“Wake up,” he whispered. “We’re here.”
“At the estate?”
“I think so.”
On the deck above their heads they could hear the men talking together.
“You’ll come along with us, Atherwald,” Aaron Dietz said. “Flora4, you stay here and guard the boat. If you see anyone watching or acting5 suspiciously, blow the whistle two short blasts.”
“I don’t want to stay here alone,” the girl whimpered. “I’m afraid.”
“You’ll do as I say,” the man ordered harshly. “Get started, Gus. It’s two o’clock now. We won’t have many hours before daylight.”
[193]
In making her plans Penny had not once considered that the men might leave a guard on the cruiser. With the girl posted as a lookout6 they were still prisoners in the cabin.
“We have to get out of here now or never,” she whispered. “What shall we do about Flora?”
“We’ll rush her and take a chance on the whistle.”
They slipped out of their hiding place and crawled noiselessly up the steep stairway. Pausing there, they watched the shadowy figure of the girl in the bow of the boat. She was quite alone, for her companions had disappeared into the woods.
“Now!” commanded Jerry in a whisper.
With a quick rush he and Penny were across the deck. They approached Flora from behind and were upon her before she could turn her head. Jerry grasped her arms while Penny clapped a hand over her mouth to prevent a scream. Although the girl fought fiercely, she was no match for two persons.
Stripping off her sash, Penny gave it to Jerry to use as a gag. They bound the girl’s wrists and ankles, then carried her down into the cabin.
“I hate to leave her like that,” said Penny as they went back on deck.
“Don’t waste your sympathy,” replied Jerry. “She doesn’t deserve it. Anyway, we’ll soon set her free. We must bring the police now.”
“The nearest house with a telephone is about a half mile away.”
[194]
“It won’t take us long to cover the distance,” Jerry said, helping7 her down from the boat.
“You go alone,” urged Penny. “I’ll stay here and keep watch.”
“I don’t like to leave you.”
“Go on.” Penny gave him a little push. “And hurry!”
After Jerry had reluctantly left, she plunged8 into the trees, carefully picking her way along the path which led to the lily pool. A short distance brought her to the clearing. Halting, she saw the three men and Grant Atherwald silhouetted9 in the bright moonlight. The latter was still handcuffed, guarded by Aaron Dietz who allowed his companions to do the hard labor10.
Gus and Jake had broken open the door of the stone tower. The soft purr of a motor told Penny that they had started draining the pool. She wondered what the men would do when they discovered that the tank contained a very live alligator11.
“It ought to put a crimp in their work,” she chuckled12. “Mr. Kippenberg couldn’t have chosen a more effective guard for his gold.”
But gradually as the pool drained lower and lower, it struck Penny as odd that the men did not notice the alligator. Belatedly, it occurred to her that the Kippenberg gardener had probably succeeded in getting rid of the monster since her visit to the garden earlier in the day.
[195]
“Something like that would happen,” she thought. “Oh, well, even so Jerry ought to get here with the police in ample time.”
Only the waning13 of the moon gave indication of how swiftly the night was passing. Penny became alarmed as she observed how fast the pool emptied. Jerry would not have as long as she had anticipated. But surely, he would bring help before it was too late.
Presently, one of the men shut off the motor in the stone tower, saying with quiet jubilance:
“There, she’s empty!”
He jumped down into the tank, and almost at once uttered a cry of discovery.
“Here it is, just as he said! The ring to the trap! Give us some help, Gus.”
With Aaron Dietz and the bewildered bridegroom watching from above, the two men raised the heavy block of cement. Penny drew closer for she did not wish to miss anything. She stood in the shadow of a tree scarcely fifteen yards from where the men worked.
“A stairway leads down into an underground vault14!” Jake cried exultantly15. “We’ve found the hiding place of the gold.”
[196]
“Toss me your flashlight, Aaron,” called Gus. “We’ll soon have all of the treasure out of here.”
The next ten minutes brought a confused whirl of impressions. Penny’s thoughts were in turmoil16. Why didn’t Jerry come with the police? As soon as the men carried the burden of gold to the boat they would discover Flora, bound and gagged. Then they would suspect that a trap had been laid. Oh, why didn’t Jerry hurry?
Gus and Jake had descended17 into the underground vault. As the light reappeared, Penny was dumbfounded to see that the men were empty handed.
“Nothing down there,” Gus reported in disgust. “Nothing!”
“Then we’ve been tricked!” Aaron Dietz turned furiously upon his prisoner. “You’ll pay for this!”
“I thought the gold was here,” answered Grant Atherwald.
“Lock him up in the vault and start the water running,” advised Jake harshly. “It’s a good way to be rid of him.”
The suggestion appealed to Aaron Dietz. At a nod from him, Atherwald was seized and dragged down into the pool. He was shoved into the vault, but before the two men could lower the heavy cement block into place, a signal from Dietz arrested their action.
“Wait!”
[197]
In her anxiety over Grant Atherwald, Penny had moved closer to the pool. Without realizing that she was exposing herself, she stood so that her shadow fell clearly across the open space. Before she comprehended her danger, Dietz hurled18 himself upon her, seizing her roughly by the arms.
Penny struggled to free herself but could not. The man’s grip was like steel.
“So you were spying!” he exclaimed harshly.
“I—I was just watching,” Penny stammered19. “Don’t you remember me? I am the girl who pulled you out of the river when your car went over the drawbridge.”
The man looked closely at her, and for an instant she dared hope that he would recall her with gratitude20. But his face hardened again and he said unfeelingly:
“You know entirely21 too much, my little girl. This is one story you will never write for your father’s paper. Your curiosity has proven your undoing22. You share the fate of your very good friend.”
With a sinking heart Penny realized by the man’s words that he knew her to be the daughter of a newspaper publisher, and that he had guessed her part in the trick played upon him.
“Down you go!” Dietz said harshly.
[198]
As he dragged her toward the pool, Penny screamed at the top of her lungs. A hand was clapped over her mouth. She bit it savagely23, but her efforts to free herself were of no avail.
The men shoved her headlong down the stone stairway into the pit.
“Now scream as much as you like,” Aaron Dietz hurled after her. “No one will hear you.”
The heavy stone slab24 dropped into place.
Penny picked herself up from the steps. Terror gripped her, and with a sob25 she called frantically26:
“Mr. Atherwald! Mr. Atherwald!”
“Here at the bottom of the steps,” he answered with a groan28.
“Are you hurt?”
“Only bruised29. But my hands are still in cuffs30.”
Penny limped down the stairway and helped the man to his feet.
“We’re done for now,” he said. “No one will ever look for us down in this vault. And our cries will never be heard.”
“Don’t give up,” Penny murmured encouragingly. “We may be able to lift the stone. Come let’s try.”
Mounting the stairs, they applied31 their shoulders to the massive door, but their best efforts did not raise it an inch.
“Listen!” cried Atherwald suddenly.
They both could hear the sound of water running into the empty pool.
[199]
“In an hour’s time no one will ever guess that a hidden vault lies beneath the tank!” Atherwald groaned32. “We’re doomed33!”
“If we can hear the water splashing above us, our voices might carry!” Penny reasoned. “Let’s cry out for help. Now, together!”
They shouted over and over until their voices failed them. Then, completely discouraged, they sagged34 down on the stairway to rest.
“Nothing went as I planned,” Penny said dismally35. “I really thought the gold was hidden in this vault. If the men had found it, they would have spent hours removing the loot to their boat. Jerry would have come with the police and everything would have been all right.”
Grant Atherwald was not listening to the girl’s words. He struggled to his feet, pressing his ear against the trapdoor.
“The water has stopped running!”
“Are you sure?” Penny sprang up and stood beside him, listening.
“Yes, and I hear voices!”
With one accord, they shouted for help. Could it be imagination or did they hear an answering cry? As they repeated their frantic27 call, there was a scraping on the stone above their heads.
“Stand away,” ordered a muffled36 voice.
[200]
Before Penny and the bridegroom could obey, the great door lifted. A deluge37 of water poured in, its force nearly washing them from the steps. But in another moment the passage was clear and they stumbled up through the rectangular opening.
Jerry grasped Penny’s hand, helping her out of the vault. One of the blue-coated policemen aided Atherwald, unfastening the handcuffs which held him a prisoner.
“You’re all right, Penny?” the reporter asked anxiously.
“I—I feel like a drowned rat,” she laughed, shaking water out of her hair. Then, with a quick change of mood she asked: “Did you get Aaron Dietz and his men?”
“No,” Jerry answered in disgust. “When we crossed the river five minutes ago, the cruiser was still there. No sign of anyone around. I brought the police here, and now I suppose they’ve made their get-away.”
“Oh, Jerry, we can’t let them escape! Send the police—”
“Now don’t get worked up,” the reporter soothed38. “A squad39 started back just as soon as we found out what had happened here.”
“Dietz and his men must have seen the police crossing the river,” speculated Penny. “They may have hidden in the bushes, biding40 their time. By now they’ve slipped away in their boat.”
“I’m afraid of it,” Jerry admitted. “I traveled as fast as I could.”
[201]
As one of the policemen lifted Penny out of the pool, a noise which sounded like the back-firing of an automobile41, broke the stillness of the night. It was followed by a volley of similar sounds.
“Gunfire!” exclaimed Penny.
The policemen started at a run through the woods toward the place where the white cruiser had last been seen. Penny hesitated, and then took the opposite direction, coming out of the woods at a point directly opposite the drawbridge.
Gazing far up the river she could see the white cruiser, flashes of fire coming from the cabin window as the desperadoes exchanged shots with the police, who were concealed42 in the woods.
“That boat will try to run for it in another minute,” Penny thought. “If only the drawbridge were down!”
Kicking off her shoes, she dived into the water, swimming diagonally across the river to take advantage of the swift current. Her powerful strokes brought her to shallow water and she waded43 ashore44 through ankle-deep mud. As she scrambled45 up the slippery bank, her wet clothing plastered to her body, she heard the roar of the cruiser’s motor.
“They’ve started the engine!” she thought. “In another minute the boat will be at the bridge. Hurry! Hurry!”
[202]
Penny could force herself to no greater effort. Breathless, she reached the gearhouse and groped frantically under the door. Had Thorny46 failed to hide the key there? No, her fingers seized upon it.
Trembling with excitement, she turned it in the lock. The door of the gearhouse swung open. Now could she remember how to lower the bridge? Any mistake would be costly47, for by this time she could hear the cruiser racing48 down the river at full speed. If only it were light enough so that she could see the gears!
She pulled a lever and her heart leaped as the motor responded with a pleasant purr. The power was on!
“Now to lower the bridge!” thought Penny. “But which lever is the right one? I’m not sure.”
With a prayer in her heart she grasped the one closest at hand and eased it forward. There was a grinding of gears as the tall cantilevers49 began to move. They were coming down, but oh, so slowly!
“Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!” Penny whispered, as if her words could speed the bridge on its journey.
The white cruiser drove onward50 at full speed. Lower came the bridge. Penny held her breath, knowing it would be a matter of inches whether or not the boat would clear. The man at the wheel, aware of the danger, did not swerve51 from his course.
The bridge settled into place. As the crash came, Penny closed her eyes.
“I did it! I’ve stopped them!” she thought, and sagged weakly against the gear house.
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收听单词发音
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1
cove
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| n.小海湾，小峡谷 | |
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dozing
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| v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡 | |
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3
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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4
flora
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| n.(某一地区的)植物群 | |
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5
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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6
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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7
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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8
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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9
silhouetted
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| 显出轮廓的，显示影像的 | |
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10
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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11
alligator
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| n.短吻鳄(一种鳄鱼) | |
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12
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
waning
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| adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡 | |
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14
vault
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| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
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15
exultantly
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| adv.狂欢地，欢欣鼓舞地 | |
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16
turmoil
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| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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18
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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19
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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21
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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undoing
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| n.毁灭的原因，祸根；破坏，毁灭 | |
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savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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24
slab
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| n.平板，厚的切片；v.切成厚板，以平板盖上 | |
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25
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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28
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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29
bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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30
cuffs
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| n.袖口( cuff的名词复数 )v.掌打，拳打( cuff的第三人称单数 ) | |
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31
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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32
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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33
doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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34
sagged
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| 下垂的 | |
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35
dismally
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| adv.阴暗地，沉闷地 | |
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36
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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37
deluge
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| n./vt.洪水，暴雨，使泛滥 | |
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38
soothed
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| v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦 | |
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39
squad
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| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
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40
biding
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| v.等待，停留( bide的现在分词 )；居住；（过去式用bided）等待；面临 | |
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41
automobile
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| n.汽车，机动车 | |
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42
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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43
waded
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| （从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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45
scrambled
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| 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 | |
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46
thorny
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| adj.多刺的，棘手的 | |
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costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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48
racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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49
cantilevers
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| n.悬臂( cantilever的名词复数 ) | |
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50
onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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51
swerve
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| v.突然转向，背离；n．转向，弯曲，背离 | |
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