“You look like Father Neptune4 emerging from the briny5 deep,” she chuckled6.
“I’m freezing to death,” Penny chattered7. “Come on, we’re going home!”
Louise hauled up the silken ladder from the well. Squeezing out the water, she compressed it into the carrying case.
“What were you saying about a discovery?” she inquired belatedly.
“Oh, nothing of consequence,” Penny answered, pounding her hands together to restore circulation. “Merely an opening in the side of the well. It probably leads into a tunnel.”
[118]
“Penny! Are you sure?”
“I’m not sure of anything except that I’m going home!” Penny replied crossly.
She started across the lawn with her chum hurrying after her.
“Oh, Penny, I’m terribly sorry,” Louise said contritely9. “I know you had an awful time down in the well. But it wasn’t my fault those two men arrived just when they did.”
“Who were they?” Penny asked, mollified by the apology. “From their voices I took them to be Mr. Coaten and his friend.”
“That’s who they were. But, I can’t imagine why they came to see Mrs. Marborough. Anyway, they didn’t get into the house.”
“Lou, I heard those men talking while I was down in the well,” Penny revealed. “I’m sure they’re dishonest. They want Ted8 and Rhoda to sign something over to them.”
“But Rhoda said she and her brother have no property.”
“I know,” Penny frowned. “I can’t make head nor tail of the situation. I’m too miserable10 to think about anything now.”
Pausing beside a tree, she removed one of her shoes. After pouring a little water from it, she replaced it and went through a similar procedure with the other shoe.
[119]
“Please tell me what else you learned while in the well,” Louise pleaded. “Haven’t I been punished enough?”
Her good humor restored, Penny grinned amiably11. “To tell you the truth, Lou, I’m not sure whether I found anything or not.”
“But you said—”
“I know. Just as I reached the top of the well I noticed a section of brick wall which seemed to be cracked in the exact shape of a rectangle.”
“Was that all?” Louise asked in disappointment.
“I didn’t even take time to examine the place. I felt so disgusted,” Penny resumed. “However, I believe that if one were able to remove those loose bricks, an opening might be found behind them.”
“Where something may be hidden?”
“It’s possible.”
“How could one remove the bricks without hiring a workman?” Louise asked after a moment.
“If they are as loose as I think they are, I might be able to get them out myself. Not tonight though.”
Penny felt in no mood to discuss future possibilities or even to consider them. Already cold, the misty12 air added to her physical discomfort13.
“Better get a hot shower and go to bed,” Louise advised as they finally reached the Parker home. “We’ll talk things over in the morning.”
[120]
Not desiring to attract attention to herself, Penny entered the house by a side door. To her discomfiture14, Mrs. Weems, who chanced to be getting a drink in the kitchen, saw the disheveled clothing.
“Why, Penny Parker!” she exclaimed. “What have you done to yourself?”
“Nothing,” Penny mumbled15. “I’m just a little wet. I’ve been down in a well.”
“There are times when your jokes don’t seem at all funny,” the housekeeper16 said sternly. “How did you ruin your clothes?”
“That’s the truth, Mrs. Weems. I was down in a well and I stepped off into the water—”
“Penny, you can’t expect me to believe such a tall story. Now tell me exactly what did happen.”
“Would it seem more reasonable if I said that I stumbled and fell into a ditch?”
“I rather thought something of the sort happened,” Mrs. Weems declared. “How did the accident occur?”
“It didn’t,” Penny maintained plaintively17.
Escaping upstairs before the housekeeper could question her further, she took a hot shower and went to bed. She could hear a murmur18 of voices in the living room below, and knew that Mrs. Weems was discussing her “behavior” with her father.
“Sometimes grownups are so unreasonable,” she sighed, snuggling into the covers. “You tell them the truth and what they really want is a nice logical whopper!”
[121]
Penny slept soundly and did not awaken19 until the Sunday morning sun was high in the heavens. Sitting up in bed, she moved her arms experimentally. They were very sore and stiff. She swung her feet to the floor and groaned20 with pain.
“Guess I can’t take it any more,” she muttered. “I must be getting soft, or else it’s old age sneaking21 up on me!”
Torturing herself with a limbering exercise, Penny dressed and went downstairs. Mrs. Weems had gone to church while Mr. Parker had submerged himself in fifty-eight pages of Sunday paper. Detouring22 around the living room, Penny went to the kitchen to prepare herself a belated breakfast. She was picking at the nuts of a fruit salad found in the ice box when her father appeared in the doorway23.
“Penny—” he began sternly.
“Where was I last night?” she interrupted. “I’ve said before, and now repeat—in a well! A nice deep one with water in it.”
“When you’re ready to tell me the real story, I shall listen,” Mr. Parker said quietly. “Until that time, I must deprive you of your weekly allowance.”
“Oh, Dad!” Penny wailed24. “You know I’m stony25 broke! I won’t be able to drive my car or even buy a hot dog!”
“That is your misfortune. Mrs. Weems says I have been entirely26 too indulgent with you, and I am inclined to agree with her. I’ve seldom checked your comings or goings, but in the future I shall expect you to tell me your plans when you leave the house at night.”
[122]
Having delivered his ultimatum27, Mr. Parker quietly withdrew.
Penny had lost her appetite for breakfast. Feeling much abused she banged out the kitchen door into the yard. Her first act was to inspect the gasoline tanks of both Leaping Lena and the maroon28 car. As she had feared, the combined fuel supply did not equal three gallons.
“There’s just about fifty-five miles between me and misery,” she reflected grimly. “I wouldn’t dare siphon gas out of Dad’s car or ask for credit at a filling station either!”
Wandering around to the front porch, she sat down on the steps. One of her high school boy friends pedalled past on his bicycle, calling a cheery greeting. Penny barely responded.
Presently a milk wagon29 clattered30 to a stop in front of the house. The driver came up the walk with his rack of milk bottles. Penny eyed him speculatively31.
“We have a lot of old bottles in the basement,” she greeted him. “Does your company pay for them?”
“Sorry,” he declined. “We use only our own stamped bottles. There’s no deposit charge. Customers are expected to return them without rebate32.”
The driver left a quart of milk on the back doorstep of the Parker home. In walking to his wagon, he paused beside Penny, remarking:
[123]
“Maybe you could sell your old bottles to a second-hand33 dealer34. I saw one on the next street about five minutes ago.”
“Where?” Penny demanded, jumping to her feet.
“He was on Fulton Avenue when I drove past.”
Thanking the driver, Penny ran as fast as her stiff limbs would permit to the next street corner. Far up the avenue she saw a battered35 old car of the second-hand man. Hurrying on, she reached the automobile36 just as its owner came from a house carrying an armful of corded newspapers.
“Excuse me,” she called eagerly, “do you buy old bottles?”
The man turned toward her, doffing37 his derby hat.
“Good morning, Miss,” he said. “I buy newspapers, old furniture, rubber tires, copper38, brass39, or gold, but not bottles.”
Penny scarcely heard the discouraging information for she was staring at the man as if his appearance fascinated her. For a moment she could not think where she had seen him before. And then suddenly she remembered.
“Why, I saw you at Mrs. Marborough’s place!” she exclaimed. “You’re the one person who has been inside the house! I want you to tell me all about it.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
smeared
|
|
| 弄脏； 玷污； 涂抹； 擦上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
strings
|
|
| n.弦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
moss
|
|
| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
Neptune
|
|
| n.海王星 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
briny
|
|
| adj.盐水的；很咸的；n.海洋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
chuckled
|
|
| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
chattered
|
|
| （人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
ted
|
|
| vt.翻晒，撒，撒开 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
contritely
|
|
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
10
miserable
|
|
| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
amiably
|
|
| adv.和蔼可亲地，亲切地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
misty
|
|
| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
discomfort
|
|
| n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
discomfiture
|
|
| n.崩溃；大败；挫败；困惑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
mumbled
|
|
| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
housekeeper
|
|
| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
plaintively
|
|
| adv.悲哀地，哀怨地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
murmur
|
|
| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
awaken
|
|
| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
groaned
|
|
| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
sneaking
|
|
| a.秘密的，不公开的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
detouring
|
|
| 绕道( detour的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
doorway
|
|
| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
wailed
|
|
| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
stony
|
|
| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
entirely
|
|
| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
ultimatum
|
|
| n.最后通牒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
maroon
|
|
| v.困住，使（人）处于孤独无助之境；n.逃亡黑奴；孤立的人；酱紫色，褐红色；adj.酱紫色的，褐红色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
wagon
|
|
| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
clattered
|
|
| 发出咔哒声（clatter的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
speculatively
|
|
| adv.思考地，思索地；投机地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
rebate
|
|
| v./n.折扣，回扣，退款；vt.给...回扣，给...打折扣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
second-hand
|
|
| adj.用过的，旧的，二手的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
dealer
|
|
| n.商人，贩子 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
battered
|
|
| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
automobile
|
|
| n.汽车，机动车 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
doffing
|
|
| n.下筒，落纱v.脱去，（尤指）脱帽( doff的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
copper
|
|
| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
brass
|
|
| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |