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〃Gated？〃 echoed the girlan evident newcomer to the realm of
showdom。
〃Yes； Miss；〃 expounded the groom。 〃'Gated' means 'shown the gate。'
Some judges thins out a class that way； by sending the poorest dogs out of
the ring first。 Then again； some judges〃
〃Oh； I'm glad I wore this dress！〃 sighed the girl。 〃It goes so well with
Morven's color。 Perhaps the judge〃
〃Excuse me； Miss；〃 put in the groom； trying not to laugh； 〃but the
collie judge to…day is Fred Leightonhe bred the great Howgill Rival； you
knowand when Leighton is in the ring； he hasn't got eyes for anything
but the dogs themselves。 Begging your pardon； he wouldn't notice if you
was to wear a horse blanket。 At that； Leighton's the squarest and the best
〃
〃Look！〃 whispered the girl； whose attention had wandered and whose
roving gaze had settled on Chum。 〃Look at that dog in the next bench。 Isn't
he magnificent？〃
Link swelled with pride at the lowspoken praise。 And turning away to
hide his satisfaction； he saw that quite a sizable knot of spectators had
gathered in front of Chum's bench。 They were inspecting the collie with
manifest approval。 Chum； embarrassed by the unaccustomed notice； had
moved as far as possible from his admirers； and was nuzzling his head into
Ferris's hand for refuge。
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〃Puppy Class； Male Scotch Collies！〃 droned a ring attendant；
appearing for a moment at the far end of the section。 Numbers 60； 61； 62。〃
Three youngsters； ranging in age from seven to eleven months； were
coaxed down from their straw couches by three excited owners and were
convoyed fussily toward the ring。
〃Novice Class next； Miss；〃 Link heard the groom saying to the girl at
the adjoining bench。 〃Got his ring leash ready？〃
〃Ring leash！〃 This was a new one to Ferris。 His eyes followed the trio
of puppies shuffling ringward。 He saw that all three were on leather
leashes and that their chains had been left in the stalls。 Presumably there
was a law against chains in the ring。 And Link had no leash。
For an instant he was in a quandary。 Then his brow cleared。 True； he
had no leash。 Yet； if chains； like bows of ribbon； were barred from the ring；
he could maneuver Chum every bit as well with his voice as with any
leash。 So that problem was solved。
A minute later； the three pups reappeared at the end of the section。 And
behind them came the attendant； intoning：
〃Novice Class； Male Scotch Collies！ Numbers 64； 65； 66； 67。〃
There was an absurd throbbing in Link Ferris's meridian。 His calloused
hands shook as he unchained Chum and motioned him to leap from the
bench to the ground。
Chum obeyed； but with evident uneasiness。 His odd surroundings were
getting on the collie's nerves。 Link bent over him； under pretense of giving
him a farewell rub with the brush。
〃It's all right； Chummie！〃 he crooned soothingly。 〃It's all RIGHT！ I'm
here。 An' nobody's goin' to bother you none。 You're a…helpin' me win that
hundred。 An' you're lettin' these gold…shirt folks see what a clam' gorgeous
dawg you be！ Come along； ol' friend！〃
Under the comfort of his god's voice； Chum's nervousness fled。 Safe in
his sublime trust that his master would let no harm befall him； the collie
trotted toward the ring at Ferris's heels。
Three other novice dogs were already in the ring when Link arrived at
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the narrow opening。 The steward was sitting at the table as before。 At the
corner of the ring； alongside the platform； stood a man in tweeds；
unlighted pipe in mouth； half…shut shrewd eyes studying the dogs as they
filed in through the gap in the ropes。 The inscrutable eyes flickered ever so
little at sight of Chum； but at once resumed their former disinterested gaze。
〃Walk close！〃 whispered Link as the parade started。
Chum； hearing a command he had long since learned； ranged himself
at Ferris's side and paced majestically in the procession of four。 Two of the
other novice dogs were straining at their leashes； the third was hanging
back and pawing frantically to break away。 Chum； unleashed； guided only
by the voice； drew every eye to him by his rare beauty and his lofty self…
possession。
But he was not allowed to finish the parade。 Stepping up to Ferris；
Judge Leighton tapped him on the arm。
〃Take your dog over to that corner；〃 he ordered； 〃and keep him there。〃
Link fought back a yearning to punch the judge； and surlily he obeyed
the mandate。 Into his memory jumped the things the groom had said about
a dog being 〃gated。〃 If that judge thought for one second that any of those
mutts could hold a candle to Chum。 Again he yearned to enforce with his
two willing fists his opinion of the judge。
But； as he well knew； to start a fight in this plutocratic assemblage
would mean a jail term。 And in such case； what would befall the deserted
Chum？ For the dog's sake he restrained himself； and he began to edge
surreptitiously toward the ring exit； with a view to sliding out unperceived
with his splendid； underrated dog。
But Ferris did not reach the gate unchecked。
Judge Leighton had ended the parade and had stood the three dogs；
one by one and then two at a time； on the platform while he studied them。
Then he had crossed to the table and picked up the judging book and four
ribbonsone blue； one red； one yellow and one white。 Three of these
ribbons he handed to the three contestants' handlers。
Then he stepped across the ring to where Ferris was edging his way
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toward the exit； and handed Link the remaining ribbon。 It was dark blue；
with gilt lettering。
Leighton did not so much as subject Chum to the handling and close
inspection he had lavished on the three others。 One expert glance had told
the judge that the dark…sable collie； led by this loutish countryman； was
better fitted to clean up prizes at Madison Square Garden than to appear in
a society dog show in the North Jersey hinterland。
Leighton had viewed Chum； as a bored musician； listening to the
piano…antics of defective children； might have regarded the playing of a
disguised Paderewski。 Wherefore； he had waved the dog to one side while
he judged the lesser entrants； and then had given him the merited first…
prize ribbon。
Link； in a daze of bliss； stalked back to the bench； with Chum capering
along at his side。 The queer sixth sense of a collie told Chum his god was
deliriously happy； and that Chum himself had somehow had a share in
making him so。 Hence the dog's former gloomy pacing changed to a series
of ecstatic little dance steps； and he kept thrusting his cold muzzle into the
cup of Ferris's palm。
Again Bench 65 was surrounded by an admiring clump of spectators。
Chum and Link vied each other in their icy aloofness toward these
admirers。 But with a difference。
Chum was unaffectedly bothered by so much unwelcome attention
from strangers。 Ferris； on the other hand； reveled in the knowledge that his
beloved pet was the center of more adulation than was any other dog in all
the section。
Class after class went to be judged。 Link was sorry he had not spent
more money and entered Chum in every class。 The initial victory had gone
to his head。 He had not known he could be so serenely happy。 After a
while； he started up at the attendant's droning announcement of；
〃Winners' Class； Male Scotch Collies！ Numbers 62； 65； 68；70； 73！〃
Again Link and Chum set out for the ring。 Link's glee had merged into
an all…consuming nervousness； comparable only to a maiden hunter's
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〃buck ague。〃 Chum； once more sensing Ferris's state of mind； lost his own
glad buoyancy and paced solemnly alongside； peering worriedly up into
Link's face at every few steps。
All five entrants filed into the ring and began the