CHAPTER XIII. PREPARING FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT.

 When Saturday dawned, the weather was promising¹ and the members of the plebe class on board the old Monongahela were as happy as hearty², good-natured boys can be.

 

On board a vessel³ of war Saturday is regarded as a holiday. Only the necessary work, such as cleaning decks and bright work, is done.

 

Quarters are held at the usual hour, then Jack’s time is his own. The “smoking lamp” is lighted, and those who care to indulge in a pipe are permitted to do so. In passing it may as well be understood that naval⁴ cadets are forbidden to smoke, a wise government deeming it unnecessary for their health or pastime.

 

Clif and his friends set to work immediately after quarters. The forward part of the gun deck was turned over to them, and a stage prepared by the ship’s carpenter. A curtain was extemporized⁵ of bunting and canvas, and the space about the stage tastefully decorated with flags of all nations.

 

“Now, fellows,” said the young leader, cheerfully, “we must have just one more rehearsal⁶ before the grand event.”

 

“I thought we had the last one yesterday,” grumbled⁷ Toggles.

 

“We did until this morning. Come, Toggles, exert yourself. Remember the importance of the occasion. We’ve got to do our level best and turn out a good show or the upper classes will have the laugh on us. Get out your big horn and try that solo again.”

 

The affair was to be on the lines of a minstrel performance, but with novel features. Instead of the familiar, old-time black faces and negro costumes, Clif had provided different ideas.

 

“We’ll make it a deep-sea combination,” he had said; “something more appropriate to the raging main than nigger minstrelsy. We’ll have Father Neptune⁸ and his suite⁹.”

 

The idea captured the plebes at once, and they had lost no time in settling on a programme.

 

Clif, disguised as Neptune, was to occupy the center of the circle. At the ends were to be Trolley¹⁰, Toggles, Joy, and another plebe named Grat Wallace. They were to take the parts of bones and tambo, but to be clad in the fantastic garb¹¹ of sea wolves.

 

Eight other plebes, dressed in cadet uniforms, were to occupy the other chairs. They were supposed to represent eight mortals captured by Neptune and compelled to assist in entertaining him.

 

The plan was novel, and Clif was very anxious to conceal¹² it from outsiders until the curtain rose on Saturday night.

 

His efforts had proved successful and he was doubly concerned at this last moment to keep the secret. While the company was preparing for the final rehearsal he carefully examined the curtain and saw that the plebe sentries¹³ were alert.

 

But he totally forgot several deadlights and two gun ports which opened from the gun deck. They overlooked the sea, and for that reason it probably never occurred to him that they could be utilized¹⁴ by prying¹⁵ eyes.

 

When he returned from his tour of investigation¹⁶ he found the “Naval Academy Plebe Minstrel Troupe” in their places in full costume.

 

The orchestra was rather weak. It consisted of two asthmatic fiddles¹⁷, a brass¹⁸ horn, an old drum, and a peculiar¹⁹ instrument Trolley had rigged out of a dishpan and a variety of strings²⁰.

 

In addition Clif was to perform on musical glasses, an accomplishment²¹ he had learned at home. This was to come in the olio, or second, part, together with juggling²² by Trolley, tumbling by Toggles, an alleged²³ humorous address from Joy, and a boxing match between Nanny Gote and Walters, two of the smallest plebes on board.

 

The entertainment was to wind up with a skit²⁴ on life at the Naval Academy, which promised to create no end of fun.

 

Clif and Grat Wallace were the joint²⁵ authors and they had incorporated sly hits and jokes calculated to drive the upper classes into a frenzy²⁶.

 

The rehearsal proceeded without a hitch²⁷ until the end of the first part.

 

Clif was just in the act of rising and ordering his sea wolves to take the unhappy mortals to the darkest coral cavern²⁸ in his realm when he suddenly caught sight of a face at one of the ports.

 

Clif was shrewd. He knew that it was a spy, and that the slightest alarm would frighten the fellow away. His plan was formed in an instant.

 

“Let’s try that last song and chorus again, fellows,” he exclaimed, cheerily. “I think one more practice would not hurt it. Now, ready! Let ’er go!”

 

The drum banged, the violins squeaked²⁹, and Grat Wallace’s rich tenor³⁰ voice rang out in the refrain of “The Cumberland’s Crew.”

 

While the music was echoing Clif quietly leaned over and whispered to Joy:

 

“There’s a spy peeping in the port. I think it is Judson Greene. He must not be allowed to get away. See if you can’t nip him.”

 

Joy gave an extra blast on his bass³¹ horn, then sprang to his feet and began to caper³² around as if it were part of a grotesque³³ dance.

 

“Good boy!” applauded Clif. “That’s right. That will catch the audience. Now give us the long slide and that will wind it up.”

 

Joy did give the “long slide,” and it brought him to the port. He was lean and lank³⁴ and agile³⁵, and in the twinkling of an eye had reached out and grasped the spy by the hair.

 

Clif sprang to his aid, and the two dragged Judson, yelling and struggling, through the port where he was dangling³⁶ from a rope leading to the top of the forecastle. The rope was cut and the end used to make Master Greene secure.

 

“Now, you confounded traitor³⁷!” cried Clif, “we’ve got you in a place from which you won’t escape in a hurry. You will spy on us, eh?”

 

“I’ve got the right to look in a port if I want to,” sullenly³⁸ retorted the prisoner. “Let me go, or I’ll tell the captain.”

 

“Let him go? Not much!” chattered³⁹ Nanny, excitedly. “He’s in the pay of the upper classes. I know it because I saw him talking to Ferguson and his gang. Let’s lick him.”

 

“No. A whipping would be altogether too good for him,” replied Clif, sternly. “We’ll gag the traitor and stow him under the stage until the performance is over.”

 

Judson set up a yell, but he was effectually squelched⁴⁰ by Trolley and Toggles. A couple of towels were brought into use and he was speedily gagged and thrust into a corner.

 

“Nanny, you and Walters can stand guard over him until evening,” directed Clif, “then we’ll stow him under the stage. He won’t be missed without Ferguson tumbles to the racket.”

 

If Judson Greene had the power of speech he might have said something that would have made Clif rather uneasy. He could think, though, and he did. And his thoughts took this form.

 

“Clif Faraday, you think you are clever, but you’ll find out there are others on earth. Before ten o’clock you will not only have your show busted⁴¹ up, but you’ll be in disgrace, too!”

1 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

2 hearty   

adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的

参考例句：

• After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了，他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。
• We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。

3 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

4 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

5 extemporized   

v.即兴创作，即席演奏( extemporize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He completely departed from the text and extemporized in a very energetic fashion. 他完全脱稿，慷慨激昂地进行即席演说。 来自辞典例句
• The president extemporized a speech after the working dinner. 总裁即席发表了一篇工作餐后演说。 来自互联网

6 rehearsal   

n.排练，排演；练习

参考例句：

• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。
• You can sharpen your skills with rehearsal.排练可以让技巧更加纯熟。

7 grumbled   

抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声

参考例句：

• He grumbled at the low pay offered to him. 他抱怨给他的工资低。
• The heat was sweltering, and the men grumbled fiercely over their work. 天热得让人发昏，水手们边干活边发着牢骚。

8 Neptune   

n.海王星

参考例句：

• Neptune is the furthest planet from the sun.海王星是离太阳最远的行星。
• Neptune turned out to be a dynamic,stormy world.海王星原来是个有生气、多风暴的世界。

9 suite   

n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员

参考例句：

• She has a suite of rooms in the hotel.她在那家旅馆有一套房间。
• That is a nice suite of furniture.那套家具很不错。

10 trolley   

n.手推车，台车；无轨电车；有轨电车

参考例句：

• The waiter had brought the sweet trolley.侍者已经推来了甜食推车。
• In a library,books are moved on a trolley.在图书馆，书籍是放在台车上搬动的。

11 garb   

n.服装，装束

参考例句：

• He wore the garb of a general.他身着将军的制服。
• Certain political,social,and legal forms reappear in seemingly different garb.一些政治、社会和法律的形式在表面不同的外衣下重复出现。

12 conceal   

v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽

参考例句：

• He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。
• He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。

13 sentries   

哨兵，步兵( sentry的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We posted sentries at the gates of the camp. 我们在军营的大门口布置哨兵。
• We were guarded by sentries against surprise attack. 我们由哨兵守卫，以免遭受突袭。

14 utilized   

v.利用，使用( utilize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• In the19th century waterpower was widely utilized to generate electricity. 在19世纪人们大规模使用水力来发电。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The empty building can be utilized for city storage. 可以利用那栋空建筑物作城市的仓库。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 prying   

adj.爱打听的v.打听，刺探（他人的私事）( pry的现在分词 )；撬开

参考例句：

• I'm sick of you prying into my personal life! 我讨厌你刺探我的私生活！
• She is always prying into other people's affairs. 她总是打听别人的私事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

17 fiddles   

n.小提琴( fiddle的名词复数 )；欺诈；（需要运用手指功夫的）细巧活动；当第二把手v.伪造( fiddle的第三人称单数 )；篡改；骗取；修理或稍作改动

参考例句：

• He fiddles with his papers on the table. 他抚弄着桌子上那些报纸。 来自辞典例句
• The annual Smithsonian Festival of American Folk Life celebrates hands-hands plucking guitars and playing fiddles. 一年一度的美国民间的“史密斯索尼安节”是赞美人的双手的节日--弹拔吉他的手，演奏小提琴的手。 来自辞典例句

18 brass   

n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器

参考例句：

• Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
• Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。

19 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

20 strings   

n.弦

参考例句：

• He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。
• She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。

21 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

22 juggling   

n. 欺骗, 杂耍(=jugglery) adj. 欺骗的, 欺诈的 动词juggle的现在分词

参考例句：

• He was charged with some dishonest juggling with the accounts. 他被指控用欺骗手段窜改账目。
• The accountant went to prison for juggling his firm's accounts. 会计因涂改公司的帐目而入狱。

23 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

24 skit   

n.滑稽短剧；一群

参考例句：

• The comic skIt sent up the foolishness of young men in love.那幅画把沉溺于热恋中的青年男子的痴态勾勒得滑稽可笑。
• They performed a skit to amuse the crowd.他们表演了一个幽默小品来娱乐观众。

25 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

26 frenzy   

n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动

参考例句：

• He was able to work the young students up into a frenzy.他能激起青年学生的狂热。
• They were singing in a frenzy of joy.他们欣喜若狂地高声歌唱。

27 hitch   

v.免费搭(车旅行)；系住；急提；n.故障；急拉

参考例句：

• They had an eighty-mile journey and decided to hitch hike.他们要走80英里的路程，最后决定搭便车。
• All the candidates are able to answer the questions without any hitch.所有报考者都能对答如流。

28 cavern   

n.洞穴，大山洞

参考例句：

• The cavern walls echoed his cries.大山洞的四壁回响着他的喊声。
• It suddenly began to shower,and we took refuge in the cavern.天突然下起雨来，我们在一个山洞里避雨。

29 squeaked   

v.短促地尖叫( squeak的过去式和过去分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者

参考例句：

• The radio squeaked five. 收音机里嘟嘟地发出五点钟报时讯号。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Amy's shoes squeaked on the tiles as she walked down the corridor. 埃米走过走廊时，鞋子踩在地砖上嘎吱作响。 来自辞典例句

30 tenor   

n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意

参考例句：

• The tenor of his speech was that war would come.他讲话的大意是战争将要发生。
• The four parts in singing are soprano,alto,tenor and bass.唱歌的四个声部是女高音、女低音、男高音和男低音。

31 bass   

n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴

参考例句：

• He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
• The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。

32 caper   

v.雀跃，欢蹦；n.雀跃，跳跃；续随子，刺山柑花蕾；嬉戏

参考例句：

• The children cut a caper in the yard.孩子们在院子里兴高采烈地乱蹦乱跳。
• The girl's caper cost her a twisted ankle.小姑娘又蹦又跳，结果扭伤了脚踝。

33 grotesque   

adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物）

参考例句：

• His face has a grotesque appearance.他的面部表情十分怪。
• Her account of the incident was a grotesque distortion of the truth.她对这件事的陈述是荒诞地歪曲了事实。

34 lank   

adj.瘦削的；稀疏的

参考例句：

• He rose to lank height and grasped Billy McMahan's hand.他瘦削的身躯站了起来，紧紧地握住比利·麦默恩的手。
• The old man has lank hair.那位老人头发稀疏

35 agile   

adj.敏捷的，灵活的

参考例句：

• She is such an agile dancer!她跳起舞来是那么灵巧！
• An acrobat has to be agile.杂技演员必须身手敏捷。

36 dangling   

悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口

参考例句：

• The tooth hung dangling by the bedpost, now. 结果，那颗牙就晃来晃去吊在床柱上了。
• The children sat on the high wall,their legs dangling. 孩子们坐在一堵高墙上，摇晃着他们的双腿。

37 traitor   

n.叛徒，卖国贼

参考例句：

• The traitor was finally found out and put in prison.那个卖国贼终于被人发现并被监禁了起来。
• He was sold out by a traitor and arrested.他被叛徒出卖而被捕了。

38 sullenly   

不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地

参考例句：

• 'so what?" Tom said sullenly. “那又怎么样呢？”汤姆绷着脸说。
• Emptiness after the paper, I sIt'sullenly in front of the stove. 报看完，想不出能找点什么事做，只好一人坐在火炉旁生气。

39 chattered   

（人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤

参考例句：

• They chattered away happily for a while. 他们高兴地闲扯了一会儿。
• We chattered like two teenagers. 我们聊着天，像两个十多岁的孩子。

40 squelched   

v.发吧唧声，发扑哧声( squelch的过去式和过去分词 )；制止；压制；遏制

参考例句：

• We squelched over the soggy ground. 我们咕唧咕唧地走过泥泞的土地。
• The mud squelched as I walked through it. 我扑哧扑哧地穿过泥泞。

41 busted   

adj. 破产了的，失败了的，被降级的，被逮捕的，被抓到的 动词bust的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• You are so busted! 你被当场逮住了！
• It was money troubles that busted up their marriage. 是金钱纠纷使他们的婚姻破裂了。