The antelope1 steak emitted a delicious odor to our hungry travelers, and they did not mind the absence of a table-cloth and napkins. These would have seemed out of place in this backwoods hotel.
In addition to the antelope meat there were corn cakes as promised and cups of coffee which had already been poured out.
“Mrs. Peters,” said Brooke, “you have given us a supper fit for a king.”
“I don’t know about no kings,” said the bony landlady2. “I’ve heerd of ’em, but don’t take much stock in ’em. I don’t believe they’re any better than any other folks.”
“I am not personally acquainted with any, but[141] if I were I am sure they would relish3 your cooking.”
“You’re monstrous4 polite,” said Mrs. Peters, her grim features relaxing somewhat, “but I reckon I can cook a little.”
“And your daughter, no doubt, understands cooking also.”
“No, she don’t. She don’t seem to have no gift that way.”
“That’s a mistake,” said Brooke gravely. “What will she do when she is married and has a home of her own?”
“Oh, how you talk!” exclaimed the delighted Bess. “Who’d think of marrying me?”
“I think, Miss Peters, any one who married you would get his money’s worth.”
“Are you married?” asked Bess in an insinuating5 tone.
“I believe I am spoken for,” answered Brooke hastily, for it seemed clear that he would not have to sue in vain for the hand of the plump young lady, “but my friend here, Mr. Lane, is single.” Gerald looked alarmed, but was relieved when Bess said, “He’s only a boy. He ain’t old enough to be married.”
“Won’t you sit down and have your supper with us, Miss Peters?”
[142]
“I feel that way myself,” said Brooke. “Please don’t look at me, Miss Peters. Look at Gerald. It makes no difference to him.”
“What nonsense be you two talkin’?” asked the landlady, as Bess went off into another fit of laughter. “I never saw Bess so silly before.”
“It ain’t me, mother. The man is so funny he makes me laugh.”
The conversation stopped here, as Bess was sent out on an errand by her mother. Gerald and the tourist devoted7 themselves to eating, and did full justice to the plain but wholesome8 meal.
“I feel better,” said Noel Brooke, as he rose from the table.
“Folks generally do after eatin’,” observed Mrs. Peters philosophically9. “I reckon if you’re through you’d better go out. You’re only in the way here.”
“Mrs. Peters is delightfully10 unconventional,” remarked Mr. Brooke as in obedience11 to the plain hint given by their landlady they went out and resumed their seats under a large branching oak tree in the rear of the cabin.
“She has given us a good supper. That’ll pay[143] for her unconventional manners. I wonder what sort of a person her ‘man’ is?”
The question was no sooner suggested than answered. A tall, powerfully built man, clad in buckskin and carrying a rifle, followed by two young men, slighter in figure, but quite as tall, strode from the woods, and halted when they caught sight of Gerald and his companion.
“Who are you, strangers?” asked the old man suspiciously.
“We are travelers,” answered Noel Brooke promptly12, “and at present we are guests of Mrs. Peters. Are you Mr. Peters?”
“I run that cabin, if that is what you mean.”
“So I supposed. Then you are my landlord.”
“I’ve got nothin’ to do with that. Ef you’ve made a bargain with Sal it’s all right.”
“We have made a bargain with Mrs. Peters, and she has given us a good supper.”
The two sons carried between them an antelope, so it looked as if they would not lack for supper.
The three men filed into the cabin, and their wants were provided for without trenching upon the antelope they had brought with them. An[144] hour later they came out, and settled down near the two guests.
“Where do you come from?” demanded Peters with rude curiosity.
“From England, to start with,” answered Noel.
“So you’re a Britisher?”
“If you choose to call me so. I never heard the word till I came across the water.”
“I don’t think much of Britishers.”
“I am sorry to hear it,” said Brooke amused. “May I ask why you are prejudiced against my countrymen?”
“We’ve licked ’em twice, and we can lick ’em again,” answered Peters forcibly.
“I really hope you will have no occasion. So far as I can judge England feels very friendly toward the United States. I must contend, however, that my countrymen know something about fighting.”
“Wal, perhaps they do!” admitted Peters shortly, “but you ain’t no match for us. Take you, for instance, how old be you?”
“Twenty-eight.”
“My Ben, there, is only twenty, and he could double you up in less’n a minute.”
Noel Brooke fixed14 a critical glance on the tall,[145] awkward, but strongly built youth, indicated as Ben.
“He is certainly taller than I am,” he admitted. There was about six inches’ difference in their respective heights.
“Yes, and he’s tough and wiry. Do you think you could lay him out, Ben?”
Ben grinned and answered shortly, “I reckon!”
Gerald, who had witnessed his friend’s prowess, didn’t feel quite so certain of this.
“I thought you’d crawl,” chuckled15 the old man, using an expression more common in that locality than further east. “Ben’s a chip of the old block, he is! He can lay out any tarnal Britisher you can fetch round.”
Noel Brooke felt that it was foolish, but this good-natured depreciation16 of his abilities didn’t fail to nettle17 him. He again surveyed Ben with a critical eye, and took stock of his points as a fighting man. He saw that as an antagonist18 he was not to be despised. Yet in his own case he possessed19 a scientific training to which Ben could lay no claim. Then, again, he was unusually strong and muscular for a man of his small proportions. He felt sure that even if conquered, Ben would not gain an easy victory, and—though it was a risk—he decided20 to take it.
[146]
“I don’t mind having a little contest with your son—friendly of course,” he said quietly, as he rose in a leisurely21, almost languid, way from his low seat.
“What!” ejaculated Mr. Peters, almost doubting if he heard aright, “you are willing to tackle Ben?”
“Yes.”
“Ho, ho! this is rich!” said the old man with an irresistible22 guffaw23. “You; oh jeminy!” and he nearly doubled up in a paroxysm of mirth.
“You seem amused,” said the tourist, rather provoked at the old man’s estimate of his fighting ability.
“Excuse me, stranger! You’re the pluckiest man I’ve met in many a long day. It does seem redikilus your standing24 up against Ben!”
“I won’t hurt him much, dad!” said Ben, opening his mouth in a good-natured grin.
“Of course it’s all in fun,” rejoined Noel Brooke smiling.
“Sartin! But you’d best consider what you’re a undertakin’ before you begin.”
“I have done that.”
“It’s like a boy standin’ up against me.”
“So I am a boy, am I?” asked Brooke with a smile at Gerald.
[147]
“You ain’t much bigger’n a boy, that’s a fact. My Ben was as big as you when he was only fifteen years old. Wasn’t you, Ben?”
“I was as big as him when I was fourteen, dad.”
“That’s so. You see, stranger, we’re a big race—we Peterses. Ben takes after the old man. When I was fifteen year old I could do a man’s work.”
“So could I, dad.”
“So you could, Ben. Do you want to feel Ben’s muscle, stranger?”
“No,” answered Noel Brooke smiling. “I would rather not. It might frighten me in advance, you know, and I want to start fair.”
“I guess you’re right. Well, boys, you can begin if you’re ready. I wouldn’t have missed this for ten dollars.”
He sat back and looked on with an air of intense interest, while the two ill-matched antagonists25 prepared for the trial.
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收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
antelope
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| n.羚羊；羚羊皮 | |
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2
landlady
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| n.女房东，女地主 | |
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3
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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4
monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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insinuating
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| adj.曲意巴结的，暗示的v.暗示( insinuate的现在分词 )；巧妙或迂回地潜入；（使）缓慢进入；慢慢伸入 | |
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6
mite
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| n.极小的东西；小铜币 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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9
philosophically
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| adv.哲学上；富有哲理性地；贤明地；冷静地 | |
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10
delightfully
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| 大喜，欣然 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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13
growled
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| 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 | |
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14
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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15
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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16
depreciation
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| n.价值低落，贬值，蔑视，贬低 | |
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17
nettle
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| n.荨麻；v.烦忧，激恼 | |
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18
antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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19
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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20
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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22
irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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23
guffaw
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| n.哄笑；突然的大笑 | |
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24
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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25
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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