The professor’s voice held a note of amazement1 and possibly one of unconscious incredulity, for Jimmie colored under his gaze.
“Sure I can.” He spoke2 rapidly, for it was no time to waste words. “I used ter be wid a circus for a time, see. I learned ter do a balancin’ act wid a troupe3. I’ll jes’ take dat long stick dere fer a balancin’ pole, and I’ll snake him out fer youse, er—er I’ll go up de flume meself.”
Strange as it may appear, there was something in the manner of the waif that instilled4 a new confidence into their hearts. Under other circumstances they might not have felt it, but now, with Persimmons’ life in such danger, they were[36] in the mood of drowning men who grasp at straws.
Jimmie was such a straw, and his self-confident manner formed to a not small degree the basis of their trust in his ability to carry out what he said he could accomplish. Carefully the rope was transferred from the dripping, half-frozen Ralph to Jimmie’s waist. This done, the lad carefully balanced a longish branch he had picked up, and appeared to find it suitable for use as a balancing pole; for, after one or two trials, he stepped out on the log and began such a “rope walking” act as has seldom if ever been witnessed.
Before starting, he had kicked off his ragged5, broken boots,—stockings or socks he had none,—and was now barefooted. The rough bark of the tree trunk afforded a certain stability of footing, but they held their breath as they watched the waif’s slender, pitifully thin figure painfully[37] making its way on that narrow bridge above the swirling6, leaping waves of the torrent7.
Once he hesitated and swayed, and a gasp8 went up from the watchers on the bank. Involuntarily they took a tighter grip on the rope. But it was only the green rush of waters under his feet that had momentarily caused Jimmie’s head to swim.
He swiftly recovered himself and, forcing his eyes to remain riveted9 on a definite object, he forged steadily10 ahead. Now he was only five feet from where Persimmons, with a sub-conscious strength, was hanging on to his precarious11 hold, now but four feet intervened, then three, two,—one! How the slender trunk swayed! It appeared impossible that anything human could keep its footing upon it.
But at last the young acrobat12 reached a point beyond which he dared not go. Holding his balancing pole with one hand, he undid13 the rope from his waist with the other. Bending, very slowly, very cautiously, he formed a loop and[38] dropped it over Persimmons’ head. The numbed14 boy had just strength enough to work it under his armpits.
Then his strength gave out completely. He would have been swirled15 away had not Jimmie taken the precaution to pass the rope around the opposite side of the tree trunk to that on which the current was pulling. But Persimmons was safe. The rope held him firm. He took a brief interval16 for a breath, and then managed to work his way along the trunk while the others hauled.
As for Jimmie, he crouched17 low for a time, using his balancing pole with wonderful adroitness18. Then, walking backward along that swaying, treacherous19 trunk, he reached shore just as they dragged young Simmons out. It was in the nick of time, too, for he could not have lasted much longer. As it was, when they laid him on the bank he collapsed20 utterly21.
“Jimmie, if you ever were an acrobat, and there’s no room to doubt that, you must have been[39] a marvel22!” cried Ralph throwing his arms about the boy’s neck, while the professor and Hardware congratulated him hardly less enthusiastically, and the agent danced a jig23.
“Gee!” exclaimed Jimmie, when he released himself, “if you tink I was a wonder, ask Sig. Montinelli, who trained me. I was so good dat he used to beat the life out uv me. Dat’s de reason I ran away frum de show and came up here,—dat and annudder reason.”
There was no time just then to ask him what he meant, for they were all immediately busied in chafing24 poor Persimmons’ body and bringing life back to him. The agent had rushed off up the rocky path for hot coffee, for he had been preparing his breakfast when the train came in. What with this stimulant25 and a brisk rub-down, Persimmons soon recovered and was able to sit up and thank his rescuer, which he did characteristically and warmly, despite the latter’s embarrassment[40] and frequent interruptions of “It wasn’t nawthing.”
“Howling handsprings!” exclaimed Persimmons to Ralph, as the latter helped him up the rocky path, “and to think that I classed that kid in with Hardware’s dingbats! But that’s what he is, too,” he added with a sort of an inspiration; “Hardware’s got his bags and boxes full of fool fishing dingbats and cooking dingbats and chopping dingbats, but this one of yours, Ralph, is the greatest ever, he’s a life-saving dingbat. What can I give him?”
“Not money, if you take my advice,” said Ralph dryly. “While you were down and out there the professor offered him some, and his eyes blazed and he turned quite pale as he refused it. ‘I’ve joined this expedition to be generally useful, and that was only one of my jobs, see,’ was what he said.”
“Waltzing wombats26! I hope he never has to be useful in just that way again,” breathed Persimmons[41] fervently27, as they reached the top of the trail.
“I hope not. But how did you ever come to get in such a fix?”
Persimmons explained that he had been looking at some wonderful trout28 disporting29 themselves in a pool some distance above where the tree trunk stretched out over the waters of the torrent. In some way his foot had slipped, and before he knew what had happened he was whirled out into midstream.
Hurried along, brushed by out-cropping rocks and bits of drift timber, he had caught at the first thing that offered, which happened to be the trunk that so providentially stretched out above the torrent.
“Bounding beetles30! but it was a close shave, I tell you,” he concluded fervently. “I don’t think I could have held on a minute longer when Jimmie got that rope to me; but when I felt it, new[42] strength seemed to come to me and I could help you fellows drag me ashore31.”
For a consideration, the agent drew on his stores, and they made a hearty32 breakfast after this adventure. Jimmie, of course, was the hero of the occasion, although no one could have accused him of seeking honors. The boy looked actually embarrassed as they each, in turn and in chorus, told him over and over what they thought of his plucky33 act.
They were still eating when there came a clatter34 of hoofs35 on the cliff above.
“Something comin’ down the trail,” observed the agent; “shouldn’t wonder if that’s your man now.”
“I hope so, indeed,” said the professor, “this delay is most annoying.”
Emerging from the depot36 they saw a strange cavalcade37 coming down the dusty trail. In advance, on a wiry buckskin cayuse, rode a figure that might have stepped out of a book. His saddle[43] was of the gaily38 rigged ranger’s type. But it was the person who sat in it with an easy grace that was more striking to the eye than any of his caparisons.
He was of medium height, it appeared, but of so powerful a build that his breadth of chest and massive loins seemed better fitted for a giant. His hair and beard were curly and as yellow as corn silk, his face fiery39 red by constant exposure to sun and wind and snow, while his eyes, deep-set in wrinkles, were as blue as the Canadian sky above them. His clothes were of the frontiersman’s type, and on his massive head was a colorless sombrero, badly crushed, with several holes cut in its crown.
Behind him came, in single file, four wiry looking little cayuses, saddled and bridled40 ready for their riders. These were followed by three pack animals of rather sorry appearance, but, as the party was to learn later, of proved ability on the trail.
[44]
“You Professor Summered?” he hailed, in a deep, hearty voice, as he saw the professor and the boys standing41 in a group outside the little depot, eying him with deep interest and attention.
“Wintergreen, sir! Wintergreen!” exclaimed the professor rather testily42.
“Oh, ho! ho! Beg your pardon. I’m Mountain Jim Bothwell, at your service. Sorry to be late, but the trail up above is none too good.”
He struck his pony43 with his spurs, and the whole procession broke into an ambling44 trot45 coming down the trail in a cloud of yellow dust toward the waiting group of travelers.
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1
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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2
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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troupe
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| n.剧团，戏班；杂技团；马戏团 | |
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4
instilled
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| v.逐渐使某人获得（某种可取的品质），逐步灌输( instill的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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5
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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6
swirling
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| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 ) | |
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7
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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8
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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9
riveted
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| 铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 )； 把…固定住； 吸引； 引起某人的注意 | |
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10
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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11
precarious
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| adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的 | |
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12
acrobat
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| n.特技演员，杂技演员 | |
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13
Undid
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| v. 解开, 复原 | |
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14
numbed
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| v.使麻木，使麻痹( numb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
swirled
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| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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16
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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17
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18
adroitness
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19
treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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20
collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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21
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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22
marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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23
jig
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| n.快步舞（曲）；v.上下晃动；用夹具辅助加工；蹦蹦跳跳 | |
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24
chafing
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| n.皮肤发炎v.擦热（尤指皮肤）( chafe的现在分词 )；擦痛；发怒；惹怒 | |
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25
stimulant
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| n.刺激物，兴奋剂 | |
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26
wombats
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| n.袋熊( wombat的名词复数 ) | |
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27
fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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trout
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| n.鳟鱼；鲑鱼(属) | |
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29
disporting
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| v.嬉戏，玩乐，自娱( disport的现在分词 ) | |
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30
beetles
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| n.甲虫( beetle的名词复数 ) | |
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31
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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32
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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33
plucky
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| adj.勇敢的 | |
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clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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35
hoofs
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| 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 ) | |
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36
depot
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| n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站 | |
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37
cavalcade
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| n.车队等的行列 | |
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38
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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39
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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40
bridled
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| 给…套龙头( bridle的过去式和过去分词 )； 控制； 昂首表示轻蔑（或怨忿等）； 动怒，生气 | |
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41
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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42
testily
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| adv. 易怒地, 暴躁地 | |
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43
pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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44
ambling
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| v.（马）缓行( amble的现在分词 )；从容地走，漫步 | |
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45
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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