Free Renni the Rescuer by Felix Salten

her mother, and whom he liked better and better. Tanya petted Renni till he became her abject slave. She was very polite to Mother Marie, and she would pin up her skirts and go out into the garden to help George.
    George explained to the four Russian brothers his plans for Renni’s education. They became enthusiastic at once and offered to play wounded. It struck them all as a new, fascinating kind of game, and they could hardly wait to begin.
    Vladimir had a wonderful gift as a whistler. He was also an accomplished musician. He could sit at a piano and improvise Russian songs, whistling the melodies in long-drawn melancholy, sweet-sounding tones. George did not have a piano, so they had to content themselves with Vladimir’s whistling unaccompanied. As soon as he began Renni would come up to him, lay his head on his knee and listen raptly, as though he could follow the beautiful melodies.
    Now they went out into the field, into the forest. The four brothers went first, by themselves. They chose positions at some distance from one another and stretched out on the ground, as George had told them to do. A little while later he followed with Renni, and then he met Bettina.
    â€œIf the dog knows the men, it will be easier, and yet at the same time it will be harder.” In her matter-of-fact way of looking at things, she had hit on the truth.
    Renni had already learned how to quarter a field, to cut back and forth across it, to circle it. At a word from George, or a mere sign, he had been taught to strike out,back and forth across the field, in the brush and in the woods. But every time he returned to his master, either of his own accord or at a call, he had worn a puzzled air as though he wanted to ask, “Why? What’s this all about?” For in spite of his systematic searching and hunting there was nothing to be found. It had seemed to him perfectly useless and without object. It baffled him. George had been going at the task in quite a different manner from the ordinary training methods.
    Now they were ready to get down to business.
    â€œFind!” he ordered. Renni was off in a gallop, dropped into a quick trot, charged back and forth. The breeze brought him a well-known scent. He started out to follow it and ran straight toward its source. Much to his surprise he found Vladimir lying on the ground in the forest, fell on him joyfully, was received cordially and lavishly petted. The two played and romped together. When they had to get up and go to George, Renni’s face wore an air of triumph.
    â€œNo good!” pronounced George.
    Bettina added, “I knew it.”
    â€œHow do you mean, no good?” Vladimir asked. “Renni found me, didn’t he?” He too wore an air of triumph, comically like the dog’s.
    â€œYes, but you spoke to each other.”
    â€œWhy, of course we did,” admitted Vladimir, petting Renni’s back. “Of course we did. We were glad to see each other. Smart dog.”
    â€œIf you’re going to act like a wounded man, or a sick man who’s lost consciousness, you couldn’t do anything worse, anything more stupid, than what you’ve done,” explained Bettina.
    Vladimir looked at her for a second, then he grinned good-naturedly and answered, “Excuse me! What should I have done? I know I’m an ass.”
    Bettina smiled without replying. George suppressed a laugh. Renni in delight was running from one to another. Vladimir whispered to him, “We made fools of ourselves, we two.” Renni didn’t seem altogether crushed, and Vladimir was not suffering from too much remorse.
    They called the other three brothers out of the woods and started home.
    â€œIt’s a beginning,” comforted George. “You mustn’t take it so seriously.”
    He might have spared his words. Nobody seemed to be taking it seriously. Vladimir was walking with Bettina. George and the other three along behind. The Russian