Dogs -- Juvenile fiction; Ranch life -- Juvenile fiction
Above them, lurching far over the edge of the bench, Treve tugged and
struggled roaringly to free himself and to join in the carnage. Foam
spattered from his back-writhen lips. Added to his own hate of Colt was
the fact that this man was fighting with Fenno, whom the dog loved.
With all his weight and all his might be strove to break free from his
chain. A hundred dogs added their din to his.
All at once, the bystanders stirred from their momentary trance of
amaze. As crowds came running to the scene of strife, fifty hands
dragged Joel away from his enemy and lifted him, yelling and twisting,
to his feet. Others helped Fraser Colt to rise. Still others hung
officiously to the arms of both combatants, to prevent a resumption of
warfare. Scores of voices vociferated and questioned and babbled. Every
dog in the show took up the racket, with full-throated barks and howls.
Every human jabbered. No human could be heard.
Presently, into the ruck, two policemen shouldered their way; followed
by the show’s superintendent. Out of the myriad simultaneous efforts
at explanation and accusation, the police could gather only that a
lantern-jawed old rancher had committed flagrant assault and battery
upon Mr. Fraser Colt, a man well known to dozens present and vouched
for by the superintendent. The rancher, presumably, was either drunk
or insane.
His first madness dissipated, Joel stood trembling and sick; scared to
the point of horror at what he had let himself in for; yet furious as
ever at the assailant of his collie.
A policeman ended the uproar by taking hold of Joel’s collar and
propelling him through the milling crowd to the door of the armory
and thence out into the street, where a commandeered automobile bore
captive and captor to the police station a mile away.
Twice, on his forced progress through the armory and once during the
horrible station-ward drive, Fenno tried to plead with the officer to
let him make some arrangement for the comfort of his dog, before going
to jail. But the policeman, every time, shut him up and would not let
him speak.
Joel sank down in a miserable and all but sobbing heap on the slat
bed of his cell. Not for himself was his woe. He foresaw a long jail
sentence. In the meantime, what was to become of Treve? Who would feed
him? Who would see he got back to the ranch? At the close of the show,
would the beautiful collie be thrust out into the streets of this
strange city, a hundred miles from home; to fend for himself--he who
had always been so well cared for?
Worse yet, would he fall into the hands of the man who had kicked
him--the man who seemed all-powerful there at the show--the man who had
secured Fenno’s arrest and who had, himself, gone scot free? He had
kicked the collie; in the presence of Fenno. What might he not do to
luckless Treve, now there was no one to protect the dog?
At the searing thought of his chum’s defenselessness, Joel groaned
aloud, rocking back and forth on his hard seat.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account