The unexpected announcement by the daring lad, of what he had done, was a surprise to both Mr. Muchmore and the members of the fire department.
"So, this is a trick by one of you young rascals2, is it?" asked the rich man's nephew. "I shall take action against you for this. The road you are on is private property, and I shall have you arrested if you do not, at once, cease from trespassing3 on it. Get out of here with your noisy apparatus4!"
"Mr. Muchmore," said Bert firmly, "you are mistaken when you think that our fire department had anything to do with this false alarm. We regret it as much as you do. We came here because we believed there was a fire. The box located near here was pulled."
"I shall take steps to see that it is not rung again. I shall have it removed," said the man. "Now I order you to clear out!"
"We will," replied the young chief, "but I want to say that no member of our department had anything to do with annoying you."
"You heard what that young rascal1 said. That he did it to pay me for not thanking you boys for what you did at the other fire. That was an oversight5. I was too excited, I suppose, but that is hardly an excuse for disturbing me in this way."
"Mr. Muchmore," exclaimed Bert, "the boy who sent in the false alarm is not a member of our department. He never was, though he might have helped at the other fire."
"Well, it seems strange that I can't live here in peace and quietness, without being annoyed by a lot of boys," retorted Muchmore. "Perhaps you knew nothing of the false alarm--"
"I assure you we did not. We don't care enough about this long run uphill to undertake it on a false alarm," declared Bert.
"That's right," added Cole.
"Very well, then you had better go down. As for that boy who pulled the box, I shall take steps to have him arrested."
"If you will, you would be doing us a service," replied Bert. "We don't want false alarms to be sent in, and if that boy--Chester Randel is his name--finds out he is liable to arrest, it may serve as a warning to others."
"I'll see about it," and, without thanking the boys for their promptness in coming to put out a possible fire, Muchmore turned back, and went up the private driveway to the big house, that stood dark and silent on the hill.
"This is one on us," remarked Cole, as he helped to drag the engine around. "I'd like to wallop Chester."
"So would I," declared Bert. "Mr. Muchmore will attend to him, though, I guess."
"Muchmore needs someone to attend to him, too," remarked Tom Donnell. "He's as cross as a couple of sour apple trees. I guess if the house had been on fire he'd have been only too glad to see us."
Still the boys did not so much mind their useless run, as they were so enthusiastic over their engine and the new department that it had not yet become an old story to them.
"We were in need of a little practice, anyhow," remarked Bert, as they backed the engine into the barn. The second apparatus had not responded, though the boys were in readiness to run it out in case a call came for them.
When he got back home that night Herbert was racking his brains over the mystery that seemed to surround the Stockton mansion6. That there was something queer going on within its walls he was positive. What he had seen, Muchmore's queer actions, his fear of something being discovered, and what Mort Decker had told him, convinced Bert that very unusual proceedings8 must be taking place in the silent house on the hill.
"Mr. Stockton ought to be informed," he said. "I wonder if I couldn't send a letter to him? I've a good notion to make some inquiries9 at the post-office."
He did, the next day. As he entered the post-office he saw that Mr. Daven was busy reading some postal10 cards.
"Ah, how d'ye do, Bert?" he greeted, for he had a kindly11 feeling for the lad, who, in a measure, was responsible for the awakening12 of the town. "How's the fire business?"
"Pretty good. We had a run for nothing last night."
"I heard about that. Up to the Stockton mansion. Yes, I may have to take official action on it."
"How's that?"
"Why, Mr. Muchmore was in here a while ago. He came to see me in my official capacity as justice of the peace, and not postmaster. He wanted a warrant for the arrest of Chester Randel, and I made out one. The next thing is to arrest that good-for-nothing lad, but he's like a flea13, I never can catch him when I want him. I've got another warrant for him too."
"What's that for?"
"Oh, he robbed Deacon Stanton's apple orchard14. Not that taking apples is such a crime, but the deacon insisted on a warrant, and I had to make one out."
"Are you going to arrest Chester?"
"If I can catch him, but I'm so busy with mail lately that I ain't got much time to arrest anybody. 'Pears everybody is sending out souvenir postals, with pictures of the new engines on 'em, and it takes a lot of time to read and sort 'em."
An enterprising stationer in town had ordered a supply of postals made, with pictures of the new fire apparatus, and he sold quite a number. Bert thought the postmaster's talk gave him a good opening to ask certain questions.
"I wonder if Mr. Stockton knows about our new department?" he said. "I'd like to send him one of those postals, though I don't really know him very well. Still, I think he would be interested. Do you know his address?"
"No, Bert, I don't."
"I heard he had gone to Europe."
"Maybe he has, but I can't say."
"Do you get any letters for him?"
"Yes, quite a few."
"Then don't you forward them?"
"No, for I don't know where to send them. Besides, that nephew of his calls for the mail, and takes the letters addressed to Mr. Stockton, as well as his own. I don't believe Mr. Stockton is in Europe."
"Then where is he?"
"That's more than I know, Bert. It's something I don't have time to bother about, with the increase in the mail, and my eyesight getting poorer and poorer each day. I can't read as many postals as I used to."
"Then if I wrote a letter to Mr. Stockton, you don't think he'd get it?"
"I don't know. I do know that Muchmore would get it first. Maybe he forwards his uncle's mail."
"I don't believe I'll write any letter then," thought Bert. "I have nothing only suspicions, at best. I think something wrong is going on at that house, but I can't prove it. I think Mr. Stockton ought to know about it, but I don't see any way of informing him. I wish I could have a talk with Mort Decker. Maybe he has found out something."
Once he got thinking in this strain Bert found it hard to get his mind off the matter. As he had nothing in particular to do, he decided15 to take a stroll past the mysterious mansion. He knew of a road, through the woods, that would bring him to the rear of the house, without any one seeing him.
He started off, passing through the back streets of the village, as he did not want to meet any of his chums just then. In a little while he was in the forest, and, proceeding7 along leisurely16, so that if any persons did observe him they would not think he had any particular object, he reached the rear of the queer house. It seemed to be deserted17. The shutters18 on the back were tightly closed, and there was no sign of life.
"A queer old place," mused19 the boy. "I wonder what--"
His musing20 was cut short by a sudden opening of the shutters on the topmost window. They were thrown violently back, as though whatever fastened them had been broken. At the same moment a hand was thrust out. It was a white hand, and it seemed to throw something from the window. Bert watched, and saw that the object was a bottle. The glass struck a stone and was broken. Then, from the bottle came a piece of white paper. The shutters were closed again. Wonderingly, Bert walked over and picked up the paper. On it was this mysterious message:
"help i am a priso"
收听单词发音 |
1
rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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trespassing
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| [法]非法入侵 | |
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apparatus
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| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
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oversight
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| n.勘漏，失察，疏忽 | |
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mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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postal
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| adj.邮政的，邮局的 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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13
flea
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| n.跳蚤 | |
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14
orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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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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leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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shutters
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| 百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 )； （照相机的）快门 | |
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mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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musing
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| n. 沉思，冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式 | |
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