CHAPTER XV
ROMULUS AT THE TRIALS
Mr. Hartshorn found, upon investigation, that the nearest field trialswere those at Bedlow, where the Field Trial Club of EasternConnecticut held its annual meet in April. It was not usually a largeaffair nor prominent among the field trials of the country, but Mr.Hartshorn thought it would be just about the right place for Romulusto make his first appearance as a contestant for field-trial honors.Though not a large affair, it was by no means insignificant, for therewere some good dogs in that part of the country and one or two kennelsfrom which had sprung dogs that had won a national reputation. Romuluswas pretty sure to have opponents worthy of him.
April 15th and 16th were the days set for the event. Mr. Hartshorncommunicated with the secretary of the club and made the necessaryarrangements. Ernest Whipple filled out the entry blanks and they wereproperly filed. Unfortunately, Romulus was just a few months too oldnow to be entered in the Derby, but Ernest was not displeased by thenecessity of seeking bigger game, and Romulus was entered in theAll-Age or Subscription stake. A purse of $50 was offered for thewinner and $30 for the runner-up.
April 14th dawned mild and bright, and about noon Sam Bumpus appearedwith Romulus, whom he pronounced to be at the top of his form after abit of light finishing off the day before. Sam was to go along tohandle the dog. He had not had much experience at field trials, butMr. Hartshorn had given him full instructions, and if anybody couldget winning action out of Romulus it was Sam. Mr. and Mrs. Whipple hadagreed to let Ernest and Jack go in care of Mr. and Mrs. Hartshorn,and both boys were full of excitement of the prospect. Mr. Whipplecame out to ask Sam a few questions and I am inclined to think thateven Mrs. Whipple shared a little of the excitement. Sam, as usual,refused to come into the house, saying that he preferred to eat hissandwiches in Rome, but he was glad to accept a cup of hot coffee andsome cake which Delia took out to him.
Soon after dinner Mr. and Mrs. Hartshorn appeared in their big car andthe boys hurried out to join them. They sat together on the frontseat, while Sam, Ernest, Jack, and Romulus were bundled into the backseat, with the suitcases and Sam's gun. It was a tight squeeze, but itwas a jolly party that set forth, waving good-by to Mr. and Mrs.Whipple, Delia, and the disconsolate Remus.
"It does seem too bad to have to leave poor Remus, doesn't it?" saidMrs. Hartshorn.
"That's all right," said Jack. "His day's coming. You'll see."
As for Romulus, he was wildly excited by this unusual experience, andtreated the residents of Boytown to a continuous barking, in whichTatters and Mr. O'Brien and one or two of the other dogs joined,running beside the car until it was well out of town. Then Sam managedto quiet Romulus.
They arrived at Bedlow about dinner time, and Sam at once disappearedwith Romulus, saying that he wanted to see that he had a good dinnerand a place to sleep. The others went up to their rooms and washed up.Sam did not reappear, and the boys began to be a bit anxious.
"Don't worry," said Mr. Hartshorn. "He's a queer duck, Sam is. But Ifancy he would be uncomfortable if he stayed with us, and we might aswell let him have his own way. I'll venture to say we won't see himagain till morning, but we can be sure of one thing: Romulus will bewell looked after."
Mr. and Mrs. Hartshorn and the boys had their supper in thedining-room of the hotel, and all about them they heard dog talk.After supper they all went to a movie on Mr. Hartshorn's invitation,for he said that if they didn't get their minds off the trials for alittle while they would not sleep that night.
It was, in fact, some little time before Ernest and Jack could get tosleep in their strange surroundings, but at length sleep came, and thefirst thing they knew Mr. Hartshorn was knocking on their door andbidding them get up. They dressed quickly and hurried down tobreakfast, where they found even more people than there were the nightbefore. Outside there were many automobiles and some horses, and hereand there a dog was to be seen, blanketed and receiving unusualattention.
"I don't know where Sam slept last night," said Mr. Hartshorn. "It mayhave been in the stable for all I know. I didn't ask him. But he's allright, and so is Romulus. Sam saw to it that the dog got a good rest,and he was up bright and early this morning, taking Romulus out for ashort walk to limber him up."
After breakfast they all piled into the car and started for the fieldsa few miles outside of town where the trials were to be held. The skywas overcast, but Mr. Hartshorn said he didn't think it would rain.There was little wind, and Sam pronounced it ideal weather for thecontest.
"I hope it won't rain," said he, "because a wet coat bothers a setterand gives the pointers the advantage."
There were a number of cars on the road before and behind them, andnow and then a man galloped past on horseback.
"Looks like a pretty good gallery," said Mr. Hartshorn.
When they arrived at the grounds, Mr. Hartshorn told the boys they hadbetter remain in the car with his wife, while he and Sam consultedwith the officials. After awhile he returned and announced thatRomulus had been paired with another setter named Dolly Grey.
"I can't find out much about her," said he. "At least, she's not oneof the famous ones, so it oughtn't to be too hard for Romulus. TheDerby will be run off first, so Romulus won't be called on untilafternoon. Sam has taken him off into the woods to keep him quiet."
In spite of the fact that Romulus did not figure in the Derby, itproved to be an absorbing and exciting event to the Whipple boys. Twoby two the young dogs were called out and sent off in whirlwind racesafter the cleverly hiding birds. Sometimes no birds were discovered,and then it became merely a contest of speed and form in ranging untilthe judges changed to fresh ground. Every now and then, however, oneof the dogs would catch the tell-tale scent, whirl about to some clumpof grass or thicket, and come to a rigid point, his less successfulopponent trailing him and backing him up. Behind them followed thejudges, handlers, and gallery, some in automobiles, some in traps,some on horseback, and some afoot.
It turned out to be a fine day after all, and the dogs, eager andswift, made a pretty sight among the old pastures and stubble fields.For the most part they were kept away from the woods where it would bedifficult to judge of their performances.
A halt was called at noon to eat lunch and rest the dogs. Already theconstant shifting of ground had carried them far from Bedlow and themen who were afoot were tired. The dogs were wrapped in blankets andwere kept as quiet as possible, most of them being in wagons. Mrs.Hartshorn got out the luncheon kit and the boys found that they werefamously hungry. Sam appeared during the luncheon hour, to find outhow things were going, and Mrs. Hartshorn persuaded him to eatsomething with the rest. Romulus, he said, seemed to be in good shape,and on no account must anybody give him anything to eat.
About 1:30 the judges called for the final contest in the Derby. Asmall lemon-and-white female setter named Dorothea was pitted againsta somewhat overgrown blue belton of the same species. At first itseemed as though the advantage lay with the bigger, stronger dog,whose name was King Arthur. He kept well in the lead in the ranging,but the wise ones noted little Dorothea's superb form and saidnothing. Little by little she crept up on King Arthur, and at lengthshe swerved sharply to one side and pointed at a clump of alderbushes. King Arthur had missed the scent entirely. The birds wereflushed and the dogs shot over, for that is the custom. Then thejudges, after a conference, declared the Derby closed and Dorothea thewinner. The party from Boytown saw a young woman rush out from amongthe automobiles and throw her arms around the little setter.
"That must be her mistress," said Ernest. "I bet she's happy."
The boys were so much interested in all this that they did not realizethat the All-Age stake had already been commenced. Two pointers wentgalloping across the field and the contest was on. From that momentthe boys kept their eyes fastened to the successive pairs of racingdogs, trying to appraise their skill and form and to compare them withRomulus. It was a better contest than the Derby, with more birdsfound, and it was evident tha
t Romulus had opponents worthy of him.One interesting contestant was a beautiful Irish setter, whose redcoat glistened like gold in the sunshine. He did well, beating hisopponent, but he did not qualify for the finals.
At last Romulus was called, and with him the setter Dolly Grey. Shewas a mild-looking animal, but once loosed she led Romulus a merrychase. Both dogs were a bit heady at first and did a deal of runningwithout accomplishing anything, but at length Sam, with his patientwhistle, got Romulus straightened out and Dolly Grey also settled downto business. She found the first birds, but after that Romulus beather to two coveys in rapid succession, and Romulus, to the great joyof his master and Jack, was declared the winner.
"Didn't he do splendidly?" said Mrs. Hartshorn as Sam came up with thepanting dog.
"Waal," said Sam, "he might have done worse and he might have donebetter. He wa'n't up to his top form, but it was his first trial. Iexpect he'll do better in the finals. It was lucky he wa'n't pairedwith one of the best dogs, or he might have been out of it now. As itis he's got a chance, and I think it's a pretty good one. I heard oneof the judges say some nice things about him."
"Do you think they'll get to the finals this afternoon?" asked Mr.Hartshorn.
"I don't think so," said Sam, "but I've got to stick around. They maywant to see Romulus work again."
They did try him out once more toward the end of the day, and thistime Sam seemed to be better pleased. Romulus won his heat handilyagainst a bigger dog. Meanwhile, however, everyone was commenting onthe superb work of a pointer with a chocolate brown head and markingsnamed Don Quixote, and even the boys could see that he was a pastmaster at the game. He went at it as though he knew just how to makethe winning move, and he did it every time.
"He ought to be in the championship class," said Mr. Hartshorn. "He'san old-timer, and if Romulus can beat him it will be a great triumph."
Time was called as the shadows began to lengthen, and the crowd,tired, hungry, and happy, returned to the hotel at Bedlow. At dinnereveryone was speculating as to which two dogs would be chosen tocompete in the finals, and Ernest was sure that the name of Romuluswas heard as often as that of any other dog except Don Quixote. Inresponse to the popular demand, the judges held a conference thatevening and chose the two who would compete for final honors on themorrow. Crowds gathered in the lobby to ascertain the outcome of thisconference, and when at last the judges came out everyone was a-tiptoewith expectation. One of the judges walked over to a bulletin boardand pinned up a piece of paper. It read: "The dogs chosen by thejudges to compete in the final heat of the All-Age stake to-morrowmorning are Don Quixote, pointer, owned by the Rathmore Kennels, andRomulus, English setter, owned by Mr. Ernest Whipple. The trials willstart promptly at 9.30."
A cheer went up all over the lobby, and Ernest and Jack, strangelyenough, found tears in their eyes.
"That means," said Mr. Hartshorn, "that unless Romulus is in some waydisqualified, he wins second place at least, and to become runner-upin the All-Age stake at his first trial is a big honor, even if heisn't the winner. I tell you this because I don't want you to be toomuch disappointed if Don Quixote beats him. The pointer is a fast,rangy dog, an old-timer that knows all the tricks of the game, whileRomulus, for all Sam's fine training, is still green. Let's not expecttoo much."
That evening Mr. Hartshorn did not even suggest a movie to take theminds of the boys off the great event of the morrow; he knew it woulddo no good. He told them stories of historic events in the field-trialgame, and then sent them to bed. They talked excitedly together for anhour after that, but at last sleep claimed them, for they were reallytired, and running dogs filled their dreams.
An even larger crowd followed the dogs to the trial grounds nextmorning, for there were some who were interested only in theChampionship stake, though they were glad to witness the finish of theAll-Age. The day was fine and Sam pronounced Romulus to be infirst-class trim.
This time the setter seemed to understand what was required of him. Hestrained at his leash, and when at last he was set free at the commandof the judges, he was off like a shot, neck and neck with the pointer,and the gallery cheered.
Old field-trial fans told Mr. Hartshorn afterward that they had neverwitnessed a prettier contest than that one. The pointer was cool andcollected, but full of strength and spirit. When there was any leadingdone at all, he generally did it. But there was a certain spontaneousfire and energy in the running of Romulus that caught the fancy of thespectators. And Sam's careful drilling began to tell. Romulus settleddown to the steadiest kind of work; his form was perfect and beautifulto watch; his scent was sure and keen.
The second move brought the dogs to a very birdy spot, and the pointsbecame frequent. In this department of the work it was nip-and-tuckbetween the two dogs. No one could say that either had a quicker nosethan the other or responded more promptly to the scent. Sometimes onedog would be first on the point, sometimes the other. It was largely amatter of luck, for the birds lay on both sides of a series of fields,and the dogs ranged from side to side, circling and quartering in amanner to delight the heart of a sportsman.
If Romulus had a fault it was overzeal. He covered more ground thanwas absolutely necessary.
"He is doing wonderfully," said Mr. Hartshorn. "I am only afraid he'llrun himself off his feet. This is bound to be a protracted contest,the dogs are so nearly equal in every way, and endurance is thequality that is going to tell in the end."
As the race continued, those who were familiar with the signs observedthat Romulus was weakening. The more methodical pointer kept up hissteady, fast lope unflagging, but Romulus showed an increasinginclination to drop behind.
"I'm afraid this can't last much longer," said Mr. Hartshorn. "Thepace is too hot for Romulus. If he had had more experience he wouldknow how to save his strength for the last ten minutes. As it is, itlooks as though the pointer had the reserve power."
Suddenly Don Quixote seemed to tap a new supply of strength and speed.He dashed to the right, and then circled swiftly around to thehedgerow of wild shrubs at the left of the field, and all so swiftlythat poor Romulus was left well behind. As they watched, they saw thesetter stumble. He recovered himself, but stood trembling withweariness and nervous tension. Sam's shrill whistle sounded andRomulus gathered himself together again, but his feet seemed todrag; he had lost speed.
Ernest Whipple was almost beside himself with excitement and fear ofdefeat. A hush fell over the gallery as they watched this lastmanoeuver of the dogs, and Ernest's voice sounded loud and distinct ashe shouted, "Go on, Romulus! Go on!"
The setter heard. He knew that voice and he loved it well. Sam'swhistle, which he had become accustomed to obey, had become monotonousin his ears; it no longer served to put energy into his flagginglimbs. But here was a new call, a call that demanded the last atom ofhis devotion and will and strength. He raised his head and lookedabout for an instant, his lower jaw quivering. Then he seemed to drawtogether and bound away like a steel spring released. Straight aheadhe went, cutting across the track of the pointer and circling aroundclean in front of him. Don Quixote, surprised by the suddenness ofthis rush, hesitated and looked a bit dazed. The awful strain of thecontest was telling on him, too, and the setter's burst of speed upsethis equilibrium.
While the pointer still trotted along in a wavering course, as thoughin doubt whether to lead or to follow, Romulus caught a scent from thebed of a little brook almost under the pointer's nose. He whippedabout like a flash and froze to a statuesque point that would havemade a perfect picture for an artist. The pointer, still bewildered,did not even back him up.
The umpire's whistle sounded and the handlers called their dogs in.Sam picked up the trembling Romulus bodily and carried him to theHartshorn car.
"He's all in," said Sam. "He used the last ounce he had. What aheart!"
Jack began fondling the setter's ears, but Ernest was eagerly watchingthe little group about the judges. At last a man on horseback cameriding up. He was smiling. r />
"My congratulations," said he. "Your dog won, and I never hope to seea pluckier finish."
The forenoon was already half over and so the Championship stake wasbegun immediately, but the occupants of the Hartshorn automobile hadno eyes for it. They could have told you nothing about what happened,though they learned afterward that it was an exciting contest in whichsome of the best dogs in New England took part. They were engrossed intheir own triumph, and if ever a dog stood in danger of being spoiled,it was Romulus. Sam wore one of the broadest grins the human face iscapable of and Ernest found his emotions quite beyond expression.
The party left early, before the Championship stake was finished, andthey made a triumphal entry into Boytown. The last part of the waythey were accompanied by a noisy convoy of cheering boys and barkingdogs, and the town knew what had happened long before it read thestirring account in the papers.
In due course Ernest received a handsome silver trophy, engraved withthe now famous name of Romulus, and Mrs. Whipple appeared to be asproud of its appearance on the mantelpiece as any of the others. Therewas also the fifty dollar purse, from which Ernest was obliged todeduct a considerable amount for entrance fee and other expenses. Therest he tried to force upon Sam in payment for his invaluableservices, but Sam would not hear of it.
"Why," said Ernest, "you earned ten times as much as that."
"I didn't earn anything I didn't get," said Sam. "I raised that pupand I'm as proud of him as you are. I'm satisfied."
So Ernest put the balance in the savings bank as a fund for financingsimilar undertakings in the future.
"A great dog, that Romulus," said Mr. Whipple, when it was all over."I always did believe he'd cut a figure somehow. It's a pity Remusisn't in his class."
He didn't mean Jack to overhear him; he had no wish to hurt the boy'sfeelings. But Jack did overhear and came promptly into the room.
"That's all right," said he. "Remus will have his day yet. He'll showyou."