22
“I see the whole business, now,” he reflected. “Jack1 Olson is a crony of Rowen’s and he carried that note supposedly signed by Rush. They know I won’t tell Rush about it, and there isn’t any use in thumping2 Olson, because he probably had to take his orders from Rowen. But I sure would like my hands on that surly guy!”
Realizing that every moment counted the red-headed youth looked around the small room, his eyes having grown used to the darkness. He hoped that there might be some instrument that would make it possible for him to pry3 up a board and so make his escape, but the only thing in sight was the pile of harness. There was not even a piece of metal on the harness and although he examined every corner of the little cell he was unable to find a single object that would aid him.
“Guess I’ll just have to use my hands and feet, if that will do any good,” he reflected.
Dropping on his hands and knees he examined the floor carefully to see if any of the boards were loose, but all of them were securely fastened to the huge beams that made up the framework of the barn. The boards were very thick and any thought of escaping under the barn was out of the question. From there he went to the door, feeling carefully along the sides to see if any signs of weakness existed here, but once again he was disappointed. Like the rest of the barn the door and the frame had been strongly constructed and it did not even quiver under his hearty4 kicks.
23
“About the only thing I can do—if I can do it—is to kick a board off the side of the wall,” he decided5.
With this thought in mind he raised his foot, but then a sound reached his ears, a sound that made his blood chill.
With a clarity and snap the call of assembly rang out on the morning air!
“Good night!” groaned6 Terry, the sweat breaking out on his forehead. “There goes the call to assemble! If I’m ever going to get out of here in time, now is the moment!”
With desperation Terry kicked stoutly7 at the wall boards, but with the first kick the bitter truth was forced upon him. The sides of the barn were as strongly composed as the rest of the building, and all the kicking in the world would not get him out of the room in which he was held prisoner. To further worry him certain sounds told him that the process of assembly was going forward rapidly.
24
Doors slammed, running footsteps sounded on the parade grounds, voices rang out as the assembling cadets gathered. The butt8 of a rifle cracked on the pavement, and the noise of stamping horses reached his ears. The cavalrymen, of which Jim Mercer was the chief, were leading out the spirited mounts, and the creaking of leather, the snorts of the horses, and the cries of the young soldiers, reached the ears of the unfortunate young cadet. Hoping to attract their attention he pounded and yelled at the top of his voice, but no response came back to him. They were making too much noise themselves to hear him.
Closer at hand there was a deeper rumble10 and Terry groaned in spirit. It was the members of his own division, the artillery11, taking out the field guns that they were to take with them for the summer practice. He was the chief gunner on the sleek12 steel monster which he had named the “Gossip” and he knew that the others of his crew must be wondering where he was. Just as soon as the guns were in formation and the roll call sounded he would be officially marked absent from duty and held guilty of disobeying orders. As he heard the guns roll out of the barracks and heard the noise of the towing cables being connected he knew it was too late.
From the barracks to the parade ground there was a slight hill and the trucks began to pull the weapons up the grade. He heard them go up one by one and then something seemed to go wrong. There was a snap, a rumble and somebody cried out.
“Look out!” he heard Captain Rush bellow13. “Number One gun is loose!”
25
That gun was Terry’s own piece of equipment. From the cries that arose he gathered that the gun had broken from the cable and was rolling down the hill. There was an increasing rumble that seemed suddenly close at hand, and before his brain had time to realize what had happened there was a tremendous crash, the boards of his cell burst open like matchwood, and the butt of the “Gossip” halted a scant14 foot from his stomach!
For a single instant Terry was stunned15. The sudden glare of morning sunlight made him blink, the dust filled his mouth and the echoes of the crash remained in his ears. But it did not take him long to regain16 his composure and spring forward. He placed affectionate hands on the gun.
“Good old ‘Gossip,’” he whooped17. “You wouldn’t go on parade without me, would you? Talk about luck!”
A half dozen artillerymen appeared at the opening, led by Captain Rush. At the sight of Terry they halted and stared in amazement18.
“Where have you been?” Cadet Emerson, Terry’s mate, shouted.
“Waiting for the old ‘Gossip’ to let me out!” retorted Terry gleefully.
Rush approached him. “Where have you been, Mr. Mackson?” he inquired formally.
“Someone locked me in here and I couldn’t get out, captain,” returned Terry.
26
“Then the accident was a lucky one for you,” nodded the captain. He turned to the young artillerymen. “We have only a few minutes to make the parade grounds. Snap to it!”
Terry threw himself into the work, rejoicing in the chance to be busy. The truck was backed down the hill and the broken cable was stripped from it and new material substituted. A loose pin was driven into the shaft19 and when the “Gossip” was harnessed it was drawn20 up to the top of the hill in safety and wheeled swiftly into position. And on the rear box sat Terry, grinning from ear to ear.
When his name was called he answered brightly, stealing a look across the parade ground to the infantry21, where Rowen stood in the second rank. The face of the sullen22 one was a study in amazement.
In accordance with previous instructions the cavalry9 swung out first, taking the long, dusty road that led to Rustling23 Ridge24. Next in line marched the infantry and the artillery rumbled25 in the rear. Terry sat on his gun, happy and thankful for the good fortune he had had. He smiled frequently, but there was a grim set to his jaw26 nevertheless.
27
All through the morning they marched and it was noon before they paused to make temporary camp. Just as soon as the long column came to a halt and broke up Terry made his way to where Rowen and his few friends sat on a grassy27 bank. He halted directly in front of the other.
“Didn’t work, did it?” Terry asked.
Rowen looked at him with a haughty28 frown. “I don’t know what you are talking about,” he said.
“Yes, you do. Your plan to lock me in the barn until I was late for camp didn’t turn out very well, did it?”
“I don’t know anything about it, and you can’t prove that I do,” snapped the dark-haired boy.
“Don’t be silly!” growled29 Terry. “I can do that easily. All I have to do is to give that little sneak30 Jack Olson a good, stiff beating and he’ll tell. Look at how pale he is! Or I can ask Captain Rush about it and we’d have you in a fine mess. But I don’t intend to do anything like that, Rowen, and you know it. I would have been blacklisted by my captain if I had been late for encampment, and you figured on that. Now, look here! Just one more piece of freshness out of you and I’ll give you the peachiest licking you ever saw, right in front of the cadet corps32. Don’t forget it, my friend!”
Turning on his heel Terry walked off, his eyes dancing slightly. There was no word spoken by the ones back of him, and perhaps it was just as well. The redhead was dynamite33 and ready to go.
28
In that brief period he encountered Don. Jim was far ahead with the supply corps but Don, who was a lieutenant34 in the infantry, was close at hand. He was delighted to see his pal31.
“Where in the world were you at assembly?” Don demanded. “Jim and I nearly turned the building upside down looking for you.”
Terry explained briefly35 and Don approved of his recent charge to Rowen. “That fellow certainly has a grudge36 against you,” said Don. “You couldn’t exactly call him a bully37, because he isn’t big enough or strong enough, but his surly nature makes him anything but trustworthy. A fine mess you would have had if you had been several days late for encampment. As far as that goes, you might have been a prisoner in that storage room for a long time.”
“That’s right,” agreed Terry. “And to anyone who likes to eat as well as I do that would have meant something!”
After an afternoon of leisurely38 marching the cadets came to an open meadow where the cavalry and the supply corps had set up tents. Here they spent the night and the next morning they pushed on to Rustling Ridge, arriving there about noontime.
29
Rustling Ridge was a long slope that rose gradually from a flat meadow. It was in the heart of delightful39 country, and here and there solitary40 farmhouses41 could be seen. Close beside the camp there was a deep swimming hole, which the cadets welcomed with unrestrained delight. The camp itself was pitched in a grove42 about a quarter way up the slope, the white tents rising in somewhat irregular lines between the trees. The wide glades43 on either side of the camp permitted the creation of natural centers for the horses and the supply wagons44 and guns. By midafternoon the camp was in first-class order and the tired cadets enjoyed their first swim in the near-by swimming hole.
After supper large fires were lighted, but the cadets did not linger long around them. Even before taps many of them had sought their cots, falling asleep as soon as they crawled in between their blankets. Sentries45 were posted and soon the camp was quiet except for the stamping of horses and the tramp of the sentries.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
jack
|
|
| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
thumping
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
pry
|
|
| vi.窥(刺)探，打听；vt.撬动(开，起) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
hearty
|
|
| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
groaned
|
|
| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
stoutly
|
|
| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
butt
|
|
| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
cavalry
|
|
| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
rumble
|
|
| n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
artillery
|
|
| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
sleek
|
|
| adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
bellow
|
|
| v.吼叫，怒吼；大声发出，大声喝道 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
scant
|
|
| adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
stunned
|
|
| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
regain
|
|
| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
whooped
|
|
| 叫喊( whoop的过去式和过去分词 )； 高声说； 唤起 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
amazement
|
|
| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
shaft
|
|
| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
infantry
|
|
| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
sullen
|
|
| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
rustling
|
|
| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
ridge
|
|
| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
rumbled
|
|
| 发出隆隆声，发出辘辘声( rumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 轰鸣着缓慢行进； 发现…的真相； 看穿（阴谋） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
jaw
|
|
| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
grassy
|
|
| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
haughty
|
|
| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
growled
|
|
| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
sneak
|
|
| vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
pal
|
|
| n.朋友，伙伴，同志；vi.结为友 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
corps
|
|
| n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
dynamite
|
|
| n./vt.(用)炸药(爆破) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
lieutenant
|
|
| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
briefly
|
|
| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
grudge
|
|
| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
bully
|
|
| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
leisurely
|
|
| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
delightful
|
|
| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
solitary
|
|
| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
farmhouses
|
|
| n.农舍，农场的主要住房( farmhouse的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
grove
|
|
| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
glades
|
|
| n.林中空地( glade的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
wagons
|
|
| n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 )；铁路货车；小手推车 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
sentries
|
|
| 哨兵，步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |