Chapter 4
Rob at first shared a stateroom with a quiet, taciturn individual who apparently disliked Rob’s company, because the second day out this man was transferred to another cabin and a new room-mate named Harvey Richmond, a broad shouldered, genial chap, moved into the room to occupy berth ‘B”.
Almost from the start, Trenton found himself drawn to Richmond, and Richmond, in turn, seemed keenly interested in everything Rob had to say — about his European trip, particularly.
“How does it happen you’re not sharing a room with Ostrander?” Richmond asked.
“Ostrander,” Rob explained, “picked up a last-minute cancellation.”
“I see. Still, those things can be arranged. A certain shuffling around, you know.”
“I’m still under the weather,” Rob admitted. “I can’t seem to get any strength back. Ostrander is one of those athletic chaps who seems to get everything out of life as he goes along. I don’t think he’s interested in being tied up with an invalid.”
Richmond threw back his head and laughed. “Invalid, my eye! You’re a tough, wiry individual, and you can’t help it if you had food poisoning. After all, anyone can run into an experience like that. It must have been quite a jolt.”
“It was,” Rob said. “Worst experience I’ve ever had and I can’t seem to get back on my feet.”
Richmond deftly turned the conversation to Ostrander. “You say he’s interested in sketching?”
“Sketching and cowbells.”
“What about the cowbells?”
“It’s something that you might not notice unless your attention happened to be drawn to it,” Rob explained. “The Swiss cowbells are a distinctive bit of local colour. Their sound is exceedingly musical. Ostrander has a nice collection.”
“I didn’t know that,” Richmond replied. “Now you just stretch out there and take life easy. Here, let me cover you with this blanket. Keep good and warm. Here’s a book you might like to read. The main thing you have to do is get your strength back. You say that he brought a collection of cowbells with him?”
“That’s right, some distinctive bells with different tones.”
“Where are they now?”
“In his baggage, I suppose. He may have them in his stateroom.”
“I’m interested,” Richmond said, “but I don’t want him to think I’m too inquisitive, particularly if he’s intending to use them as a prop in a series of lectures. By the way, Trenton, you don’t remember the name of this inn where you were staying, do you?”
“No, I don’t. It was above Interlaken and that’s...”
“Yes, yes, I understand. You told me about the general location. I was wondering if you remembered the name.”
“No, I can’t remember it.”
“You say there had been a tragedy?”
“That’s right. The woman who ran the place had died from eating toadstools.”
“You didn’t by any chance hear anyone describe the symptoms of her illness, did you?”
Trenton made a little grimace and said, “No, but I can imagine how she must have felt. I don’t think I care to listen to any symptoms of acute food poisoning right at the moment.”
“I dare say you don’t,” Richmond said, and having seen that Rob’s blanket was properly tucked in around his feet, he left the room.
He returned in about an hour, bringing with him a small-boned, well-knit man whose piercing black eyes regarded Rob Trenton with penetrating appraisal.
“How are you feeling now?” Richmond asked.
Trenton smiled and said, “Much better. Just weak and wobbly.”
“This is Dr. Herbert Dixon,” Harvey Richmond said. “He’s having a little problem. I thought you might be able to help him.”
“You’re a doctor?” Trenton asked, shaking hands.
“I have an M.D. degree,” Dr. Dixon said, “but I specialize in an odd branch of the practice. I have a problem with a dog. I understand you’re interested in dog training. I thought you might be able to help me.”
Rob Trenton’s eyes lit up. “What’s the problem?”
“This German Shepherd,” Dr. Dixon said, glancing swiftly at Richmond, “is one that I purchased from an English chap who seemed to be very much attached to him. The dog seemed perfectly disciplined from all I was able to gather, and the Englishman, who had been living or the continent but who had to return for financial reasons in connection with a new exchange rate, confided to me he simply couldn’t afford to keep him in Great Britain. He wanted the dog to have a good home. To be frank, the animal interested me...”
“Where is he now?” Rob Trenton asked.
“Up in the kennels... and I confess he’s become something of a problem.”
“In what way?”
“He barely seems to tolerate me, growls and shows his teeth and is developing a positively vicious streak. He snaps at people when they speak to him or try to pet him. If I hadn’t jerked back hard on the leash he’d have had me in a couple of suits for damages by this time.”
“How much of a period of transition was there in ownership?” Rob asked.
“What do you mean?”
“How long did you give the dog to become accustomed to you?”
“Oh, that,” Dr. Dixon said. “The owner thought that it would be better if they didn’t drag the parting out. He told the dog to go with me, saw that the dog was willing to follow his instructions and took the plane for England that afternoon.”
Trenton threw off the covers, started groping for his shoes. “I’d like to take a look at him,” he said.
“I’d certainly like to have you, but, of course, I must warn you that he’s vicious with strangers. I don’t even dare to take him out for exercise on shipboard, and the more he’s confined the worse he gets.”
“That is only natural,” Rob said. “What’s his name?”
“Lobo.”
“You have a leash?”
“Oh, yes.”
Trenton said, “Bring him down to the deck aft of the swimming pool. Tie a rope on the end of the leash so that you have a good long leash and do exactly as I tell you.”
“But I don’t dare put him on a long leash. He’d certainly bite...”
“You just have the rope on the end of the leash. You don’t use the rope until I tell you to. Hold the leash rather short. Meet me there at the back of the swimming pool.”
Rob Trenton made his way to the deck, finding that he was even weaker than he had supposed. He seemed to be having great difficulty in shaking off the effects of his illness. However, the thought of being able to work with the dog buoyed him up.
It had been rough during the morning and the swimming pool had been drained. The deck at the back of the pool held no deck chairs and now that there was no swimming it was deserted. The sky was overcast and while the wind had died down there was a long, following swell which caused the ship to roll.
Rob Trenton waited until he saw Harvey Richmond and Dr. Dixon approaching; Richmond at a safe distance and, to one side Dr. Dixon holding the dog on a taut leash.
Rob Trenton seated himself on the deck, making certain there was plenty of room all around him.
“Now hold the leash rather tight,” he said, “and walk past me. Keep the dog on the side that’s away from me.”
Dr. Dixon, leading the dog, walked slowly by.
“Just keep circling around,” Trenton instructed.
The dog, seeing Rob Trenton sitting there, sensing the crisp note in Rob’s instructions, bared his fangs, growled and pulled on the leash.