The driver, who announced that he was “Jake,” sat on one of the boxes, lighted a corncob pipe and talked with the lads. Although he was rough of speech and at times inclined to profanity, the young men treated him with respect, and by their unvarying courtesy won his good will. He asked many questions and told them a good deal about himself; in short, they became quite chummy.
“Have you seen anything of Asa and Bige Carter?”
“Who are they?” asked Alvin in turn, although he had heard the names before.
“I thought everybody knowed Asa and Bige; they’re twin brothers, and two of the darndest chaps that ever lived.”
This description, so far as it went, was not enlightening. Chester said:
“Those must have been the two men that called on Uncle Elk7 this morning and went off with him in their canoe. So far as we could see they look exactly alike.”
“That’s them,” replied Jake with a nod of his head. “Did the three come this way in their canoe?”
“They seemed to be heading for this place.”
“That settles it; they was Asa and Bige. I expected them to meet me here,” and Jake peered around in the wood, but without seeing anything of his friends.
“What might ye maan by spaking of them as two of the darndest chaps that ever lived?” asked Mike, who, as did his companions, hoped they had struck a lead that might yield them something worth while.
“Why, they’re just like a couple of Irishmen.”
“Arrah now, but what model gintlemen they must be! It will be an honor for us to make their acquaintance.”
Jake’s reply to this was to snatch off his straw hat, throw back his head and roar with laughter. Determined8 to probe farther, Alvin asked:
“Now, you jist wait till you meet ’em 176and you’ll find out. I’ll only warn you to keep your eyes wide open, or they’ll close ’em for you. Wal, the folks have about arriv.”
All rose to their feet and greeted their friends who were now within a short distance. The water was so deep that the light craft were able to lie broadside against the bank. It required skill and hard labor10 to get a portion of the freight aboard, but in due time it was accomplished11.
“We are pretty heavily loaded,” remarked Scout Master Hall, “but the lake is smooth and we can easily make two or three trips. We can divide you four between us.”
Mr. Hall insisted that he and his three companions should change places with the others, but this arrangement would have defeated the scheme Alvin and his chums had in mind. Without revealing their object, they begged off and secured a compromise by which Hoke Butler was to return in one of the canoes, while the trio would walk home. In truth, Hoke was so tired from his long tramp that he was pleased by the plan.
“But I won’t go, Mike, if you’re going to feel bad about it,” he remarked before sitting down in the boat that was about to shove off.
“Av coorse me heart is nearly broke,” said Mike, “but it’s yer own comfort I’m thinking of, as Larry McWhymper said whin he put a brick in the bag for the cat he was drowning to set on and pass away comfortable. But I’m cheered by the hope of maating ye at supper time. Good luck to ye!”
The two craft, sunk almost to their gunwales, moved slowly across the mirror-like lake, reaching their destination without mishap13, and returning for the last loads.
Jake looked at the three youths.
“You’ve got a mighty hard tramp afore you; if there was a road I’d take you home in my wagon.”
“We don’t mind it,” was the cheery reply of Alvin.
“Besides, if we feel like resting our legs and using our arms, we can borrow Dr. Spellman’s boat; his home isn’t far off. Do you go back at once?”
“I’ve a great mind to; it would serve Asa and Bige right if I did, but I’ll hang round a half hour or so and not a blamed bit longer, for I must git home afore dark.”
“Then we shall bid you good bye,” said Alvin shaking hands with the countryman, as did the others, all expressing the hope of soon meeting him again. Since it was he who regularly brought the supplies to this point, there seemed to be no reason why the mutual14 wish should not be gratified. Jake refilled and relighted his pipe, sitting on a fallen tree and showing by his vigorous puffs15 that he was not in the most patient of moods.
The three boys did not speak until sure they were beyond sight of Jake. Then they halted.
“Do you think he suspects anything?” asked Alvin, unconsciously lowering his voice.
“Why should he?” asked Chester.
“He suspicts we’re thramping for home,” remarked Mike, “which the same is what we wish him to belave.”179
It will be understood that our young friends were resolute16 to learn all that was possible about the mystery that had tantalized17 them for the past day or two. Beyond a doubt the twin brothers were connected with it, and since Jake was awaiting their coming, it looked as if the boys had a fair chance of learning something.
They separated, and each began an approach to the driver and his team that was meant to be so cautious that Jake would not detect them. The very care used by each well nigh defeated its purpose. It fell to Alvin to catch the first enlightening glimpse of the countryman and that which he saw astonished him.
The Carter brothers must have been waiting near at hand for the departure of the boys, for in the brief interval18 since then they had come forward, loaded something in the wagon and covered it with a big sheet of soiled canvas. Whatever it was, its size was such that it filled the whole interior, and crowded against the seat in front. It towered several feet above the sides and suggested a load of hay, protected against a drenching19 rain.
“What can it be?” Alvin muttered, “and why are they so particular with it?” which questions were self asked by Chester and Mike, with none able to frame an answer.
Having loaded the wagon, the brothers proceeded carefully to tuck in the precious burden as if afraid jealous eyes might see it. Finally all was satisfactory and the three men climbed to the front seat. They had to sit snugly20, but there was enough room. Jake was on the extreme right, where he could crack his whip without hindrance21.
He glanced behind him, as if to make sure everything was right, jerked the reins22, circled the whip lash23 which gave out an explosion like that of a fire cracker24, and the sturdy horses bent25 to their task of dragging the wagon and its contents through the woods into the more open country, where the smoother highway made the task easy.
All three men crowded on the front seat were smoking. Jake stuck to his corncob pipe, but each brother sported a cigar, which by a special arrangement with Porter, the druggist in Boothbay Harbor, they 181bought for two cents apiece,—far in excess of their worth, as any one would decide who tested them, or even caught their odor. With all puffing26 vigorously, one might fancy that they instead of the horses supplied the motive27 power.
From where Alvin Landon stood behind the trunk of a large tree and peeped out, he saw that the brothers were doing a good deal of laughing, as if they recalled some humorous incident. Bige gave the particulars to Jake, who was so pleased that he threw back his head and made the forest ring with his laughter.
Since the backs of the men were turned toward the boys, the latter did not fear to come together to discuss their next step.
“I don’t see that we have learned more than we knew before,” remarked Alvin disgustedly; “what do you suppose they have covered up in that wagon?”
“I have no idea,” replied Chester.
“Let’s folly28 the team till it gets back to Bovil or wherever the same may be going. Better still,” added Mike, “we can slip up behind, lift the lid, and get a peep at the cratur himself.”182
“How do you know what it may be?”
“I don’t, which is why I want to find out, and the same is thrue of yersilves.”
They gave over the plan for more than one reason. There was no saying how many miles they would have to tramp, and they could not go far without being discovered by the men. Then the situation, to say the least, would become embarrassing.
“I have the belief that we are near the solution,” said Alvin, “and we can afford to wait a day or two longer. We have several miles ahead and may as well place them behind us before nightfall. Come on.”
Good taste suggested that having called upon Dr. Spellman so recently they should pass him by on their return to the bungalow. This was done and they reached home without further incident.
Meanwhile, the wagon with its mysterious load was lurching and plunging29 over the primitive30 road, the three men on the front seat retaining their places with no little difficulty, but they were used to such traveling and no mishap followed.
Shortly after reaching the smoother highway, Bige Carter with another laugh exclaimed:
“By jingo! there they be!”
“You’re right; that’s them,” added his brother.
The two tramps, who have already figured to some extent in these pages, were descried32 as the team turned a corner, walking in the middle of the road. He who had lost his hat had managed in some way to secure another. Half of the rim31 was missing and his frowsy hair showed through the crown. As the rattle33 of wheels reached their ears, he who was known as Biggs looked around. Immediately the paths of the two diverged34, one going to the right and the other to the left of the highway. Both limped as if the act of walking was painful. Naturally the team soon overtook them. Jake, who had been talking the matter over with his friends, stopped his horses.
“Whoa! wouldn’t you gentlemen like me to give you a lift?”
“Now ye’re shouting, boss,” replied Biggs as he and his companion each approached a front wagon wheel, “but where are yer going to put us?”
“You won’t mind setting on the bottom of the wagon in front of the stuff piled there?”
Resting one ragged36 shoe on a hub, the hobos clambered in and sat down behind the three men, who said nothing but tried to restrain their chuckling37. They knew what was coming.
Biggs and Hutt drew up their legs and compressed themselves as much as possible. Still, with the best they could do they were cramped38. It seemed to Biggs that a slight shifting of the freight behind them would help matters. He hesitated for a minute or two and then stealthily raised one corner of the canvas covering, his companion watching him.
Thus it came about that the revelation burst upon the two in the same instant. A howl of terror rang out from each, as they bounded to their feet and dived over the side of the wagon. They forgot their lameness39, and ran in the direction of Gosling Lake as if they were contestants40 at Stockholm for the Marathon prize. That single peep under the canvas had shown the same appalling41 thing that drove them headlong from the canoe. It was actually near enough to touch them, and the wonder was that they were not smitten42 with a mortal dread43.
As Jake and Bige and Asa rode on they were so convulsed with merriment that they surely would have fallen from their seats had not the highway been smooth and the pace of the horses a slow walk.
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1
bungalow
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| n.平房，周围有阳台的木造小平房 | |
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wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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3
linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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4
scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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5
cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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6
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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7
elk
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| n.麋鹿 | |
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8
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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9
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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10
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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11
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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12
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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13
mishap
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| n.不幸的事，不幸；灾祸 | |
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14
mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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15
puffs
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| n.吸( puff的名词复数 )；（烟斗或香烟的）一吸；一缕（烟、蒸汽等）；（呼吸或风的）呼v.使喷出( puff的第三人称单数 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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16
resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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17
tantalized
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| v.逗弄，引诱，折磨( tantalize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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19
drenching
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| n.湿透v.使湿透( drench的现在分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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20
snugly
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| adv.紧贴地；贴身地；暖和舒适地；安适地 | |
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21
hindrance
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| n.妨碍，障碍 | |
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22
reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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23
lash
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| v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛 | |
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24
cracker
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| n.（无甜味的）薄脆饼干 | |
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25
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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26
puffing
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| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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27
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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28
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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29
plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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30
primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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31
rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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32
descried
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| adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的 | |
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33
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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34
diverged
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| 分开( diverge的过去式和过去分词 )； 偏离； 分歧； 分道扬镳 | |
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35
trump
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| n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭 | |
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36
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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37
chuckling
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 ) | |
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38
cramped
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| a.狭窄的 | |
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39
lameness
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| n. 跛, 瘸, 残废 | |
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40
contestants
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| n.竞争者，参赛者( contestant的名词复数 ) | |
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41
appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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42
smitten
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| 猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去分词 ) | |
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43
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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