Chapter III — At Lovell's Grounds

 On the way home Ben met James Watson.

 

"How are you, James?" he said. "What have you been doing this morning?"

 

James gaped¹.

 

"The fact is," he said, "I have only just got up and had my breakfast."

 

"I don't see how you can lie abed so late."

 

"Oh, I can do it just as easy. I guess I was born sleepy."

 

"You look so," retorted Bed, with a laugh.

 

"What have you been doing?" inquired James lazily.

 

"I've been about in search of a place."

 

"You have!" said James, with sudden interest. "Did you find any?"

 

"Yes, I found three."

 

"What!" exclaimed James, in surprise.

 

"I was offered three places."

 

"Which did you take?"

 

"I didn't take any; I didn't like them."

 

"You are too particular, Ben. Just tell me where they are; I'll accept one."

 

"All right!" said Ben. "I'll give you all the information you require. The first is a dry-goods store."

 

"I'd like to be in a dry-goods store. What's the pay?"

 

"Fifty cents a week for the first year."

 

"Faugh!" ejaculated James, disgusted. "What's the second place?"

 

"Experiment clerk at the druggist's."

 

"Good pay?"

 

"I don't know."

 

"What are the duties?"

 

"To taste all the medicines, to make sure there's no poison in them. The druggist offered me a pill, to begin with, about as large as my head."

 

"I wouldn't take it for a hundred dollars a week. What's the third?"

 

"In a cigar store. The pay is three dollars a week."

 

"That's better than nothing. Where is it? I guess I'll take it."

 

"I don't think you'll like the duties," said Ben, laughing.

 

"I wouldn't mind selling cigars."

 

"That isn't what you're wanted for. You are to be painted red, and stand outside as an Indian."

 

"That's the worst yet. I don't wonder you didn't take any of those chances. What are you going to do this afternoon?"

 

"Try and find some more places."

 

"Leave that till tomorrow. You know there's going to be a big picnic at Lovell's Grounds, with all sorts of athletic² sports. There are prizes for wrestling, jumping, and so on."

 

"I would like it well enough, but I can't afford to go."

 

"There'll be nothing to pay. Father subscribed³ for two tickets, so I've got a spare one. Come, will you go?"

 

"Yes, I will, and thank you."

 

"Then come round to the house as soon as you've got through dinner."

 

"All right! I'll come."

 

"I suppose you haven't found a place?" said Mrs. Bradford when Ben entered.

 

"Not yet."

 

"I don't know what's going to become of us if you don't," said Aunt Jane mournfully.

 

"Don't get discouraged so quick, aunt. I've only been looking round one forenoon. Besides, I've been offered a place, and declined it."

 

"Declined it! What could you have been thinking of?"

 

Ben then told his aunt of the place at the druggist's. He thought he would not mention the others.

 

"If you'd taken it, we might have got our medicine cheaper," said Aunt Jane, who did not comprehend a joke, and understood the offer literally⁴.

 

"I should have got mine for nothing," said Ben, laughing, "and more than I wanted, too."

 

"What pay would you get?"

 

"I didn't ask. The first pill the druggist offered me was too much for me. So I respectfully declined the position."

 

"Pills are excellent for the constitution," said Mrs. Bradford, in a rather reproachful tone. "I never could get you to take them, Benjamin. Some day you'll lose your life, perhaps, because you are so set against them."

 

"I can't say I hanker after them, aunt," said Ben good humoredly. "However, you see, I might have had a place, so you mustn't get discouraged so quick."

 

"Will you stay at home this afternoon, Ben?" asked little Tony.

 

"I can't Tony; I have an engagement with James Watson. Aunt Jane, if I am late to supper, don't be frightened."

 

Ben found James ready and waiting. They set out at once.

 

Lovell's Grounds were situated⁵ a mile and a half away; they comprised several acres, sloping down to a pond, which was provided with pleasure boats. The grounds were frequently hired by parties from neighboring towns, having been fitted up especially for the enjoyment⁶ of a crowd. To-day they were engaged by a young people's association, and the program included, among other things, some athletic sports.

 

The grounds were pretty well filled when the two boys arrived. In fact, the performance had already commenced.

 

"You're just in time for the fun, boys," said George Herman, a mutual⁷ acquaintance, coming up to meet them.

 

"Why, what's up George?"

 

"There is to be a fat man's race of two hundred yards, for a prize of five dollars."

 

"Who are going to enter?"

 

"Tom Hayden, the landlord of the Milltown House, and Jim Morrison, the tailor. One weighs two hundred and fifty, the other two hundred and forty-three."

 

"Good!" laughed Ben. "That will be fun. Where do they start from?"

 

"There! Don't you see that chalk-mark? And there come the men."

 

There was a level track laid out, extending two hundred yards, which was used for such occasions, and this was one of the attractive features of Lovell's Grounds.

 

The two men advanced to the starting-line, each accoutered for the race. They had divested⁸ themselves of their coats, and stood in shirt-sleeves, breathing hard already, in anticipation⁹ of the race. Their bulky forms appeared to great advantage, and excited considerable amusement. Tom Hayden, who was rather the heavier of the two, had encircled his waist with a leather strap¹⁰, which confined it almost as closely as a young lady's waist. This was by advice of Frank Jones, a young fellow noted¹¹ as a runner.

 

"I don't think I can stand it, Frank," said Hayden, gasping¹² for breath.

 

"Oh, yes, you can, Mr. Hayden. You'll see how it will help you."

 

"I can hardly breathe. You've got it too tight."

 

Frank Jones loosened it a little, and then turned to Morrison.

 

"Won't you have a girdle, too, Mr. Morrison?" he asked.

 

"Not much. I don't want to be suffocated¹³ before I start. Have you made your will, Hayden?"

 

"Not yet, I will make it after I have won the prize."

 

"Are you ready, gentlemen?" asked Frank Jones, who officiated as starter.

 

"As ready as I ever expect to be," answered Hayden, trying to draw a long breath, and failing.

 

"Then, start at the word three. One! Two! Three!"

 

Amid shouts of applause, the two fat men started. It cannot be said they started like arrows from the bow, but they certainly exerted themselves uncommonly¹⁴. Their faces grew red with the efforts they made, and their colossal¹⁵ legs hurried over the ground as fast as could reasonably be expected.

 

"I could beat them easily," said James Watson.

 

"Of course you could. Just wait till you've got as much to carry. Look! there's Morrison down!"

 

It was true. Somehow one of Morrison's legs entangled¹⁶ with the other, and he tumbled and rolled over and over.

 

"Go in and win, Hayden!" shouted fifty voices to his gasping competitor.

 

About seventy-five yards remained to be traversed. It look as if Hayden could win the race with opposition¹⁷. But he was quite out of breath. He pressed both hands on his stomach, stopped, and deliberately¹⁸ sat down on the track.

 

"Don't give it up!" yelled the crowd. "Keep on, and the prize is yours!"

 

"I can't," gasped¹⁹ Hayden, "and I wouldn't for five times the prize. I don't want it."

 

So the prize was not awarded, but the crowd had their fun, and the two fat competitors sat down together to rest under a tree. They did not recover from their efforts for at least an hour.

 

"Is there to be a boys' race?" asked Ben.

 

"Yes, the boys' race is next in order. You'd better enter."

 

"I will," said Ben. "What's the prize?"

 

"Five dollars."

 

Ben's eyes sparkled.

 

"If I could only win it," he thought, "it would be equal to a week's pay at the factory."

1 gaped   

v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的过去式和过去分词 )；张开，张大

参考例句：

• A huge chasm gaped before them. 他们面前有个巨大的裂痕。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The front door was missing. A hole gaped in the roof. 前门不翼而飞，屋顶豁开了一个洞。 来自辞典例句

2 athletic   

adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的

参考例句：

• This area has been marked off for athletic practice.这块地方被划出来供体育训练之用。
• He is an athletic star.他是一个运动明星。

3 subscribed   

v.捐助( subscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；签署，题词；订阅；同意

参考例句：

• It is not a theory that is commonly subscribed to. 一般人并不赞成这个理论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I subscribed my name to the document. 我在文件上签了字。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

5 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。

6 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

7 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

8 divested   

v.剥夺( divest的过去式和过去分词 )；脱去（衣服）；2。从…取去…；1。（给某人）脱衣服

参考例句：

• He divested himself of his jacket. 他脱去了短上衣。
• He swiftly divested himself of his clothes. 他迅速脱掉衣服。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 anticipation   

n.预期，预料，期望

参考例句：

• We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。
• The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。

10 strap   

n.皮带，带子；v.用带扣住，束牢；用绷带包扎

参考例句：

• She held onto a strap to steady herself.她抓住拉手吊带以便站稳。
• The nurse will strap up your wound.护士会绑扎你的伤口。

11 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

12 gasping   

adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词

参考例句：

• He was gasping for breath. 他在喘气。
• "Did you need a drink?""Yes, I'm gasping!” “你要喝点什么吗？”“我巴不得能喝点！”

13 suffocated   

（使某人）窒息而死( suffocate的过去式和过去分词 )； （将某人）闷死； 让人感觉闷热； 憋气

参考例句：

• Many dogs have suffocated in hot cars. 许多狗在热烘烘的汽车里给闷死了。
• I nearly suffocated when the pipe of my breathing apparatus came adrift. 呼吸器上的管子脱落时，我差点给憋死。

14 uncommonly   

adv. 稀罕(极，非常)

参考例句：

• an uncommonly gifted child 一个天赋异禀的儿童
• My little Mary was feeling uncommonly empty. 我肚子当时正饿得厉害。

15 colossal   

adj.异常的，庞大的

参考例句：

• There has been a colossal waste of public money.一直存在巨大的公款浪费。
• Some of the tall buildings in that city are colossal.那座城市里的一些高层建筑很庞大。

16 entangled   

adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The bird had become entangled in the wire netting. 那只小鸟被铁丝网缠住了。
• Some military observers fear the US could get entangled in another war. 一些军事观察家担心美国会卷入另一场战争。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

18 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

19 gasped   

v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要

参考例句：

• She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
• People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》