"Look there! I believe that man is actually going to try to cross the trestle."
Roy Pell pulled his sister Eva quickly toward him as he spoke1, so that she could look up between the trees to the Burdock side of the railway bridge almost directly above their heads.
"Why, it's Mr. Tyler!" exclaimed Jess, who had a better view from where she sat on the log that spanned Riddle2 Creek3. "Oh, Roy, something's sure to happen to him! He's awfully4 feeble."
"And there's a train almost due," added Eva. "What can he be thinking of to attempt such a thing?"
"Oh!" and Jess gave a shrill5 scream. "He's fallen!"
Roy said never a word. He quickly passed his fishing-line to Eva, ran nimbly across the tree trunk to the Burdock side of the creek, and then started to climb the steep bank. The girls sat there and watched him breathlessly, now and then darting6 a look higher up at the spot on the trestle where the figure that had dropped still lay across the ties, as if too badly hurt to rise.
The two Pell girls and their twin brothers, Rex and Roy, had gone down to sit on the log in search of coolness on this blazing hot July afternoon. Rex had been giving vent7 to his disgust because he wasn't able to accept the invitation to join a jolly party of friends for a trip to Lake George and down the St. Lawrence. Cause why? Lack of funds.
"You ought to have known you couldn't go when Scott asked you, Rex," Roy had told him. "You would need at least fifty dollars for the outing. And that sum will clothe you for almost a year. And clothes with you, Rex, ought to be of sufficient importance to be considered."
"I suppose I might as well go and tell Scott about it and have it over with," Rex had replied, creasing8 his handsome forehead into a frown. "I dare say he'll be calling me 'Can't Have It Pell' pretty soon. It was only two months ago I asked for a bicycle and didn't get it, and there was the new pair of skates I wanted last winter."
"Don't be late for tea," Eva called out after him as he made his way to the shore.
She kept her eyes on the trim figure till it was hidden by the trees which grew thick along the road that led up to town.
"Well, if anybody in this world ought to have money it is that good looking brother of ours," remarked Jess with a sigh. "He'd appreciate it so thoroughly9. I don't wonder he's crabbed10 this afternoon. Just think of the chance for a good time he's had to let slip just for lack of a little money."
"Fifty dollars isn't a little money, Jess," returned Roy, casting his line.
"I know it isn't to us, but it is to most of the people we know, Scott Bowman for instance. Do you suppose we shall ever be rich, Roy?"
"We are rich now; at least you and Eva are, in my opinion."
"We rich?" Eva nearly slipped from her position on the log at the statement.
"Why, yes; haven't you both contented11 dispositions12, and isn't that worth a small fortune?"
"But why have you left yourself out, Roy?" Eva wanted to know. "Surely you who never grumble13, are satisfied with things."
"No, I'm not." A flash came into the boy's eyes that made him really handsome for the moment. "I'm chafing14 inwardly all the while at having to be idle this way when it seems there ought to be so much I could do to help along."
"But you are getting ready to do it as soon as you finish school," rejoined his sister. "And you must have a vacation, you know. Besides, think how much you do to help Sydney."
"Oh, I only do a little copying for him now and then."
He was going to add more, but at this point he caught that glimpse of the man on the trestle which brought about the interruption in the talk already described.
Roy soon emerged from the line of shade in his climb up the embankment and the scorching15 afternoon sun beat down on him mercilessly. But he did not cease his exertions16 to reach the top as quickly as possible. He knew that a train for the city would be along very soon now; he remembered the curve just beyond the bridge; the engineer could not see whether there was an obstruction17 in the way, until he should be too close on it to stop.
Then he thought of Mr. Tyler, and of how nobody liked him, with all his money, which he hoarded18 like a miser19. He was probably crossing the bridge now to take the train for the city from Marley, and save the additional five cents he might have to pay if he boarded it at Burdock, which was much nearer his home.
But he was human, he was an old man; he was helpless now, doubtless overcome by the heat. And there was nobody about but Roy to prevent what might be a tragedy.
On he toiled20. The loose dirt slid out from under his feet and rattled21 down the hillside behind him. The perspiration22 poured from his face in streams. What a contrast this was, he thought, to sitting there over the creek placidly23 fishing!
He had gained the top now and, scarcely pausing to take a long breath, he ran out over the ties till he reached Mr. Tyler's prostrate24 form. He had fallen fortunately not very far from the beginning of the trestle, but he was quite unconscious and could not help himself. Roy must carry him away from his dangerous position.
He bent25 to his task, which was not such an arduous26 one as might be supposed. Mr. Tyler was little more than a bag of bones, weighing not as much as did Roy himself. The latter picked him up as carefully as he could, not daring to look down lest he should grow dizzy. Then he began to bear his burden back to terra firma.
He had almost reached the ground when the old man stirred and opened his eyes. He started to struggle, but Roy looked down at him and spoke sternly.
"Keep quiet, Mr. Tyler," he said, "or you will have us both over the trestle."
The miser shuddered27, but he made no reply and kept perfectly28 still till Roy placed him on the grass in the shade of a horse chestnut29 tree. The boy threw himself down beside him, and began to fan himself with his straw hat. The next minute, with a shrill whistle, the train rushed by them.
"You saved my life, Roy Pell," said Mr. Tyler after the skurrying dust raised from the ballast had settled into place. "You are a brave boy."
Roy made no reply. He was still very hot and he was thinking that his whole adventure was very much like a scene in a book.
"I ought to say 'Oh, it is nothing,' I suppose," he reflected with a half smile. "But then that wouldn't be the truth. From the way I feel now it was a good deal."
"I've missed that train, I suppose," Mr. Tyler went on.
At this Roy wanted to laugh. It sounded so ridiculous. And yet it was quite characteristic of this singular old man. But young Pell mopped his face vigorously with his handkerchief to hide his mirth and then said, rising to his feet:
"Do you feel all right, Mr. Tyler?"
"Oh, I guess so," was the reply, and the old man started to get up too.
But he immediately fell back again and a frightened look came into his face.
收听单词发音 |
1
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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2
riddle
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| n.谜，谜语，粗筛；vt.解谜，给…出谜，筛，检查，鉴定，非难，充满于；vi.出谜 | |
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3
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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4
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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5
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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6
darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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7
vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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8
creasing
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| （使…）起折痕，弄皱( crease的现在分词 )； （皮肤）皱起，使起皱纹； 挑檐 | |
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9
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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10
crabbed
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| adj.脾气坏的；易怒的；（指字迹）难辨认的；（字迹等）难辨认的v.捕蟹( crab的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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12
dispositions
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| 安排( disposition的名词复数 )； 倾向； （财产、金钱的）处置； 气质 | |
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13
grumble
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| vi.抱怨；咕哝；n.抱怨，牢骚；咕哝，隆隆声 | |
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14
chafing
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| n.皮肤发炎v.擦热（尤指皮肤）( chafe的现在分词 )；擦痛；发怒；惹怒 | |
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15
scorching
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| adj. 灼热的 | |
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exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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obstruction
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| n.阻塞，堵塞；障碍物 | |
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hoarded
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| v.积蓄并储藏（某物）( hoard的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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19
miser
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| n.守财奴，吝啬鬼 (adj.miserly) | |
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20
toiled
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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21
rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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23
placidly
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| adv.平稳地，平静地 | |
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24
prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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25
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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26
arduous
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| adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的 | |
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27
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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28
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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29
chestnut
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| n.栗树，栗子 | |
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