Chip Merriwell jumped out of bed and went to the window. It was early Sunday morning, and from the room at the hotel which he and Clancy occupied he had a clear view of the village green, the streets leading on down toward the river, and the green opposite slope of the valley beyond.
The air was heavy with apple blossoms, warm with spring richness, and Frank drank it in eagerly. From somewhere about the place he heard the pur of a motor car, but could see nothing of the machine.
“I don’t believe I can stay indoors,” he sighed softly, and turned to where his clothes lay on a chair.
Indeed, the morning was a perfect one. The little town lay still, deserted2, apparently3 empty of all life. Yet its streets were clothed with freshness, and its feathery-leaved trees were green with new spring life. From the fruit orchards4 that hedged Carsonville there drifted renewed sweetness on every breeze.
Chip glanced at his chum, but Clancy was sleeping the sleep of the just. The red-haired[163] chap put in his daytime most energetically, and when he slept he did it with just as much vigor5.
“I’ll let him pound his ear,” smiled Chip, as he flung on his clothes, impatient to be outdoors. “Anyway, I’d just as soon have a walk all by myself for a change. I’ve a good notion to go down and take a dip in the mill pond, by gracious!”
At thought of the cool, inviting6 waters of the river, which he had explored with the aid of Billy Mac, he finished his dressing7 hurriedly. The hotel was still dead to the world, and Frank quietly let himself out into the silent corridor.
Downstairs, however, he found the clerk sweeping8 out the office. The clerk looked up with a cheery greeting and a wide grin, for Chip was already a popular hero in Carsonville, after the game of the day before.
“Up early, ain’t you?”
“Too fine a morning to sleep,” said Chip. “What’s that machine I heard buzzing around?”
“The garage is down the street a ways,” explained the clerk, leaning on his broom. “They’ve got one machine there for hire. Want to get it?”
“No, thanks,” and Frank laughed. “I was only mildly curious. Clancy’s car is all right?”
“Sure, I seen it out in the back yard only just now.”
Merry nodded and passed on to the veranda9. At sight of the upturned chairs he was attacked[164] by sudden laziness, and with a yawn turned over one of the chairs and seated himself, drinking in the clear air greedily.
“Mornings like this make life worth living,” he reflected contentedly11. “I’ll wager12 that if folks knew how good these early spring mornings were, they’d go to bed earlier and get up earlier. It’s worth all the rest of the day!”
He sprawled13 out comfortably. He was still weary with his stiff game of the previous afternoon, and his long evening following, and soon realized that if he sat here very long he would be fast asleep once more. So, after five minutes, he forced himself to rise.
“I never thought I’d be getting lazy!” he murmured. “Well, down to the river and have a quick dip, then a rest on the long grass, and back to rout14 Clan1 out in time for breakfast.”
He paused as he reached the steps, for he caught sight of a solitary15 figure that seemed to be approaching the Morton House.
The figure was that of a farmer, but this signified nothing in Carsonville, where every one owned farms or orchards, or else worked in them. The man was tall, round-shouldered, and his face was decorated with a yellowish wisp of beard. He seemed to be a powerful fellow, Chip thought.
As he approached the hotel, Merry caught sight of the man’s face. It was not exactly a pleasant one, for the eyes were very close set, and[165] there was a general look of shrewd cunning about the man which was not reassuring16.
Frank would not have noticed him, had the man not been inspecting him rather closely as he drew near. It occurred to Merry that the fellow might be looking for him.
“Good morning!” he exclaimed. “This is certainly great spring weather, eh?”
“Purty good,” and the man looked him over curiously17. “Say, mister, mebbe you kin10 tell me if there’s a feller at the hotel by the name o’ Merriwell? Frank Merriwell, I guess the front part of it is.”
Merry wondered. Without any undue18 self-glorification, he thought it odd that the man did not know him, for every soul in town had witnessed the game of the previous day. He himself had come in for a good deal of attention.
“I believe he’s stopping here,” he said. “In fact, you happen to be talking to him at this moment. Why?”
“Well, now!” The man stared up. “Are you him?”
“I’m it,” laughed Frank. “Anything I can do for you?”
“Why, I was down to the railroad dee-po jest now, when a tellygram come in fer a feller o’ that name. The agent, he couldn’t come up very well, so I said I’d fetch it along and see if you was here.”
[166]
While he spoke19, the man began fishing in the pocket of his overalls20, and at last pulled out a yellow envelope. Merry took it with a nod. He knew that there was no regular telegraph office in the little town, messages being handled from the railroad station, so he thought little of the matter.
“Well, I’m much obliged to you for your trouble,” he said, taking out a quarter as the man handed him the message. “If you’ll take——”
“No, thanks, mister,” and the man turned away without taking the money. “I couldn’t take nothin’, thanks. So long.”
“So long,” said Frank.
He tore open the message, as the man slouched away down the street. It was a typewritten message, and had evidently been received at Carsonville some ten minutes previously21.
“By gracious!” he said. “What the deuce has struck Uncle Dick, anyhow? And where or what is Orton?”
This was the message that caused him so much wonder:
Frank Merriwell, Junior, Carsonville: Have your father meet me not later than nine, Sunday morning, Orton. Very important. Keep destination secret.
Uncle Dick.
Merry stared down at it, frowning. There must be a place named Orton, though he knew[167] of none in the vicinity. But what was Dick Merriwell doing there?
He turned at a step, to find the clerk sweeping out the refuse through the doorway22 of the hotel. Chip knew that he would be able to get information at once, and spoke.
“Where is Orton? Is that any place near here?”
“Orton? Sure, Mr. Merriwell!” The clerk jerked his thumb over across the valley. “It ain’t what you might call a metropolis23, nohow, but it’s got a smithy and a couple o’ stores and a schoolhouse. Thinkin’ o’ goin’ over there?”
Frank started. Going over there! Why, of course!
“About fifteen mile by road, I take it. ’Bout ten, as the crow flies.”
While the clerk paused to stare at him curiously, Merry considered. If his uncle was at Orton, he must be expecting his father to meet him there. But Frank Merriwell, senior, had returned home on the late train! And Dick had stated that it was very important, so there was but one thing to do.
“Clan hasn’t waked up yet,” thought Chip, “so I guess I won’t disturb him. I’ll go down and see if I can get that garage machine, and if it’s taken then I can rouse up Clancy and get the Hornet buzzing.”
[168]
He turned to the clerk, with quick decision, shoving the telegram into his pocket.
“Yes, I just received a telegram——” he stopped, remembering the admonition in that telegram. “But, by the way, I’d rather you wouldn’t say anything to any one about my going to Orton, will you?”
“Tell Clancy that I’ll be back before noon,” went on Merry, turning. “I’ll get a car if I can, and be back by then, easily. Much obliged to you!”
“You got a good morning for the trip,” called the clerk after him. “Good luck!”
Chip waved his hand in return, and walked down the street toward the garage. He glanced about for the messenger, but doubtless the man had returned to the station, and he sighed.
“I see where I don’t get that early swim this morning! Well, that’s what comes of a fellow having a family!”
And with a whimsical grimace26 he saw the garage ahead of him. In front was an old-fashioned but comfortable-looking car, with a young fellow busily engaged in washing it off.
“Must be expecting Sunday traffic,” thought Frank. “That looks a whole lot better than Clan’s bumpy27 old scrap28 heap, just the same. Six-cylinder, too, so probably she can go some.”
Approaching the washer, he inquired if the car[169] was for rent. The young fellow hailed the proprietor29 of the garage, inside, and the latter came out and nodded to Chip at once.
“You’re young Merriwell, ain’t you? I seen that game yesterday, by thunder! Is it you who wants to get a car?”
“I want to go over to Orton and back,” said Merry, “if your car’s for rent.”
“For rent? To you?” A wide grin came over the man’s face. “Say, Merriwell, you couldn’t rent no car off’n me, not if you was to offer me a cold million dollars!”
“Eh!” Merry looked at him in astonishment30. “What do you mean?”
“Anybody that lays over Colonel Carson like you did yesterday, son, can have my car when he wants it, see? No, don’t do any hollering. I won’t take no pay, except for gas and the chauffeur31. Just expenses. You’ll have to get back by noon, though. I only got the one car, and it’s engaged for the afternoon.”
Finding that the man was absolutely earnest in his refusal to take money, Chip assented.
“We’ll be back as soon as we can reach Orton and turn around,” he said, getting into the car. “And I’m much obliged to you, sir!”
“Pleasure’s all mine, son,” returned the other, with a grand air.
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1
clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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3
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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orchards
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| （通常指围起来的）果园( orchard的名词复数 ) | |
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vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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6
inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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7
dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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8
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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9
veranda
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| n.走廊；阳台 | |
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10
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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contentedly
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| adv.心满意足地 | |
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12
wager
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| n.赌注；vt.押注，打赌 | |
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13
sprawled
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| v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的过去式和过去分词)；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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14
rout
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| n.溃退，溃败；v.击溃，打垮 | |
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15
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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16
reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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18
undue
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| adj.过分的；不适当的；未到期的 | |
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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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overalls
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| n.（复）工装裤；长罩衣 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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22
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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metropolis
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| n.首府；大城市 | |
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queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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grimace
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| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
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bumpy
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| adj.颠簸不平的，崎岖的 | |
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28
scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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29
proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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31
chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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