第9章一路爱相送（9）
&ledoghadbeenapartofourfamilyforabouttwoyearswhenahobokhebadaskedifwecouldgivehimsomethiherequestwasn'tatallunusual。Inthosedays，manyhobosstoppedatourhtaplateoffoodtotheporchwherehewaited。Ashesatdow，weboysgatheredarouellingusalltheplaceshe'dbeehingshe'dseen。Wewerespellboundbyhistales。
Allofasuddeopped。Welookediioaring，aoodJacky。Forseveralmomentstheylookedatohenahugesmilecameacrosstheoldhobo'sface。
"Youlittlerascal，"hesaid，ghimbyse-sou;Whatareyoudoi;
&ledogbecamehystericalwithjoy。HewasalloverthehandjumpingasifhewouldherewasnodoubthekhehoboandkergandtalkingtoJacky，theoldhoboutteredabriefmediately，Jatrolledhisenthusiasmandlaydowheoldman'sfeet。
"Boys，wheredidyougetthisdog？"askedthehobo。
"Wefoundhimlodgedbetweenthedoorandthesduriornadoof'25。"saidmybrother。
"Yes，sir。Itaddsup。"saidthehobo。"IwaswithaMissouriinMarchof'25。Thatwassuresomeblow。Thebigtentedtoshreds。Everythingwasdemolished。"
"Thispoodlewastheopshowdog。He'ssovaluablehewasinsuredforhundredsofdollars。Luckydog，heisblownallthatdistagettinghurt。"
&hehoboasked，"Doyouhaveabarrelhoop，boy？"
"Sure，I'llgetyouo;saidmybrquioldbarrel，heliftedoffoeelbands。Hedashedbadedittothehobo。
Frombehhisoldbatteredhatthehobo'sblueeyessparkled。Asmilebrhhisheavygraybeard。
"Watchthis，"hesaid。"Lessyouboysbeentoacircusyouain'thihis。"
Hewalkedoutintotheyardaheloopacoupleoffeetabovetheground。
"Getready！"hesaidtoJausingthatstrange-sourembledwithext。Onandhesprangforedthroughtheloop—forward，thenbackward。Asandsued，hehurledthroughthehendoverend。Hedanhishihens。MybrothersandIstarediheknowledgeableoldhoboputJackythroughhiscircustricks。"He'salittlerustyonsomeof'em，buthesureain&#ettin'anyofit。"saidthehobo。&qureatbein'tain。Bringsbackmemories，don'titlittlefriend？"hesaidfoedJack'shead。
&haforlornlookabouthim，hestraightenedup。"IguessIbestbegoin'。"hemumbledandheadedslate。Withouthesitation，Jackyfollowedathisheels。
"Jaeback！"allthreeofuscalled。Butitdidnogood。Tearstrickled'downourcheeks。ehadlosthim。
&hehobopaused。LookingdownatJacky，hesaid，"Ourcircusdaysisover，friend。Overahetrampinglife'snolifeforyou。Youbeststayhere。"Jackystood，watgthehobowalkaway，stillpoisedtofollow。
&hegatethemanstoodmotionlessforseveralseds，thenslowlyturnedaround。"Bsthebigtop，"hesaid。"You'dbetterlothehousetillm。I'dhatetoseeyoulosehim。"
Sowedid。Jackylivedwithusformanyyears，andalthoughhewasthesmartestdogweeverhad，weeverpersuadehimtoperformcircustri。Wefiguredhe'dtakenthehobo'swordstoheartandputhiscircusdaysbehindhimondforall。
1925年3月18日，尽管当时的我只有5岁，但我仍然清楚地记得那一天席卷伊利诺伊州南部地区、被称做“小埃及”的龙卷风，而我们所居住的小煤城正巧就在龙卷风的必经之路上。狂风大作，那声音听起来像是十几辆机车呼啸而过。我们在厨房里挤成一团，声响震耳欲聋，好像要摇散我们的骨头似的。
突然，一切都结束了。那种寂静令人感到很不自然，心里充满了恐惧和不安。打开房门，母亲凝视着眼前那令人惊恐的景象，束手无措。瓦砾残骸遍地都是，道路被堵塞。受到惊吓的人们就像牛似的漫无目的地在街道上走着，不知道还能做什么。突然，一声低沉的、痛苦的呜呜声从母亲的脚下传来，打破了这陌生的寂静。