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CHAPTER XVI ANOTHER DISAPPEARANCE
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 It was not until the following day, when Marjorie faced a free morning, that she had an opportunity to go over the events of the previous day and weigh their significance. Then, with the excitement of the picnic behind her, she was able to think calmly.
 
The more she thought of the strange voice she and Ethel had heard in the cellar, the more anxious she was to learn its source. Now she felt angry with herself for running away; she wished that she had accepted the boys’ offer to return immediately and explore the cellar. It had been ridiculous to allow such an opportunity to pass.
 
She took her fancy-work and went down on the porch, hoping that Ethel, who was also free that morning, would join her. She longed to talk the matter over with her, and to tell her of the plan she was formulating1.
 
She did not have to wait long, for in a few minutes Ethel appeared, with two or three magazines. But Marjorie had no intention of allowing her to read.
 
“I’m so glad you came out,” said Marjorie. “For I’ve been dying to talk the whole thing over without the other girls. And of course last night we were too tired—”
 
“Yes, I didn’t even give it a thought after I got into bed, I was so sleepy,” said Ethel. “But I certainly have been trying to figure it out this morning. I positively2 can’t make head or tail of it.”
 
“Neither can I. And yet we didn’t dream it—we certainly wouldn’t both dream it—”
 
“Don’t you think it could possibly have been a spirit?” asked Ethel.
 
“No, I don’t. I think somebody wants to get us out of that house—though for what reason under the sun, I can’t imagine—and is using this method to frighten us. Because, otherwise, why should only we girls experience it, and never the men?”
 
“You don’t think the boys could have heard something of the kind and refrained from telling us for fear of scaring us?”
 
“If they had, Ethel,” replied Marjorie, convincingly, “Jack3 and John never would have consented to letting you and me stay alone in the house all night—even with their watching as close as they were. No, I know them both too well for that!”
 
“I guess you’re right,” admitted Ethel. “Well, Marj, what are we going to do about it—just ignore it all? We have nearly a month yet—”
 
“No, I really mean to do something, as I said last night to the boys, to get to the bottom of it. I have a plan—rather vague, I’ll admit—but still, it’s a plan.”
 
“Tell me about it!” urged her companion.
 
“Well, it’s based on this idea: whoever they are that want to frighten us away, they plan their attacks for only the times when we girls are alone in the house. Evidently, then, there is no hope of using the boys to help catch them. Neither do I think there is any chance of our doing anything, against men; we’d only get into trouble. So our one salvation4 lies in getting two or three of the boys to disguise themselves as girls, and go after them.”
 
“Splendid!” cried Ethel, approvingly. “But wouldn’t they recognize their voices?”
 
“Yes, if it is necessary to do any talking. I thought we might work out some such scheme as this—have Jack, disguised as a girl, and me sleep all night at the house; and have John and maybe one or two of the others,—either hidden or disguised—outside. I really haven’t worked out the details of the plot a bit, because I thought Jack and John could do much better than I could.”
 
“It’s wonderful!” cried Ethel, in growing admiration5. “I’m sort of jealous of you, though—being the only girl—”
 
“I’d include you, Ethel, if I thought it were wise. But it seems to me we better not have too many, and of course it would be best for me because Jack is my brother. But we won’t decide anything definitely until I talk it over with Jack and John at the tea-house this evening.”
 
The girls continued to discuss the subject until Marie Louise and Florence came up on the porch, and then they dropped it for discretion’s sake. The whole effectiveness of the plan would be lost if the disguise were to be common knowledge.
 
At luncheon6 the scouts7 all asked Marjorie what she intended to do in regard to the warning she had received.
 
“I don’t know yet,” she replied, truthfully. “I want to talk it over with the boys and make some arrangements for staying again all night at the tea-house.”
 
“No! No! Marjorie!” cried Marie Louise, aghast at the idea. “Oh, please take the warning seriously, and stay away from there at night!”
 
Marjorie smilingly shook her head.
 
“No, Marie Louise; it’s our duty as truth-loving Girl Scouts to get to the bottom of this thing. But I won’t be foolish—I’m going to proceed very carefully.”
 
“Well, in the meanwhile, I hope nothing dreadful happens,” she observed.
 
“How are we working today?” asked Ethel, abruptly8. “I’ve had so many other things to think about that I’ve almost forgotten there is such a thing as work.”
 
“Everybody’s on all afternoon,” replied Marie Louise. “But Alice and I go off at four o’clock because we worked this morning. And you and Marjorie are supposed to stay latest, and close the house.”
 
“Suits me!” announced Marjorie. “Jack and John will surely be down this evening, and it will give us a chance to talk things over.”
 
The business at the tea-house was as gratifying as ever that afternoon; perhaps because it was particularly warm and sultry, a larger number of patrons than usual came in to enjoy the ice-cream and the ice-tea, and to rest beneath the electric fans; for as soon as the money had begun to pour in with greater rapidity, Marjorie had installed them in the tea-room and in the rest-room. The girls themselves were so busy and so happy in their service that they did not notice the heat. Indeed, it was only after Marie Louise and Alice made their departure that they began to feel fatigued9.
 
About six o’clock the rush seemed to be over, and Marjorie insisted that all except Ethel and herself go home for supper. Then, in the lull10 that followed, they found something to eat, and waited impatiently for the coming of the boys. When they finally arrived, Marjorie lost no time in putting her new plan up to them.
 
“But let’s wait several days,” she concluded, “while you people figure it out to the best advantage. We want to lay a regular Sherlock Holmes trap, and catch the enemy without any slips. So—think as hard as you can.”
 
“We certainly will!” cried both boys, in excitement.
 
They fell so heartily11 into Marjorie’s proposition, and seemed so confident of success, that for the first time since the opening of the tea-house, the girls really felt as if most of the obstacles were behind her. She was naturally disgruntled therefore to be greeted, upon reaching home, with the news of a fresh disaster.
 
“Marie Louise and Alice have disappeared!” announced Florence, almost before the girls were out of John’s car.
 
“What?” cried Marjorie, standing12 perfectly13 still on the step of the Ford14. “What did you say?”
 
“Marie Louise and Alice have not been seen since this afternoon!” repeated Florence. “And what is more—the last person who saw them was Anna—and she thinks they went down the cellar of the tea-house!”
 
“Oh, no! No!” protested Marjorie. “Oh, not that!”
 
“Well, she really isn’t a bit sure,” said Mae Van Horn. “But it was rush hour, you know, and she says the girls were going off duty and came back to the kitchen for something to eat. You know we just got in that barrel of apples—the first of the season—and Marie Louise said they each wanted one. And Anna told them the barrel was down the cellar.”
 
“And they went down?” asked Marjorie, incredulously. “You can’t make me believe that Marie Louise braved the terrors of that cellar just for the sake of an apple!”
 
“Well, I don’t know,” said Mae. “Anna didn’t see whether they went or not. Anyway, they expected to be back for supper—and they’re not here yet—and it’s almost eight o’clock!”
 
“John,” said Marjorie, descending15 from the step of the car and taking the tea-house key from her pocket, “you and Jack go back and search that cellar. And I’ll go call up Doris and all Marie Louise’s other friends I can think of.”
 
In fifteen minutes Marjorie came out to the porch again and reported no success.
 
“Of course not!” said Mrs. Munsen, who was even more anxious than any of the girls. “Marie Louise is always thoughtful about telephoning when she expects to miss a meal.”
 
“She may be at the tea-house,” observed Ethel.
 
“Oh, I hope not!” sighed Mrs. Munsen. “Then surely something dreadful would have happened to them!”
 
But in a few minutes the boys also returned to tell of their failure. They had searched the tea-house carefully, from top to bottom, without any results.
 
“Did you get a warning from the spirit world?” asked Florence, half mockingly.
 
“No; the house was as silent as a tomb,” replied John.
 
“The poor ghosts have to sleep sometime!” remarked Mae, lightly.
 
“Girls!” reproved Mrs. Munsen; “this is serious—it’s no time for joking! We must do something to find Marie Louise and Alice.”
 
“But what?” asked Marjorie. “Go to the police again?”
 
“Oh, they’re no good!” said Jack, contemptuously. “We’d better hunt the girls ourselves.”
 
“I honestly think they’ll show up soon,” declared Ethel. “Maybe they went for a walk, and got lost—”
 
“But Marie Louise is a Philadelphian,” protested Florence.
 
The sharp, insistent16 ring of the telephone interrupted the conversation, and Marjorie hurried off to answer it. In a moment she was back again.
 
“They’re safe—and all right!” she announced, joyously17. “They’re waiting for a taxi, and will be here in about twenty minutes.”
 
“But where are they, and where have they been?” demanded Mrs. Munsen.
 
“Somewhere in town—I couldn’t understand just where. They were unavoidably detained; they said they’d explain when they get here.”
 
The girls put in the next twenty minutes of waiting in discussing Alice’s and Marie Louise’s possible reason for being away. At last they all agreed that the ghost at the haunted house could have no possible connection with this adventure, and generally agreed that the girls must have gone to a show. Nevertheless, when Alice and Marie Louise actually reached the porch steps, this was the first question they were greeted with:
 
“Did the ghost kidnap you girls?” It was Mae who asked it.
 
“No,” answered Marie Louise, dropping into a chair, and removing her hat; “no, the ghost didn’t get after us—we went after the ghost!”
 
“What do you mean?” cried two or three of the girls at once.
 
“Tell us the whole story!” urged Florence.
 
“Well,” began Marie Louise, “after Marj talked at lunch time about spending another night at the tea-house in spite of that warning which she and Ethel received, I began to be worried. I thought we ought to know whether there was anything to it—if the spirits really were opposed to our using the house. So I decided18 to find out.”
 
“To find out!” repeated Marjorie in surprise. “But how did you experiment?”
 
“No, not experiment!” corrected Marie Louise. “We went straight to the proper source for information. Alice and I consulted a medium!”
 
“So that is what you were doing in town!” remarked Mrs. Munsen. Then, her mind suddenly switching from the mental to the physical. “And haven’t you had any supper?”
 
“We had ice-cream while we were waiting for the taxi,” replied Alice.
 
“You poor dears!” cried the older woman, rising. “I’ll hear the rest later, and go fix your something to eat.”
 
As soon as she was gone, Marie Louise went on with her story.
 
“I had the name of a medium a friend of mine went to see in the city,” she said; “so as soon as I knew we would be off at four o’clock, I persuaded Alice to go with me.”
 
“I really was crazy to go,” put in her companion.
 
“Naturally!” remarked Florence.
 
“Well,” continued the narrator, “we didn’t have any trouble getting there, but we found we had to wait. There were several other clients before us in her office.”
 
“What sort of woman was she?” asked Marjorie.
 
“Oh, quite ordinary,” replied Marie Louise. “Thin and scrawny—”
 
“And a little dirty,” added Alice.
 
“Did she use cards, or those other devices fortune-tellers have?” asked Ethel.
 
“No, she looked at us steadily19 for about five minutes—it wasn’t dark in the room—and then began to ask questions and tell us things.”
 
“How much of the story did you tell her?” inquired Marjorie.
 
“Practically everything. Then she went off in a trance for about five minutes.”
 
“Yes—yes?” The interest was intense now.
 
“Finally she opened her eyes and said it is the spirit of the young man’s mother that is haunting the house. She—or it—can’t bear to have any young people around except him.”
 
“Then what are we to do?” asked Mae, breathlessly.
 
“She said she thought it might be safe to go on with the tea-house, as that is strictly20 for charity, but that under no condition should we have parties or entertain in any way, or stay all night in the house.”
 
“That’s all rubbish!” cried Marjorie, jumping up impatiently. “She just made that up! Anyone of us could have told you as much—”
 
“And what did she charge you for this precious bit of information?” asked Ethel, cynically21.
 
Marie Louise did not answer, but suddenly began to sob22 hysterically23.
 
“You girls are mean!” cried Alice. “After all our trouble—”
 
“Oh, Marie Louise!” said Marjorie, instantly apologetic; “I’m so sorry if I hurt your feelings! I honestly didn’t mean to—”
 
“Neither did I!” added Ethel. “Do forgive us!”
 
“Your supper’s ready, girls!” interrupted a kindly24 voice from the doorway25, and the whole party adjourned26 to the dining-room.
 
This little adventure did not have the slightest influence upon Marjorie; she continued to go on with her arrangements for spending another night at the tea-house.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 formulating 40080ab94db46e5c26ccf0e5aa91868a     
v.构想出( formulate的现在分词 );规划;确切地阐述;用公式表示
参考例句:
  • At present, the Chinese government is formulating nationwide regulations on the control of such chemicals. 目前,中国政府正在制定全国性的易制毒化学品管理条例。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
  • Because of this, the U.S. has taken further steps in formulating the \"Magellan\" programme. 为此,美国又进一步制定了“麦哲伦”计划。 来自百科语句
2 positively vPTxw     
adv.明确地,断然,坚决地;实在,确实
参考例句:
  • She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
  • The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。
3 jack 53Hxp     
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克
参考例句:
  • I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
  • He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。
4 salvation nC2zC     
n.(尤指基督)救世,超度,拯救,解困
参考例句:
  • Salvation lay in political reform.解救办法在于政治改革。
  • Christians hope and pray for salvation.基督教徒希望并祈祷灵魂得救。
5 admiration afpyA     
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。
6 luncheon V8az4     
n.午宴,午餐,便宴
参考例句:
  • We have luncheon at twelve o'clock.我们十二点钟用午餐。
  • I have a luncheon engagement.我午饭有约。
7 scouts e6d47327278af4317aaf05d42afdbe25     
侦察员[机,舰]( scout的名词复数 ); 童子军; 搜索; 童子军成员
参考例句:
  • to join the Scouts 参加童子军
  • The scouts paired off and began to patrol the area. 巡逻人员两个一组,然后开始巡逻这个地区。
8 abruptly iINyJ     
adv.突然地,出其不意地
参考例句:
  • He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
  • I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。
9 fatigued fatigued     
adj. 疲乏的
参考例句:
  • The exercises fatigued her. 操练使她感到很疲乏。
  • The President smiled, with fatigued tolerance for a minor person's naivety. 总统笑了笑,疲惫地表现出对一个下级人员的天真想法的宽容。
10 lull E8hz7     
v.使安静,使入睡,缓和,哄骗;n.暂停,间歇
参考例句:
  • The drug put Simpson in a lull for thirty minutes.药物使辛普森安静了30分钟。
  • Ground fighting flared up again after a two-week lull.经过两个星期的平静之后,地面战又突然爆发了。
11 heartily Ld3xp     
adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很
参考例句:
  • He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿,就出去找他的马。
  • The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手,热情地和我握手。
12 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
13 perfectly 8Mzxb     
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。
14 Ford KiIxx     
n.浅滩,水浅可涉处;v.涉水,涉过
参考例句:
  • They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上,所以我们只能涉水过河。
  • If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪,必须极度小心。
15 descending descending     
n. 下行 adj. 下降的
参考例句:
  • The results are expressed in descending numerical order . 结果按数字降序列出。
  • The climbers stopped to orient themselves before descending the mountain. 登山者先停下来确定所在的位置,然后再下山。
16 insistent s6ZxC     
adj.迫切的,坚持的
参考例句:
  • There was an insistent knock on my door.我听到一阵急促的敲门声。
  • He is most insistent on this point.他在这点上很坚持。
17 joyously 1p4zu0     
ad.快乐地, 高兴地
参考例句:
  • She opened the door for me and threw herself in my arms, screaming joyously and demanding that we decorate the tree immediately. 她打开门,直扑我的怀抱,欣喜地喊叫着要马上装饰圣诞树。
  • They came running, crying out joyously in trilling girlish voices. 她们边跑边喊,那少女的颤音好不欢快。 来自名作英译部分
18 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
19 steadily Qukw6     
adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地
参考例句:
  • The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
  • Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。
20 strictly GtNwe     
adv.严厉地,严格地;严密地
参考例句:
  • His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
  • The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。
21 cynically 3e178b26da70ce04aff3ac920973009f     
adv.爱嘲笑地,冷笑地
参考例句:
  • "Holding down the receiver,'said Daisy cynically. “挂上话筒在讲。”黛西冷嘲热讽地说。 来自英汉文学 - 盖茨比
  • The Democrats sensibly (if cynically) set about closing the God gap. 民主党在明智(有些讽刺)的减少宗教引起的问题。 来自互联网
22 sob HwMwx     
n.空间轨道的轰炸机;呜咽,哭泣
参考例句:
  • The child started to sob when he couldn't find his mother.孩子因找不到他妈妈哭了起来。
  • The girl didn't answer,but continued to sob with her head on the table.那个女孩不回答,也不抬起头来。她只顾低声哭着。
23 hysterically 5q7zmQ     
ad. 歇斯底里地
参考例句:
  • The children giggled hysterically. 孩子们歇斯底里地傻笑。
  • She sobbed hysterically, and her thin body was shaken. 她歇斯底里地抽泣着,她瘦弱的身体哭得直颤抖。
24 kindly tpUzhQ     
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地
参考例句:
  • Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
  • A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。
25 doorway 2s0xK     
n.门口,(喻)入门;门路,途径
参考例句:
  • They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
  • Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。
26 adjourned 1e5a5e61da11d317191a820abad1664d     
(使)休会, (使)休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The court adjourned for lunch. 午餐时间法庭休庭。
  • The trial was adjourned following the presentation of new evidence to the court. 新证据呈到庭上后,审讯就宣告暂停。


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