Mark, who had not seen them, noticed the fear upon the face of his little charge.
"What's the matter, Jack?" he asked.
"It's them!" answered Jack, hoarsely6.
"Who's them?"
"Peggy—and the gentleman."
"Where are they?"
"Looking in at the winder."
Mark had his wits about him, and did not turn round. He wished Peggy and her confederate to think themselves undiscovered, while he rapidly considered what was best to be done.
Should he leave the store by the front door, Jack would at once be pounced7 upon by Peggy, and there would be a scene.
He might eventually recover Jack, but in the meantime the boy would be ill-treated, stripped of his good clothes, and perhaps carried out of the city. Just as success seemed assured, he was confronted by defeat.
What was to be done?
Mark was not a boy to give in, unless compelled to do so. An idea came to him.
"Jack," he said in a low voice, "don't look towards the window again. Don't let them know you have seen them."
"You won't let Peggy get hold of me!" said the boy in a trembling voice.
"Not if I can help it."
Turning to the salesman who had waited upon him, Mark said:
"There are some people at the door that I want to avoid meeting. Is there any back entrance to the store?"
"Yes," answered the clerk.
"Will you be kind enough to guide us to it?"
"Certainly."
"Don't look behind you, Jack, but come with me. Don't be alarmed!"
The salesman guided them to a door opening on a narrow street. Boxes of goods were so piled up, that this door could not be seen from the window into which Peggy and Lyman were looking.
"Where are they going?" Peggy asked.
"To look at some goods in the back part of the store," answered Lyman.
This reassured8 Peggy, who kept her position, feeling sure that Jack could not escape her when he came out.
"I'll sell his new clothes," she thought complacently9. "I'll be in luck after all."
Once out of the store, Mark looked about him. He felt that it behooved10 him to get beyond the reach of Jack's pursuers as soon as possible. Circumstances favored him. Just at the head of the street, he saw a lady descend11 from a hack12.
"Hurry up, Jack," he said. "We'll get into this cab."
The driver was about to drive away, after settling with his fare, when Mark hailed him.
"Are you unengaged?" he asked.
"Yes, sir."
"Can you drive me at once to the union Depot13 in Van Buren Street?"
"Yes, sir."
He dismounted from the box, opened the door for his next passengers, and they got in. Then resuming his place on the box, he drove rapidly away.
It so chanced that he passed by the front of the very store from which they had just emerged.
Little Jack stole a glance out of the window of the cab.
"There's Peg2!" he said.
Following his example, Mark also caught sight of the two with their faces glued to the window, still looking in, unconscious that their prey14 had escaped them.
Mark smiled. He felt like a victor, and rather enjoyed the thought of having outgeneraled the fox.
"I hope they'll have a good time watching for us, Jack," he said.
The little boy still felt nervous.
"Do you think they'll catch me?" he asked.
"No, Jack, I think they'll get left this time."
The cab made its way rapidly through the crowded streets, and in a very short time drew up at the union Depot.
Mark paid the driver, and accompanied by Jack, made his way to the ticket office.
"How soon will there be a train East?" he asked.
"In ten minutes."
"That will suit us, Jack."
He bought tickets, and, the cars being ready, they took their seats in a comfortable car of the Lake Shore and Michigan Railroad.
"If they should come here!" suggested Jack, nervously15.
"They would have to run fast, if our train leaves on time. There is no danger, Jack. Even if they suspect that we have left the store, they wouldn't know where we are gone."
Still, even Mark felt relieved and reassured when the signal was given and the long train began to steam out of the depot.
"Wouldn't you like to go back and bid Peggy good-by?" he asked, jocosely16.
"I hope I shall never see Peggy again," answered the little boy, shuddering17.
"If you ever do, there won't be any danger of her doing you any harm. Your grandfather will take care of that."
In his hurry to leave the city, Mark had been compelled to leave his bill at the hotel unpaid18, but his valise was left behind as security. At the first opportunity he telegraphed to the land-lord, promising19 to remit20 the necessary money, and asking him to hold the valise till instructed where to send it by express.
We will now go back to Peggy and Lyman, who were impatiently maintaining their watch at the window of the shoe store.
When fifteen minutes had passed, and Jack and Mark did not appear, they became alarmed.
"Where are they?" muttered Peggy. "It's long enough they are stayin'."
"You are right, Peggy."
Just then a policeman tapped him on the shoulder. He had been watching them for some time and their conduct seemed to him suspicious.
"What are you doing here, my man?" he asked, suspiciously. "You had better move on."
"We are waiting for some one to come out," answered Lyman.
"How long do you mean to wait? Is this woman with you?"
"Yes," answered Lyman, reluctantly, for he was not proud of his companion, whose appearance was hardly calculated to do him credit.
"Shure, my little bye has been shtole," she put in, "and he's in the store now wid the man that shtole him."
"Then you'd better go in and claim him instead of standing21 here and blocking up the sidewalk."
"I think I will follow your advice," said Lyman. "Will you be kind enough to stay here a minute, in case I need your help?"
"Very well; only be quick."
Lyman entered the store, and failing to see Jack and Mark, addressed one of the salesmen.
"Two boys were in here a short time since," he said; "one large one and one small one. Can you tell me where they are?"
It happened that the salesman addressed was the same one who had guided the boys to the back entrance. At least fifteen minutes had elapsed, and there would be no danger in telling the truth.
"They went away some time since," he answered.
"They did not go out the front door, for I've been there all the time."
"There's another door," quietly retorted the clerk.
"Where?" asked Lyman, in dismay.
"In the rear of the store."
"Sold, by thunder!" exclaimed Lyman, under his breath. "How long have they been gone?"
"Fifteen minutes. Were they friends of yours?"
"The small boy was my son," answered Lyman, unblushingly.
"And was the woman I saw with you at the window his mother?" asked the salesman, with a smile.
"Certainly not," answered Lyman, coloring with indignation. "The older boy has abducted22 him."
"Why didn't you come in sooner, then?"
"I wish I had."
Great was Peggy's dismay when Lyman told her what he had learned. She had fully23 decided24 to beat Jack soundly, and now she was baffled of her revenge. The two confederates spent the rest of the day in wandering about the streets of Chicago in search of Jack and his friend, but their search was in vain.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
jack
|
|
| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
peg
|
|
| n.木栓，木钉；vt.用木钉钉，用短桩固定 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
malicious
|
|
| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
exultation
|
|
| n.狂喜，得意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
boded
|
|
| v.预示，预告，预言( bode的过去式和过去分词 )；等待，停留( bide的过去分词 )；居住；（过去式用bided）等待 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
hoarsely
|
|
| adv.嘶哑地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
pounced
|
|
| v.突然袭击( pounce的过去式和过去分词 )；猛扑；一眼看出；抓住机会（进行抨击） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
reassured
|
|
| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
complacently
|
|
| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
behooved
|
|
| v.适宜( behoove的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
descend
|
|
| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
hack
|
|
| n.劈，砍，出租马车；v.劈，砍，干咳 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
depot
|
|
| n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
prey
|
|
| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
nervously
|
|
| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
jocosely
|
|
| adv.说玩笑地，诙谐地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
17
shuddering
|
|
| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
unpaid
|
|
| adj.未付款的，无报酬的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
promising
|
|
| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
remit
|
|
| v.汇款，汇寄；豁免（债务），免除（处罚等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
abducted
|
|
| 劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
fully
|
|
| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |