhouettes of people and happenings +farther away in point of time and distance. He +saw Dick Vaughan, in scarlet tunic and yellow-striped +breeches, sitting on a box with his, Jan's, +head between his knees, his hands fondling the +long ears that now were so terribly torn and bloody. +He saw the great, gray, lordly Finn pacing gravely +beside the Master and Betty Murdoch on the +Downs at Nuthill; himself trotting to and fro between +Betty and the noble hound that sired him. +He heard Dick Vaughan's long, throbbing whistle, +and then the old familiar call:</p> + +<p>"Jan, boy! Ja—an!"</p> + +<p>And as he heard this call he had never once +failed to answer, some subtle force at work in Jan +loosed the cord that had seemed to hold him fettered +to the heavy aftermath of his greed that night. +His heart swelled within him in answer to the sovereign's +call, till it seemed to send new blood, hot +and compelling, racing through all his veins into +the last least crevices of his remotest members. +His massive head ceased to sway. It was uplifted +in the moment that a roaring baying cry escaped +him; he knew not how or why. And that was the +moment called psychological. For it was the instant +of a new and different attack from Bill, this +tremendous moment of Jan's real awakening.</p> + +<p>For some minutes now, while he flashed in and +out, bleeding his prey in preparation for the final +assault, Bill had noted with infinite cold joy that +swaying motion of Jan's great head. He knew it +well for the gesture of the baited creature, and as +the head swung lower the flames of Bill's hate shot +higher and ever higher; for this lower swaying, as +he knew, was the signal of the end for which he had +striven so cunningly and long.</p> + +<p>At the moment that Jan heard Dick's call, Bill +drew up his muscles for administration of the final +thrust. (The bull had bled sufficiently. Now for +the steel in the nape.) Bill leaped, red froth flying +from his bared fangs. As he leaped, Jan's strange +baying roar smote upon his senses with a chill foreboding. +He knew nothing of the call that had +loosed from its lethargy the essential Jan. But the +roar spoke of doom and Bill flinched; wavered in +his attack, as a horse will momentarily waver at a +high leap. That peril might have passed. But it +was part of a double blunder. The leap had been +wrongly conceived. It had come too soon. And +now the leaper balked, conscious of error; conscious +also, dimly, of some terrific change in Jan, heralded +by his awe-inspiring cry.</p> + +<p>Bill jarred down to earth, short of his mark, his +feet ill placed, his world awry. And in that instant +the big hound was upon him like a bolt from heaven: +the strangest attack surely that ever dog faced, or +so it must have seemed to stricken Bill, the northland +fighter for the killing throat-hold, who never +had seen the famous killing grip that was always +used by Jan's tall sire, Finn the wolfhound.</p> + +<p>Jan came down upon Bill as though from the +clouds. (He stood a full four inches higher than +Bill.) His huge jaws, stretched to cracking-point, +took Bill where the base of the skull meets the spinal +cord. One jaw on either side that rope of life, they +drove down; through the matted armor of Bill's +coat, through skin and flesh, and on to their ultimate +destination, under the crushing pressure of a +hundred and forty pounds of steel-like muscle, +bone, and sinew, the invincible product of the trail-life +developed upon a foundation of scientifically +attained health and strength.</p> + +<p>Bill, the fearless and unbeaten, now screamed +aloud; not for mercy, but in mortal pain. His +tense body squirmed, convulsed, under Jan's great +weight like a thing galvanized by electricity.</p> + +<p>Jan's jaws sank deeper.</p> + +<p>Bill snapped at the bloody snow in his frenzy, +actually breaking his own fangs.</p> + +<p>Jan's jaws sank deeper.</p> + +<p>A long horrible shudder passed through the squirming +body of Bill. And Jan's jaws sank a little deeper. +Then with a dreadful sucking sound and a sharp +gasp for breath, those jaws parted and were withdrawn; +for Bill's long fight and his life were ended +now, and Jan was quite alone in that desolate place.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXX" id="XXX"></a>XXX</h2> + +<h3>REAL LEADERSHIP</h3> + + +<p>The thrifty Jean was far from pleased when, on +the morning after his lucky moose-shot, he +found that the sled-team was short of one dog. As +it happened, Jake was the first to note the absence +of Bill, the ex-leader; and while he looked this way +and that for the missing dog, Jean, by a thought +process which went a little farther, called Jan to +him and proceeded to look over the big hound.</p> + +<p>"You don't need to look for no Beel," he said, +grimly, to Jake. "Look thees Jan, here. By gar! that +was some fight, now I'm telling you. See that, an' +thees. Look that ear. See thees shoulder. By +gar! that Beel he fight good an' hard. But when he +fight Jan, tha's the feenish—for Beel."</p> + +<p>Jake and Jean together made the best job they +could of patching up Jan's wounds a little against +the frost and the rub of trace and breast-band.</p> + +<p>"Good dog, too, that blame Bill," mused Jake.</p> + +<p>"Sure, he was good dog, very good dog; by gar! +yes," agreed Jean. "But thees Jan, hee's best of +all dogs. No good for Beel to fight heem. Only he +was too blame full o' moose-meat, he don' lose no +blood to Beel, you bet. That why Beel he don' eat +las' night. Seeck? No. He too cunning, that +Beel." A long pause, while Jean spat out chewed +tobacco and juice over one of Jan's worst wounds, +with a view to its antiseptic and healing properties. +And then, on a grunting sigh: "Ah, well, I reckon +that makes Jan's price five hunderd. That blame +Beel, he worth two hunderd any day."</p> + +<p>So, by Jean's simple commercial method, the big +hound's wounds and the previous night's great +fight were best summed up by reckoning that they +added two hundred dollars to Jan's market price. +And, all things considered, he was very likely right; +for there could be no sort of doubt about it, the +episode had taught Jan lessons he never would forget; +it had advanced his education hugely and added +a big slice to the sum of his knowledge of the wild +northland life. Therefore it had made him the more +fit to survive in the north; and hence it must have +added to his value.</p> + +<p>Dogs may not do much talking one with another, +as humans understand talk; but their methods of +intercourse suffice them. Just as Jean saw no need +to hunt for the missing Bill, once he had looked +over Jan's wounds, so every dog in the team knew +perfectly well why Bill was not of their number +that morning. They asked no questions; but they +knew. The thing was indelibly recorded in their +minds. Bill, who had mastered them, had disputed +Jan's mastery. And now Bill was no more. They +would not forget.</p> + +<p>But all the same, their deductive powers were +far from perfect. They saw in Jan a leader who +could not hide the soreness and stiffness caused by +his many wounds. They, for their part, were feeling +rather like indiscreet workmen after a public holiday +that has been too recklessly enjoyed. They +had no headache, but were feeling fat and lazy; +and, noting the stiffness of Jan's movements, they +slouched and shirked, and caused delays over the +making of a start that morning.</p> + +<p>"H'm! Too much moose-meat. Thees will be a +short day," growled Jean, as he reached out for his +whip before proceeding farther with the harnessing. +Only the stiff-legged leader was in his place; the +rest lay dotted about with lolling tongues, bent on +loafing.</p> + +<p>Jan saw Jean go for his whip. But it was no fear +of the lash that moved him to action. He had been +desperately conscious for a good many hours of his +stiffness and weariness, and had hoped his services +as policeman of the team would not have been needed +that morning. Now, in a flash, he comprehended +the true position. And he knew the sled was now +twice its previous weight. He looked across at Jean, +and gave a short, low bark, which meant:</p> + +<p>"Don't you trouble about your whip. This is +my job. Don't suppose I've forgotten it, or that +this team is going to be any the weaker for Bill's +loss. Devil a bit of it."</p> + +<p>And with that Jan tossed aside his stiffness and +flew around among his six team-mates, the very incarnation +of masterful leadership. Not one dog, not +even old Blackfoot, escaped him; and if their leader +began the day's work as a sorely wounded dog, it +was certain that each dog behind him began it with +one sore spot to occupy his mind withal. Inside of +one minute he had the six of them standing alertly +to attention in their respective places, waiting for +their harness and itching to be off; not by reason +of any sudden access of virtue or industry in them, +but because the leader they had thought too sore +and stiff to accomplish much that day was pacing +sternly up and down their rank, with fangs bared, +and the hint of a snarl in every breath he drew; +ready, and apparently rather anxious, to visit condign +punishment upon the first dog who should stir +one paw a single inch from its proper place.</p> + +<p>"Five hunderd!" shouted Jean, with his broad, +cheery grin. "By gar! tha' Jan hee's worth ten +hunderd of any man's money for team-leadin'. Yes, +<i>sir</i>; an' you can say I said so. I don't care where +the nex' come from; tha' Jan, hee's masterpiece."</p> + +<p>Jake readily admitted, when, over their pipes +that night, he and Jean came to review the day's +run, that the team had worked better this day than +on any previous day in the past month.</p> + +<p>"With double load, an' one dog short," Jean reminded +him.</p> + +<p>"That's so," said Jake. "I guess that moose-meat's +put good heart into them."</p> + +<p>"Ah! moose-meat, hee's all right; good tack, +for sure," said Jean. "But tha's not moose-meat +mushed them dogs on so fast an' trim to-day. No, +<i>sir</i>. Tha's Jan—bes' dog-musher in 'Merica to-day, +now I'm tellin' you. He don' got Beel to upset +things to-day, and, by gar! you see how he make +them other dogs mush. You don't need no wheep, +don't need no musher, so's you got Jan a-leadin', +now I'm tellin' you."</p> + +<p>Jan imbued each of the other dogs with a portion +of his own inexhaustible pride in the team's perfect +working. Ready to start in the morning he would +stand in the lead, pawing eagerly at the snow, +his head turning swiftly from side to side as he +looked round to make sure his followers were in +order, and in his anxiety to catch the first breath of +the command to "Mush on there!"</p> + +<p>And when the word came, with what a will those +seven dogs bowed to their work! How furiously +their hard pads scrabbled at the trail, to overcome +the first inertia of the laden sled, before it gained +the gliding momentum which they would never allow +it to lose for an instant until the order came to +halt! If any dog put one ounce less than the pressure +he was capable of exerting into his breast-band, Jan +knew it that instant, more surely than the watching +man behind; and would let out a sharp, low-sounding +bark. And very well each dog in the team knew +what that bark meant. They feared it more than +Jean's thong. For Jan had taught them to know +that this bark gave warning of a shrewder blow to +come than any whip could give; and a blow from +which there would be no possible escape. Men-folk +might sometimes forget a promised cuff. Jan was +never known to forget a promised bite; and if +twelve hours should elapse between promise and +payment, so much the worse for the payee; for Jan +had a system of his own for the reckoning of compound +interest, the efficacy of which, at one time or +another, each dog in the team had tested, and found +deadly.</p> + +<p>Yes, in the fortnight that followed the shooting +of the moose and the disappearance of Bill the +sled-team driven by Jean and Jake was perhaps the +finest and the most efficient in all that white world +of hard-bitten, hard-trained, hard-working men and +dogs. And, by that token, there was no happier +team living, and none in better condition. There +are not many teams, of course, whose members eat +moose-flesh every day. But quite apart from the +substantial addition to their dietary which Jean's +lucky moose-shot brought, his sled-team was superbly +fit and efficient, because it was perfectly led +and perfectly disciplined.</p> + +<p>And then came all the strange confusion of the +noisy mining town and the end of this particular +phase of Jan's life.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXXI" id="XXXI"></a>XXXI</h2> + +<h3>THE COST OF INCOMPETENCE</h3> + + +<p>Jan's private impressions of the northern mining +town were, first, that it was the most horrible +place he had ever seen; second, that it was perhaps +the most interesting place he had ever seen; and, +third and lastly, that it was a very good place to +get away from, and that he would be pleased to exchange +its complex interests for the clean, arduous +stress and strain of the trail.</p> + +<p>Jan spent less than a week in the town; but into +that week was packed perhaps rather more than +the allowance of new impressions and excitement +of one sort and another that go to make up the +record of her first season in town for the average +human débutante. The cynic might protest that +many a modern débutante is as certainly put up for +sale to the highest bidder of the town season as +Jan was. Well, at least the thing is a good deal +more carefully wrapped up and veiled, and a great +deal more time is given to it.</p> + +<p>Jean was very firmly set in his determination not +to part with Jan for a cent under five hundred dollars. +(Had not Jan cost him two hundred dollars on +the night of Bill's disappearance?) Had there been +any really knowledgeable judges of dogs in the town +just then who needed a dog, they would hardly +have quarreled with his owner over Jan's price. +But it happened there were none. And the result +was that Jan had to be put through his paces five +separate times for the benefit of five separate prospective +purchasers, not one of whom was really +capable of appreciating his superlative quality, before +the five hundred dollars demanded did eventually +find its way into Jean's pouch and he was +called upon to part with his leader. He intended to +give Snip the leadership of his team now, because +Snip was a curiously remorseless creature; and to +buy a husky as cheaply as might be to take the trace +ahead of Blackfoot—kindliest of wheelers.</p> + +<p>Jean's parting with Jan was characteristic of the +man. He had conceived an admiring and prideful +affection for the big hound, and had liefer died than +allow this to be shown to any other man. His pride +in his dog's ability, his full appreciation of the animal's +many points—yes, he would show these, and very insistently, +to any man. But for his perfectly genuine affection; that, +as he understood it, was a culpable weakness which no living +soul must be permitted to suspect—no, not even Jan himself. +And that was where Jean fooled himself. For his occasional +blows and frequent curses did not in the +least deceive Jan, who was perfectly well aware of +Jean's fondness for him, and, to a considerable +extent, reciprocated the feeling. He did not love +Jean; but he liked the man, and trusted and respected +him for his all-round ability and competence.</p> + +<p>"Ye—es," said Jean, slowly, to the moneyed +<i>chechaquo</i> who had purchased Jan, "tha' Jan, hee's +ther bes' lead dog ever I see, an' I've handled some. +But ef you take my word, Mister Beeching, you +won' ask Jan to take no other place than lead in +your team. Eef you do, your leader 'll hear about +it, en he might lose some hide over it, too, I guess. +But tha' Jan, hee's a great lead dog, all right, an' +I'm tellin' you. Well, so long, boss; I'll be gettin' +along. Git back there, you, Jan! By gar! you +stay right there now, when I say so. What 'n hell +d'you want follerin' me? Git back!"</p> + +<p>That was how Jean bade Jan good-by. Jan, +scenting trouble vaguely, was determined to stick +to Jean, and thought he went about it craftily +enough. But Jean caught him each time, and kicked +him back to the place where the <i>chechaquo</i> stood, +cuffing him roughly over the head by way of final +salutation.</p> + +<p>"I'll larn ye to foller me," he said, sourly.</p> + +<p>"Mighty little <i>he</i> cares for his dogs!" thought the +tenderfoot; and he turned (with his more delicate +sentiments) to caress Jan's head. But Jan abruptly +lowered his head to avoid the touch; though, obedient +now to Jean, the proved master, he remained +where he had been told to stay.</p> + +<p>But these things happened within twenty-four +hours of Jan's departure from that town. In the +days immediately preceding this one of his parting +from Jean he had roamed the town at large with +Blackfoot, Snip, and the others of his team, observing, +making acquaintances, fending off attacks, administering +punishment, and swaggering with the +best among a great company of sled-dogs of all sorts +and sizes and in every varying grade of condition, +from fatted and vainglorious sleekness to downright +emaciation. For there were dogs here who, having +recently shared cruelly hard times with their men, +would require weeks of recuperation to make them +fit for the rigors of the trail. Some of this latter +sort were for sale, and could be bought for a tenth +of Jan's price, or less. Others, again, were "resting," +as the actors say, while their impoverished +masters worked at some other craft to earn money +enough to give them back the freedom of the trail.</p> + +<p>None the less, he felt tolerably forlorn and desolate +when, upon his last evening there, he was led +away by his new master, whose name, it seemed, +was Beeching, and locked in a small inclosure of +high iron rails with nine other dogs, the remaining +complement of the team in which he was now to +serve. However, for a while he was kept too busy +here to spare much thought for the matter of the +loss of his companions.</p> + +<p>Every one of the nine strangers was sleek and +well fed. <i>Chechaquo</i> Beeching was bound for the +sea and civilization, with the moderate pile which +a beginner's luck, rather than any skill or enterprise +of his, had brought him; and he was bent on doing +the trip in style, he and his curious friend, whom he +called Harry. Of these nine finely conditioned dogs, +four had met Jan about the town and learned to +show him some deference. Two—Jinny and Poll—were +bitches, and therefore not to be regarded by +Jan as possible opponents in a fight; but the remaining +three members of the crowd, lusty huskies, full of +meat and insolence, had never seen the big hound +before, and these had to be thrashed pretty soundly +before Jan won his footing in the inclosure.</p> + +<p>Fortunately, the two bitches were disposed to be +friendly from the outset, and of the three huskies, +two were intently engaged upon bones at the time +of Jan's entrance. The third husky attacked him, +blindly, without stopping to exchange so much as +glances. This little incident was soon ended. In +ten seconds Jan had bowled clean over on his back +the too temerarious Gutty—to give this particular +husky the name under which Mr. Beeching had +bought him—and was shaking him by the throat as +a terrier shakes a rat. But Jan was far from being +really angry, or Gutty had paid with his life for the +impudence of his attack; and when the husky chokingly +whined for mercy he was allowed to spring to +his feet and slink away into a dark corner, with nothing +worse than a little skin-wound to worry over.</p> + +<p>The case of the other two huskies was more serious, +however; for in the half-light Jan chanced to +brush against one of them as he gnawed his bone; +and in the next moment they both were leaping at +him with clashing fangs, convinced that he aimed +at plunder. While Jan, in warding off their attacks, +tried to explain, good-humoredly, that he meant +them no ill, Jinny and Poll made off with their bones. +But of this the two huskies knew nothing, being +fully occupied by their joint attack upon the great +dog who, had they but known it, was destined for +some time to be their master, in the traces and out +of them.</p> + +<p>It was a rather troublesome fight, involving considerable +bloodshed; for Fish and Pad, the two +huskies, were quite notable battlers, and Jan, for +his part, was genuinely anxious to avoid any killing. +He was quite shrewd enough to know that he had now +joined a new team, and, while it was very necessary +that his prowess should be recognized and respected, +he desired peace, and perfectly understood that, +if he began by killing, the results might be serious +for the team and for himself.</p> + +<p>In the end, having made some sacrifices, he had +to inflict a severe gash on the side of Pad's face, and +to come near to throttling the life out of Fish, before +he could reduce the pair of them to a state of +comparatively decent, if still snarling, submission. +After that there was peace; Fish and Pad were too +busy in dressing their wounds to notice the loss of +their bones; and Jan was free to introduce himself +to the others of the pack, which he did in friendly +fashion enough, despite his still raised hackles and +rather noticeably stiff gait.</p> + +<p>There was quite a gathering assembled next morning +to see the last of Jan's new masters. But though +he eyed the crowd closely to find them, Jan saw +nothing of Jake or Jean, nor any of his old team-mates. +Beeching and Harry—the latter a gentleman +who, having apparently no faith in his own +luck, believed in attaching himself firmly to any +more fortunate person who would tolerate his society—were, +to all seeming, not really unpopular. The +thoroughly unpopular man is rarely guyed, with +roars of open laughter and back-slapping merriment, +by men who wink and nod at one another while +joining forces in the matter of ragging their butt.</p> + +<p>That was how Beeching was treated by the crowd +of acquaintances who came to give him his start on +the southward, seaward trail. Harry was, for the +most part, merely ignored. It was understood that +now, as in the past, he was supposed to make himself +"useful" by way of paying his shot; and as he +had never been known to be any other thing than +useless, it was evidence rather of the easy good +nature than the perspicacity of his associates that +he never had actually lacked food and shelter in +that place. But that was as much, men thought, +as "Tame Cat Harry" could possibly expect. One +of the last fond messages flung at Beeching, as his +overloaded sled swung out on the trail, was:</p> + +<p>"Don't you be letting Harry loose, mind you, +or he'll surely hark back on the trail; an' then +we'll shoot him on sight."</p> + +<p>"Well, say," yelled another man, "if you do loose +him any, be sure you put a muzzle on him, so's to +keep our grub-boxes safe."</p> + +<p>After which crude gibe at Harry's sponging proclivities, +Homeric laughter set a period upon the +town's farewell to Jan's new masters. And that +laughter stirred to fresh activity the uneasy want +of confidence, the rather cheerless sense of foreboding, +which, for close upon twenty-four hours now, had +been growing in the breast of the team's leader. Jan +should, perhaps, have felt drawn toward Beeching +and Harry, since both were compatriots of his and +hailed from southern England. But England has +sent a good many of her most confirmed wastrels +oversea, along with the very cream of her manhood; +and whether or no, Jan had no more confidence +in his masters than he had in Gutty, the +husky he had thrashed overnight, and far less than +he had in Fish and Pad, the two opponents he had +found so much more difficult to trounce.</p> + +<p>As a fact, Jan's skepticism was amply justified. +In the thirty-five-day trip thus begun—which should +have been completed in sixteen days—Jan was given +as striking an example of the effects of man's muddle-headed, +slack-minded incompetence as that which +Jean had furnished him of the effects of man's able-bodied, +clear-headed competence and efficiency. Jan +never worked it out in precisely this way, but after +his own simple and direct fashion he came to the +definite conclusion, before he had been two days on +the trail with Beeching and Harry, that, for his part, +he would sooner thole the harshest kind of severity +or even cruelty in a master, so that it be allied with +competence, than he would endure this evils which +(in the northland more than in most places) attend +all the steps of the man who is slack, shiftless, +and incompetent; and, be it noted, make miserable +the days of all and sundry who are forced to be in +any way dependent on that man.</p> + +<p>It was with much wistful regret that Jan recalled +in these days the daily round of his life, after the +fight with Bill, as Jean's lead dog. The swift, positive, +and ordered evolutions of those smoothly +running days seemed merely miraculous in retrospect +as Jan compared his memory of them with the +wretched muddle of Beeching's wasteful scramble +across the country: They carried no trade goods, +nothing save the necessary dog-food and creature-comforts +for the two men; yet their sled—an extra-large +one—was half as heavy again to pull as Jean's +had been, despite the ten primely conditioned dogs +who made up Beeching's "flash" team.</p> + +<p>The morning was generally far advanced when +Beeching and Harry started in to clear the muddle +of their amateurish night's camp, with all its preposterous +litter of bedding, utensils (always unclean), +and other wasteful truck such as no men can +afford to carry in the northland. But the day would +be half done by the time their muddled preparations +were finally completed.</p> + +<p>And then, more often than not, one of the men +would add his own not inconsiderable weight to +that of the half-packed, overladen sled; and, at +the best, Harry as a trail-breaker and finder was of +no more use than a blind kitten would have been. +A dozen times in the day a halt would be called for +some enforced repacking of the jerry-built load on +the sled; and at such times some unpacking would +often have to be done to provide liquor or other +refreshment for the men. There were times when, +on a perfect trail, the day's run would be no more +than twenty miles; and there were days of bad trail, +when even Jean would have been put to it to make +more than five and twenty miles, and these incompetents, +with their ten-dog team, covered a bare +eight or ten miles.</p> + +<p>Pride in his leadership was as impossible for Jan +in these conditions as was content or pride in his +share of the work for any other member of the team. +But that was not the worst of it. During the first +day or two of the trip Jan was staggered to find that +these new masters of his had no notion of measuring +dog-rations, or even of serving these with any sort +of regularity as to time, or portions, or gross quantity. +They would feed some or all the dogs, at any time of +day at all, and in any feckless way that came +handy. At their first and second midday halts, for +instance, they flung down to the team, as though to +a herd of sheep or swine, food enough for three days' +rations, their own leavings, and the orthodox dog-ration +stuff, in a mixed heap.</p> + +<p>Given decent, proper feeding, Jan would have +seen to it that order was preserved and no thieving +done. Each dog should have had his own "whack," +and none have been molested. But with all his +genuine love of order and discipline, Jan was no +magician. He could not possibly apportion out a +scattered refuse-heap. He had necessarily to grab +a share for himself; and, as was inevitable, the +weaker members of the team went short, or got +nothing.</p> + +<p>Then—unheard-of profligacy—came another +equally casual distribution at night; and yet another, +it might be, in the morning—in the morning, +with the trail before them!</p> + +<p>It resolved itself into this: there were no dog-meals +on that journey; but only daily dog-fights—snarling, +scrapping, blood and hatred-letting scrimmages +for grub; disgraceful episodes, in themselves +sufficient to shut out any hope of discipline in the +team.</p> + +<p>The quite inevitable shock came on the evening +of the twelfth day. (With his costly team, Beeching +had gaily figured on fifteen days for the entire +trip, in place of the thirty-five days which it actually +occupied.) The only good thing that memorable +twelfth day brought was the end of Beeching's +whisky-supply. Incidentally it marked, too, the +end of his easy-going good temper. And to the consternation +of an already thoroughly demoralized +team, it brought also the serving out, in a heap as +before—this cruel and messy trick, more perhaps +than any other one thing, marked the men's wretched +slackness and incompetence; qualities generally more +cruel in their effects than any harshness or over-severity—of +fish representing in the aggregate rather +less than half a day's ration for each dog in the team.</p> + +<p>The next day, and the next, and the next brought +a similar dispensation to the dogs; no more. By +this time the nightly feeding had become a horrid +and bloody battle.</p> + +<p>"Nasty savage brutes!" said sponging Harry.</p> + +<p>"Blood does tell," observed the oracular Beeching, +himself by repute a man of family. "They're +every one of 'em mongrels."</p> + +<p>The son of lordly Finn and queenly Desdemona +attached no meaning to these words, of course; but +were it not for the discipline, the generations of discipline +in his blood, he could have strangled these +two muddlers for the tragic folly of their incompetence, +the gross exhibition of their slackness.</p> + +<p>As the men themselves began to feel the belly-pinch, +they brought up no reserves of manhood, but, +on the contrary, they took to cruelly beating their +now weakened team, when the dogs were safely +tethered in the traces, and to cowardly avoidance of +the poor brutes at all other times. Harry was +quite unashamedly afraid to throw the dogs their +beggarly half or quarter ration; and but for Beeching, +it may be the dogs had starved while food still +remained on the sled.</p> + +<p>Maybe the fact that Beeching, with all his faults, +had never reached Harry's depths as a sponger, preserved +him from this particular crime. But he had +small ground in that for self-gratulation, since it is +a fact remembered in the country that when he did +eventually stagger down to salt water with his +sadly reduced team, the dogs had positively not had +their harness off for a week. Mr. Beeching and his +precious partner had been afraid to let their dogs +out of the traces and the safe reach of their whips!</p> + +<p>The fatally unwise Gutty was the first to succumb. +Fish downed him for a morsel of food he had grabbed; +and when the team had been over the spot on which +he fell, there simply was no Gutty left. Poll, the +slighter of the two bitches, died under Harry's whip—the +haft of it—or she, like Jinny, would have seen +salt water, because their sex was their protection—from +their fellow-dogs, though not from the now +starving and insensate clowns who drove them.</p> + +<p>Everything but the scant remains of the men's +food had, of course, been jettisoned before this. +The dogs made a meal of the smart water-proof +sheets, and Jan ate Beeching's show pair of moccasins. +The whole business forms a wretched and +shameful record that need not be prolonged.</p> + +<p>To be quite just, one should mention that Beeching +was afoot (hammering Jan's protruding haunches) +when they staggered into the township on the evening +of the thirty-fifth day. Harry lay groaning on the +sled, and had been there, too lame to walk, he said, +too despicable, perhaps, for Death's consideration, +for three days and more. The ten-dog team of prime-conditioned +animals of five weeks before consisted +now of seven gaunt, staggering creatures, each a +bony framework, masked in dried blood and bruises; +each suffering jarring agony from every tremulous +step taken, and all together (as the market went) +worth, it might be—to a very speculative dog-doctor—say, +ten dollars. The team had cost the deplorable +Beeching about three thousand.</p> + +<p>But, as a matter of fact, Pad died in the moment +of stoppage, and two of his mates got their release +while yet in the traces. Jan, Jinny, and two others +survived still at the bitter end of what was perhaps +the most wretchedly bungled trip ever made over +that famous trail.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXXII" id="XXXII"></a>XXXII</h2> + +<h3>JAN OBEYS ORDERS AT THE GREAT DIVIDE</h3> + + +<p>Experienced observers contended that the +most truly remarkable thing about <i>Chechaquo</i> +Beeching was not, after all, his super-slackness or +his criminal stupidity, but his invincible luck.</p> + +<p>Where many good men and true, infinitely capable +and knowledgeable, had starved, or failed to make +a scavenger's wage, Beeching had tumbled into +possession of a couple of hundred thousand dollars, +and, after having sampled most methods of "burning" +money known to the northland, still had +fully half this sum to his credit.</p> + +<p>That was one astounding proof of his tenderfoot's +luck. But more remarkable evidence of it was +found, by those who understood, in his memorable +journey to salt water.</p> + +<p>By all the rules of the game, men said, Beeching +and his hanger-on should have been starved, frozen, +and eaten by their outraged dogs a week or more +before the end of their trip. And failing that, some +old-timers pointed out, they should have been publicly +lynched on arrival at salt water.</p> + +<p>Instead, they fell into the hands of roughly good-natured +men, who not only gave them food and drink +and helped them down to the wharf, but actually +set them up with a traveling-kit of new clothing.</p> + +<p>Then, again, consider the really astounding fact +that a steamer should have been waiting to cast off +at the moment these two men arrived, and that her +skipper held his ship up for half an hour to suit the +convenience of the precious pair, and finally carried +them on in his best two cabins!</p> + +<p>"But what about the sled and the team?" whined +Harry, as he and Beeching hobbled up the gangway +of the waiting steamer, bound for luxury and civilization. +It may be Harry had thought of these as +one of his hard-earned perquisites.</p> + +<p>"Oh, to blazes with the sled and dogs!" cried +<i>Chechaquo</i> Beeching. "The town's welcome to 'em, +for all I care."</p> + +<p>Generous man! And at that precise moment, +his tough life starved and hammered out of his +hardy body, the exhausted Fish was breathing his +last—still in the traces; and Jan, in whom the +fires of life, though better laid than those of ninety-nine +dogs in a hundred, were burning very low just +now—barely flickering, indeed—was concentrating +such energies as remained in him upon gnawing +feebly at his traces, for the double purpose of extracting +some nutriment from them, if that might +be, and freeing himself from their control.</p> + +<p>The first of these aims was a tolerably hopeless +one, since Jan could not just now swallow any hard +thing. But in the second he achieved success, just +as the steamer's gangway was hauled up and the +population of the town was engaged in waving +farewell to the craft that connected with the big +outside world, where sentimentality and dollars +rule, just as in the northland muscle, grit, endurance—and +dollars rule. Yes, even there money +does play one of the chief ruling parts. But, as a +general thing, sentimentality does not.</p> + +<p>The remaining wrecks of the team, two dead, one +dying, and three too far gone in the same direction +to be capable of any effort, lay where they had +fallen at the moment when willing hands had come +to help their masters to the steamer.</p> + +<p>It may be that Jan had bigger physical reserves +to draw upon than his mates had. It is more likely, +however, that the powers which kept him striving +still to live, after the others had given up effort, +were factors on the mental side of his composition. +His memories were stronger and more vivid, his +imagination a thing far more complex, than that of +any husky. Also his faith in men and his desire for +their help and companionship—even after five weeks +with Beeching and Harry—were greatly stronger +than the same factors were in any of his team-mates. +The culminative influences of hundreds of generations +of civilization spoke in him here.</p> + +<p>And so, trailing beside him the gnawed-off ends +of his traces, Jan dragged his emaciated frame along +in jerks over the hard-trodden snow while the folk +of the town cheered the departing steamer. In a +little while Jan came to a small tent, the flap of +which hung loose and open. At the entrance Jan +smelt the fresh trail of a man; from within came—to +nostrils cunning as Jan's—the odor of foodstuffs. +Jan propped and jerked himself feebly into +the tent, though for months now he had known +that it was forbidden to enter the habitations of +men-folk.</p> + +<p>Nosing weakly to and fro, Jan found on a low +shelf a can of milk. A half-blind jab of his muzzle +brought it tumbling to the ground. Its lid was +open, but the milk was firmly frozen. Jan licked at +it, cutting his deep flews as he did so on the uneven +edges of the tin. The warmth of his tongue extracted +a certain sweet milkiness from this. But the metal +edges were raw and sharp; Jan's exhaustion was +very great, and presently he sank down upon the +twig-strewn ground, and lay there, breathing in +weak, sobbingly uncertain gasps, the milk-can between +his outstretched paws.</p> + +<p>Jan was now drawing very near, nearer than he +had ever been before, to the Great Divide.</p> + +<p>Within a hundred yards of Jan were groups of +solid frame houses, with warm kitchens in them, +and abundant food. But the tent, standing by itself, +came first; and, though he could not know it, +the tent was, on the whole, the very best of all the +habitations in that bleak little town—for Jan. For +this tent was the temporary home of an American +named Willis—James Gurney Willis; as knowledgeable +a man as Jean himself and, in addition, one +known wherever he went into the northland as a +white man.</p> + +<p>Not many minutes after Jan's lying down there +Jim Willis came striding up to his tent from the +wharf, and found the half of its floor-space occupied +by the gaunt wreck of the biggest hound he had +ever seen. Willis was a man of experience in other +places than the northland, and he would always +have known a bloodhound when he saw one. But +never had he seen a hound of any kind with such a +frame as that he saw before him now. The dead, +blood-matted black and iron-gray coat was no +bloodhound's coat, he thought; too long and wiry +and dense for that. But yet the head—And, anyway, +thought Willis, how came the poor beast to +have died just there, in his tent?</p> + +<p>And in that moment the heavy lids of Jan's eyes +twitched and lifted a little. It was rather ghastly. +They showed no eyes, properly speaking. The eyes +seemed to have receded, turned over, disappeared +in some way. All that the lifted lids showed Willis +was two deep, triangular patches of blood-red membrane. +And above the prominent, thatched brows +rose the noble bloodhound forehead, serried wrinkle +over wrinkle to the lofty peak of the skull.</p> + +<p>"My God!" muttered Willis, with no irreverent +intent.</p> + +<p>Always rich in the bloodhound characteristic of +abundant folds of loose, rolling skin about the head, +neck, and shoulders, the wreck of Jan, from which +so very many pounds of solid flesh had been lost +during the past month, seemed to carry the skin +of two hounds. And set deep in these pouched and +pendent folds of skin—tattered, blood-stained banners +of the hound's past glories—the face of Jan +was as a wedge, incredibly long and narrow.</p> + +<p>His eyes had been torn out, it seemed. That was +what forced the exclamation from Willis. But it +was only an abnormal extension of the blood-red +haws that Willis saw. The eyeballs had rolled up +and back somewhat, as they mostly do when a hound +is <i>in extremis</i>; but they would have shown if Jan +had had the strength properly to lift his lids. Yet +he had seen Willis. It was his utter weakness, combined +with the hanging weight of his wrinkled face +and flew-skin, that caused the ghastly show of +blood-red membrane only where eyeballs should +have been.</p> + +<p>But Jan did see Willis, and the loose skin of his +battered shoulders even shrank a little, in anticipation +of a blow. Jan thought himself still in the +traces. (As a fact he was; and breast-band, too.)</p> + +<p>The moment Willis spoke—his low "My God!"—Jan +fancied he had heard the old order to "Mush +on!" and doubtless that another blow from the haft +of Beeching's whip was due. In view of his then +desperate state, the effort with which Jan answered +the command he fancied he heard was a positive +miracle. He actually staggered to his feet, though +too weak to lift his eyelids, and plunged forward, +with weakly scrabbling paws, to throw his weight +upon the traces. And plunging against nothing but +space, he had surely crashed to earth again, and in +that moment crossed the Divide, but for Willis.</p> + +<p>Willis was not of the type of men who waste breath +over repetitions of exclamation of surprise. As Jan +slowly heaved up his body, in a last effort at duty, +Willis swiftly lowered his own body, dropping upon +his knees, both arms widely extended. And it was +at Willis's broad chest, and between his strongly +supporting arms, that the wreck of Jan plunged, +in response to what must be reckoned by far the +greatest effort, till then, that the great hound had +ever made.</p> + +<p>And if the thing had ended there, this incident +alone proved that when he chose the tent, before +any of the more ambitious habitations near by, Jan +had chosen what was assuredly the best place for +him in all that town.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXXIII" id="XXXIII"></a>XXXIII</h2> + +<h3>BACK TO THE TRAIL</h3> + + +<p>Late that same evening two men who looked +in to see Jim Willis found him playing sick-nurse +to all that remained of the strangest-looking +hound ever seen in those parts. His stove was well +alight, and near by, on the bed, were a spoon, a +flask of whisky, a dish of hot milk, and some meat-juice +in a jar.</p> + +<p>There was some talk about the hound, and then +the bigger of the visitors said:</p> + +<p>"Well, Jim, what's it to be? Will you tackle the +job, or won't you? You must admit, if the trail <i>is</i> +bad, the money's pretty good. Will you go?"</p> + +<p>Willis nodded shortly. That meant acquiescence +in the statement that the money was "good." Then +he pointed to the hound, whose head rested on his +knee. (He himself was sitting on the ground.)</p> + +<p>"Well, no, Mike; I guess I won't," he said, slowly. +"You say I'd have to hit out to-morrow; and I +reckon I'm going to try an' yank this feller back +into the world before I go anywheres."</p> + +<p>"But, hell, Jim," said the other man, a little +petulantly. "I like a dawg as well as the next man, +and this one does seem to have been some husky in +his time. Only—well, you admit yourself the +money's good, and—say, I won't try any bluffs +with you. There ain't another man in the place we +could trust to do the job. Come, now, is it a go, +Jim?"</p> + +<p>Willis pondered a minute, eying Jan's head the +while.</p> + +<p>"Well, Mike," he said at length, "I've kinder +given my word to this feller here. He's a sort of a +guest o' mine, in a way—in my tent, and that. +No, Mike, I'll not hit out to-morrow, not for any +money. But if you'd care to leave it for a week or +ten days—ten days, say, I'll go. An' that's the best +I can do for ye. Think it over, an' let me know to-morrow."</p> + +<p>And with that the two men had to content themselves. +They went out growling. Three minutes +later the shorter of the two returned.</p> + +<p>"Say, Jim," he remarked, as he thrust his head +and shoulders in at the tent-flap, "I've been puzzling +my head about that blame crittur ever since +we first come in; an' now I've located him. He's +dyin' a long way from home, Jim, is that dawg. +But I can give ye his name. He's Jan, that's who +he is. There! See his eyes move then, when I said +'Jan.' Look! Jan! See that?"</p> + +<p>Jim Willis nodded comprehendingly as he watched +Jan's feebly flickering eyelids.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," continued the other man; "I've seen +a picture of him in the Vancouver <i>News-Advertiser.</i> +He's Jan of the R.N.W.M.P., that's who he is; +'the Mounted Police bloodhound,' they called him. +He tracked a murderer down one time, somewhere +out Regina way; though how in the nation he ever +made this burg has me fairly beat. Where'n the +world did that blame <i>chechaquo</i> raise him, d'ye suppose? +Surely he'd never have sand enough to go +around dog-stealing, would he? An' from the +North-west Mounted! Not on your life he wouldn't. +Sneakin' coppers out've a blin' man's bowl 'd be +more in his line o' country, I reckon. But that's +Jan, all right; an' you can take it from me. Queer +world, ain't it? Well, so long, Jim. I jest thought +I'd look back an' tell ye. So long!"</p> + +<p>"So long, Jock. Oh, say, Jock! What's happened +the rest o' that—that feller's team, anyway?" asked +Willis.</p> + +<p>"Well, Seattle Charley told me they was plum +petered out. Most of 'em's died, I believe. But +two or three's alive. That Indian musher across +the creek's got 'em, doctoring of 'em up, Charley +says. He reckons to pull some round, an' make a +bit on 'em, I suppose. But this feller here, he's too +far gone, Jim. You can see he's done."</p> + +<p>"Ah! Well, good night, Jock."</p> + +<p>"S'long!"</p> + +<p>And with that Jim Willis was left alone again +with the hound he was nursing.</p> + +<p>He folded a deerskin coat loosely, and placed it +under Jan's head. Then he reached for his spoon, +and proceeded to force down a little more warm +whisky and milk beside the clenched jaws. One +knew, by the way he lifted one of Jan's flews, raised +the dog's head, and gently rubbed his gullet between +thumb and forefinger to help the liquor down, that +he had handled sick dogs before to-day. He had +covered Jan's body with an old buffalo robe, and +now he proceeded to fill a jar with boiling water, +and placed that against Jan's chest.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>There could be no doubt but what Jan chose more +wisely than he knew in entering that tent.</p> + +<p>On the morning of the ninth day—Jim Willis's +word was a little better than the bonds of some men—after +the departure for the south of Beeching and +Harry, Willis hit the trail upon the commission he +had undertaken for Mike and Jock; or for the more +richly moneyed powers behind those two.</p> + +<p>Willis's team consisted of five huskies, good workers +all; and he traveled pretty light, with a sled +packed and lashed as only an old hand at the trail +can perform that task. But the queer thing about +the outfit was that Willis had a sixth dog with him, +a dog half as large again as any in the traces; and +this one walked at Jim's heel, idle; though, at the +outset, it had taken some sharp talk to get him there. +Indeed, the big dog had almost fought for a place at +the head of the team of huskies. But Jim Willis was +accustomed to see to it that his will, not theirs, ruled +all the dogs he handled; and as he had decided that +this particular dog should, for the present, run loose +at his heels, the thing fell out thus, and not otherwise.</p> + +<p>In nine days Jan had made a really wonderful +recovery. He was not strong and hard yet, of course; +but, as every one who had observed his case admitted, +it was something of a miracle that he should be +alive at all. And here he was setting out upon a +fourteen-hundred-mile journey, and, to begin with, +fighting for a place in the traces.</p> + +<p>"If I have any more of your back-talk, my +gentleman," Jim Willis had said, with gruff apparent +sternness, "I'll truss you like a Thanksgiving +turkey an' lash you atop the sled. So you +get to heel an' stay there. D'ye hear me?"</p> + +<p>And Jan, not without a hint of convalescent +peevishness, had heard, and dropped behind.</p> + +<p>The bones of his big frame were still a deal too +prominent, and he carried more than even the +bloodhound's proper share of loose, rolling skin. +But his fine black and iron-gray coat had regained +its gleaming vitality; his tread, if still a little uncertain, +was springy; his dark hazel eyes showed +bright and full of spirit above their crimson haws; +his stern was carried more than half erect, and he +was gaining weight in almost every hour; not mere +fatty substance—Willis saw to that—but the genuine +weight that comes with swelling muscles and +the formation of healthy flesh.</p> + +<p>"There's nothing like the trail for a pick-me-up," +said Jim Willis. And as the days slipped +past, and the miles of silent whiteness were flung +behind his sled, it became apparent that he was +in the right of it, so far, at all events, as Jan was +concerned.</p> + +<p>It was exactly forty-two days later that they +sighted salt water again and were met in the town's +one street by Mike and Jock. And on that day, as +on each of twenty preceding days, Willis's team +consisted of six dogs, instead of five, and the leader +of the team was half as big again as his mates. It +was noticed that Willis's whip was carried jammed in +the lower lashing of his sled-pack, instead of in his +hand. He had learned as much, and more, than +Jean had ever known about Jan's powers as a team-leader.</p> + +<p>"No use for a whip with that chap in the lead," he +told an inquirer. "If you hit Jan, I reckon he'd +bust the traces; and he don't give you a chance to +find fault with the huskies. I reckon he'd eat 'em +before he'd let 'em really need a whip. I haven't +carried mine these three weeks now."</p> + +<p>"You don't say," commented a bystander. Jim +nodded to show he did "say."</p> + +<p>"I tell ye that dog he don't just do what you +tell him; he finds out what you want before you know +it, and blame well does it before you can open your +mouth. An' he makes the huskies do it, too, on +schedule, I can tell you, or he'll know the reason +why. Yes, sir. I take no credit for his training. +I guess he was kinder born to the job, an' knows it +better 'n what I do. I don't know who did train +him, if anybody ever did; but as a leadin' sled-dog +he's got all the Yukon whipped to a standstill. He's +the limit. Now you watch!"</p> + +<p>Of set purpose, Willis spoke with elaborate carelessness.</p> + +<p>"Just mush on a yard or two, not far, Jan."</p> + +<p>His tone was conversational. Jan gave a short, +low bark; and in the same moment the five huskies +flung themselves into their collars behind him. The +sled—its runners already tight frozen—creaked, +jerked, and slid forward just eight feet. Jan let out +a low, warning growl. The team stood still without +a word from its owner.</p> + +<p>"Say, does he talk?" asked a bystander. And +then, with a chuckle: "Use a knife an' fork to his +grub, Jim?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, as to that," said Willis, "he don't need to +do no talkin'. He can make any husky understand +without talk; an' when that husky understands, if +he won't do as Jan says, Jan'll smother him, quick +an' lively."</p> + +<p>As Jan stood now at the head of his team, awaiting +final orders, he formed a picture of perfect +canine health and fitness. He represented most of +a northlander's ideals and dreams of what a sled-dog +should be, plus certain other qualities that came +to him from his breeding, and that no dog-musher +would have even hoped for in a sled-dog: his immense +size, for example, and his wonderful dignity +and grace of form and action.</p> + +<p>Jan never had been so superlatively fit; so instinct +in every least hair of his coat, in every littlest +vein of his body, with tingling life and pulsing energy. +His coat crackled if a man's hand was passed +along his black saddle.</p> + +<p>Despite the lissom grace of all his motions, Jan +moved every limb with a kind of exuberant snap, +as though his strength spilled over from its superabundance, +and had to be expended at every opportunity +to avoid surcharge. His movements +formed his safety-valve, you fancied. Robbed of +these, his abounding vitality would surely burst +through the cage of his great body in some way, +and destroy him. He walked as though the forces +of gravitation were but barely sufficient to tether +him down to mother earth.</p> + +<p>"And I reckon he weighs near a hundred and +sixty," said Willis; a guess the store scales proved +good that night, when Jan registered exactly one +hundred and fifty-seven pounds, though he carried +no fat, nor an ounce of any kind of waste material.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXXIV" id="XXXIV"></a>XXXIV</h2> + +<h3>THE PEACE RIVER TRAIL</h3> + + +<p>Winter set in with unusual rigor, the temperature +dropping after heavy snow to fifty below +zero, and hovering between thirty and sixty +below for weeks together.</p> + +<p>Jim Willis and his sled-team lived on a practically +"straight" meat diet. Jan had forgotten the +taste of sun-dried salmon, and men and dogs together +were living now on moose-meat chopped +with an ax from the slabs and chunks that were +stowed away on the sled. Willis occasionally treated +himself to a dish of boiled beans, and when fortune +favored he ate ptarmigan. But moose-meat was +the staple for man and dogs alike.</p> + +<p>For months the valleys they had traversed had +been rich in game. But in the northland the movements +of game are mysterious and unaccountable; +and now, in a bleak and gloomy stretch of country +north of the Caribou Mountains, they had seen no +trace of life of any kind for a fortnight except wolves. +And of these, by day and by night, Jim Willis had +seen and heard more than he cared about. It seemed +the brutes had come from country quite unlike the +valleys Willis had traveled, and resembling more +nearly that in which he now found himself. For these +wolves were gaunt and poor, and the absence of +game made them more than normally audacious. +So far from seeking to avoid man and his dogs, they +seemed to infest Willis's trail, ranging emptily and +wistfully to his rear and upon either side as hungry +sharks patrol a ship's wake.</p> + +<p>The circumstances would have had little enough +of significance for Willis, but for an accident which +befell just before the cold snap set in. Hastening +along the track of a moose he had already mortally +wounded, beside one of the tributaries of the Mackenzie, +Willis had had the misfortune to take a +false step among half-formed ice, and he and +his gun had fallen into deep water. The bigger part +of a day was given to the attempted salvaging of +that gun. But in the end the quest had to be relinquished.</p> + +<p>The gun was never seen again; and, though Jim +had good store of ammunition, he now had no +weapon of any sort or kind, save ax and whip. This +was the reason why the presence of large packs of +hungry wolves annoyed him and made him anxious +to reach a Peace River station as speedily as might +be. He carried a fair stock of moose-meat, but +accidents might happen, and in any case, apart from +the presence of hungry wolves in large numbers, no +man cares to be without weapons of precision in the +wilderness, for it is these which more than any +other thing give him his mastery over the predatory +of the wild.</p> + +<p>Just before three o'clock in an afternoon of still, +intense cold, when daylight was fading out, the +narrow devious watercourse whose frozen surface +had formed Willis's trail for many a mile, brought +him at last to a bend of the Peace River from which +he knew he could reach a settlement within four +or five days of good traveling. Therefore his arrival +at this point was of more interest and importance to +Willis than any ordinary camping halt. But it +struck him as curious that Jan should show the +interest he did show in it.</p> + +<p>"Seems like as if that blame dog knows everything," +he muttered as he saw Jan trotting to and +fro over the trail, his flews sweeping the trodden +snow with eager, questing gestures, his stern waving +as with excitement of some sort.</p> + +<p>"Surely there's been no game past this way," +thought Willis, "or them wolves would be on to the +scent of it pretty quick."</p> + +<p>He could hear his tireless escorts of the past week +yowling a mile or more away in the rear. Having +built and lighted a fire of pine-knots, he called the +dogs about him to be fed. Jan seemed disinclined +to answer the call, being still busily questing to and +fro. Willis had to call him separately and sternly.</p> + +<p>"You stay right here," he said, sharply. "This +ain't no place for hunting-excursions an' picnic-parties, +let me tell you. You're big an' husky, all +right, but the gentlemen out back there 'd make +no more o' downing an' eatin' you than if you was a +sody-cracker, so I tell ye now. They're fifty to one +an' hungry enough to eat chips."</p> + +<p>His ration swallowed, Jan showed an inclination +to roam again, though his team-mates, with ears +pricked and hackles rising in answer to the wolf-calls, +huddled about as near the camp-fire as they +dared.</p> + +<p>"H'm! 'Tain't jest like you to be contemplatin' +sooicide, neither; but it seems you've got some +kind of a hunch that way to-night. Come here, +then," said Willis. And he proceeded to tether +Jan securely to the sled, within a yard of his own +sleeping-place. "If I'd my old gun here, me +beauties," he growled, shaking his fist in the direction +from which he had come that day, "I'd give +some o' ye something to howl about, I reckon." +Then to Jan, "Now you lie down there an' stay +there till I loose ye."</p> + +<p>Obediently enough Jan proceeded to scoop out +his nest in the snow, and settle. But it was obvious +that he labored with some unusual interest; some +unseen cause of excitement.</p> + +<p>Next morning it seemed Jan had forgotten his +peculiar interest in the Peace River trail, his attention +being confined strictly to the customary routine +of harnessing and schooling the team.</p> + +<p>But two hours later he did a thing that Willis +had never seen him do before. He threw the team +into disorder by coming to an abrupt standstill in +mid-trail without any hint of an order from his +master. He was sniffing hard at the trail, turning +sharply from side to side, his flews in the snow, while +his nostrils avidly drank in whatever it was they +found there, as a parched dog drinks at a water-hole.</p> + +<p>"Mush on there, Jan! What ye playin' at?" cried +Willis.</p> + +<p>At the word of command Jan plunged forward +mechanically. But in the next moment he had +halted again and, nose in the snow, wheeled sharply +to the right, almost flinging on its side the dog immediately +behind him in the traces.</p> + +<p>For an instant Jim Willis wondered uncomfortably +if his leader had gone mad. He had known sudden +and apparently quite inexplicable cases of madness +among sled-dogs, and, like most others having any +considerable experience of the trail, he had more +than once had to shoot a dog upon whom madness +had fallen. At all events, before striding forward +to the head of his team Willis fumbled under the +lashings of the sled and drew out the long-thonged +dog-whip which for months now he had ceased to +carry on the trail, finding no use for it under Jan's +leadership of the team.</p> + +<p>A glance now showed the cause of Jan's abrupt +unordered right turn. Close to the trail Jim saw the +fresh remains of a camp-fire beside the deep marks +of a sled's runners.</p> + +<p>"Well, an' what of it?" said he to Jan, sharply. +"'Tain't the first time you've struck another man's +trail, is it? What 'n the nation ails ye to be so het +up about it, anyway?"</p> + +<p>And then, with his practised trailer's eyes he +began to examine these tracks himself.</p> + +<p>"H'm! Do seem kind o' queer, too," he muttered. +"The sled's a middlin'-heavy one, all right, only I +don't see but one dog's track here, and that's onusu'l. +Mus' be a pretty good husky, Jan, to shift +that load on his own—eh? But hold on! I reckon +there's two men slep' here. But there's only one +man's track on the trail, an' only one dog. Some +peculiar, I allow: but this here stoppin' and turnin' +an' playin' up is altogether outside the contrac', Jan. +Clean contr'y to discipline. Come, mush on there! +D'ye hear me? Mush on, the lot o' ye."</p> + +<p>It may be that, if he had had no reason for haste, +Jim Willis would have gone farther in the matter of +investigating Jan's peculiar conduct. As it was he +saw every reason against delay and no justification +for close study of a trail which he was desirous only +of putting behind him. As a result he carried his +whip for the rest of that day, and used it more often +than it had been used in all the months since he +first saw Jan. For, contrary to all habit and custom, +Jan seemed to-day most singularly indifferent to his +master's wishes, and yet not indifferent, either, to +these or to anything, but so much preoccupied with +other matters as to be neglectful of these.</p> + +<p>He checked frequently in his stride to sniff hard +and long at the trail. And after one or two of these +checks Jim Willis sent the end of his whip-thong +sailing through the keen air from his place beside +the sled clear into Jan's flank by way of reminder +and indorsement of his sharp, "Mush on there, Jan!"</p> + +<p>When a halt was called for camping, as the early +winter darkness set in, the unbelievable thing happened. +Jan, the first dog to be loosed, took one +long, ardent sniff at the trail before him and then +loped on ahead with never a backward glance for +master or team-mates.</p> + +<p>"Here, you, Jan! Come in here! Come right +in here! D'ye hear me? Jan! Jan! You crazy? +Come in here! Come—here!"</p> + +<p>Jim Willis flung all his master's authority into +the harsh peremptoriness of his last call. And Jan +checked in his stride as he heard it. Then the hound +shook his shoulders as though a whip-lash had +struck them, sniffed hard again at the trail, and +went on.</p> + +<p>Willis caused his whip to sing, and himself shouted +till he was hoarse. Jan, the perfect exemplar of +sled-dog discipline, apparently defied him. The big +hound was out of sight now.</p> + +<p>"Well!" exclaimed Willis as he turned to unharness +and feed his other dogs. And again, "Well!" And +then, after a pause: "Now I know you're plumb +crazy. But all the same—Well, it's got me properly +beat. Anyhow, crazy or no, I guess you're +meat just the same, an', by the great Geewhillikins! +you'll be dead meat, an' digested meat at that, before +you're an hour older, my son, if I know anything o' +wolves." Later, as he proceeded to thaw out his +supper, "Well, I do reckon that's a blame pity," +growled Willis to his fire, by way of epitaph. And +for Jim Willis that was saying a good deal.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXXV" id="XXXV"></a>XXXV</h2> + +<h3>THE END OF JAN'S LONE TRAIL</h3> + + +<p>With every stride in his solitary progress +along that dark trail Jan's gait and appearance +took on more of certitude and of swift concentration +upon an increasingly clear and definite +objective.</p> + +<p>Of the wolves in the neighborhood all save two +remained, uneasily ranging the neighborhood of the +trail to the rear of Willis's camp. As it seemed to +them, Jim Willis's outfit was a sure and safe quarry. +It represented meat which must, in due course, +become food for them. And so they did not wish +to leave it behind them, in a country bare of game.</p> + +<p>Two venturesome speculators from the pack had, +however, worked round to the front, one on either +side of the trail. And these were now loping silent +along, each sixty or seventy yards away, watching +Jan. Jan was conscious of their presence, as one is +conscious of the proximity of mosquitoes. He regarded +their presence neither more nor less seriously +than this. But he did not forget them. Now and +again one or other of them would close in to, perhaps, +twenty or thirty paces in a sweeping curve. Then +Jan's lip would writhe and rise on the side nearest +the encroaching wolf, and a long, bitter snarl of +warning would escape him.</p> + +<p>"If I hadn't got important business in hand, I'd +stop and flay you for your insolence," his snarl said. +"I'll do it now, if you're not careful. Sheer off!"</p> + +<p>And each time the wolf sheered off, in a sweeping +curve, still keeping the lone hound under careful +observation.</p> + +<p>Wolves are very acute judges; desperate fighters +for their lives and when driven by hunger, but at +no time really brave. If Jan had fallen by the way, +these two would have been into him like knives. +While he ran, exhibiting his fine powers, and snarled, +showing his fearlessness, no two wolves would tackle +him, and even the full pack would likely have trailed +him for miles before venturing an attack.</p> + +<p>But, however that might be, it is a fact that Jan +spared no more than the most occasional odd ends +of thought for these two silent, slinking watchers of +his trail. His active mind was concentrated upon +quite other matters, and was becoming more and +more set and concentrated, more absorbingly preoccupied +with every minute of his progress.</p> + +<p>A bloodhound judge who had watched Jan now +would have known that he no longer sniffed the +trail, as he ran, for guidance. The trail was too fresh +for that. He could have followed it with his nose +held high in the air. It was for the sheer joy it +brought him that he ran now with low-hanging +flews, drinking in the scent he followed. And because +of the warmth of the trail, Jan followed it at the +gallop, his great frame well extended to every stride.</p> + +<p>Of a sudden he checked. It was exactly as though +he had run his head into a noose on the end of a +snare line made fast to one of the darkling trees +which skirted his path on the right-hand side. Here +the scent which he followed left the trail almost at +right angles, turning into the wood.</p> + +<p>A moment more and Jan came into full view of a +camp-fire, beside which were a sled, a single dog, and +two men. But Jan saw no camp-fire, nor any other +thing than the track under his questing nose.</p> + +<p>The single dog by the sled leaped to its feet with +a growling bark. One of the two men stood up +sharply in the firelight, ordering his dog in to heel. +His eyes (full of wonder) lighted then on the approaching +figure of Jan, head down; and he reached +for his rifle where it lay athwart the log on which +he had been sitting.</p> + +<p>As Jan drew in, the other dog flew at his throat. +Without wasting breath upon a snarl, Jan gave the +husky his shoulder, with a jar which sent the poor +beast sprawling into the red flickering edge of the +fire. And in the same moment Jan let out a most +singular cry as he reared up on his hind feet, allowing +his fore paws, very gently and without pressure, +to rest on the man's chest.</p> + +<p>His cry had something of a bark in it, but yet was +not a bark. It had a good deal of a kind of crooning +whine about it, but yet was not a whine. It was +just a cry of almost overpowering joy and gladness; +and it was so uncannily different from any dog-talk +she had ever heard, that the singed and frightened +husky bitch by the fire stood gaping open-mouthed +to harken at it.</p> + +<p>And the man—long-practised discipline made him +lay down his gun, instead of dropping it; and then +he voiced an exclamation of astonishment scarcely +more articulate than Jan's own cry, and his two +arms swung out and around the hound's massive +shoulders in a movement that was an embrace.</p> + +<p>"Why, Jan—dear old Jan! Jan, come back to me—here! +Good old Jan!"</p> + +<p>It was with something strangely like a sob that +the bearded sergeant, Dick Vaughan, sank down to a +sitting position on the log, with Jan's head between +his hands.</p> + +<p>His beard was evidence of a longish spell on the +trail; and the weakness that permitted of his +catching his breath in a childlike sob—that was due, +perhaps, to solitude and the peculiar strain of his +present business on the trail, as well as to the great +love he felt for the hound he had thought lost to him +for ever.</p> + +<p>"How d'ye do, Devil! How d'ye do! We were +just hurryin' on for your place. Will ye take a drop +o' rye? I'm boss here. That's only my chore-boy +you're slobberin' over, Mister Devil. Eh, but it's +hunky down to Coney Island, ain't it?"</p> + +<p>These remarks came in a jerky sort of torrent +from the second man, one of whose peculiarities was +that his arms above the elbow were lashed with +leather thongs to his body. There were leather +hobbles about his ankles, and on the ground near by +him lay a pair of unlocked handcuffs, carefully +swathed in soft-tanned deerskin.</p> + +<p>Sergeant Dick Vaughan's companion may possibly +have accentuated the solitude in which he +traveled; such a companion could hardly have +mitigated it as a source of nervous strain, for he was +mad as a March hare. But there was nothing else +harelike about him, for he was homicidally mad, and +had killed two men and half killed a third before +Sergeant Vaughan laid hands upon him. And his was +not the only madness the sergeant had had to contend +with on this particular trip.</p> + +<p>A strong and overtried man's weakness is not a +thing that any one cares to enlarge upon, but without +offense it may perhaps be stated that tears +fell on the iron-gray hair of Jan's muzzle as he stood +there with his soft flews pressed hard against Dick +Vaughan's thigh. It seemed he wanted to bore right +into the person of his sovereign lord; he who had +never asked for any man's caress through all the +long months of wandering, toil, and hardship that +divided him from the Regina barracks. His nose +burrowed lovingly under Dick's coat with never a +thought of fear or of a trap, although, for many +months now, his first instinct had been to keep his +head free, vision clear, and feet to the ground, whatever +befell.</p> + +<p>"My old Jan! My dear old Jan!"</p> + +<p>Dick Vaughan paid no sort of heed to the jerky +maunderings of his poor demented charge. But +Jan did. Without stirring his head, Jan edged his +body away at right angles from the madman, and +the hair bristled over his shoulder-blades when the +man spoke.</p> + +<p>Jan did not know much about human ailments, +perhaps, but he had seen a husky go mad, and had +narrowly escaped being bitten by the beast before +Jim Willis had shot it. He did not think it out in +any way, but he was intuitively conscious that this +man was abnormal, irresponsible, unlike other men. +The homicidal devil was the force uppermost in this +particular man, and that naturally left no room for +emanations of the milk of human kindness and +goodness. Jan was instantly aware of the lack. In +effect he knew this man was killing-mad.</p> + +<p>But remarkable, nay unique, in his experience as +the contact was, Jan spared no thought for it. His +hackles rose a little and he edged away from the +madman, because instinct in him enforced so much. +For his mind and his heart they were filled to overflowing; +they were afloat on the flood-tide of his +consciousness of his sovereign's physical presence, +the touch of his body.</p> + +<p>The night was far spent when Dick Vaughan proceeded +to tether his prisoner as comfortably as +might be and to stretch himself in his blankets for +sleep. Jan may have slept a little that night, but +his eyes were never completely closed for more than +a minute at a stretch; and his muzzle, resting on his +paws, was never more than three feet from Dick's +head. It was to be noted, too, that he chose to lie +between Dick and the madman, although the proximity +of the latter was more than a little painful to +Jan.</p> + +<p>Toward morning, when the fire was practically +out, the husky bitch came timidly nosing about +Jan's neighborhood, and Jan breathed through his +nose at her in quite friendly fashion. But when she +happened to place one foot across the direct line in +which the hound watched his sovereign's face—then +Jan growled, so low and softly as not to waken Dick, +and yet with a significance which the husky instantly +comprehended and acted on.</p> + +<p>"Anywhere else you like, but not between my lord +and me, for he is mine, and I am his; not to be +divided."</p> + +<p>So said Jan's low, throaty growl. And the husky, +comprehending, withdrew, and dug herself a place in +the snow under Jan's lee, which, as the big hound +thought, was well and fittingly done. He gave the +bitch an approving glance from the tail of one eye.</p> + +<p>The pride of Jan, like his happiness, was just now +deep beyond all reach of plummets.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXXVI" id="XXXVI"></a>XXXVI</h2> + +<h3>"SO LONG, JAN!"</h3> + + +<p>The way in which Jan brought Jim Willis and +Dick Vaughan together that morning was notable +and strange.</p> + +<p>In finding Dick, Jan had found all he wanted in +life. But at the back of his mind was a sort of +duty thought which made it clear to him that he +must let Willis know about these things, if possible. +Willis had undoubted and very strong claims upon +the leader of his team, and Jan, at this stage of his +North American life and discipline, was not the dog +to ignore those claims. He wanted Jim Willis to +know. He desired absolution. And, short of letting +Dick out of his sight—a step which no threat or +inducement would have led him to take—Jan was +going to set this matter right.</p> + +<p>The outworking of his determination, in the first +place, caused a number of delays, and then, when by +affectionate play of one kind and another he could +no longer keep Dick from the trail, he set to work to +try and drag or seduce his lord back over his tracks +of the previous day. Now Dick was far too well +versed in doggy ways to make the mistake of supposing +that Jan was indulging mere wantonness. He +knew very well that Jan was not that sort of a +dog.</p> + +<p>"H'm! And then, again, old chap, as I said last +night, you can't have dropped from heaven upon the +trail beneath. There must be somebody else where +you've come from. I see the collar and trace marks +on your old shoulders—bless you! What would Betty +say to them, old son? So don't excite yourself. +We'll wait a bit and see what happens. I could do +with the help of a team, I can tell you, for my own +shoulder's bruised to the bone from the trace. You +take it from me, Jan, one man and one husky are no +sort of a team. No, sir, no sort of a team at all. +So sit down, my son, and let me fill a pipe."</p> + +<p>Naturally enough, Dick thought he waited as the +result of his own reflections, to see what things the +trail Jan had traveled by would bring forth. But, +all the same, he would not have waited but for Jan's +artful insistence on it. Sometimes, but not very +often, a dog acquires such guile in the world of civilization. +In the wild it comes easily and naturally, +even to animals having but a tithe of Jan's exceptional +intelligence and wealth of imagination.</p> + +<p>Dick Vaughan had not waited long there beside +the trail when his ears and Jan's caught the sound +of Jim Willis's voice and the singing of his whip. +Evidently, in the absence of their leader, Jan's team-mates +had not settled down very well to the day's +work. In the distance, away back on the trail, +could be heard now and again the howl of a wolf.</p> + +<p>Jim Willis showed no surprise when, in response to +a wave of Dick's hand, he drew up his team alongside +a R.N.W.M.P. man and his own missing team-leader. +Jim was not much given to showing surprise +in the presence of other men. He nodded his comprehension, +as Dick told the story of Jan's appearance +on the previous evening, and of his disappearance, +many months before, from Lambert's Siding in +Saskatchewan.</p> + +<p>"It's a bit of a miracle that I should find him +again—or he find me, rather—away up here, isn't +it?" said Dick.</p> + +<p>"Ah! Pretty 'cute sort of a dog, Jan," said the +laconic Jim.</p> + +<p>He was noting—one cannot tell with what queer +twinges, with what stirrings of the still deeps of his +nature—the fact that, while Jan lolled a friendly +tongue at him and waved his stern when Jim spoke, +he yet remained, as though tied, with his head at +Sergeant Vaughan's knee.</p> + +<p>The two men leaned against Jim's sled and exchanged +samples of tobacco while Dick briefly told +the tale of his travels, with his mad charge, from a +lonely silver-mining camp near the Great Slave Lake. +It seemed Dick had had some ground for fearing +that he had stumbled upon some horrible kind of +epidemic of madness in the lone land he had been +traversing. At all events, one of the team of seven +huskies with which he started had developed raging +madness within a day or so of the beginning of his +journey, and had had to be shot.</p> + +<p>"I couldn't find that the brute had bitten any of +the others, but next day two of 'em suddenly went +clean off, and they certainly did bite another pair +before I shot them. Next day I had to kill the +other pair, and was expecting every minute to see +the bitch, the only one left, break out. However, +she seems to have escaped it."</p> + +<p>Dick said nothing of the weary subsequent days +in which he himself had toiled hour after hour in the +traces, ahead of his one dog, with a maniac wrapped +in rugs and lashed on the sled-pack. But Jim +Willis needed no telling. He saw the trace-marks +all across the chest and shoulders of Dick's coat, +and he knew without any telling all about the +corresponding mark that must be showing on Dick's +own skin.</p> + +<p>"Well, say," he remarked, admiringly, "but you +do seem to 've bin up against it good an' hard."</p> + +<p>Very briefly, and as though the matter barely +called for mention, Dick explained, in answer to an +inquiry, why he had to make a dead burden of the +madman.</p> + +<p>It seemed that when first his team had been reduced +to one rather undersized dog he did arrange +for his charge to walk. And within an hour, having +cunningly awaited his opportunity, the demented +creature had leaped upon him from behind, exactly +as a wolf might, and fastened his teeth in Dick's +neck. That, though Dick said little of it, had been +the beginning of a strange and terrible struggle, of +which the sole observer was a single sled-dog.</p> + +<p>To and fro in the trampled snow the men had +swayed and fought for fully a quarter of an hour +before Dick had finally mastered the madman and +bound him hand and foot. He was a big man, of +muscular build, and madness had added hugely to his +natural capabilities as a fighter. Dick Vaughan's +bandaged neck, and his right thumb, bitten through +to the bone, would permanently carry the marks of +this poor wretch's ferocity in that lonely struggle +on the trail.</p> + +<p>"Don't seem right, somehow," was Jim Willis's +comment. "I guess I'd have had to put a bullet +into him."</p> + +<p>"Ah no; that wouldn't do at all," said Dick.</p> + +<p>He did not attempt to explain just why; and +perhaps he hardly could have done so had he tried, +for that would have involved some explanation of +the pride and the traditions of the force in which he +served, and those are things rarely spoken of by +those who understand them best and are most influenced +by them.</p> + +<p>"And where might you be making for now?" asked +Jim.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm bound for Edmonton. But since I got +down to this one little husky I'd thought of making +Fort Vermilion, to see if I could raise a team there."</p> + +<p>"Aye. Well, I was bound for steel at Edmonton, +too, an' I've bin reckoning on some such a place as +Fort Vermilion since I lost my gun," said Jim. +"I'm wholly tired o' makin' trail for these gentlemen +behind"—the howling of the wolves was still to be +heard pretty frequently—"without a shootin'-iron +of any kind at all."</p> + +<p>"It seems to me we're pretty well met, then," +said Dick, with a smile, "for I want what you've got, +and you want what I've got."</p> + +<p>"Well, I was kind o' figurin' on it that sort of a +way myself," admitted Jim. "If it suits you, I +guess we can make out to rub along on your Jan +an' my dogs right through to Edmonton."</p> + +<p>In the end the order of the march was arranged +thus: two of Jim Willis's dogs, with Jan to lead them, +were harnessed to Dick's sled, with the madman and +Dick's rugs for its load. The remainder of Dick's +pack was loaded on Jim's sled and drawn by Jim's +other three dogs, aided by the sole survivor of +Dick's team. And in this order a start was made +on the five-hundred-mile run to Edmonton.</p> + +<p>From the first Jim showed frankly that there was +to be no question as to Jan's ownership. He told +how Jock, back there on the edge of the North +Pacific, had informed him as to Jan's name and +identity from a picture seen in a newspaper. Then +Dick broached the question of how much he was to +pay for Jan, seeing clearly how just was the other +man's claim as lawful owner of the hound. Jim +laughed quietly at this.</p> + +<p>"Why, no," he said; "I haven't just come to makin' +dollars out of other folks' dog-stealin'. No, sir. +But it's true enough I have paid, in a way, for Jan; +an' I guess there's not another son of a gun in Canada, +but his rightful owner, with money enough to +buy the dog from me. I'd not've sold him. And +I'll not sell him now—because a sun-dried salmon +could see he's yours a'ready. But I'll tell you what: +I'm short of a gun, an' I've kinder taken a fancy to +this one o' yours—I reckon because I'd had such +a thirst on me for one before I struck your trail. +Jan is yours, anyway, but if you'd like to give me +your gun to remember ye by I'll say 'Thank you!'"</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm sorry, but I can't make out to give +you the gun, anyway," said Dick, "because it isn't +mine. It's an R.N.W.M.P. gun. But you wait +another day or two, my friend, and when we've +got shut of this gentleman in Edmonton"—with a +nod in the direction of the madman—"you and I +will give an hour or so to finding out the best gun +in the city; and when we've found it we'll have your +name engraved on it, and underneath, 'From Jan, +the R.N.W.M.P. hound, to the man who saved his +life.' I know you'll take a keepsake from Jan, boy."</p> + +<p>And so it was arranged. Jim would not hear of +any selling or buying of the hound; but in Edmonton, +where he sold his sled and team, preparatory +to taking train for the western seaboard, he accepted, +as gift from Jan, the best rifle Dick could +find, inscribed as arranged; and, as gift from Dick, +a photograph of himself and Jan together.</p> + +<p>Their parting was characteristic of life in the +North-west. Each man knew that in all human +probability he would never again set eyes upon the +other. Yet they parted as intimate friends; for +their coming together—again most typical of north-western +life—had been of the kind which leads +swiftly to close friendship—or to antipathy and +hostility.</p> + +<p>Dick, greatly impressed by the other man's solid +worth, urged upon him the claims of the R.N.W.M.P. +as offering a career for him.</p> + +<p>"For you," said Dick, "the work would all be +simple as print; plain sailing all the way."</p> + +<p>Jim Willis, like most northland men, had a very +real respect for the R.N.W.M.P., but he smiled +at the idea of joining the force.</p> + +<p>"But why?" asked Dick. "It would be such easy +work for you."</p> + +<p>"Aye, I'll allow the work wouldn't exactly hev +me beat," agreed Jim. "But—Oh, well I ain't +a Britisher, to begin with, an', what's more to the +p'int, a week in barracks 'd choke me."</p> + +<p>"But they'd be wise enough to keep you pretty +much on the trail; and you're at home there."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I guess the trail's about as near home as +I'll ever get, mebbe, but I'd have no sorter use for +it if I j'ined your bunch."</p> + +<p>"How's that?"</p> + +<p>"Well, now, I guess that 'd be kinder hard to +explain to you, Dick." (In the northland, between +men, it is always either Christian names or "Mister.") +"You see, we was raised different, you an' me; +an' what comes plum nateral to you would set me +kickin' like a steer, first thing I'd know. The trail +suits me, all right, yes. But I hit it when I want +to, an' keep off it when I'm taken that-a-way. +I'm only a poor man, but ther' isn't a millionaire in +America can buy the right to say 'Come here' or +'Go there' to me, Dick, an', what's more, ther' ain't +goin' to be, not while I can sit up an' eat moose. It's +mebbe not the best kind of an outfit; an', then again, +it's mebbe not jest the worst; but, any ol' way you +like, Dick, it's the only kind of an outfit I've got."</p> + +<p>Dick nodded sympathetically.</p> + +<p>"Why, yes, you can see it stickin' out all over. +Look at that little dust-up with the lun<i>at</i>ic. Well, +now, I should jest 've pumped that gentleman as +full o' lead as ever he'd hold. 'You'd bite me,' I'd +ha' said. 'Well, Mister Lun<i>at</i>ic,' I'd ha' said, 'I +count you no more 'n a mad husky; an' when I see +a mad husky, I shoot. So you take this,' I'd ha' +said, an' plugged him up good an' full. But for you—well, +I see how it is. He's a kind of a sacred duty, +an' all the like o' that. Yes, I know; only—only +I'm not built that kind of a way, ye see."</p> + +<p>And Jim was right, and Dick knew he was right. +As white and straight and true a man as any in the +north, and able to the tips of his fingers and toes, +but—but not the "kind of an outfit" for the R.N.W.M.P.</p> + +<p>And so they parted, on a hard hand-grip. And +to Jan Jim Willis gave a grim, appraising sort of a +stare, and (spoken very gruffly) these words:</p> + +<p>"Well, so long, Jan! The cards is yours, all +right, an' I guess you take the chips!"</p> + +<p>He did not touch the big hound as he spoke. +But then, despite their long and close association, +he never had touched Jan in the way of a caress.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXXVII" id="XXXVII"></a>XXXVII</h2> + +<h3>BACK TO REGINA</h3> + + +<p>Long before Sergeant Dick Vaughan—he was +always spoken of thus, by both his names—arrived +at the R.N.W.M.P. headquarters in +Regina news was received there of his strange +single-handed journey from the Great Slave Lake, +of the mad murderer, the mad dogs, of the sergeant's +own toil in the traces, and of his being tracked down +by Jan.</p> + +<p>The surgeon in Edmonton who attended to Dick's +badly wounded and poisoned neck and right thumb +happened to be a man with a strong sense of the +picturesque and a quite journalistic faculty for +visualizing incidents of a romantic or adventurous +nature.</p> + +<p>An <i>Edmonton Bulletin</i> reporter, in quest of a +"story" for his paper, had the good luck to corner +the surgeon in his consulting-room. The result took +the form of promotion for that reporter, following +upon publication in the <i>Bulletin</i> of a many-headed +three-column article which was quoted and reproduced +all up and down America. Summaries of the +"story" were cabled to Europe. Snap-shots of Dick +and Jan were obtained by enterprising pressmen in +Edmonton, and distributed quite profitably for +their owners to the ends of all the earth. Many +months afterward extracts and curiously garbled +versions of this northland Odyssey cropped up in +the news-sheets of Siam, the Philippines, Mauritius, +Paraguay, and all manner of odd places.</p> + +<p>Their London morning newspaper presented the +matter at some length to the Nuthill household and +to Dr. Vaughan in Sussex, while Dick and Jim Willis, +five or six thousand miles away, were choosing a +rifle to have Jan's name inscribed upon it.</p> + +<p>As a fact, the subject-matter of the story was sufficiently +striking in character, for in a temperature +of fifty below zero, with no other help than a little +undersized husky bitch can give, it is no small matter +for one man to drag a laden sled for twelve days +while looking after a maniac who has come very near +to killing him.</p> + +<p>To this was added the romantic recovery of the +famous "R.N.W.M.P. bloodhound," as Jan was +called; and that aspect of the business brought +special joy to the newspaper writers. To some +extent also, no doubt, it colored Dick's addition to +R.N.W.M.P. records, and caused that addition +to figure more strikingly than it might otherwise have +done in the archives of the corps.</p> + +<p>A quaint thing about it all was the fact that every +one else knew more about it than the two men most +concerned, for it happened that neither Dick +Vaughan nor Jim Willis had ever cultivated the +newspaper habit. Willis was hugely startled and +embarrassed, hundreds of miles away in Vancouver, +to find himself suddenly famous.</p> + +<p>In Edmonton Dick Vaughan presented a very +stern front to the snap-shooters because he conceived +the idea that he and Jan were being guyed in +some way. By the reporters he was presently given +up as hopeless, because he simply declined to tell +them anything. Their inquiries touched his professional +pride as a disciplined man, and they were +told that Dick could have nothing whatever to say +to them with regard to his official duties. But his +innocence made surprisingly little difference in the +long run. The surgeon's story was real journalistic +treasure-trove, the richest possible kind of mine for +ingenious writers to delve in; and after all the most +determined reticence in no way affects the working +of cameras.</p> + +<p>Withal, the welcome prepared for Dick and Jan +at Regina station was hardly less than alarming for +one of the two men in Canada and the United States +who had not read the newspapers.</p> + +<p>"You'll excuse my saying so, sir," explained Dick +in a flustered aside to Captain Arnutt, "but this is +the very devil of a business. I—surely I haven't +got to say anything!"</p> + +<p>The civilian crowd at the station was good-humoredly +shouting for a "speech," cameras were +clicking away like pom-poms, and the Regina pressmen +were gripping Dick almost savagely by either +arm, showing considerable personal bravery thereby, +for Jan growled very threateningly as their +hands touched the sergeant's tunic, and in common +humanity Dick was forced to grab the famous hound +by the neck and give him urgent orders to control +his wrath.</p> + +<p>As Dick subsequently explained to Captain Arnutt, +the thing struck him as the more awkward because, +having found Jan, he desired now to be allowed to +resign from the force, as he wanted to return to +England.</p> + +<p>"But, hang it, man! you've been gazetted a full +sergeant-inspector and—unofficially, of course—I'm +told we are only waiting word from Ottawa about +offering you commissioned rank."</p> + +<p>Dick shrugged his shoulders in comic despair. +His speech was finally delivered from the perilous +eminence of a booking-clerk's stool, an elevation +which Jan so gravely mistrusted that he felt impelled +to rise erect on his hind feet, placing both +fore paws beside his lord's raised heels, and thereby +providing the camera men with the most famous of +all the snap-shots yet obtained.</p> + +<p>The speech, as literally recorded in shorthand by +one of Regina's most promising young pressmen, if +not a very finished or distinguished effort, was +clearly a hardy and quick-growing production, since +it did eventually develop into a long half-column +in some newspapers, according to the unimaginative +and literal stenographic record aforementioned. It +was as follows:</p> + +<p>"It's very good of you fellows—er—Right you +are, sir! er—ladies and gentlemen!—But, really, +you know, I can't make a speech. It's no use. I—er—I'm +tremendously obliged to you all. What +you say is—er—well, the fact is I've only done what +any other man in the service would have done. +It's splendid to see you all again and—I <i>have</i> brought +back the Mounted Police Dog. Thank you!"</p> + +<p>And, according to the shorthand man, that was +all. But a generous sub-editorial fraternity understood +the speech differently; and newspaper readers +doubtless came to the conclusion that oratory must +now be added to the other accomplishments of the +versatile R.N.W.M.P.</p> + +<p>There were no embarrassing calls for speeches at +the barracks, but even there Dick (still closely attended +by Jan, upon whom one of the impressions +produced by his return to the complex conditions of +civilization was an anxious fear that his sovereign +lord would somehow be spirited away from him if he +ever let Dick out of his sight) was called upon to +face a raking fire of compliments from his commanding +officer, delivered in the presence of a full muster +of commissioned and non-commissioned ranks.</p> + +<p>"You have done your duty finely as a sergeant of +the Royal North-west Mounted Police, and, for us +who know what it means, I don't know that the +ablest man in the country can hope to earn higher +praise than that."</p> + +<p>Those were the chief's concluding words, and the +full-throated, if somewhat hoarse, cheer which they +elicited from the men assembled behind Dick and +Jan, as well as from the group beside the chief, had +the curious effect of filling Dick's eyes with moisture +of a sort that pricked most painfully, so that as he +came to the salute before retiring he saw the familiar +buildings in front of him but dimly, as through a +fog.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXXVIII" id="XXXVIII"></a>XXXVIII</h2> + +<h3>THE FALL OF SOURDOUGH</h3> + + +<p>Just before darkness fell that evening Captain +Arnutt called Dick from his quarters and asked +him to go for a stroll. Together, and closely followed +by Jan, they started. Before the barracks gate was +reached they were met by Sergeant Moore, with +Sourdough at his heels.</p> + +<p>Sourdough had aged a good deal during the past +year, but despite the twist in his near fore leg, which +caused him to limp slightly, the old dog still held +his own as despotic ruler of all the dogs in that +locality. But for a good many years he had done no +work of any kind, neither had he had any very +serious fighting or come in contact with northland +dogs. His swiftest movements would have +seemed clumsy and slow to the working husky, inured +to the comparative wildness of trace life in the +north. But his morose arrogance and ferocity had +suffered no diminution, as was shown by the fact +that he flew straight for Jan's throat directly he set +eyes on the big hound.</p> + +<p>"Call your dog off, Sergeant, or he'll be killed," +shouted Dick.</p> + +<p>Sergeant Moore spake no word. In his queer heart +intelligence of Dick's fame rankled bitterly, yet not +so bitterly as the fact of Jan's return to barracks. +His obsession made him certain in his own mind that +the redoubtable Sourdough could certainly kill any +dog. And so he spake no word while Sourdough +flew at Jan.</p> + +<p>And for Jan, as he caught sight in the gloaming +of his ancient enemy, his hackles had risen very +stiffly, his pendent lips had twitched ominously.</p> + +<p>Jan was perfectly well aware that the killing of +Sourdough or any other dog he had seen since his +return to cities would be a supremely easy matter +for him. Indeed it would be for almost any dog +having his experience of the wild. And having in +his simple dog mind no shadow of a reason for sparing +Sourdough, of all creatures that walked, one +may take it that Jan savored with some joyousness +the prospect of the killing which Sourdough's snarling +rush presented to him.</p> + +<p>He received that rush with a peculiar screwing +thrust of his left shoulder, the commonest trick +among fighting-dogs in the northland, but one for +which old Sourdough seemed totally unprepared, +since he made no apparent preparation to withstand +it, and as an inevitable consequence was rolled +clean over on his back by the force of his own +impetus, scientifically met.</p> + +<p>That, by all the rules in the northland game of +which Jan was a past-master, brought Sourdough +within seconds of his end. The throat was exposed; +the deadly underhold, given which no dog breathing +could evade Jan.</p> + +<p>And at that moment came Dick's voice in very +urgent and meaning exhortation:</p> + +<p>"Back, Jan! Don't kill him. He's too old. +Back—here—Jan!"</p> + +<p>Jan's jaws had parted for the killing grip. His +whole frame was perfectly poised for the thrust from +which no dog placed as Sourdough was could possibly +escape. A swift shudder passed through him as +though his sovereign's words reached him on a cold +blast, and, stiff-legged, wondering, his shoulder hair +all erect, and jaws still parted for the fray, Jan +stepped back to Dick's side.</p> + +<p>"You'll have to keep that old tough in to heel +if you mean to save him, Sergeant," said Captain +Arnutt. "You can't expect Jan to lie down to him. +Why don't you keep him in to heel, man?"</p> + +<p>The sergeant passed on, saluting, without a word. +Doubtless he had liefer far that Captain Arnutt +had hit him in the face. But, when all is said, no +words could hurt this curious monomaniac now, +after that which he had seen with his own eyes and +that which he now saw.</p> + +<p>Complete enlightenment had come to old Sourdough +in one fraction of a moment. In the moment +when he reached earth, on his back, flung there by +his impact with the calculated screwing thrust of +Jan's massive shoulder, Sourdough knew that his +day was over. He expected to die then and there, +and was prepared to die. Contact with Jan had +told him in a flash things which could not be written +in a page. He tasted in that moment the cold-drawn, +pitiless efficiency of the methods of the +northland wild, and realized that he could no more +stand against this new Jan than a lady's house-bred +lap-dog could have stood against himself. As his +feet left the ground his life was ended, as Sourdough +saw it.</p> + +<p>And then had come Jan's miraculous, shuddering +withdrawal, wholly inexplicable, chilling to the heart +in its uncanny unexpectedness. Sourdough mechanically +regained his footing, and then with low-hung +head, inward-curling tail, and crouching +shoulders he slunk away at the heel of his bitterly +disappointed master. The collapse of this old invincible +within a few seconds was a rather horrid +sight and a very strange and startling one.</p> + +<p>From that hour Sourdough was never again seen +in the precincts of the R.N.W.M.P. barracks, and, +though many people puzzled over the old dog's +disappearance, none ever knew what became of him. +The sergeant had been for some time entitled to +retire from the service. That night he obtained his +commanding officer's permission to do so.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XXXIX" id="XXXIX"></a>XXXIX</h2> + +<h3>HOW JAN CAME HOME</h3> + + +<p>Captain Arnutt proved himself a friend +indeed to Dick Vaughan. Once he had come +to understand the position, he fully sympathized +with Dick's wish to leave the service at once and +return to England. That sympathy he proceeded +forthwith to translate into action, and within the +month Sergeant-Inspector Dick Vaughan had received +his discharge and booked his passage—with +Jan's—for England.</p> + +<p>Despite his elation over the prospect before him, +Dick found the actual parting with his comrades in +Regina a good deal of a wrench. They were fond +of him, and of Jan, and proud of both. And Dick +found when the packing was over and valedictory +remarks begun that these men had entered pretty +deeply into his life and general scheme of things.</p> + +<p>They were good fellows all, these hard, spare, long-limbed +riders of the plains, and they and the +North-west had made of the Dick who was now bidding +them good-by a man radically different in a +hundred ways from the careless, irresponsible, light-hearted +Dick who had come to them a few years +back direct from kindly, indulgent Sussex.</p> + +<p>Dick had become a fit and proper part of his +western environment and had "made good" in it, +as the saying is. We most of us like doing that +which we do well. Dick's mature and able manhood +had come to him in the West. He would never +lose it now, however far eastward he might travel. +But—the West and the good folk tugged pretty hard +at his heart-strings, as from the rear platform of his +car on the east-bound train he watched the waving +stiff-brimmed hats of his comrades, and a little later +the last of the roofs of Saskatchewan's capital fading +out in the distance.</p> + +<p>Hard land as many have found it, hard though it +had been in many ways for Dick, the North-west +had forced its bracing, stimulating spirit into his +being and made him the man he was, just so surely +as the northland wilderness had made of Jan the +wonderful hound he now was.</p> + +<p>And Dick left it all with a swelling heart; not +unwillingly, because he was going to a great promised +happiness, but with a swelling heart none the +less, and a kind of mistiness of vision, due in great +measure to the real respect, the sincere gratitude +he felt toward the land and life and people who +had helped him to make of himself a very much +bigger and better man than any previous efforts of +his had promised to evolve out of the same material +in Sussex, for example.</p> + +<p>Winter ruled still in the land, and so the actual +seaboard—Halifax—and not the big St. Lawrence +port, was rail-head for Dick and Jan. But for Jan +the enforced confinement of the journey was greatly +softened by regular daily visits from his lord. And +in Halifax two and a half days of almost unbroken +companionship awaited them before their steamer +left.</p> + +<p>This homeward journey was a totally different +matter for Jan from the outward trip. It was true +he gave no thought to England as yet. But he +perfectly understood the general idea of travel. He +knew that he and his lord were on a journey together, +that certain temporary separations were an unavoidable +feature of this sort of traveling, and that, the +journey done, the two of them would come together +again. The sum of Jan's knowledge, his reasoning +powers, and his faculties of observation and deduction +were a hundredfold greater now than at the +time of his departure from England.</p> + +<p>Jan loathed the close confinement of his life at +sea, but he did not rebel against it, neither was he +cast down by it. He knew that it was to be no +more than a brief interlude, and he understood quite +well that though, unfortunately, men-folk had so +arranged things that he must be kept out of sight of +his sovereign, save during those daily intervals of +delight in which Dick visited him in his house +beside the butcher's shop, yet his lord was in the +same vessel with him, at no great distance from him, +and bound with him for the one destination. He +knew that he and Dick were traversing the one trail.</p> + +<p>And sure enough the morning came at length, +after all their shared divagations since the night of +meeting beside the Peace River trail, when Jan +stood beside his lord again, under the open sky and +on the steamer's boat-deck, watching the rapidly +nearing shores of England.</p> + +<p>Many pictures were passing through Jan's mind, +some inspired by memory of the tense, strenuous +life he had left behind him in the northland, but a +larger number having for background and subjects +scenes that he remembered in his old life in Sussex-by-the-Sea.</p> + +<p>The steamer was in yellow tidal waters now, with +land close in all about her. As Jan reached the +open deck he had drawn in first one and then another +and another long, tremulous, deep breaths which, +passing through the infinitely delicate test-tubes of +his wonderful nostrils, recorded in his brain impressions +more vivid and accurate than any that vision +could supply to him.</p> + +<p>In this air, incalculably more soft and humid than +any he had breathed for many a long day, were +subtly distinctive qualities that were quite easily +recognized by Jan. Well he knew now the meaning +of this voyaging. Well he knew that this was +England. It was this knowledge made him lift his +muzzle and touch Dick's left hand with his tongue. +The other hand held binoculars through which Dick +was gazing fixedly at the line of wharfs they were +approaching.</p> + +<p>"Well, old chap," said he, in answer to the meaning +touch. "You know all about it, eh? I believe +you do; begad, I quite believe you do. Well, see +if you can understand this: On the wharf there, +where we shall be in a few minutes, there's old Finn, +your sire, waiting, and the Pater and the Master, +and—and there's Betty, Jan, boy, there's sweet +Betty standing there, and she's waiting for you and +me. She's waiting there for us, Jan, boy, and we're +never going away from her again, old chap—never, +as long as ever we live."</p> + +<p>And if Jan did not understand it all just then +he did very soon afterward, when he felt Betty +Murdoch's arms about his neck, and lordly gray +old Finn was sniffing and nuzzling friendly-wise +about his flanks.</p> + +<p>Jan fully understood then that after all his far +wanderings he had at the last of it come home.</p> + + +<h3>THE END</h3> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Jan, by A. J. 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