CHAPTER XIV. A NEW ACQUAINTANCE.

 Having made all necessary preparations, Ferguson and Tom set out on their way. They took a course differing somewhat from that chosen by John Miles, one object being to survey the country, and find, if possible, a suitable place for continuing their search for gold. After their three months' steady work both of our travellers were prepared to enjoy the journey. Their road was difficult at times, from its steepness, and more than once they found it necessary, out of consideration for the horse, to get out and walk. But this only added to the romantic charm of the trip.

 

"It's like a constant picnic," said Tom. "I should like to travel this way for a year, if I did not feel the need of working."

 

"We might tire of it after a while," suggested Ferguson,—"in the rainy season, for example."[Pg 132]

 

"That would not be so pleasant, to be sure," Tom admitted. "Do you have such fine scenery in Scotland, Mr. Ferguson?"

 

"Our mountains are not so high, my lad, nor our trees so gigantic; but it's the associations that make them interesting. Every hill has a legend connected with it, and our great novelist, Walter Scott, has invested them with a charm that draws pilgrims from all parts of the world to see them. Now this is a new country—beautiful, I grant, but without a history. Look around you, and you will see nothing to remind you of man. It is nature on a grand scale, I admit, but the soul is wanting."

 

"I like mountains," said Tom, thoughtfully. "There is something grand about them."

 

"There are some famous mountains in your native State, New Hampshire, are there not, Tom?"

 

"Yes; but I have only seen them from a distance. They are not above thirty miles away from where I was born; but poor people don't travel in search of scenery, Mr. Ferguson."

 

"No, my lad, and there's another thing I have[Pg 133] noticed. We don't care much for the curiosities that are near us. The people about here, if there are any settled inhabitants, care nothing about the mountains, I doubt."

 

"That is true. In our village at home there is an old man nearly eighty years old who has never visited the mountains, though he has lived near them all his life."

 

"I can well believe it, my lad. But what is that?"

 

The sound which elicited¹ this exclamation² was a loud "Hollo!" evidently proceeding³ from some one in their rear.

 

Both Tom and the Scotchman turned, and their eyes rested on a horseman evidently spurring forward to overtake them. Tom, who was driving, reined⁴ in the horse, and brought him to a stop. The horseman was soon even with them.

 

He was evidently a Yankee. All Yankees do not carry about with them an unmistakable certificate of their origin, but Ebenezer Onthank was a typical New Englander. His face was long and thin, his expression shrewd and good-natured, his limbs were long and ungainly. In later life, with[Pg 134] the addition of forty or fifty pounds of flesh, he would be much improved in appearance.

 

"Good-morning, gentlemen," said he. "It seems kinder good to see a human face again. It ain't very populous⁵ round here, is it?"

 

"We haven't seen any large towns," said Tom, smiling.

 

"Where are you steerin'?" inquired the Yankee. "I'm expectin' to fetch up at San Francisco some time, if I don't get lost in the woods."

 

"That is our destination, my friend," returned Ferguson.

 

"Would you mind my joining your party?" asked Onthank. "It's lonesome travelin' by one's self without a soul to speak to."

 

"We shall be glad of your company," said the Scotchman, sincerely, for, though naturally cautious, he could not suspect the new-comer of anything which would make him an undesirable⁶ companion.

 

"Perhaps you'd like to know who I am," said the new acquaintance. "My name is Ebenezer[Pg 135] Onthank, from Green Mountain Mills, in Vermont. My father is deacon of the Baptist Church at home."

 

"I suppose you will take his place when you get older," said Tom, gravely.

 

"No, I guess not. I wonder what Susan Jones would say to my bein' a deacon!" and Ebenezer burst into a loud laugh.

 

"Is Miss Jones a particular friend of yours?" asked Tom, slyly.

 

"I should say she was. Why, I expect to marry her when I get home."

 

"I congratulate you."

 

"Don't be too fast. We ain't hitched⁷ yet. Say, boy, where do you come from?"

 

"From Vernon, in New Hampshire."

 

"You don't say! Why, that ain't more'n fifty miles from Green Mountain Mills; cu'rus we should meet so fur away from hum, ain't it? When did you start?"

 

"Seven or eight months ago."

 

"I've been in California six months. Does that gentleman come from your town?"[Pg 136]

 

"My friend," answered the Scotchman, not without a touch of pride, "I am not an American; I am from the Highlands of Scotland."

 

"You be? Sho! Well, of course you can't help that."

 

"Help it, sir? I am proud of hailing from the land of Scott and Burns."

 

"Well, I guess it's a pretty nice sort of country," said Mr. Onthank, patronizingly. "I guess you'll like America best, though."

 

"I am by no means sure of that, my friend," said Ferguson, a little nettled⁸. "America's all very well, but—"

 

"Why, you could put Scotland into its waist-coat pocket, and there'd be plenty of room left," said Ebenezer, energetically.

 

"I admit that, as regards size, Scotland cannot compare with this country."

 

"Say, have you got mountains as high as them, or trees as high as that?" pointing to a gigantic redwood.

 

"No; but size is not everything."

 

"That's so. Vermont is a little State, but she's[Pg 137] smart, I tell you. But you haven't told me your names yet."

 

"I am called Donald Ferguson, Mr. Onthank. My young friend here answers to the name of Thomas Nelson."

 

"Commonly called Tom," added our hero, smiling.

 

"Why, I've got a brother Tom," said Mr. Onthank. "Cu'rus, isn't it?"

 

Considering that Tom is by no means an uncommon⁹ name, it could hardly be called very remarkable¹⁰, but Tom politely assented¹¹.

 

"Is he older than I am?" he inquired.

 

"Yes, my brother Tom is twenty-one years old. I expect he voted at the last town-meeting. I'm four years older than Tom."

 

"Have you been fortunate so far in California, Mr. Onthank?"

 

"Can't say I have. I guess I've wandered round too much. Been a sort of rollin' stone; and my granny used to say that a rollin' stone gathers no moss¹². I've got about enough money to get me to San Francisco, and I own this animal; but I[Pg 138] haven't made a fortune yet. What luck have you two had?"

 

"Pretty fair, but it will take a good while to make our fortunes. We own this team, and that's about all we do own."

 

"A sort of an express wagon¹³, isn't it?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Ain't goin' into the express business, be you?"

 

"Probably not. We bought it on speculation¹⁴."

 

"That reminds me of old Sam Bailey in our town. He was always tradin' horses. Sometimes he made money, and then again he didn't. How much did you give?"

 

Tom told him.

 

"That was a pretty stiff price, wasn't it?"

 

"It would be considered so at home, but we hope to get a good deal more, when we come to sell it."

 

Their new friend kept on with them, amusing them with his homely¹⁵ sayings, and original views of things. His conversation beguiled¹⁶ the tedium¹⁷ of the journey, so that all were surprised when[Pg 139] the shadows deepened, and supper-time came. Selecting a favorable place they encamped for the night.

1 elicited   

引出，探出( elicit的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Threats to reinstate the tax elicited jeer from the Opposition. 恢复此项征税的威胁引起了反对党的嘲笑。
• The comedian's joke elicited applause and laughter from the audience. 那位滑稽演员的笑话博得观众的掌声和笑声。

2 exclamation   

n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词

参考例句：

• He could not restrain an exclamation of approval.他禁不住喝一声采。
• The author used three exclamation marks at the end of the last sentence to wake up the readers.作者在文章的最后一句连用了三个惊叹号，以引起读者的注意。

3 proceeding   

n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报

参考例句：

• This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
• The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。

4 reined   

勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理

参考例句：

• Then, all of a sudden, he reined up his tired horse. 这时，他突然把疲倦的马勒住了。
• The officer reined in his horse at a crossroads. 军官在十字路口勒住了马。

5 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

6 undesirable   

adj.不受欢迎的，不良的，不合意的，讨厌的；n.不受欢迎的人，不良分子

参考例句：

• They are the undesirable elements among the employees.他们是雇员中的不良分子。
• Certain chemicals can induce undesirable changes in the nervous system.有些化学物质能在神经系统中引起不良变化。

7 hitched   

（免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的过去式和过去分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上

参考例句：

• They hitched a ride in a truck. 他们搭乘了一辆路过的货车。
• We hitched a ride in a truck yesterday. 我们昨天顺便搭乘了一辆卡车。

8 nettled   

v.拿荨麻打，拿荨麻刺（nettle的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• My remarks clearly nettled her. 我的话显然惹恼了她。
• He had been growing nettled before, but now he pulled himself together. 他刚才有些来火，但现在又恢复了常态。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛

9 uncommon   

adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的

参考例句：

• Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
• Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。

10 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

11 assented   

同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The judge assented to allow the prisoner to speak. 法官同意允许犯人申辩。
• "No," assented Tom, "they don't kill the women -- they're too noble. “对，”汤姆表示赞同地说，“他们不杀女人——真伟大！

12 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

13 wagon   

n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车

参考例句：

• We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
• The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。

14 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

15 homely   

adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的

参考例句：

• We had a homely meal of bread and cheese.我们吃了一顿面包加乳酪的家常便餐。
• Come and have a homely meal with us,will you?来和我们一起吃顿家常便饭，好吗？

16 beguiled   

v.欺骗( beguile的过去式和过去分词 )；使陶醉；使高兴；消磨（时间等）

参考例句：

• She beguiled them into believing her version of events. 她哄骗他们相信了她叙述的事情。
• He beguiled me into signing this contract. 他诱骗我签订了这项合同。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

17 tedium   

n.单调；烦闷

参考例句：

• We played games to relieve the tedium of the journey.我们玩游戏，来解除旅行的沉闷。
• In myself I could observe the following sources of tedium. 从我自己身上，我所观察到的烦闷的根源有下列一些。