I had not thought of the English groom1 as a man of resource, but his action in this emergency proved him. He cast a fleeting2 glance over his shoulder. Artie Brower was huddled3 down in his armchair practically out of sight; Miss Emory and I had reseated ourselves in the only other two chairs in the room, so that we were in the same relative positions as when we had been bound and left. Only the confusion of the papers on the floor and the open safe would have struck an observant eye.
"It is well that you come," said Tim to Cortinez in Spanish. "The senor sent me to conduct these two to the East Room and I like not the job alone. Enter."
He held the door with one hand and fairly dragged Cortinez through with the other. Instantly he closed the door and cast himself on Cortinez's back. I had already launched myself at the Mexican's throat.
The struggle was violent but brief. Fortunately I had not missed my spring at our enemy's windpipe, so he had been unable to shout. The noise of our scuffle sounded loud enough within the walls of the room; but those walls were two feet thick, and the door and windows closed.
"Get something to gag him with, and the cords," panted Tim to the girl.
Brower opened his eyes again.
"I can beat that," he announced.
He produced his hypodermic and proceeded to mix a gunful of the dope.
"This'll fix him," he observed, turning back the Mexican's sleeve. "You can lay him outside and if anybody comes along they'll think he's asleep--as usual."
This we did when the dope had worked.
It was now high time to think of our next move. For weapons we had the gun and knife taken from Cortinez and the miserable5 little automatic belonging to Brower. That was all. It was perfectly6 evident that we could not get out through the regular doorways7, as, by Tim's statement, they were all closed and guarded. On my representation it was decided8 to try the roof.
We therefore knotted together the cord that had bound me and two sheets from the bed, and sneaked9 cautiously out on the verandah, around the corner to the water barrel, and so to the vantage point of the roof.
The chill of the night was come, and the stars hung cold in the sky. It seemed that the air would snap and crackle were some little resolving element to be dropped into its suspended hush10. Not a sound was to be heard except a slow drip of water from somewhere in the courtyard.
It was agreed that I, as the heaviest, should descend11 first. I landed easily enough and steadied the rope for Miss Emory who came next. While I was waiting I distinctly heard, from the direction of the willows12, the hooting13 of an owl14. Furthermore, it was a great horned owl, and he seemed to have a lot to say. You remember what I told you about setting your mind so that only one sort of noise will arouse it, but that one instantly? I knew perfectly well that Old Man Hooper's mind was set to all these smaller harmless noises that most people never notice at all, waking or sleeping--frogs, crickets, owls15. And therefore I was convinced that sooner or later that old man and his foolish ideas and his shotgun would come projecting right across our well-planned getaway. Which was just what happened, and almost at once. Probably that great horned owl had been hooting for some time, but we had been too busy to notice. I heard the wicket door turning on its hinges, and ventured a warning hiss16 to Brower and Tim Westmore, who had not yet descended17. An instant later I could make out shadowy forms stealing toward the willows. Evidently those who served Old Man Hooper were accustomed to broken rest.
We kept very quiet, straining our eyes at the willows. After an interval18 a long stab of light pierced the dusk and the round detonation19 of old-fashioned black powder shook the silence. There came to us the babbling20 of voices released. At the same instant the newly risen moon plastered us against that whitewashed21 wall like insects pinned in a cork-lined case. The moonlight must have been visibly creeping down to us for some few minutes, but so absorbed had I been in the doings of the party in the willows, and so chuckleheaded were the two on the roof, that actually none of us had noticed!
I dropped flat and dragged the girl down with me. But there remained that ridiculous, plainly visible rope; and anyway a shout relieved me of any doubt as to whether we had been seen. Brower came tumbling down on us, and with one accord we three doubled to the right around the walls of the ranch22. A revolver shot sang by us, but we were not immediately pursued. Our antagonists24 were too few and too uncertain of our numbers and arms.
It was up to us to utilize25 the few minutes before the ranch should be aroused. We doubled back through the willows and across the mesquite flat toward the lone4 Joshua-tree where I had left my horse. I held the girl's hand to help her when she stumbled, while Brower scuttled26 along with surprising endurance for a dope wreck27. Nobody said anything, but saved their wind.
"Where's Tim?" I asked at a check when we had to scramble28 across a _barranca_.
"He went back into the ranch the way we came," replied Artie with some bitterness.
It was, nevertheless, the wisest thing he could have done. He had not been identified with this outfit30 except by Cortinez, and Cortinez was safe for twelve hours.
We found the Joshua-tree without difficulty.
"Now," said I, "here is the plan. You are to take these papers to Senor Buck31 Johnson, at the Box Springs ranch. That's the next ranch on the fork of the road. Do you remember it?"
"Yes," said Brower, who had waked up and seemed quite sober and responsible. "I can get to it."
"Wake him up. Show him these papers. Make him read them. Tell him that Miss Emory and I are in the Bat-eye Tunnel. Remember that?"
"The Bat-eye Tunnel," repeated Artie.
"Why don't _you_ go?" inquired the girl, anxiously.
"I ride too heavy; and I know where the tunnel is," I replied. "If anybody else was to go, it would be you. But Artie rides light and sure, and he'll have to ride like hell. Here, put these papers inside your shirt. Be off!"
Lights were flickering32 at the ranch as men ran to and fro with lanterns. It would not take these skilled _vaqueros_ long to catch their horses and saddle up. At any moment I expected to see the massive doors swing open to let loose the wolf pack.
Brower ran to my horse--a fool proceeding33, especially for an experienced horseman--and jerked loose the tie rope. Badger34 is a good reliable cow horse, but he's not a million years old, and he's got some natural equine suspicions. I kind of lay a good deal of it to that fool hard-boiled hat. At any rate, he snorted and sagged35 back on the rope, hit a yucca point, whirled and made off. Artie was game. He hung on until he was drug into a bunch of _chollas_, and then he had to let go. Badger departed into the distance, tail up and snorting.
"Well, you've done it now!" I observed to Brower, who, crying with nervous rage and chagrin36, and undoubtedly37 considerably38 stuck up with _cholla_ spines39, was crawling to his feet.
"Can't we catch him? Won't he stop?" asked Miss Emory. "If he gets to the ranch, won't they look for you?"
"He's one of my range ponies40: he won't stop short of the Gila."
I cast over the chances in my mind, weighing my knowledge of the country against the probabilities of search. The proportion was small. Most of my riding experience had been farther north and to the west. Such obvious hole-ups as the one I had suggested--the Bat-eye Tunnel--were of course familiar to our pursuers. My indecision must have seemed long, for the girl broke in anxiously on my meditations42.
"Oughtn't we to be moving?"
"As well here as anywhere," I replied. "We are under good cover; and afoot we could not much better ourselves as against mounted men. We must hide."
"But they may find the trampled43 ground where your horse has been tied."
"I hope they do."
"You hope they do!"
"Sure. They'll figure that we must sure have moved away. They'll never guess we'd hide near at hand. At least that's what I hope."
"How about tracks?"
"Not at night. By daylight maybe."
"But then to-morrow morning they can----"
"To-morrow morning is a long way off."
"Look!" cried Brower.
The big gates of the ranch had been thrown open. The glare of a light--probably a locomotive headlight--poured out. Mounted figures galloped45 forth46 and swerved47 to right or left, spreading in a circle about the enclosure. The horsemen reined48 to a trot50 and began methodically to quarter the ground, weaving back and forth. Four detached themselves and rode off at a swift gallop44 to the points of the compass. The mounted men were working fast for fear, I suppose, that we may have possessed51 horses. Another contingent52, afoot and with lanterns, followed more slowly, going over the ground for indications. I could not but admire the skill and thoroughness of the plan.
"Our only chance is in the shadow from the moon," I told my companions. "If we can slip through the riders, and get in their rear, we may be able to follow the _barranca_ down. Any of those big rocks will do. Lay low, and after a rider has gone over a spot, try to get to that spot without being seen."
We were not to be kept long in suspense53. Out of all the three hundred and sixty degrees of the circle one of the swift outriders selected precisely54 our direction! Straight as an arrow he came for us, at full gallop. I could see the toss of his horse's mane against the light from the opened door. There was no time to move. All we could do was to cower55 beneath our rock, muscles tense, and hope to be able to glide56 around the shadow as he passed.
But he did not pass. Down into the shallow _barranca_ he slid with a tinkle57 of shale58, and drew rein49 within ten feet of our lurking59 place.
We could hear the soft snorting of his mount above the thumping60 of our hearts. I managed to get into a position to steal a glimpse. It was difficult, but at length I made out the statuesque lines of the horse, and the rider himself, standing61 in his stirrups and leaning slightly forward, peering intently about him. The figures were in silhouette62 against the sky, but nobody ever fooled me as to a horse. It was the Morgan stallion, and the rider was Tim Westmore. Just as the realization63 came to me, Tim uttered a low, impatient whistle.
It's always a good idea to take a chance. I arose into view--but I kept my gun handy.
"Thank God!" cried Tim, fervently64, under his breath. "I remembered you'd left your horse by this Joshua: it's the only landmark65 in the dark. Saints!" he ejaculated in dismay as he saw us all. "Where's your horse?"
"Gone."
"We can't all ride this stallion----"
"Listen," I cut in, and I gave him the same directions I had previously66 given Brower. He heard me attentively67.
"I can beat that," he cut me off. He dismounted. "Get on here, Artie. Ride down the _barranca_ two hundred yards and you'll come to an alkali flat. Get out on that flat and ride like hell for Box Springs."
"Why don't you do it?"
"I'm going back and tell 'em how I was slugged and robbed of my horse."
"They'll kill you if they suspect; dare you go back?"
"I've been back once," he pointed68 out. He was helping69 Brower aboard.
"Where did you get that bag?" he asked.
"Found it by the rock where we were hiding: it's mine," replied Brower.
Westmore tried to get him to leave it, but the little jockey was obstinate70. He kicked his horse and, bending low, rode away.
"You're right: I beg your pardon," I answered Westmore's remark to me. "You don't look slugged."
"That's easy fixed," said Tim, calmly. He removed his hat and hit his forehead a very solid blow against a projection71 of the conglomerate72 boulder73. The girl screamed slightly.
"Hush!" warned Tim in a fierce whisper. He raised his hand toward the approaching horsemen, who were now very near. Without attention to the blood streaming from his brow he bent74 his head to listen to the faint clinking of steel against rock that marked the stallion's progress toward the alkali flat. The searchers were by now dangerously close, and Tim uttered a smothered75 oath of impatience76. But at last we distinctly heard the faint, soft thud of galloping77 hoofs78.
The searchers heard it, too, and reined up to listen. Tim thrust into my hand the 30-30 Winchester he was carrying together with a box of cartridges79. Then with a leap like a tiger he gained the rim80 of the _barranca_. Once there, however, his forces seemed to desert him. He staggered forward calling in a weak voice. I could hear the volley of rapid questions shot at him by the men who immediately surrounded him; and his replies. Then somebody fired a revolver thrice in rapid succession and the whole cavalcade81 swept away with a mighty82 crackling of brush. Immediately after Tim rejoined us. I had not expected this.
Relieved for the moment we hurried Miss Emory rapidly up the bed of the shallow wash. The tunnel mentioned was part of an old mine operation, undertaken at some remote period before the cattle days. It entered the base of one of those isolated83 conical hills, lying like islands in the plain, so common in Arizona. From where we had hidden it lay about three miles to the northeast. It was a natural and obvious hide out, and I had no expectation of remaining unmolested. My hope lay in rescue.
We picked our way under cover of the ravine as long as we could, then struck boldly across the plain. Nobody seemed to be following us. A wild hope entered my heart that perhaps they might believe we had all made our escape to Box Springs.
As we proceeded the conviction was borne in on me that the stratagem85 had at least saved us from immediate23 capture. Like most men who ride I had very sketchy86 ideas of what three miles afoot is like--at night--in high heels. The latter affliction was common to both Miss Emory and myself. She had on a sort of bedroom slipper87, and I wore the usual cowboy boots. We began to go footsore about the same time, and the little rolling volcanic88 rocks among the bunches of _sacatone_ did not help us a bit. Tim made good time, curse him. Or rather, bless him; for as I just said, if he had not tolled89 away our mounted pursuit we would have been caught as sure as God made little green apples. He seemed as lively as a cricket, in spite of the dried blood across his face.
The moon was now sailing well above the horizon, throwing the world into silver and black velvet90. When we moved in the open we showed up like a train of cars; but, on the other hand, the shadow was a cloak. It was by now nearly one o'clock in the morning.
Miss Emory's nerve did not belie84 the clear, steadfast91 look of her eye; but she was about all in when we reached the foot of Bat-eye Butte. Tim and I had discussed the procedure as we walked. I was for lying in wait outside; but Tim pointed out that the tunnel entrance was well down in the boulders92, that even the sharpest outlook could not be sure of detecting an approach through the shadows, and that from the shelter of the roof props93 and against the light we should be able to hold off a large force almost indefinitely. In any case, we would have to gamble on Brewer's winning through, and having sense enough in his opium-saturated mind to make a convincing yarn94 of it. So after a drink at the _tenaja_ below the mine we entered the black square of the tunnel.
The work was old, but it had been well done. They must have dragged the timbers down from the White Mountains. Indeed a number of unused beams, both trunks of trees and squared, still lay around outside. From time to time, since the original operations, some locoed prospector95 comes projecting along and does a little work in hopes he may find something the other fellow had missed. So the passage was crazy with props and supports, new and old, placed to brace96 the ageing overhead timbers. Going in they were a confounded nuisance against the bumped head; but looking back toward the square of light they made fine protections behind which to crouch97. In this part of the country any tunnel would be dry. It ran straight for about a hundred and fifty feet.
We groped our way about seventy-five feet, which was as far as we could make out the opening distinctly, and sat down to wait. I still had the rest of the tailor-made cigarettes, which I shared with Tim. We did not talk, for we wished to listen for sounds outside. To judge by her breathing, I think Miss Emory dozed98, or even went to sleep.
About an hour later I thought to hear a single tinkle of shale. Tim heard it, too, for he nudged me. Our straining ears caught nothing further, however; and I, for one, had relaxed from my tension when the square of light was darkened by a figure. I was nearest, so I raised Cortinez's gun and fired. The girl uttered a scream, and the figure disappeared. I don't know yet whether I hit him or not; we never found any blood.
We made Miss Emory lie down behind a little slide of rock, and disposed ourselves under shelter.
"We can take them as fast as they come," exulted99 Tim.
"I don't believe there are more than two or three of them," I observed. "It would be only a scouting100 party. They will go for help."
As there was no longer reason for concealment101, we talked aloud and freely.
Now ensued a long waiting interim102. We could hear various sounds outside as of moving to and fro. The enemy had likewise no reason for further concealment.
"Look!" suddenly cried Tim. "Something crawling."
He raised the 30-30 and fired. Before the flash and the fumes103 had blinded me I, too, had seen indistinctly something low and prone104 gliding105 around the corner of the entrance. That was all we could make out of it, for as you can imagine the light was almost non-existent. The thing glided106 steadily107, untouched or unmindful of the shots we threw at it. When it came to the first of the crazy uprights supporting the roof timbers it seemed to hesitate gropingly. Then it drew slowly back a foot or so, and darted108 forward. The ensuing thud enlightened us. The thing was one of the long, squared timbers we had noted109 outside; and it was being used as a battering110 ram29.
"They'll bring the whole mountain down on us!" cried Tim, springing forward.
But even as he spoke111, and before he had moved two feet, that catastrophe112 seemed at least to have begun. The prop41 gave way: the light at the entrance was at once blotted113 out; the air was filled with terrifying roaring echoes. There followed a succession of crashes, the rolling of rocks over each other, the grinding slide of avalanches114 great and small. We could scarcely breathe for the dust. Our danger was that now the thing was started it would not stop: that the antique and inadequate115 supports would all give way, one bringing down the other in succession until we were buried. Would the forces of equilibrium116 establish themselves through the successive slight resistances of these rotted, worm-eaten old timbers before the constricted117 space in which we crouched118 should be entirely119 eaten away?
After the first great crash there ensued a moment's hesitation120. Then a second span succumbed121. There followed a series of minor122 chutes with short intervening silences. At last so long an interval of calm ensued that we plucked up courage to believe it all over. A single stone rolled a few feet and hit the rock floor with a bang. Then, immediately after, the first-deafening thunder was repeated as evidently another span gave way. It sounded as though the whole mountain had moved. I was almost afraid to stretch out my hand for fear it would encounter the wall of debris123. The roar ceased as abruptly124 as it had begun. Followed then a long silence. Then a little cascading125 tinkle of shale. And another dead silence.
"I believe it's over," ventured Miss Emory, after a long time.
"I'm going to find out how bad it is," I asserted.
I moved forward cautiously, my arms extended before me, feeling my way with my feet. Foot after foot I went, encountering nothing but the props. Expecting as I did to meet an obstruction126 within a few paces at most, I soon lost my sense of distance; after a few moments it seemed to me that I must have gone much farther than the original length of the tunnel. At last I stumbled over a fragment, and so found my fingers against a rough mass of debris.
"Why, this is fine!" I cried to the others, "I don't believe more than a span or so has gone!"
I struck one of my few remaining matches to make sure. While of course I had no very accurate mental image of the original state of things, still it seemed to me there was an awful lot of tunnel left. As the whole significance of our situation came to me, I laughed aloud.
"Well," said I, cheerfully, "they couldn't have done us a better favour! It's a half hour's job to dig us out, and in the meantime we are safe as a covered bridge. We don't even have to keep watch."
"Provided Brower gets through," the girl reminded us.
"He'll get through," assented128 Tim, positively129. "There's nothing on four legs can catch that Morgan stallion."
I opened my watch crystal and felt of the hands. Half-past two.
"Four or five hours before they can get here," I announced.
"We'd better go to sleep, I think," said Miss Emory.
"Good idea," I approved. "Just pick your rocks and go to it."
I sat down and leaned against one of the uprights, expecting fully127 to wait with what patience I might the march of events. Sleep was the farthest thing from my thoughts. When I came to I found myself doubled on my side with a short piece of ore sticking in my ribs130 and eighteen or twenty assorted131 cramp-pains in various parts of me. This was all my consciousness had room to attend to for a few moments. Then I became dully aware of faint tinkling132 sounds and muffled133 shoutings from the outer end of the tunnel. I shouted in return and made my way as rapidly as possible toward the late entrance.
A half hour later we crawled cautiously through a precarious134 opening and stood blinking at the sunlight.
收听单词发音 |
1
groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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fleeting
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| adj.短暂的，飞逝的 | |
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huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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doorways
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| n.门口，门道( doorway的名词复数 ) | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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sneaked
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| v.潜行( sneak的过去式和过去分词 )；偷偷溜走；（儿童向成人）打小报告；告状 | |
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hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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willows
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| n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木 | |
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hooting
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| （使）作汽笛声响，作汽车喇叭声( hoot的现在分词 )； 倒好儿； 倒彩 | |
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owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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owls
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| n.猫头鹰( owl的名词复数 ) | |
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hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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detonation
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| n.爆炸；巨响 | |
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babbling
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| n.胡说，婴儿发出的咿哑声adj.胡说的v.喋喋不休( babble的现在分词 )；作潺潺声（如流水）；含糊不清地说话；泄漏秘密 | |
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whitewashed
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| 粉饰，美化，掩饰( whitewash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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antagonists
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| 对立[对抗] 者，对手，敌手( antagonist的名词复数 )； 对抗肌； 对抗药 | |
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utilize
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| vt.使用，利用 | |
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scuttled
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| v.使船沉没( scuttle的过去式和过去分词 )；快跑，急走 | |
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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scramble
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| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
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ram
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| (random access memory)随机存取存储器 | |
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outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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badger
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| v.一再烦扰，一再要求，纠缠 | |
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sagged
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| 下垂的 | |
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chagrin
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| n.懊恼；气愤；委屈 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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spines
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| n.脊柱( spine的名词复数 )；脊椎；（动植物的）刺；书脊 | |
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ponies
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| 矮种马，小型马( pony的名词复数 )； ￡25 25 英镑 | |
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prop
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| vt.支撑；n.支柱，支撑物；支持者，靠山 | |
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42
meditations
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| 默想( meditation的名词复数 )； 默念； 沉思； 冥想 | |
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43
trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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44
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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45
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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46
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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47
swerved
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| v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48
reined
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| 勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理 | |
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49
rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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50
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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51
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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52
contingent
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| adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队 | |
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53
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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54
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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55
cower
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| v.畏缩，退缩，抖缩 | |
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56
glide
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| n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝 | |
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57
tinkle
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| vi.叮当作响；n.叮当声 | |
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58
shale
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| n.页岩，泥板岩 | |
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59
lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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60
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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61
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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62
silhouette
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| n.黑色半身侧面影，影子，轮廓；v.描绘成侧面影，照出影子来，仅仅显出轮廓 | |
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63
realization
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| n.实现；认识到，深刻了解 | |
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64
fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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65
landmark
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| n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标 | |
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66
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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67
attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
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68
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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69
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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70
obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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71
projection
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| n.发射，计划，突出部分 | |
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72
conglomerate
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| n.综合商社，多元化集团公司 | |
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73
boulder
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| n.巨砾；卵石，圆石 | |
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74
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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75
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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76
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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77
galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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78
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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79
cartridges
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| 子弹( cartridge的名词复数 )； （打印机的）墨盒； 录音带盒； （唱机的）唱头 | |
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80
rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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81
cavalcade
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| n.车队等的行列 | |
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82
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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83
isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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84
belie
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| v.掩饰，证明为假 | |
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85
stratagem
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| n.诡计，计谋 | |
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86
sketchy
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| adj.写生的，写生风格的，概略的 | |
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87
slipper
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| n.拖鞋 | |
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88
volcanic
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| adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的 | |
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89
tolled
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| 鸣钟（toll的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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90
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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91
steadfast
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| adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的 | |
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92
boulders
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| n.卵石( boulder的名词复数 )；巨砾；（受水或天气侵蚀而成的）巨石；漂砾 | |
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93
props
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| 小道具； 支柱( prop的名词复数 )； 支持者； 道具； （橄榄球中的）支柱前锋 | |
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94
yarn
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| n.纱，纱线，纺线；奇闻漫谈，旅行轶事 | |
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95
prospector
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| n.探矿者 | |
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96
brace
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| n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备 | |
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97
crouch
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| v.蹲伏，蜷缩，低头弯腰；n.蹲伏 | |
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98
dozed
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| v.打盹儿，打瞌睡( doze的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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99
exulted
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| 狂喜，欢跃( exult的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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100
scouting
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| 守候活动，童子军的活动 | |
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101
concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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102
interim
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| adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间 | |
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103
fumes
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| n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体 | |
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104
prone
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| adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的 | |
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105
gliding
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| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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106
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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107
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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108
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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109
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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110
battering
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| n.用坏，损坏v.连续猛击( batter的现在分词 ) | |
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111
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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112
catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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113
blotted
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| 涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 )； （用吸墨纸）吸干 | |
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114
avalanches
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| n.雪崩( avalanche的名词复数 ) | |
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115
inadequate
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| adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的 | |
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116
equilibrium
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| n.平衡，均衡，相称，均势，平静 | |
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117
constricted
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| adj.抑制的，约束的 | |
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118
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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119
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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120
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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121
succumbed
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| 不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的过去式和过去分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死 | |
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122
minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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123
debris
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| n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片 | |
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124
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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125
cascading
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| 流注( cascade的现在分词 )； 大量落下； 大量垂悬； 梯流 | |
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126
obstruction
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| n.阻塞，堵塞；障碍物 | |
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127
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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128
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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129
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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130
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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131
assorted
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| adj.各种各样的，各色俱备的 | |
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132
tinkling
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| n.丁当作响声 | |
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133
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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134
precarious
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| adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的 | |
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