The Takahe Stud

Press, 24 August 1976, Page 10

The Takahe Stud

I Bv

RAPHAEL J. MACLOUGHLIN

Episode 8

The realisation that he was alone with a dog he had reared as a pet, but which was now going to savage him, proved too much for the Commander. His knees buckled just as the dog sprang at him. The Commander’s collapse was fortunate for instead of finding itself at its victim’s throat, the huge dog overshot the mark, landing on top of the falling Commander.

Meanwhile, Garth urged his horse on through the swirling snow, trying desperately to see some sign of Blacknose or Commander Joblin. Suddenly, a despairing cry for help was heard above the moaning wind. Then, Garth saw them. It was obvious the victor would be Blacknose.

Garth had to act quickly. Drawing his rifle from its scabbard, he took aim. The thick curtain of snow falling on to the threshing forms made the shot a difficult one. “It would be so easy to shoot the Commander”, muttered Garth, as he gently squeezed the trigger, firing twice in rapid succession.

After the rifle’s report, the straggling figures became still. Garth, rifle back in scabbard, drew his horse alongside and looked with alarm at the Commander. “Good heavens, have I shot him?” he exclaimed, dismounting.

Garth was relieved to find the Commander was not shot, but merely suffering from shock and exposure. “They were right, Blacknose was a killer. Even tried to kill me”, gasped the Commander weakly. “Never mind”, said Garth, “you’ll be as right as a box of birds when we get you home”. “It’s quite some time since Henry left to stop the hunters from killing Blacknose”, mused Mrs Joblin. “I wonder what can be keeping him? I wonder if Garth came across him?” Had she looked through her window she would have seen Garth leading his horse while in its saddle sat her husband, dazed and shocked by his recent experiences.

Mrs Joblin was relieved about her husband’s return and lost no time in getting him to bed. “There! after all you have been through, there’s only a slight temperature”, she remarked, shaking the thermometer in her grasp. “For all you’ve done, Garth, I can only say, thanks”, said the Commander. Garth grasped the extended frail hand and shook it warmly. “That’s enough, Commander. By the way, what shall I tell Hamish Carter and his friends?”. “You can thank them for bringing in my Land-Rover and tell them they were right about Blacknose all the time”, said the Commander. “As for the savaged sheep, I’ll pay for every dead sheep that has the tracks of Blacknose beside it”, For the first time, a smile creased the stern features as he asked: “Er, it’s still snowing, isn’t it?”

Before very long, the Commander had recovered from his ordeal and was up and about, paying every sheep farmer whose stock had suffered from the raids of Blacknose. It did not take him long to realise that if he had lost a dog, many new and staunch friends had been made. Indeed, it seemed as if in his passing, Blacknose had served a final purpose. As it was said: “Commander, you’re a good Kiwi, have a drink!” the compliment was accepted.