CHAPTER XV
A FOUR-FOOTED FOE
Abner Holden's reflections, when he found himself left alone in Ralph'scabin, bound hand and foot, were not of the most agreeable nature. Itwas humiliating to find himself baffled at every point, and, for once,completely defeated in his attempt to exercise his authority over theboy who had been bound to him.
That Herbert should escape from him beyond the chance of recovery seemednow almost certain. If he were free, something might be done. But he wasso securely bound that it was impossible to get free without help, andthe lonely situation of the cabin made it very doubtful whether anyonewould come within hearing until the return of Ralph himself. When thatwould be was uncertain.
Three hours passed, and still no prospect of release. The bonds chafedhis wrists, and his situation was far from comfortable. He tried toloosen the cords, but without success.
"Must I stay here all night?" he thought, in alarm.
But deliverance was at hand, though its first approach was disagreeable.
A large dog entered the cabin through the open door, drawn thither,probably, by curiosity. When he saw Abner he appeared to take a disliketo him, and barked vehemently.
"Go away, you brute!" said Abner, wrathfully.
The dog, however, appeared instinctively to understand that Abner Holdenwas able only to threaten him, and barked more furiously than before;sometimes approaching within a foot of the helpless prisoner, andshowing a formidable row of teeth, which Abner feared every moment mightfasten upon his arm or leg.
Abner Holden was not a man of courage. Though his disposition was thatof a bully, he was easily frightened, and the fierce look of the dogalarmed him not a little. In fact, it might have tested the courage of amuch braver man than Mr. Holden.
"Go away!" he shrieked, shrinking back as far as he could from the openmouth of his persecutor.
A hoarse bark was the only reply, and the dog made an artful spring,which was only a feint, but had too much the appearance of earnest tosuit his enemy.
"Oh, will nobody save me from the brute?" groaned Abner, in anecstasy of terror. "If I could only get my hands loose!" and he tuggedfrantically at the cord.
Feeling how utterly he was at a disadvantage, he condescended to coaxhis fierce antagonist.
"Be quiet, that's a good dog," he said, with hypocritical softness.
The dog noticed a change in his tone, and evidently viewed it withsome suspicion. Still his bark became less fierce and his looks lessthreatening.
"Good dog!" repeated Abner, in wheedling tones. "There's some dinner."
And he pushed over the provisions which Ralph had left.
While the dog was apparently taking his offer into consideration, aboy's voice was heard outside, calling "Carlo, Carlo!"
The dog pricked up his ears and ran out of the cabin.
"So you are here, you truant," said the boy. "Why did you run away? Whathave you to say for yourself, sir?"
The dog answered by a wag of his tail.
"Oh, yes, you may wag your tail, but I've a great mind to punish you forrunning away, and putting me to the trouble of finding you."
"Hello!" cried Abner, in a loud voice.
"Who's that?" thought the boy, surprised.
As the voice evidently came from within the cabin, he ventured to thedoor, and looked in. He was considerably surprised to see Abner Holden,whom he knew well by sight, lying bound hand and foot in the corner.
"Is that you, Mr. Holden?" he asked, in a tone of surprise.
"Of course it is," said Abner, who was not in a very pleasant frame ofmind.
"Are you tied?"
"Don't you see I am?" snarled Abner.
"Who tied you?"
"That rascal Ralph. I mean to have him hung, if I live."
"Ralph! Why, I thought he was quiet and peaceable."
"He tried to murder me, but changed his mind, and tied me, as you see."
"I can't understand it."
"There is no need of understanding it. Come and unfasten these cords. Ifeel stiff and cramped."
The boy tried to unfasten the cord, but it was too securely tied.
"Where is your knife?"
"I haven't got any."
"Then take the axe."
There was an axe standing at the corner of the room. This the boy got,and, with the keen edge, severed the string.
Abner stretched himself to relieve his cramped limbs. Then he bethoughthimself of his late persecutor.
"Is that your dog?" he asked, surveying his four-legged enemy with nofriendly expression.
"Yes, that's Carlo. Come here, Carlo."
"He's been in here barking at me, and threatening to bite me, and nowI'll have my revenge."
"What do you mean?" inquired the boy, in alarm, as Abner seized the axeand swung it over his head.
"Stand aside, boy!"
"What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to kill that brute."
"No, no, he's a good dog. He won't do any harm," said the boy, in alarm.
"I'll kill him," said Abner, fiercely.
The dog surveyed his enemy with suspicion. He seemed to understand thatdanger menaced him. He growled in a low, hoarse, ominous tone, whichshowed that he was on his guard, and meant to do his part of thefighting, if necessary.
His owner had retreated to the door, and now tried to call him away.
"Carlo, Carlo, come out here, sir."
But Carlo would not come. He had no intention of shrinking from thedanger that threatened him, but was bent on defending himself, as becamea brave and dauntless dog, whose courage was above suspicion.
If Abner had not been so exasperated, he might have been terrified, butanger re-enforced his courage, and, moreover, he had a great deal ofconfidence that the axe which he held in his hand would make him morethan a match for the dog.
"I'll kill him!" he exclaimed, and once more he swung the axe over hishead, and brought it down with a tremendous force in the direction ofthe dog.
Alas for poor Carlo, if the axe had struck him! But he was wary, andknew something of warlike tactics, and with watchful eye carefully notedAbner's movements. The boy uttered a cry of alarm at the peril of hisfavorite, but Carlo sprang to one side just as the axe descended, and itwas buried in the earthen floor of the cabin so deeply that Abner couldnot immediately recover it.
The advantage was thus transferred to the other side, and the dog wasnot slow in perceiving it.
With a bound he sprang upon his adversary, and bore him to the floor,seizing his coat between his strong teeth. He pulled and tugged at thiswith a strength which no ordinary cloth could possibly withstand.
"Take him off! take him off!" shrieked Abner in terror.
The boy sprang to the rescue.
"Come away, Carlo," he said, grasping him by the collar; "come away,that's a good dog."
But, habitually obedient as Carlo was, his young master found itdifficult to get him away. He felt that he had received a grievousinjury--that his life had been attempted--and he wanted to havesatisfaction. Finally his master succeeded in drawing him away, but nottill Mr. Holden's coat was badly torn.
The latter was crestfallen and angry, and not so grateful as he ought tohave been to his young defender.
"I'll make your father pay for this coat, you young rascal!" he said.
"It isn't my fault, Mr. Holden," said the boy.
"Yes, it is. It was your dog that tore my coat."
"Carlo wouldn't have torn it, if you hadn't attacked him."
"He attacked me first."
"You had better go away, Mr. Holden, or he may go at you again."
A low growl from the dog whom he held by the collar re-enforced thissuggestion, and Abner, uttering threats both against the dog and hismaster, strode out of the cabin and bent his steps homeward.
As he entered the kitchen, the housekeeper turned, and, noticing historn coat, exclaimed, "Good gracious, Mr. Holden, what's happened toyou? How came your coat so badl
y torn?"
"It was a dog," muttered Abner, who did not care to be questioned.
Mrs. Bickford supposed he must have taken off the coat, and the dog hadtorn it as it lay upon the ground.
"What a pity!" she exclaimed. "Whose dog was it?"
"Alfred Martin's. I'll make Martin pay for the coat. He has no right tokeep such a brute."
"You must be hungry, Mr. Holden."
"Yes, get me something as quick as possible."
"Have you seen anything of Herbert?" asked the housekeeper.
"No," snapped Abner.
This was a falsehood, of course, but he felt rather ashamed to confessthat he had seen Herbert, and that the latter had got the better of him.Mrs. Bickford perceived that he was out of humor, and did not press thequestion. She concluded that he was angry because his quest had beenunsuccessful.