Transcriber's Note:
This etext was produced from Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy February 1953. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.
PIONEER
By William Hardy
If you could travel through time to a few years hence you'dfind a stone monument in honor and memory of a brave deedyou may shy away from!
didn't much like the way Max—that's the guy who trainedme—fastened the broad leather straps over my body. There was a smellof nervous excitement in the air and Max's hand trembled as he fumbledwith the buckles. Thinking back on it, the whole morning had been likethat. Nervous and excited.
Right after breakfast, Max had given me a good bath and loaded me inthe car. I always like to ride in the car and this time Max evenallowed me to stick my head out the window. He doesn't usually let medo that, but I was too engrossed in the exhilarating rush of air topay any attention to the change of routine. When we drew up in frontof a large brick building a multitude of strange and peculiar odorsassailed my nose, tantalizingly anonymous. Max's big hand caught mebefore I got halfway through the window. That disgusted me, because Iwanted to investigate the funny smells, and I pouted all the way intothe building. As the events of the next hour progressed I got madderand madder.
First there was the doctor, poking around in my mouth, stabbing myeyes with a blinding beam of light, and prodding and squeezing mybody. It reminded me of the day I came to live with Max and I wastempted to take a hunk out of this doctor's hand like I did the otherone. But Max was there and that stopped me. I didn't want to see thehurt look that would come to his eyes every time I did somethingwrong.
After the doctor finished Max led me into a gleaming white room whereI was surrounded by a gushing mob of women dressed in white uniforms.Their "Ohs!" and "Ahs!" and "Isn't he beautiful!"—I'm not beautifuland I detest the description—put the finishing touch to what had oncebeen a wonderful day. I flopped to the floor, trying to ignore them.Then, indignities of indignities, one of the "girls" tried to pick upmy eighty pounds of blue-gray masculinity. That was the last straw!
I let out a deep-throated growl, and sprang clear of her encirclingarms. Fangs bared, ears flat against my head, I must have presented aterrifying appearance to the women, because they fled to all cornersof the room, squealing and bleating like a bunch of sheep.
For the fun of it, I made a short dash at the one who had tried topick me up. With a high-pitched scream she slumped to the floor in adead faint. I could hardly keep from laughing as I turned to searchfor a new victim. About this time Max came barging through the doorand grabbed me by the scruff of the neck, putting an end to my fun. Hewasn't mad, although he pretended to be, and I could detect the humorin his voice while he scolded me.
Back in the car again, Max roared with laughter while patting me onthe head and saying, "You old devil, you!" in that special way he haswhen amused at something I've done. When he finally got control ofhimself, he started the car and drove in the direction of the funnysmells. As the smells got stronger, I began to ge