登陆注册
34548000000007

第7章 RED WULL(2)

'Twad be fair robbin' ye. Ah, ye Englishmen!" he spoke half to himself, and sadly, as if deploring the unhappy accident of his nationality; "it's yer grand, open-hairted generosity that grips a puir Scotsman by the throat. A poun'! and for yon!" He wagged his head mournfully, cocking it sideways the better to scan his subject.

"Take him or leave him," ordered the drover truculently, still gazing out of the window.

"Wi' yer permission I'll leave him," M'Adam answered meeldy.

"I'm short o' the ready," the big man pursued, "or I wouldna part with him. Could I bide me time there's many'd be glad to give me a tenner for one o' that bree--" he caught himself up hastily--" for a dog sic as that.""And yet ye offer him me for a poun'! Noble indeed!"Nevertheless the little man had pricked his ears at the other's slip and quick correction. Again he approached the puppy, dangling his coat before him to protect his ankles; and again that wee wild beast sprang out, seized the coat in its small jaw, and worried it savagely.

M'Adam stooped quickly and picked up his tiny assailant; and the puppy, suspended by its neck, gurgled and slobbered; then, wriggling desperately round, made its teeth meet in its adversary's shirt. At which M'Adam shook it gently and laughed. Then he set to examining it.

Apparently some six weeks old; a tawny coat, fiery eyes, a square head with small, cropped ears, and a comparatively immense jaw;the whole giving promise of great strength, if little beauty. And this effect was enhanced by the manner of its docking. For the miserable relic of a tail, yet raw, looked little more than a red button adhering to its wearer's stern.

M'Adam's inspection was as minute as it was apparently absorbing;he omitted nothing from the square muzzle to the lozenge-like scut. And every now and then he threw a quick glance at the man at the window, who was watching the careful scrutiny a thought uneasily.

"Ye've cut him short," he said at length, swinging round on the drover.

"Ay; strengthens their backs," the big man answered with averted gaze.

M'Adam's chin went up in the air; his. mouth partly opened and his eyelids partly closed as he eyed his informant.

"Oh, ay," he said.

"Gie him back to me," ordered the drover surlily. He took the puppy and set it on the floor; whereupon it immediately resumed its former fortified position. "Ye're no buyer; I knoo that all along by that face on ye," he said in insulting tones.

"Ye wad ha' bought him yerseif', nae doot?" M'Adam inquired blandly.

"In course; if you says so."

"Or airblins ye bred him?"

'Appen I did."

"Ye'll no be from these parts?"

"Will I no?" answered the other.

A smile of genuine pleasure stole over M'Adam's face. He laid his hand on the other's arm.

"Man," he said gently, "ye mind me o' hame." Then almost in the same breath:

Ye said ye found him?"

It was the stranger's turn to laugh.

"Ha! ha! Ye teecide me, little mon. Found 'im? Nay; I was give 'im by a friend. But there's nowt amiss wi' his breedin', ye may believe me."The great fellow advanced to the chair under which the puppy lay.

It leapt out like a lion, and fastened on his huge boot.

"A rare bred un, look 'ee! a rare game wi. Ma word, he's a big-hearted un! Look at the back on him; see the jaws to him; mark the pluck of him!" He shook his booted foot fiercely, tossing his leg to and fro like a tree in a wind. But the little creature, now raised ceilingward, now dashed to the ground, held on with incomparable doggedness, till its small jaw was all bloody and muzzle wrinkled with the effort.

"Ay, ay, that'll do," M'Adam interposed, irritably.

The drover ceased his efforts.

"Now, I'll mak' ye a last offer." He thrust his head down to a level with the other's, shooting out his neck. "It's throwin' him at ye, mind. 'Tain't buyin' him ye'll be-- don't go for to deceive yourself.

Ye may have him for fifteen shillin'. Why do I do it, ye ask? Why, 'cos I think ye'll be kind to him," as the puppy retreated to its chair, leaving a spotted track of red along its route.

"Ay, ye wadna be happy gin ye thocht he'd no a comfortable hame, conseederate man?" M'Adam answered, eyeing the dark track on the floor. Then he put on his coat.

"Na, na, he's no for me. Weel, I'll no detain ye. Good-nicht to ye, mister!" and he made for the door.

"A gran' worker he'll be," called the drover after him.

"Ay; muckle wark he'll mak' amang the sheep wi' sic a jaw and sic a temper. Weel, I maun be steppin'. Good-nicht to ye.""Ye'll niver have sich anither chanst."

"Nor niver wush to. Na, na; he'll never mak' a sheep-dog"; and the little man turned up the collar of his coat.

"Will he not?" cried the other scornfully. "There niver yet was one o' that line "he stopped abruptly.

The little man spun round.

"Iss?" he said, as innocent as any child; "ye were sayin'?"The other turned to the window and watched the rain falling monotonously.

"Ye'll be wantin' wet," he said adroitly.

"Ay, we could do wi' a drappin'. And he'll never mak' a sheep-dog."He shoved his cap down on his head. "Weel, good-nicht to ye!" and he stepped out into the rain.

It was long after dark when the bargain was finally struck.

Adam M'Adam's Red Wull became that little man's property for the following realizable assets: ninepence in cash--three coppers and a doubtful sixpence; a plug of suspicious tobacco in a well-worn pouch; and an old watch.

"It's clean givin' 'im ye," said the stranger bitterly, at the end of the deal.

"It's mair the charity than aught else mak's me sae leeberal," the other answered gently. "I wad not like to see ye pinched.""Thank ye kindly," the big man replied with some acerbity, and plunged out into the darkness and rain. Nor was that long-limbed drover-man ever again seen in the countryside. And the puppy's previous history--. whether he was honestly come by or no, whether he was, indeed, of the famous Red McCulloch strain, ever remained a mystery in the Daleland.

N. B--You may know a Red McCulloeh anywhere by the ring of white upon his tail some two inches from the root.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 纪先生,离婚吧!

    纪先生,离婚吧!

    苏央:抬头有什么用?除了茫茫白云,天空一无所有,为何给我安慰?纪离渊:对你的执念太可怕,可怕到让他从来未曾认识过自己…枪口瞄准了你的心脏你先一步将匕首刺入他的腹腔殊不知枪里没有子弹里面装的是糖你最爱的糖…[本书是短篇,目前不会收费,会不定时更新。喜欢可收藏]
  • 灾噩纪元

    灾噩纪元

    一片硝烟中,男孩低着头缓步走着,仿佛世间的一切都与他无关。“嘿!孩子!”终于,一个人看见了他,他朝男孩大声吼道:“孩子!快离开这儿!来的是传播者!那种分分钟把你也变成丧尸的怪物!”男孩将他漂亮的黑色眼睛抬了起来:“为什么要离开?”“哦老天,你不明白?丧尸!那种可怕的怪物来了!赶紧去找你妈妈!和你的家人去避难所!我可没时间和你扯淡!”那人慌张的回望了一眼大门的方向,急匆匆的跑了。“为什么要逃?”男孩漫不经心的说道:“我本来就是丧尸。”
  • 古代穿越之极品俏佳人

    古代穿越之极品俏佳人

    她,是二十一世纪的“蛋蛋”后,然后因为“舍己救人”就突然之间莫名穿越了,竟然穿越成新出生的一大国公主,相貌有着“天仙”般的美称;他,是一大国之君主之新子以及幼嫡子,出生就很聪慧,被立为太子,很受君王喜爱,他也就享尽一世间好到极点的待遇。小时候,他出宫玩耍,结果遭贼人杀害,她碰巧遇见,便挺身而出······于是,他发下誓言“今生定当好好报答她,和,爱她······”然后十年后的他们,将擦出怎样的火花?
  • 路西法大人的考试分是F

    路西法大人的考试分是F

    路西法沉睡了三千年,路过的调皮精灵对他施下了的魔咒。“路西法大人,您会爱上当你醒后第一个见到的天使。”路西法:…你脑子是不是有点病?加百列×路西法这是一场关于两个Lv99老玩家互相装萌新的小甜文,请放心食用。
  • 修仙后遗症

    修仙后遗症

    灵气复苏世界下的光怪陆离见闻录,大型非正经科普类都市日常文……这里有御掌为锅的厨子,这里有掌控雷电的癫痫症患者……小兄弟,请不要用质疑的目光来审视我的专业,小小膀胱结石,可不是你所谓的金丹哦?还有你的牛皮癣也不是所谓的龙鳞……主角:我叫马山,白马王子的马,一统江山的桶……别问我为什么和海蜘蛛一样能苟,我奉行的政策就是:高筑墙,广积粮,缓称王……
  • 重云记

    重云记

    我也曾俯瞰巅峰·也曾傲视群雄!纵那世间百态,也不如你倾城一笑!如今这般!也不过,重头再来罢了!看重云之子如何从巅峰到人间低谷,爱恨情仇该如何抉择。是选择爱你!还是选择恨你!纵有不世修为可换否?再与你,再续前缘!
  • 玉苍石

    玉苍石

    蓝幽国的小公主生下来就手握一颗泛着蓝光的玉石曾有传说,同时拥有玉苍石和公主的人,便能权倾天下但在那之前三界必有一场腥风血雨只有在公主学会控制自己灵力时将她送去蓝幽国和妖召国中间的北冥谷三界才有机会恢复平静
  • 战力无双

    战力无双

    苍天诅咒、世人不容、是天意本就以众人为刍狗,还是人心处处编排的瞒天之计?身疲倦、心沧桑、默默转身后不想一切已成水中月、镜里花。昔日红颜枯萎凋零处,忆前尘、愤今朝、誓将鲜血染它个战力无双!
  • 一如寒光觅佳音

    一如寒光觅佳音

    【新文《漫漫时光只甜你》已开】她惨遭同父异母的妹妹算计,落得不检点的骂名,母亲含怨病故。六年后带儿子回国,小家伙竟在网络直播平台上为她公开征婚:“大家好,我是宋大白,我妈咪是宋音音,我爹地是……嘻嘻,我还缺个爹地!愿意当我爹地的帅蜀黍,快娶我妈咪吧!”几天后,那个令帝都无数女人为之疯狂着迷的钻石极品男出现,并从此将她缠上。【1对1甜宠文】
  • 武当高手在异界

    武当高手在异界

    武当不世出的天才武者武凌穿越到异界,重生在一个贵族公子身上,再一次开启追求武道巅峰的武修之路。不畏强权,不欺弱小,一身铮铮铁骨,在这弱肉强食的世界里,哪怕碎骨粉身,也要闯出一番天地。