But before he had consumed a quarter of the reading matter, a real collision resulted. He was just about to turn the northwest corner of Phillip’s Hall when there was a scurry8 of feet, and before he could look up some one hurrying at top speed swept around the corner. Instantly the air was full of arms and legs, the copy of The Blue and White accompanied by several school books, went speeding down the graveled path and a moment later Jack found himself seated on the ground and feeling for the exact spot on the back of his head where the west wall of the dormitory building had hit him. Six feet away sat tiny Tommy Todd, also feeling for injured places and trying at the same time to regain10 his breath.
“Jiminy—puff—puff—crickets, what’er you gettin’ into a fellow’s—puff—puff—way like that for, Jack?” demanded Tommy.
[3]
“Well, how on earth— Say, why don’t you blow your horn when you are making a corner at top speed? I didn’t know you were coming,” returned Jack, scrutinizing11 the brick wall for dents12. “Jiminy, I think if I had hit just a little harder, Phillip’s Hall would be minus a few bricks.”
“Huh, that’s nothing to the amount of gravel9 I’ll be carrying round with me for the rest of my life. Bet there is a peck of it jammed into my head,” returned Tommy, rubbing his head solicitously13.
“Well, why the hurry, anyway, Tommy?” asked Jack, as they stood up and began to brush themselves off.
“Why, I was looking for you, Jack—I—”
“Found me quicker than you expected, didn’t you?”
“Yes and no; that is, when I discovered you weren’t in your room I decided14 you might bob up most any place—and you did—”
“Well, what’s wanted of me in such a hurry?” demanded Jack.
“What is wanted? Oh, nothing, only there are about a half dozen fellows over in your room waiting for you. Did you forget that[4] there was a special meeting of the ‘D’ Club called for this afternoon? The meeting is in your room at three o’clock, you know.”
“No, I hadn’t forgotten only—say, it isn’t three o’clock yet, is it?” asked Jack, somewhat surprised.
“Oh, isn’t it?” demanded Tommy, as he exhibited his watch.
“Jingo-netties, it’s half-past three. I was so interested in The Blue and White that I forgot to hurry. Come on back, Tommy, and we’ll have the meeting started immediately,” said Jack, and seizing the diminutive15 catcher of the baseball team by the arm, he hurried him at top speed back toward the broad entrance of Phillip’s Hall.
Seven members of the “D” Club, the organization composed of honor boys at Drueryville Academy, were occupying Jack’s room when he pushed open the door.
“Well, good evenin’, sir; did you call to tea?” demanded Harvey Maston sarcastically16 as Jack entered.
“Why didn’t you keep us waiting until midnight?” called Cory, as he put down the book he had been reading.
[5]
“What’s the matter—fall asleep in the physics lab?” demanded Buck17 Miles.
“No, fellows, I plum forgot what time it—Hi, quit.”
“O-o-o-o-o-h, forgot,” roared every boy, and a moment later Jack was busy ducking sofa pillows that were being hurled18 in his direction.
“Well, now that you have subsided,” said Jack when the lads were out of ammunition19, “the meeting will come to order.” He rapped on the top of the center table with his knuckles20 for lack of a gavel and assumed an air of dignity befitting the president of the school’s most important society.
“As I understand it,” he said, “this is to be a special meeting for a general summing up of the athletic21 situation at Drueryville next year. Am I right?”
“Right-o,” said Tommy Todd.
“Well, gentlemen, we will proceed. First, the baseball situation claims our attention. Tommy, how are things going to shape up next year with your outfit22?”
“The outlook never was better,” said Tommy, cheerily. “Out of the nine regulars on this year’s team, only two will be graduated[6] and they are both outfielders. I’ve men in the substitute squad23 that will take their places all right.”
“Fine,” said Jack. “How about the track team, Harvey?”
“Well, I’m not complaining,” said the captain of the cinder24 athletes. “The outlook could be better. Graduation isn’t going to knock a hole into my list of runners, but I do wish that the freshmen25 who come in next Fall would include a couple of good sprinters. We need a good point winner for the dashes. Also we need a shot putter. Hanson goes out this year, as you know. He’s been our only hope in the weight events for two years now. Wish I could find another 170-pound sixteen-year-old like him.”
“Huh, if he knocks a hole into your prospects26, think how he cripples me up,” said Jack, who had been reelected to captain the football team next year. “He’s been the only full-back Drueryville has had in years. I don’t know where I’m going to get a man like him. There isn’t a fellow in the scrub squad that can play in the full-back position and not stumble over his own feet. The freshmen will surely have[7] to show up mighty27 well in big boys to make me feel happy next year.”
“Jiminy, that does put a kink into your eleven, doesn’t it?” exclaimed Tommy Todd.
“‘A kink?’ Why, man, it ties a regular knot into our chances for the championship trophy28, let me tell you. We’ll never be able to make it three in a row with Seaton without another Hanson in the line-up,” insisted Jack.
“Aw, cheer up. Don’t be so down in the mouth about it. Perhaps we can find one for you this Summer. I’ll look for one among the stone cutters down Bethel way, when I take my job in the granite29 quarries30 this vacation,” said Cory, who was eager to have the meeting over with so that he could resume the book he had been reading.
“Huh, you needn’t bother,” said Jack; “the full-back you’d pick out would come onto the field with a fiction book under his arm. Well, Dink, how’s the hockey team going to shape up?”
“Oh, we’ll be there with an A1 team next year. Every man in the line-up. Pretty good, eh?”
“Well, I’m in the same shape. The basketball[8] team will be composed of four of this year’s regulars and Wefers, who played substitute forward all this year. I’m not worrying,” said Cory gruffly, without even looking up from his book.
“That leaves me the only captain in want of a good man, doesn’t it?” said Jack. “Well, you fellows take Cory’s suggestion and keep your eyes open during the Summer for a likely full-back for me, will you?”
“You bet we will. I’m going to spend my Summer working in a hotel over in the Green Mountains. I may run into a good man there, you can’t tell,” said Chris Gibson.
“That reminds me, Tommy,” said Harvey Maston. “Did you accept that job with the contractor31? You said you were going to work all Summer on the new hydro-electric plant over in New York State.”
“Yes, I go over there the first of July for two months. What are you going to do, Harvey?”
“Going to work for my father in his paper mill. There’s room for another fellow over there. How about you, Jack? Got a Summer job yet?”
[9]
“No,” confessed Jack, “I haven’t. I thought perhaps I might help out father in his marble quarries. But I guess he won’t be ready to open ’em up for three or four months.”
“Well, why not come over to Bordentown and work in the paper mills? We could have a corking32 time together and you would learn a lot about paper manufacturing. Of course if you can get a chance to go to Mexico again, or something as interesting as that, I wouldn’t advise you to accept my offer. A paper mill isn’t as lively as a power plant besieged33 by rebels, but then a job is a job, you know.”
“Well, perhaps I might accept your offer, Harvey. I’ll think it over. You see, I—”
“Mis-ter John-n-n Monroe-e-e Strawbridge! Strawbridge!” shouted some one down in the street.
Jack’s head bobbed out of the open window immediately.
“Here. Right here,” he called.
“Tele-gum fer Mis-ter Straw-bridge,” came the sing-song answer.
“Telegram!” exclaimed Jack. Then he shouted, “All right, bring it up! Third floor, Room Thirty-two.”
[10]
“Huh, what’s this? Some more mystery?” demanded Tommy Todd as Jack left the window.
“You know as much about it as I do,” said Jack, somewhat disturbed.
A moment later the lazy tread of the messenger boy could be heard on the creaking stairs. Then came a knock.
“Come in,” shouted Jack and the door was pushed open to admit a blue clad messenger of diminutive proportions, whose hat was cocked at a rakish angle on his head.
“Day letter. Sign on dis line here,” he said laconically34, as he handed Jack the stub of a much-used pencil.
Jack signed hastily and the youth scuffled out into the hall, forgetting entirely35 to close the door. But the captain of the football team did not notice this. With trembling fingers he was tearing the end off the yellow envelope, while the rest of the boys looked on in wonder.
As Jack unfolded the telegraph blank his face took on an expression of great concern. But as he began to read, this expression[11] changed to a smile of delight. Finally after he had finished, he exclaimed,
“Hi, fellows, listen to this. Talk about luck. Guess I won’t accept your offer for a job in the paper mill, Harvey. I have one that is almost as good as a trip to Mexico. Here, I’ll read all about it.”
Dear Jack:
On our way up from Mexico last Summer I told you of certain work that I expected to do for the Lighthouse Bureau. Part of that work is now to be undertaken. I am to build a lighthouse on Cobra Reef, Hood36 Island, Maine. I know that you are interested in engineering and therefore I am holding open a job as clerk in the building crew. If you want the position wire me at once and report at Jefferson Hotel, Portland, Maine, on Tuesday afternoon. This will make a Summer vacation position in which you can earn a little money and learn a great deal about marine37 engineering. If you haven’t anything better to do be sure and come along.
Yours truly,
James Warner,
Lighthouse Bureau, Washington, D. C.
“If I haven’t anything better to do,” jeered38 Jack. “Huh, could there be anything better to do?”
[12]
“Talk about downright good luck,” said Harvey Maston.
“When do you start? Next Tuesday. Eh! Three days from now.”
“That’s going to be quick work. I’ll have to get Dr. Moorland to excuse me several days before school is officially closed for the Summer, but I haven’t any more exams to keep me here. I guess I’ll go over and see him now. I may leave first thing to-morrow morning if Dr. Moorland will let me off. I would like to spend a day or two with my dad and talk the matter over with him.”
And taking his hat, Jack left Phillip’s Hall for a hasty visit to the principal’s cottage in the maple grove39 across the campus.
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收听单词发音
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1
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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2
maple
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| n.槭树，枫树，槭木 | |
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3
maples
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| 槭树，枫树( maple的名词复数 )； 槭木 | |
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4
hitching
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| 搭乘； （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的现在分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上 | |
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5
pedestrians
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| n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 ) | |
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6
devouring
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| 吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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7
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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scurry
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| vi.急匆匆地走；使急赶；催促；n.快步急跑，疾走；仓皇奔跑声；骤雨，骤雪；短距离赛马 | |
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9
gravel
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| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
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10
regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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11
scrutinizing
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| v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的现在分词 ) | |
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12
dents
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| n.花边边饰；凹痕( dent的名词复数 )；凹部；减少；削弱v.使产生凹痕( dent的第三人称单数 )；损害；伤害；挫伤（信心、名誉等） | |
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13
solicitously
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| adv.热心地，热切地 | |
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14
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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15
diminutive
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| adj.小巧可爱的，小的 | |
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sarcastically
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| adv.挖苦地，讽刺地 | |
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17
buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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18
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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19
ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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20
knuckles
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| n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
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21
athletic
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| adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的 | |
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22
outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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23
squad
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| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
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24
cinder
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| n.余烬，矿渣 | |
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freshmen
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| n.（中学或大学的）一年级学生( freshman的名词复数 ) | |
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26
prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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27
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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28
trophy
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| n.优胜旗，奖品，奖杯，战胜品，纪念品 | |
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29
granite
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| adj.花岗岩，花岗石 | |
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30
quarries
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| n.（采）石场( quarry的名词复数 )；猎物（指鸟，兽等）；方形石；（格窗等的）方形玻璃v.从采石场采得( quarry的第三人称单数 )；从（书本等中）努力发掘（资料等）；在采石场采石 | |
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contractor
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| n.订约人，承包人，收缩肌 | |
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32
corking
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| adj.很好的adv.非常地v.用瓶塞塞住( cork的现在分词 ) | |
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33
besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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laconically
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| adv.简短地，简洁地 | |
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35
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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36
hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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37
marine
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| adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵 | |
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38
jeered
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| v.嘲笑( jeer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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