bruce- 第15部分

ungodly　racket　and　turmoil。　Stumbling；　reeling；　blindly　falling

and　rising　again；　they　came　on。



Some　one　among　them　loosed　a　rifle…shot　in　the　general　direction

of　the　yelling。　A　second　and　a　third　German　rifleman　followed　the

example　of　the　first。　From　the　distant　American　trenches；　one　or

two　snipers　began　to　pepper　away　toward　the　enemy　lines；　though

the　fog　was　too　thick　for　them；　to　see　the　German　rifle…flashes。



The　boches　farthest　to　the　left；　in　the　blind　rush；　fouled　with

the　wires。　German　snipers；　from　behind　the　Hun　parapets；　opened

fire。　A　minute　earlier　the　night　had　been　still　as　the　grave。　Now

it　fairly　vibrated　with　clangor。　All　because　one　rookie's　nerves

had　been　less　staunch　than　his　courage；　and　because　that　same

rookie　had　not　only　had　his　hand　stepped　on　in　the　dark；　but　had

encountered　something　swirling　and　hairy　when　he　grabbed　for　the

soldier　who　had　stepped　on　him！





The　American　lieutenant；　at　the　onset　of　the　clamor；　sprang　to

his　feet；　whipping　out　his　pistol；　his　dry　lips　parted　in　a

command　to　chargea　command　which；　naturally；　would　have　reduced

his　eleven　men　and　himself　to　twelve　corpses　or　to　an　equal

number　of　mishandled　prisoners　within　the　next　few　seconds。　But　a

big　hand　was　clapped　unceremoniously　across　the　young　officer's

mouth；　silencing　the　half…spoken　suicidal　order。



Sergeant　Mahan's　career　in　the　regular　army　had　given　him　an

almost　uncanny　power　of　sizing　up　his　fellowmen。　And　he　had　long

ago　decided　that　this　was　the　sort　of　thing　his　untried

lieutenant　would　be　likely　to　do；　in　just　such　an　emergency。

Wherefore　his　flagrant　breach　of　discipline　in　shoving　his　palm

across　the　mouth　of　his　superior　officer。



And　as　he　was　committing　this　breach　of　discipline；　he　heard　the

Missourian's　strangled　gasp　of：



〃Why　didn't　anybody　ever　tell　me　Germans　was　covered　with　fur？〃



In　a　flash　Mahan　understood。　Wheeling；　he　stooped　low　and　flung

out　both　arms　in　a　wide…sweeping　circle。　Luckily　his　right　hand's

fingertips；　as　they　completed　the　circle；　touched　something

fast…moving　and　furry。



〃Bruce！〃　he　whispered　fiercely；　tightening　his　precarious　grip　on

the　wisp　of　fur　his　fingers　had　touched。　〃Bruce！　Stand　still；

boy！　It's　YOU　who's　got　to　get　us　clear　of　this！　Nobody　else；

short　of　the　good　Lord；　can　do　it！〃



Bruce　had　had　a　pleasantly　lazy　day　with　his　friends　in　the

first…line　trenches。　There　had　been　much　good　food　and　more

petting。　And　at　last；　comfortably　tired　of　it　all；　he　had　gone　to

sleep。　He　had　awakened　in　a　most　friendly　mood；　and　a　little

hungry。　Wherefore　he　had　sallied　forth　in　search　of　human

companionship。　He　found　plenty　of　soldiers　who　were　more　than

willing　to　talk　to　him　and　make　much　of　him。　But；　a　little

farther　ahead；　he　saw　his　good　friend；　Sergeant　Mahan；　and　others

of　his　acquaintances；　starting　over　the　parapet　on　what　promised

to　be　a　jolly　evening　stroll。



All　dogs　find　it　hard　to　resist　the　mysterious　lure　of　a　walk　in

human　companionship。　True；　the　night　was　not　an　ideal　one　for　a

ramble；　and　the　fog　had　a　way　of　congealing　wetly　on　Bruce's

shaggy　coat。　Still；　a　damp　coat　was　not　enough　of　a　discomfort　to

offset　the　joy　of　a　stroll　with　his　friends。　So　Bruce　had

followed　the　twelve　men　quietly　into　No　Man's　Land；　falling

decorously　into　step　behind　Mahan。



It　had　not　been　much　of　a　walk；　for　speed　or　for　fun。　For　the

humans　went　ridiculously　slowly；　and　had　an　eccentric　way　of

bunching　together；　every　now　and　again；　and　then　of　stringing　out

into　a　shambling　line。　Still；　it　was　a　walk；　and　therefore　better

than　loafing　behind　in　the　trenches。　And　Bruce　had　kept　his

noiseless　place　at　the　Sergeant's　heels。



Thenlong　before　Mahan　heard　the　approaching　tramp　of　feet

Bruce　caught　not　only　the　sound　but　the　scent　of　the　German

platoon。　The　scent　at　once　told　him　that　the　strangers　were　not

of　his　own　army。　A　German　soldier　and　an　American　soldier

because　of　their　difference　in　diet　as　well　as　for　certain　other

and　more　cogent　reasonshave　by　no　means　the　same　odor；　to　a

collie's　trained　scent；　nor　to　that　of　other　breeds　of　war…dogs。

Official　records　of　dog…sentinels　prove　that。



Aliens　were　nearing　Bruce's　friends。　And　the　dog's　ruff　began　to

stand　up。　But　Mahan　and　the　rest　seemed　in　no　way　concerned　in

spirit　therebythough；　to　the　dog's　understanding；　they　must

surely　be　aware　of　the　approach。　So　Bruce　gave　no　further　sign　of

displeasure。　He　was　out　for　a　walk；　as　a　guest。　He　was　not　on

sentry…duty。



But　when　the　nearest　German　was　almost　upon　them；　and　all　twelve

Americans　dropped　to　the　ground；　the　collie　became　interested

once　more。　A　German　stepped　on　the　hand　of　one　of　his　newest

friends。　And　the　friend　yelled　in　pain。　Whereat　the　German　made

as　if　to　strike　the　stepped…on　man。



This　was　quite　enough　for　loyal　Bruce。　Without　so　much　as　a　growl

of　warning；　he　jumped　at　the　offender。



Dog　and　man　tumbled　earthward　together。　Then　after　an　instant　of

flurry　and　noise；　Bruce　felt　Mahan's　fingers　on　his　shoulder　and

heard　the　stark　appeal　of　Mahan's　whispered　voice。　Instantly　the

dog　was　a　professional　soldier　once　morealertly　obedient　and

resourceful。



〃Catch　hold　my　left　arm；　Lieutenant！〃　Mahan　was　exhorting。　〃Close

up；　there；　boysevery　man's　hand　grabbing　tight　to　the　shoulder

of　the　man　on　his　left！　Pass　the　word。　And　you；　Missouri；　hang

onto　the　Lieutenant！　Quick；　there！　And　tread　soft　and　tread　fast；

and　don't　let　go；　whatever　happens！　Not　a　sound　out　of　any　one！

I'm　leading　the　way。　And　Bruce　is　going　to　lead　me。〃



There　was　a　scurrying　scramble　as　the　men　groped　for　one　another。

Mahan　tightened　his　hold　on　Bruce's　mane。



〃Bruce！〃　he　said；　very　low；　but　with　a　strength　of　appeal　that

was　not　lost　on　the　listening　dog。　〃Bruce！　Camp！　Back　to　CAMP！

And　keep　QUIET！　Back　to　camp；　boy！　CAMP！〃



He　had　no　need　to　repeat　his　command　so　often　and　so　strenuously。

Bruce　was　a　trained　courier。　The　one　word　〃Camp！〃　was　quite

enough　to　tell　him　what　he　was　to　do。



Turning；　he　faced　the　American　lines　and　tried　to　break　into　a

gallop。　His　scent　and　his　knowledge　of　direction　were　all　the

guides　he　needed。　A　dog　always　relies　on　his　nose　first　and　his

eyes　last。　The　fog　was　no　obstacle　at　all　to　the　collie。　He

understood　the　Sergeant's　order；　and　he　set　out　at　once　to　obey

it。



But　at　the　very　first　step；　he　was　checked。　Mahan　did　not　release

that　feverishly　tight　hold　on　his　mane；　but　merely　shifted　to　his

collar。



Bruce　glanced　back；　impatient　at　the　delay。　But　Mahan　did　not　let

go。　Instead　he　said　once　more：



〃CAMP；　boy！〃



And　Bruce　understood　he　was　expected　to　make　his　way　to　camp；

with　Mahan　hanging　on　to　his　collar。



Bruce　did　not　enjoy　this　mode　of　locomotion。　It　was　inconvenient；

and　there　seemed　no　sense　in　it；　but　there　were　many　things　about

this　strenuous　war…trade　that　Bruce　neither　enjoyed　nor

comprehended；　yet　which　he　performed　at　command。



So　again　he　turned　campward；　Mahan　at　his　collar　and　an

annoyingly　hindering　tail　of　men　stumbling　silently　on　behind

them。　All　around　were　the　Germansbutting　drunkenly　through　the

blanket…dense　fog；　swinging　their　rifles　like　flails；　shouting

confused　orders；　occasionally　firing。　Now　and　then　two　or　more　of

them　would　collide　and　would　wrestle　in　blind　fury；　thinking　they

had　encountered　an　American。



Impeded　by　their　own　sightlessly　swarming　numbers；　as　much　as　by

the　impenetrable　darkness；　they　sought　the　foe。　And　but　for　Bruce

they　must　quickly　have　found　what　they　sought。　Even　in　compact

form；　the　Americans　could　not　have　had　the　sheer　luck　to　dodge

every　scattered　contingent　of　Huns　which　starred　the　German　end

of　No　Man's　Landmost　of　them　between　the　fugitives　and　the

American　lines。



But　Bruce　was　on　dispatch　duty。　It　was　his　work　to　obey　commands

and　to　get　back　to　camp　at　once。　It　was　bad　enough　to　be

handicapped　by　Mahan's　grasp　on　his　collar。　He　was　not　minded　to

suffer　further　delay　by　running　into　any　of　the　clumps　of

gesticulating　and　cabbage…reeking　Germans　between　him　and　his

goal。　So　he　steered　clear　of　such　groups；　making　several　wide

detours　in　order　to　do　so。　Once　or　twice　he　stopped　short　to　let

some　of　the　Germans　grope　past　him；　not　six　feet　away。　Again　he

veered　sharply　to　the　leftincreasing　his　pace　and　forcing　Mahan

and　the　rest　to　increase　theirsto　avoid　a　squad　of　thirty　men

who　were　quartering　the　field　in　close　formation；　and　who　all　but

jostled　the　dog　as　they　strode　sightlessly　by。　An　occasional

rifle…shot　spat　forth　its　challenge。　From　both　trench…lines　men

were　firing　at　a　venture。　A　few　of　the　bullets　sang　nastily　close

to　the　twelve　huddled　men　and　their　canine　leader。　Once　a　German；

not　three　yards　away；　screamed　aloud　and　fell　sprawling　and

kicking；　as　one　such　chance　bullet　found　him。　Above　and　behind；

sounded　the　plop　of　star…shells　sent　up　by　the　enemy　in　futile

hope　of　penetrating　the　viscid　fog。　And　everywhere　was　heard　the

shuffle　and　stumbling　of　innumerable　boots。



At　last　the　noise　of　feet　began　to　die　away；　and　the　uneven

groping　tread　of　the　twelve　Americans　to　sound　more　distinctly

for　the　lessening　of　the　surrounding　turmoil。　And　in　another　few

seconds　Bruce　came　to　a　haltnot　to　an　abrupt　stop；　as　when　he

had　allowed　an　enemy　squad　to　pass　in　front　of　him；　but　a

leisurely　checking　of　speed；　to　denote　that　he　could　go　no

farther　with　the　load　he　was　helping　to　haul。



Mahan　put　out　his　free　hand。　It　encountered　the　American　wires。

Bruce　had　stopped　at　the　spot　where　the　party　had　cut　a　narrow

path　through　the　entanglement　on　the　outward　journey。　Alone；　the

dog　could　easily　have　passed　through　the　gap；　but　he　could　not　be

certain　of　pulling　Mahan　with　him。　Wherefore　the　halt。



　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*



The　last　of　the　twelve　men　scrambled　down　to　safety；　in　the

American　first…line　trench；　B