CHAPTER IV. TOMMY BOYLE IS RESCUED.

 "Who is that?" asked Dean, quickly.

"It is Tommy Boyle."

"How did he get there?"

"I carried him in my boat."

"And left him there?"

"Yes," answered Brandon, with an amused laugh.

"Didn't he want to come back?"

"Of course he did. He's awfully¹ frightened to be left there alone. I told him he would make a good Robinson Crusoe, but the little beggar never heard of him."

"Why did you do such a mean thing, Brandon Bates?" demanded Dean.

"That's my business, Dean Dunham," answered Brandon, in an offended tone.

"Then I'll make it my business," said Dean, sternly. "Get right into your boat and go after Tommy."

"Why, you impudent² beggar!" exclaimed Brandon, almost foaming³ at the mouth with rage, "how dare you say that to me?"

"There's no courage needed," said Dean, dryly. "Are you going to do as I ask you?"

26

"No, I'm not," said Brandon, shortly. "Be off with you, if you know what's best for yourself, or I may take it into my head to thrash you."

"I am ready—any time, except now. I have something else to do."

Brandon Bates was standing⁴ with the boat rope in his hands, preparing to draw it into the boat-house. He was by no means prepared for what was coming. Dean with a quick movement snatched the rope from him, jumped into the boat, seized the oars⁵, and before the owner had recovered from his astonishment⁶, was two lengths away, rowing in the direction of the island.

"Come back here, you rascal⁷!" exclaimed Brandon, almost purple with rage, and stamping in his fury.

"I have no time," answered Dean, coolly.

"What do you mean by stealing my boat?"

"Your boat is safe, I have only borrowed it."

"I never saw such impudence⁸! I will have you arrested!"

"Do so if you want to. I am going to rescue the poor little fellow you have left on the island."

"Then take your own boat."

"Tommy went over on your boat, and he's going back on the same."

Brandon called out again, but Dean was now too far away to hear him.

The temper of Brandon Bates was not the sweetest, but it is doubtful whether he had ever been more angry than at the present moment. He felt that his27 dignity had been outraged⁹, and himself insulted, and that, too, by a working boy.

"I'd like to shoot him!" he vociferated, shaking his fist in impotent rage at the rapidly-receding boat.

Tommy meanwhile had seen what was going on, the distance being inconsiderable.

As soon as he saw that his situation was known to Dean, the little fellow's excitement and alarm subsided¹⁰.

"Dean will come for me, and take me home," he said to himself.

When he saw Dean's bold seizure¹¹ of the boat, he clapped his hands in joy.

"Dean's a good deal better boy than Brandon," he said. He rose from his place, and stood watching eagerly for the coming of his deliverer.

"Hallo, Tommy!" called out Dean, when he was within hearing distance.

"Hallo, Dean!"

"Were you very much frightened?"

"Yes; I thought I'd have to stay here all night."

Swiftly the boat sped through the water till it grazed the pebbly¹² shore.

"Jump in, Tommy!"

Tommy needed no second bidding.

"Oh, Dean, I'm so glad you came for me."

"And I'm glad I saw you. What made Brandon play such a trick on you?"

"I don't know. When I begged him to take me back he only laughed."

"He doesn't look much like laughing now," said28 Dean, smiling, as he saw Brandon still standing at the boat wharf¹³, shaking his fist angrily.

"I hope he won't fight you, Dean," said Tommy, rather troubled.

"He may if he wants to. I think he will get the worst of it."

Meanwhile Brandon caught sight of the village constable¹⁴, walking along the road a few rods from the shore of the pond.

He ran to the road and intercepted¹⁵ him.

"Mr. Pray," he said.

"Well, Brandon?"

"I want you to arrest Dean Dunham."

"What am I to arrest Dean Dunham for?" asked the constable in surprise.

"He took my boat from me by force, like an impudent young loafer as he is, and is out in the boat rowing."

"Yes, I see him. Tommy Boyle is with him. How does that happen?"

"He went over to the island and took him off."

"I don't understand. How came Tommy on the island?"

"I took him there."

"You took him there? Did he want to stay?"

"No, I left him there—as a joke."

"You left the poor little boy there to get off as he could!" said the constable, indignantly.

"It didn't do him any harm," said Brandon, sullenly¹⁶. "There are no wild animals there that I ever heard," he added sarcastically¹⁸.

29

"And Dean Dunham took your boat to go after him?"

"Yes, he did. He took it away from me without asking my permission."

"He did perfectly¹⁹ right. Would you have had him leave poor Tommy there?"

"Why didn't he take his own boat, then?" said Brandon in a sullen¹⁷ tone.

"Because he didn't want to leave Tommy there any longer than was necessary. He has only done what you ought to have done."

"He had no business to steal my boat. I want him arrested."

"I am more likely to arrest you for kidnapping the boy."

"You don't seem to know who I am, Mr. Pray," said Brandon angrily.

"Oh yes, I do. You are Brandon Bates, but you are not so important a person as you suppose."

"If I am not, my father is, and he'll have you turned out of your office."

He expected the constable to show dismay at this threat, but Mr. Pray, who was very independent, only laughed.

"All right," he answered. "I am glad you let me know what's going to happen. I'll see what else I can find to do. How soon do you think I shall lose my place?"

Brandon turned from the constable in disgust. Everybody seemed to be in a conspiracy²⁰ to insult him.

30

Dean was now very near shore, and Brandon's attention was called elsewhere. The constable remained, a little curious to witness the interview between the two boys. Perhaps because he could not find words to express his feelings, Brandon did not say a word while Dean was landing his young passenger. As he jumped out himself he held out the rope to the angry owner.

"I have brought back your boat safe," he said.

"You'll pay for this, Dean Dunham," said Brandon, as he took the rope with a red face.

"Can I help you put the boat into the boat-house?" asked Dean calmly.

"I want none of your help. Never dare to touch my boat again!"

"Then don't play any more such dirty tricks on my friend Tommy! Tommy, I wouldn't advise you to go out rowing with Brandon again."

"I won't," said Tommy, fervently²¹.

"You won't get a chance, you dirty little brat²²!" snarled²³ Brandon.

"Come away, Tommy. When you want a boat ride come to me. I'll give you a ride any time."

"It's a great privilege riding in your old scow," sneered²⁴ Brandon.

"I don't think much of the boat myself," said Dean, smiling. "I've seen those I liked better."

Dean went home, and attended to various chores. About four o'clock that afternoon Mrs. Dunham began to look for her husband.

"It's time your Uncle Adin was at home," she31 said. "I suppose his business kept him longer than he expected."

Just then Mr. Gould entered the yard. He looked excited and anxious.

"Dean," he said, "something's happened to your uncle. My horse just ran into my yard with the empty buggy."

Dean turned pale.

"What shall we do? he asked.

"Come with me. We'll go back over the road, and see if we can find him. Not a word to your aunt! We don't want to make her anxious."

1 awfully   

adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地

参考例句：

• Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
• I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。

2 impudent   

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。

3 foaming   

adj.布满泡沫的；发泡

参考例句：

• He looked like a madman, foaming at the mouth. 他口吐白沫，看上去像个疯子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He is foaming at the mouth about the committee's decision. 他正为委员会的决定大发其火。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 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。

5 oars   

n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He pulled as hard as he could on the oars. 他拼命地划桨。
• The sailors are bending to the oars. 水手们在拼命地划桨。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 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。

7 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。

8 impudence   

n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼

参考例句：

• His impudence provoked her into slapping his face.他的粗暴让她气愤地给了他一耳光。
• What knocks me is his impudence.他的厚颜无耻使我感到吃惊。

9 outraged   

a.震惊的，义愤填膺的

参考例句：

• Members of Parliament were outraged by the news of the assassination. 议会议员们被这暗杀的消息激怒了。
• He was outraged by their behavior. 他们的行为使他感到愤慨。

10 subsided   

v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上

参考例句：

• After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后，部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚， 暴风雨已经过去，四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

11 seizure   

n.没收；占有；抵押

参考例句：

• The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。
• The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。

12 pebbly   

多卵石的，有卵石花纹的

参考例句：

• Sometimes the water spread like a sheen over the pebbly bed. 有时河水泛流在圆石子的河床上，晶莹发光。
• The beach is pebbly. 这个海滩上有许多卵石。

13 wharf   

n.码头，停泊处

参考例句：

• We fetch up at the wharf exactly on time.我们准时到达码头。
• We reached the wharf gasping for breath.我们气喘吁吁地抵达了码头。

14 constable   

n.(英国)警察，警官

参考例句：

• The constable conducted the suspect to the police station.警官把嫌疑犯带到派出所。
• The constable kept his temper,and would not be provoked.那警察压制着自己的怒气，不肯冒起火来。

15 intercepted   

拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻

参考例句：

• Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave the hotel. 他正要离开旅馆，记者们把他拦截住了。
• Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave by the rear entrance. 他想从后门溜走，记者把他截住了。

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 sullen   

adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的

参考例句：

• He looked up at the sullen sky.他抬头看了一眼阴沉的天空。
• Susan was sullen in the morning because she hadn't slept well.苏珊今天早上郁闷不乐，因为昨晚没睡好。

18 sarcastically   

adv.挖苦地，讽刺地

参考例句：

• 'What a surprise!' Caroline murmured sarcastically.“太神奇了!”卡罗琳轻声挖苦道。
• Pierce mocked her and bowed sarcastically. 皮尔斯嘲笑她，讽刺地鞠了一躬。

19 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

20 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

21 fervently   

adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地

参考例句：

• "Oh, I am glad!'she said fervently. “哦，我真高兴！”她热烈地说道。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• O my dear, my dear, will you bless me as fervently to-morrow?' 啊，我亲爱的，亲爱的，你明天也愿这样热烈地为我祝福么？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

22 brat   

n.孩子；顽童

参考例句：

• He's a spoilt brat.他是一个被宠坏了的调皮孩子。
• The brat sicked his dog on the passer-by.那个顽童纵狗去咬过路人。

23 snarled   

v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说

参考例句：

• The dog snarled at us. 狗朝我们低声吼叫。
• As I advanced towards the dog, It'snarled and struck at me. 我朝那条狗走去时，它狂吠着向我扑来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 sneered   

讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He sneered at people who liked pop music. 他嘲笑喜欢流行音乐的人。
• It's very discouraging to be sneered at all the time. 成天受嘲讽是很令人泄气的。