[1] Readers who desire a more detailed3 description of Yardley Hall School are referred to Chapter V of Forward Pass, the preceding story in this series.
There are six buildings at Yardley, most of them quite modern; the school is not old, as New England schools go, having been founded by Doctor Tobias Hewitt in 1870. There is Oxford4 Hall, containing the Office, the Principal’s living rooms,[30] laboratories, recitation rooms, library, assembly hall, and the rooms of the rival societies, Oxford and Cambridge. Oxford Hall is one of the older buildings. The other is Whitson, which elbows it on the East and which contains the dining-room, or commons as it is called, on the first floor, and dormitories above. Clarke is a dormitory entirely5, as are Dudley and Merle, the latter being reserved for the boys of the Preparatory Class. The Kingdon Gymnasium completes the list of buildings if one excepts the heating plant and the boat house.
From the back of the gymnasium the ground slopes down slowly to the tennis courts, the athletic6 field and the river. Here, too, but further upstream is the golf links, a nine hole course that is well maintained and well patronized. In front of Oxford Hall is an expanse of lawn known as The Prospect7. From this a flight of steps leads to the lower ground and joins a path which crosses the railroad cut by a rustic8 bridge and leads to the woods beyond. Through these various paths wind deviously9 to the beach and the Sound. Between the woods, which are school property, and at the mouth of the river, lies the Pennimore estate, eight acres of perfectly10 kept lawn and grove11 and shrubbery, with a long stone pier12 running out into the water for the accommodation[31] of the “Steamship King’s” big yacht on which, in the summer time, he makes his trips to and from New York.
From the upper floors of the Yardley buildings one may see for miles up and down the Sound, and even, on clear days, catch a glimpse of Montauk Point across the water. It would, I think, be difficult to find a finer site for a school than that occupied by Yardley. Although still under forty years of age, Yardley Hall has won a name for itself in a part of the country where famous schools are many, and you will never be able to persuade a Yardley man to acknowledge that any other school approaches it in excellence13. As for Broadwood—well, I never could do justice to a Yardley man’s opinion of that institution!
On an afternoon about a week subsequent to the opening of the winter term Dan dropped in at Number 7 Dudley. The bright weather continued, but there was no hint of Autumn in the air to-day. A shrill14 east wind charged around the corner of the building, and boys crossing the yard kept their heads down into their collars and their hands in their pockets and took short cuts across the winter turf in brazen15 defiance16 of regulations. But Number 7 was warm and cozy17 as Dan closed the door behind him and tossed his cap onto a chair. The steam pipes were sizzling[32] drowsily18 and in the grate a bed of coals glowed warmly.
“Gee,” said Dan, “I wish we had fireplaces in Clarke.”
“You ought to be glad you haven’t,” answered Alf Loring from the window-seat. “Every time you have a fire it costs you ten cents for a hod of coal. Tom’s always kicking about the expense.”
Tom Dyer, seated at the study table writing a letter, grunted19 ironically without looking up.
“Come on over here and stretch your weary limbs,” said Alf, cuddling his feet under him to make room and tossing a pillow at the visitor. Alfred Loring was seventeen years old and was captain and quarter-back of the football team. He was a nice, jolly looking fellow with a pair of merry brown eyes and hair of the same shade which he wore parted in the middle and slicked down straightly on either side of his well-shaped head. Alf was in the Second Class, as was his roommate, Tom Dyer. Tom, however, was a year older, a rangey, powerful looking youth, rather silent, rather sleepy-looking, but good-natured to a fault. Tom wasn’t a beauty, by any means, but his gray eyes and his expression when he smiled redeemed20 the rather heavy features. Tom played on the Eleven at left half and had just[33] been elected captain of the basket-ball team in place of a First Class fellow who had failed to return in the fall.
“Ain’t it cold?” asked Alf as Dan snuggled against the pillow. “If this keeps up we’ll have ice on the river in no time. Do you skate, Dan?”
“Not much. But I’m going to get some skates and try it.”
“I don’t know whether to believe you or not,” laughed Alf, “you’re so modest. I dare say you can skate all around me.”
“No, honest, Alf, that’s the truth. I can’t skate much. I never seemed to be able to learn.”
“That’s too bad. I was hoping you’d try for the hockey team. But you get some skates and get busy. You’d better come out for the team, anyway. You’ll have plenty of fun, even if you don’t make it.”
“And probably break my silly neck!”
“Well, don’t do that; we need you too much next fall. But you might try for goal. You don’t have to skate much to play goal.”
“Don’t have to do much of anything,” observed Tom dryly, “except stand up there and be hit with a hunk of hard rubber that feels like paving block. I’ve tried it; played on Whitson team two years ago. We played Clarke for the School Championship.”
[34]
“Did you win?” asked Dan, scenting21 a story.
“No, we lost,” replied Tom, going on with his writing.
“Tell him how, Tom,” said Alf with a chuckle22.
“Dead easy,” answered Tom with a reminiscent smile. “The first half ended three to two in our favor and we were feeling pretty cheerful. But when we began again one of our fellows—Nickerson—he was playing cover-point—did something that didn’t please the referee23 and got put off for the limit; two minutes, I think it was. Then Clarke got down to business and made things hot around goal. I stopped about four shots in as many seconds and then there was a mix-up in front of the net and someone laid open my head with his stick. When I came around again I found they’d scored on us. I tried to go back and play but I was too dizzy to stand up and they made me quit and put in a sub named Baxter. Baxter meant well, but he was so excited that he couldn’t see straight. And along toward the end of the half, with the score tied, Clarke rushed the puck again and took a shot. Baxter stopped it with foot and it got stuck between his skate and his boot. Instead of calling for time or doing anything sensible he just stood there and shook his foot like a hen with mud between her toes. Well, at about the sixth shake the puck came[35] out and flew into the net. That gave Clarke one goal to the good. We all called Baxter names, and that got him more excited and nervous than ever. And then, with about a minute to play the puck came down again with everyone squabbling over it. Baxter’s eyes just stood out of his head and he made a dash out of goal, got the puck somehow or other and deliberately24 swiped into his own goal! Oh, he made quite a hit that day for a sub!”
“I’ll bet he did!” laughed Dan. “I suppose you fellows all loved him to death.”
“We did—not,” grunted Tom. “It was funny about Baxter, though,” he added thoughtfully. “He graduated last year, and about a month later he was going over from New York to Boston with his folks on that steamer that caught fire; what was its name, Alf?”
“Independence.”
“Yes. The fire didn’t amount to a whole lot in the end, but for awhile things looked a bit bad. Well, the papers the next day made a regular hero of Baxter. According to them he was the life of the party. Had a fine time and enjoyed every minute of his visit. He bossed folks around, strapped25 life-preservers on fat old ladies, helped launch the boats and was as cool as a cucumber. It just shows that you never can tell, don’t it?”
[36]
“Where is he now?” asked Dan.
“Oh, he’s a dead ’un now; he’s gone to Harvard,” answered Tom.
“What did he want to go there for?” asked Dan, who had already decided26 on Yale, quite indignantly.
“Search me! What does any fellow want to go there for?”
“Well, it’s lucky for Yale some fellows do go,” laughed Alf. “If they didn’t we wouldn’t have anyone to beat!”
“Well, there’s something in that,” grunted Tom. “But I’ll tell you fellows one thing, though. Some day those Harvard Johnnies will take their hands out of their pockets, work up a coaching system like they have at Yale and everlastingly27 wallop us for keeps!”
“Oh, you run away and play!” scoffed28 Alf.
“All right. You just wait and see,” replied Tom unruffledly, returning to his letter.
“What’s Tom think he’s doing?” asked Dan of Alf.
“He thinks he’s a little Hague doing the arbitration29 act,” replied Alf, “but what he’s really doing is making a mess. Rand—you know Paul Rand?—he’s basket-ball manager, or thinks he is. Well, he tried to make dates with Broadwood for three games and got high and mighty30 and tried[37] to dictate31 things with the result that Broadwood refused to have anything to do with us. And I don’t blame her. We won last year, you know, and so Rand thought we could lay down the law. Broadwood didn’t see it that way. So Tom is trying to make a noise like a Dove of Peace. He’s writing to the Broadwood captain, and I’ll bet he gets sat on for his trouble.”
“That’ll be all right,” replied Tom, folding and sealing his letter. “I’ve offered them their choice of dates for the second game and told them we’d play the third anywhere they liked. They’ll come down and make terms. And when they do—” Tom put the stamp on with a bang of his fist—“we’ll lick them so hard that they won’t know whether they’re coming or going!”
“That’s Tom’s idea of Peace!” laughed Alf.
“Well,” growled32 his roommate, “I’ve got to have some satisfaction for grovelling33 under their feet and rubbing my head in the mud.” He tossed the letter aside distastefully. “Say, Dan, how’s the kid getting on?”
“Yes, how is little Geraldine?” asked Alf.
“All right,” replied Dan not very enthusiastically. “I was going to bring him along, but he hadn’t shown up when I left the room. I dare say he’s gone over home.”
[38]
“Sound View?” asked Alf. “I thought the place was closed up.”
“It is, but some of the servants are there, and he’s got a dog he’s awfully34 fond of; the one that ’most got burned.”
“I heard some of the Prep kids calling him ‘Young Money-Bags’ the other day,” said Tom. “I’m afraid he isn’t going to be popular, Dan.”
“I don’t see why not,” answered Dan warmly. “He isn’t a snob35 by any means; doesn’t even act like one. The fellows here wouldn’t think of looking down on a chap because he had no money. Why should they look down on him because he has?”
“Oh, I don’t think it’s exactly that,” mused36 Alf. “The trouble is, Dan, that Toby and Collins and the Faculty37 generally are so blamed proud of him. You’d think he was a young prince.”
“They aren’t proud of him,” answered Dan. “They’re proud of getting him; proud of beating Broadwood.”
“Well, that’s a commendable38 pride,” said Alf with a yawn. “The best way to do, as Brother Herb said the other day, is to just let him fight it out alone. If the School finds you sticking up for him too much they’ll take more of a grudge39 than ever to him.”
“Oh, I’m letting him do his own fighting right[39] enough. So much so that Gerald thinks I’ve gone back on him, and looks at me pathetically when he thinks I don’t see him. Makes me feel sort of like a brute40, you know. He’s been a bit homesick, too, I guess, although he hasn’t said anything about it.”
“Well, that’s promising,” said Alf. “Shows he isn’t a cry-baby. Does he know anyone yet?”
“I don’t think so; except you fellows. It’ll take him time, I suppose.”
“Bring him around here whenever you want to,” said Tom. “I don’t mind him. I know what it’s like to be homesick and out of it myself.”
“You!” exclaimed Dan.
“Sure! Don’t you think I’ve got any feelings? I went to a boarding school for two years before I struck Yardley; one of those motherly places where they advertise a nice home life for the kids. The first month I was there I thought I’d die. Lonesome? Gosh, that isn’t any word for it! I was sort of quiet and shy, I guess, and the fellows thought I was stuck-up and left me pretty much alone except when they picked on me.”
“Did you get over it?” asked Dan.
“Had to. I stood it until I couldn’t have stayed there any longer and then I picked out the biggest fellow in my class and put it up to him. ‘I’ve been here a whole month,’ I told him, ‘and[40] you fellows haven’t spoken decently to me yet.’ (I was only thirteen and was half crying.) ‘You’ve either got to take some notice of me,’ I said, ‘or fight, and I don’t care which it is.’ The chap looked at me in a funny sort of way for a minute, and then he laughed and clapped me on the shoulder. ‘Fight!’ he said. ‘Why, I don’t want to fight you, kid. You’re all right. You come along with me.’”
“Well?” Dan asked eagerly.
“Oh, I went.”
“Yes, but did he—what did he do?”
“Nothing; just walked with me across the playground. It was in the afternoon after school and almost every fellow was there. That was all he had to do. They gave me a chance after that and I made good.”
“If he’d accepted your invitation and licked you, though,” said Alf, “I don’t see that it would have helped you much.”
“He wouldn’t have licked,” said Tom quietly, “not the way I was feeling that day.”
“You, you old duffer,” scoffed his roommate, “why, you couldn’t lick a postage stamp!”
Tom pushed his chair back, arose, and approached Alf with a broad smile. Alf got his legs from under him and prepared for battle. Dan removed to a safer vantage point, and the trouble[41] began. It was a fine “rough-house” while it lasted. The cushions were soon on the floor and the combatants speedily followed them, bringing along a curtain pole and two curtains. It was the pole that produced a cessation of hostilities41. In falling it came end first and Alf’s head happened to be in the way. There was a yell, and when Tom removed himself from the recumbent form of his chum, Alf was feeling of his head disgustedly.
“It was a fine ‘rough-house’ while it lasted.”
“That fool thing always does that. I’ll bet my brain is just full of holes.”
“Well, there’s something the matter with it,” laughed Tom.
Then they went at it again, around the study and up against the table where the ink bottle was upset and a portion of its contents distributed over the letter Tom had just written.
“There!” gasped42 Tom. “Look what you’ve done! Spoiled the stamp! And I’ll have to address a new envelope.”
“You did it yourself, you clumsy brute,” answered Alf, rearranging his attire43. “But I’ll give you another stamp. It’s worth that much to wallop you!”
“Huh! A lot of walloping you did!”
“I made you look like thirty cents, all right. Didn’t I, Dan?”
[42]
“I declare it a draw,” laughed Dan. “And I’m going to get out before you do any more damage.”
“Oh, don’t go,” begged Alf. “Wait and see me lick him again. I’ve only just begun on him.”
“Huh!” Tom grunted, seating himself at the table. “Say, Dan, wait a second, like a good chap, and drop this in the mail for me. I’ll take that stamp, Alf.”
“Haven’t got it just now. I’ll give you one some day, though. I always pay my debts sooner or later.”
“I’ve got one,” Dan offered. “Toss me the letter.”
“There you are. Remind me that I owe it to you, Dan. That was the last one I had. I can’t keep stamps. I believe Alf must eat them.”
“Well!” exclaimed Alf indignantly, “I’d just like to know who buys all the stamps that are used in this room.”
“Not you, you old miser44!”
“Tom, you must apologize for that, you really must!”
“Who to? Now, look here, sonny, if you start this again—!”
Dan made a hurried leap for the door and escaped the rush.
“Good-bye, you fellows!”
[43]
There was no answer, but as he closed the door behind him there came the crash of an overturned chair. He paused, smiling, a little way down the corridor and waited. From beyond the closed portal of Number 7 came sounds resembling those of a small riot. Presently Dan walked heavily back and rapped sharply on the door. Instantly the commotion45 ceased.
“Come in,” said a polite voice.
Dan opened the door. Alf, breathing heavily, was reading on the window-seat and Tom was seated in a corner nonchalantly nursing one knee.
“What’s all this noise I hear?” asked Dan, trying to imitate the gruff tones of Mr. Austin, one of the instructors46 who roomed in the building. There was a howl of rage from the occupants of the room and Dan turned and fled. The joke kept him chuckling47 all the way around to Oxford, where he posted Tom’s letter. Then he climbed the stairs to his room in Clarke, threw open the door and paused on the threshold in consternation48.
In front of the washstand stood Gerald sopping49 his face with a blood-stained towel. His nose was swollen50 and bleeding, his knuckles51 were skinned and he was crying.
“Why, Gerald! What’s the matter?” cried Dan.
[44]
“N-nothing,” muttered Gerald, turning away.
“Nothing! Nothing be blowed! You’re a sight!” He drew the towel away from the boy’s face. “Why, you’ve been fighting! Who hit you and how did it happen? Here, let me take the towel. You sit down there and I’ll fix you up. Who did it?”
“T-Thompson.”
“Who’s Thompson? And what did he hit you for?”
“I hit him fu-first.”
“Well, what was it about? Let’s see your hand. I should say you did hit him! You’ll need some court plaster on those knuckles, my boy. Does your nose hurt very much?”
“Yu-yes,” answered Gerald, struggling with his sobs52.
“Well, never mind; don’t cry any more; it’ll feel better in a few minutes.”
“I’m not cr-crying because it hurts,” sobbed53 Gerald, “I’m cr-crying because he li-licked me!”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
haven
|
|
| n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
marsh
|
|
| n.沼泽，湿地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
detailed
|
|
| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
Oxford
|
|
| n.牛津（英国城市） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
entirely
|
|
| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
athletic
|
|
| adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
prospect
|
|
| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
rustic
|
|
| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
deviously
|
|
| 弯曲地，绕道地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
grove
|
|
| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
pier
|
|
| n.码头；桥墩，桥柱；[建]窗间壁，支柱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
excellence
|
|
| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
shrill
|
|
| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
brazen
|
|
| adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
defiance
|
|
| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
cozy
|
|
| adj.亲如手足的，密切的，暖和舒服的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
drowsily
|
|
| adv.睡地，懒洋洋地，昏昏欲睡地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
grunted
|
|
| （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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
redeemed
|
|
| adj. 可赎回的，可救赎的 动词redeem的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
scenting
|
|
| vt.闻到（scent的现在分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
chuckle
|
|
| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
referee
|
|
| n.裁判员．仲裁人，代表人，鉴定人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
deliberately
|
|
| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
strapped
|
|
| adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
everlastingly
|
|
| 永久地，持久地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
scoffed
|
|
| 嘲笑，嘲弄( scoff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
arbitration
|
|
| n.调停，仲裁 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
mighty
|
|
| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
dictate
|
|
| v.口授；(使)听写；指令，指示，命令 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
growled
|
|
| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
grovelling
|
|
| adj.卑下的，奴颜婢膝的v.卑躬屈节，奴颜婢膝( grovel的现在分词 )；趴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
awfully
|
|
| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
snob
|
|
| n.势利小人，自以为高雅、有学问的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
mused
|
|
| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
faculty
|
|
| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
commendable
|
|
| adj.值得称赞的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
grudge
|
|
| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
brute
|
|
| n.野兽，兽性 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
hostilities
|
|
| n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
gasped
|
|
| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
attire
|
|
| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
miser
|
|
| n.守财奴，吝啬鬼 (adj.miserly) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
commotion
|
|
| n.骚动，动乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
instructors
|
|
| 指导者，教师( instructor的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
chuckling
|
|
| 轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
consternation
|
|
| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
sopping
|
|
| adj. 浑身湿透的 动词sop的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
swollen
|
|
| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
knuckles
|
|
| n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
sobs
|
|
| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
sobbed
|
|
| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |