按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
hard…repressed emotion in a thoroughbred collie； but he gave no other
manifestation that he knew any one was there。
〃Well； I'll be blessed！〃 snickered the Missourian in high derision； as
Bruce passed out of sight around an angle of the trench。 〃So that's the pup
who is such a pal of you fellows； is he？ Gee； but it was a treat to see how
tickled he was to meet you again！〃
To the rookie's amazement none of his hearers seemed in the least
chagrined over the dogs chilling disregard of them。 Instead； Mahan
actually grunted approbation。
60
… Page 61…
Bruce
〃He'll be back；〃 prophesied the Sergeant。 〃Don't you worry。 He'll be
back。 We ought to have had more sense than try to stop him when he's on
duty。 He has better discipline than the rest of us。 That's one of very first
things they teach a courier…dogto pay no attention to anybody； when he's
on dispatch duty。 When Bruce has delivered his message to the K。O。； he'll
have the right to hunt up his chums。 And no one knows it better'n Bruce
himself。〃
〃It was a sina thoughtlessnessof me to hold the sugar at him；〃 said
old Vivier。 〃Ah； but he is a so good soldier； ce brave Bruce！ He look not to
the left nor yet to the right； nor yet to the so…desired sugar…lump。 He keep
his head at attention！ All but the furry tips of his ears。 Them he has not yet
taught to be good soldiers。 They tremble； when he smell the sugar and the
good soup…bone。 They quiver like the little leaf。 But he keep on。 He… …〃
There was a scurry of fast…cantering feet。 Around the angle of the
trench dashed Bruce。 Head erect； soft dark eyes shining with a light of gay
mischief； he galloped up to the grinning Sergeant Vivier and stood。 The
dog's great plume of a tail was wagging violently。 His tulip ears were
cocked。 His whole interest in life was fixed on the precious lump of sugar
which Vivier held out to him。
From puppyhood； Bruce had adored lump sugar。 Even at The Place；
sugar had been a rarity for him； for the Mistress and the Master had known
the damage it can wreak upon a dog's teeth and digestion。 Yet； once in a
while； as a special luxury； the Mistress had been wont to give him a
solitary lump of sugar。
Since his arrival in France； the dog had never seen nor scented such a
thing until now。 Yet he did not jump for the gift。 He did not try to snatch it
from Vivier。 Instead； he waited until the old Frenchman held it closer
toward him； with the invitation：
〃Take it； mon vieux！ It is for you。〃
Then and then only did Bruce reach daintily forward and grip the
grimy bit of sugar between his mighty jaws。 Vivier stroked the collie's
head while Bruce wagged his tail and munched the sugar and blinked
gratefully up at the donor。 Mahan looked on； enviously。 〃A dog's got forty…
two teeth； instead of the thirty… two that us humans have to chew on；〃
61
… Page 62…
Bruce
observed the Sergeant。 〃A vet' told me that once。 And sugar is bad for all
forty…two of 'em。 Maybe you didn't know that； Monsoo Vivier？ Likely； at
this rate； we'll have to chip in before long and buy poor Brucie a double
set of false teeth。 Just because you've put his real ones out of business with
lumps of sugar！〃
Vivier looked genuinely concerned at this grim forecast。 Bruce
wandered across to the place where the donor of the soup…bone brandished
his offering。 Other men； too； were crowding around with gifts。
Between petting and feeding； the collie spent a busy hour among his
comrades…at…arms。 He was to stay with the 〃Here…We…Comes〃 until the
following day； and then carry back to headquarters a reconnaissance
report。
At four o'clock that afternoon the sky was softly blue and the air was
unwontedly clear。 By five o'clock a gentle India…summer haze blurred the
world's sharper outlines。 By six a blanket…fog rolled in； and the air was
wetly unbreatheable。 The fog lay so thick over the soggy earth that objects
ten feet away were invisible。
〃This；〃 commented Sergeant Mahan； 〃is one of the times I was talking
about this morningwhen eyes are no use。 This is sure the country for fogs；
in war…time。 The cockneys tell me the London fogs aren't a patch on 'em。〃
The 〃Here…We…Comes〃 were encamped； for the while； at the edge of a
sector from whence all military importance had recently been removed by
a convulsive twist of a hundred…mile battle…front。 In this dull hole…in…a…
corner the new…arrived rivets were in process of welding into the more
veteran structure of the mixed regiment。
Not a quarter…mile awayacross No Man's Land and athwart two
barriers of barbed wirelay a series of German trenches。 Now； in all
probability； and from all outward signs； the occupants of this boche
position consisted only of a regiment or two which had been so badly cut
up； in a foiled drive； as to need a month of non…exciting routine before
going back into more perilous service。
Yet the commander of the division to which the 〃Here…We…Comes〃
were attached did not trust to probabilities nor to outward signs。 He had
been at the front long enough to realize that the only thing likely to happen
62
… Page 63…
Bruce
was the thing which seemed unlikeliest。 And he felt a morbid curiosity to
learn more about the personnel of those dormant German trenches。
Wherefore he had sent an order that a handful of the 〃Here…We…
Comes〃 go forth into No Man's Land； on the first favorable night； and try
to pick up a boche prisoner or two for questioning… purposes。 A scouring
of the doubly wired area between the hostile lines might readily harvest
some solitary sentinel or some other man on special duty； or even the
occupants of a listening…post。 And the division commander earnestly
desired to question such prisoner or prisoners。 The fog furnished an ideal
night for such an expedition。
Thus it was that a very young lieutenant and Sergeant Mahan and ten
privatesthe lanky Missourian among themwere detailed for the