They came to a narrow reef of rock which hemmed3 in the river on this westerly side. On the left hand they looked down into a deep gorge4. Here, by blowing out the rock-wall which was not more than ten yards across, the river would plunge5 into the gorge which cut through the plateau toward the south.
This was the natural channel that had been spoken of. At the mouth of the gorge, the foreman said, a dam could be built at a comparatively small expense, which would hold an enormous amount of water in reserve.
The tentative agreement between Colonel Hardin and the Desert people included the building of this dam at the expense of the subscribers for the water. The intention was to dig a great ditch from the mouth of the gorge across the plain, with branch ditches and gates for the farmers, the main ditch carrying the water to the outskirts6 of Desert City.
There a pumping station was to be established and the water piped into the town. The irrigation work and all would occupy at least two years, and cost a good deal of money, but the result, as Tavia had suggested, would be to “make the desert blossom like the rose.”
Mrs. White would travel no farther than this reef at the head of the gorge, but the young folk were bent7 upon a real exploring expedition. She gave her consent for them to go on, and Ned and Nat found a path which led down the nigh bank of the deep hollow.
The trees that had struck root into this rocky soil were scrubby looking things and there were not many of them, but there was a deal of brush and briers.
“Suppose this was an old Indian path?” proposed Nat to his brother, when they were at the bottom of the steep descent.
“More likely made by wild animals,” was the reply.
“Now stop, Nat White!” commanded Tavia. “You are trying to scare us.”
“Don’t listen to him, Tavia,” said Dorothy. “There are no wild animals near here. Mr. Ledger didn’t even bring a gun.”
“It’s supposed to be a game preserve, isn’t it?” demanded Nat. “And aren’t bears game?”
“Sure I would,” admitted Nat. “I’d rather a good deal folks would say of me, ‘See him run!’ than ‘Here he lies.’”
“I suppose there are some wild beasts deeper in these hills—and on Colonel Hardin’s property,” Ned said, thoughtfully.
“What kind of beasts?” demanded Tavia, sharply.
“Oh—bears, and wolves, and panthers, and the like.”
“That’s enough!” declared Tavia, stopping short. “I’ve gone far enough. Let’s climb up again, Doro.”
“But I want to see what the gulch10 looks like,” objected Dorothy, who had little belief in Nat’s wild animal scare.
“’Fraid-cat!” sing-songed Nat, grinning.
“No. I’ve gone far enough. I’m tired,” said Tavia, decisively. “I’m going to sit right down here on this rock. I’ll wait for you if a wild bear doesn’t come along and chase me back up the hill.”
“Wild bear, your grandmother!” said Nat, with disgust.
“Come on, Dot,” Ned said to his cousin. “I’m glad you haven’t lost your pluck.”
“You’ll lose more than that if you see a bear,” advised Tavia.
“I don’t believe there’s a thing to hurt us in this place, and I want to see,” repeated Dorothy Dale.
The trio went on, but they did not really believe Tavia would remain far behind them. “She’s up to some trick,” Nat announced.
“I believe you’re right,” agreed Dorothy, but when they had gone at least half a mile down the gorge, and the irrepressible Tavia had not overtaken them, Dorothy began frequently to look back.
“What do you suppose she is doing?” she repeated, greatly puzzled.
“Oh, she is up to something. You know Tavia,” responded Ned, carelessly.
At last Dorothy said: “I’m going back. I am worried about Tavia.”
“Nonsense!” cried Nat. “She’s gone back to join mother, I bet you.”
“Betting never proved anything yet, little boy,” laughed Dorothy. “You boys can go on if you like. But it’s no fun without Tavia.”
She started back briskly; the boys started more slowly. “Huh!” grunted11 Nat, “Tavia isn’t often a ‘spoil sport.’ I don’t see what’s gotten into her to-day.”
Dorothy did not run, but she lost no time and was some distance ahead of her cousins when she came in sight of the rocks where Tavia had seated herself.
Her chum was still there. When Dorothy shouted to her Tavia did not look her way. The rock was a low, flat-topped boulder12 with a crack across the middle of it. Tavia seemed to be looking at something before her on the rock.
“What have you found there, Tavia?” cried Dorothy. “It must be something tremendously interesting.”
Still her chum did not move—nor make reply. As though she were posing for her picture, the young girl sat motionless. Dorothy could not see her face at the angle from which she was advancing. But something about Tavia’s attitude finally startled her.
“What is the matter?” screamed Dorothy Dale, suddenly bounding forward.
She could run as well as any boy. Her gymnasium work at Glenwood, and her vacations out-of-doors, had made Dorothy hardy13 and strong. She dashed forward over the rough way, crying out again and again as she saw that her chum still sat stonily14.
Dorothy leaped up beside her and would have—the next moment—seized Tavia by the shoulder. But there, with her hand outstretched, she halted. The intake15 of her breath sounded harsh in her own ears. She saw what had paralyzed Tavia—and the horrid16 object nearly froze Dorothy, too, in her tracks.
Out of the crevice17 in the rock protruded18 the arrow-headed upper length of a rattlesnake. It was coiled less than two feet below the level of Tavia’s face, and its tail was a-quiver. The whir of the rattles19 is a dreaded20 sound that, once heard, is never to be forgotten.
There the reptile21 stretched itself, its eyes fairly holding Tavia charmed. Of course, it was the girl’s own nerves that held her motionless and speechless—her nerves affected22 by fear.
Tavia could neither rise to escape the threatened stroke of the rattler, nor do aught to defend herself from it. The immediate23 neck of the creature was curved back, and the pointed24 head, with the swiftly shooting tongue, threatened instant attack.
Dorothy felt a dreadful tightening25 about her heart—just as though a savage26 hand had gripped it. She felt as though she would faint—yet she knew she must not give way to such weakness.
On her depended her chum’s very life!
She glanced about for some weapon. There was no stick within her reach of sufficient weight to be of use. But there were pebbles27 and broken bits of rock scattered28 over the ground.
She seized the nearest heavy piece of rock. She dared not pitch it at the snake—the chance of missing the target was too great. But with the dornick in both hands she crept one—two—three steps toward the rock. The missile was poised29 over her head. It was all that Dorothy Dale could hold steadily30.
Down came the heavy piece of rock, just as the rattlesnake darted31 its head forward. Its diamond pointed head had been on a level with Tavia’s chin, for it was a huge fellow.
Dorothy had stopped it in midflight. Scared she most certainly was—her very soul seemed filled with horror of the poisonous creature. But Dorothy Dale could not fail her chum in this time of awful peril32.
She struck the snake down. Its head and the upper part of its writhing33 body was smashed under the rock Dorothy held. She had put her whole force into the blow and she fell across the rock and the coiling and uncoiling snake just as the boys came whooping34 and yelling into view.
As for Tavia, she went quietly off into a faint, and she did not revive until Ned and Nat carried her up the steep path and laid her down beside Lost River, from which water was taken to bathe her wrists and brow.
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收听单词发音
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1
luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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ledger
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| n.总帐，分类帐；帐簿 | |
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hemmed
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| 缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 )； 包围 | |
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gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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gulch
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| n.深谷，峡谷 | |
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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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12
boulder
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| n.巨砾；卵石，圆石 | |
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hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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stonily
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| 石头地，冷酷地 | |
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intake
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| n.吸入，纳入；进气口，入口 | |
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horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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crevice
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| n.(岩石、墙等)裂缝；缺口 | |
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protruded
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| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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rattles
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| （使）发出格格的响声， （使）作嘎嘎声( rattle的第三人称单数 )； 喋喋不休地说话； 迅速而嘎嘎作响地移动，堕下或走动； 使紧张，使恐惧 | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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reptile
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| n.爬行动物；两栖动物 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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tightening
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| 上紧，固定，紧密 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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pebbles
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| [复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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31
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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33
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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whooping
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| 发嗬嗬声的，发咳声的 | |
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