Pep

“ When wounded and dying men are arriving faster than they can be cared for, men do not think much about dogs, so it was easy enough for Pep to slip out through the quadrangle and into the boulevard. He brushed against the leg of his friend the Captain, who did not even notice him.
Once out on the broad street he turned his nose northward and galloped away like the wind.
Something away to the northeast was calling, calling, calling. A mind and a soul that was stronger than his own dog mind was pulling him, pulling, pulling, pulling, so why should he not know which way to go? ”

“ That is, unless he is a champion.”
“Wait till he goes up to meet the champion,” whimpered the dandy. “He’ll come [33] back with his tail between his legs, or I am a liar.”
“You are a liar all right,” growled Pep’s new friend, “but he won’t come back with his tail between his legs. If he’s licked he’ll take it like a thoroughbred. If the other dog’s better than you are, admit it and don’t sulk as you are doing.”
Here the conversation was interrupted by a call for the winners in each class to go up to the ring for the finals, so Pep went with his master and both were much excited. ”

“ If he had been a silly, vain dog, it would have turned his head, but he was a sensible fellow and he took it as a matter of course.
The following day, when Pep and the doctor were having a fine time, walking about the great hall, along the main street, looking at the dogs, a boy in uniform with a blue cap [37] came up to his master and gave him an envelope.
Pep sat on his haunches and watched the doctor very closely while he looked at the piece of paper. Somehow he did not like these messengers with their pieces of paper. They always upset things. ”

“ But luck was with Pep, for another Red Cross man came along and took Bill’s place at the stretcher and his new friend was free to follow him.
“Now, Perp,” said Bill comfortingly. “You just lead the way an’ if there is anything [112] in this ’ere woods you want me to know about, I’m your man.”
Pep went forward eagerly, absolutely sure of the way. He no longer thought of his broken leg, or the terrors of the woods. He was bringing aid to his master. Twenty minutes later he led the way into the ravine and there they found the doctor. He was lying very still with one hand across his face. ”

“ The large room was nearly empty, the only other occupant being a young man who sat at a typewriter clicking away for dear life at the other end of the room.
“It’s just you and I, Pep,” said the man, running the dog’s silky ears through his fingers in a way the terrier loved. “We can have a good visit, Pep. I’m lonesome, old chap. I want you to comfort me. I am thinking of the dear old home and the mistress. What do you suppose the little woman is doing to-day? I’ll bet you another stick of candy against three wags of your tail that she is thinking of us. I am sure of that, old sport.” ”

“ He passed his [35] hand along their backs, and legs. He let their ears slip gently through his fingers. He lifted up their paws. Then put them down.
Pep watched him from the corner of one eye. He could see that the judge was more and more worried.
Then he stood off and looked at them again. He scratched his head and pulled his mustache, then came back and went all over the handling process once more.
Finally he held a muzzle in either palm and laid their heads side by side. His hand trembled and Pep felt that he was much excited. ”

“ Pep watched both his mistress and master narrowly and his dog heart was troubled. For he noticed that his mistress shivered as she took the telegram. The little cry that escaped her as she read it, made him whimper and go to her, standing on his hind legs and putting his paws on her knees.
She reached down and stroked his glossy head and a tear fell on his upturned muzzle.
“I wouldn’t have you miss it for the world, John,” she finally managed to say. “It’s a man’s part and you are every inch a man, but it has come so suddenly.”
“You are a brave woman, Betty,” the doctor returned chokingly. ”

“ So it fared with Pep for two weeks, until finally one night when he had tugged and strained even more violently than usual, one of the links in his chain which had been only partly welded broke and he was free.
Free from the chain, but not free from the hospital. He knew well that if any one discovered that he was loose, he would be tied up again, so he crouched in a corner of the room behind a packing box and awaited his chance.
Nurses often came to this storeroom in the night for supplies. ”

“ Not victory for the sea, but victory for the dog and the boat. For at last the watchers saw the boat reach them and the strong arm of a sailor reach out and drag them both to safety. Then they fought their way back to the ship while the passengers cheered themselves hoarse.
Hilda was unconscious when they placed her in her father’s arms, and Pep was so weak he could hardly stand, but his eye was full of fight and he could still wag his tail in appreciation of the petting he received. ”

“ I was perfectly willing to to let bygones be bygones—"
"Dear man," said Phillips, "I know Pep McHenry like a book! He'd have called it off fast enough if we hadn't butted in on his uncle that way! What bothers me is that Pep has a disgusting habit of turning a little joke like this to his own advantage, at the same time that he's rubbing it in on the other fellow. I tell you, Pep's about as safe as a buzz saw to monkey with!"
"There's one thing we can do," said Spinden suddenly. ”

“ So it happened that many of the soldiers came to look for Pep’s morning visit as much as they did for the doctor’s.
He would often visit at the convalescents’ ward on his own account. There the men were up walking around, or sitting in chairs. Usually they would be playing cards, reading, or writing letters home. ”

“ Pep, I like you a lot, and all that, but I wish you wouldn't come butting in like this on a man! I've got the deuce of a lot of work to do—"
"All right, all right! Don't rub it in! I'm going this minute. But—" He halted ”

“ Roger grinned feebly.
"Well," he admitted, "I thought perhaps it does look queer for the son of a fairly wealthy man to work when he doesn't have to. It's what we'd have called uneconomic in our records, Pep. It certainly does take money away from fellows who need it. I was only working so as to stay in college, Pep. And if he honestly wants me to take an allowance—it's to be just three times as big as it was before—I—don't—know—"
McHenry exhaled disgustedly.
"Darn it!" he exploded. "Every time I get a man to working out any of my pet stunts, something happens to queer it! ”

“ Finally, the mistress dried her eyes and went to straighten out the house. Pep lay down upon his favorite rug to think. He did not intend to submit tamely to being left behind in this unceremonious manner. ”

“ We call and they come though no word is spoken and our command may only be expressed in a great longing.
So Pep galloped and galloped and knew not why, only something was calling and calling and he could but obey. He did not need a map or a compass. His dog instinct supplied both.
The reason for his galloping was this. [89] His master, who was also his god, lay in a narrow gulch at the edge of the Argonne forest, close to a little brook in a poplar thicket, shot through the hips and nearly dead from thirst and loss of blood. ”

“ I mean while my father and your master visit. I haven’t hurt your feelings by saying he was not your father, have I?” inquired Hilda. “I wouldn’t hurt the feelings of such a brave dog for the whole world.”
Pep assured her with several warm dog kisses fairly upon the lips that his feelings were not hurt and she once more read the inscription on the collar.
“I’m awfully proud of you, Pep,” said Hilda. “You are as brave as a soldier. Do you know I always remember you in my prayers? That is because you saved my [125] life. ”

“ He set about making preparations for breakfast as an excuse for rousing Frank and Randy.
“Well, Pep, this is the big day of our lives; eh?” propounded the good-natured cook, while his accommodating assistant was setting the table.
“And the finest ever seen,” replied Pep. “I 120 never saw such a daybreak. It’s going to be just warm enough to make people want to stay out for the evening breeze, and that means crowds passing our place until late.”
It was a jolly quartette that sat down at the table about five o’clock. ”

“ This man McHenry is a wonder! Whittemore, you're another!"
"I?" faltered Whittemore.
"You certainly are! Pepper put me in the way of making a lot of money—that is, a lot for me. I've made a wad tutoring this last year—all Pep's friends, and I know darned well he was responsible for it. And then it was the—you know—that made me get out and mix with the fellows. The track work helped, but that wasn't all. When Pep told me that leadership was one of the requirements, I hustled! ”

“ She’d be mad if she knew I was going to set up opposition to you fellows, for she likes you. Business is business, though. You fellows wouldn’t take me in and I had to get some other partners; didn’t I?”
“Who are your partners?” probed Pep innocently.
“Well, one of them is Greg Grayson. He’s from your town. You know him?”
“Slightly,” assented Pep, his lips drawing together grimly.
“A friend of his has invested something, too,” rambled on the effusive Peter. “Our mainstay, though, is a New York man. They say he’s ’way up in the moving picture line.”
“What is his name?” pressed Pep. ”

“ He sent on a bundle of film and song posters from which Pep could scarcely keep his hands. Frank mentioned some of the movies accessories he had purchased and told of some novel features in the way of films for which he had contracted.
“I tell you, Pep, we’re in for the best or nothing this time; eh?” questioned Randy, almost 73 as much excited as his chums over the prospects of the new Wonderland.
“Oh, I’m ’way up in the clouds all of the time,” piped Pep. “Why, I’ll feel like a girl just going into society. ”

“ The dog wagged his tail and whimpered. He would be good.
The doctor felt of his collar. It was very heavy and studded with brass rivets. “It’s strong enough,” he said. “You can’t break that.” Then he tried it to see if he could slip it over Pep’s head. It was rather loose, so for luck he took it up a hole. “There, now I’ll get a good strong chain and I guess you’ll be all right. Of course you’ll be lonesome and make a great fuss, but these are hard times for us all, and you will have to be a good soldier like the rest of us.” ”

“ One by one the winners were placed on the platform by the champion but it needed only [34] a glance at most of them and the judge said, “Take ’em away.” Then master and dog would slink out of the ring. The last dog who went on before Pep lasted much longer than his predecessors had. The judge looked him over for several minutes and even held his head beside the champion’s before pronouncing his doom.
Then he turned about quickly. “Where’s the doctor’s dog?” he said. “He is the only dog in the show that can give the old champion anything like a go. Bring him on.” ”

“ At about the same time, the forward part of the wrecked train, which had not left the rails, was made ready for completing the run to New York.
The conductor went up and down calling for every one to get aboard. With genuine alarm, Pep saw his master climb into the car nearest the engine, but he did not dare to follow him. ”

“ If I ever saw a man with a free-lunch expression on his face, he's it!"
"To tell the truth," said Wilcox, lowering his voice, "I imagine he's in a pretty bad way, Pep. He's working his way through, and trying to take high rank at the same time. And he's scribing, and tutoring, and working for second assistant business manager of this publication, too. You remember him, don't you? You ought to—he's in your class. He's that Colorado lad who's supposed to be such a wizard of a baseball man. Don't you recollect the row about him last year?"
"Baseball!" said McHenry, sitting upright. ”

“ Randy submitted in his optimistic way.
“How soon will we open?” pressed the eager Pep.
“I should think we would be all ready within a week or ten days.”
“Oh, pshaw! have to wait that long?” mourned Pep.
“You want things right; don’t you?” asked Randy. 103
“Oh, of course, of course,” responded Pep, “only every day counts. Before we know it someone else will break in and get all the cream off the proposition.”
“No, no, friend Pep,” laughed Ben Jolly confidently. “We’ve got too good a start in the movies race at Seaside Park, and we’re bound to win.” ”

“ Pep told of his new discoveries as to the personnel 110 of the rival firm of the “Natonal.” Randy flared up at once.
“It’s half spite work,” he declared. “This Peter is mad because we wouldn’t take him into our scheme and Greg Grayson owes us a grudge, or fancies he does, and wants to pay it back. He and his cronies were always ready for any mean mischief back at Fairlands.”
“Oh, well, as long as it is fair business rivalry, who cares?” submitted Jolly. “From the start they’ve made I don’t think they will last long.”
“They will do all they can to annoy us while they do,” declared Pep. ”

“ Vincent, who until he went on the programme the next week helped Pep to keep things in order, came up to his young friend just as the first film of the third series was being run off.
“I say, Pep,” he observed, “two of the fellows in that quartette in front there are the same fellows I saw with Jack Beavers. They look ripe for a demonstration.”
“You mean they may have been sent here to make trouble for us?”
“And rush the crowd in the hope of picking a few pockets—that is their general programme, yes.” 163
“I wish we could get one of the beach policemen to show himself,” said Pep. ”