CHAPTER IX. BRADLEY'S SIGNAL VICTORY.

 Bill Mosely started back as if he had seen a rattlesnake, and stared at Jake Bradley in mingled¹ surprise and dismay.

 

"You didn't expect to see me, I reckon?" said Bradley, dryly.

 

Mosely still stared at him, uncertain what to say or what to do.

 

"I take it very kind of you to bring back the hosses you borrowed a few weeks since. You took 'em rather sudden, without askin' leave; it was a kind of oversight² on your part."

 

"I don't know what you mean," answered Mosely, determined³ to brazen⁴ it out and keep the horses if possible, for he was lazy and a pedestrian tramp would not have suited him very well.

 

"You know what I mean well enough, Bill Mosely. If you don't, them mustangs outside may re[Pg 79]fresh your recollection. They look kinder fagged out. You've worked 'em too hard, Mosely."

 

"Those mustangs are ours. We bought 'em," said Mosely, boldly.—"Didn't we, Tom?"

 

"I should say so," remarked Hadley, with striking originality⁵.

 

"That's a lie, Tom," remarked Bradley, calmly, "and you know it as well as I do."

 

"Are we goin' to stand that, Tom?" blustered⁶ Mosely, whose courage was beginning to revive, as he had thus far only seen Bradley, and considered that the odds⁷ were two to one in his favor. Of course the Chinaman counted for nothing.

 

Tom Hadley looked a little doubtful, for he could see that the enemy, though apparently⁸ single-handed, was a man of powerful frame and apparently fearless even to recklessness. He had a strong suspicion that Bill Mosely was a coward and would afford him very little assistance in the event of a scrimmage.

 

"If you can't stand it," said Bradley, "sit down, if you want to."

 

Thus far, Richard Dewey had remained silent,[Pg 80] but he wished to participate in the defence of their property if there should be need, and of course must be released first.

 

"Jake," said he, "these fellows have tied me hand and foot. They couldn't have done it if I had not been partially⁹ disabled. Send in Ki Sing to cut the cords."

 

"They dared to tie you?" said Bradley, sternly.—"Mosely, what was that for?"

 

"To remove one obstacle in the way of plunder," Dewey answered for them.

 

"They're not only hoss-thieves, but thieves through and through. Since they tied you, they must untie¹⁰ you.—Mosely, go and cut the cords."

 

"I am not a slave to be ordered round," returned Mosely, haughtily¹¹.

 

"What are you, then?"

 

"A gentleman."

 

"Then you'll be a dead gentleman in less than a minute if you don't do as I tell you."

 

As he spoke¹² he drew out his revolver and levelled it at Mosely.

 

The latter turned pale. "Don't handle that[Pg 81] we'pon so careless, stranger," he said. "It might go off."

 

"So it might—as like as not," answered Bradley, calmly.

 

"Put it up," said Mosely, nervously¹³.—"Tom, just cut them cords."

 

"Tom, you needn't do it.—Mosely, you're the man for that duty. Do you hear?"

 

Bill Mosely hesitated. He didn't like to yield and be humiliated¹⁴ before the man over whom he had retained so long an ascendency.

 

"You'd better be quick about it," said Bradley, warningly. "This here we'pon goes off terrible easily. I don't want to shoot you, but there might be an accident. I've killed twenty-one men with it already. You'll be the twenty-second."

 

That was hint enough. Pride gave way, and Bill Mosely knelt down and cut the cords which confined Dewey, and the invalid¹⁵, with a sense of relief, sat up on his pallet and watched the conference.

 

"There! are you satisfied?" asked Mosely, sullenly¹⁶.

 

[Pg 82]"It'll do as far as it goes, Mosely," said Bradley. "I wouldn't advise you to try any more of them tricks."

 

He lowered his weapon, and was about to replace it, when Mosely, who had made a secret sign to his companion, sprang forward simultaneously¹⁷ with Tom Hadley and seized the intrepid¹⁸ Bradley.

 

The attack was sudden, and also unexpected, for Bradley had such a contempt for the prowess of William Mosely that he had not supposed him capable of planning or carrying out so bold an attack. It must be admitted that he was taken at disadvantage, and might have been temporarily overpowered, for Tom Hadley was strong, and Mosely, though a coward, was nerved by desperation.

 

Richard Dewey saw his friend's danger, but, unhappily, he had no weapon at hand.

 

But help was not long in coming.

 

Concealed¹⁹ by the walls of the cabin, Ben had heard all that had been said, and observed the attack upon his comrade.

 

He did not hesitate a moment, but sprang forward and showed himself at Bradley's side.

 

[Pg 83]"Let him go, or I'll shoot," he exclaimed in a tone of command, pointing at Mosely the twin brother of the revolver which Bradley owned.

 

"Confusion!" ejaculated Mosely, in fresh dismay.

 

"Let go," repeated Ben, firmly.

 

Bill Mosely released Bradley, and the latter threw off the grasp of Tom Hadley.

 

"Now," said he, as standing²⁰ side by side with Ben he confronted the two thieves, "shall we shoot?"

 

"No, no," said Mosely, nervously.

 

"Serve you right if we did. So you thought you'd got me, did you? You didn't know about Ben, there. He ain't half your size, but he's got twice the courage.—Ben, what shall we do with them?"

 

Bill Mosely turned toward Ben, anxious to hear what our hero would say. He was entirely²¹ in the power of the two friends, as he realized.

 

"Serve them as they served Ki Sing," suggested Ben.

 

"That's a good idea, that is!—Here, you two rascals²², trot²³ out here."

 

[Pg 84]Following directions, the two men emerged from the cabin and stood on one side of the doorway²⁴, feeling that they would gladly be in some other part of California at that precise moment.

 

"Mosely, do you see that tree?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Go to it."

 

Bill Mosely slowly and unwillingly²⁵ proceeded to do as he was told.

 

"Ki Sing," said Jake Bradley to the Chinaman, who was standing near at hand, his face wearing a bland²⁶ and contented²⁷ smile, "have you any cord in your pocket?"

 

"Yes," answered the Celestial²⁸.

 

"Tie that man to the tree."

 

Ki Sing approached to follow instructions, when Bill Mosely shouted, "I'll brain you, you yaller heathen, if you dare to touch me!"

 

"Just as you say, squire," said Bradley, nonchalantly raising his revolver; "if you'd prefer to be shot I'm a very accommodatin' man, and I'll oblige you. I guess it'll be better, as we'll save all trouble."

 

[Pg 85]"Stop! stop!" cried Mosely, in dismay. "He can tie me."

 

"You've changed your mind. I thought you would," said Bradley.—"Ki Sing, go ahead."

 

With native dexterity²⁹, and not without a feeling of satisfaction easily understood under the circumstances, Ki Sing proceeded to tie his former captor, but present captive, to a stout³⁰ sapling.

 

"Is it strong?" asked Bradley.

 

"Velly stlong," answered the Chinaman, with a satisfied look.

 

"That's good.—Now, Tom, it's your turn. There's your tree! Annex³¹ yourself to it."

 

Tom Hadley saw the futility³² of resistance, and quietly allowed himself to be confined in the same manner as his companion.

 

When both were thus disposed of Jake Bradley turned to the Chinaman:

 

"Now, Ki Sing, let us have some supper as soon as possible. We've been doin' considerable business, Ben and I, and we're as hungry as bears.—Good-night, Mosely. Hope you'll have a good night's rest!"

 

[Pg 86]"You are not going to leave us here all night, are you?" said Bill Mosely, uneasily.

 

"That's just what I'm goin' to do. I'll let you go in the mornin' if you behave yourself. Still, if you'd rather be shot I can accommodate you."

 

"What a bloodthirsty brute³³!" ejaculated the unhappy Mosely as Bradley disappeared within the doorway.

 

"I should say so!" echoed Tom Hadley from the other tree.

1 mingled   

混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系]

参考例句：

• The sounds of laughter and singing mingled in the evening air. 笑声和歌声交织在夜空中。
• The man and the woman mingled as everyone started to relax. 当大家开始放松的时候，这一男一女就开始交往了。

2 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

3 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

4 brazen   

adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的

参考例句：

• The brazen woman laughed loudly at the judge who sentenced her.那无耻的女子冲着给她判刑的法官高声大笑。
• Some people prefer to brazen a thing out rather than admit defeat.有的人不愿承认失败，而是宁肯厚着脸皮干下去。

5 originality   

n.创造力，独创性；新颖

参考例句：

• The name of the game in pop music is originality.流行音乐的本质是独创性。
• He displayed an originality amounting almost to genius.他显示出近乎天才的创造性。

6 blustered   

v.外强中干的威吓( bluster的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮；（风）呼啸；狂吹

参考例句：

• He blustered his way through the crowd. 他吆喝着挤出人群。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The wind blustered around the house. 狂风呼啸着吹过房屋周围。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

7 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

8 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

9 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

10 untie   

vt.解开，松开；解放

参考例句：

• It's just impossible to untie the knot.It's too tight.这个结根本解不开。太紧了。
• Will you please untie the knot for me?请你替我解开这个结头，好吗？

11 haughtily   

adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地

参考例句：

• She carries herself haughtily. 她举止傲慢。
• Haughtily, he stalked out onto the second floor where I was standing. 他傲然跨出电梯，走到二楼，我刚好站在那儿。

12 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

13 nervously   

adv.神情激动地，不安地

参考例句：

• He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。
• He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。

14 humiliated   

感到羞愧的

参考例句：

• Parents are humiliated if their children behave badly when guests are present. 子女在客人面前举止失当，父母也失体面。
• He was ashamed and bitterly humiliated. 他感到羞耻，丢尽了面子。

15 invalid   

n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的

参考例句：

• He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
• A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。

16 sullenly   

不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地

参考例句：

• 'so what?" Tom said sullenly. “那又怎么样呢？”汤姆绷着脸说。
• Emptiness after the paper, I sIt'sullenly in front of the stove. 报看完，想不出能找点什么事做，只好一人坐在火炉旁生气。

17 simultaneously   

adv.同时发生地，同时进行地

参考例句：

• The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
• The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。

18 intrepid   

adj.无畏的，刚毅的

参考例句：

• He is not really satisfied with his intrepid action.他没有真正满意他的无畏行动。
• John's intrepid personality made him a good choice for team leader.约翰勇敢的个性适合作领导工作。

19 concealed   

a.隐藏的，隐蔽的

参考例句：

• The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
• I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

20 standing   

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。

21 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

22 rascals   

流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人

参考例句：

• "Oh, but I like rascals. "唔，不过我喜欢流氓。
• "They're all second-raters, black sheep, rascals. "他们都是二流人物，是流氓，是恶棍。

23 trot   

n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧

参考例句：

• They passed me at a trot.他们从我身边快步走过。
• The horse broke into a brisk trot.马突然快步小跑起来。

24 doorway   

n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径

参考例句：

• They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
• Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

25 unwillingly   

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。

26 bland   

adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的

参考例句：

• He eats bland food because of his stomach trouble.他因胃病而吃清淡的食物。
• This soup is too bland for me.这汤我喝起来偏淡。

27 contented   

adj.满意的，安心的，知足的

参考例句：

• He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。
• The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

28 celestial   

adj.天体的；天上的

参考例句：

• The rosy light yet beamed like a celestial dawn.玫瑰色的红光依然象天上的朝霞一样绚丽。
• Gravity governs the motions of celestial bodies.万有引力控制着天体的运动。

29 dexterity   

n.(手的)灵巧，灵活

参考例句：

• You need manual dexterity to be good at video games.玩好电子游戏手要灵巧。
• I'm your inferior in manual dexterity.论手巧，我不如你。

31 annex   

vt.兼并，吞并；n.附属建筑物

参考例句：

• It plans to annex an England company in order to enlarge the market.它计划兼并一家英国公司以扩大市场。
• The annex has been built on to the main building.主楼配建有附属的建筑物。

32 futility   

n.无用

参考例句：

• She could see the utter futility of trying to protest. 她明白抗议是完全无用的。
• The sheer futility of it all exasperates her. 它毫无用处，这让她很生气。

33 brute   

n.野兽，兽性

参考例句：

• The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
• That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲，它咬人。