"Yan Larri. The Extraordinary Adventures of Karik and Valya (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

Mother stared first at the fat man, then at the dog and then said
rather crossly:
"You have let that dog out again, Comrade Schmidt, without his muzzle.
He behaves just like a wolf. He just looks around to see at whom he can
snap. . . ."
"What, Jack?" said the fat man, apparently most surprised. "Why, he
wouldn't harm a child! He is as peaceful as a dove. Would you like to stroke
him?"
Mother waved him away with her hand.
"You think I have nothing else to do but to stroke dogs! At home, lunch
is getting cold, none of the housework is done and here I am unable to get
hold of the children. Ka-a-ri-ik! Val-a-alya!" she shouted once more.
"You just stroke Jack and ask him nicely. Say: 'Now then Jack, go find
Karik and Valya.' He'll find them in a wink!" Schmidt bent down to his dog
and rubbed his neck affectionately. "You'll find them, won't you Jack?"
Jack made a little whimpering noise and, quite unexpectedly, jumped up
and licked the full lips of the photographer. The fat man staggered back,
fussily spat out and wiped his lips with his sleeve.
Mother laughed.
"You need not laugh," Schmidt gravely assured her, "this is a
sleuthhound. He follows the scent of a human being just like a train running
on rails. Would you like me to show you?"
"I believe you!" said Mother.
"No, no!" the fat man was getting agitated. "Allow me to assure you
that if I say it is true, it is true! Now then, just give me something
belonging to Karik or Valya - a toy - coat - beret. It does not matter what.
. . ."
Mother shrugged her shoulders, but all the same she stooped down,
picked up the spade and beret and, smiling, handed them to Schmidt.
"Splendid! Excellent!" said the fat man, and gave the beret to the dog
to smell. "Now, Jack," he continued loudly, "show them how you do it! Go
find them, boy!"
Jack whimpered, put his nose to the ground and, sticking up his tail,
started to run round the courtyard in large circles.
The photographer cheerfully puffed along behind him.
Having run up to the cat Anyuta, Jack stopped. The cat jumped up, bent
herself into a bow and flashing her green eyes hissed like a snake. Jack
tried to grab her by the tail.
The cat bristled up, gave Jack a box on the ear; the poor dog squealed
with pain, but at once recovered himself and with a loud bark flung himself
at Anyuta. The cat again hissed and raised one paw as if to say: "
Sh-sh-sh-shove off! I'll s-s-slap you s-s-such a one!"
"Now, now, Jack," said the photographer, "you mustn't get put off!" and
he tugged so hard at the lead that the dog sat back on his hind legs. "Get
on, now! Go find them!" he ordered.
With a parting bark at the cat, Jack ran on ahead. He ran around the
whole yard and once more stopped by the gutter pipe and loudly sniffed the
air, looking at his master.
"I understand, I understand!" said the photographer, nodding his head.
"They sat here, of course, playing with the cat! But where did they go