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选择底色: 选择字号:【大】【中】【小】
CHAPTER XV THE MYSTERY SOLVED. CONCLUSION.
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 As soon as Captain Jim had the five men securely handcuffed he left them in charge of two of his men while the others made a search of the cabin. It was nearly empty, the only furnishings being a few chairs and a number of bunks1 built against the sides.
 
“Guess they must have taken it all on that trip,” Captain Jim said as he glanced about the room.
 
But as he spoke2 one of the men was lifting up a trap door in one of the back corners of the room. A ladder led to a cellar below and there they found a large quantity of whiskey and other liquors.
 
“I’m not quite sure whether I have a legal right to spill this stuff but I’m going to take a chance on it,” Captain Jim told Bob.
 
He sent one of the men up to look for an ax and in a short time the cellar was nearly flooded with the costly3 fluids.
 
“There, that stuff will never make anyone drunk, that’s sure,” he said as he stove in the head of the last barrel.
 
Bob was impressed by the fact that not one of Captain Jim’s men even suggested drinking any of the liquor.
 
“You’ll pay and pay well for that stuff,” the man, known to the Captain as Slippery Elm, told them as they once more joined the others outside. “This is Canada and you have no jurisdiction4 on this side of the line.”
 
“I hope not,” Captain Jim replied. “I’m far from being a rich man and it would bankrupt me to pay half of what that stuff would cost.”
 
Pierre and Big Tiny glared at Bob in a way that made him shudder5 in spite of himself and the little man said to him in a low tone:
 
“Some day we may square accounts.”
 
“All right now, let’s get going,” Captain Jim ordered. “We’ll go back to camp and pack up and then hit the trail for Jackman. No we won’t either. On second thought I think we had better take these birds straight to Bangor.”
 
“Now I want you fellows to pay strict attention to what I’m going to say. I hate a man who’ll sell whiskey worse than poison and have more respect for a snake so you can easily figure out about what I think of you. Now I’m going to take you to Bangor either alive or dead and it doesn’t make a whole lot of difference to me which. Now I reckon you understand what I mean.”
 
They had disarmed7 the men before leaving them to search the cabin and now, with them handcuffed Bob felt that there could be no trouble.
 
The prisoners made no reply to the Captain’s statement but it was evident to Bob that they thoroughly8 understood what he meant.
 
As soon as they got back to the place where they had camped they prepared a hasty lunch and by one o’clock were ready for the start.
 
“Can’t you take these things off?” the little man asked holding out his hands. “It’s mighty9 hard work going through the woods without the use of your hands. We won’t start anything.”
 
“Not much,” the Captain replied. “You ought to have thought of the inconveniences of this business before you took it up. Smuggling10 diamonds is I fancy much safer and it’s a pity that you didn’t stick to it. No, I’m not going to take one little bit of a chance. I imagine you can get through all right without your hands if you are careful. Anyhow you’ve got to. That’s all.”
 
The man scowled11 and turned away muttering something which Bob failed to catch.
 
To travel through the thick forest without the use of one’s hands to protect the face from the twigs12 and branches is indeed a hardship and Bob could not help a feeling of pity for the prisoners. But he knew that the Captain was doing exactly right in refusing to free their hands. They were men of the most desperate character and, knowing that a long term in prison at hard labor14 awaited them, they would be sure to take advantage of the first opportunity that offered the least chance of escape. As the Captain had said they must take their medicine.
 
But the Captain was by no means cruel and he set a slow pace in order to make it as easy for them as possible without taking a chance. That night they camped beside a brook15 and Bob caught a good mess of trout16 for supper much to the delight of all even including the prisoners.
 
The Captain divided his party into two watches of three men each. The first to watch until twelve o’clock and the second the rest of the night.
 
“There, when I was talking with Jack6 I forgot all about telling him that we were going straight to Bangor,” Bob said as he and the Captain were talking together after supper. “Guess I’d better call him up and tell him.”
 
He caught Jack just as he was getting into bed and they chatted for some time.
 
“Then we’ll meet you at the hotel in Bangor some time tomorrow night,” Jack said.
 
“If we have good luck,” Bob replied
 
The night passed without incident and they got an early start the next morning. The prisoners seemed to have accepted their fate and made no complaints although Bob knew that they were having a pretty hard time of as he could tell by the numerous scratches on their faces.
 
It was about ten o’clock when Bob, who at the time was leading the way and choosing the easiest route so as to give the manacled men as little pain as possible, suddenly stopped and held up his hand.
 
“What is it?” the Captain who was a few feet behind, asked.
 
“There’s one of those cabins I was telling you about just ahead of us.”
 
“Good enough. Now mebbe we’ll be able to solve the mystery,” and the Captain called a halt.
 
“Slippery, do you know anything about these log cabins which disappear on short notice?” the Captain asked.
 
The man shook his head in sullen17 silence. Captain Jim then turned to the other prisoners and asked the same question but they pretended to no knowledge of what he was asking.
 
“All right then, we’ll have to find out for ourselves. Get your gun out, Bob, and the rest of you stay here.”
 
The mysterious cabin stood in a small open space not more than a hundred feet from where they had stopped. With drawn18 revolvers the two approached it from the rear, after watching for some minutes to see if there were signs of it being occupied.
 
“I don’t believe there’s anyone there,” the Captain said as he stepped out into the open.
 
“Doesn’t look like it.”
 
It was only a few steps from the edge of the clearing to the back of the cabin. Captain Jim was a few feet ahead of Bob, he having insisted on taking the lead. As he came close to the house he stopped a moment and listened, then he stepped forward and the next instant he burst into a loud laugh.
 
“Well, I’ll be jiggered,” he cried as Bob came up. “What do you know about that?”
 
And then the mystery of the vanishing cabin was cleared up.
 
“Why, it’s nothing but cloth painted to imitate a log cabin,” Bob declared as he reached out his hand and touched it.
 
“Sure it is, but whoever did it is an artist I’ll tell the world. I never suspected a thing of the sort till I was almost near enough to touch it.”
 
They quickly went around to the front and opened the door. As they stepped inside the whole thing became clear. The cloth, painted black on the inside so that no light would show through it, was stretched upon a very light jointed19 framework. There was no floor.
 
“Why, the whole thing could be taken down in ten minutes and almost be packed in a suitcase,” the Captain declared as he looked about.
 
“But what do you suppose they used it for?” Bob asked. “You remember Jack saw it the first time up near Moosehead Lake.”
 
“Now you’re asking something.”
 
“Haven’t you any idea?”
 
“Nary a one.”
 
“And I don’t suppose it will do any good to ask those men.”
 
“Not a bit. They can keep a secret all right when they want to.”
 
“Well, I’m a Yankee and can make a guess although it probably is pretty far fetched,” Bob said.
 
“Let’s hear it. Your guesses have been pretty good so far this trip.”
 
“Well, I figure it something like this. You know most of the half-breeds up here and the French too for that matter are very superstitious20. They are full of stories of ghosts and haunts and the like. Now isn’t it possible that this thing was made and used in some way to work up a superstitious scare regarding them and so make it easier for them to operate?” The Captain did not reply for a minute or two.
 
“I think you’re right,” he said finally. “It’s a good guess at any rate, and for the life of me I can’t think of a better. But let’s get back and I’ll see if I can get anything out of any of them.”
 
“So you thought you’d work up a ghost scare with that canvas cabin, eh?” he asked the little man.
 
The latter made no reply, but Bob caught a glance which he gave Pierre and was more than ever convinced that he had made a good guess.
 
As soon as the other officers had examined the cabin the Captain ordered that it be taken down and packed up.
 
“We’ll take it with us,” he said, “It will make a good souvenir at least.”
 
As he had told Bob it took but a few minutes to take the thing down even by those who were not used to it and when it was rolled up it made a surprisingly small package considering its size when set up.
 
They reached the place where they left the cars late that afternoon and shortly after nine o’clock they drew up before the station house in Bangor and turned the prisoners over to the Chief of Police.
 
“Be mighty careful of that fellow,” the Captain cautioned, pointing to the little man. “He’s one of the most wanted men in the country and as slippery as an eel13. Don’t let him get away.”
 
“We won’t loose him,” the policeman promised.
 
They found Captain Brice and Jack waiting for them at the hotel.
 
“Well, thanks to you boys, that job’s done,” Captain Jim declared as they were eating a late supper.
 
“But there’s one thing that isn’t done,” Jack said. “I want to know how that cabin went up into thin air and what’s more I’m going to find out if it takes all summer.”
 
“It won’t take that long,” Captain Jim laughed. “As a matter of fact it will only take about two minutes.”
 
“Then you’ve solved it?”
 
“Bob has, or a part of it at least and I’m inclined to think the whole of it.” And he proceeded to tell them all about it.
 
“What do you know about that?” Jack asked as soon as he had finished.
 
“Mighty clever I call it,” Captain Brice declared. “And to think that we never suspected it.”
 
“Only a man with Slippery Elm’s fertile brain would think up a thing like that,” Captain Jim said as he pushed back his chair.
 
“Do you mean to say that you’ve caught Slippery Elm?” Captain Brice asked excitedly.
 
“Sure thing,” Captain Jim replied.
 
“Some catch, I’ll say,” and Captain Brice held out his hand. “Congratulations.”
 
It was while they were at breakfast the following morning that Captain Jim was called to the telephone. He was gone for about ten minutes and when he returned his beaming face told that he had heard good news.
 
“That was Slippery all right and the Chief tells me that there is a reward of ten thousand dollars for him. That’ll be five thousand apiece for you boys.”
 
“Not much it won’t,” Jack burst out “You caught him.”
 
“But I’d never have done it if you boys hadn’t located him for me.”
 
“Then we’ll split the reward four ways,” Bob proposed.
 
To this plan the two Captains objected declaring that the boys had earned the reward and it was not until both Bob and Jack absolutely refused to take a cent of it unless, they would agreed to do as Bob had suggested that they gave in.
 
“But I don’t feel right about it so far as I’m concerned,” Captain Brice insisted. “I had nothing to do with his capture.”
 
“No, all you did was to risk your life chasing that other fellow,” Captain Jim said, and there they let the matter drop.
 
The next day Captain Brice and Captain Jim left in the former’s plane for Washington.
 
“You boys may have to come down to Washington as witnesses against those fellows,” Captain Jim told them as they shook hands, “But I hardly think it will be necessary.”
 
“What men!” Bob declared as they drove the Captain’s car back to the city.
 
“I’ll tell the world,” Jack agreed.
 
As soon as they had returned the car to the garage the boys went back to the hotel and got their wheels.
 
They made the run to Skowhegan in a little over two hours.
 
“Well, what next?” Mr. Golden asked after they had given a full account of their adventures.
 
“Who knows?” Bob laughed as he helped himself to his third piece of apple pie.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 bunks dbe593502613fe679a9ecfd3d5d45f1f     
n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位( bunk的名词复数 );空话,废话v.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位( bunk的第三人称单数 );空话,废话
参考例句:
  • These bunks can tip up and fold back into the wall. 这些铺位可以翻起来并折叠收入墙内。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • At last they turned into their little bunks in the cart. 最后他们都钻进车内的小卧铺里。 来自辞典例句
2 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。
3 costly 7zXxh     
adj.昂贵的,价值高的,豪华的
参考例句:
  • It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
  • This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用,左不过贵了些。
4 jurisdiction La8zP     
n.司法权,审判权,管辖权,控制权
参考例句:
  • It doesn't lie within my jurisdiction to set you free.我无权将你释放。
  • Changzhou is under the jurisdiction of Jiangsu Province.常州隶属江苏省。
5 shudder JEqy8     
v.战粟,震动,剧烈地摇晃;n.战粟,抖动
参考例句:
  • The sight of the coffin sent a shudder through him.看到那副棺材,他浑身一阵战栗。
  • We all shudder at the thought of the dreadful dirty place.我们一想到那可怕的肮脏地方就浑身战惊。
6 jack 53Hxp     
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克
参考例句:
  • I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
  • He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。
7 disarmed f147d778a788fe8e4bf22a9bdb60a8ba     
v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 );使息怒
参考例句:
  • Most of the rebels were captured and disarmed. 大部分叛乱分子被俘获并解除了武装。
  • The swordsman disarmed his opponent and ran him through. 剑客缴了对手的械,并对其乱刺一气。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 thoroughly sgmz0J     
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地
参考例句:
  • The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
  • The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。
9 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。
10 smuggling xx8wQ     
n.走私
参考例句:
  • Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
  • The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。
11 scowled b83aa6db95e414d3ef876bc7fd16d80d     
怒视,生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He scowled his displeasure. 他满脸嗔色。
  • The teacher scowled at his noisy class. 老师对他那喧闹的课堂板着脸。
12 twigs 17ff1ed5da672aa443a4f6befce8e2cb     
细枝,嫩枝( twig的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Some birds build nests of twigs. 一些鸟用树枝筑巢。
  • Willow twigs are pliable. 柳条很软。
13 eel bjAzz     
n.鳗鲡
参考例句:
  • He used an eel spear to catch an eel.他用一只捕鳗叉捕鳗鱼。
  • In Suzhou,there was a restaurant that specialized in eel noodles.苏州有一家饭馆,他们那里的招牌菜是鳗鱼面。
14 labor P9Tzs     
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦
参考例句:
  • We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
  • He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后,他已经疲惫不堪了。
15 brook PSIyg     
n.小河,溪;v.忍受,容让
参考例句:
  • In our room we could hear the murmur of a distant brook.在我们房间能听到远处小溪汩汩的流水声。
  • The brook trickled through the valley.小溪涓涓流过峡谷。
16 trout PKDzs     
n.鳟鱼;鲑鱼(属)
参考例句:
  • Thousands of young salmon and trout have been killed by the pollution.成千上万的鲑鱼和鳟鱼的鱼苗因污染而死亡。
  • We hooked a trout and had it for breakfast.我们钓了一条鳟鱼,早饭时吃了。
17 sullen kHGzl     
adj.愠怒的,闷闷不乐的,(天气等)阴沉的
参考例句:
  • He looked up at the sullen sky.他抬头看了一眼阴沉的天空。
  • Susan was sullen in the morning because she hadn't slept well.苏珊今天早上郁闷不乐,因为昨晚没睡好。
18 drawn MuXzIi     
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
参考例句:
  • All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
  • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
19 jointed 0e57ef22df02be1a8b7c6abdfd98c54f     
有接缝的
参考例句:
  • To embrace her was like embracing a jointed wooden image. 若是拥抱她,那感觉活像拥抱一块木疙瘩。 来自英汉文学
  • It is possible to devise corresponding systematic procedures for rigid jointed frames. 推导出适合于钢架的类似步骤也是可能的。
20 superstitious BHEzf     
adj.迷信的
参考例句:
  • They aim to deliver the people who are in bondage to superstitious belief.他们的目的在于解脱那些受迷信束缚的人。
  • These superstitious practices should be abolished as soon as possible.这些迷信做法应尽早取消。


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