登陆注册
15728000000003

第3章

In some strange way that no dog could understand, Bobby had been separated from Auld Jock that November morning.The tenant of Cauldbrae farm had driven the cart in, himself, and that was unusual.Immediately he had driven out again, leaving Auld Jock behind, and that was quite outside Bobby's brief experience of life.Beguiled to the lofty and coveted driver's seat where, with lolling tongue, he could view this interesting world between the horse's ears, Bobby had been spirited out of the city and carried all the way down and up to the hilltop toll-bar of Fairmilehead.

It could not occur to his loyal little heart that this treachery was planned nor, stanch little democrat that he was, that the farmer was really his owner, and that he could not follow a humbler master of his own choosing.He might have been carried to the distant farm, and shut safely in the byre with the cows for the night, but for an incautious remark of the farmer.With the first scent of the native heather the horse quickened his pace, and, at sight of the purple slopes of the Pentlands looming homeward, a fond thought at the back of the man's mind very naturally took shape in speech.

"Eh, Bobby; the wee lassie wull be at the tap o' the brae to race ye hame."Bobby pricked his drop ears.Within a narrow limit, and concerning familiar things, the understanding of human speech by these intelligent little terriers is very truly remarkable.At mention of the wee lassie he looked behind for his rough old friend and unfailing refuge.Auld Jock's absence discovered, Bobby promptly dropped from the seat of honor and from the cart tail, sniffed the smoke of Edinboro' town and faced right about.

To the farmer's peremptory call he returned the spicy repartee of a cheerful bark.It was as much as to say:

"Dinna fash yersel'! I ken what I'm aboot."After an hour's hard run back over the dipping and rising country road and a long quarter circuit of the city, Bobby found the high-walled, winding way into the west end of the Grassmarket.To a human being afoot there was a shorter cut, but the little dog could only retrace the familiar route of the farm carts.It was a notable feat for a small creature whose tufted legs were not more than six inches in length, whose thatch of long hair almost swept the roadway and caught at every burr and bramble, and who was still so young that his nose could not be said to be educated.

In the market-place he ran here and there through the crowd, hopefully investigating narrow closes that were mere rifts in precipices of buildings; nosing outside stairs, doorways, stables, bridge arches, standing carts, and even hob-nailed boots.He yelped at the crash of the gun, but it was another matter altogether that set his little heart to palpitating with alarm.It was the dinner-hour, and where was Auld Jock?

Ah! A happy thought: his master had gone to dinner!

A human friend would have resented the idea of such base desertion and sulked.But in a little dog's heart of trust there is no room for suspicion.The thought simply lent wings to Bobby's tired feet.As the market-place emptied he chased at the heels of laggards, up the crescent-shaped rise of Candlemakers Row, and straight on to the familiar dining-rooms.Through the forest of table and chair and human legs he made his way to the back, to find a soldier from the Castle, in smart red coat and polished boots, lounging in Auld Jock's inglenook.

Bobby stood stock still for a shocked instant.Then he howled dismally and bolted for the door.Mr.John Traill, the smooth-shaven, hatchet-faced proprietor, standing midway in shirtsleeves and white apron, caught the flying terrier between his legs and gave him a friendly clap on the side.

"Did you come by your ainsel' with a farthing in your silky-purse ear to buy a bone, Bobby? Whaur's Auld Jock?"A fear may be crowded back into the mind and stoutly denied so long as it is not named.At the good landlord's very natural question "Whaur's Auld Jock?" there was the shape of the little dog's fear that he had lost his master.With a whimpering cry he struggled free.Out of the door he went, like a shot.He tumbled down the steep curve and doubled on his tracks around the market-place.

At his onslaught, the sparrows rose like brown leaves on a gust of wind, and drifted down again.A cold mist veiled the Castle heights.From the stone crown of the ancient Cathedral of St.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 灭世黄昏

    灭世黄昏

    天痕现,众神归,乱世到,王者出。神王转世,众神回归,绝世红颜伴左右,生死兄弟相追随,众多位面内他们将何去何从?平平淡淡逍遥一世?还是除尽阻碍登临巅峰坐实神王之名!
  • 某科学的狂战异界生活

    某科学的狂战异界生活

    依然是玩DNF的人穿越到异界带了游戏里道具技能的故事,只不过这个狂战士还带了职业模板可以分享给其他人哦。主角一个大崩秒一群?别闹,这个世界变态很多,大崩和魔狱血刹真的不算什么,上挑霸体?呵呵,抓头无敌?别闹了。随身带一堆神器?好!我给你,先自己找能承载神器力量的武器过来,我给你附魔,一件武器附魔N多属性?碎了我可不负责。强化炉?强化出无视防御的攻击力?你确定你那些垃圾可以承受绝对伤害所带来的压力吗?这可不是游戏,强化的机会只有一次,没有成功率,能承受就能一步成神,不能承受你就乖乖破碎,强化就是分解。男主:“我承认是现在的你比较叼!”
  • 鸡肋

    鸡肋

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 异世猛人

    异世猛人

    浩瀚宇宙、朗朗乾坤!段云不知如何而穿越。无奈明白长生之谜!踏上修行之路!本欲一世癫狂,一世执垮!岂料世间不公、天道可欺!踏上了与天比高,与世为敌的逆天斗争之路!
  • 全能相师

    全能相师

    逆天小道士许乾携相术、道法神通穿越而来,任你腹黑、高冷,绿茶、心机,皆能一眼看破。相世人、观风水、诛妖邪,都市携美,一步步走上世人巅峰。凭借无上秘法,纵横天下,傲视王侯!“大师,求您帮我看下吧!”“贫道法眼一睁,就知道你是个二货!”
  • 穿越异世我的兽夫很奇葩

    穿越异世我的兽夫很奇葩

    她21世纪,国际名医,司徒家视作掌上珍宝的大小姐,意外穿越,却成了毫无灵力的废柴就算没有我也能给你修炼出来了就算不行,凭着一身杀手技巧我也能虐你千百遍无压力,不过谁能告诉她这是来到动物园了吗狐狸?银狼?怎么都成精了。说好的邪魅狐狸呢,怎么那么像小受。说好的威武银狼呢,这是小狗吧,更多兽兽,请待下回分解
  • 为你QQ在线

    为你QQ在线

    女孩林安九岁那年偶尔注册了一个QQ账号,唯一一次登陆后再也没有上过,多年以后家中遭遇变故,她随母亲回到了原来的家,儿时的一切还在,她打开家里的旧电脑,一个五位数的QQ账号跳了出来······
  • 处女座恋爱之王俊凯

    处女座恋爱之王俊凯

    王俊凯,王源,易烊千玺认识了三个女孩。但是他们的爱情之路屡遭阻碍。结局会怎样?是好是坏,敬请期待!想看可以捧场,不想看别看,我不逼你,别在评论区骂人。作者QQ。2962562015
  • 那一场冬雪

    那一场冬雪

    故事发生在龙渊帝国的南华第一家族陆家三少陆无修身上。全文主要格调是低调装逼。
  • 闲话遮天之绝代狠人

    闲话遮天之绝代狠人

    不为成仙只为在红尘中等你归来狠人大帝的传奇人生向遮天致敬