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"An' I'se tellin' yo', Massa Tom," declared Eradicate, with a rather reproachful look at his master. "But I wanted t' do it right an' proper. I were comin' from Boomerang's stable, an' I see suffin' red spoutin' up at one corner ob de red shed. I knowed it were fire right away, an' I yelled." "Yes, I heard you yell," Tom said.
The humor of the situation appealed to him, and, as he turned the auto into the driveway, and noticed Boomerang's long ears waving to and fro, he laughed. The lad insisted on putting new fuses in the car before he ate his dinner, and then, satisfied that the motor was once more in running order, he partook of a hasty meal, and began making several changes which he had decided were desirable.
I might have known you wouldn't go in. But did you see any one enter the shop?" "Not a pusson, sab." "Have you been here all the while?" "All but jes' a few minutes, when I went to de barn to put some liniment on Boomerang's So' foot." "H'm! Some one might have slipped in here while I was away," mused Tom. "I ought to have locked the doors, but I was in a hurry. This thing is getting on my nerves.
The yard-man, who could tell you stories of Boomerang's National, and Cannibal's victory, that not even Monkey Brand could surpass, knew of old the feeling between Putnam's and the Dewhurst stable, and had placed the boxes of the two horses far apart. All through the week the excitement grew. The Sefton Arms was seething; the bar a slowly heaving mass of racing-men, jockeys, touts, habitués.
"Come on, Ned," said Tom, after a moment or two of silent contemplation of Eradicate. "I don't know what this cheerful camouflager of mine is talking about, but we'll have to go to see, I suppose. You say you have shut some one up in Boomerang's stable, Rad?" "Yes, sah, Massa Tom, dat's whut I's gone an done." "And you say he's a German?"
That's his notion. And ye see it ain't only that, but there's Chukkers and the little bit o' bitterness. See it's been goin' on twenty year and it's all square now. Chukkers broke Monkey's pelvis for him Boomerang's year, and Monkey mixed up Chukkers's inside Cannibal's National. And there it's stood ever since. And Monkey wants to get one up afore he takes off his jacket for good."
Yes, it was my first smell of the star-spangled jacket." "Was that when you got your leg?" "No, sir. That was eight years later. Boomerang's year. He was the first waler Ikey brought over this side to do the trick. My! he were a proper great 'orse, too. I was riding Chittabob like a pony alongside him. At the Canal Turn Chukkers ran me onto the rails."
'Sides, Boomerang is gettin' old, an' when a mule gits along in yeahs him temper ain't none ob de best." "Boomerang's temper never was very good, anyhow," said Tom. "Many's the time he's balked on you, Rad." "I know it, Massa Tom, but dat jest shows what strong character he done hab. Nobody kin manage dat air mule but me, an' if I were to leave him, dere suah would be trouble.
"No, sah, dat's whut he can't do!" insisted the colored man. "Why not?" asked Tom. "'Cause Boomerang's on guard, an' yo'-all knows how dat mule of mine can use his heels!" "I know, Rad," went on Tom; "but this fellow will find a way of keeping out of their way. We must hurry." "Oh, he's safe enough," declared the colored man. "I done tole Koku to stan' guard, too!
"Well, sah, Massa Tom, I seen dish yeah Dutchman git a ticket-pass offen one ob de reg'lar men. Den he went in de unlucky place an' stayed fo' a long time. When he come out I jest natchully nabbed him, dat's whut I done, an' I took him to Boomerang's stable."
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