Dan stood staring in blank amazement1, while Freddy's voice rose into shriller triumph:
"Jim, Dud, Brother Bart, look,--look what is coming here!"
She was coming indeed, this white-winged stranger, swaying to the right and left under skilful3 guidance as she made her way to the Killykinick wharf4; for her rugged5 old Captain knew the perils6 of the shore. And under the gay awnings7 that shaded the deck was a merry group of young people, waving their handkerchiefs to the rocky island they were approaching; while Polly's big handsome "dad," in white linen8 yachting togs, pointed9 out the ship house and the wharf, the tower and garden patch,--all the improvements that queer old Great-uncle Joe had made on these once barren rocks. Polly's dad had known about the old captain and his oddities all his life. Indeed, once in his very early years as he now told his young listeners, he had made a boyish foray in Great-uncle Joe's domain10, and had been repelled11 by the old sailor with a vigor12 never to be forgotten.
"I never had such a scientific thrashing in my life," laughed dad, as if he rather enjoyed the remembrance. "We were playing pirate that summer. I had a new boat that we christened the 'Red Rover,' after Cooper's story; and we rigged her up with a pirate flag, and proceeded to harry13 the coast and do all the mischief14 that naughty twelve-year-olds can do. Finally, I proposed, as a crowning adventure, a descent upon Killykinick, pulling down old Joey Kane's masthead and smashing his lantern. Well, we caught a Tartar there, I can tell you! The old captain never had any use for boys. And to think of the place being full of them now!"
"Oh, no, dad! There are only four," said Polly,--"four real nice boys from St. Andrew's College, and just the right size to come to my party. O Nell, Gracie, look! There they come!"
And the handkerchiefs fluttered again gleefully as "The Polly" made up to the wharf, and the whole population of Killykinick turned out to greet her,--even to Brother Bart, who had been reading his well-worn "Imitation" on the beach; and Neb, who, with the bag of potatoes he had just dug up, stood staring dumbly in the distance.
"Killykinick ahoy!" shouted dad, making a speaking trumpet15 of his hands.
"Aye, aye!" answered Captain Jeb, with his crooked16 smile. "You're 'The Polly' of Beach Cliff. What's wanted, Mr. Forester? Clams17 or lobsters18?"--for in these latter days Killykinick did something of a trade in both with the pleasure boats and cottages along the coast.
"Well, we don't like to call them either; do we, Polly?" laughed dad, as he stepped ashore19, while the little girls crowded to the deck rail. "'The Polly' is sailing under petticoat orders to-day and is scouring20 the waters in search of four boys that, we understand, you have here at Killykinick."
"We have," answered Captain Jeb,--"or at least the Padre here has. They're none of mine."
"I am no Padre, as I've told ye again and again, Jeroboam," interposed Brother Bart. "I am only Brother Bartholomew from St. Andrew's College. And I have four boys here, but they've been under my eye day and night," he continued anxiously; "so, in God's name, what are ye after them for, sir? They have done ye nor yours no harm, I am sure."
"None in the world," said Mr. Forester quickly, as he saw his light speech was not understood. "I was only joking with Captain Jeb. My mission here, I assure you, is most friendly. Permit me to introduce myself, Brother Bar--Bar--Bartholomew--"
"Ye can make it Bart, sir, for short; 'most everyone does," said the good Brother, nodding.
"Then, Brother Bart, I am Mr. Pemberton Forester, of Beach Cliff. I am also known by the briefer and pleasanter name of this little lady's 'dad,' and it is in that official capacity I am here to-day. It seems this little girl of mine met your boys a few days ago at Beach Cliff, where they rendered her most valuable service."
"One--it was only one of them, dad!" corrected Miss Polly's silvery voice. "It was only Dan Dolan who caught my bird and--and--"
"Well, at all events, the acquaintance progressed most pleasantly and rapidly, as my daughter's acquaintance is apt to progress; and it resulted in an equally pleasant understanding that the four young gentlemen were to come to a little festivity we are giving in honor of Polly's birthday,--a garden party in our grounds, between the hours of six and nine. This is the occasion of our present visit, Brother Bart. Fearing that travelling facilities might not be at the young gentlemen's disposal, we have come to take them to Beach Cliff. If you would like to accompany them--"
"To a party, is it?" exclaimed Brother Bart, in dismay. "Me at a party! Sure I'd look and feel queer indeed in such a place." Brother Bart's glance turned from the fine boat to the gentleman before him; he felt the responsibilities of his position were growing perplexing. "It will be great sport for the boys, I am sure," he added; "and I don't like to say 'No,' after all yer kindness in coming for them. But how are they to get back?"
"Oh, we'll see to that!" answered Mr. Forester, cheerfully. "They will be home and safe in your care, by half-past ten,--I promise you that."
"Hooray!--hooray!" rose the shout, that the boys who had been listening breathlessly to this discussion could no longer repress.
There was a wild rush to the shining decks of "The Polly," and soon all her pretty passengers were helped ashore, to scramble21 and climb as well as their dainty little feet could over the rocks and steeps of Killykinick, to wonder at the gardens and flowers blooming in its nooks and crannies, to peep into cow house and chicken house, and even old Neb's galley,--to explore the "Lady Jane" from stem to stern in delighted amazement.
Nell and Gracie, who were a little older than their cousin, took possession of Jim and Dud; their small brother Tad attached himself to Freddy, who was about his own age; while Polly claimed her own especial find, Dan, for escort and guide.
"Oh, what a queer, queer place!" she prattled22, as, after peering cautiously into the depths of the Devil's Jaw23, they wended their way to safer slopes, where the rocks were wreathed with hardy24 vines, and the sea stretched smiling into the sunlit distance. "Do you like it here, Dan?"
"Yes: I'm having a fine time," was the cheery answer, for the moment all the pricks25 and goads26 forgotten.
"Are you going to stay long?" asked Miss Polly.
"Until September," answered Dan.
"Oh, that's fine!" said his small companion, happily. "Then I'll get dad to bring me down here to see you again, Dan; and you can come up in your boat to see me, and we'll be friends,--real true friends. I haven't had a real true friend," said Miss Polly, perching herself on a ledge28 of rock, where, in her pink dress and flower-trimmed hat, she looked like a bright winged butterfly,--"not since I lost Meg Murray."
"Lost her? Did she die?"
"No," was the soft sighing answer. "It was much worse than that. You see" (Miss Polly's tone became confidential), "it was last summer, when I had the whooping29 cough. Did you ever have the whooping cough?"
"I believe I did," replied Dan, whose memory of such minor30 ills was by no means clear.
"Then you know how awful it is. You can't go to school or out to play, or anywhere. I had to stay in our own garden and grounds by myself, because all the girls' mothers were afraid of me. The doctor said I must be out of doors, so I had a play house away down by the high box hedge in the maze2; and took my dolls and things out there, and made the best of it. And then Meg found me. She was coming down the lane one day, and heard me talking to my dolls. I had to talk to them because there was no one else. And she peeped through the hedge and asked if she could come in and see them. I told her about the whooping cough, but she said she wasn't afraid: that she had had it three times already, and her mother was dead and wouldn't mind if she took it again. So she came in, and we played all the morning; and she came the next day and the next for weeks and weeks. Oh, we did have the grandest times together! You see, dad was away, and mamma was sick, and there was no one to bother us. I used to bring out apples and cookies and chocolate drops, and we had parties under the trees, and we promised to be real true friends forever. I gave her my pearl ring so she would always remember. It was that pearl ring that made all the trouble." And Miss Polly's voice trembled.
"How?" asked Dan very gently. He never had a sister or a girl cousin or any one to soften31 his ways or speech; and little Polly's friendly trust was something altogether new and strangely sweet to him.
"Oh, it broke up everything!" faltered32 Miss Polly. "That evening an old woman came to the house and asked to see mamma,--oh, such a dreadful old woman! She hadn't any bonnet33 or coat or gloves,--just a red shawl on her head, and an old patched dress, and a gingham apron34. And when James and Elise and everybody told her mamma was sick, she said she would see her anyhow. And she did. She pushed her way upstairs to mamma, and talked awfully,--said she was a poor honest woman, if she did sell apples on the corner; and she was raising her grandchild honest; and she asked how her Meg came by that ring, and where she got it. And then mamma, who had turned pale and fluttery, sent for me; and I had to tell her all, and she nearly fainted."
"Why?" asked Dan.
"Oh, because--because--I had Meg in the garden and played with her, and took her for a real true friend. You see, she wasn't a nice little girl at all," said Miss Polly, impressively. "Her grandmother had an apple stand at the street corner, and her brother cleaned fish on the wharf, and they lived in an awful place over a butcher's shop; and mamma said she must not come into our garden again, and I mustn't play with her or talk to her ever, ever again."
There was no answer for a moment. Dan was thinking--thinking fast. It seemed time for him to say something,--to speak up in his own blunt way,--to put himself in his own honest place. But, with the new charm of this little lady's flattering fancy on him, Dan's courage failed. He felt that to acknowledge a bootblack past and a sausage shop future would be a shock to Miss Polly that would break off friendly relations forever.
"So you gave up your real true friend?" he said a little reproachfully, and Miss Polly hopped35 down from her rock perch27 and proceeded to make her way back to the yacht.
"Yes, I had to, you see. Even dad, who lets me do anything I please, said I must remember I was a Forester, and make friends that fitted my name. And so--so" (Miss Polly looked up, smiling into Dan's face) "I am going to make friends with you. Dad says he knows all about St. Andrew's College, and you must be first-class boys if you belong there; and he is glad of a chance to give you a little fun. There he is calling us now!"--as a deep voice shouted:
"All aboard, boys and girls! We're off in an hour! All aboard!"
"Dan--Dan," piped Freddy's small voice. "Jim and Dud are dressing36 for the party, Dan. Come, we must dress, too."
And Dan, feeling like one venturing into unknown waters, proceeded to make the best of the things Good Brother Francis had packed in his small shabby trunk. There was the suit that bore the stamp of the English tailor; there was a pair of low shoes, that pinched a little in the toes; there was a spotless shirt and collar outgrown37 by some mother's darling, and a blue necktie that was all a necktie should be when, with Freddy's assistance, it was put properly in place. Really, it was not a bad-looking boy at all that faced Dan in the "Lady Jane's" swinging mirror when this party toilette was complete.
"You look fine, Dan!" said his little chum, as they took their way down to the wharf where "The Polly" was awaiting them,--"so big and strong--and--and--"
"Tough," said Dan, concluding the sentence with a forced laugh. "Well, that's what I am, kid,--big and strong and tough."
"Oh, no,--Dan, no!" said Freddy. "You're not tough at all, and you mustn't say so when you go to a girl's party, Dan."
"Well, I won't," said Dan, as he thought of the violet eyes that would open in dismay at such a confession38. "I'll play the highflier to-night if I can, kid; though it's a new game with Dan Dolan, I must say."
And, with a queer sense of shamming39 that he had never felt before, Aunt Winnie's boy started off for Miss Polly's party.
收听单词发音 |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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maze
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| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
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skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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wharf
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| n.码头，停泊处 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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awnings
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| 篷帐布 | |
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linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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domain
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| n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围 | |
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repelled
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| v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开 | |
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vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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trumpet
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| n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘 | |
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crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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clams
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| n.蛤；蚌，蛤( clam的名词复数 )v.（在沙滩上）挖蛤( clam的第三人称单数 ) | |
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lobsters
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| 龙虾( lobster的名词复数 )； 龙虾肉 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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scouring
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| 擦[洗]净，冲刷，洗涤 | |
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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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prattled
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| v.（小孩般）天真无邪地说话( prattle的过去式和过去分词 )；发出连续而无意义的声音；闲扯；东拉西扯 | |
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jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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pricks
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| 刺痛( prick的名词复数 )； 刺孔； 刺痕； 植物的刺 | |
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goads
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| n.赶牲口的尖棒( goad的名词复数 )v.刺激( goad的第三人称单数 )；激励；（用尖棒）驱赶；驱使（或怂恿、刺激）某人 | |
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perch
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| n.栖木，高位，杆；v.栖息，就位，位于 | |
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ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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whooping
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| 发嗬嗬声的，发咳声的 | |
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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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soften
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| v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和 | |
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faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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hopped
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| 跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花 | |
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dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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outgrown
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| 长[发展] 得超过（某物）的范围( outgrow的过去分词 )； 长[发展]得不能再要（某物）； 长得比…快； 生长速度超过 | |
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confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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shamming
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| 假装，冒充( sham的现在分词 ) | |
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