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首页 » 经典英文小说 » The Circus Boys on the Flying Rings » CHAPTER XIII. THE DAWNING OF A NEW DAY
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CHAPTER XIII. THE DAWNING OF A NEW DAY
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 “Hi! Stop the train! Stop the train!” howled Teddy, as he landed flat on his back on the hard ground.
 
“Here, here! What are you fellows doing?” shouted Phil, scrambling1 to his feet.
 
“I dreamed I was in a train of cars and they ran off the track,” said Teddy, struggling to his feet and rubbing his shins gingerly. “Did you do that?”
 
“You bet. Think I can wait for you kids to take your beauty sleep? Don’t you suppose this show’s got something else to do besides furnish sleeping accommodations for lazy kids? Take hold here, and help us get this canvas out if you want any breakfast.”
 
“Take it out yourself,” growled2 Teddy, dodging3 the flat of the canvasman’s hand.
 
The lads had been hurled4 from their sleeping place by a rough tentman in a hurry to get at his work. The chill of the early dawn was in the air. The boys stood, with shoulders hunched5 forward, shivering, their teeth chattering6, not knowing where they were and caring still less. They knew only that they were most uncomfortable. The glamor7 was gone. They were face to face with the hardships of the calling they had chosen, though they did not know that it was only a beginning of those hardships.
 
“B-r-r-r!” shivered Teddy.
 
“T-h-h-h-at’s what I say,” chattered8 Phil.
 
“Say, are you kids going to get busy, or do you want me to help you to?”
 
Phil did not object to work, but he did not like the way the canvasman spoke9 to them.
 
“I guess you’ll have to do your own work. Come on, Teddy; let’s take a run and warm ourselves up.”
 
Hand in hand the lads started off across the field. The field was so dark that they could scarcely distinguish objects about them. Here and there they dodged10 wagons11 and teams that stood like silent sentinels in the uncertain light.
 
“Turn a little, Teddy. We’ll be lost before we know it, if we don’t watch out—”
 
“Ouch! We’re lost already!”
 
The ground seemed suddenly to give way beneath them. Both lads were precipitated13 into a stream of water that stretched across one end of the circus lot.
 
Shouting and struggling about they finally floundered to the bank, drenched14 from head to foot. If they had been shivering before, they were suffering from violent attacks of ague now.
 
“Whew! I’m freezing to death!” cried Phil.
 
“I feel like the North Pole on Christmas morning,” added Teddy. “I wish I was home, so I could thaw15 out behind the kitchen stove.”
 
“Brace up, Teddy. This is only the beginning of the fun. We shall have worse experiences than this, late in the fall, when the weather gets cool; that is, if they do not get enough of us in the meantime and send us away.”
 
“I—I wish they would send us home now.”
 
“Come now; we’ve got to run again. We shall surely take our death of cold, if we stand here much longer.”
 
“Run? No, thank you. I’ve had one run.”
 
“And you don’t want another? Is that it?”
 
“Not I.”
 
“Don’t know as I blame you. Well, if you don’t want to run, just stand in one place and jump up and down. Whip your hands, and you’ll see how soon it will start your blood to circulating,” advised Phil, who immediately proceeded to put his own theory into execution. “That feel better?”
 
“Yes, some,” replied Teddy, rather doubtfully. “But I could be warmer. I wonder what time the cook tent will be up.”
 
“That’s an idea. Suppose we go over and find out?”
 
“Yes, but where is it?”
 
“I don’t know. But we won’t find it if we stand here.”
 
They started off again, this time exercising more caution as to where their feet touched. They had not gone far before they came upon some men who were driving small stakes in the ground, marking out the spot where one of the tents was to be pitched.
 
“Can you tell us where the cook tent is going up?” asked Phil politely.
 
“North side of the field,” grunted16 the man, not very good-naturedly.
 
“Which way is north?”
 
“Get a compass, get a compass,” was the discourteous17 answer.
 
“He’s a grouch18. Come along,” urged Teddy Tucker.
 
A few moments later, attracted by a light that looked like a fire, the lads hurried toward it.
 
“Where will we find the cook tent?” questioned Phil again.
 
“Right here,” was the surprising answer.
 
“What time will it be ready?”
 
“About seven o’clock. What’s the matter, hungry?”
 
“More cold than hungry,” replied Phil, his teeth chattering.
 
“Got to get used to that. Come here. I’ve got something that will doctor you up in no time,” announced the man in a cheerful voice, so different from the answers the lads had received to their questions that morning, that they were suddenly imbued19 with new courage.
 
“What is it?” asked Phil.
 
“Coffee, my lad. We always make coffee the first thing when we get in, these chilly20 mornings. The men work much better after getting something warm inside them. Got a cup?”
 
They had not.
 
“Wait, I’ll get you one,” said the accommodating showman.
 
Never had anything tasted so good as did the coffee that morning. It was excellent coffee, too, and the boys drank two cups apiece.
 
“We mustn’t drink any more,” warned Phil.
 
“Why not?” wondered Teddy.
 
“Because we shall be so nervous that we shall not be able to work today. And, by the way, were I in your place, I should get busy here and help in the cook tent until you are told to do something else. I think it will make a good impression on Mr. Sparling.”
 
Teddy consented rather grudgingly21.
 
“I’ll turn in and do something at the same time. What can we do to help you, sir? That coffee was very good.”
 
“Might get busy and unpack22 some dishes from those barrels. Be careful that you don’t break any of them.”
 
“All right. Where shall we put them?”
 
“Pile them on the ground, all the dishes of the same size together. Be sure to set a lantern by them so nobody falls over them in the dark.”
 
The boys, glad of some task to perform, began their work with a will. With something to do it was surprising how quickly they forgot their misfortunes. In a short time they were laughing and joking with the good-natured cooktent man and making the dishes fairly fly out of the barrels.
 
“Guess I’ll have to keep you two boys with my outfit,” grinned the showman.
 
“I think Mr. Sparling said my friend, Teddy here, was to work in the cook tent for the present.”
 
“All right, Mr. Teddy. There’s one thing about working in the cook tent that ought to please you.”
 
“What’s that?”
 
“You can piece between meals all you want to. If you are like most boys, you ought to have a good healthy appetite all the time, except when you are sleeping.”
 
“That’s right. I could eat an elephant steak now—right this minute. How long before breakfast?”
 
“Seven o’clock, I told you.”
 
“What time does Mr. Sparling get up?” inquired Phil.
 
“Up? Ask me what time he goes to bed. I can answer one question as well as the other. Nobody knows. He’s always around when you least expect him. There he is now.”
 
The owner was striding toward the cook tent for his morning cup of coffee.
 
“Good morning, sir,” greeted the boys, pausing in their work long enough to touch their hats, after which they continued unpacking23 the dishes.
 
“Morning, boys. I see you are up early and getting right at it. That’s right. No showman was ever made out of a sleepy-head. Where did you sleep last night?”
 
“In a wagon12 on a pile of canvas,” answered Phil.
 
“And they threw us out of bed this morning,” Teddy informed him, with a grimace24.
 
Mr. Sparling laughed heartily25.
 
“And we fell in a creek,” added Teddy.
 
“Well, well, you certainly are having your share of experiences.”
 
“Will you allow me to make a suggestion, Mr. Sparling?” asked Phil.
 
“Of course. You need not ask that question. What is it?”
 
“I think I ought to have some sort of a costume if I am to continue to ride Emperor in the grand entry.”
 
“H-m-m-m. What kind do you think you want?”
 
“Could I wear tights?”
 
Mr. Sparling was about to laugh, but one glance into the earnest eyes of Phil Forrest told him that the boy’s interest was wholly in wishing to improve the act—not for the sake of showing himself, alone.
 
“Yes, I think perhaps it might not be a bad idea. You go tell Mrs. Waite to fix you up with a suit. But I would prefer to have you wear your own clothes today.”
 
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
 
“I’ll tell you why. I telegraphed on to my advance man all about you last night, and what you did yesterday will be spread all over town here today. It will be a rattling26 good advertisement. You and the tiger are my best drawing cards today,” smiled Mr. Sparling.
 
“Glad I have proved of some use to you, sir.”
 
“Use? Use?”
 
“Yes, sir.”
 
“Don’t be a fool!” exploded the showman, almost brutally27.
 
Phil’s countenance28 fell.
 
“Don’t you understand, yet, that you already have been worth several thousand dollars to me?”
 
“I—I—”
 
“Well, don’t get a swelled29 head about it, for—”
 
“There is no danger of that, sir.”
 
“And you don’t have to potter around the cook tent working, either. That is, not unless you want to.”
 
“But, I do, Mr. Sparling. I want to learn everything there is to be learned about the show business,” protested Phil.
 
Mr. Sparling regarded him quizzically.
 
“You’ll do,” he said, turning away.
 
As soon as the dressing30 tent had been erected31 and the baggage was moved in, Phil hurried to the entrance of the women’s dressing tent and calling for Mrs. Waite, told her what was wanted.
 
She measured his figure with her eyes, and nodded understandingly.
 
“Think I’ve got something that will fit you. A young fellow who worked on the trapeze fell off and broke a leg. He was just about your size, and I guess his tights will be about right for you. Not superstitious32, are you?”
 
Phil assured her he was not.
 
“You will be, after you have been in the show business a while. Wait, I’ll get them.”
 
Phil’s eyes glowed as he saw her returning with a suit of bright red tights, trunk and shirt to match.
 
“Oh, thank you ever so much.”
 
“You’re welcome. Have you a trunk to keep your stuff in?”
 
“No; I have only a bag.”
 
“I’ve got a trunk in here that’s not in use. If you want to drag it over to the men’s dressing tent you’re welcome to it.”
 
Phil soon had the trunk, which he hauled across the open paddock to the place where the men were settling their belongings33. He espied34 Mr. Miaco, the head clown.
 
“Does it make any difference where I place my trunk, Mr. Miaco?”
 
“It does, my lad. The performers’ trunks occupy exactly the same position every day during the show year. I’ll pick out a place for you, and every morning when you come in you will find your baggage there. Let me see. I guess we’ll place you up at the end, next to the side wall of the dressing room. You will be more by yourself there. You’ll like that, won’t you?”
 
“Yes, sir.”
 
“Going in in costume, today?”
 
“No, sir. Mr. Sparling thought I had better wear my own clothes today, for advertising35 purposes.”
 
Miaco nodded understandingly.
 
“Then you’ll want to fix up again. Been in the gutter36?”
 
“I fell into a ditch in the darkness this morning,” grinned Phil.
 
“You’ll get used to that. Mr. Ducro, the ringmaster, carries a lantern with him so he won’t fall in, but none of the rest of us do. We call him Old Diogenes because he always has a lantern in his hand. If you’ll take off that suit I’ll put it in shape for you.”
 
“Undress—here?”
 
“Sure. You’ll have to get used to that.”
 
Phil retired37 to the further end of the tent where his trunk had been placed in the meantime, and there took off his clothes, handing them to the head clown. Mr. Miaco tossed the lad a bath robe, for the morning was still chilly.
 
“After you get broken in you will have to do all this for yourself. There’s nothing like the show business to teach a fellow to depend upon himself. He soon becomes a jack-of-all-trades. As soon as you can you’ll want to get yourself a rubber coat and a pair of rubber boots. We’ll get some beastly weather by-and-by.”
 
The good-natured clown ran on with much good advice while he was sponging and pressing Phil’s clothes. When he had finished, the suit looked as if it had just come from a tailor shop.
 
Phil thanked him warmly.
 
“Now, you and I will see about some breakfast.”
 
Reaching the cook tent, the first person Phil set eyes on was his chum, Teddy Tucker. Teddy was presiding over the big nickel coffeepot, his face flushed with importance. He was bossing the grinning waiters, none of whom found it in his heart to get impatient with the new boy.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 scrambling cfea7454c3a8813b07de2178a1025138     
v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 );攀登;争夺;(军事飞机)紧急起飞
参考例句:
  • Scrambling up her hair, she darted out of the house. 她匆忙扎起头发,冲出房去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • She is scrambling eggs. 她正在炒蛋。 来自《简明英汉词典》
2 growled 65a0c9cac661e85023a63631d6dab8a3     
v.(动物)发狺狺声, (雷)作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 );低声咆哮着说
参考例句:
  • \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道:“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》
3 dodging dodging     
n.避开,闪过,音调改变v.闪躲( dodge的现在分词 );回避
参考例句:
  • He ran across the road, dodging the traffic. 他躲开来往的车辆跑过马路。
  • I crossed the highway, dodging the traffic. 我避开车流穿过了公路。 来自辞典例句
4 hurled 16e3a6ba35b6465e1376a4335ae25cd2     
v.猛投,用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 );大声叫骂
参考例句:
  • He hurled a brick through the window. 他往窗户里扔了块砖。
  • The strong wind hurled down bits of the roof. 大风把屋顶的瓦片刮了下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
5 hunched 532924f1646c4c5850b7c607069be416     
(常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦)耸肩弓身的,伏首前倾的
参考例句:
  • He sat with his shoulders hunched up. 他耸起双肩坐着。
  • Stephen hunched down to light a cigarette. 斯蒂芬弓着身子点燃一支烟。
6 chattering chattering     
n. (机器振动发出的)咔嗒声,(鸟等)鸣,啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的,啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式
参考例句:
  • The teacher told the children to stop chattering in class. 老师叫孩子们在课堂上不要叽叽喳喳讲话。
  • I was so cold that my teeth were chattering. 我冷得牙齿直打战。
7 glamor feSzv     
n.魅力,吸引力
参考例句:
  • His performance fully displayed the infinite glamor of Chinese dance.他的表演充分展示了中华舞蹈的无穷魅力。
  • The glamor of the East was brought to international prominence by the Russion national school.俄罗斯民族学派使东方的魅力产生了国际性的影响。
8 chattered 0230d885b9f6d176177681b6eaf4b86f     
(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。
9 spoke XryyC     
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。
10 dodged ae7efa6756c9d8f3b24f8e00db5e28ee     
v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 );回避
参考例句:
  • He dodged cleverly when she threw her sabot at him. 她用木底鞋砸向他时,他机敏地闪开了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He dodged the book that I threw at him. 他躲开了我扔向他的书。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 wagons ff97c19d76ea81bb4f2a97f2ff0025e7     
n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 );铁路货车;小手推车
参考例句:
  • The wagons were hauled by horses. 那些货车是马拉的。
  • They drew their wagons into a laager and set up camp. 他们把马车围成一圈扎起营地。
12 wagon XhUwP     
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。
13 precipitated cd4c3f83abff4eafc2a6792d14e3895b     
v.(突如其来地)使发生( precipitate的过去式和过去分词 );促成;猛然摔下;使沉淀
参考例句:
  • His resignation precipitated a leadership crisis. 他的辞职立即引发了领导层的危机。
  • He lost his footing and was precipitated to the ground. 他失足摔倒在地上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
14 drenched cu0zJp     
adj.湿透的;充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 );在某人(某物)上大量使用(某液体)
参考例句:
  • We were caught in the storm and got drenched to the skin. 我们遇上了暴雨,淋得浑身透湿。
  • The rain drenched us. 雨把我们淋得湿透。 来自《简明英汉词典》
15 thaw fUYz5     
v.(使)融化,(使)变得友善;n.融化,缓和
参考例句:
  • The snow is beginning to thaw.雪已开始融化。
  • The spring thaw caused heavy flooding.春天解冻引起了洪水泛滥。
16 grunted f18a3a8ced1d857427f2252db2abbeaf     
(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
参考例句:
  • She just grunted, not deigning to look up from the page. 她只咕哝了一声,继续看书,不屑抬起头来看一眼。
  • She grunted some incomprehensible reply. 她咕噜着回答了些令人费解的话。
17 discourteous IuuxU     
adj.不恭的,不敬的
参考例句:
  • I was offended by his discourteous reply.他无礼的回答使我很生气。
  • It was discourteous of you to arrive late.你迟到了,真没礼貌。
18 grouch fQ0z8     
n.牢骚,不满;v.抱怨
参考例句:
  • He's always having a grouch about something.他总是发脾气抱怨这个抱怨那个。
  • One of the biggest grouches is the new system of payment.人们抱怨最多的一点就是这种新的支付方式。
19 imbued 0556a3f182102618d8c04584f11a6872     
v.使(某人/某事)充满或激起(感情等)( imbue的过去式和过去分词 );使充满;灌输;激发(强烈感情或品质等)
参考例句:
  • Her voice was imbued with an unusual seriousness. 她的声音里充满着一种不寻常的严肃语气。
  • These cultivated individuals have been imbued with a sense of social purpose. 这些有教养的人满怀着社会责任感。 来自《简明英汉词典》
20 chilly pOfzl     
adj.凉快的,寒冷的
参考例句:
  • I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。
  • I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后,寒气逼人。
21 grudgingly grudgingly     
参考例句:
  • He grudgingly acknowledged having made a mistake. 他勉强承认他做错了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Their parents unwillingly [grudgingly] consented to the marriage. 他们的父母无可奈何地应允了这门亲事。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
22 unpack sfwzBO     
vt.打开包裹(或行李),卸货
参考例句:
  • I must unpack before dinner.我得在饭前把行李打开。
  • She said she would unpack the items later.她说以后再把箱子里的东西拿出来。
23 unpacking 4cd1f3e1b7db9c6a932889b5839cdd25     
n.取出货物,拆包[箱]v.从(包裹等)中取出(所装的东西),打开行李取出( unpack的现在分词 );拆包;解除…的负担;吐露(心事等)
参考例句:
  • Joe sat on the bed while Martin was unpacking. 马丁打开箱子取东西的时候,乔坐在床上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • They are unpacking a trunk. 他们正在打开衣箱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
24 grimace XQVza     
v.做鬼脸,面部歪扭
参考例句:
  • The boy stole a look at his father with grimace.那男孩扮着鬼脸偷看了他父亲一眼。
  • Thomas made a grimace after he had tasted the wine.托马斯尝了那葡萄酒后做了个鬼脸。
25 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。
26 rattling 7b0e25ab43c3cc912945aafbb80e7dfd     
adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词
参考例句:
  • This book is a rattling good read. 这是一本非常好的读物。
  • At that same instant,a deafening explosion set the windows rattling. 正在这时,一声震耳欲聋的爆炸突然袭来,把窗玻璃震得当当地响。
27 brutally jSRya     
adv.残忍地,野蛮地,冷酷无情地
参考例句:
  • The uprising was brutally put down.起义被残酷地镇压下去了。
  • A pro-democracy uprising was brutally suppressed.一场争取民主的起义被残酷镇压了。
28 countenance iztxc     
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同
参考例句:
  • At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。
  • I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地,仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。
29 swelled bd4016b2ddc016008c1fc5827f252c73     
增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 ); 肿胀; (使)凸出; 充满(激情)
参考例句:
  • The infection swelled his hand. 由于感染,他的手肿了起来。
  • After the heavy rain the river swelled. 大雨过后,河水猛涨。
30 dressing 1uOzJG     
n.(食物)调料;包扎伤口的用品,敷料
参考例句:
  • Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
  • The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。
31 ERECTED ERECTED     
adj. 直立的,竖立的,笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立,建立
参考例句:
  • A monument to him was erected in St Paul's Cathedral. 在圣保罗大教堂为他修了一座纪念碑。
  • A monument was erected to the memory of that great scientist. 树立了一块纪念碑纪念那位伟大的科学家。
32 superstitious BHEzf     
adj.迷信的
参考例句:
  • They aim to deliver the people who are in bondage to superstitious belief.他们的目的在于解脱那些受迷信束缚的人。
  • These superstitious practices should be abolished as soon as possible.这些迷信做法应尽早取消。
33 belongings oy6zMv     
n.私人物品,私人财物
参考例句:
  • I put a few personal belongings in a bag.我把几件私人物品装进包中。
  • Your personal belongings are not dutiable.个人物品不用纳税。
34 espied 980e3f8497fb7a6bd10007d67965f9f7     
v.看到( espy的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • One day a youth espied her as he was hunting.She saw him and recognized him as her own son, mow grown a young man. 一日,她被一个正在行猎的小伙子看见了,她认出来这个猎手原来是自己的儿子,现在已长成为一个翩翩的少年。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • In a little while he espied the two giants. 一会儿就看见了那两个巨人。 来自辞典例句
35 advertising 1zjzi3     
n.广告业;广告活动 a.广告的;广告业务的
参考例句:
  • Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
  • The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。
36 gutter lexxk     
n.沟,街沟,水槽,檐槽,贫民窟
参考例句:
  • There's a cigarette packet thrown into the gutter.阴沟里有个香烟盒。
  • He picked her out of the gutter and made her a great lady.他使她脱离贫苦生活,并成为贵妇。
37 retired Njhzyv     
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的
参考例句:
  • The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
  • Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。


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