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Show 125 'You two know each other?" Josh asked. "We used to," Mrs. Sutherland said, not taking her eyes from Abner Raintree. Abner laughed. 'Yes, it's been some time. I'm proud of these boys, Marsha." At last he turned to look at them. "And your dog. That's some hauling job he did." 'Yes sir," Josh beamed. "We couldn't have done it without him." Chinook still snoozed on the grass. Even when Mary Alice's Siamese cat came slinking around, eyeing the dog from the edge of the bandstand, Chinook only glanced sleepily about and ignored it. In huffy disappointment, the cat stalked stiff-legged away. "This is the man, Josh, that I almost recommended to help teach your dog," Mrs. Sutherland said. "I don't know how he does it, but he seems able to communicate with animals." "I know. I saw him." "I suppose, Abner," she said wistfully, "you still insist on living a hermit's life-up there away from everybody." She glanced up at the clouds gathering over the hills to the north. "Winter's coming on, you know." "I've felt it in my bones," he said with a laugh. "Well, Josh here needs someone to help him teach his dog." She turned to look at Chinook, who sat up now, tongue hanging, to watch the cat go across the park. "The dog's a malamute throwback. Did you know that?" "Yes, I can see. But he's a fine animal. We're already friends." "He needs discipline, though. And I need a chess partner at least once a week, Abner Raintree." |
