Colonel Knight has two large dogs also, but they are shut in the
stable most of the time to guard his pair of valuable horses. The
horses are not particularly fast or spirited, but they are very
beautiful and perfectly matched in color and gait.
Ever since Hal has been old enough to run with a horse, he has always
gone with me riding or driving. So the first time we drove with
Colonel Knight I called Hal to go with us and he ran out of the house
and over the fence with long joyful bounds, to be instantly pounced
upon, and rolled over into the acequia by the two big dogs of Colonel
Knight's that I had not even heard of! Hal has splendid fighting blood
and has never shown cowardice, but he is still a young dog and
inexperienced, and no match for even one old fighter, and to have two
notoriously savage, bloodthirsty beasts gnawing at him as though he
was a bone was terrible. But Hal apparently never thought of running
from them, and after the one howl of surprise gave his share of
vicious growls and snaps. But the old dogs were protected by their
heavy hair, while Hal's short coat and fine skin were easily torn.
We all rushed to his rescue, for it looked as though he would be torn
in pieces, and when I saw a long cut in his tender skin I was frantic.
But finally the two black dogs were pulled off and Hal was dragged out
of the ditch and back to the house, holding back and growling all the
time, which showed plainly he was not satisfied with the way the
affair had ended.
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