They paused before the main pavilion where, for one reason or another, many scouts5 were housed in the big dormitory. Before this was the bulletin board at which Hervey Willetts had on a memorable7 occasion thrown a tomato which was old enough to be treated with more respect. A pencil hung on a string from this board. Wilfred lifted it and, in obedience8 to the rule, wrote on a paper tacked9 there for such purpose, his name and that of his companion and the time of their late arrival. They had overstepped their privilege by half an hour or so, but Wilfred wrote down the correct time by his companion’s gold watch.
“We could say my watch stopped,” Archie suggested hesitatingly.
“Only it didn’t,” said Wilfred.
“Do you want me to walk up the hill with you?”
“Sure, if you’d like to.”
This seemed chummy and redeemed10 Archie a trifle in Wilfred’s rather dubious11 consideration of him.
They started up the hill back of the main body of the camp and entered the woods which crowned the eminence12 on which the three cabins of the First Bridgeboro troop were situated13.
“Your troop has got a pull to be up here,” said Archie. “That’s ’cause they come from where Tom Slade comes from. They get things better than the rest of the——”
“Shh!” Wilfred whispered, stopping short and clutching his companion’s arm.
“Did you hear something?”
“No.”
“Stand still a minute,” Wilfred whispered; “shhh.”
“Look—shh—look at that tree,” Wilfred scarcely breathed. “Is that a big knot or what? Shh, will you! I think it’s somebody behind the tree. Let’s have your flash-light Now step quietly.”
The tree Wilfred had indicated was some yards distant and beyond it they could see the dark bulk of the three cabins. As they advanced, Archie felt his heart thumping16 like a hammer. Wilfred felt no such sensation, but it did not occur to him that perhaps his own treacherous17 heart was at its job again, making itself ready to be worthy18 of his fine spirit, ready to back him up and stand by him when the world should seem to be falling away under his feet, and the future should look black indeed.
They advanced a few feet stealthily. Then, suddenly a dark figure glided19 silently from behind the tree and as it moved a little glint of something white (or at least it was light enough to be visible in the darkness) fluttered close to it. In his first, quick glimpse, Wilfred thought it looked like a bird accompanying the spectral20 figure.
“He’s got your flag! He’s got your flag!” Archie whispered in great excitement. “I know what it is, go on after him, hurry up and catch him!”
Wilfred stood spellbound. There, in the darkness of the night he stood at the parting of the ways, aghast, speechless. And he heard in his heart a silent voice, while two hands rested on his shoulders. “You promise then? Honor bright? You won’t run or....” Then the scene changed and his ready and troubled fancy pictured Wig21 Weigand sprawling22 on the grass with him while they gazed at that captured banner....
“You’re afraid to run after him! Ain’t you going to chase him and get it? You got a right to—go on, run after him, quick; he’s half-way down the hill!”
Wilfred did not move.
“Ain’t you going——”
“Go on down to bed,” said Wilfred quietly, “go on, Archie.”
“Do you want me to tell? I got a right to tell you wouldn’t get it.”
“You don’t have to, but you can. Go on down to bed, Archie.”
“I don’t want to stay here and talk to you anyway,” said Archie.
“I’m glad you feel that way,” said Wilfred kindly25; “it’s the best thing you said to-night. Here’s your flash-light, Archie, go on down to the pavilion now.”
The outraged26 spectator of this complacent27 treason did not linger to be told again. He was not built for dignity and as he limped down the hill, his contempt, as expressed in his bearing, suggested only the sudden pique28 of a silly girl. In trying to be scornful he was absurd.
But Wilfred did not see him nor think of him, any more than he thought of the ants near his feet. He did not even ponder on the warning that duty must be done and the thing made public. He stood there alone in the darkness watching that black figure until it became a mere29 shadow and was then swallowed up in the still night. Still he watched where it had gone. Then he nervously30 brushed his rebellious31 lock of wavy32 hair up from his forehead and held his hand there as if to gather his thoughts. Then, in his abstraction and from force of habit, he felt his pocket to make sure the old opera-glass, his one poor possession, was there.
Still he stood, rooted to the spot, bewildered at fate, but accepting it as he accepted everything, tolerantly, kindly. He could not bear now to enter the cabin. So he stood just where he was; it seemed to him that if he moved he would make matters worse, he knew not how....
Came then out of the darkness Sandwich, the camp dog, wagging his tail and pawing Wilfred’s feet and uttering no sound. How he knew that Wilfred was a scout6 it would be hard to say for the boy had no uniform. He did not linger more than long enough to pay his silent respect, then was off again upon his nocturnal prowling.
Wilfred stole up to the cabin but not quietly enough, for all his stealth, to enter unheard.
“It’s just I,” he said.
“Billy?” one asked.
“Yes.”
“I thought it was somebody after the flag,” said the voice.
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收听单词发音
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1
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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insistent
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| adj.迫切的，坚持的 | |
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somber
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| adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的 | |
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modulation
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| n.调制 | |
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scouts
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| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
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6
scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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7
memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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8
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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tacked
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| 用平头钉钉( tack的过去式和过去分词 )； 附加，增补； 帆船抢风行驶，用粗线脚缝 | |
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redeemed
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| adj. 可赎回的，可救赎的 动词redeem的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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11
dubious
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| adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的 | |
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12
eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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14
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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15
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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16
thumping
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| adj.重大的，巨大的；重击的；尺码大的；极好的adv.极端地；非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词)；狠打；怦怦地跳；全力支持 | |
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17
treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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19
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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spectral
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| adj.幽灵的，鬼魂的 | |
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wig
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| n.假发 | |
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sprawling
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| adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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petulant
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| adj.性急的，暴躁的 | |
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24
chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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25
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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26
outraged
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| a.震惊的，义愤填膺的 | |
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complacent
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| adj.自满的；自鸣得意的 | |
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28
pique
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| v.伤害…的自尊心，使生气 n.不满，生气 | |
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29
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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30
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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31
rebellious
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| adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的 | |
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wavy
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| adj.有波浪的，多浪的，波浪状的，波动的，不稳定的 | |
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