“Great!” declared Ned. “I wouldn’t mind owning it myself.”
“You got something off your chest that time,” chuckled2 Jerry. “Those brakes are a whole lot better than I imagined they could be.”
“They’re all right when you get used to ’em,” agreed Bob, as he felt in one pocket after another.
“What you looking for?” asked Ned. “Lose something?”
“I thought I had another doughnut left,” answered the stout3 lad, with a sigh. “But I guess we ate ’em all up. Never mind.”
“You guess we ate ’em all up!” cried Jerry. “You mean you did!”
[32]
“I think we ought to take up with Tinny’s offer, if it looks at all encouraging when we get an answer to our telegram. We may not get to be millionaires out of the gold mine, but at least it will give us something to do. And I just can’t settle down to work so soon after the big fight.”
“That’s the way I feel about it,” added Ned. “I had a little talk with dad, and while he wants me to come in the store and learn the business, I’m sure he’ll let me have this summer off. We really need it after what we’ve gone through.”
“Sure we do!” asserted Bob. “I guess dad will listen to reason when I tell him I’ve lost about ten pounds.”
“Sure I have!” declared Chunky. “Anyhow, let’s see if we can’t plan it to get a Western trip.”
“Suits me,” said Ned. “I wonder if, by any chance, we could have a shot looking for that lost treasure chest of Blue Rock?” he went on.
“Maybe,” said Jerry. “But it’s a pretty long chance, seems to me. If what Bill Cromley says is true there isn’t much hope in trying to locate it after all these years, when so many have failed.”
“Well, then, let’s hope that Tinny’s mine will pan out better,” remarked Bob. “What you fellows going to do to-night?” he asked.
[33]
“There’s going to be a moon,” said Jerry. “If you want to take us out in the new car——”
“Nothing doing, pos-i-tive-ly!” exclaimed the fat lad. “Dad is going to take mother out. But there’s a pretty good movie in town. We might take that in, and then go down to the telegraph office afterward6 and see if any word has come from Tinny.”
It was rather hard to get interested in even a very good moving picture when the minds of the Motor Boys were so filled with visions of what might happen if they could make the Western trip. Of course nothing was definitely settled about this as yet. The matter had been broached8 to the respective parents soon after Jerry had received the letter from the Western miner, but at first only indifference9 was manifested by Mrs. Hopkins, Mr. Slade and Mr. Baker10.
So it was with no little impatience11 that the young men waited for the flashing of the last picture on the screen, after which they hurried down to the telegraph office, where they had telephoned word to hold any message that might come for them from the West.
“Nothing doing, boys,” were the words the operator greeted them with as they entered.
[34]
“Guess Tinny has cold feet,” remarked Ned.
“Wait a minute; something’s coming in now,” the operator said, holding up his hand for silence. He listened a moment to the clicking of the ticker and then in a low voice said: “Yes, this is for you, Jerry. I’ll have it ready for you shortly.”
The boys sat down to wait, the silence broken only by the click of the telegraph sounder and the tap of the typewriter keys as the operator transcribed12 the message. It was a long one, and when Jerry read it to his chums they let out whoops13 of delight.
Not only did Tinny Mallison assert that there was every chance of his gold mine at Thunder Mountain proving a big winner, but he strongly urged the boys to hasten out to share in the good prospects14. He added that he would send letters to their parents giving them every assurance that it would pay the boys financially and in added health to come out to Montana.
“This settles it!” declared Jerry. “We’ll go!”
“You said it!” chorused Ned and Bob.
A few days later, following the receipt of other telegrams from Mallison, the consent of the parents was won and the Motor Boys began preparations to leave for Thunder Mountain.
“I wish we could go all the way by auto15,” said Jerry, when he and his chums were at his house one afternoon, talking over plans, “but I reckon[35] it’s too much. My old boat wouldn’t stand the strain. But we can go part way by car—I’m going to sell mine, anyhow—and take a train the rest of the way.”
It being out of the question to use Mr. Baker’s new machine for the trip, a compromise had to be made, and Jerry’s old, but still serviceable, auto had been selected. As he said, they could sell it when reaching Chicago, or wherever they decided to take the train.
The matter of what they would carry with them was easily settled, as it was not the first trip the lads had made across country, and their experience in France was standing16 them in good stead.
Letters had been sent to Tinny, in answer to some received by him, and it only remained now to make the last preparations and then start for Thunder Mountain.
“And I hope we find it solid gold!” murmured Bob.
“You don’t want much!” laughed Jerry. “What’s up—see something?” he asked Ned, who had suddenly risen from his chair and was gazing from the window.
“Yes, I see something, or, rather, somebody,” murmured the department storekeeper’s son. “I wonder if I’m seeing right, though. Come here, fellows, and see if you see the same thing I do!”
[36]
“Isn’t that Professor Snodgrass?” demanded Ned.
“It sure is!” cried Jerry.
“What in the world is he doing here?” Bob wanted to know.
“What does he ever do but chase bugs19?” inquired Jerry. “That’s probably what he’s doing now, and he’s so interested that he forgot to stop here. Very likely he started out to pay me a visit and it has slipped his mind.”
“We’d better go after him,” suggested Ned, “or he’ll keep on traveling until he wears his shoes out. Come on!”
The lads hurried out of Jerry’s house, and started after the odd, little scientist who had been their instructor20 at Boxwood Hall. But Professor Snodgrass made such good time that he was around the corner and in a side lane before the boys were within hailing distance.
“There he goes!” cried Bob.
Indeed, Professor Snodgrass was fairly running now, and it could not be doubted, from what the boys knew of him, that he was after some creature to add to his collection of strange bugs.
Suddenly the little man, as if in pursuit of a[37] flying object, turned quickly to the left, and, as he did so, Ned cried:
“He’d better watch out! That path leads to the edge of the cliff where they’ve been taking out gravel22 above Limestone23 Creek24. There’s a sharp fall there, and there was a slide there last week. It’s dangerous!”
“We’d better call to him,” suggested Jerry. “Hi, there, Professor Snodgrass!” he shouted, making a megaphone of his hands. “Come back! Don’t go any farther!”
The boys redoubled their speed after Ned’s warning and, making a turn in the path, came in view of the little man. All unconscious of his danger, he was running straight ahead, his hat held out as though to catch a butterfly.
“Come back! Come back!” cried the Motor Boys.
But the professor, unheeding, ran on, and an instant later had fallen, disappearing over the edge of a cliff.
“Come on! Maybe we can save him!” shouted Jerry.
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收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
dispersing
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| adj. 分散的 动词disperse的现在分词形式 | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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spoke
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| 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 | |
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scoffed
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| 嘲笑，嘲弄( scoff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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7
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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8
broached
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| v.谈起( broach的过去式和过去分词 )；打开并开始用；用凿子扩大（或修光）；（在桶上）钻孔取液体 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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10
baker
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| n.面包师 | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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transcribed
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| （用不同的录音手段）转录( transcribe的过去式和过去分词 )； 改编（乐曲）（以适应他种乐器或声部）； 抄写； 用音标标出（声音） | |
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13
whoops
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| int.呼喊声 | |
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14
prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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15
auto
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| n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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bug
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| n.虫子；故障；窃听器；vt.纠缠；装窃听器 | |
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bugs
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| adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误 | |
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instructor
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| n.指导者，教员，教练 | |
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cylinder
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| n.圆筒，柱(面)，汽缸 | |
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gravel
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| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
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limestone
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| n.石灰石 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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