CHAPTER XII THE SCREAM FROM THE CASTLE

 Ned White thought he knew all the roads about Ferndale and the Birchlands, but on this afternoon he stumbled with his party into a perfectly¹ strange byway. It did not seem to lead to any place in particular, but was one of those wagon² roads cut through private property and public places alike, without regard to direction or terminus.

 

This meant that the Fire Bird was lost—couldn't tell which way to fly, and its driver did not know which way to direct the big red machine.

 

"Where in the world is this?" asked Tom, noting Ned looking from one side to the other in a puzzled sort of way.

 

"Well, if it is only in this world we are lucky," answered Ned. "I rather feared we had slipped off into another planet."

 

"It's cold, too," murmured Joe, for as the afternoon sun slowly set the bleak³ winter day hastened forward in all its penetrating⁴ bitterness.

 

"What time is it, anyway?" asked Roland of Ned.

 

"Four, and going to get dark in an hour. Jingo! I wish we had found some greens. The girls want to get the wreaths made up to-morrow."

 

"Why didn't we go to Tanglewood Park?" asked Roger. "There were plenty of nice evergreens⁵ there."

 

"Yes, why didn't we? That's the question. Let's try this road," and Ned turned into a branch of the highway he was driving on. "Perhaps we may get out there yet."

 

"Now, see here," interrupted Roland. "I've got a dinner date to-night. Sort of a 'return of the prodigal,' you know. I can't be late. So please don't go too far from Mother Earth. If necessary we can get the greens some other day."

 

"All right," agreed Ned. "If we can't make the park in half an hour we'll turn back. But I wonder some of you smart ones did not think of it before. There certainly were plenty of green bushes out there."

 

The turn brought our friends out on the road they had been looking for, and it took but a short time to reach the lane to Tanglewood Park.

 

Under the heavy trees it was almost like night, and it was not an easy task to distinguish one bush from another, especially as Roland kept hurrying everybody, in his anxiety to be on time at the dinner party.

 

Joe and Roger secured some fine branches of the spruces that Dorothy had wished for, Ned got quite a supply of pine branches, which he declared, "could go up just as they were," while the other boys devoted⁶ themselves to the laurel hunt. Finally a large hedge of this all-winter green shrub⁷ was discovered, and in a short time the Fire Bird was loaded up with a splendid supply of Christmas evergreens.

 

"I guess that will do," announced Nat, as the little boys piled in their armfuls. "We have to sit some place, you know."

 

"What's that?" asked Ned as something rustled⁸ along the path.

 

"A lady!" almost whispered Roland, as if fearful that they might be blamed for their pillaging⁹.

 

At that instant a small woman hurried down the other branch of the path, and called lightly to some one on the roadway.

 

She evidently did not see the Fire Bird party, for she was on an opposite path, with a deep hedge between them and her.

 

"The ghost!" whispered Roger, all eager for some new excitement.

 

"Sure as you live!" answered Nat. "That's not human—it's too flimsy and—flighty."

 

It did seem that the person flitted about in a strange sort of way, first calling, then whistling.

 

But there was some one waiting.

 

"There's a carriage," said Joe, crawling under a bush to get a better view of the other path.

 

The boys held their breath. What if this might be the owner of the park, who would object to their taking the evergreens?

 

It was well the automobile¹⁰ had been left in a secluded¹¹ spot. Perhaps the woman would go off without discovering them.

 

A light carriage entered the driveway. The woman stopped to give some directions. The driver seemed to hesitate. She was urging him to go toward the castle, and he evidently wanted to go out on the main road.

 

"That driver's old Abe," declared Roger, "the fellow from the station."

 

"It sure is," answered Ned; "but don't speak so loud."

 

"And he wants to go to the station, which I wish he would do promptly," observed Roland, in some suspense¹².

 

"But she wants him to drive up to the house. See, she points that way," said Nat.

 

The woman climbed into the carriage, and the driver turned toward the castle. The boys prepared to make their escape.

 

"They'll go out the back way," ventured Nat. "Now's our time!"

 

At that instant a shrill¹³ scream rent the air. It was the same, only much louder, that had startled the party before.

 

"The ghost!" gasped¹⁴ Roger, jumping into the car.

 

The others followed. The carriage had made a quick turn and was now almost upon them.

 

Ned put on full speed, and was soon out on the open road.

 

"What's the answer?" asked Tom, who could not make out what all the fuss was about.

 

"Did you see Abe's face?" asked Nat as they once more felt that it was safe to exchange remarks.

 

"Almost went white," replied Ned. "None is so frightened at ghosts as a darky."

 

"Ghost!" repeated Tom. "Do you mean to say there really is a ghost up there in that old rat-trap?"

 

"Something," replied Nat. "We have heard that same scream before, and it does not sound like anything human."

 

"Why in thunder didn't we go up and swat it?" asked Tom, quite disgusted that such an opportunity should have been missed.

 

"Because Roland has a dinner date, and because we were trespassing¹⁵. You don't suppose we just want to walk into trouble like that, do you?" inquired Nat.

 

"Well, I'd take chances when it came to bagging a real live ghost. I hope we get another shot at it."

 

"There's the carriage," exclaimed Joe. "Just look at old Abe!"

 

"Scared stiff!" added Nat. "Well, I don't blame him. He was dangerously near that scream. Perhaps his passenger is a ventriloquist and threw her scream. The voice certainly came from the castle."

 

The carriage passed the Fire Bird at that moment. Ned had slackened speed after his first spurt¹⁶.

 

"That woman doesn't look as if she could throw anything—not even her voice," remarked Roland, when the carriage had passed. "But I fancy the old colored fellow is about ready to 'throw a fit,' at any rate."

 

"Wait till Abe tells it," said Joe, laughing. Abe had a reputation for "telling things."

 

"It certainly is queer," mused¹⁷ Ned. "I'm not exactly a ghost fiend, but there must be something uncanny up there in that old castle."

 

"Tavia says there are real magazine ghosts," spoke¹⁸ up Roger decidedly.

 

"What particular variety is that?" asked Tom.

 

"Oh, Tavia declares that in magazines scientific fellows are materializing the immaterial," said Nat quite learnedly. "That is what we call magazine ghosts."

 

"But that howl was never immaterial," persisted Tom. "I should say it emanated¹⁹ from a well developed thorax."

 

The Fire Bird was spinning along at a lively rate now, for as night neared it grew colder, and the party were anxious to get within doors.

 

"I hope the girls like the greenstuffs," remarked Roland as the home road was reached.

 

"Let us out here," said Tom as Ned prepared to run into The Elms. "We can get our blood in circulation before we reach the fire. Whew! it is cold! Well, say, we've had an awfully²⁰ jolly time, fellows. Hope we can make it up to you——"

 

"Don't mention it," interrupted Ned as the young men alighted.

 

"Never had a better time," added Roland. "My love to the girls——"

 

"Norah's got a beau!" called back Nat as the Fire Bird rolled into The Cedars²¹ and the carload of evergreens was stopped at the door. Dorothy, Tavia and Mrs. White stood in rapt surprise and admiration²² over the "greenstuff" that had been gathered, in spite of all the difficulties which had been encountered in the attempt.

1 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

2 wagon   

n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车

参考例句：

• We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
• The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。

3 bleak   

adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的

参考例句：

• They showed me into a bleak waiting room.他们引我来到一间阴冷的会客室。
• The company's prospects look pretty bleak.这家公司的前景异常暗淡。

4 penetrating   

adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的

参考例句：

• He had an extraordinarily penetrating gaze. 他的目光有股异乎寻常的洞察力。
• He examined the man with a penetrating gaze. 他以锐利的目光仔细观察了那个人。

5 evergreens   

n.常青树，常绿植物，万年青( evergreen的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The leaves of evergreens are often shaped like needles. 常绿植物的叶常是针形的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The pine, cedar and spruce are evergreens. 松树、雪松、云杉都是常绿的树。 来自辞典例句

6 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

7 shrub   

n.灌木，灌木丛

参考例句：

• There is a small evergreen shrub on the hillside.山腰上有一小块常绿灌木丛。
• Moving a shrub is best done in early spring.移植灌木最好是在初春的时候。

8 rustled   

v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He rustled his papers. 他把试卷弄得沙沙地响。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Leaves rustled gently in the breeze. 树叶迎着微风沙沙作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 pillaging   

v.抢劫，掠夺( pillage的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The rebels went looting and pillaging. 叛乱者趁火打劫，掠夺财物。
• Soldiers went on a rampage, pillaging stores and shooting. 士兵们横冲直撞，洗劫商店并且开枪射击。 来自辞典例句

10 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

11 secluded   

adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• Some people like to strip themselves naked while they have a swim in a secluded place. 一些人当他们在隐蔽的地方游泳时，喜欢把衣服脱光。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This charming cottage dates back to the 15th century and is as pretty as a picture, with its thatched roof and secluded garden. 这所美丽的村舍是15世纪时的建筑，有茅草房顶和宁静的花园，漂亮极了，简直和画上一样。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 suspense   

n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑

参考例句：

• The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。
• The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。

13 shrill   

adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫

参考例句：

• Whistles began to shrill outside the barn.哨声开始在谷仓外面尖叫。
• The shrill ringing of a bell broke up the card game on the cutter.刺耳的铃声打散了小汽艇的牌局。

14 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：

• She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
• People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

15 trespassing   

[法]非法入侵

参考例句：

• He told me I was trespassing on private land. 他说我在擅闯私人土地。
• Don't come trespassing on my land again. 别再闯入我的地界了。

16 spurt   

v.喷出；突然进发；突然兴隆

参考例句：

• He put in a spurt at the beginning of the eighth lap.他进入第八圈时便开始冲刺。
• After a silence, Molly let her anger spurt out.沉默了一会儿，莫莉的怒气便迸发了出来。

17 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：

• \"I wonder if I shall ever see them again, \"he mused. “我不知道是否还可以再见到他们，”他沉思自问。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• \"Where are we going from here?\" mused one of Rutherford's guests. 卢瑟福的一位客人忍不住说道：‘我们这是在干什么？” 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史

18 spoke   

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

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

19 emanated   

v.从…处传出，传出( emanate的过去式和过去分词 )；产生，表现，显示

参考例句：

• Do you know where these rumours emanated from? 你知道谣言出自何处吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The rumor emanated from Chicago. 谣言来自芝加哥。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

20 awfully   

adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地

参考例句：

• Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
• I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。

21 cedars   

雪松，西洋杉( cedar的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The old cedars were badly damaged in the storm. 风暴严重损害了古老的雪松。
• Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars. 1黎巴嫩哪，开开你的门，任火烧灭你的香柏树。

22 admiration   

n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕

参考例句：

• He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
• We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。