第2部分(第1/7 页)

eday　they　would　e　to　Chen’s　rescue。　Back　then；　when　he　was　learning　to　ride；　the　old　man　had　said　that　not　only　did　small　stirrups　make　staying　in　the　sad—dle　difficult；　but　if　the　horse　bucked　you　off；　your　foot　could　get　caught　and　you　could　be　dragged　along；　which　could　lead　to　serious　injury　or　death。　These　stirrups；　with　their　large　openings　and　rounded　bottoms；　were　twice　the　size　of　the　more　mon　small…mouthed； fl　at…　bottomed　ones；　and　double　the　weight。

The　pack　was　waiting　for　the　scout’s　report；　horse　and　rider　were　now　directly　opposite　them。　Chen　quickly　removed　his　feet　from　the　stirrups；　reached　down；　and　pulled　them　up　by　their　leather　straps。　Holding　one　in　each　hand；　and　calling　upon　all　his　strength；　he　spun　the　horse　around；　roared　in　the　direction　of　the　wolf　pack；　raised　the　heavy　stirrups chest…high；　and　banged　them　together。

Clang　clang　。　。　。

A　crisp；　ear…splitting　clang；　like　a　hammer　on　an　anvil；　tore　through　the　silent　air　of　the　grassland　and　straight　into　the　ears　and　the　seats　of　courage　of　every　wolf　in　the　pack；　like　a　sword。　Nonnatural　metal—lic　noises　frighten　wolves　more　than　any　thunderstorm；　they　produce　a　sound　that　has　a　greater　and　more　devastating　impact　on　them　than　the　snap　of　a　hunter’s　trap。

The　wolves　trembled　when　the　first　clangs　from　Chen’s　stirrups　reso—nated　in　the　air。　The　next　burst　sent　them　turning　away；　led　by　the　alpha　wolf；　they　fled　into　the　mountains　like　a　yellow　storm；　their　ears　pinned　against　their　heads　and　their　necks　pulled　into　their　shoulders。　Even　the　scout　abandoned　its　mission　and　followed　the　other　members　of　the　pack　in　fl　ight。

Chen　Zhen　could　hardly　believe　his　eyes　as　he　watched　the　wolves　frightened　off　by　a　pair　of　metal　stirrups。　As　his　courage　made　it