CHAPTER XXXIII RESCUED

 It seemed to Gerald like a terrible dream, as he tried with his unpractised eyes to peer through the blackness. But it was completely dark. It seemed to be an excavation¹ which had been abandoned. It was at some distance from that part of the mine in which active operations were going on. How long he would be kept here he could not conjecture². Whether, indeed, the superintendent³ would dare to keep him in captivity⁴, perhaps even let him starve to death, he could not tell. He felt it hard to realize the position he was in.

 

Leaving him to his troubled thoughts, we will go back to the hotel where Joshua Burdoch and he were guests.

 

When Gerald left the house with the superintendent, Burdoch was temporarily absent. Twenty minutes later he returned, and looked about for Gerald. Not seeing him he concluded that he had gone out for a walk. But an hour passed, and still Gerald was absent. He did not feel anxious about him, but he and Gerald were such constant companions that he felt lonesome and uneasy without him.

 

He walked up to the desk of the hotel and asked the landlord: "Have you seen anything of the boy?"

 

"Yes, he was here rather more than an hour ago."

 

"Did he go out?"

 

"Yes; he went out with Mr. Hawk⁵."

 

"The superintendent of the mine?"

 

"Yes."

 

This surprised Mr. Burdoch. For, so far as he knew, the two had never held any communication.

 

"Did they appear to be talking together?" he asked.

 

"Yes."

 

"Where do you think they went?"

 

"I believe Hawk proposed that the boy should go with him to the mine."

 

"I wonder what that means?" thought Burdoch, puzzled.

 

He took his hat and walked out in the direction of the mine.

 

Near by he saw Nelson Hawk conversing⁶ with one of the miners.

 

"Mr. Hawk," he said, walking up to the superintendent, "where is Gerald Lane?"

 

Nelson Hawk shrugged⁷ his shoulders.

 

"I don't know," he answered.

 

"Lockard told me he left the hotel in your company."

 

"Yes, we walked a little way together."

 

"And then you separated?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Did he go back?"

 

"I presume so."

 

"He did not go down into the mine?"

 

"No. Why should he?"

 

"I don't know. I merely asked."

 

"I am busy. I can't talk with you any more."

 

Joshua Burdoch, more puzzled than ever, walked slowly away. A hundred yards distant he met a man he knew, and asked if he had seen anything of Gerald.

 

"An hour or two ago I saw him with Mr. Hawk."

 

"Where were they?"

 

"Just going down into the mine."

 

"I'll warrant, there's some mischief⁸ here!" exclaimed Burdoch. "Hawk has been deceiving me."

 

"You didn't see the two come up again?"

 

"No; but I saw Hawk coming out of the mine alone."

 

This confirmed the suspicion of Burdoch, and he guessed the truth.

 

"McKee," he said, "I scent⁹ trouble. That man has left the boy in the mine, and I propose to get him out. Are you with me?"

 

"Yes; I hate Hawk, and I will help you cheerfully."

 

"Then come back with me."

 

Burdoch strode back and walked up to the superintendent.

 

"Mr. Hawk," he said, "you have shut up the boy in the mine. Unless you release him I will shoot you!"

 

Hawk turned pale, but tried to bluster¹⁰.

 

"You are mistaken," he said. "At any rate, I won't be talked to in this style."

 

"You can't help yourself."

 

"What motive¹¹ could I have for confining the boy?"

 

"You have probably found out that he represents your partner, old Tom Nixon, and that he has come here to find out the real state of the mine."

 

"You astonish me, and I don't believe you. Nixon wouldn't send a kid like that."

 

"We won't argue the point. That boy must be released!"

 

"He is not in the mine."

 

"I intend to go down and see."

 

"Oh, very well; you can go!"

 

"You must go with us."

 

"I have not time."

 

In reply, Burdoch put a pistol to the side of his head.

 

"Be careful," said the affrighted superintendent, "it might go off!"

 

"Will you go down?"

 

"Yes."

 

They started, Burdoch watching Hawk closely, ready at the slightest sign of treachery to shoot him.

 

But Hawk had made up his mind to deceive him if he could. He did not dare to resort to violence in the case of a man so strong and determined¹² as Joshua Burdoch. They descended¹³ to the bottom of the mine, and the party got out.

 

"Now," said Hawk, waving his hand, "you are at liberty to search for yourself, and if you can find the boy, do so!"

 

Burdoch and his friend went about the mine, peering everywhere, but no trace of Gerald's presence could be found.

 

Burdoch became uneasy and discouraged. He had no confidence in the superintendent. He felt convinced that he was being deceived, but how could he prove it?

 

"Well," said Hawk, who had not accompanied them, "have you found him?"

 

There was a triumphant¹⁴ smile on his face, which excited Burdoch's suspicions.

 

"Not yet," he answered, briefly¹⁵.

 

"Oh, well, you can continue your search," and he walked away.

 

"McKee," said Burdoch, abruptly¹⁶, "have you ever been in this mine before?"

 

"Yes; two years ago I was employed here for a few weeks."

 

"Is there any place—any secret place—besides those that we have visited where the boy could be confined?"

 

"Yes," answered McKee, with a sudden thought, "there is a vault¹⁷ not now used, rather apart from the rest of the mine, where he might be concealed¹⁸."

 

"Can you guide me there?" asked Burdoch, eagerly.

 

"Yes, I think so."

 

"Then do so in mercy's name!"

 

McKee's memory served him well. He led the way to the side excavation. It was shut off from the rest of the mine by a wooden door. That door was locked.

 

"This is the place," said Burdoch. "Now to find out if Gerald is here!"

 

He struck with his heavy jack-knife on the door, and then waited.

 

There was an answering knock.

 

"That is he!" he exclaimed.

 

He bent¹⁹ down and called through the keyhole:

 

"Are you inside, Gerald?"

 

There was a faint sound. He could not hear the words, but he was convinced that it was Gerald's voice.

 

Now to open the door. It was heavy and the lock was strong. There seemed no way except to use the key. That key undoubtedly²⁰ the superintendent had. Just then Nelson Hawk came in sight. He had been afraid the secret room would be found.

 

"Well, gentlemen," he said, uneasily, "you seem to have gone astray. What brought you here?"

 

"Give me the key of that door!" said Burdoch, sternly.

 

"I have no key."

 

"Give me that key!"

 

"I tell you I have none," and the superintendent started to go away.

 

Instantly Burdoch had him by the throat.

 

"Now search his pockets, McKee."

 

"You will repent²¹ this outrage," said Nelson Hawk, in a choking voice.

 

"I will risk that."

 

From his pockets a bunch of keys was taken by McKee, and one of them was found to fit the door.

 

Burdoch inserted it in the lock, and in a moment the door swung back, revealing Gerald, who gladly stepped outside.

 

"You scoundrel!" said Burdoch, shaking his fist in the superintendent's face. "Now tell your story, Gerald."

 

Gerald did so.

 

"What have you to say for yourself, Hawk?" demanded Burdoch.

 

"It must have been a mistake," whined²² the superintendent.

 

"You will hear from us again. Now, Gerald, we will go out."

 

"Now," said Burdoch, "do you know what I have decided²³ to do?"

 

"No."

 

"I shall go back with you to Campville, make Mr. Nixon an offer for his share in the mine, come back and force Hawk out. I mean to control it and manage it myself. You shall introduce me to Tom Nixon."

 

"I will with pleasure."

1 excavation   

n.挖掘，发掘；被挖掘之地

参考例句：

• The bad weather has hung up the work of excavation.天气不好耽误了挖掘工作。
• The excavation exposed some ancient ruins.这次挖掘暴露出一些古遗迹。

2 conjecture   

n./v.推测，猜测

参考例句：

• She felt it no use to conjecture his motives.她觉得猜想他的动机是没有用的。
• This conjecture is not supported by any real evidence.这种推测未被任何确切的证据所证实。

3 superintendent   

n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长

参考例句：

• He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。
• He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。

4 captivity   

n.囚禁；被俘；束缚

参考例句：

• A zoo is a place where live animals are kept in captivity for the public to see.动物园是圈养动物以供公众观看的场所。
• He was held in captivity for three years.他被囚禁叁年。

5 hawk   

n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员

参考例句：

• The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it.鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来,并把它杀死。
• The hawk snatched the chicken and flew away.老鹰叼了小鸡就飞走了。

6 conversing   

v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I find that conversing with her is quite difficult. 和她交谈实在很困难。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They were conversing in the parlor. 他们正在客厅谈话。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

7 shrugged   

vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
• She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 mischief   

n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹

参考例句：

• Nobody took notice of the mischief of the matter. 没有人注意到这件事情所带来的危害。
• He seems to intend mischief.看来他想捣蛋。

9 scent   

n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉

参考例句：

• The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。
• The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。

10 bluster   

v.猛刮；怒冲冲的说；n.吓唬，怒号；狂风声

参考例句：

• We could hear the bluster of the wind and rain.我们能听到狂风暴雨的吹打声。
• He was inclined to bluster at first,but he soon dropped.起初他老爱吵闹一阵，可是不久就不做声了。

11 motive   

n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的

参考例句：

• The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
• He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

12 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

13 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

14 triumphant   

adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的

参考例句：

• The army made a triumphant entry into the enemy's capital.部队胜利地进入了敌方首都。
• There was a positively triumphant note in her voice.她的声音里带有一种极为得意的语气。

15 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

16 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

17 vault   

n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室

参考例句：

• The vault of this cathedral is very high.这座天主教堂的拱顶非常高。
• The old patrician was buried in the family vault.这位老贵族埋在家族的墓地里。

18 concealed   

a.隐藏的，隐蔽的

参考例句：

• The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
• I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

19 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

20 undoubtedly   

adv.确实地，无疑地

参考例句：

• It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
• He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。

21 repent   

v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔

参考例句：

• He has nothing to repent of.他没有什么要懊悔的。
• Remission of sins is promised to those who repent.悔罪者可得到赦免。

22 whined   

v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨

参考例句：

• The dog whined at the door, asking to be let out. 狗在门前嚎叫着要出去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He whined and pouted when he did not get what he wanted. 他要是没得到想要的东西就会发牢骚、撅嘴。 来自辞典例句

23 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。