Nick Ribsam was resolved to become skillful with the rifle, and he gave all the time he could spare to practice with the gun which belonged to Mr. Marston. He was desirous of starting after the bear with Sam, as soon as he could use the gun, but his sensible father shook his head.
"No, Nicholas, that would be doing wrong, for you do not know how to handle the rifle; God does not step in and help the lazy and careless; first learn how to use the weapon, so you will never miss; then you may go hunt bears."
Although a lusty lad, Nick found the heavy gun was quite a burden, and he preferred to rest the barrel on the fence, or in the crotch of a tree, when aiming, but Sam Harper told him he could never amount to anything unless he used his weapon off-hand, and was ready to do so effectively, no matter how sudden the call.
Nick applied6 all his energies, and in the course of a few weeks won the praise of Sam, who had become very fond of the bright and good-natured "Pennsylvania Dutchman," who, in return, helped him in his efforts to improve his knowledge in arithmetic, which he studied in a desultory7 way on the long autumn evenings, having promised his father to do so.
Mr. Marston owned a dog which was not of much account, but the boys trained him with rare patience, and were confident he would prove valuable when they took him on the hunt.
By the time they were ready to start autumn was advanced, and Nick, who had carefully studied up the peculiarities8 of the animal, said he was afraid the bear had gone into some hollow tree or cave to take his winter's sleep.
"I don't think they do that till the weather gets colder," said Sam, who had once helped hunt bruin in the wilds of Tennessee, "and even in very cold weather I have seen their tracks in the snow; but if we can only find the tree or cave where he is hiding, why, that will just be splendid."
"Why so?"
"He is fat, lazy, and so sleepy that he don't fight much; but in the spring-time he is lean, hungry, and fierce, and then everybody must look out. There are so many chestnuts9 and hickory nuts in the woods now that he can get all he wants to eat without scaring the farmers by visiting them."
"The bear eats almost everything," said Nick, "but I don't believe he can make much of a meal off hickory nuts."
"Well, he has got a good thing of it anyway, here, there is so much food around him, and if he had only been smart enough to keep out of sight and never show himself he might have died of old age without being once disturbed by hunters."
"I ain't sure he won't die of old age as it is," said Nick, with a laugh; "for every one who went after him came back without the first glimpse. I guess they have all given up hope of shooting him, and I shouldn't wonder if we had to do the same."
But whether such was to be the result or not remained to be seen, and the boys were sure of plenty of sport in an all-day ramble10 through the woods.
During all this time Nick and Nellie were attending school, and they maintained their places in their studies, and were surpassed by none in the excellence11 of their deportment.
Nick rose early and helped his father with his work, and at night did his chores. With all this, he found opportunity to practice with the rifle and to prepare his lessons for the morrow, so that it need not be said he had little idle time on his hands.
On a bright Saturday morning in November, when the smoky haze12 of the delicious Indian summer overspread forest, stream, and country, Sam Harper came to the house of Nick Ribsam according to appointment.
His rifle was slung13 over his shoulder, and the dog, which they had christened Bowser, was at his heels. There was no school that day, and Mr. Ribsam, having satisfied himself of the ability of Nick to handle the rifle of his neighbor, had given him permission to go on a hunt for the bear which had so frightened Nellie a couple of months before.
The mother and daughter were a little anxious when the rosy-cheeked boy donned his heavy boots, pushed his trousers down the legs, and taking the long-barreled rifle from where it rested in the corner turned to kiss them good-by.
Mr. Ribsam seemed as cool and stolid14 as ever; but any one looking closely at him would have observed that he puffed15 his pipe a little oftener than was his wont16, while his eye beamed more kindly17 upon his brave little boy.
"Look out, Nick, and don't be too venturesome," said the mother, as she pressed her lips to those of her only son.
"And remember that the bear is an awful big animal," said Nellie, "for I seen him."
The brother, who was in the act of leaning over his sister to kiss her, drew back with a reproving look.
"Why is it a girl can't talk without saying 'awful' in every sentence? I wish for variety's sake, Nellie, you and the rest of the girls would leave 'awful' out of one sentence in a hundred, and don't say 'I seen him,' for you know better than that, sister."
She hung her head and her eyes were growing misty18, when Nick took the kiss with a laugh and moved to the door.
"There, there, good-by; you all act as if I was going to Africa to hunt lions and tigers."
Nellie snapped him up in a flash:
"There ain't any tigers in Africa, smarty!"
"You got me that time," laughed Nick; "where is father?"
"He went out of the door a minute ago; he is standing19 by the gate," said the mother, after a quick glance through the window.
Mr. Ribsam was leaning on the gate-post, as was a favorite custom of his, and the tobacco smoke ascended20 in clouds and rings, as though he was a locomotive tugging21 hard at a train, with the wheels continually slipping.
He looked at the boys without stirring or speaking, as they passed out the gate and gently closed it, so as not to jar the old gentleman leaning upon it.
When they had gone a rod or so, Mr. Ribsam called out:
"Nicholas!"
"Yes, sir!" answered the son, wheeling instantly.
The father took the long stem of his pipe from his mouth, emitted a blast of vapor22, and then shut his eyes and flung his head backward with a quick flirt23, which meant that his boy should come to him.
Nick obeyed with his usual promptness, and paused immediately in front of his parent, while Sam Harper stopped short and looked backward at the two, with the purpose of waiting until the interview ended.
The old gentleman meant his words for both, and he therefore used the English tongue as best he could, and spoke24 loud:
"Nicholas, bears ish shtrong amimals as nefer vos: they can squeeze in der ribs5 of a ox of dey tried, I dinks, so looks out dot de bears don't not squeeze mit you."
"I will take good care, you may depend."
"His claws am sharp and he has big jaws25; look outs for dem, Nicholas!"
"You may be sure I will."
"And, Nicholas, ven you goes for to hunt bears you must helps one anoder; you hears?"
This was the all-important sentence the father had prepared himself to utter. It will be observed that it was in violation26 of his oft repeated creed27, for it clearly called upon the boys to render mutual28 support should danger arise; and they would have been zanies had they not done so.
The father expected them to show that much sense, but he was impelled29 to impress the necessity of it: he meant them to understand that his declarations were subject to amendment30 under certain conditions.
Nick gave the pledge and stepped briskly up the road with Sam, while Bowser frolicked in the fields and road until they were fairly in the woods, when he frisked among the trees, sometimes starting up a squirrel or rabbit, which had no trouble in skurrying out of his reach.
As the bear when seen by Nellie was near Shark Creek31, the boys agreed to follow the road to the bridge, descend32 into the bed of the stream, and then go downward toward the pond and finally off into the woods, where they intended to pass that day and probably the night and following day.
They had reached and passed the tree in which Nellie Ribsam took refuge two months before, when Nick suddenly exclaimed:
"Hallo, there is some one ahead of us!"
"It's the season for game and we shall find plenty of hunters in the wood," said Sam Harper, who, nevertheless, scanned the person with much interest.
The fact that the boys were following precisely33 in his footsteps raised the suggestion that perhaps he was engaged on the same business or sport, as it might be termed.
Our friends hastened their pace so as to overtake him, for his company might be desirable, or possibly it might be otherwise.
"Hallo, there!" called out Nick; "wait a minute!"
The individual thus hailed turned about, and looked back to see who it was that called.
As he did so his face was seen, and Nick Ribsam gave utterance34 to an expression of astonishment35.
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收听单词发音
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1
perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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3
attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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attainment
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| n.达到，到达；［常pl.］成就，造诣 | |
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5
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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6
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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7
desultory
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| adj.散漫的，无方法的 | |
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8
peculiarities
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| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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9
chestnuts
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| n.栗子( chestnut的名词复数 )；栗色；栗树；栗色马 | |
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10
ramble
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| v.漫步，漫谈，漫游；n.漫步，闲谈，蔓延 | |
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11
excellence
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| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
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12
haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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13
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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14
stolid
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| adj.无动于衷的，感情麻木的 | |
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15
puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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16
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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17
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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18
misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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19
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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20
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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tugging
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| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
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22
vapor
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| n.蒸汽，雾气 | |
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23
flirt
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| v.调情，挑逗，调戏；n.调情者，卖俏者 | |
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24
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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25
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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26
violation
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| n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯 | |
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27
creed
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| n.信条；信念，纲领 | |
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28
mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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29
impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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30
amendment
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| n.改正，修正，改善，修正案 | |
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31
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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32
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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33
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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34
utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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35
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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