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CHAPTER VIII BOARDING THE TETON
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The much discussed private car arrived the following evening, too late to be loaded that day. But, as it was sidetracked near the union Depot1, Mr. Mackworth and the two boys were soon on the ground to look it over. When they came in sight of the long, heavy, maroon2-tinted car, two colored men were just leaving it.

“Yaas sah, Ah is Nelson and Ah am de potah ob de Teton. Leastways Ah is gwine to be when she gits in commission. But Ah reckon yo’ kaint count this bein’ really in commission, not havin’ carried no passenjahs yit. Ah reckon yo’ all is de gemmen who is gwine gib de Teton her first trip—”

“We are,” said Mr. Mackworth. “Open the car and one of you stay in it if the other has occasion to do any sight-seeing or shopping—”

“Yaas sah, yaas sah,” responded Nelson. “We all jes’ been gwine to search yo’ out fo’ to[103] gib yo’ dis letter from de supintendent. We’s bound to do dat—”

“And this?” went on Mr. Mackworth, turning to the other man and interrupting the talkative Nelson or “Nelse.”

“Dat, sah,” answered Nelse, “am Robert, sah. Mr. Robert Belknap. He’s de chef.”

Robert, being really twice as old as Nelson and with a little stoop in his shoulders, hair that had almost turned to white and the shiny look that always suggests the range, bowed and smiled. “Ah don’ tole you, boy, Ah better stay by dat cah—”

“It’s all right,” laughed Mr. Mackworth, “but remember, while you are with me, my friends and I are taking a pleasure trip—you boys are doin’ the work. I’ll arrange to let you play after you get back. Robert,” he continued, “you look as if you knew your business. I hope you do, for I’m particular. My butler is with me. His name is Jake—Jake Green. He’ll see you in the morning about stocking up. You’ll lay in provisions for not less than three weeks and Jake will help you with your list.”

“Dat Jake, he ain’t gwine to fuss ’bout de kitchen, is he?” began Robert at once.

[104]

Mr. Mackworth motioned to both Nelson and Robert to approach. Then he said: “Listen, both of you. Jake is my own servant. He’s goin’ to fuss around this car considerable and he’ll tell both of you boys what I want. If you don’t care to work with him the time to quit is right now.”

“We been ’signed to the Teton,” began Nelse.

“Ah got to ’count to de supintendent fo’ mah kitchen,” added Robert.

“And I’m payin’ both of you,” said Mr. Mackworth. “The minute you and Jake clash, something’s goin’ to happen. Jake’ll help both of you and, when I’m not on the car, he’s boss. Don’t make any mistake about that.”

“Yaas sah, yaas sah,” said Nelse slowly, as he opened the car door.

The car won the hearts of the boys even before they were aboard it. It was not an old-fashioned, private coach, resembling a sleeping car with a few staterooms and a kitchen attached. The Teton was a new idea, one of several cars then in construction to fill the demands of people of wealth who not only want comfort, but who want to carry ease and luxury into out-of-the-way[105] places. The designers of the car called it a “hunter’s car,” although the hunters who could afford it were evidently not many.

The main feature of the car was that it was an entire train condensed into one compact coach. A little longer than the average sleeping car, it had a baggage compartment5 forward with doors wide enough to admit an automobile6. In the forward part of this compartment were upper berths8 for two servants. There was also a ventilated kennel9 for dogs and plenty of space for ordinary baggage. Beneath this compartment and having access only from the outside of the car was a gasoline tank. In this baggage section the Loon10 was to be stored.

“It’s a good thing we saw it to-night,” exclaimed Frank as soon as they entered the baggage room. “We were counting on the ordinary baggage space. Now we’ll have to cut our plane sections down some more. But that’s easy—we’ll be aboard by noon to-morrow.”

“You see where your gasoline goes?” said Mr. Mackworth, who seemed a little proud of the beautiful car which was making its first trip.

“We’ll have five-gallon tanks of gasoline all[106] over this car,” laughed Phil. “And if Nelse and Robert are goin’ to use these berths they’ll have to be searched each night for matches and pipes or something’ll happen.”

“That’ll be easy,” suggested Mr. Mackworth. “There are so few of us that there’ll be other sleeping accommodations for them.”

The rear of the car was rounded out in an observation extension resembling a room. Beyond the entrance steps adjustable11 curtains fell from the top of the car to the floor so that the sun, smoke and wind might be shut off on one side, leaving the other open for the view and air. The floor of the extension was of thick, maroon-colored rubber on which the chairs easily kept their position, even at the highest speed.

Just within the car was the real observation room. In a house it would have been called the living room. Here, extending the full width of the car, and about twelve feet long, was a room, decorated to please a sportsman’s eye. Against the forward wall was fastened an upright piano and in the center was an extension table. The decorations were western mountain and hunting scenes. Above the piano was a painting of[107] Glacier12 Park, in Montana; and above this a mounted grizzly13 bear head.

“If dey’s ladies in de party,” explained Nelse, “dis is de place whar dey is sposed to have fo’ to be alone whilst de men folks is playin’ cards in de dinin’ room or smokin’ out on de poach.”

“Where does the piano come in?” exclaimed Frank.

“Wait till you hear Lord Pelton sing his English coster songs,” answered Mr. Mackworth. “I didn’t order it, but as it’s here don’t worry about it. I’ve seen many a time in camp out on the plains when a piano would have come in handy,” he concluded, laughing. “And, come to think about it, you play yourself, don’t you?” he added, looking at Frank.

“O, only enough to start Phil on his coon songs.”

“Good,” chuckled14 Mr. Mackworth. “That’s it—Pelton and Ewing, coster songs and ragtime—that’ll liven the evenings all right.”

Next to this compartment came three staterooms all located on the same side of the car with an aisle15 opposite them. Each contained[108] two berths with space left for a steamer trunk, a table and washstand. The first and second rooms were connected, and between the second and third rooms was a bath. These rooms accommodated the party perfectly16.

Next was the dining room, somewhat longer than the room containing the piano. There was a heavy, fixed17 table in the center and on each side of the room two upper berths. When not in use these berths could hardly be detected. When made up, however, they dropped much lower than the usual upper berth7.

“Here,” explained Mr. Mackworth, “I think we’ll have to stow our servants if you don’t want them forward with the gasoline.”

This was at once decided18 on.

In one corner of this room was a desk and, in addition to the table chairs, there were other easy chairs. From each side of the room a luxurious19 looking couch could be drawn20 from the wall for daylight lounging or naps. The side panels in this room were photographs of mountain peaks and waterfalls. On the table were two immense standard lights shaded with a tint3 of maroon, in keeping with the tone of the car.

[109]

“With this,” suggested Phil, as Nelse snapped on the soft lights, “and Robert in the kitchen and Jake as steward21, I think we ought to be able to make out.”

The dining and extra berth room ended in a narrow passage in the center of the car. On one side of the passage was Robert’s domain—a narrow and small but complete kitchen. Opposite was a lavatory22 for the servants and a storeroom for provisions and range charcoal23.

“Pretty small,” suggested Frank as he stuck his head in the provision room.

“Land sakes, yo’ all ought to see de ice box underneath24 de cah. Yo’ kin4 shore carry enough food dar. If Mr. Green gwine fill up dat box he sho’ gwine do some buyin’.”

Beyond the kitchen was the baggage compartment. Every appliance in the car was the latest; every detail of decoration the work of an artist; and as Mr. Mackworth and the boys took their departure the latter kept looking over their shoulders as if to make sure it was not all a dream.

Mr. Mackworth, always doing the unusual, furnished a pleasant surprise for his friends the[110] next day. While Frank and Phil were busy with the dismembered Loon, Jake Green was also at work. The boys did not meet Jake until nearly noon when they reached the car with a wagon25 load of crates26. Mr. Mackworth’s “butler” was what is known as a “smart” colored boy. He arrived at the car at the same moment with a delivery wagon load of groceries. There was no introduction. Jake had some of his training abroad. He knew Frank and Phil and he assumed they knew him.

“I think, gentlemen,” he said at once, “that it would be better to put these small supplies aboard first. Then we can fill up the baggage car if you like.” Jake did not talk like a colored man and he did not wait for orders. “Then I’ll give you a hand stowin’ that stuff.”

Throwing off his natty27, dark-blue coat, Jake turned up his immaculate shirt sleeves and in another moment, his fresh straw hat on the back of his head, had the delivery wagon at the car door. He gave no orders to Nelse—who was present sporting a stiff, white porter’s jacket—nor to Robert who also wore his badge of office in a chef’s cap; but in some manner, in a few[111] moments, Nelse and Robert and the delivery clerk were busy handling the supplies while Jake had taken up the new job of assisting Frank and Phil to lay out the place for the airship crates.

The surprise was Mr. Mackworth’s change of plans as to a dinner party he was to give that evening to Mr. and Mrs. Graham, Mrs. Ewing and the boys. Instead of being at the hotel, it took place on the Teton. A little after noon the Loon, its attachments28 and the gasoline and oil had been compactly and snugly29 stored in the car. There was even room left for other supplies.

Jake Green had removed his bag to the car and taken charge with no signs of rebellion on the part of Nelse. This was partly due to the fact that Jake never seemed to give an order. He represented his employer in arranging the dinner and even before the boys were through the stowing of the monoplane they could see that the meal was to be no impromptu30 event. The car, new as it was, was swept and dusted throughout and the shades drawn. Then the silver and china and glassware were washed and polished—Jake carefully examining everything.

[112]

The Teton was to be attached to the midnight train for Chicago. Mr. Mackworth, Lord Pelton and Captain Ludington appeared on the scene of activity as the last airship box was being unloaded. Work stopped while all again examined the car. On the table in the end room stood a vase of fresh roses; by their side were all the late magazines, including several English ones; on a tray were Mr. Mackworth’s favorite cigars; for all of which Nelse, very important in his white jacket and all smiles, took entire credit.

Mr. Mackworth’s guests again protested at the luxurious surroundings; but their host, smiling as usual—for he never seemed happier than when giving others pleasure—dismissed their comments by saying:

“We’d better be comfortable while we can. You know we may be living on beans and pork in a few days. You may find it rough enough in the mountains.”

The boys smiled as they recalled the food that the experienced Jake had been storing away all day. They knew, also, that even if Mr. Mackworth left the car for a camping trip that he would provide just as liberally for comfort.[113] This was apparent from the character of Mr. Mackworth’s camp equipage, which had just begun to arrive with the guns and other sporting paraphernalia31.

On this inspection32 Captain Ludington and Lord Pelton were assigned stateroom number one; Mr. Mackworth took the adjoining room and the two boys were located in the last one. The drawn blinds and the fresh linen33 in each made the rooms most inviting34. It was decided that the members of the party should move into the car at their convenience. To Frank and Phil this meant at once. As their parents were to dine with them leave takings at home were unnecessary.

When the airship demanded no more attention its young owners hurried home and secured the Graham automobile. For over an hour Frank and Phil rushed over the city on the usual last, almost forgotten errands. There were some farewells to be said; some small purchases of fishing tackle to be made and, of course, the buying of certain boys’ literature that Jake could not be expected to provide. Then home again, a hasty bath and the lads were ready for stateroom number three.

[114]

Captain Ludington and Lord Pelton arrived about six o’clock with their personal belongings35. Mr. Mackworth came a little later, apparently36 with no baggage. But, a few moments later, a dray arrived with a heap of luggage that put Jake at his wits’ ends. Several telegrams were written; the depot master was called down to the car for a conference, and then Mr. Mackworth turned the affable host again.

Things were quickly getting in order in the car. Frank and Phil had unpacked37 and hung up their clothes. Their camp and outdoor luggage they had crowded into the baggage compartment. There, too, had gone most of the boxes of Mr. Mackworth and his guests. In the dining room Jake had assisted Nelse in arranging the table, on which was a bowl of white roses glowing beneath the two maroon shaded lights, while in the kitchen Robert left no doubt that he was busy. The subtle odor of cooking that escaped through the ventilator stole in through the window of the boys’ room.

“Some dinner to-night, I reckon,” suggested Phil.

At seven o’clock the guests arrived, Mr. Mackworth and his big cigar greeting them in the observation extension.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 depot Rwax2     
n.仓库,储藏处;公共汽车站;火车站
参考例句:
  • The depot is only a few blocks from here.公共汽车站离这儿只有几个街区。
  • They leased the building as a depot.他们租用这栋大楼作仓库。
2 maroon kBvxb     
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:
  • Five couples were marooned in their caravans when the River Avon broke its banks.埃文河决堤的时候,有5对夫妇被困在了他们的房车里。
  • Robinson Crusoe has been marooned on a desert island for 26 years.鲁滨逊在荒岛上被困了26年。
3 tint ZJSzu     
n.淡色,浅色;染发剂;vt.着以淡淡的颜色
参考例句:
  • You can't get up that naturalness and artless rosy tint in after days.你今后不再会有这种自然和朴实无华的红润脸色。
  • She gave me instructions on how to apply the tint.她告诉我如何使用染发剂。
4 kin 22Zxv     
n.家族,亲属,血缘关系;adj.亲属关系的,同类的
参考例句:
  • He comes of good kin.他出身好。
  • She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。
5 compartment dOFz6     
n.卧车包房,隔间;分隔的空间
参考例句:
  • We were glad to have the whole compartment to ourselves.真高兴,整个客车隔间由我们独享。
  • The batteries are safely enclosed in a watertight compartment.电池被安全地置于一个防水的隔间里。
6 automobile rP1yv     
n.汽车,机动车
参考例句:
  • He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
  • The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。
7 berth yt0zq     
n.卧铺,停泊地,锚位;v.使停泊
参考例句:
  • She booked a berth on the train from London to Aberdeen.她订了一张由伦敦开往阿伯丁的火车卧铺票。
  • They took up a berth near the harbor.他们在港口附近找了个位置下锚。
8 berths c48f4275c061791e8345f3bbf7b5e773     
n.(船、列车等的)卧铺( berth的名词复数 );(船舶的)停泊位或锚位;差事;船台vt.v.停泊( berth的第三人称单数 );占铺位
参考例句:
  • Berths on steamships can be booked a long while in advance. 轮船上的床位可以提前多日预订。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Have you got your berths on the ship yet? 你们在船上有舱位了吗? 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
9 kennel axay6     
n.狗舍,狗窝
参考例句:
  • Sporting dogs should be kept out of doors in a kennel.猎狗应该养在户外的狗窝中。
  • Rescued dogs are housed in a standard kennel block.获救的狗被装在一个标准的犬舍里。
10 loon UkPyS     
n.狂人
参考例句:
  • That guy's a real loon.那个人是个真正的疯子。
  • Everyone thought he was a loon.每个人都骂他神经。
11 adjustable vzOzkc     
adj.可调整的,可校准的
参考例句:
  • More expensive cameras have adjustable focusing.比较贵的照相机有可调焦距。
  • The chair has the virtue of being adjustable.这种椅子具有可调节的优点。
12 glacier YeQzw     
n.冰川,冰河
参考例句:
  • The glacier calved a large iceberg.冰河崩解而形成一个大冰山。
  • The upper surface of glacier is riven by crevasses.冰川的上表面已裂成冰隙。
13 grizzly c6xyZ     
adj.略为灰色的,呈灰色的;n.灰色大熊
参考例句:
  • This grizzly liked people.这只灰熊却喜欢人。
  • Grizzly bears are not generally social creatures.一般说来,灰熊不是社交型动物。
14 chuckled 8ce1383c838073977a08258a1f3e30f8     
轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She chuckled at the memory. 想起这件事她就暗自发笑。
  • She chuckled softly to herself as she remembered his astonished look. 想起他那惊讶的表情,她就轻轻地暗自发笑。
15 aisle qxPz3     
n.(教堂、教室、戏院等里的)过道,通道
参考例句:
  • The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。
  • The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。
16 perfectly 8Mzxb     
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
  • Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。
17 fixed JsKzzj     
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的
参考例句:
  • Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗?
  • Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定,我们就不应该随意改变。
18 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
19 luxurious S2pyv     
adj.精美而昂贵的;豪华的
参考例句:
  • This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone.这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。
  • The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。
20 drawn MuXzIi     
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
参考例句:
  • All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
  • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
21 steward uUtzw     
n.乘务员,服务员;看管人;膳食管理员
参考例句:
  • He's the steward of the club.他是这家俱乐部的管理员。
  • He went around the world as a ship's steward.他当客船服务员,到过世界各地。
22 lavatory LkOyJ     
n.盥洗室,厕所
参考例句:
  • Is there any lavatory in this building?这座楼里有厕所吗?
  • The use of the lavatory has been suspended during take-off.在飞机起飞期间,盥洗室暂停使用。
23 charcoal prgzJ     
n.炭,木炭,生物炭
参考例句:
  • We need to get some more charcoal for the barbecue.我们烧烤需要更多的碳。
  • Charcoal is used to filter water.木炭是用来过滤水的。
24 underneath VKRz2     
adj.在...下面,在...底下;adv.在下面
参考例句:
  • Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
  • She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣,里面套着一条连衣裙。
25 wagon XhUwP     
n.四轮马车,手推车,面包车;无盖运货列车
参考例句:
  • We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
  • The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。
26 crates crates     
n. 板条箱, 篓子, 旧汽车 vt. 装进纸条箱
参考例句:
  • We were using crates as seats. 我们用大木箱作为座位。
  • Thousands of crates compacted in a warehouse. 数以千计的板条箱堆放在仓库里。
27 natty YF1xY     
adj.整洁的,漂亮的
参考例句:
  • Cliff was a natty dresser.克利夫是讲究衣着整洁美观的人。
  • Please keep this office natty and use the binaries provided.请保持办公室整洁,使用所提供的垃圾箱。
28 attachments da2fd5324f611f2b1d8b4fef9ae3179e     
n.(用电子邮件发送的)附件( attachment的名词复数 );附着;连接;附属物
参考例句:
  • The vacuum cleaner has four different attachments. 吸尘器有四个不同的附件。
  • It's an electric drill with a range of different attachments. 这是一个带有各种配件的电钻。
29 snugly e237690036f4089a212c2ecd0943d36e     
adv.紧贴地;贴身地;暖和舒适地;安适地
参考例句:
  • Jamie was snugly wrapped in a white woolen scarf. 杰米围着一条白色羊毛围巾舒适而暖和。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The farmyard was snugly sheltered with buildings on three sides. 这个农家院三面都有楼房,遮得很严实。 来自《简明英汉词典》
30 impromptu j4Myg     
adj.即席的,即兴的;adv.即兴的(地),无准备的(地)
参考例句:
  • The announcement was made in an impromptu press conference at the airport.这一宣布是在机场举行的临时新闻发布会上作出的。
  • The children put on an impromptu concert for the visitors.孩子们为来访者即兴献上了一场音乐会。
31 paraphernalia AvqyU     
n.装备;随身用品
参考例句:
  • Can you move all your paraphernalia out of the way?你可以把所有的随身物品移开吗?
  • All my fishing paraphernalia is in the car.我的鱼具都在汽车里。
32 inspection y6TxG     
n.检查,审查,检阅
参考例句:
  • On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查,发现肉变质了。
  • The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。
33 linen W3LyK     
n.亚麻布,亚麻线,亚麻制品;adj.亚麻布制的,亚麻的
参考例句:
  • The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。
  • Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。
34 inviting CqIzNp     
adj.诱人的,引人注目的
参考例句:
  • An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
  • The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人,使人感到亲切温馨。
35 belongings oy6zMv     
n.私人物品,私人财物
参考例句:
  • I put a few personal belongings in a bag.我把几件私人物品装进包中。
  • Your personal belongings are not dutiable.个人物品不用纳税。
36 apparently tMmyQ     
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎
参考例句:
  • An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽,豁然开朗。
  • He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。
37 unpacked 78a068b187a564f21b93e72acffcebc3     
v.从(包裹等)中取出(所装的东西),打开行李取出( unpack的过去式和过去分词 );拆包;解除…的负担;吐露(心事等)
参考例句:
  • I unpacked my bags as soon as I arrived. 我一到达就打开行李,整理衣物。
  • Our guide unpacked a picnic of ham sandwiches and offered us tea. 我们的导游打开装着火腿三明治的野餐盒,并给我们倒了些茶水。 来自辞典例句


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