105
At last he judged it safe to make his getaway, and with infinite patience crawled into his boots and poncho8, and shielding his flashlight, crept out into the night. The vicinity of the campus was black as pitch. Jerry felt his way through dripping underbrush, in order to avoid disturbing any sleeper9. He found Jake by the flagpole, and without a word the two brothers stumbled down to the boat-dock.
On the unprotected platform of the dock they felt upon their wet faces the full power of the storm. Wicked-sounding waves swirled10 through the piles on which the dock was built; the little fleet of rowboats rocked and pounded each other at their moorings.
“Don’t put on your light,” cautioned Jake hoarsely11. “That prison guard may still be patrolling over across, and if he happened to spot us, the game would be over. We’ll have to take a boat—we couldn’t get a canoe launched in this water to-night.”
“You untie14 a boat and pull it around in the lee of the dock, while I get the oars12.”
In a few moments Jerry returned with the precious oars, and they were shoved into the locks of the boat Jake had selected. Before putting off, it was necessary to bail15 out the pool of rain-water that splashed in the bottom of the craft, and this Jake did, using his sou’-wester hat as a bail. When the duckboards beneath their feet no longer floated, the brothers cast off, seized the oars, and headed about on their second crossing that night.
106
“Head straight across!” ordered Jerry. “I figure that if we keep right into the teeth of the wind, we’ll come out at that pile of logs straight across, where the deer-trail comes down to the lake. Heave!”
Keeping the full sweep of the wind at their straining backs, the twins worked the oars with a heaving, united swing. Spray dashed over the bows and drenched16 their rubber garments; the rolling boat pitched and dived as they met one white-capped wave after another, head on. The dim structure of the diving-tower and the shore beyond faded swiftly into the gloom; but after fifteen minutes of labor17 they had no other evidence that their craft had made any progress in the direction they wished to take.
“Don’t quit!” grunted18 Jake. “Heave!”
Several times the bows were swept around and they took water broadside over the low gunwale before a frantic19 effort on the part of one or the other could swing them on their course again. It seemed to both laboring20 boys that hours had passed.
107
Bump! The stem of the small vessel21 crashed against some unseen obstruction22, nearly throwing the young mariners23 headlong on to the floor-boards. Both clung to their oars, and a wave lifted the boat from its precarious24 position.
“We rammed25 the top of a sunken log!” called Jerry, who was nearest the bow. “I think it may be part of that big jam we headed for. Any idea where we are?”
“As I remember, the deer-trail is down to the right a few hundred yards. What do you say we skim along offshore26 and try to find it?”
“Good! Boy, I’m glad that’s over!” Jerry was breathing heavily from his exertions27. He pulled on his oar13, shoved off from the dark mass of piled logs an arm’s length away, and the boat began skirting the dimly-seen shoreline.
108
They had made the crossing in a Stygian darkness, but now the thunder again commenced its ominous28 cannonade. An opportune29 bolt of heaven-sent fire gave them a momentary30 glimpse of the shore on their port side, and told them what they wanted to know. Jake made out the muddy delta31 where, he remembered from a previous visit, the deer-trail began. Before the gloom closed in again, he pulled about and began stroking madly toward this landing. A thought struck him like a chill hand. Had a pair of terrified eyes spotted32 their boat from the black shelter of the trees? Did a desperate evil-doer lurk33 there, armed with Ellick’s sharpest hand-ax, waiting for them to set foot on shore——? Jake shrugged34. The rowboat buried its nose squashily in the mud-bank, beneath the dripping trunk of an overhanging tree.
Without a sound the boys moored35 the painter to a convenient branch, and cautiously removed the oars and placed them beneath the thwarts36, along the bottom of the boat.
“We’ll have to bail her again before we go back—if we do go back,” whispered Jerry grimly. “Can you get ashore37 from where you are?”
“I think so.” Jake stood and clasped the slippery tree trunk with both arms, and swung his body forward. His heavy boots made him a clumsy climber; but in a moment he had scrambled38 through a fringing litter of brush and twigs39 to firmer ground. Jerry followed in his track, almost dropping his flashlight as he clambered through the treacherous40 brush; and the boys found themselves once more together in the darkness of the forest.
109
“Stick to the trail—it’s our only guide,” advised Jake. He led the way, recalling as best he could the twisting of the narrow track which they had once followed by daylight on an idle exploring trip earlier in the season. An infrequent lightning-flash was their only help, and it was no wonder that they more than once wandered from the dim trail.
Deep into the murky41 reaches of the woods, they paused for breath. So far, they had seen or heard nothing save gloom-shrouded trees; the usual storm-noises of the wilderness42; and the crackling of branches that marked their advance.
“Now, which way?” asked Jerry guardedly. “I think the trail splits about here. It’s getting late—if anybody in our tents wakes up, we’re sure to be missed. No use waiting here.” His teeth were chattering43 from the damp of the low ground. “Do you think we’ll have to give up?”
Jake was staring intently ahead. “I thought I caught a little glow of light over there just a second ago! If this rain would only hold up for a while—— There! See it?” He seized his brother’s arm and pointed44.
Jerry peered anxiously into the mist. “Where?”
“Not that way! Right ahead! It must be a fire! That’s our man, all right! Guess he thinks he’s fairly safe on a night like this—and he sure needs a fire; it’s chilly45 enough over here to freeze you stiff! Are you ready?”
110
“Sure, Jakie! No use trying to creep up on him, though. We’ll sneak46 as close as we can, and then both rush him and jump him together! Come on, let’s get it over with. He’s not much bigger than we are, and we’ll take him by surprise!”
“Don’t let him get hold of his ax, though!” Jake quivered with excitement. “Ready?” He crept toward the low tinge47 of red light that marked the outlaw’s risky48 campfire.
They advanced unchallenged for some two hundred yards through the dripping trees, in line with their goal. Their straining eyes could barely make out a small heap of glowing branches at the mouth of what seemed to be a rude shelter of sticks and dead limbs, which would cut off the tiny glow from all other directions except the one from which they approached. Not another sign of life came from the secret camp they had risked so much to find.
“Now!” said Jake sharply, and dashed forward. Jerry was right at his side in a few strides. It was like the football days at school, with Quarterback Jake carrying the ball, and his husky brother at his elbow, crashing through the line—“Right through center!” Jerry was amazed to hear that shout in his own voice. In the madness of that charge he had sent forth49 the old battle-cry.
111
Together the Utway twins galloped50 down upon their foe51. From an opening in the shelter beyond the fire appeared a pale, haggard face; a slender body sprang forward to meet this surprise attack; a shrill52 scream burst from the drawn53 lips.
“Stand back! You’ll never take me—you——”
Involuntarily the twins slowed up in their tracks. A streak54 of lightning, like the crack of doom55, hit the earth at a terrifyingly short distance away. The scene was illuminated56 as if by a thousand searchlights. Their enemy, the searing mark of horror branded on his face, cried out once more. His frail57 body quivered as if from a blow, toppled weakly forward, and lay in a heap almost at their feet—face forward, helpless, deathly still.
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收听单词发音
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1
bunk
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| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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tattoo
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| n.纹身，(皮肤上的)刺花纹；vt.刺花纹于 | |
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7
tempestuous
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| adj.狂暴的 | |
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poncho
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| n.斗篷，雨衣 | |
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sleeper
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| n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺 | |
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10
swirled
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| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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oar
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| n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行 | |
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14
untie
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| vt.解开，松开；解放 | |
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15
bail
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| v.舀（水），保释；n.保证金，保释，保释人 | |
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drenched
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| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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18
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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laboring
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| n.劳动，操劳v.努力争取(for)( labor的现在分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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obstruction
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| n.阻塞，堵塞；障碍物 | |
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mariners
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| 海员，水手（mariner的复数形式） | |
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24
precarious
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| adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的 | |
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rammed
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| v.夯实（土等）( ram的过去式和过去分词 )；猛撞；猛压；反复灌输 | |
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offshore
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| adj.海面的，吹向海面的；adv.向海面 | |
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exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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ominous
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| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
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opportune
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| adj.合适的，适当的 | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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delta
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| n.（流的）角洲 | |
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spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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lurk
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| n.潜伏，潜行；v.潜藏，潜伏，埋伏 | |
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34
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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35
moored
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| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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36
thwarts
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| 阻挠( thwart的第三人称单数 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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38
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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39
twigs
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| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
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40
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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41
murky
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| adj.黑暗的，朦胧的；adv.阴暗地，混浊地；n.阴暗；昏暗 | |
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42
wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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43
chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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44
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
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46
sneak
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| vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行 | |
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47
tinge
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| vt.(较淡)着色于，染色；使带有…气息；n.淡淡色彩，些微的气息 | |
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48
risky
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| adj.有风险的，冒险的 | |
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49
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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50
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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51
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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52
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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53
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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54
streak
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| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
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55
doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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56
illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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57
frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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