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〃Hello； folks！〃 Rhuburger was declaiming； to a wholly unenthusiastic circle of acquaintances。 〃Made another record； just now。 The little boat spun me here from Montclair in exactly nineteen minutes。 That'sthat's roughly an average rate of a mile in seventy…five seconds。 Not so bad； eh？ That car sure made a hit with ME； all right。 Not so much of a hit； maybe； with a couple of chickens and a fat old dog that had the bad luck to be asleep in the middle of the〃
His plangent brag was lost in a sound seldom heard on the hither side of jungle or zoo。 From the group of slightly disgusted onlookers； a huge and tawny shape burst forth； hurtling through the air； straight for the fat throat of the boaster。
Rhuburger； by some heaven…sent instinct； flung up his arms to shield his menaced jugular。 He had no time to do more。
Lad's fury…driven eighty pounds of muscular weight crashed full against his chest。 Lad's terrible teeth； missing their throat…goal； drove deep into the uplifted right forearm； shearing through imported tweed coat…sleeve and through corded silken shirt； and through flabby flesh and clean to the very bone。
The dog's lion…roar blended with the panic…screeches of the victim。 And； under that fearful impact； Rhuburger reeled back from the stairhead； and went crashing down the steps； to the broad stone flagging at the bottom。
Not once； during that meteoric； shriek…punctured downward flight； did Lad loose his grip on the torn forearm。 But as the two struck the flagging at the bottom； he shifted his hold； with lightning speed； stabbing once more for the exposed jugular。
He lunged murderously at his mark。 Yes； and this time he found it。 His teeth had touched the pudgy throat； and began to cleave their remorseless way to the very life of the man who had slain Lady。
But； out of the jumble of cries and stamping feet and explosive shouts from the scared onlookers on the veranda above； one staccato yell pierced the swirl of rage…mists in the avenging collie's brain。
〃LAD！〃 came the Master's sharp； scandalized mandate。 〃LAD！！！〃
Hating the thought of desisting from his cherished revenge； the dog heard and heeded。 With visible reluctance； he drew back from the slaughter； and turned his noble head to face the man who was running down the steps toward him。
Lad knew well what he might expect； for this thing he had done。 He knew the Law。 He knew； almost from birth； the courteous tolerance due to folk among whom his deities took him。 And now he had made an industrious effort to kill one of these people。
It was no light offense for a dog to attack a human。 Lad； like every well…trained collie； knew that。 His own death might well follow。 Indeed； from the babel of voices on the veranda； squalling confusedly such hackneyed sentiments as 〃Mad dog！〃 and 〃Get a gun！〃 it seemed highly probable that Lad was due to suffer full penalty； from the man…pack。
Yet he gave no heed to the clamor。 Instead； turning slowly； he faced the Master； ready for whatever might follow。 But nothing followed；nothing at least that he expected。
The Master simply commanded：
〃Down； Lad！〃
As the dog； obediently； dropped to the ground； the Master bent to examine the groaning and maudlinly weeping Rhuburger。 In this Samaritan task he was joined by one or two of the club's more venturesome members who had followed him down the steps。
Rhuburger was all…but delirious with fright。 His throat was scored by the first raking of Lad's teeth； but in the merest of flesh…wounds。 The chewed arm was more serious； but no bone or tendon was injured。 A fortnight of care would see it as good as new。 By more or less of a miracle； no bones had been broken and no concussion caused by the backward dive down the flight of steps。 There were bad bruises a…plenty； but there was nothing worse。
As the Master and the few others who had descended the steps were working over the fallen man； the Mistress checked the turmoil on the veranda。 At Lad's leap； memory of this speed…mad motorist had rushed back to her。
Now； tersely； for the benefit of those around； she was identifying him with the killer of Lady； whose death had roused so much indignation in the village。 And； as she spoke； the people who had clamored loudest of mad dogs and who had called so frantically for a gun； waxed silent。 The myriad glances cast at the prostrate and blubbering Rhuburger were not loving。 Someone even said； loudly
〃GOOD old Laddie！〃
As the Mistress and the Master were closing the house for the night； a car came down the drive。 Out of it stepped their friend of many years； Maclay； the local Justice of the Peace。
〃Hello； Mac！〃 hailed the Master。 〃Here to take us all to jail for assault…and…battery； or just to serve a 'dangerous dog' notice on us？〃
He spoke lightly； but he was troubled。 Today's escapade might well lead the village law to take some cognizance of Lad's ferocious deed。
〃No；〃 laughed Maclay。 〃Neither of those things。 I'm here； unprofessionally。 I thought you people might like to know a few things； before you go to bed。 In the first place； the doctor patched up Rhuburger's bites and took him home。 He couldn't take him home in Rhuburger's own car。 For some of the tennis crowd had gotten at that。 What they did to that 6；000 runabout was a crime！ They stripped it of everything。 They threw the carburetor and the wheels and the steering gear and a lot of other parts into the lake。〃
〃WHAT？〃
〃Then they left their cards pinned to the dismantled machine's cushions；in case Rhuburger cares to go further into the matter。 While they were doing all that； the club's Governors had a hurry…call meeting。 And for once the Board was unanimous about something。 It was unanimousin expelling Rhuburger from the club。 Then weBy the way； where's Laddie？ Curled up by Lady's grave； as usual； I suppose？ Poor old dog！〃
〃No；〃 denied the Mistress。 〃He's asleep in his 'cave' under the piano。 He went there； of his own accord。 And he ate a perfectly tremendous supper； tonight。 He'she's CURED！〃
CHAPTER VIII。 In Strange Company
Lad was getting along in years。
Not yet had age begun to claw at him； blearing the wondrous deep…set dark eyes and silvering the classic muzzle and broadening the shapely skull and stiffening the sweepingly free gait； dulling the sharp ears or doing any of the other pitiably tragic things that nature does to the dog who is progressing in his teens。 Those； humiliations were still waiting for Lad； one by one； beyond the next Turn of the Road。
Yet the romp and the spirit of bubbling fun and the lavishly needless exercisethese were merging into sobriety。 True； at rare times； with the Mistress or the Masterespecially with the Mistress； Lad would forget he was middle…aged and dignified； and would play like a crazy puppy。 But； for the most part he had begun to carry his years a trifle seriously。
He was not yet in the winter or even the Indian Summer of his beautiful life。 But； at least； he had strolled into its early autumn。
And this； be it well remembered； is the curse which Stepmother Nature placed upon The Dog； when he elected to turn his back on his own kind； and to become the only one of the world's four…footed folk to serve Man of his own accord。 To punish the Dog for this abnormality； Nature decreed that his life should begin to fail； almost as soon as it had reached the glory of its early prime。
A dog is not at his best； in mind or in body； until he has passed his third year。 And； before he nears the ten…year mark； he has begun to decline。 At twelve or thirteen； he is as decrepit as is the average human of seventy。 And not one dog in a hundred can be expected to live to fourteen。
（Lad； by some miracle； was destined to endure past his own sixteenth birthday； a record seldom equaled among his race。）
And so to our story：
When the car and the loaded equipment…truck drew up at the door； that golden October day； Lad forgot his advancing years。 In a moment； he was once more a puppy。 For he knew what it all meant。 It did not need the advent of the Mistress and the Master from the house； in rough outing clothes； nor the piling of duffle…bags and the like into the car's tonneau； to send Laddie into a transport of trumpeting and gyrations。 The first sight and sniff of the tents； rolled tight in the truck； had done that。 Lad understood。 Lad always understood。
This gear meant the annual fall camping trip in the back reaches of the Ramapo Mountains； some twenty…odd miles north of the Place； the fortnight of tent…life； of shooting； of fishing； of bracingly chill nights and white…misted dawns and of drowsily happy campfire evenings。 It meant all manner of adventure and fun for Lad。
Now； on a fishing jaunt； the presence of any kind of dog is a liability； not an asset。 A thousand dog…fancier fishermen can attest to that。 And； when humans are hunting any sort of game； a collie is several degrees worse than worthless。
Thus； Lad's usefulness； as a member of the party； was likely to be negligible；except in the matter of guarding camp and as an all…round pal for the two campers。
Yet； as on former years； there was no question of leaving him at home。 Where the Mistress and the Master went； he went； too； whenever such a thing were possible。 He was th