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mildly surprised at the brevity of his call； Ferris explained that he was
going across to the store to get his check cashed and that he would be back
later。
Whereat the proprietor kindly offered to save Link the journey by
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cashing the check for him； a suggestion Ferris gladly accepted。 He passed
the indorsed check across the bar and received for it a comfortably large
wad of wilted greenbacks which he proceeded to intern with tender care
in an inside pocket of his vest； where he moored them with a safety…pin。
Then he ordered another drink。
But to this new order there was an instant demurrer。 Two strangers；
who had been drinking at a corner table； bore down upon Link right
lovingly； and recalled themselves to his memory as companions of his on
a quite forgotten debauch of a year or two back。
Link did not at all remember either of the two。 But then he often failed
to recall people he had met on a spree； and he did not like to hurt these
cordial revelers' feelings by disclaiming knowledge of them。 Especially
when they told him merrily that； for this evening at least； his money was
made of wood and that he must be their guest。
Never before had he met with such wholesouled hospitality。 One drink
followed another with gratifying speed。 Once or twice Ferris made
halfhearted proffers to do some of the buying。 But such hints seemed to
hurt his hosts' feelings so cruelly that he forbore at last； and suffered
himself to drink entirely at their expense。
They were much the nicest men Link had ever met。 They flattered him。
They laughed uproariously at his every witticism。 They had a genius for
noting when his glass was empty。 They listened with astonished
admiration to his boastful recital of Chum's cleverness。 One of them； who；
it seemed； was an expert in dog lore； told him how to teach the collie to
shake hands and to lie down and to 〃speak。〃 They were magnificent men；
in every way。 Link was ashamed to have forgotten his earlier meetings
with such paragons。
But the call of duty never quite dies into silence。 And finally Link
remembered he had still his store bill to pay and his supplies to order。 So
he announced that he must go。 The store； he knew； closed at nine。 He
looked up at the barroom clock。 But its face was hazy and it seemed to
have a great many hands。 There was no use trying to learn the hour from
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so dissolute a timepiece。
His two friends persuaded him to have one more drink。 Then they
volunteered to go across to the store with him。 He left the tavern； with one
of the two walking on either side of him。 He was glad to be in the center of
the trio； for； as the night air struck him； he became unaccountably dizzy。
His friends' willing arms were a grand support to his wavering legs。
On the unlighted threshold of the tavern Link stumbled heavily over
somethingsomething that had been lying there and that sprang eagerly
toward him as he debouched from the doorway。 The reason he stumbled
over it was that the creature； which had bounded so rapturously toward
him； had come to a sharp halt at noting his condition。 Thus； Ferris
stumbled over it； and would have fallen but for the aid of his friends。
The single village street was pitch black。 Not a light was to be seen。
This puzzled Link； who had no means of knowing that the time was close
on midnight。 He started toward the store。 At least that was the direction he
planned to take。 But when； at the end of five minutes； he found he was
outside the village and on a narrow road that bordered the lake； he saw his
friends had mistaken the way。 He stopped abruptly and told them so。
One of them laughed； as if Link had said something funny。 The other
did something quickly with one foot and one arm。 Ferris's legs went from
under him。 The jar of his fall shook from him a fraction of his drunkenness；
and it gave him enough sense to realize that the man who had laughed was
trying to unfasten the pinned inner pocket of the fallen man's vest。
Now for years that pocket had been the secret repository of Link
Ferris's sparse wealth。 The intruder's touch awakened him to a drowsy
sense of peril。 He thrust aside the fumbling hand and made a herculean
effort to rise。
At this show of resistance his two comrades； as by concerted signal；
threw themselves upon him。 With a yell of angry fright Link collapsed to
earth under the dual impact。
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CHAPTER II。 The Battle
He felt one of the men pinion his waving arms； while the other
crouched on his legs and proceeded to unpin the money pocket。 Ferris
struggled for an instant in futile fury； trying to shout for help。 The call was
strangled in his throat。 But the help came to him； none the less。
Scarce three seconds had passed since the attempt to rob him had set
Link into action and had wrung from him that yell of consternation。
But in answer came a swirling patter of feet on the road； a snarl like a
wolf's； a shape that catapulted through the dark。 Sixty pounds of fur…
swathed dynamic muscle smote athwart the shoulders of the man who was
unfastening the cash pocket's pin。
The impact hurled the fellow clean off his crouching balance and sent
him sprawling； face downward； his outflung hands splashing in the margin
of the lake。 Before he could roll over or so much as stir； a set of white
fangs met in his shoulder…flesh。 And he testified to his injury by an eldritch
screech of pain and terror that echoed far across the water。
His companion； rallying from the momentary shock； left Ferris and
charged at the prostrate thief's assailant。 But Chum met him； with a fierce
eagerness； more than half way。
A true colliethanks to his strain of wolf bloodfights as does no other
dog。 What he lacks in stubborn determination he atones for by swiftness
and by his uncanny brain power。
A bulldog； for example； would have flown to his master's relief quite
as readily as