CHAPTER XIV BOB BANGS AND HIS HORSE

 Randy continued to wander around the country town, taking in such sights as came to view.

 

In the meantime Bob Bangs went after the horse he had mentioned. The rich youth had bothered his father for a horse for a long time and at last Mr. Bangs had consented to give him a steed. The horse was to be taken in exchange for a debt, and Bob had agreed to go to Leeville after him and take the animal to the summer resort at which he and his mother were stopping. It may be mentioned that the horse was worth only a hundred and fifty dollars, but the falsehood he had told in regard to the horse's value did not bother Bob Bangs in the least. He loved to boast upon every possible occasion.

 

"Is he gentle?" asked the rich boy, as he approached the horse, that was standing¹ in the yard of the former owner.

 

"As gentle as a lamb," was the answer.

 

"He—he won't run away, will he?" went on Bob, timidly. To tell the truth he knew very little about horses, although he pretended to know a great deal.

 

"He never ran away in his life," declared the man who was disposing of the horse.

 

"Then I guess it is all right," said the rich boy, and started to mount into the saddle, for the steed was ready for use.

 

"Wait a minute."

 

"What's wanted now."

 

"I want you to sign a receipt first," said the man.

 

"Oh, all right."

 

The receipt was produced, stating that the horse was received in good condition and that the debt was canceled thereby², and the rich youth signed his father's name and his own under it. Then the man held the horse while the boy mounted.

 

"All safe and sound?" asked the man.

 

"Yes," answered Bob Bangs. "Good-day," and off he rode.

 

"Good-day, and good luck to you," answered the man, and he smiled rather grimly to himself as he entered his house.

 

"The horse seems to be a nice one," thought Bob Bangs, as he rode away. "I wish I could meet Randy Thompson, it would make him feel sick to see me on such a fine animal."

 

The rich youth's wish was gratified, for turning a corner he caught sight of our hero just as the latter was crossing the street.

 

"Out of the way there, Randy Thompson!" he cried, and urged his horse forward.

 

Randy had to jump back, or he might have been knocked down.

 

"Ain't this a fine horse?" Bob Bangs cried. "Don't you wish you had him?"

 

And he cut the steed with the whip he carried, to make him increase his speed.

 

The horse did not like the treatment received and up came his hind³ hoofs⁴ viciously.

 

"Stop! None of that!" roared Bob Bangs, in fright. "Whoa there!"

 

He began to saw on the reins⁵, and as a consequence the horse turned first in one direction and then another. Then he started to back and came up on the sidewalk, scaring several women and children.

 

"Whoa! Get up!" screamed Bob Bangs, more frightened than ever. "Whoa, I say! What in the old Harry⁶ is in the beast, anyway!"

 

"Look out there!" shouted a man in the crowd. "You'll go through a window next."

 

"Bob, let me lead him into the street," cried Randy, rushing up and catching⁷ the horse by the bridle⁸.

 

"You let my horse alone!" shouted the rich boy, unreasonably⁹. "I can manage him well enough."

 

"Very well," answered Randy, quietly, and dropped his hold. As he did so the steed made a plunge¹⁰ along the sidewalk for several yards, knocking over a barber's pole and a newsstand.

 

"Stop dot! Vot you mean py dot?" yelled the German barber, rushing from his establishment in alarm.

 

"Get along there, you brute¹¹!" cried Bob Bangs, savagely¹², and struck the horse once more. Again the steed swerved¹³, and made a half turn and began to back.

 

"Stop him!"

 

"He is going into the window!"

 

Crash! And then followed a jingle¹⁴ of glass, and into the window of a grocery next to the barber shop backed the horse, until his hind hoofs rested on a row of canned tomatoes and sardines¹⁵. Bob Bangs gave a yell of fear and terror and dropped to the sidewalk and then caught the horse by the head. The groceryman came forth¹⁶ from his store in a hurry, and a bitter argument ensued, while a big crowd began to collect. In the end Bob Bangs had to promise to pay for all damage done, and led his horse away by hand, too fearful of further trouble to mount once more.

 

Randy did not wait to see the end of the dispute, for the train was now due and he had just time enough to hurry to the depot¹⁷ and get aboard the cars. He dropped into the first seat that came to hand and laughed heartily¹⁸.

 

"You seem to be enjoying yourself," said a man sitting near.

 

"I just saw something very funny," answered our hero, and told what it was. The man laughed, too.

 

"It puts me in mind of the time I tried to ride the mule¹⁹ in the circus. It was a trick animal and got me into seven kinds of trouble."

 

Randy had not had many opportunities to ride on the cars and he enjoyed the trip to Tarrytown very much. Noon found him in the city named and he crossed the river on the ferryboat. Then he hunted up a cheap but neat restaurant, where he got dinner.

 

"No use of bothering Mr. Shalley just at noon hour," he thought, and so did not go around to the steamboat man's office until one o'clock. A clerk was present who said his employer would come in at two o'clock, so our hero had another hour to wait.

 

"Is your name Randy Thompson?" questioned the clerk. When told that it was, he continued: "Mr. Shalley is expecting you. I believe you are to be one of the new deckhands."

 

"Yes."

 

"I hope you find the work agreeable."

 

"So do I."

 

"The other new hand didn't last long."

 

"How long?"

 

"Just one week."

 

"What was the matter?"

 

"I believe he said he couldn't get along with Polk, the purser."

 

"I hope I don't have any trouble with anybody," said Randy, anxiously. "I am willing to work hard."

 

"You'll find Captain Hadley a fine man to deal with. I think he is one of the nicest captains on the river."

 

"What do you do here?"

 

"Oh, I am general office clerk. My name is Bart Sandwood."

 

"I am glad to know you, Mr. Sandwood," answered our hero, and smiled. "I hope business is good with the steamer."

 

"Travel has been very good and we are getting our share of freight. The other lines bother us some, but not a great deal."

 

"Is the Helen Shalley one of the big boats of the river?"

 

"Not one of the largest, but she is by no means a small boat. Then you haven't seen her?"

 

"Not yet, but I hope to soon."

 

"She will be on her way down the river this afternoon. She runs from New York to Albany one day and back the next. She doesn't run on Sundays."

 

"I am glad of that. I don't care to work on Sunday."

 

"Well, you'll have to do a little. When there are no passengers on board, that is the time to put things in order."

 

"True enough. I am afraid I will be green."

 

"Were you never a deckhand before?"

 

"Never."

 

At this the clerk gave a low whistle.

 

"I don't know if Captain Hadley will like that or not. He is a very strict man, even though kind."

 

"I shall do my best to please him."

 

"Early in the spring we had two green hands, but they couldn't learn at all, and the captain said they were more bother than they were worth."

 

"I am sure I can learn—anyway, I mean to try."

 

"You certainly look bright enough to learn. The other fellows were illiterate²⁰ foreigners and always tumbling over their own feet. One dropped a trunk on a passenger's foot and the other broke open a box with some fine dishes. That capped the climax²¹, and the captain got rid of them just as soon as he could find some other hands to take their places," concluded Bart Sandwood.

1 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。

2 thereby   

adv.因此，从而

参考例句：

• I have never been to that city,,ereby I don't know much about it.我从未去过那座城市，因此对它不怎么熟悉。
• He became a British citizen,thereby gaining the right to vote.他成了英国公民，因而得到了投票权。

3 hind   

adj.后面的，后部的

参考例句：

• The animal is able to stand up on its hind limbs.这种动物能够用后肢站立。
• Don't hind her in her studies.不要在学业上扯她后腿。

4 hoofs   

n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The stamp of the horse's hoofs on the wooden floor was loud. 马蹄踏在木头地板上的声音很响。 来自辞典例句
• The noise of hoofs called him back to the other window. 马蹄声把他又唤回那扇窗子口。 来自辞典例句

5 reins   

感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带

参考例句：

• She pulled gently on the reins. 她轻轻地拉着缰绳。
• The government has imposed strict reins on the import of luxury goods. 政府对奢侈品的进口有严格的控制手段。

6 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

7 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

8 bridle   

n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒

参考例句：

• He learned to bridle his temper.他学会了控制脾气。
• I told my wife to put a bridle on her tongue.我告诉妻子说话要谨慎。

9 unreasonably   

adv. 不合理地

参考例句：

• He was also petty, unreasonably querulous, and mean. 他还是个气量狭窄，无事生非，平庸刻薄的人。
• Food in that restaurant is unreasonably priced. 那家饭店价格不公道。

10 plunge   

v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲

参考例句：

• Test pool's water temperature before you plunge in.在你跳入之前你应该测试水温。
• That would plunge them in the broil of the two countries.那将会使他们陷入这两国的争斗之中。

11 brute   

n.野兽，兽性

参考例句：

• The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
• That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲，它咬人。

12 savagely   

adv. 野蛮地，残酷地

参考例句：

• The roses had been pruned back savagely. 玫瑰被狠狠地修剪了一番。
• He snarled savagely at her. 他向她狂吼起来。

13 swerved   

v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She swerved sharply to avoid a cyclist. 她猛地急转弯，以躲开一个骑自行车的人。
• The driver has swerved on a sudden to avoid a file of geese. 为了躲避一队鹅，司机突然来个急转弯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 jingle   

n.叮当声，韵律简单的诗句；v.使叮当作响，叮当响，押韵

参考例句：

• The key fell on the ground with a jingle.钥匙叮当落地。
• The knives and forks set up their regular jingle.刀叉发出常有的叮当声。

15 sardines   

n. 沙丁鱼

参考例句：

• The young of some kinds of herring are canned as sardines. 有些种类的鲱鱼幼鱼可制成罐头。
• Sardines can be eaten fresh but are often preserved in tins. 沙丁鱼可以吃新鲜的，但常常是装听的。

16 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

17 depot   

n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站

参考例句：

• The depot is only a few blocks from here.公共汽车站离这儿只有几个街区。
• They leased the building as a depot.他们租用这栋大楼作仓库。

18 heartily   

adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很

参考例句：

• He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿，就出去找他的马。
• The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手，热情地和我握手。

19 mule   

n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人

参考例句：

• A mule is a cross between a mare and a donkey.骡子是母马和公驴的杂交后代。
• He is an old mule.他是个老顽固。

20 illiterate   

adj.文盲的；无知的；n.文盲

参考例句：

• There are still many illiterate people in our country.在我国还有许多文盲。
• I was an illiterate in the old society,but now I can read.我这个旧社会的文盲，今天也认字了。

21 climax   

n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点

参考例句：

• The fifth scene was the climax of the play.第五场是全剧的高潮。
• His quarrel with his father brought matters to a climax.他与他父亲的争吵使得事态发展到了顶点。