CHAPTER 2. THE YOUNG BOATMAN.

 Pine Point was situated¹ on the Kennebec River, and from its height overlooked it, so that a person standing² on its crest³ could scan the river for a considerable distance up and down. There was a small grove⁴ of pine-trees at a little distance, and this had given the point its name. A hundred feet from the brink⁵ stood the old-fashioned cottage occupied by Mrs. Morris. It had belonged, in a former generation, to an uncle of hers, who, dying unmarried, had bequeathed it to her. Perhaps[Pg 12] half an acre was attached to it. There had been more, but it had been sold off.

 

When Grit⁶ and his mother came to Chester to live—it was in this township that Pine Point was situated—she had but little of her two thousand dollars' remaining, and when her husband was called to expiate⁷ his offense⁸ against the law in prison, there were but ten dollars in the house. Mrs. Morris was fortunate enough to secure a boarder, whose board-money paid nearly all their small household expenses for three years, the remainder being earned by her own skill as a dressmaker; but when the boarder went to California, never to return, Grit was already thirteen years old, and hit upon a way of earning money.

 

On the opposite bank of the Kennebec was the village of Portville, but there was no bridge at that point. So Grit bought a boat for a few dollars, agreeing to pay for it in instalments, and established a private ferry between the two places. His ordinary charge for rowing a passenger across—the distance being half a mile—was ten cents; but if it were a child, or a poor person, he was willing to receive five, and he took parties of four at a reduction.

 

[Pg 13]

 

It was an idea of his own, but it paid. Grit himself was rather surprised at the number of persons who availed themselves of his ferry. Sometimes he found at the end of the day that he had received in fares over a dollar, and one Fourth of July, when there was a special celebration in Portville, he actually made three dollars. Of course, he had to work pretty hard for it, but the young boatman's arms were strong, as was shown by his sturdy stroke.

 

Grit was now fifteen, and he could reflect with pride that for two years he had been able to support his mother in a comfortable manner, so that she had wanted for nothing—that is, for nothing that could be classed as a comfort. Luxuries he had not been able to supply, but for them neither he nor his mother cared. They were content with their plain way of living.

 

But if his stepfather were coming home, Grit felt that his income would no longer be adequate to maintain the household. Mr. Brandon ought to increase the family income, but, knowing what he and his mother did of his ways, he built no hope upon that. It looked as[Pg 14] if their quiet home happiness was likely to be rudely broken in upon by the threatened invasion.

 

"Well, mother," said Grit, "I must get to work."

 

"You haven't finished your dinner, my son."

 

"Your news has spoiled my appetite, mother. However, I dare say I'll make up for it at supper."

 

"I'll save a piece of meat for you to eat then. You work so hard that you need meat to keep up your strength."

 

"I haven't had to work much this morning, mother, worse luck! I only earned twenty cents. People don't seem inclined to travel to-day."

 

"Never mind, Grit. I've got five dollars in the house."

 

"Save it for a rainy day, mother. The day is only half over, and I may have good luck this afternoon."

 

As Grit left the house with his quick, firm step, Mrs. Morris looked after him with blended affection and pride.

 

"What a good boy he is!" she said to [Pg 15]herself. "He is a boy that any mother might be proud of."

 

And so he was. Our young hero was not only a strong, manly⁹ boy, but there was something very attractive in his clear eyes and frank smile, browned though his skin was by constant exposure to the sun and wind. He was a general favorite in the town, or, rather, in the two towns, for he was as well known in Portville as he was in Chester.

 

I have said he was a general favorite, but there was one at least who disliked him. This was Phil Courtney, a boy about his own age, the son of an ex-president of the Chester bank, a boy who considered himself of great consequence, and socially far above the young boatman. He lived in a handsome house, and had a good supply of pocket-money, though he was always grumbling¹⁰ about his small allowance. It by no means follows that money makes a boy a snob¹¹, but if he has any tendency that way, it is likely to show itself under such circumstances.

 

Now, it happened that Phil had a cousin staying at his house as a visitor, quite a pretty girl, in whose eyes he liked to appear to [Pg 16]advantage. As Grit reached the shore, where he had tied his boat, they were seen approaching the same point.

 

"I wonder if Phil is going to favor me with his patronage," thought Grit, as his eyes fell upon them.

 

"Here, you boatman!" called out Phil, in a tone of authority. "We want to go over to Portville."

 

Grit's eyes danced with merriment, as he answered gravely:

 

"I have no objection to your going."

 

The girl laughed merrily, but Phil frowned, for his dignity was wounded by Grit's flippancy¹².

 

"I am not in the habit of considering whether you have any objection or not," he said haughtily¹³.

 

"Don't be a goose, Phil!" said his cousin. "The boy is in fun."

 

"I would rather he would not make fun of me," said Phil.

 

"I won't, then," said Grit, smiling.

 

"Ahem! you may convey us across," said Phil.

 

"If you please," added the young lady, with a smile.

 

[Pg 17]

 

"She is very good-looking, and five times as polite as Phil," thought Grit, fixing his eyes admiringly upon the pretty face of Marion Clarke, as he afterward¹⁴ learned her name to be.

 

"I shall be glad to have you as a passenger," said our hero, but he looked at Marion, not at Phil.

 

"Thank you."

 

"If you've got through with your compliments," said Phil impatiently, "we'd better start."

 

"I am ready," said Grit. "May I help you in?" he asked of Marion.

 

"Yes, thank you."

 

"It is quite unnecessary. I can assist you," said Phil, advancing.

 

But he was too late, for Marion had already availed herself of the young boatman's proffered¹⁵ aid.

 

"Thank you," said Marion again, pleasantly, as she took her seat in the stern.

 

"Why didn't you wait for me?" demanded Phil crossly, as he took his seat beside her.

 

"I didn't want to be always troubling you, cousin Phil," said Marion, with a coquettish[Pg 18] glance at Grit, which her cousin did not at all relish¹⁶.

 

"Don't notice him so much," he said, in a low voice. "He's only a poor boatman."

 

"He is very good-looking, I think," said Marion.

 

Grit's back was turned, but he heard both question and answer, and his cheeks glowed with pleasure at the young lady's speech, though it was answered by a contemptuous sniff¹⁷ from Phil.

 

"I don't admire your taste, Marion," he said.

 

"Hush¹⁸, he'll hear you," she whispered. "What's his name?"

 

By way of answering, Phil addressed Grit in a condescending¹⁹ tone.

 

"Well, Grit, how is business to-day?"

 

"Rather quiet, thank you."

 

"You see, he earns his living by boating, explained Phil, with the manner of one who was speaking of a very inferior person.

 

"How much have you earned now?" he asked further.

 

"Only twenty cents," answered Grit; "but I suppose," he added, smiling, "I suppose you intend to pay me liberally."

 

[Pg 19]

 

"I mean to pay you your regular fare," said Phil, who was not of a liberal disposition²⁰.

 

"Thank you; I ask no more."

 

"Do you row across often?" asked Marion.

 

"Sometimes I make eight or ten trips in a day. On the Fourth of July I went fifteen times."

 

"How strong you must be!"

 

"Pooh! I could do more than that," said Phil loftily, unwilling²¹ that Grit should be admired for anything.

 

"Oh, I know you're remarkable," said his cousin dryly.

 

Just then the wind, which was unusually strong, took Phil's hat, and it blew off to a considerable distance.

 

"My hat's off!" exclaimed Phil, in excitement. "Row after it, quick. It's a new Panama, and cost ten dollars."

 

1 situated   

adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的

参考例句：

• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
• She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。

2 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。

3 crest   

n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖

参考例句：

• The rooster bristled his crest.公鸡竖起了鸡冠。
• He reached the crest of the hill before dawn.他于黎明前到达山顶。

4 grove   

n.林子，小树林，园林

参考例句：

• On top of the hill was a grove of tall trees.山顶上一片高大的树林。
• The scent of lemons filled the grove.柠檬香味充满了小树林。

5 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

6 grit   

n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关

参考例句：

• The soldiers showed that they had plenty of grit. 士兵们表现得很有勇气。
• I've got some grit in my shoe.我的鞋子里弄进了一些砂子。

7 expiate   

v.抵补，赎罪

参考例句：

• He tried to expiate his crimes by giving money to the church.他以捐款给教会来赎罪。
• It seemed that Alice was expiating her father's sins with her charity work.似乎艾丽斯正在通过自己的慈善工作来弥补父亲的罪过。

8 offense   

n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪

参考例句：

• I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
• His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。

9 manly   

adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地

参考例句：

• The boy walked with a confident manly stride.这男孩以自信的男人步伐行走。
• He set himself manly tasks and expected others to follow his example.他给自己定下了男子汉的任务，并希望别人效之。

10 grumbling   

adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的

参考例句：

• She's always grumbling to me about how badly she's treated at work. 她总是向我抱怨她在工作中如何受亏待。
• We didn't hear any grumbling about the food. 我们没听到过对食物的抱怨。

11 snob   

n.势利小人，自以为高雅、有学问的人

参考例句：

• Going to a private school had made her a snob.上私立学校后，她变得很势利。
• If you think that way, you are a snob already.如果你那样想的话，你已经是势利小人了。

12 flippancy   

n.轻率；浮躁；无礼的行动

参考例句：

• His flippancy makes it difficult to have a decent conversation with him.他玩世不恭，很难正经地和他交谈。
• The flippancy of your answer peeved me.你轻率的回答令我懊恼。

13 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。

14 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

15 proffered   

v.提供，贡献，提出( proffer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She proffered her cheek to kiss. 她伸过自己的面颊让人亲吻。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He rose and proffered a silver box full of cigarettes. 他站起身，伸手递过一个装满香烟的银盒子。 来自辞典例句

16 relish   

n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味

参考例句：

• I have no relish for pop music.我对流行音乐不感兴趣。
• I relish the challenge of doing jobs that others turn down.我喜欢挑战别人拒绝做的工作。

17 sniff   

vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视

参考例句：

• The police used dogs to sniff out the criminals in their hiding - place.警察使用警犬查出了罪犯的藏身地点。
• When Munchie meets a dog on the beach, they sniff each other for a while.当麦奇在海滩上碰到另一条狗的时候，他们会彼此嗅一会儿。

18 hush   

int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静

参考例句：

• A hush fell over the onlookers.旁观者们突然静了下来。
• Do hush up the scandal!不要把这丑事声张出去！

19 condescending   

adj.谦逊的,故意屈尊的

参考例句：

• He has a condescending attitude towards women. 他对女性总是居高临下。
• He tends to adopt a condescending manner when talking to young women. 和年轻女子说话时，他喜欢摆出一副高高在上的姿态。

20 disposition   

n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署

参考例句：

• He has made a good disposition of his property.他已对财产作了妥善处理。
• He has a cheerful disposition.他性情开朗。

21 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。