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CHAPTER VIII BRAD LEARNS THE TRUTH.
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 “What’s this—what’s this, boys?” cried Dick, as they were passing the office of the Rockford Star, on their way to the hotel. “Just look at that bulletin board. Maplewood defeated Seaslope! Take a look at the standing1 of the teams! Did you ever before see anything like that?”
No wonder the boys uttered exclamations2 of surprise and astonishment3 as they stood in front of the bulletin board, for by the record there it was seen that every team in the Trolley4 League was tied. The four clubs had played forty games each, and all had won twenty and lost twenty.
“Now for the race to the finish!” exclaimed Merriwell. “It will be good and hot!”
No wonder the Fairhaven crowd was enthusiastic and delighted.
Bart Hodge was the hero of the day. Still wearing his ragged5 clothes, he marched at Dick’s side with the ball players, his dark eyes gleaming and a smile on his face.
“Frank will enjoy the letter I’ll write him,” he declared. “I’ll tell him how his plan worked. I didn’t think I could fool you, Dick. It wasn’t so difficult last night, for we met in the dark and you could not get a good look at me. To-day you were somewhat excited and wrought6 up over the game, which kept you from inspecting me closely.”
“I thought you acted mighty7 queer,” laughed Dick. “You kept that old hat on all the time and had it pulled down over your eyes. Besides that, you seemed disinclined to talk with me after we agreed on the signals we would use. Whenever I spoke8 you turned your head away and did not answer. Besides, I never dreamed of seeing Bart Hodge in rags and with his face and hands dirt-begrimed.”
“It’s good, clean dirt, Dick,” retorted Hodge. “Still I confess I’m rather anxious to wash it off now. Hear that big chap whoop9! He nearly broke his neck by falling off the bleachers when you struck out the last Rockford batter10.”
“That’s McLane,” said Dick. “He’s one of our most enthusiastic supporters.”
The big lobsterman was marching down the street, waving his hat in the air and occasionally letting out a yell that sounded like a steam calliope.
In the island crowd was Grace Garrett. Without attracting the attention of his companions, Earl Gardner dropped back and walked at Grace’s side.
“Oh, I’m so glad you won the game to-day, Earl!” she exclaimed, placing her hand on his arm.
“I didn’t win it,” he laughed. “Dick and Bart Hodge deserve all the credit.”
“Not all the credit,” she denied. “But who is this Bart Hodge? Is he really a tramp?”
“Hardly that!” smiled Gardner. “He’s a chum and comrade of Dick Merriwell’s brother, Frank.”
“Well, how does he happen to be here now?”
“Frank Merriwell sent him. He couldn’t come himself, and so he sent Hodge. It was a mighty lucky thing for us that Hodge turned up just when he did. No other man could have gone behind the bat and handled Dick’s pitching to-day.”
“What was the matter with Brad Buckhart? He actually seemed crazy.”
Earl shook his head.
“That was something mighty queer,” he said. “Buckhart was ill—he’s ill now, and he has two bad-looking eyes. That ball struck him between the eyes, and they are nearly closed up.”
“It was dreadful!” said Grace. “It frightened all the girls. I thought he was killed.”
“It takes something harder than a baseball to kill that Texan,” declared Gardner. “Dick tried to induce him to go to a doctor, but he remained through the game and kept a wet handkerchief over his bruise11.”
With a handkerchief tied round his head, Buckhart was plodding12 along at the rear of the ball players. The Western lad was doing some thinking now. Gradually his head seemed getting clearer, and he was trying to devise some explanation for his own remarkable13 actions on the ball field. He remembered very well the singular feeling of lassitude and weakness that came upon him a short time after eating dinner at the Corndike Hotel that day. Over and over to himself Buckhart put this question:
“What did I eat that knocked me out?”
As the ball players were passing the Corndike, Uriah Blackington hurried out of the hotel, and called to Ray Garrett.
“Come here a moment, Garrett,” he urged. “Bring Merriwell with you.”
Ray and Dick joined the Rockford manager.
“I’ve just received a telephone message from Hammerswell and Whitcomb,” said Blackington. “They urged me to call a meeting right away for the purpose of making certain changes in the schedule.”
“Why should there be any changes made?” asked Garrett. “Isn’t the schedule satisfactory to Rockford?”
“Not exactly,” answered Blackington. “We wish to make one or two changes ourselves.”
“Ten to one,” cut in Dick, “this is some sort of a trick on the part of Hammerswell. Don’t help him out in his schemes, Mr. Blackington.”
In a frank manner the Rockford man placed a hand on Dick’s shoulder.
“Don’t you worry about that, my boy,” he said. “I have no particular use for Benton Hammerswell. Still, as two of the managers in the league have called for this meeting, one must be held. They demand it at once, saying they will be here within an hour and ready to transact14 business. Mr. Garrett can stop off and attend the meeting, while the rest of you may return to the island.”
“If I stop,” said Ray, “I want you to remain with me, Dick. I may need your advice. We’ll not go back to Fairhaven on the Lady May to-night, for, according to our agreement with the captain, that boat leaves here as soon as possible after the game.”
“Wait a minute,” said Merriwell. “Perhaps Captain Jennings might be induced to wait a while if we pay him. There’ll be a moon to-night, and there are no signs of fog.”
“The excursionists might object.”
“Let’s go down to the boat and talk it over.”
As they started off, Blackington called to them:
“Under any circumstances one of you must stay if you wish to have a finger in the alteration15 of the schedule.”
When the Lady May was reached Garrett gathered the excursionists and told them it was necessary for Dick and himself to remain in Rockford two hours at least.
“If you people say so,” said Ray, “the Lady May will swing off at once with you; but if you’re in no haste we’ll see if the captain can be induced to wait for us.”
“Oh, say!” cried Brick McLane, “we want to take everybody back with us. There’ll be a warm time on the island when we git there.”
“That’s right! that’s right!” cried several of the others. “If the captain will wait we’ll wait.”
There was not a dissenting16 voice, and therefore Ray and Dick talked with Captain Jennings at once. He agreed to wait until nine o’clock if they desired, in case he received ten dollars extra for the delay. This amount was promised him and the excursionists were notified.
“I’m glad of that,” said Hodge. “It will give me a chance to change my clothes and cross to the island with you. I had my luggage forwarded to the Corndike, and it’s there now, I suppose.”
The baggage belonging to the ball players had been sent from the hotel to the steamer, and the boys were now given an opportunity to change their clothes in the cabin. As they were making this change it was discovered that Buckhart was not with them.
Immediately Dick became alarmed.
“Where is that fellow?” he exclaimed. “Has any one seen him?”
Some remembered Brad had marched down the street with them, but still he could not be found on the steamer.
“First thing,” said Dick, as he hurriedly finished dressing17, “is to look him up. What the dickens can be the matter with him?”
While Dick and Ray were talking with Blackington, Buckhart had walked into the Corndike quite unobserved and taken a seat in the office near an open window at the front of the hotel. He was still puzzling over his own condition and seemed quite unaware18 that his friends and the excursionists proceeded to the steamer without noticing he was missing.
For at least thirty minutes the Texan sat in a big chair by the open window. Finally he shook himself a little and started to get up. As he did so he glanced through the window and saw Tom Fernald standing just outside. The look on Fernald’s face was one of bitter disappointment.
“He’s some sore,” thought Brad. “I opine he lost a dollar or two to-day.”
A slender young chap approached Fernald and spoke to him. This slender fellow the Texan recognized as Pete Knox, head waiter at the Corndike.
“I need that money now,” said Knox, in a low tone, “and I need it mighty bad, too.”
Fernald frowned.
“You’ll have to wait,” he retorted. “I can’t pay you.”
“But you promised it to me right after the game. I’ve been discharged here.”
“Discharged?”
“Yes.”
“Why? How’s that?”
“I don’t know. I was fired this afternoon, and I’m out of a job. Haven’t a dollar, either. So you see the twenty-five you agreed to pay me will come in handy.”
“You’re no worse off than I am,” said Fernald. “I am broke. Lost my good money on this beastly ball game.”
“That wasn’t my fault,” said Knox. “I thought you were sure of winning if you could get that stuff into the Fairhaven catcher.”
Buckhart grasped the arms of his chair and every muscle grew tense.
“I should have won,” growled19 Fernald. “That ragged bummer upset my calculations. He’s as good a catcher as Buckhart—or better.”
“You can’t blame me if your game miscarried,” said Knox. “I followed directions, and I saw Buckhart drink the water, which I brought him myself. I want my money now. I can’t help how much you lost, you’ll settle with me.”
“And you’ll both settle with me!” roared the Texan, as he leaped like a panther through the open window and lighted on the sidewalk outside.
“Here’s one for you!”
Saying which he struck Knox a blow that sent the fellow spinning, wheeling instantly on Fernald, who seemed electrified20 by the occurrence.
“Had me drugged, did you?” snarled21 the Westerner. “You get yours next!”
Fernald was not exactly a weak man, but his astonishment prevented him from meeting the assault of the enraged22 boy. Brad’s hard fist landed on the man’s chin and sent him backward a step. The Texan would have followed up this blow with another, but at that juncture23 Dick and Ray Garrett came round the corner, having returned from the steamer. Merriwell seized his excited friend by the wrist and held him, while Garrett promptly24 stepped between the man and boy.
“Let go, pard—let go!” grated the Texan. “Let me smash that cur!”
“Where are the police?” exclaimed Fernald. “I’ll have him arrested!”
“You’re crazy, Brad!” said Dick. “What ails25 you?”
“I know what ailed26 me to-day!” panted the Fairhaven catcher. “I was drugged! This low-down coyote paid the waiter here to get the stuff into me! Stand back, pard, and let me square up the score!”
It required all of Merriwell’s strength to hold the furious lad back.
“How do you know this, Brad?” demanded Dick.
“Just heard them talking right here by this window.”
“That’s a lie!” asserted Fernald. “Where’s Knox? He’ll say it’s a lie!”
But the fellow who had been knocked down by Buckhart was not to be found. He had picked himself up and hurried away as he saw the people gather in front of the hotel.
Finding Knox had fled, Fernald became still more bold.
“Somebody call the police,” he said. “We’ll have this crazy chap locked up.”
“Let them lock me up!” hissed28 Buckhart. “I am ready to tell the judge why I jumped on Fernald.”
“All right,” nodded Dick, “go ahead and call your policemen.”
Then he turned to the crowd that had gathered.
“Gentlemen,” he said, “some of you were present at the ball game to-day, I fancy. You must remember the singular behavior of our catcher here. He complained of feeling wrong directly after dinner. Yesterday Tom Fernald tried to bribe29 him—tried to induce him to throw the game to-day. Deny it if you want to, Mr. Fernald; we have proof of it. Buckhart induced Fernald to make the offer in a room of this hotel, and several of us heard all the talk. If you doubt my word, ask Uriah Blackington; I fancy you won’t doubt him. He was present and heard it all. That’s why Fernald was compelled to resign as manager of your team. Evidently he has been looking for revenge. It’s my belief that no man who makes a living as a professional gambler can be on the square. I doubted the squareness of Fernald from the first. He has been proved a crook30. I mean it, Fernald—you’re a crook!”
The deposed31 manager of the Rockford team was pale, but he forced a sneering32 laugh.
“You will find I have some friends in this town,” he declared. “You think yourself very smart, young chap, but in time you will get what’s coming to you.”
This speech was promptly hissed by some one in the crowd, and as if that hiss27 was a signal, a storm of hisses33 followed it.
Fernald shrugged34 his shoulders and snapped his fingers defiantly35.
“You go to blazes, the whole of you!” he exclaimed.
Then he turned and walked away, paying no attention to the scornful remarks of the crowd.
“Let him go, Brad,” urged Dick, restraining the Texan. “It’s my opinion he lost enough money to-day to punish him for his dirty work.”

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
2 exclamations aea591b1607dd0b11f1dd659bad7d827     
n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 );感叹;感叹语;感叹词
参考例句:
  • The visitors broke into exclamations of wonder when they saw the magnificent Great Wall. 看到雄伟的长城,游客们惊叹不已。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • After the will has been read out, angry exclamations aroused. 遗嘱宣读完之后,激起一片愤怒的喊声。 来自辞典例句
3 astonishment VvjzR     
n.惊奇,惊异
参考例句:
  • They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
  • I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。
4 trolley YUjzG     
n.手推车,台车;无轨电车;有轨电车
参考例句:
  • The waiter had brought the sweet trolley.侍者已经推来了甜食推车。
  • In a library,books are moved on a trolley.在图书馆,书籍是放在台车上搬动的。
5 ragged KC0y8     
adj.衣衫褴褛的,粗糙的,刺耳的
参考例句:
  • A ragged shout went up from the small crowd.这一小群人发出了刺耳的喊叫。
  • Ragged clothing infers poverty.破衣烂衫意味着贫穷。
6 wrought EoZyr     
v.引起;以…原料制作;运转;adj.制造的
参考例句:
  • Events in Paris wrought a change in British opinion towards France and Germany.巴黎发生的事件改变了英国对法国和德国的看法。
  • It's a walking stick with a gold head wrought in the form of a flower.那是一个金质花形包头的拐杖。
7 mighty YDWxl     
adj.强有力的;巨大的
参考例句:
  • A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
  • The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。
8 spoke XryyC     
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
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
9 whoop qIhys     
n.大叫,呐喊,喘息声;v.叫喊,喘息
参考例句:
  • He gave a whoop of joy when he saw his new bicycle.他看到自己的新自行车时,高兴得叫了起来。
  • Everybody is planning to whoop it up this weekend.大家都打算在这个周末好好欢闹一番。
10 batter QuazN     
v.接连重击;磨损;n.牛奶面糊;击球员
参考例句:
  • The batter skied to the center fielder.击球手打出一个高飞球到中外野手。
  • Put a small quantity of sugar into the batter.在面糊里放少量的糖。
11 bruise kcCyw     
n.青肿,挫伤;伤痕;vt.打青;挫伤
参考例句:
  • The bruise was caused by a kick.这伤痕是脚踢的。
  • Jack fell down yesterday and got a big bruise on his face.杰克昨天摔了一跤,脸上摔出老大一块淤斑。
12 plodding 5lMz16     
a.proceeding in a slow or dull way
参考例句:
  • They're still plodding along with their investigation. 他们仍然在不厌其烦地进行调查。
  • He is plodding on with negotiations. 他正缓慢艰难地进行着谈判。
13 remarkable 8Vbx6     
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的
参考例句:
  • She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
  • These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。
14 transact hn8wE     
v.处理;做交易;谈判
参考例句:
  • I will transact my business by letter.我会写信去洽谈业务。
  • I have been obliged to see him;there was business to transact.我不得不见他,有些事物要处理。
15 alteration rxPzO     
n.变更,改变;蚀变
参考例句:
  • The shirt needs alteration.这件衬衣需要改一改。
  • He easily perceived there was an alteration in my countenance.他立刻看出我的脸色和往常有些不同。
16 dissenting kuhz4F     
adj.不同意的
参考例句:
  • He can't tolerate dissenting views. 他不能容纳不同意见。
  • A dissenting opinion came from the aunt . 姑妈却提出不赞同的意见。
17 dressing 1uOzJG     
n.(食物)调料;包扎伤口的用品,敷料
参考例句:
  • Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
  • The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。
18 unaware Pl6w0     
a.不知道的,未意识到的
参考例句:
  • They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。
  • I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。
19 growled 65a0c9cac661e85023a63631d6dab8a3     
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
参考例句:
  • \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道:“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》
20 electrified 00d93691727e26ff4104e0c16b9bb258     
v.使电气化( electrify的过去式和过去分词 );使兴奋
参考例句:
  • The railway line was electrified in the 1950s. 这条铁路线在20世纪50年代就实现了电气化。
  • The national railway system has nearly all been electrified. 全国的铁路系统几乎全部实现了电气化。 来自《简明英汉词典》
21 snarled ti3zMA     
v.(指狗)吠,嗥叫, (人)咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 );咆哮着说,厉声地说
参考例句:
  • The dog snarled at us. 狗朝我们低声吼叫。
  • As I advanced towards the dog, It'snarled and struck at me. 我朝那条狗走去时,它狂吠着向我扑来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
22 enraged 7f01c0138fa015d429c01106e574231c     
使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 ); 歜; 激愤
参考例句:
  • I was enraged to find they had disobeyed my orders. 发现他们违抗了我的命令,我极为恼火。
  • The judge was enraged and stroke the table for several times. 大法官被气得连连拍案。
23 juncture e3exI     
n.时刻,关键时刻,紧要关头
参考例句:
  • The project is situated at the juncture of the new and old urban districts.该项目位于新老城区交界处。
  • It is very difficult at this juncture to predict the company's future.此时很难预料公司的前景。
24 promptly LRMxm     
adv.及时地,敏捷地
参考例句:
  • He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
  • She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。
25 ails c1d673fb92864db40e1d98aae003f6db     
v.生病( ail的第三人称单数 );感到不舒服;处境困难;境况不佳
参考例句:
  • He will not concede what anything ails his business. 他不允许任何事情来干扰他的工作。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Measles ails the little girl. 麻疹折磨着这个小女孩。 来自《简明英汉词典》
26 ailed 50a34636157e2b6a2de665d07aaa43c4     
v.生病( ail的过去式和过去分词 );感到不舒服;处境困难;境况不佳
参考例句:
  • Never in his life had Robin ailed before. 罗宾过去从未生过病。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I wasn't in form, that's what ailed me.\" 我的竞技状态不佳,我输就输在这一点上。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
27 hiss 2yJy9     
v.发出嘶嘶声;发嘘声表示不满
参考例句:
  • We can hear the hiss of air escaping from a tire.我们能听到一只轮胎的嘶嘶漏气声。
  • Don't hiss at the speaker.不要嘘演讲人。
28 hissed 2299e1729bbc7f56fc2559e409d6e8a7     
发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 ); 发嘘声表示反对
参考例句:
  • Have you ever been hissed at in the middle of a speech? 你在演讲中有没有被嘘过?
  • The iron hissed as it pressed the wet cloth. 熨斗压在湿布上时发出了嘶嘶声。
29 bribe GW8zK     
n.贿赂;v.向…行贿,买通
参考例句:
  • He tried to bribe the policeman not to arrest him.他企图贿赂警察不逮捕他。
  • He resolutely refused their bribe.他坚决不接受他们的贿赂。
30 crook NnuyV     
v.使弯曲;n.小偷,骗子,贼;弯曲(处)
参考例句:
  • He demanded an apology from me for calling him a crook.我骂他骗子,他要我向他认错。
  • She was cradling a small parcel in the crook of her elbow.她用手臂挎着一个小包裹。
31 deposed 4c31bf6e65f0ee73c1198c7dbedfd519     
v.罢免( depose的过去式和过去分词 );(在法庭上)宣誓作证
参考例句:
  • The president was deposed in a military coup. 总统在军事政变中被废黜。
  • The head of state was deposed by the army. 国家元首被军队罢免了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
32 sneering 929a634cff0de62dfd69331a8e4dcf37     
嘲笑的,轻蔑的
参考例句:
  • "What are you sneering at?" “你冷笑什么?” 来自子夜部分
  • The old sorceress slunk in with a sneering smile. 老女巫鬼鬼崇崇地走进来,冷冷一笑。
33 hisses add19f26616fdd1582c885031e8f941d     
嘶嘶声( hiss的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The speaker was received with a mixture of applause and hisses. 那演说者同时得到喝彩声和嘘声。
  • A fire hisses if water is thrown on it. 把水浇到火上,火就发出嘶嘶声。
34 shrugged 497904474a48f991a3d1961b0476ebce     
vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀,什么也没说。
  • She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩,装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
35 defiantly defiantly     
adv.挑战地,大胆对抗地
参考例句:
  • Braving snow and frost, the plum trees blossomed defiantly. 红梅傲雪凌霜开。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • She tilted her chin at him defiantly. 她向他翘起下巴表示挑衅。 来自《简明英汉词典》


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