CHAPTER XXXII. TWO NEW ACQUAINTANCES.

 Dean had no particular choice as to the direction he would take. His principal desire was to get out of the neighborhood, so as to avoid meeting Kirby or Dan, as this would insure a second term of imprisonment¹ from which he could not hope to escape so easily. He had a general idea of the location of the cabin in which he had passed the previous night, and he shaped his course as far away from it as possible. He looked at his watch, which Kirby had neglected to take, and found that it was between four and five in the afternoon. He did not know how far the wooded district extended, but hoped soon to emerge from it.

Money

MR. KIRBY WAS COUNTING A NUMBER OF $50 BILLS.

It might have been that he was bewildered, but the farther he traveled the more he seemed to be surrounded by trees. Moreover the shades were225 deepening, and soon the night would settle about him.

"I wish I had a compass," thought Dean. "That would help me find my way out of this labyrinth²."

He had met no one as yet, and this was upon the whole a relief, as the persons most likely to be encountered were Kirby and Dan. But at length a sound of voices fell upon his ear, and he stayed his steps in momentary³ alarm. He listened intently, but was reassured⁴ when he found that the voices were unfamiliar⁵.

"It may be some one who can show me the way out of these woods," thought Dean. "At any rate I don't believe they will harm a boy. I will try to find them."

Guided by the voices he directed his steps in the direction of the sound, and found himself at length in an open space. Under a tree reclined two stalwart men who, from their garb⁶, appeared to be miners. They were lying in an easy position, and both were smoking pipes.

"Good-afternoon, gentlemen," said Dean politely.

The two men looked up in surprise.

"Why, it's a kid!" ejaculated one. "How came you here, boy?"

"I'll tell you, if you don't mind my joining you," said Dean.

226

"Come and welcome! It's rather refreshing⁷ to see a young chap like you. I've got a boy at home who is within a year or two as old as you."

"I am sixteen."

"So I thought. My boy is fourteen. What is your name?"

"Dean Dunham. I come from Waterford, New York."

"Then you are from my State. I am from Syracuse. My name is Rawson—Ben Rawson. My friend here is Ebenezer Jones, commonly called Eben, a Connecticut Yankee—Eben, shake with our young friend."

"I am glad to meet you, Mr. Jones," said Dean, extending his hand with a smile.

"You must look out for Eben," said Rawson jocosely⁸. "Them Connecticut Yankees are as sharp as they make 'em."

"I will risk it," said Dean. "I am very glad to meet you both, for I was beginning to feel that I was lost."

"Eben and I are too good mountaineers to be easily lost. How long have you been in these woods?"

"Since yesterday noon."

"Did you sleep out?"

"No, I found a cabin where I lodged⁹."

227

"You were in luck."

"In bad luck."

"How is that?" asked Rawson in surprise. "Were you robbed?"

"No, but I found myself in the company of two men who I am pretty sure belong to a gang of robbers. One of them I had seen before—at the East. They blindfolded¹⁰ me, and took me, to a cavern¹¹, where they left me in charge of a negro named Pompey."

"What could be their object?" asked Rawson. "You are sure you're not romancing, boy?"

"I wish I were, but the cave exists, just as certainly as I do."

"But of what use is it?"

"I think it is a hiding-place for their booty," answered Dean, and he gave an account of the chest which he had opened, and the nature of its contents.

"Why didn't you take a handful of the gold?" asked Rawson.

"At the time I didn't know but I should have to remain in the cave, when of course it would be discovered on me. Besides, though I knew it to be stolen property I didn't feel like taking it."

"Eben and I wouldn't be so particular. Whereabouts is this cave?"

"I think it must be three or four miles away, but228 I may be mistaken, for I got turned round, and may have doubled on my tracks. I have been afraid I might fall in with Kirby and Dan. When I heard your voices I thought at first it might be them."

"You're safe now, lad. We would be more than a match for them, even if they did turn up. I shouldn't mind giving them a lesson. But you haven't told us what brought you out here, lad."

"I thought I might make a better living than at home."

"And have you?"

"So far I have, but my prospects¹² don't appear to be very bright just now."

"Don't be too sure of that. Suppose you join us."

"I shall be glad to do so, if you will let me."

"Then we'll shake hands to our better acquaintance. I'd offer you a pipe if I had an extra one."

"Thank you; I don't smoke."

"Well, lad, perhaps you're right. Smoking won't do any good to a boy like you."

"If I am to join you would you mind telling me your plans?"

"Of course I will. We're miners, as you might guess from our looks. We've been up in Gilpin County, and have done pretty well. We've got some claims there yet, but we wanted a little change and have been on a little prospecting¹³ tour."

229

"Have you had good luck?"

"In prospecting? No! We are on our way back, and shall settle down to work again all the better for our holiday."

"How long have you been out here?" asked Dean.

"I've been here fourteen months—Eben for a year. We never met before, but we concluded to join forces, and haven't regretted it, eh—Eben?"

"Right you are, Rawson."

"Eben here has a girl at home that's waiting for him. When he has made his pile, he's going back to her."

"And how about you, Mr. Rawson?"

"Never mind about the handle to my name, youngster. Call me Ben."

"But you are so much older than I," objected Dean.

"We're free and easy out here—it's the best way. When we get back to the East you may call me Mr. Rawson if you want to. I say, Eben, if we take the boy into partnership¹⁴, he ought to have some capital."

"I am sorry that I can't put in any capital," said Dean. "Besides this watch I haven't over five dollars about me."

"You misunderstand me, lad. I mean that Eben and I should set you up in business. We've got six230 claims—between us. What do you say, Eben, to giving this boy two? Then we shall be equal partners, and share and share alike."

"It's just as you say, Ben," answered Eben, who was evidently guided in all things by his older companion.

"You are very generous, Ben," said Dean, "but I ought not to accept such a gift. If you don't mind giving me one, I will take it, and thank you."

"No, lad," persisted Rawson. "It's share and share alike, as I said."

"But I ought not to be on equal terms with you two, who have others to look out for."

"You won't be, lad—Eben and I have each got a pile salted down in one of the banks in Denver. It's near five thousand dollars apiece, isn't it, Eben?"

"Yes, not far from that, Rawson."

"We will share alike for the future—that's what I mean. There's more gold where the other came from, and I hope the claims will pan out well for your sake."

Dean felt that he had indeed fallen into good hands. He might have traveled far enough in the East without meeting strangers so free-handed. Indeed had he met the same parties at home, he would scarcely have found them so liberal. The wild, free231 life of the West had opened their hearts and made them generous.

"Hist!" said Rawson suddenly, raising his hand, and assuming an intent look, "I think I hear voices."

He was right. Two men, walking slowly, and appearing to be in earnest conversation, approached. "It's Dan and Kirby!" said Dean in excitement.

 

1 imprisonment   

n.关押，监禁，坐牢

参考例句：

• His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment.他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
• He was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for committing bigamy.他因为犯重婚罪被判入狱一年。

2 labyrinth   

n.迷宫；难解的事物；迷路

参考例句：

• He wandered through the labyrinth of the alleyways.他在迷宫似的小巷中闲逛。
• The human mind is a labyrinth.人的心灵是一座迷宫。

3 momentary   

adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的

参考例句：

• We are in momentary expectation of the arrival of you.我们无时无刻不在盼望你的到来。
• I caught a momentary glimpse of them.我瞥了他们一眼。

4 reassured   

adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The captain's confidence during the storm reassured the passengers. 在风暴中船长的信念使旅客们恢复了信心。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The doctor reassured the old lady. 医生叫那位老妇人放心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 unfamiliar   

adj.陌生的，不熟悉的

参考例句：

• I am unfamiliar with the place and the people here.我在这儿人地生疏。
• The man seemed unfamiliar to me.这人很面生。

6 garb   

n.服装，装束

参考例句：

• He wore the garb of a general.他身着将军的制服。
• Certain political,social,and legal forms reappear in seemingly different garb.一些政治、社会和法律的形式在表面不同的外衣下重复出现。

7 refreshing   

adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的

参考例句：

• I find it'so refreshing to work with young people in this department.我发现和这一部门的青年一起工作令人精神振奋。
• The water was cold and wonderfully refreshing.水很涼，特别解乏提神。

8 jocosely   

adv.说玩笑地，诙谐地

参考例句：

9 lodged   

v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属

参考例句：

• The certificate will have to be lodged at the registry. 证书必须存放在登记处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Our neighbours lodged a complaint against us with the police. 我们的邻居向警方控告我们。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 blindfolded   

v.（尤指用布）挡住（某人）的视线( blindfold的过去式 )；蒙住（某人）的眼睛；使不理解；蒙骗

参考例句：

• The hostages were tied up and blindfolded. 人质被捆绑起来并蒙上了眼睛。
• They were each blindfolded with big red handkerchiefs. 他们每个人的眼睛都被一块红色大手巾蒙住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 cavern   

n.洞穴，大山洞

参考例句：

• The cavern walls echoed his cries.大山洞的四壁回响着他的喊声。
• It suddenly began to shower,and we took refuge in the cavern.天突然下起雨来，我们在一个山洞里避雨。

12 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

13 prospecting   

n.探矿

参考例句：

• The prospecting team ploughed their way through the snow. 探险队排雪前进。
• The prospecting team has traversed the length and breadth of the land. 勘探队踏遍了祖国的山山水水。

14 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。