"Dear me," said Polly, "I don't see wherever she can be, Jasper. I've searched just everywhere for
her." And she gave a little sigh, and pushed up the brown rings of hair under her sailor cap.
"Don't worry, Polly," said Jasper, with a reassuring1 smile. "She's with Matilda, of course. Come,
Polly, let's you and I have a try at the shuffle-board by ourselves, down on the lower deck."
"No, we can't," said Polly, with a dreadful longing2 at her heart for the charms of a game; "that is,
until we've found Phronsie." And she ran down the deck. "Perhaps she is in one of the library
corners, though I thought I looked over them all."
"How do you know she isn't with Matilda, Polly?" cried Jasper, racing3 after, to see Polly's little
blue jacket whisking ahead of him up the companion-way.
"Because"--Polly stopped at the top and looked over her shoulder at him--"Matilda's in her berth4.
She's awfully5 seasick6. I was to stay with Phronsie, and now I've lost her!" And the brown head
drooped7, and Polly clasped her hands tightly together.
"Oh, no, she can't be lost, Polly," said Jasper, cheerfully, as he bounded up the stairs and gained
her side; "why, she couldn't be!"
"Well, anyway, we can't find her, Jasper," said Polly, running on. "And it's all my fault, for I
forgot, and left her in the library, and went with Fanny Vanderburgh down to her state-room. O
dear me!" as she sped on.
"Well, she's in the library now, most likely," said Jasper, cheerfully, hurrying after, "curled up
asleep in a corner." And they both ran in, expecting to see Phronsie's yellow head snuggled into
one of the pillows.
But there was no one there except a little old gentleman on one of the sofas back of a table, who
held his paper upside down, his big spectacles on the end of his nose, almost tumbling off as he
nodded drowsily8 with the motion of the steamer.
"O dear me!" exclaimed Polly; "now we shall wake him up," as they tiptoed around, peering in
every cosey corner and behind all the tables for a glimpse of Phronsie's little brown gown.
"No danger," said Jasper, with a glance over at the old gentleman; "he's just as fast asleep as can
be. Here, Polly, I think she's probably tucked up in here." And he hurried over to the farther side,
where the sofa made a generous angle.
Just then in stalked a tall boy, who rushed up to the little old gentleman. "Here, Granddad, wake
up." And he shook his arm smartly. "You're losing your glasses, and then there'll be a beastly row
to pay."
"O dear me!" cried Polly aghast, as she and Jasper whirled around.
"Hey--what--what!" exclaimed the old gentleman, clutching his paper as he started forward. "Oh,--
why, I haven't been asleep, Tom."
"Ha! Ha! tell that to the marines," cried Tom, loudly, dancing in derision, "You've been sleeping
like a log. You'd much better go down and get into your state-room. But give me a sovereign
first." He held out his hand as he spoke9. "Hurry up, Granddad!" he added impatiently.
The old gentleman put his hand to his head, and then rubbed his eyes.
"Bustle10 up," cried the boy, with a laugh, "or else I'll run my fist in your pocket and help myself."
"Indeed, you won't," declared the old gentleman, now thoroughly11 awake.
"Ha! Ha!" laughed the boy. "You see if I won't, Granddad." Yet he dropped his imperious tone,
and waited, though impatiently, while the big pocket-book was drawn12 out.
"What do you want with money on board the boat?" demanded the old gentleman.
"Give me a sovereign, Granddad," cried Tom, controlling his impatience13 as best he might, with
many a cross look at the wrinkled old face under the white hair.
His Grandfather slowly drew out the coin, and Tom twitched14 it eagerly from the long, thin fingers.
"I don't see how you can need money on board the boat," repeated the old gentleman.
"Never you mind what I want it for, Grand-daddy," said Tom, laughing loudly and shaking the
sovereign at him as he ran off; "that's my business, and not yours."
Polly had not taken her eyes off their faces. Now she turned toward Jasper. "Oh, how very
dreadful!" she gasped-- then would have given everything if she had kept still, for the old
gentleman whirled around and saw them for the first time.
"Hey--who are you--and what are you listening there for--hey?" he demanded sharply. He had
little black eyes, and they now snapped in a truly dreadful way at them.
"We came to find her little sister," said Jasper, politely, for Polly was quite beyond speaking.
"Sister? I don't know anything about your sister," said the old gentleman, irascibly. "And this
room isn't a place for children, I can tell you," he added, as if he owned the library and the whole
ship.
Jasper made no reply.
"Phronsie isn't here." Polly clasped her hands again tighter than ever. "And, oh, Jasper!" and she
looked at the angry old face before them with pitying eyes.
"What I say to my grandson, Tom, and what he says to me, is our own business!" exclaimed the
old gentleman in a passion, thumping16 the table with his clenched17 hand. "And no one else has a
right to hear it."
"I am so very sorry we heard it," said Polly, the colour which had quite gone from her cheek now
rushing back. "And we are going right away, sir."
"You would much better," said the old man, nodding angrily. "And you, boy, too; I suppose you
think yourself better than my Tom. But you are not--not a bit of it!" And suddenly he tried to start
to his feet, but lurched heavily against the table instead.
Polly and Jasper rushed over to him. "Lean on me, sir," said Jasper, putting both arms around him,
while Polly ran to his other side, he was shaking so dreadfully.
The old gentleman essayed to wave them off. "Let me alone," he said feebly; "I'm going after my
grandson, Tom." His voice sank to a whisper, and his head dropped to his breast. "He's got
money--he's always getting it, and I'm going to see what he's doing with it."
"Polly," said Jasper, "you help me put him back on the sofa; there, that's it," as the old man sank
feebly down against the cushions; "and then I'll run and find his grandson."
It was just the time when everybody seemed to be in the state-rooms, or out on deck in steamer
chairs, so Polly sat there at the old man's head, feeling as if every minute were an hour, and he
kept gurgling, "Tom's a bad boy--he gets money all the time, and I'm going to see what he's doing
with it," with feeble waves of his legs, that put Polly in a fright lest he should roll off the sofa at
every lurch18 of the steamer.
"Tom is coming," at last she said, putting her hand on the hot forehead. "Please stay still, sir; you
will be sick."
"But I don't want Tom to come," cried the old gentleman, irritably19. "Who said I wanted him to
come? Hey?" He turned up his head and looked at her, and Polly's hand shook worse than ever
when the little snapping eyes were full on her face, and she had all she could do to keep from
running out of the room and up on deck where she could breathe freely.
"I am so sorry," she managed to gasp15, feeling if she didn't say something, she should surely run.
"Does your head feel better?" And she smoothed his hot forehead gently just as Phronsie always
did Grandpapa's when it ached. And when she thought of Phronsie, then it was all she could do to
keep the tears back. Where could she be? And would Jasper never come back?
And just then in ran Tom with a great clatter20, complaining noisily every step of the way. "I told
you you'd much better get off to your stateroom, Granddad!" he exclaimed. "Here, I'll help you
down there." And he laid a hasty hand on the feeble old arm.
"I think he is sick," said Polly, gently. Jasper came hurrying in. "Phronsie is all right," he had time
to whisper to Polly.
"Oh, Jasper!" the colour rushed into her cheek that had turned quite white. "I am so glad."
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Tom, abruptly21. "It's only one of his crotchets. You don't know; he gets up
plenty of 'em on occasion."
"What did you want a sovereign for?" asked the old gentleman, querulously, taking his sharp little
eyes off Polly to fasten them on his grandson's face. "Say, I will know."
"And I say no matter," retorted Tom, roughly. "And you ought to come down to your state-room
where you belong. Come, Granddad!" And he tried again to lay hold of his arm. But the little old
gentleman sank back, and looked up at Polly again. "I think I'll stay here," he said.
"I say," began the boy, in an embarrassed way, "this is dreadfully rough on you," and then he
looked away from Polly to Jasper. "And if you knew him as well as I do," nodding his head at his
Grandfather, "you wouldn't get in such a funk."
Polly was busy smoothing the hot forehead under the white hair, and appeared not to notice a
word he said.
"Your Grandfather really appears ill," said Jasper. "And the doctor might give him something to
help him."
Tom burst into a short laugh and kicked his heel against the table. "Hoh! hoh! I say, you don't
know him; oh, what muffs you are! He's well enough, only he's determined22 not to go to his state-
room where he belongs, but to kick up a row here."
"Very well," said Jasper, coolly, "since you are determined to do nothing for his relief, I shall take
it upon myself to summon the doctor." He stepped to a table a bit further off, and touched the
electric button back of it.
"Here, don't do that," remonstrated23 Tom, springing forward. But it was too late, and the steward24
who attended to calls on the library stepped in.
"It isn't the hour for giving out books," he began.
Tom was stamping his foot impatiently, and scowling25 at Jasper, alternately casting longing glances
out the nearest port-hole.
"It isn't books we want," said Jasper, quickly, "but this old gentleman"--whose head was now
heavily sunken on his breast, and whose cheek was quite white--"appears to be very ill, and to
need the doctor."
"Is that so?" The steward leaned over and peered into the old face. "Well, he doesn't look just
right, and that's a fact. Is he your father?"
"Oh, no," said Jasper, quickly, "I don't know who he is. But, do hurry, for he's sick, and needs the
doctor at once."
"I'll get Dr. Jones." Off ran the steward toward the surgeon's cabin.
"See what you've done," cried Tom, in a towering passion. "Kicked up a pretty mess--when I tell
you I've seen my Grandfather just as bad a hundred times."
Jasper made no reply, and Polly continued to stroke gently the poor head.
"Well--well--well!" exclaimed Mr. King, coming in, "to be sure, it's very stupid in me not to think
of looking in the library for both of you before. O dear me--bless me!" And he came to a dead stop
of astonishment26.
"Father," cried Jasper, "this poor man seems very ill."
"Oh, yes," breathed Polly, pitifully, "he really is, Grandpapa." And she put out her hand to seize
one of Mr. King's. "And Jasper has sent for the doctor."
"And none too soon, I should say," remarked Mr. King, grimly, with a keen glance into the old
man's face. "Raise his feet a little higher, Jasper; put a pillow under them; there, that's it. Well, the
doctor should be hurried up." He glanced quickly around. "Here, you boy," seeing Tom, "run as
you never have run before, and tell the doctor to come quickly."
"There isn't any need," began Tom.
"Do you go!" commanded Mr. King, pointing to the door. And Tom went.
"Father, that boy is his grandson," said Jasper, pointing to the sick man.
Mr. King stared into Jasper's face, unable to make a reply.
"He is," declared Polly. "Oh, Grandpapa, he really is!" Then she buried her flushed face up against
Mr. King's arm.
"There is no need to waste words," said Mr. King, finding his tongue. "There, there, Polly, child,"
fondling her brown head, "don't feel badly. I'm sure you've done all you could."
"'Twas Jasper; he did it all--I couldn't do anything," said Polly.
"Oh, Polly, you did everything," protested Jasper.
"Yes, yes, I know, you both did," said Mr. King. "Well, here's the doctor, thank the Lord!"
And then when nobody wanted them, the library seemed to be full of people, and the news
spreading out to the decks, many of the passengers got out of their steamer chairs, and tried to
swarm27 into the two doorways28.
Tom, who never knew how he summoned Dr. Jones, being chiefly occupied in astonishment at
finding that he obeyed a command from a perfect stranger, did not come back to the library, but
kept himself with the same amazed expression on his face, idly kicking his heels in a quiet corner
of the deck near by. He never thought of such a thing as being worried over his Grandfather, for he
couldn't remember when the old gentleman hadn't been subject to nervous attacks; but somehow
since "a row," as he expressed it, "had been kicked up," it was just as well to stay in the vicinity
and see the end of it. But he wasn't going inside --no, not he!
After awhile, Tom was just beginning to yawn, and to feel that no one could expect him to waste
time like that, and probably his Grandfather was going to sleep it out on the sofa, and the stupid
doctor would find that there was nothing the matter, only the old man was nervous. "And I'm
going back to the fellows," decided29 Tom, shaking his long legs.
"Oh, here you are!" cried Jasper, running up to him. "Come quickly," seizing his arm.
"Hey, here, what are you about?" roared Tom at him, shaking off the hand.
"You must excuse me for wasting no ceremony," said Jasper, sternly. It struck Tom that he looked
very much like the old gentleman who had told him to go! "Your Grandfather is very ill;
something is the matter with his heart, and the doctor has sent me for you. He says he may not live
an hour." It was necessary to tell the whole of the dreadful truth, for Tom was still staring at him
in defiance30.
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收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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2
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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3
racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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4
berth
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| n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊 | |
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5
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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6
seasick
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| adj.晕船的 | |
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7
drooped
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| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8
drowsily
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| adv.睡地，懒洋洋地，昏昏欲睡地 | |
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9
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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10
bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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11
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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12
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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13
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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14
twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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15
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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16
thumping
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| adj.重大的，巨大的；重击的；尺码大的；极好的adv.极端地；非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词)；狠打；怦怦地跳；全力支持 | |
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17
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18
lurch
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| n.突然向前或旁边倒；v.蹒跚而行 | |
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19
irritably
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| ad.易生气地 | |
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20
clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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21
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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22
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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23
remonstrated
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| v.抗议( remonstrate的过去式和过去分词 )；告诫 | |
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24
steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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25
scowling
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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26
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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27
swarm
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| n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入 | |
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28
doorways
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| n.门口，门道( doorway的名词复数 ) | |
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29
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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30
defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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