Renni the Rescuer by Felix Salten

Author:Felix Salten
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Aladdin

Chapter XVI

AS SOON AS THE TROOPS began to move, the regimental band struck up a stirring march. The soldiers hummed the melody and swung along at a lively gait. George sang too, or hummed rather, and his pace quickened. He kept smiling down at the dog by his side while he put words to the music:

“What we have done was not so bad,

Old boy, old boy,

What we have done was not so bad . . . . ”

Renni looked up at him affectionately.

“Halt!” The command passed down the ranks. “Halt!” The music broke off suddenly. “What’s the matter?”

Many men stepped out of rank to get a look up forward. At some distance houses were to be seen, and massed in front of them stood troops, troops, more troops. A part of the artillery, the tanks and machine guns, and even the field kitchens were lined up in front with the infantry massed behind them. The arrangement was more or less accidental.

“We’re going to parade before our corps commanders.”

“But with the order all backward.”

“What do you mean, order? There’s no order. Nothing but confusion.”

“It makes no difference. Marching out in line after a manoeuvre isn’t a parade anyhow.”

“But we surely ought to have a parade.”

“It would mean a bawling-out for a lot of the high-ups.”

“Well, we won—that’s what counts.”

Slowly the planes in squadron formation roared over their heads, the propellers humming in unison. Then came the metallic grinding of the tanks, the rumbling of the artillery, the rattling of the field kitchens. It took a long time. Renni lay down with his head on George’s toes. Several of the soldiers stepped up with oak leaves in their hands.

“Renni’s going to have a victory wreath.”

Renni awoke with a start at the sound of his name and sat up on his hind quarters.

“Here we come to decorate you, Renni,” the men said to him.

He pounded the ground with his tail in sign he understood they were speaking to him. While one wove the wreath the others addressed half-humorous words of praise to the dog, who kept wagging his tail more and more rapidly, looking first one and then another in the face. He seemed to smile. The soldier with the wreath drew nearer.

“Please don’t, please don’t,” George begged them.

“Look there, Renni. Your master’s jealous.”

“Sure he is, Renni. He’s envious of you.”

“You see, Renni, that’s the way people are. No matter how great a service a fellow does, they grudge him his reward.”

“Oh well, then, let’s put a wreath on the corporal, too.”

“Sure, he’s earned one as much as Renni.”

“Help! Help!” cried George in mock fright.

They hung the wreath around the dog’s neck. Renni shook himself violently three or four times trying to back out of his strange necklace, while the soldiers roared with laughter. Almost at once, the dog got the idea that the whole thing was a joke. With his head down between his paws he dared them to catch him; then he started tearing around in short circles. The wreath tickled him.

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