CHAPTER XXVI. TIP AND HIS TRICKS.

 A little reflection led Gerald to feel more comfortable. Without knowing exactly why he had been imprisoned¹, he concluded that it might be for purposes of plunder². Now he was not in the habit of carrying much money about with him, and his purse contained but fifteen dollars. Having no bills to pay, he allowed his salary to accumulate in the hands of his employer, and this accounted for his being so poorly provided.

“They are welcome to the fifteen dollars if they will let me out of this cage,” he soliloquized. “Of course it’s an imposition, but it won’t ruin me. I wish that young rascal³ would come back.”

But the young rascal was at that very moment talking in the street below with a man whose face looks familiar. In fact, it was Mr. Samuel Standish.

“I’ve got him, Uncle Sam,” said the boy, when his respected relation turned the corner.

[208]

“You have really?” exclaimed Standish, his face lighting⁴ up with satisfaction.

“Wish ter die if I ain’t. Now give me that dollar.”

“I didn’t promise you a dollar, Tip. It was only fifty cents.”

“It’s worth a dollar,” said the boy, screwing up his face. “I had awful hard work getting him here. Told him my mudder would beat me if he didn’t come along and get me off.”

“You’re a smart one, Tip—take after your uncle.”

“Den⁵ it’s worth a dollar.”

“Here, I’ll give you seventy-five cents; that is, I’ll see first if he’s there,” added Standish cautiously.

“You don’t think I’d lie, do you, Uncle Sam?” said Tip with an injured look.

“It wouldn’t be the first time, I’m afraid.”

“I take after my uncle,” said Tip, twisting his elf-like features into a grin.

“You’ve got me there, Tip. You are a smart one. Where is he?”

“Up-stairs, in de room.”

“Is he locked in?”

“Well, I reckon.”

[209]

“Come up with me, Tip, and, if I find it’s true, I’ll give you the dollar.”

“Come along, den.”

Tip went up the rickety staircase, two steps at a time, and Samuel Standish followed in a more leisurely⁶ way.

Arrived at the landing, Standish signaled to Tip to knock on the door.

Tip did so.

“Is you dere?” he asked.

“Yes; let me out!” cried Gerald eagerly.

“What’ll you give me?”

Gerald was tempted⁷ to answer “a licking,” but he reflected that it would not be prudent⁸. He must temporize⁹.

“You’ve played a trick on me, and you don’t deserve anything. But I’ll give you another quarter, and won’t say anything about it.”

“So he gave you a quarter, did he, Tip?” inquired Standish.

“No; he’s only gassin’,” said Tip. “Now, do you believe he’s dere?”

“Yes; it’s all right.”

“Where’s de money?”

Samuel Standish drew seventy-five cents from his pocket—a fifty-cent piece and a quarter—and handed them to his promising¹⁰ nephew.

[210]

“I want a dollar,” said Tip doggedly¹¹.

“You’ve got it.”

“No, I haven’t.”

“The boy inside gave you twenty-five cents.”

“Dat’s what I call mean.”

“Go away, you young rogue¹²! You’ve got more money now than you will make good use of. There’s many a time even now when I haven’t got as much.”

“I say, uncle,” asked the boy, excited by curiosity, “what are you goin’ to do wid him?”

“That’s my affair. I have some business with him—important business.”

“Let me go in wid you!”

“If you don’t clear out I’ll kick you downstairs.”

A glance at his uncle’s face satisfied Tip that he meant what he said, and making a virtue¹³ of necessity, he descended¹⁴ the stairs, two steps at a time.

Gerald heard him and became alarmed.

“Come back here and let me out!” he called. “I’ll pay you well.”

If Tip had heard this he would have been tempted to retrace¹⁵ his steps, for if there was anything the young rascal was fond of it was money. But he was already out of hearing.

[211]

Gerald, however, heard a key inserted in the lock, and his hopes rose again. He had not heard the voice of Standish, and was not aware of his presence, but stood ready to make a rush out of the room when the door opened. But he reckoned without his host. The door opened, indeed, but only sufficiently¹⁶ to admit the figure of Samuel Standish.

“Mr. Standish!” exclaimed Gerald in astonishment¹⁷.

“Yes, my dear young friend. I’ve come to make you a call.”

1 imprisoned   

下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。
• They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。

2 plunder   

vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠

参考例句：

• The thieves hid their plunder in the cave.贼把赃物藏在山洞里。
• Trade should not serve as a means of economic plunder.贸易不应当成为经济掠夺的手段。

3 rascal   

n.流氓；不诚实的人

参考例句：

• If he had done otherwise,I should have thought him a rascal.如果他不这样做，我就认为他是个恶棍。
• The rascal was frightened into holding his tongue.这坏蛋吓得不敢往下说了。

4 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

5 den   

n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室

参考例句：

• There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
• The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。

6 leisurely   

adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的

参考例句：

• We walked in a leisurely manner,looking in all the windows.我们慢悠悠地走着，看遍所有的橱窗。
• He had a leisurely breakfast and drove cheerfully to work.他从容的吃了早餐，高兴的开车去工作。

7 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

8 prudent   

adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的

参考例句：

• A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。
• You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。

9 temporize   

v.顺应时势；拖延

参考例句：

• Celia had decided long ago she would never temporize on that.西莉亚早就认定，在这上面她绝不能妥协。
• I can't permit you to temporize any longer.我不能允许你再拖延时间了。

10 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

11 doggedly   

adv.顽强地，固执地

参考例句：

• He was still doggedly pursuing his studies.他仍然顽强地进行着自己的研究。
• He trudged doggedly on until he reached the flat.他顽强地、步履艰难地走着，一直走回了公寓。

12 rogue   

n.流氓；v.游手好闲

参考例句：

• The little rogue had his grandpa's glasses on.这淘气鬼带上了他祖父的眼镜。
• They defined him as a rogue.他们确定他为骗子。

13 virtue   

n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力

参考例句：

• He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
• You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。

14 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

15 retrace   

v.折回；追溯，探源

参考例句：

• He retraced his steps to the spot where he'd left the case.他折回到他丢下箱子的地方。
• You must retrace your steps.你必须折回原来走过的路。

16 sufficiently   

adv.足够地，充分地

参考例句：

• It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
• The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。

17 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。