He had to descend4 cautiously, for the shingles5 were slippery, but he finally reached the lowest point and jumped down.
“If I could only find an ax or a hatchet,” he said to himself, “I would make short work of the window. I don’t believe the boy will dare to shoot.”
He searched for the articles he had named, but in vain.
His eyes fell upon a thick club, not unlike a baseball bat, and this seemed to him suitable for his purpose. He took it and commenced reascending to the roof again. There was a fence, which helped him as a stepping-stone, otherwise he would have found it difficult to get a footing upon it. Meanwhile Andy had not been idle.
First of all, he saw that it was unsafe to have the money any longer in his custody7. His assailant might be successful in the new attempt he would probably make, and he must not find the bank bills.
Andy did not like to frighten the ladies, but he thought it necessary, under the circumstances. He went to the door of the parlor{95} chamber8, which the two sisters occupied, and rapped loudly on the door.
The knock was heard, and it excited dismay. The timid ladies thought it might be the burglar of whom they were so much in fear.
“Who’s there?” asked Miss Susan, in trembling accents, through the keyhole.
“It’s me—Andy. Please open the door—quick!”
“I want to hand you the trunk,” answered Andy.
“What for? Is there any burglar in the house?”
“No; but there’s one trying to get into my room.”
“Oh, heavens! what shall we do?” ejaculated both ladies, in chorus.
“Take the tin trunk, and I’ll manage him,” said Andy.
The door was opened a crack and the trunk taken into the trembling hands of the agitated10 spinster.
“Where is the burglar?” answered Susan.
“Gone to find something to break through the window.”
“Oh, dear, he will murder us all!”
“No, he won’t,” said Andy. “I won’t let him!”{96}
“You’d better hide,” said Susan. “Is he a big man?”
“Pretty large. He looks as if he was just out of jail.”
“He mustn’t hurt you. I’d rather he had the money. Take it and give it to him and ask him to go.”
“Not much!” answered Andy, stoutly11. “But I must go. He’ll soon be at the window again. Is there any hot water in the house?”
“Yes; we keep a fire all night in the kitchen, and the teakettle is full.”
“All right!” said Andy, and he dashed downstairs.
“What’s he going to do?” ejaculated Susan, in surprise.
“Heaven only knows! How can he talk of hot water when there’s a burglar in the house? Lock the door, Sister Susan.”
“I don’t like to shut out poor Andy,” said Susan, in a distressed12 voice. “It’s my belief we shall find him a mangled13 corpse14 to-morrow morning, when we go downstairs.”
“I shan’t dare to go down at all. Oh, Susan, this is awful!”
Leaving the agitated spinsters in their trouble and terror, we must look after Andy.
He ran downstairs, seized the teakettle from{97} the stove, grabbed a tin dipper, and then ran up to his chamber again.
He was just in time.
There, before the window, stood Mike Hogan, with the club in his hand and a look of triumph on his face. In the dim light, he did not see the teakettle.
“Well, my little bantam,” said he, “here I am again!”
“So I see,” said Andy, coolly.
“Once more, and for the last time, I ask you to open that window.”
“I would rather not.”
“You will, if you know what is best for yourself. Do you see this club?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Do you know what it is for?”
“Suppose you tell me.”
“It is to break open the window.”
“That is what I thought.”
“Comfound the boy! He’s a cool customer,” thought Hogan. “Bah! he must be a fool. Open that window, and I’ll give you ten dollars of the money,” he said, preferring, if possible, to avoid all trouble.
Of course, when he was fairly in possession of the money, he could break his promise and give Andy a beating, and he proposed to do both.{98}
“A little while ago you offered me half the money,” said Andy.
“Things were different then. I didn’t have this club. What do you say?”
“That I am not a thief, and don’t mean to make a bargain with a thief!” answered Andy, resolutely15.
“Then you may take the consequences, you young rascal16!” exploded the burglar, garnishing17 his speech with an oath.
“In two minutes, I shall have you in my clutches!”
He swung back the club and brought it down with full force upon the window frame. Of course, the panes18 were shivered and the frail19 wooden sticks which constituted the frame were demolished20. Another blow and the window lay in ruins on the carpet of Andy’s chamber.
“He’s killing21 Andy!” ejaculated the terrified spinsters, as the loud noise came to their ears. “What shall we do?”
They debated whether they should leave their chamber, and, seeking the scene of the tragedy, fall down on their knees before the terrible burglar and implore22 him to spare the life of their young defender23. The spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak, and in terrible agitation they remained in their sanctuary24.{99}
“The crisis has come,” thought Andy, his nerves quivering with excitement.
And, unobserved by the triumphant25 burglar, he poured out the scalding hot water from the teakettle into the tin dipper.
Mike Hogan was in the act of scaling the window-sill, over the debris26 of the broken glass and wood, when Andy dashed the contents of the tin dipper into his face.
There was a fearful yell as the hot water deluged27 his face and neck, and the scalded burglar, losing his hold on the sill, blinded and maddened by pain, lost his footing and slipped down the sloping roof with ever-increasing rapidity. He rolled over at the eaves, and fell upon his back with a violence which lamed28, though it did not disable him—a thoroughly29 demoralized burglar.
There was a pump and a trough in the yard. Hogan jumped up and ran hastily to it. He dipped his scalded face in the stream of water, and gained temporary relief. But the pain was altogether too great to allow him to think of anything else except that. To a man in his condition, money had no charms. A relief from pain was all he could think of. Again and again he dipped his face in the cool water, and his pain was somewhat abated30.
“Poor fellow!” thought Andy, pitying the poor wretch33, though the imminent34 danger had forced him to inflict35 suffering upon him. “I am sorry for his pain, but I couldn’t defend myself in any other way. He won’t try to get in again, I’m thinking.”
He locked the door of the room from the outside, and decided36 to spend the rest of the night upon the sofa in the sitting-room37. First, however, he went to the room of the old ladies, to tell them that the danger was past.
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1
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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plucky
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| adj.勇敢的 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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5
shingles
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| n.带状疱疹；（布满海边的）小圆石( shingle的名词复数 )；屋顶板；木瓦（板）；墙面板 | |
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perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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custody
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| n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留 | |
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8
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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stoutly
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| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
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distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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mangled
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| vt.乱砍（mangle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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16
rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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17
garnishing
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| v.给（上餐桌的食物）加装饰( garnish的现在分词 ) | |
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18
panes
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| 窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 ) | |
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19
frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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20
demolished
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| v.摧毁( demolish的过去式和过去分词 )；推翻；拆毁（尤指大建筑物）；吃光 | |
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21
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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22
implore
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| vt.乞求，恳求，哀求 | |
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23
defender
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| n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人 | |
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24
sanctuary
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| n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区 | |
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25
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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26
debris
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| n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片 | |
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27
deluged
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| v.使淹没( deluge的过去式和过去分词 )；淹没；被洪水般涌来的事物所淹没；穷于应付 | |
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28
lamed
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| 希伯莱语第十二个字母 | |
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29
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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30
abated
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| 减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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31
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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32
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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33
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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34
imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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35
inflict
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| vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担 | |
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36
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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37
sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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