CHAPTER II
He Gets His Wish
“Some excitement, I own up, Perk,” agreed Jack, exchanging a look of inquiry with his companion. “Dog fight, like as not, since I thought I heard a yowling just then, as if one mutt’d got his in the neck.”
“Jest hear the people a shoutin’ will yeou?” snapped Perk.
“But that doesn’t sound like they were enjoying themselves a heap, I’d say, boy—such screaming and yelling—they’re badly rattled over whatever’s going on. What could it all mean, I wonder?”
“Hot-diggetty-dig! we’ll know right soon, ole hoss; ’cause it’s headin’ this way—gettin’ a heap louder ev’ry second, I vow! Guess yeou struck it right when yeou sez they must be skeered into a near panic. Don’t hear no guns agoin’ off, so it cain’t be a brawl ’tween drunken bootleggers an’ town constables. Well, I swan, it gets me—look at the folks a beatin’ it to the houses, like they reckoned they’d be safer there. Mebbe we better shin up a telegraph pole like that youngster’s a doin’ over yonder—he means to git high an’ dry, so’s to see the circus, but not take chances with the runaway animal’s flyin’ heels. Wow! what’s this I lamp a comin’ ’reound that corner, waggin’ his ole head from side to side—a big yeller dog, Jack, with foam a drippin’ from his open red mouth! Great guns!”
“That beast is as mad as a hatter!” boomed Jack, thrilled by the frightful sight. “He’s bound to own the whole street, no matter if a battalion of cops try to sheer him off!”
“Mebbe, mate,” Perk was shouting “we’d better be steppin’ to one side in a hurry; I ain’t lost nary dog; an’ I’m not fool enough to want to stand up ’fore one that’s rabid—not Gabe Perkiser! Get a move on, Jack, an’ vamose!”
“Wait up!” cried the other, for so great was the clamor no one could expect to be heard unless he fairly shouted.
“Excuse me, boy—I got a date!” Perk bellowed back, grinning as he spoke.
“Look ahead, Perk—that child—little boy he is—fell down in his fright, and must’ve sprained his ankle—see him try to scramble up again; but he can’t manage it, what with his fright and twisted ankle. The dog—it’s making straight for the youngster—we can’t stand by, and see him tackle such a mere baby—we’ve just got to do something, Perk!”