“Don’t be frightened, Carrie,” said Julius, soothingly8, though, to tell the truth, he felt rather uncomfortable himself.
“What do you want?” he demanded, putting a bold face on.
“Want little girl,” answered the Indian.
“I am taking her home. Her father sent me for her.”
“No matter; no go,” said the Indian, frowning.
“What good will it do you to keep her?” asked Julius, though he suspected argument would be of no avail.
“No matter; come!” said the savage, and he seized Carrie by the hand.
“Oh, Julius, don’t let him carry me off,” said Carrie, beginning to cry.
“We must go, Carrie,” said our hero, in a low voice. “Perhaps he will let us go after a while.”
“But I want to go to mamma!” said the little girl, piteously.
“No go. Mother bad,” said the Indian.
“She isn’t bad,” said Carrie, forgetting her fear in her indignation. “She’s good. You are bad.”
“Hush, Carrie!” said Julius, who foresaw that it would not be prudent to provoke the savage.
“You come, too,” said the Indian to Julius. “What for you steal little girl?”
Julius felt that he might with great propriety9 have put this question to his companion, but he forebore. He was trying to think of some way of escape.
The Indian plunged10 into the thick wood, holding Carrie by the hand. Julius followed close after him.
“So it seems,” he said to himself, “instead of recovering Carrie I am caught myself. I wish Mr. Taylor and Abner would come along. We should be too much for the Indian, then.”
This gave him an idea. He took a piece of paper quietly from his pocket, and wrote on it:
“I am with Carrie and the Indian. He is leading us into the middle of the wood. I will drop pieces of paper here and there on the way.
Julius.”
“There,” he said to himself; “if either of them comes this way, it may be the means of saving us.”
But though John did not observe this, he did notice the pieces of paper which Julius dropped, and he was sharp enough to detect his motive12 for doing this.
“What for drop paper?” he demanded, seizing Julius roughly by the shoulder.
Julius knew that it would be of no use to equivocate13, and he answered, manfully. “To let Mr. Taylor know where we are.”
Julius was forced to pick up all the bits of paper he had scattered15, but the original one containing the message he left where it lay.
“Now come.”
The Indian made Julius go in front, and the three went on till they reached the pile of leaves where Carrie and the Indian had rested before.
The Indian resumed his reclining position, and made Julius and Carrie sit down also. Our hero, who still had the pistol, was in doubt whether to use it, but a moment’s reflection satisfied him that it would be of no use. If he wounded the Indian, the latter in his rage might kill them both. Another idea came to him. He had heard from Mrs. Taylor that the Indian had demanded money, and had probably taken offense16 because it was not given him. He had two dollars in his pocket. If he should give this to their captor, he would probably be eager to invest it in “fire water,” and this would make it necessary to go to the village. While he was absent Carrie and he could start again on their way home.
“Let us go,” he said, “and I will give you money.”
As he spoke he drew four silver half-dollars from his pocket.
Julius surrendered them, but said, “Can we go home?”
“No go,” said the Indian. “Stay here.”
Our hero expected nothing better. Still he felt disappointed.
By and by the anticipated effect was produced. The Indian was eager to exchange the money for drink, but he did not want his captives to escape.
He arose to his feet, and approached Julius.
“Come,” he said.
He took the wondering boy by the shoulder, and placed his back against a tree.
“What is he going to do?” thought our hero, rather alarmed.
He was not long left in uncertainty.
The Indian drew from some hiding place in his raiment a stout19 cord, and proceeded dexterously20 to tie Julius to the tree.
“Don’t hurt him!” exclaimed Carrie, terrified, thinking that something dreadful was going to be done to Julius.
The Indian did not deign21 to reply, but proceeded to perform his task so thoroughly22 that Julius felt uncomfortably cramped23.
When it was accomplished24, the Indian turned to go.
“Go ’way,” he said. “Soon come back. Stay here.”
Julius felt that he was likely to obey the command, as there was not much chance of his breaking his bonds. But there was one hope yet that somewhat encouraged him.
“Feel in my pocket, Carrie,” he said, “and see if I have a knife.”
Carrie obeyed, but the search was unavailing.
“How unlucky!” said Julius. “I usually have it with me, but I remember leaving it in my other pants. If I only had it, you could cut the string, and we could escape.”
“Do you think he will keep us always, Julius?” asked Carrie, disconsolately25.
“No, Carrie; I will find a way to get you home, before long,” said Julius in a tone that expressed more cheerfulness than he felt.
“It’s provoking,” he thought, “to be tied up here, when there is such a good chance to escape. I’ll never go without a knife again. I didn’t think how much good it might do me.”
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收听单词发音
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1
uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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2
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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3
wrest
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| n.扭，拧，猛夺；v.夺取，猛扭，歪曲 | |
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4
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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5
exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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6
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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7
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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8
soothingly
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| adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地 | |
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9
propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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10
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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11
casually
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| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
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12
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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13
equivocate
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| v.模棱两可地，支吾其词 | |
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14
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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15
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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16
offense
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| n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪 | |
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17
spoke
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| 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 | |
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18
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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20
dexterously
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| adv.巧妙地，敏捷地 | |
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21
deign
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| v. 屈尊, 惠允 ( 做某事) | |
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22
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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23
cramped
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| a.狭窄的 | |
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24
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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disconsolately
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| adv.悲伤地，愁闷地；哭丧着脸 | |
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