“Penny, the most wonderful thing has happened!” she exclaimed.
“Your Texas friends have left town?” the other guessed.
Rhoda shook her head. “Unfortunately, it’s not quite that wonderful. They’re still here. This news is about my brother, Ted1. He has a job!”
“Why, that’s splendid. Exactly what you wished for yesterday afternoon at the well.”
“Penny, doesn’t it seem strange?” Rhoda asked soberly. “This makes twice my wish has come true. How do you account for it?”
[102]
“I suppose your brother could have obtained the job through accident,” Penny answered. “That would be the logical explanation.”
“But it all came about in such an unusual way. Judge Harlan saw Ted on the street and liked his appearance. So he sent a note to the Camp asking if he would work as a typist in his office.”
“Ted is accepting?”
“Oh, yes. The pay is splendid for that sort of work. Besides, it will give him a chance to study law, which is his life ambition. Oh, Penny, you can’t know how happy I am about it!”
At the mid-morning recess2, Penny reported the conversation to Louise. Both girls were pleased that Ted Wiegand had obtained employment, but it did seem peculiar3 to them that the judge would go to such lengths to gain the services of a young man of questionable4 character.
“Perhaps he wants to help him,” Louise speculated. “Ted is at the critical point of his life now. He could develop into a very fine person or just the opposite.”
“It’s charity, of course. But who put the judge up to it?”
“Mrs. Marborough heard Rhoda express her wish.”
“Yes, she did,” Penny agreed, “but I don’t think she paid much attention. She was too angry at Jay Franklin. Besides, Mrs. Marborough doesn’t have a reputation for doing kind deeds.”
“If you rule her out, there’s nothing left but the old wishing well,” Louise laughed.
[103]
“I might be tempted5 to believe it has unusual powers if ever it would do anything for me,” grumbled6 Penny. “Not a single one of my wishes has been granted.”
“A mystery seems to be developing at Rose Acres,” Louise reminded her.
“I’ve not learned anything new since I made my wish. Mrs. Marborough hasn’t decided7 to cooperate with the Pilgrimage Committee either.”
The Festival Week program which so interested Penny had been set for the twentieth of the month and the days immediately following. Gardens were expected to be at their height at that time, and the owners of seven fairly old houses had agreed to open their doors to the public. Both Penny and Louise had helped sell tickets for the motor pilgrimage, but sales resistance was becoming increasingly difficult to overcome.
“The affair may be a big flop,” Penny remarked to her chum. “No one wants to pay a dollar to see a house which isn’t particularly interesting. Now Rose Acres would draw customers. The women of Riverview are simply torn with curiosity to get in there.”
“I don’t believe Mrs. Marborough ever will change her mind.”
“Neither do I,” Penny agreed gloomily.
[104]
Two days elapsed during which nothing happened, according to the viewpoint of the girls. From Rhoda they learned that Ted was well established in his new job, and that Mr. Coaten seemed displeased8 about it. Mr. Parker reported that Jay Franklin had made progress in his efforts to sell the Marborough stone to the Riverview Museum. Other than that, there was no news, no developments of interest.
“Louise, let’s visit Truman Crocker again,” Penny proposed on Saturday afternoon when time hung heavily.
“What good would it do?” Louise demurred9. “You know very well he doesn’t like to have us around.”
“He acted suspicious of us, which made me suspicious of him. I’ve been thinking, Lou—if the writing on those two stones were faked, it must have been done with a chisel10—one which would leave a characteristic mark. Every tool is slightly different, you know.”
“All of which leads you to conclude—?”
“That if Truman Crocker did the faking he would have a tool in his workshop that would make grooves11 similar to those on the stones. An expert might compare them and tell.”
“Do we consider ourselves experts?”
“Of course not,” Penny said impatiently. “But if I could get the right tool, I could turn it over to someone who knows about such things.”
“So you propose to go out to the shack12 today and appropriate a tool?”
“I’ll buy it from Mr. Crocker. Perhaps I can convince him I want to chisel a tombstone for myself or something of the sort!”
[105]
“I used to think you were just plain crazy, Penny Parker,” Louise declared sadly. “Lately you’ve reached the stage where adjectives are too weak to describe you!”
A half hour later found the two girls at the Crocker shack. The door of the workshop stood open, but as Penny and Louise peered inside, they saw no sign of the old stonecutter. A number of tools lay on a bench where Crocker had been working, and with no hesitation13 Penny examined them.
“Here is a chisel,” she said in satisfaction. “It seems to be the only one around too. Just what I need!”
“Penny, you wouldn’t dare take it!”
“In my official capacity as a detective—yes. I’ll leave more than enough money to pay for it. Then after I’ve had it examined by an expert, I’ll return it to Mr. Crocker.”
“O Mystery, what crimes are committed in thy name,” Louise warbled. “If you land in jail, my dear Penny, don’t expect me to share your cell cot.”
“I’ll take all the responsibility.”
Selecting a bill from her purse, Penny laid it in a conspicuous14 place on the workbench.
“There, that should buy three or four chisels,” she declared. “Now let’s leave here before Truman Crocker arrives.”
Emerging from the shop, Penny and Louise were surprised to see dark storm clouds scudding15 overhead. The sun had been completely blotted16 out and occasional flashes of lightning brightened a gray sky.
[106]
“It’s going to rain before we can get to Riverview,” Louise declared uneasily. “We’ll be drenched17.”
“Why not go by way of Mrs. Marborough’s place?” Penny proposed. “Then if the rain does overtake us, we can dodge18 into the summer house until the shower passes over.”
Hastening toward the hillside trail, the girls observed that the river level was higher than when last they had seen it. Muddy water lapped almost at the doorstep of Truman Crocker’s shack. A rowboat tied to a half submerged dock nearby swung restlessly on its long rope.
“I should be afraid to live so close to the river,” Louise remarked. “If the water comes only a few feet higher, Crocker’s place will sail South.”
“The river control system is supposed to take care of everything,” Penny answered carelessly. “Dad says he doesn’t place much faith in it himself—not if it’s ever put to a severe test.”
Before the girls had gone far, a few drops of rain splattered down. Anticipating a deluge19, they ran for the dilapidated summer house which stood at the rear edge of Mrs. Marborough’s property. Completely winded, they sank down on a dusty wooden bench to recapture their breath.
“The clouds are rolling eastward,” Louise remarked, scanning the sky. “It may not rain much after all.”
[107]
“Lou!” Penny said in a startled voice.
She was gazing toward the old wishing well at a dark figure which could be seen bending far over the yawning hole.
“What is it?” Louise inquired, turning in surprise.
“Look over there!” Penny directed. “Mrs. Marborough is doing something at the well. Is she trying to repair it or what?”
“She’s examining the inside!” Louise exclaimed. “Why, if she’s not careful, she may fall. We ought to warn her—”
“Mrs. Marborough knows what she is about, Lou. Let’s just watch.”
From a distance it was not possible to tell exactly what the old lady was doing. So far as the girls could discern she was tapping the inside stones of the well with a hammer.
“She’s trying to discover if any of them are loose!” Penny whispered excitedly. “Louise, I’m sure of it now! Something of great value is hidden in or near the wishing well, and Mrs. Marborough came back to Riverview to find it!”
“What could it be?”
“I haven’t an idea.”
“If there’s something hidden in or around the well, why doesn’t she have a workman make a thorough search?”
[108]
“Probably because she doesn’t want folks to suspect what she is about, Lou. That may explain why she works at night and on very dark, gloomy days such as today. She doesn’t wish to be seen.”
“Mrs. Marborough searches in such obvious places,” Louise said after a moment. “If anything really is hidden it might be deep down in the well. She never will find it in that case.”
“We might help her,” Penny suggested impulsively20.
“You know she would resent our interference.”
“She probably would if we tell her what we intend to do.”
Louise gazed speculatively21 at her chum, realizing that Penny had some plan in mind. She waited expectantly, and then as the other did not speak, inquired:
“Just what scheme are you hatching now?”
“You gave me the idea yourself,” Penny chuckled22. “The logical place to search is deep down inside the well. I’m sure the water can’t be more than a few feet deep.”
“So you want me to dive in and drown myself?” Louise joked. “Thank you, but I prefer to restrict my aquatic23 exercise to swimming pools!”
“Remember that silk ladder I acquired when I helped police capture Al Gepper and his slippery pals24?” Penny demanded, paying no heed25 to the teasing.
[109]
“I do,” Louise nodded. “It was made of braided silk strands26 by a Chinese curio man, and had two iron hooks to claw into the wood of window ledges27.”
“Those same hooks will fit very nicely over the side of the wishing well. I’ve been waiting for a chance to use that ladder, and here it is!”
“Penny! You actually have the courage to climb down into a well?”
“Why not?” Penny laughed. “But it must be tonight while my enthusiasm is bubbling. Meet me at nine o’clock and bring a good flashlight.”
Louise could only stare. “You’re actually serious!”
“Indeed I am,” Penny replied gaily28. “Everything is settled. Now let’s slip away from here before Mrs. Marborough sees us.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
ted
|
|
| vt.翻晒，撒，撒开 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
recess
|
|
| n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
peculiar
|
|
| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
questionable
|
|
| adj.可疑的，有问题的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
tempted
|
|
| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
grumbled
|
|
| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
displeased
|
|
| a.不快的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
demurred
|
|
| v.表示异议，反对( demur的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
chisel
|
|
| n.凿子；v.用凿子刻，雕，凿 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
grooves
|
|
| n.沟( groove的名词复数 )；槽；老一套；（某种）音乐节奏v.沟( groove的第三人称单数 )；槽；老一套；（某种）音乐节奏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
shack
|
|
| adj.简陋的小屋，窝棚 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
hesitation
|
|
| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
conspicuous
|
|
| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
scudding
|
|
| n.刮面v.（尤指船、舰或云彩）笔直、高速而平稳地移动( scud的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
blotted
|
|
| 涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 )； （用吸墨纸）吸干 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
drenched
|
|
| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
dodge
|
|
| v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
deluge
|
|
| n./vt.洪水，暴雨，使泛滥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
impulsively
|
|
| adv.冲动地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
speculatively
|
|
| adv.思考地，思索地；投机地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
chuckled
|
|
| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
aquatic
|
|
| adj.水生的，水栖的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
pals
|
|
| n.朋友( pal的名词复数 )；老兄；小子；（对男子的不友好的称呼）家伙 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
heed
|
|
| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
strands
|
|
| n.（线、绳、金属线、毛发等的）股( strand的名词复数 )；缕；海洋、湖或河的)岸；（观点、计划、故事等的）部份v.使滞留，使搁浅( strand的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
ledges
|
|
| n.（墙壁，悬崖等）突出的狭长部分( ledge的名词复数 )；（平窄的）壁架；横档；（尤指）窗台 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
gaily
|
|
| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |