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CHAPTER XXIV. FLORENCE IN SUSPENSE.
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 We must now return to New York to Dodger1’s old home.
 
When he did not return at the usual hour, neither Florence nor Mrs. O’Keefe was particularly disturbed.
 
It was thought that he had gone on some errand of unusual length, and would return an hour or two late.
 
Eight o’clock came, the hour at which the boy was accustomed to repair to Florence’s room to study, and still he didn’t make his appearance.
 
“Dodger’s late this evening, Mrs. O’Keefe,” said Florence, going up to the room of her landlady2.
 
“Shure he is. It’s likely he’s gone to Brooklyn or up to Harlem, wid a bundle. He’ll be comin’ in soon.”
 
“I hope he will be well paid for the errand, since it keeps him so long.”
 
“I hope so, too, Florence, for he’s a good boy, is Dodger. Did I tell you how he served the rapscallion that tried to stale my apples the other day?”
 
“No; I would like to hear it.”
 
“A big, black-bearded man came along, and asked me for an apple.
 
“ ‘You can have one for two pennies,’ says I.
 
“ ‘But I haven’t got them,’ says he.
 
“ ‘Then you must go widout it,’ says I.
 
“ ‘We’ll see about that,’ says he.
 
“And what do you think?—the fellow picked out one of my biggest apples, and was walkin’ away! That made me mad.
 
“ ‘Come back, you thafe of the worruld!’ says I.
 
“ ‘Silence, you old hag!’ says he.
 
“Actilly he called me an old hag! I wanted to go after him, but there was two hoodlums hangin’ round, and I knew they’d carry off some of my apples, when, just as I was at my wits’ end, Dodger came round the corner.
 
“ ‘Dodger,’ I screamed, ‘go after that man! He’s taken one of my apples, widout lave or license3!’
 
“Upon that, Dodger, brave as a lion, walked up to the man, and, says he:
 
“ ‘Give back that apple, or pay for it!’
 
“ ‘What’s that to you, you impudent4 young rascal5?’ says the man, raisin’ the apple to his mouth. But he didn’t get a chance to bite it, for Dodger, with a flip6 of his hand, knocked it on the sidewalk, and picked it up.
 
“Wasn’t the man mad just?”
 
“ ‘I’ll smash you, boy,’ he growled7.
 
“ ‘I’m a baggage-smasher myself,’ says Dodger, ‘and I can smash as well as you.’
 
“Wid that the man up with his fist and struck at Dodger, but he dodged8 the blow, and gave him one for himself wid his right. Just then up came a cop.
 
“ ‘What’s all this?’ says he.
 
“ ‘That man tried to run off wid one of my apples,’ says I.
 
“ ‘Come along,’ says the cop. ‘You’re wanted at the station-house.’
 
“ ‘It’s a lie,’ says the man. ‘I paid the woman for the apple, and that young rascal knocked it out of my hand.’
 
“ ‘I know the boy,’ says the cop, ‘and he ain’t one of that kind. I’ll let you go if you buy five apples from the lady, and pay for ’em.’
 
“The man made up an ugly face, but he didn’t want to be locked up, and so he paid me a dime9 for five apples.”
 
“Dodger is very brave,” said Florence. “Sometimes I think he is too daring. He is liable to get into trouble.”
 
“If he does he’ll get himself out of it, never you fear. Dodger can take care of himself.”
 
Nine o’clock came, and Florence became alarmed. She had not been aware how much she had depended upon the company of her faithful friend, humble10 as his station was.
 
Again she went into Mrs. O’Keefe’s room. The apple-woman had been out to buy some groceries and had just returned.
 
“I am getting anxious about Dodger,” said Florence. “It is nine o’clock.”
 
“And what’s nine o’clock for a boy like him? Shure he’s used to bein’ out at all hours of the night.”
 
“I shall feel relieved when he comes home. What should I do without him?”
 
“Shure I’d miss him myself; but it isn’t the first time he has been out late.”
 
“Perhaps that terrible Tim Bolton has got hold of him,” suggested Florence.
 
“Tim isn’t so bad, Florence. He isn’t fit company for the likes of you, but there’s worse men nor Tim.”
 
“Didn’t he send out Dodger to commit a burglary?”
 
“And if he hadn’t you’d never made Dodger’s acquaintance.”
 
“That’s true; but it doesn’t make burglary any more excusable. Don’t you really think Tim Bolton has got hold of him?”
 
“If he has, he won’t keep him long, I’ll make oath of that. He might keep him over night, but Dodger would come back in the morning.”
 
Florence was somewhat cheered by Mrs. O’Keefe’s refusal to believe that Dodger was in any serious trouble, but she could not wholly free herself from uneasiness. When eleven o’clock came she went to bed very unwillingly11, and got very little rest during the night. Morning came, and still Dodger did not show up. As we know, he was fairly started on his long voyage, though he had not yet recovered consciousness.
 
Florence took a very light breakfast, and at the usual time went to Mrs. Leighton’s to meet her pupil. When the study hour was over, she did not remain to lunch, but hurried back, stopping at Mrs. O’Keefe’s apple-stand just as that lady was preparing to go home to prepare dinner.
 
“Have you seen anything of Dodger, Mrs. O’Keefe?” asked Florence, breathlessly.
 
“No, I haven’t, Florence. I’ve had my eye out watchin’ for him, and he hasn’t showed up.”
 
“Is there anything we can do?” asked Florence, anxiously.
 
“Well, we might go around and see Tim—and find out whether he’s got hold of him.”
 
“Let us go at once.”
 
“Shure I didn’t know you cared so much for the boy,” said Mrs. O’Keefe, with a shrewd look at Florence’s anxious face.
 
“Why shouldn’t I care for him? He is my only friend.”
 
“Is he now? And what’s the matter wid Bridget O’Keefe?” asked the apple-woman.
 
“Excuse me, Mrs. O’Keefe. I know very well you are my friend, and a kind friend, too. I should not have forgotten you.”
 
“It’s all right, Florence. You’re flustrated like, and that’s why you forget me.”
 
“I have so few friends that I can’t spare one,” continued Florence.
 
“That’s so. Come along wid me, and we’ll see what Tim has to tell us.”
 
A short walk brought the two strangely assorted12 companions to the entrance of Tim Bolton’s saloon. “I’m afraid to go in, Mrs. O’Keefe,” said Florence.
 
“Come along wid me, my dear, I won’t let anything harm you. You ain’t used to such a place, but I’ve been here more than once to fill the growler. Be careful as you go down the steps, Florence.”
 
Tim Bolton was standing13 behind the bar, and as he heard steps he looked carelessly toward the entrance, but when he saw Florence, his indifference14 vanished. He came from behind the bar, and advanced to meet her.
 
“Miss Linden,” he said.
 
Florence shrank back and clung to her companion’s arm.
 
“Is there anything I can do for you? I am a rough man, but I’m not so bad as you may think.”
 
“That’s what I told her, Tim,” said Mrs. O’Keefe. “I told Florence there was worse men than you.”
 
“Thank you, Mrs. O’Keefe. Can I offer you a glass of whiskey?”
 
The apple-woman was about to accept, but she felt an alarmed tug15 at her arm, and saw that Florence would be placed in an embarrassing position if she accepted. So, by an exercise of self-denial—for Mrs. O’Keefe was by no means insensible to the attractions of whiskey, though she never drank to excess—she said:
 
“Thank you kindly16, Mr. Bolton. I won’t take any just now; but I’ll remind you of your offer another day.”
 
“Have it your own way, Mrs. O’Keefe. And now, what can I do for you and Miss Linden?”
 
“Oh, Mr. Bolton,” broke in Florence, unable to bear the suspense17 longer, “where is Dodger?”
 

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 dodger Ku9z0c     
n.躲避者;躲闪者;广告单
参考例句:
  • They are tax dodgers who hide their interest earnings.他们是隐瞒利息收入的逃税者。
  • Make sure she pays her share she's a bit of a dodger.她自己的一份一定要她付清--她可是有点能赖就赖。
2 landlady t2ZxE     
n.女房东,女地主
参考例句:
  • I heard my landlady creeping stealthily up to my door.我听到我的女房东偷偷地来到我的门前。
  • The landlady came over to serve me.女店主过来接待我。
3 license B9TzU     
n.执照,许可证,特许;v.许可,特许
参考例句:
  • The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
  • The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。
4 impudent X4Eyf     
adj.鲁莽的,卑鄙的,厚颜无耻的
参考例句:
  • She's tolerant toward those impudent colleagues.她对那些无礼的同事采取容忍的态度。
  • The teacher threatened to kick the impudent pupil out of the room.老师威胁着要把这无礼的小学生撵出教室。
5 rascal mAIzd     
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。
6 flip Vjwx6     
vt.快速翻动;轻抛;轻拍;n.轻抛;adj.轻浮的
参考例句:
  • I had a quick flip through the book and it looked very interesting.我很快翻阅了一下那本书,看来似乎很有趣。
  • Let's flip a coin to see who pays the bill.咱们来抛硬币决定谁付钱。
7 growled 65a0c9cac661e85023a63631d6dab8a3     
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:
  • \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道:“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 dodged ae7efa6756c9d8f3b24f8e00db5e28ee     
v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 );回避
参考例句:
  • He dodged cleverly when she threw her sabot at him. 她用木底鞋砸向他时,他机敏地闪开了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He dodged the book that I threw at him. 他躲开了我扔向他的书。 来自《简明英汉词典》
9 dime SuQxv     
n.(指美国、加拿大的钱币)一角
参考例句:
  • A dime is a tenth of a dollar.一角银币是十分之一美元。
  • The liberty torch is on the back of the dime.自由火炬在一角硬币的反面。
10 humble ddjzU     
adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低
参考例句:
  • In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见,他将在选举中获胜。
  • Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。
11 unwillingly wjjwC     
adv.不情愿地
参考例句:
  • He submitted unwillingly to his mother. 他不情愿地屈服于他母亲。
  • Even when I call, he receives unwillingly. 即使我登门拜访,他也是很不情愿地接待我。
12 assorted TyGzop     
adj.各种各样的,各色俱备的
参考例句:
  • There's a bag of assorted sweets on the table.桌子上有一袋什锦糖果。
  • He has always assorted with men of his age.他总是与和他年令相仿的人交往。
13 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
14 indifference k8DxO     
n.不感兴趣,不关心,冷淡,不在乎
参考例句:
  • I was disappointed by his indifference more than somewhat.他的漠不关心使我很失望。
  • He feigned indifference to criticism of his work.他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。
15 tug 5KBzo     
v.用力拖(或拉);苦干;n.拖;苦干;拖船
参考例句:
  • We need to tug the car round to the front.我们需要把那辆车拉到前面。
  • The tug is towing three barges.那只拖船正拖着三只驳船。
16 kindly tpUzhQ     
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地
参考例句:
  • Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
  • A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。
17 suspense 9rJw3     
n.(对可能发生的事)紧张感,担心,挂虑
参考例句:
  • The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。
  • The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。


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