CHAPTER XXXVII FARMER BROWN'S BOY HAS A GLAD SURPRISE

 The sweetest sound in the world is the voice of one you love.

 

Bowser the Hound¹.

Farmer Brown's boy had an errand² which took him far from home. He harnessed³ the horse to a sleigh and started off right after dinner. Now it happened that his errand took him in the direction of the farm where Bowser the Hound had been taken such good care of, and where Reddy Fox had that very day caught the fat hen. Farmer Brown's boy was not thinking of Bowser. You see, he had already visited most of the farms in that direction in his search for Bowser and had found no trace⁴ of him.

 

It was a beautiful day to be sleighing, and Farmer Brown's boy was whistling merrily, for there is nothing he enjoys more than a sleigh ride. He had almost reached the place he had started for when 'way off across the fields to his right he heard a dog. Now Farmer Brown's boy enjoys listening to the sound of a Hound chasing⁵ a Fox. There is something about it which stirs⁶ the blood. He stopped whistling and stopped the horse in order that he might listen better.

 

At first that sound was very, very faint, but as Farmer Brown's boy listened, it grew louder and clearer. Suddenly Farmer Brown's boy leaped up excitedly. "That's Bowser!" he cried. "As sure as I live that's good old Bowser! I would know that voice among a million!"

 

He leaped from the sleigh and tied the horse. Then he climbed over the fence and began to run across the snow-covered fields. He could tell from the sound in what direction Bowser was running. He could tell from the appearance of the country about where Reddy Fox would be likely to lead Bowser, and he ran for a place which he felt sure Reddy would be likely to pass.

 

Louder and louder sounded the great voice of Bowser, and faster and faster ran Farmer Brown's boy to reach that place before Bowser should pass. The louder that great voice sounded, the more absolutely certain Farmer Brown's boy became that it was the voice of Bowser, and a great joy filled his heart. At last he reached an old road. He felt certain that Reddy would follow that road. So he hid behind an old stone wall on the edge of it.

 

He did not have long to wait. A red form appeared around a turn in the old road, running swiftly⁷. Then it stopped and stood perfectly⁸ still. Of course it was Reddy Fox. He was listening to make sure just how far behind him Bowser was. He listened for only a moment and then started on as swiftly as before. Right down the road past Farmer Brown's boy Reddy ran, and never once suspected he was being watched.

 

A few minutes later another form appeared around the turn in the road. It was Bowser! Yes, Sir, it was Bowser! With a glad cry Farmer Brown's boy jumped over the stone wall and waited.

1 hound   

n.猎狗，卑鄙的人；vt.用猎狗追，追逐

参考例句：

• The hound found the trail of the rabbit.猎狗发现了兔子的踪迹。
• The police have promised to hound down those responsible for the explosion.警方已保证要追查此次爆炸事件有责任的人员。

2 errand   

n.差使（如送信，买东西等），（短程）差事

参考例句：

• I've come on a special errand.我是专程来办一件差事的。
• This is a formidable errand for me.这对我来说是个太艰巨的任务。

3 harnessed   

给（马等）装上挽具( harness的过去式和过去分词 )； 治理，利用

参考例句：

• That horse has never been harnessed to a cart. 那匹马没驾过车。
• The Yellow River has been harnessed. 黄河已被治理。

4 trace   

n.痕迹，踪迹，微量；vt.追踪，找出根源，描绘；vi.追踪

参考例句：

• There isn't a trace of a smile on her face.她脸上没有一丝笑容。
• We have lost all trace of him.我们找不到他的踪迹。

5 chasing   

n.雕镂术，雕刻工作；车螺丝；抛光；螺旋板

参考例句：

• My dog likes chasing rabbits. 我的狗喜欢追捕兔子。
• The children were having fun, chasing each other's shadows. 孩子们追逐着彼此的影子，玩得很开心。

6 stirs   

v.（使）移动( stir的第三人称单数 )；搅拌；（使）行动；（使）微动

参考例句：

• This paste stirs easily. 这种糨糊易于搅拌。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This guy often stirs up troubles. 这家伙就爱干煽风点火的勾当。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 swiftly   

adv.快地，迅速地

参考例句：

• He came in swiftly and placed the child in my arms.他匆忙走进来把孩子放到我怀里。
• The police must be able to react swiftly in an emergency.警方在面对紧急情况时必须能迅速作出反应。

8 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。