He crossed the room and sank into a chair. Picking up a magazine, he began to turn over its pages. As he did so, his hand went out to the nearer of the two glasses, and he brought it to his lips, sipping2 slowly.
With a sigh, he emptied the glass and replaced it on the table. Five minutes passed, and Merry flung the magazine back to its place, rising.
“Wonder what kind of a row Randall has got himself into now?” he mused3, going to the window and looking down on the campus, with a frown.
Colonel Gunn was the principal of Fardale, and if Randall had been in some kind of a scrape, it might injure his chances on the diamond. However, there was a chance that the Southerner had been guilty of some infraction4 of the military routine of the school which would merely get him a “call-down” and a few black marks.
Suddenly Chip turned, as a sharp knock sounded at the door.
[253]
“Come in!”
The door opened. Merry gave a gasp5 of astonishment6, for framed in the doorway7, stood Bully8 Carson. The latter turned and shut the door, not observing him.
“You came over to see the game?” Merry asked pleasantly.
Bully whirled with a swift cry, his face black.
“You! Why—why—where’s Bob Randall? Isn’t this his room?”
The startled surprise of Colonel Carson’s son was quite evident. In fact, he was wildly disconcerted. He had expected to see his cousin, and instead he found Merriwell.
“Don’t get scared out, Bully,” said Chip. “Bob will be right back. I was waiting for him myself, so I hope you won’t mind my company.”
Merry thoroughly9 enjoyed the confusion of the other. He bore Carson no malice10, for he knew that the other had been thoroughly punished for his wrongdoings. He fancied that Bully’s confusion sprang from fear at being found in Fardale—fear of new retribution for the past.
“Sit down,” he urged pleasantly. “Sit down and rest your eye, Bully. One of ’em looks pretty tired. Hot day, isn’t it?”
Bully growled11 out something inarticulate and sank into a chair with a scowl13 at Merry. Since he had blundered into it, he was determined14 to stick.
[254]
As Chip remarked, it was a warm day for that time of year, and no mistake. Bully Carson was heated by his walk from the village, and he was perspiring15 profusely16. He pulled out a handkerchief of purple silk with red bars, and mopped at his face, eying Merry furtively17. Seeming to conclude that he was safe for the present, he regained18 his composure slowly.
Chip knew that Carson was a thorough bully and coward. In fact, he had himself presented Bully with that black eye, when the other had attempted to “beat him up” in Carsonville the previous Saturday. He scanned Bully’s attire19 with a humorous twinkle in his eyes.
“You ought to be more careful, Bully,” he remarked, with mock solicitude20. “If you were seen on the Fardale streets in those duds, you’d be in danger of arrest.”
“Huh? What for?” Bully growled suspiciously. He looked down at himself.
“For disturbing the peace,” said Chip, with a laugh, dropping on the window seat.
“Think you’re cussed smart, don’t you?”
“Not a bit of it,” Chip gravely assured him. He found Bully capital amusement. “I only wonder at your nerve in coming here!”
“You should worry,” retorted Bully, with a scowl. “Ain’t I got a right to visit my cousin?”
“Sure. Only, if you had another cousin in jail,[255] you’d have a better right to visit him, seems to me.”
“Huh?” Carson turned pale and mopped at his face again. “What you goin’ to do about it?”
Chip knew that he could have both Bully and his father arrested for what had taken place at Carsonville. This, however, was far from his thoughts.
“Nothing. Make yourself right at home, old man. Only I wouldn’t advise you to light up that cigarette in here.”
Bully had started to roll a cigarette. He paused, looking up quickly.
“Why not?”
“It’s not allowed. Go ahead and suck it all you want to, but don’t light it. We don’t approve of coffin21 nails at Fardale, and if the guards smelled smoke they’d throw you out of here in a hurry.”
Carson grunted22. Nevertheless, he apparently24 decided25 to take Chip’s warning in good part. There was an undernote to Merry’s voice that told him the other was not joking this time.
He finished rolling the cigarette, licked it, and carefully inserted it into one corner of his mouth. Then he lolled back in his chair, glanced around, and favored Chip with a black look.
“You fellers are goin’ to get the hide licked off you to-day,” he announced. His confidence was returning, as Merry made no hostile move.
[256]
“Thanks for the news,” said Chip easily. “Are you going to pitch?”
“No. We got a new feller named Green. He’ll show you dubs26 what real pitchin’ is, and I’m goin’ to back him to the limit.”
“I hope he’ll show us more than you did,” and Frank settled himself among the pillows in the window seat. “We’re always willing to be shown, Bully.”
Bully grunted.
“You get yours to-day, all right.”
“Sure!”
“And I suppose your father is going to bet on him, as usual?”
Bully grinned, and patted his pocket knowingly.
“Pop’s goin’ to do a little betting, I reckon. So’m I.”
“Why don’t you bet on Fardale, for a change?” Merry queried28 pleasantly. “It might get you something, old man!”
“I suppose you think I’m a piker, hey?” scowled29 Bully. “I suppose you think I ain’t got money myself?”
“You always were good at supposing,” said Chip. “This time you hit it dead right.”
“That shows how much you know! I got a thousand dollars in cash, right here in my pocket,[257] and I’m goin’ to meet a feller now and bet on the Clippers, see?”
Chip was somewhat amazed at this intelligence, though he gave no sign of it. He knew that Colonel Carson himself was a heavy plunger, but from what he had seen of Bully he had not thought that the latter was exactly flush with money.
“You must have bet on Fardale during that Franklin game,” he murmured gently. “Or has your respected father become generous?”
“None o’ your business,” said Bully, with a growl12, finding the subject abruptly30 distasteful. “Whew! I’m certainly het up. I guess I’ll run along and place that bet, then come back here and find Bob.”
“Suit yourself,” chirped31 Merry. “If you’re warm, take a glass of water. When you get outside, light that cigarette. Then you’ll get nice and warm again, and it’ll fur up your tongue.”
Bully merely grunted at this sarcasm32. He seemed to decide that part of the advice was good, however, for he caught up the other glass that Randall had filled and carried it across the table to his lips.
“I suppose you’ll pitch to-day?” he inquired, pausing.
“Once more your suppositions are correct,” returned Chip ironically.
Bully grunted and gulped33 down the water, replacing[258] the glass on the table with a deep sigh, then threw his sleeve across his lips.
“That certainly tastes good! Well, I hope you’ll get pounded out of the box, Merriwell. Green will shut you fellers out without a hit.”
With this pleasant wish Bully came to his feet and moved toward the door, inspecting a few pictures and pennants34 as he went.
“Don’t hurry,” pleaded Chip, with mock anxiety. “You’re not going to tear yourself away so soon, I trust?”
“With pleasure. Maybe you’d like to have me throw the game for you to-day?”
Carson merely scowled and passed outside, slamming the door viciously after him. From the window Frank could see him start across the campus in the direction of the riding hall, stopping to light his cigarette.
“Big brute35!” he thought, disgusted. “I wonder how Randall ever got a cousin like that? But—what on earth is he doing here? If he and Bob are getting thick, I feel sorry for Bob.”
This thought was disquieting36 to Merry. Could it be possible that Carson was back of Randall’s queer actions?
It seemed improbable, for Randall had been keeping to himself, and Carson had not been seen at Fardale previous to this. Yet Frank knew that[259] Bully possessed37 a crafty38 and cunning mind. He felt disturbed over Carson’s impudence39 in daring to show himself about the place.
“Oh, well, I guess Randall can take care of himself,” he mused, and dismissed the subject lightly, and settled himself among the pillows again.
He had been up early that morning, and it was a warm spring day. Consequently, it was only natural that he should feel drowsy40. Taking advantage of the moment to relax utterly41, Merry put back his head and closed his eyes. Almost before he knew it, he had dropped off into a light doze42.
He was roused by a sharp knock at the door, and sprang up instantly with a shout to enter. The door swung back and disclosed Colonel Gunn’s orderly.
“You’re wanted at the office, Mr. Merriwell,” said the cadet, with symptoms of flurried haste. “Colonel Gunn sent me after you on the run.”
“What’s up?” queried Frank, in surprise. “Is Randall in trouble?”
“In up to his neck,” said the cadet. “But I’d better not say anything about it, I guess.”
“All right,” and Merry seized his hat. “Come along!”
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收听单词发音
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1
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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2
sipping
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 ) | |
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3
mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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4
infraction
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| n.违反；违法 | |
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5
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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6
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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7
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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8
bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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9
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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10
malice
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| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
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11
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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12
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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13
scowl
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| vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容 | |
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14
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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15
perspiring
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| v.出汗，流汗( perspire的现在分词 ) | |
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16
profusely
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| ad.abundantly | |
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17
furtively
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| adv. 偷偷地, 暗中地 | |
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18
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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19
attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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20
solicitude
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| n.焦虑 | |
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21
coffin
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| n.棺材，灵柩 | |
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22
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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23
grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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24
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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25
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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26
dubs
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| v.给…起绰号( dub的第三人称单数 )；把…称为；配音；复制 | |
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27
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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28
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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29
scowled
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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30
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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31
chirped
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| 鸟叫，虫鸣( chirp的过去式 ) | |
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32
sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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33
gulped
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| v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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34
pennants
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| n.校旗( pennant的名词复数 )；锦标旗；长三角旗；信号旗 | |
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35
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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36
disquieting
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| adj.令人不安的，令人不平静的v.使不安，使忧虑，使烦恼( disquiet的现在分词 ) | |
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37
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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38
crafty
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| adj.狡猾的，诡诈的 | |
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39
impudence
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| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
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40
drowsy
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| adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的 | |
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41
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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42
doze
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| v.打瞌睡；n.打盹，假寐 | |
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