Gerald and Harry10 Merrow, on their way to the boathouse, paused a while behind the net and watched proceedings11. One by one the players faced Reid until he had made some sort of a hit; Millener, Colton, Loring, Condit, Danforth, Durfee, Richards, and so on down the list of first team men and substitutes. When Alf cracked out a long, low drive that would have been good for[251] three bases in a game, Gerald howled with glee, and again, when Dan managed to send a hard, low one just over Reid’s head, Gerald shouted “Good for you, Dan!” and didn’t at all mind the amusement he created. When the players left the net and trotted12 over to the diamond, Gerald and Harry continued on their way to the river, discussing the nine and the chances of victory. Harry was pessimistic.
“Broadwood’s got a crackajack of a team this year,” he said. “Look at the way they licked Porter! And that fellow Herring, their best pitcher, is a wonder. I saw him pitch last year.”
“Is he better than Colton?” asked Gerald. Harry frowned and hesitated.
“Well, he’s as good. But he isn’t the all-round player that Colton is. Colton can bat, you know; he’s the best batter8 we’ve got.”
“Alf Loring’s good, too,” said Gerald jealously.
“You bet he is! He and Colton are both dandies! Oh, it’s going to be a ripping game, all right. I wouldn’t miss it for anything. But, just the same, I look to see Broadwood win, say about five to four, or something like that.”
“I don’t believe she will,” answered Gerald.
“Want to bet?” asked Harry eagerly.
“I don’t bet, but—say, I’ll tell you what I will[252] do, Harry. I’ve got a dandy stamp collection; three big books; some of them cost a lot of money. I’ve got almost all the real rare ones, too. Do you collect?”
“Yes, I used to. But I haven’t had any new ones lately. Why?”
“Well, if Broadwood wins I’ll give you my collection.”
“The—the whole thing?” asked Harry incredulously. Gerald nodded. Harry thought a moment, and then asked suspiciously;
“And if we win, what do I give you?”
“Nothing. If you did it would be just the same as betting, and father won’t let me bet. Is it a go?”
“Sure!” answered Harry. “Only—only it’s pretty one-sided, isn’t it? It doesn’t seem just right to take the stamps, Gerald.”
“That’s all right. Besides, I don’t believe you’ll have a chance. We’re going to win.”
“You wait and see,” said Harry. “How many stamps have you got?”
“I haven’t counted them lately,” replied Gerald carelessly. “Over two thousand, though.” Harry whistled. “I guess it’s only fair, though, to tell you that I—I’m tired of them. If you win I shan’t care much about the stamps, I mean.”
“I shall,” laughed Harry. “I don’t really[253] want Broadwood to win, but—but, gee13, I’d like to have those books!”
They lifted their canoe out, set it in the water and climbed into it.
“Where’ll we go?” asked Harry.
“Let’s go up to Flat Island, and then into Marsh14 Lake on the way back,” answered Gerald. “There’s Dyer and Burgess up there in that blue canoe. See ’em? Ready?”
They dug their paddles and headed upstream. There were a good many canoes out and Gerald and Harry had one or two brisk encounters on the way up. At Flat Island several canoes were pulled up onto the shore and a number of fellows were lolling about in the shade of the willows15. They went on by the island for a quarter of a mile to where the river narrows, and then turned and floated back with the tide. Harry had got over his nervousness and no longer insisted on being close to shore.
“This is something like,” he said, settling comfortably down in the stern, where, with just a touch of his paddle now and then he could keep the canoe’s nose pointed16 right. And Gerald, laying his paddle across his knees, agreed. It was a beautiful afternoon, and the river never looked lovelier. It was pretty warm, but now and then a little breeze crept across the marshland, waving[254] the tall, lush grasses, and brought relief. The river reflected the intense blue of the sky, the willows and alders17 along the bank were vividly18 green, and to Gerald came the fanciful thought that Nature was divided in its allegiance, displaying equally the colors of Yardley and Broadwood.
“Just the same,” he muttered half aloud, with a glance at the sky, “the blue’s on top!”
“Eh?” asked Harry sleepily.
To the left, over on the links, seven couples dotted the turf. Golf enthusiasts19 these, so intent on following the little white spheres that they had no thought for the temperature. Further along was the field, sprinkled with the blue-and-gray-uniformed ball players. Occasionally, when the breeze died away, the sharp crack of ball against bat reached the occupants of the canoe. Presently the mouth of the tiny stream which wound inward to Marsh Lake was reached, and the lads took up their paddles again to battle with the sluggish20 current. The canoe was headed in between the tall rushes, which in places almost met across the little passage, and all their ingenuity21 was required to keep their shallow craft from running aground on the bars and flats. It was very hot in here, and swarms22 of blood-thirsty mosquitoes were lying in wait for the adventurers.
“Who suggested coming in here?” asked[255] Gerald, pausing in his paddling to defend himself from the hungry horde23.
“You did,” responded Harry. “Don’t you wish you hadn’t? I’m just a mass of bites already.”
“Well, let’s get out of it,” said Gerald.
“Let’s keep on; it’s only a little ways more.”
Another turn of the winding24 stream and the bushes gave way and the canoe floated on Marsh Lake, a good-sized sheet of water, set in a wide, green sea of marsh grass and rushes, which extended for a good half-mile to the westward25, and perhaps half that distance north and south. Now and then a clump26 of low bushes or a group of small willows stood up above the surrounding flatness. Blackbirds and bobolinks and sparrows held high carnival27 amidst the swaying reeds, frogs splashed and challenged gruffly, and the hum of thousands of insects filled the air. Into and out of the lake dozens of little streams made their way, all so much alike that it was the custom to thrust a paddle into the bank as one entered, so as to distinguish the outlet28 toward the river from the other streams which meandered29 in meaningless fashion across the marsh, twisting and doubling, and, in many cases, leading nowhere at all. So Harry stuck his paddle down into the mud at the bottom of the lake, near the margin30, and left Gerald to[256] propel the craft across the unruffled water.
They went very quietly, for sometimes there were adventures awaiting the visitor to Marsh Lake. It was a favorite place for ducks and loons and snipe, and more than one heron had been surprised there. But to-day they discovered nothing more remarkable31 than two big mud turtles, which slipped into the water from the log upon which they had been sunning themselves. A pair of kingfishers came winging across the marsh, looking for supper, but the first glimpse of the canoe sent them wheeling northward32, scolding discordantly33. Gerald paddled slowly around the lake, fighting off the mosquitoes, which, if less troublesome here than in the stream, were still annoying.
“Let’s go back,” he said finally. “There’s nothing here to-day. Sometime I’m coming up here to catch a turtle.”
“A dip-net’s the thing for them,” said Harry knowingly. “I’ve got one at home, and I’ll bring it along in the Fall.”
“I’ve heard you could catch them with a hook and a piece of raw meat,” Gerald replied. “I’d like to try it some time. Where’s that paddle, Harry?” Harry looked around.
“It ought to be over there,” he said finally, “but I don’t see it.”
“Neither do I. I thought, though, that—There[257] it is; see? Gee, it’s lucky we put it there! I’d never have gone out that way.”
“I would,” answered Harry. “The river’s toward the east, you know, and—”
“And there are at least five outlets34 in that direction,” finished Gerald sarcastically35, as he sent the canoe across the pond to where the paddle stuck out of the water.
“Stop paddling,” said Harry. “I can get it.”
He reached out and took hold of the paddle and gave it a tug36.
“Come out of that,” he grunted37.
“Wait till I push up nearer,” advised Gerald.
“Never mind; I can get it,” was the reply. Harry stood up gingerly in the canoe, and gave a mighty38 tug at the paddle. It came up so quickly that he lost his balance, the paddle flew over his head, and the canoe rocked dangerously. Making a frantic39 effort to recover his balance, Harry fell with one knee against the opposite edge of the craft, and in the next moment both boys were in the water.
Gerald came up sputtering40 and laughing. “You’re a nice one!” he cried. He had kept hold of his own paddle, but the one which had caused the catastrophe41 was floating a good ten feet away, while the canoe, which had promptly42 righted itself, was rocking sluggishly43, half full of water, just[258] beyond reach. Gerald thought he could touch bottom, but when he tried it, he found that in spite of the fact that he was hardly a dozen feet from shore, he was still over his depth. Then he looked for Harry. That youth was nowhere to be seen, and Gerald, with one hand on the canoe, stared about him in perplexity and a growing uneasiness.
“Harry!” he called.
There was no answer. The surface of the pond was still and untroubled. For an instant he thought that perhaps his companion had waded44 ashore45, and was hiding in the bushes and reeds. But there hadn’t been time for that. With growing horror, Gerald realized that Harry had not come to the surface after he had sunk; that he was down there—somewhere—caught, perhaps, in the mud—drowning!
A wild desire for flight almost overpowered him. For a moment longer he clung desperately46 to the canoe, white of face and with staring eyes fixed47 in terror on the calm surface of the treacherous48 pond. Then, with an inarticulate cry and an awful fear clutching at his heart, he tore himself loose from the canoe and dove.
Baseball practice had been longer to-day, and a five-inning game with the Second Nine had[259] brought it to a close at a few minutes before five. Up in the gymnasium there was a merry babel of voices, mingled49 with the rushing of water in the shower baths. Dan had played at third for a part of the time, and now, glowing from his work and the subsequent shower, he was dressing50 himself leisurely51 and happily in the locker-room, listening to the talk about him, and now and then throwing in a word. The windows were open and the steam was writhing52 out into the sunlight. Payson had taken his departure and the discussion of the day’s work was free and untrammelled. To be sure, Andy Ryan was still present, but every one knew that Andy never carried tales. And so Lawrence, who played rightfield, and was in the First Class, wasn’t mincing53 matters in his loud criticism of Payson. Millener was trying to “call him down,” but every one was talking at once, and his efforts were not very successful. The discussion was waxing vehement54 when the swinging door at the foot of the stair was thrown open and an excited youth stumbled in.
“Have you fellows heard the news?” he cried.
“‘Have you fellows heard the news?’ he cried.”
The confusion ceased and all faces turned toward him.
“Young Pennimore and another fellow, Merrill, or something like that, were drowned just now over in Marsh Lake!”
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1
confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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2
labored
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| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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delusion
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| n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑 | |
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frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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pitcher
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| n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐；(棒球)投手 | |
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mettle
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| n.勇气，精神 | |
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duel
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| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
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batter
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| v.接连重击；磨损；n.牛奶面糊；击球员 | |
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batters
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| n.面糊（煎料）( batter的名词复数 )；面糊（用于做糕饼）；（ 棒球） 正在击球的球员；击球员v.连续猛击( batter的第三人称单数 ) | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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12
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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13
gee
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| n.马；int.向右！前进！，惊讶时所发声音；v.向右转 | |
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14
marsh
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| n.沼泽，湿地 | |
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15
willows
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| n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木 | |
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16
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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alders
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| n.桤木( alder的名词复数 ) | |
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vividly
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| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
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enthusiasts
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| n.热心人，热衷者( enthusiast的名词复数 ) | |
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sluggish
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| adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的 | |
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ingenuity
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| n.别出心裁；善于发明创造 | |
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swarms
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| 蜂群，一大群( swarm的名词复数 ) | |
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23
horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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26
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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carnival
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| n.嘉年华会，狂欢，狂欢节，巡回表演 | |
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28
outlet
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| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
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29
meandered
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| （指溪流、河流等）蜿蜒而流( meander的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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30
margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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31
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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32
northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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33
discordantly
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| adv.不一致地，不和谐地 | |
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34
outlets
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| n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店 | |
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35
sarcastically
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| adv.挖苦地，讽刺地 | |
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36
tug
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| v.用力拖(或拉)；苦干；n.拖；苦干；拖船 | |
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37
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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38
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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39
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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40
sputtering
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| n.反应溅射法；飞溅；阴极真空喷镀；喷射v.唾沫飞溅( sputter的现在分词 )；发劈啪声；喷出；飞溅出 | |
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41
catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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42
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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43
sluggishly
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| adv.懒惰地；缓慢地 | |
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44
waded
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| （从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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46
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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47
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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48
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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49
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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50
dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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51
leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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52
writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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53
mincing
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| adj.矫饰的；v.切碎；切碎 | |
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54
vehement
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| adj.感情强烈的；热烈的；(人)有强烈感情的 | |
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