“The man said it was.”
“That doesn’t make it so,” retorted Alice. “I never knew such poor directions as those given by persons who have lived in a place nearly all their lives. You scarcely ever can depend on them.”
“That is so,” agreed Natalie. “I remember we were at Atlantic Highlands one summer, and I went for a walk. I got a little confused, and asked an old gentleman how to get on the right road. He was an old settler—he told me so—and yet he directed me a mile out of my way, and it was twice as far from where I was to our cottage as he said it was. Oh, I was so provoked!”
“I do hope nothing like that occurs this time,” ventured Mrs. Bonnell. “Whom did you ask about the road, Marie?”
“The boy who brings our milk.”
“Not that stupid chap?” remonstrated1 Mabel.
“He isn’t stupid,” declared Marie. “It’s only bashfulness. He’s eighteen, and he ought to know——”
“Yes, he ought to know enough to be bashful with this crowd,” laughed Alice. “Oh, Marie, couldn’t you get any better guide?”
“There you go!” exclaimed Jack’s sister. “You left it all to me, and when I do get directions you’re all finding fault. It isn’t fair!” and she swung ahead on the narrow path as though she wanted to have done with the argument.
It was two days after Natalie had overheard what she believed was a clue to the location of the Gypsy camp, and the girls had determined2, after a somewhat lengthy3 consultation4, to at least go near enough to spy upon it, and decide later what to do—perhaps with the help of the boys.
Behold5 them now on their way to Bear Pond, a rather lonesome bit of water about five miles back in the woods from Green Lake. They had gone in two boats to a certain cove6 whence ran a path, more or less well defined, to the pond, and the talk now ran on the chances of reaching their destination.
“Though we may get there all right,” Natalie asserted. “The question is—can we get back again?”
“I don’t see why not!” exclaimed Marie, who had assumed the post of leader. “If you get to a place you can always get back.”
“This path seems to twist and turn so,” said Alice, as they went single file along the winding7 trail, that circled in and out among the trees, now descending8 into a little glade9, and again ascending10 a slope. “If it will only stay crooked11, and not straighten out when we come back, maybe we can remember it. Don’t you think we ought to make some kind of landmarks12 as we go along, girls?”
“We could blaze a trail,” suggested Natalie, “only I don’t believe any one brought a hatchet13.”
“Well, here’s one way not to forget,” said Mrs. Bonnell. “There, breath-of-the-pine-tree, we’ll know this white birch when we meet it again,” and with a hairpin14 the Guardian15 began making a series of zig-zag scratches on the white silver-like bark of a sapling that stood along the path.
“Oh, don’t ever tell the boys you did that!” gasped16 Marie.
“Why not?” Mrs. Bonnell wanted to know. “Is it against the law to scratch a tree I’d like to ask? That isn’t any worse that chipping it with a hatchet.”
“Oh, but blazing a trail with hairpins17!” gasped Marie, laughing heartily18. “What would the boy scouts20 say? We might as well scatter21 side combs along the trail, or take a skein of baby ribbon with us, tying the loose end to our tent pole, and unreeling it as we go along. Don’t tell the boys—Camp Fire Girls blazing a trail with hairpins! Oh, dear!”
“I don’t see but what it is just as good as when done with a hatchet,” said Mrs. Bonnell, imperturbed. “And you are far less likely to cut yourself. I shall blaze our trail with hairpins, girls, the accepted boy scout19 method to the contrary notwithstanding.”
And she did, not heeding22 the laughter of the girls. At every tree with a light-hued enough bark to permit of it, she made her mystic scratches with the hairpin points, sometimes drawing a fantastic figure, Indian fashion, which further increased the mirth of the girls.
“How far did your bashful youth say it was?” asked Mabel, after a pause, during which they climbed a little rise, passing under great pine trees, the needles of which made a slippery, brown, woodland carpet beneath their feet.
“Oh, you’re coming to think that he wasn’t such a bad guide after all then?” demanded Marie, a trifle mollified.
“I just want to see how nearly he can estimate the distance,” was the answer.
“He said it was five miles—five short ones,” and Marie hastily corrected herself.
“And the path a straight one?”
“No, indeed. We have to turn to the right after we pass the spring which is near the ruins of an old house. Oh, I’ve got it all written down,” and Marie began searching for the pocket of the short brown skirt that with the middy-blouse, and low shoes, formed the Camp Fire Girls’ outfit23. A blank look came over her face.
“What’s the matter?” asked Natalie.
“That paper—my directions. I wrote them down on a slip of paper. I was sure I put it in my pocket—I know I did—but now——”
She turned the pocket inside out, but a handkerchief, and a few other personal belongings24, was all that came to view.
“Maybe it’s in with the lunch,” suggested Alice.
They had brought along some sandwiches, and a large bottle of olives, stuffed with Pimento peppers, for they did not expect to get back to camp for dinner. But an inspection25 of the several packets into which the “eats”, as Alice called them, were divided, disclosed no chart, map or other sailing directions for locating the Gypsy camp.
“Never mind!” exclaimed Marie. “I’m sure I can find it without that. Reuben went over it very carefully with me.”
“Reuben being the aforesaid bashful boy?” asked Mabel.
“Yes. And you needn’t make so much fun of him, either. He’s real nice when you get to know him, though he does say ‘yes, ma’am,’ and ‘no, ma’am,’ to me, and he’s older than I am.”
“How much?” inquired Natalie promptly26.
“I sha’n’t tell! But come on if we’re going to get to Bear Pond before noon,” and she quickened her pace.
“I wonder if the boys suspected where we were going?” ventured Alice.
“I don’t believe so,” replied Mrs. Bonnell. “I told them they mustn’t feel obliged to look after us, or to accompany us everywhere we went. It was very nice of them, I said, but we had come to the woods to be real Camp Fire members, and didn’t want to trouble them.”
“I don’t believe they call it trouble,” said Marie.
“Not as long as Natalie is along,” added Mabel. “And we’re not a bit jealous, dear,” she added quickly, as breath-of-the-pine-tree blushed. “You may share all our brothers. Sometimes I wish some one would take all of Phil. He’s such a tease when he sets out to be!”
“I guess in this case they were glad not to be asked to go anywhere with us to-day,” went on the Guardian. “I didn’t so much as hint where we were going—merely saying we might go for a row—which we did. I rather think they had some plan of their own they wanted to carry out. They took their fish poles, but I didn’t hear them talking about bait, which seems is hard to get here. So I wouldn’t be surprised but what they were going to Mt. Harry27 to look for the Gypsy camp that is really at Bear Pond. They want to surprise us.”
“And we’re going to turn the tables!” exclaimed Marie. “Won’t it be a joke!”
“If we find the camp,” added Mabel.
“Of course we will,” asserted the leader. “I have all the directions down in my head.”
“There’s another good tree to hairpin!” exclaimed Mrs. Bonnell, as, with her useful little implement28, she again made her mystic scratches. “We can’t help seeing that. Is it much farther, Marie?”
“We haven’t come to the spring yet, and it’s a mile past that. But you’re not getting tired, are you?”
“Oh, no; only I wanted to know the worst. Lead on—we will follow!” and she looked for more trees to “blaze.”
As the girls walked along, now taking little runs, and experimental dashes on side paths, they broke into song now and then, chanting, “Wo-he-lo for Aye,” and other Camp Fire melodies; the “Walking song,” and the gladsome rhyme of work.
The way was a pleasant one. Since leaving the little cove, where they had tied their boats, having hidden the oars29 on shore, the path had been in a most delightful30 glade, with occasional stretches of meadow. Once they had encountered some cows, and though at first debating the advisability of making a detour31, they had boldly crossed the field, the bovines merely looking calmly at them, as if wondering why humans did not lie down and chew cuds when they had the chance.
“What was that?” exclaimed Mabel, as a whirr of wings, and the passage of some body through the underbrush, startled her.
“A quail,” answered Natalie. “I just got a glimpse of it. Oh, see the lovely flowers!” and she rushed over to a patch of ox-eyed daisies, or black-eyed-Susans, and, pulling a bunch thrust them into her belt, creating a decidedly picturesque32 effect.
Marie pulled some maiden-hair ferns, and weaving a chaplet as she walked along, dropped it on Natalie’s head, for none of the girls wore hats.
“Oh, isn’t that sweet!” exclaimed Mabel. “Wait, I must snap that!” and she posed Natalie for her picture. Then they all had to be crowned with ferns and “snapped”, after which a group picture was taken, with them all sitting on a fallen tree, Marie taking the group without herself in it and then Natalie performing a like service for her chum.
“The spring and the ruins of the farmhouse33 at last!” cried Marie, when another mile had been covered. “We are almost there now.”
“Then let’s eat here,” suggested Alice. “We can get a drink, and olives always make me so deliciously thirsty.”
“That’s what I say,” chimed in Marie, and then, finding a little grassy34 spot they sat down tailor fashion and ate.
“It’s the best meal I’ve had in a week,” declared Alice.
“Are there any sandwiches left?” asked Mabel. “That’s my best indorsement.”
“One or two,” said Mrs. Bonnell. “Perhaps we had better save them.” And to this the girls agreed.
Then came a delicious period of rest under the greenwood trees, while Natalie softly sang a song of the sky-blue water, the others joining in the chorus.
“Forward, march!” cried Marie, a little later.
“One moment!” exclaimed Mrs. Bonnell. “Another tree to hairpin!” and she did her duty.
“Which path?” asked Mabel, as they came to a divergence35 of the ways. “Left or right, Marie?”
“Er—the—left!” hesitatingly pronounced the leader.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.” And to the left they went.
The way became more rocky and rugged—wilder—and there were rather timid glances cast from left to right as they passed through deep, dark and silent glades36, dark even with the bright sun shining overhead.
“I wouldn’t want to be lost here,” spoke37 Mabel in a low voice.
“Hush!” exclaimed Natalie. “Remember we may get back your mother’s ring.”
“Oh, I do hope so. But supposing these weren’t the right Gypsies after all?”
“Don’t you dare suggest such a thing!” threatened Marie. “After all our work, running away from the boys and all that. It simply must be the right camp!”
“Well, I wish we’d come to Bear Pond,” sighed Mrs. Bonnell. “Oughtn’t it to be near here, Marie.”
“I think so,” and she seemed trying to recall the directions.
“Why is it called Bear Pond?” Natalie wanted to know.
“Because there used to be bears there,” answered Alice. “Why else?”
“Bur-r-r-r! I hope there are none about now,” exclaimed Marie with a little shiver.
“Nonsense!” came from Mrs. Bonnell.
They scrambled38 up a rocky hill, saw before them a little path leading off to the right, followed it and came out on a sort of granite39 promontory40. And there, almost at their feet, lay Bear Pond.
It was more desolate41 than they had imagined. Not a house was to be seen, and only a leaky and battered42 boat drawn43 up on shore near the rock told that occasionally some one rowed on the water. Blackened and decaying stumps44 could be seen here and there, and across the tops of distant and dead trees circled a few hoarse45-voiced crows.
“Talk of the Dead Sea!” murmured Natalie. “This is it.”
“It does remind one of that,” spoke Alice.
“No wonder the Gypsies came here,” remarked Mabel. “It is the most lonesome spot I ever saw.”
They stood looking at the black and uninviting water. Occasionally a fish moved in it, or leaped for a fly that ventured too close to the surface. The hoarse cawing of the crows added to the desolateness46 of the scene. There was no sound save that of the voices of the Camp Fire Girls.
“Reuben said,” spoke Marie, “that few people come here. There is good fishing at times—catfish are plentiful47, and there are lots of pond lilies. But I’d never venture out on that water,” and she could not repress a shudder48.
“Neither would I,” said Mabel. “I’d keep fearing that a long, bony hand was about to reach up from the depths and pull me down.”
“Oh!” screamed Natalie.
“What is it?” demanded Mrs. Bonnell with a little start.
“Something—something moved.”
“A bird in the bushes, likely. Silly! This place is getting on the nerves of all of us, I guess. Marie, can’t you locate the Gypsy camp, and then we’ll go?”
“I don’t know. Let’s follow this path. If we don’t see their tents or wagons49 soon, we’ll go back.”
They turned into a path that led down from the rock around the desolate patch of water. It appeared to have neither inlet nor outlet50, and was doubtless fed by springs from below, though it was hard to imagine a pure spring bubbling up into those black and murky51 depths.
“I don’t believe it’s here,” said Marie when they had gone on for some distance. “Let’s go back!”
No one opposed her, and there were sighs of relief from all as they got back to the rock. Then, with a look over the calm and dead surface of the pond, they turned into the path again, while the rasping voice of a crow, perched in a lightning-blasted pine tree, seemed to laugh at their defeat.
“Horrid creature!” murmured Natalie, and they hurried on in silence.
“Are you sure we came this way?”
“Where are some of those hairpin-blazed trees?”
“I don’t remember this road.”
“And I’m sure we never passed this pile of rocks!”
The Camp Fire Girls came to a halt and looked at one another. It was growing dusk, and they had been walking away from Bear Pond for perhaps half an hour. They thought they would soon be at the cove where they had left their boats, but when Mabel propounded52 that question, it raised doubts in all their minds.
“I think this is the way,” said Mabel.
“Can’t you be sure?” asked Mrs. Bonnell, a bit testily53.
“Well, it looks just like it, but why don’t we see some of the trees you scratched?”
“That’s what I want to know,” put in Natalie. “Let’s sit down and rest. Then we can think better.”
She fairly “slumped” down on the grass.
“It’s damp there,” warned Mrs. Bonnell.
“I can’t help it—I’m dead tired!”
Marie walked off a little way. She went forward on the path, and then retraced54 her steps. When she rejoined her now silent chums there was the flush of anxiety on her cheeks.
“I—I don’t seem to remember this place,” she began. “I guess we must have taken the wrong turn some time ago. Let’s go back until we come to two paths, and then take the other.”
They retraced their steps, no one speaking much. But they came to no divergence of the path. It seemed to lead endlessly on through the woods, as though generations of patient cows had plodded55 their way along it. Marie who was in the advance, halted.
“Girls,” she said in a broken voice, “I—I don’t see any use in keeping on. We’re only getting more and more tangled56.”
“Are we—lost?” asked Natalie in hesitating tones.
“I—I’m afraid so,” answered Marie.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
remonstrated
|
|
| v.抗议( remonstrate的过去式和过去分词 )；告诫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
determined
|
|
| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
lengthy
|
|
| adj.漫长的，冗长的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
consultation
|
|
| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
behold
|
|
| v.看，注视，看到 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
cove
|
|
| n.小海湾，小峡谷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
winding
|
|
| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
descending
|
|
| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
glade
|
|
| n.林间空地，一片表面有草的沼泽低地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
ascending
|
|
| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
crooked
|
|
| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
landmarks
|
|
| n.陆标( landmark的名词复数 )；目标；（标志重要阶段的）里程碑 ~ (in sth)；有历史意义的建筑物（或遗址） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
hatchet
|
|
| n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
hairpin
|
|
| n.簪,束发夹，夹发针 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
guardian
|
|
| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
gasped
|
|
| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
hairpins
|
|
| n.发夹( hairpin的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
heartily
|
|
| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
scout
|
|
| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
scouts
|
|
| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
scatter
|
|
| vt.撒，驱散，散开；散布/播；vi.分散，消散 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
heeding
|
|
| v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
outfit
|
|
| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
belongings
|
|
| n.私人物品，私人财物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
inspection
|
|
| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
promptly
|
|
| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
harry
|
|
| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
implement
|
|
| n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
oars
|
|
| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
delightful
|
|
| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
detour
|
|
| n.绕行的路，迂回路；v.迂回，绕道 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
picturesque
|
|
| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
farmhouse
|
|
| n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
grassy
|
|
| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
divergence
|
|
| n.分歧，岔开 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
glades
|
|
| n.林中空地( glade的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
spoke
|
|
| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
scrambled
|
|
| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
granite
|
|
| adj.花岗岩，花岗石 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
promontory
|
|
| n.海角；岬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
desolate
|
|
| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
battered
|
|
| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
stumps
|
|
| （被砍下的树的）树桩( stump的名词复数 )； 残肢； （板球三柱门的）柱； 残余部分 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
hoarse
|
|
| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
desolateness
|
|
| 孤独 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
plentiful
|
|
| adj.富裕的，丰富的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
shudder
|
|
| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
wagons
|
|
| n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 )；铁路货车；小手推车 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
outlet
|
|
| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
murky
|
|
| adj.黑暗的，朦胧的；adv.阴暗地，混浊地；n.阴暗；昏暗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
propounded
|
|
| v.提出（问题、计划等）供考虑[讨论]，提议( propound的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
testily
|
|
| adv. 易怒地, 暴躁地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
retraced
|
|
| v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
plodded
|
|
| v.沉重缓慢地走（路）( plod的过去式和过去分词 )；努力从事；沉闷地苦干；缓慢进行（尤指艰难枯燥的工作） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
tangled
|
|
| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |