CHAPTER XXV MR. SOMERS' LAND

 The "chief pirate of the bounding deep" was a most disgusted and mortified¹ boy when he learned of the unfortunate result of his uncle's scheming.

 

All the facts became known at a stormy meeting between Mr. Wingate and Jenkins, which took place in the house on Chelten Road. Nat's uncle was very angry when he learned of Mr. Somers' visit. As is usual in such cases, each blamed the other, and in the war of words that followed Nat's presence was disregarded.

 

"Somers," said Nat, sheepishly, when he saw him later on, "this is the truth—Uncle Parson never told me the real reason why he wanted you kept back. 'It's a business matter,' he would say; 'there are other people trying to buy this land, and if Bob Somers gets out there he couldn't help discovering it.' I couldn't see any particular harm in what he wanted done. That's the reason I helped. It was only just a lot of sport to me."

 

"What made your uncle say anything about it in the first place?" asked Bob.

 

"I heard him talking over the 'phone one day, and found that he was trying to buy the land. He had to tell me, for fear I might say something to you."

 

"But when the 'Rambler' was stolen, then damaged, and at last blown up, didn't you know anything about it?"

 

"Honestly, Somers, I went to my uncle and asked him a few questions, and he flew into a terrible rage. 'Do you think I'm in the business of blowing up boats?' he said. 'Of course not! I had nothing to do with it.'"

 

"I suppose it was the same men who stole the boat?"

 

"You're right! Say, Somers, I'm awfully² sorry, and hope you don't bear any ill will toward me."

 

Bob held out his hand.

 

"Of course I don't," he said, heartily³.

 

And the rival leaders shook hands.

 

In Tocono lived Mr. Horatio Strang, a well-known copper⁴ mining expert.

 

Mr. Somers visited him and finally induced him to accompany the party to their destination. Thus it happened that two gentlemen and five boys started off, early one morning, on a Clair Bay steamer.

 

The boys carried pickaxes and all other implements⁵ necessary for their work.

 

Mr. Somers' tract⁶ of land proved to be densely⁷ wooded in places, with other portions barren and rocky.

 

Guided by information which Mr. Jenkins had furnished, the party went from place to place, exposing here and there the underlying⁸ strata⁹ of rock.

 

Investigations¹⁰ were not completed until the sun had sunk beneath the western horizon and the gray of evening began to steal over the landscape.

 

"Well, Mr. Strang," said Mr. Somers, turning toward the mineralogist, "what is your opinion?"

 

The expert removed his glasses, carefully replacing them in their case.

 

"For your sake, Mr. Somers," he replied, "I am glad to say that, to my mind, your land represents a fortune."

 

"In which case," said Mr. Somers, turning to the boys, "I have to thank the Ramblers. But for you, the land would not now be in my possession."

 

On a pleasant evening, a few days after the party had returned to Kingswood, the Rambler Club, the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Somers, sat in the big dining-room of Pembroke Hall.

 

"Boys," said Mr. Somers, at the conclusion of the repast, rising to his feet, "I feel that I owe you a great deal, and in recognition of your services, have decided¹¹ to make you an offer. I want you to decide among yourselves what you would like me to give you to replace the 'Rambler.' Think it over."

 

The boys clapped their hands, thanked him heartily, and Dave Brandon voiced the sentiment of all when he declared that the prospects¹² of the Rambler Club were bright indeed.

1 mortified   

v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等）

参考例句：

• She was mortified to realize he had heard every word she said. 她意识到自己的每句话都被他听到了，直羞得无地自容。
• The knowledge of future evils mortified the present felicities. 对未来苦难的了解压抑了目前的喜悦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 awfully   

adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地

参考例句：

• Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
• I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。

3 heartily   

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。

4 copper   

n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的

参考例句：

• The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。
• Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。

5 implements   

n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• Primitive man hunted wild animals with crude stone implements. 原始社会的人用粗糙的石器猎取野兽。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• They ordered quantities of farm implements. 他们订购了大量农具。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 tract   

n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林)

参考例句：

• He owns a large tract of forest.他拥有一大片森林。
• He wrote a tract on this subject.他曾对此写了一篇短文。

7 densely   

ad.密集地；浓厚地

参考例句：

• A grove of trees shadowed the house densely. 树丛把这幢房子遮蔽得很密实。
• We passed through miles of densely wooded country. 我们穿过好几英里茂密的林地。

8 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

9 strata   

n.地层（复数）；社会阶层

参考例句：

• The older strata gradually disintegrate.较老的岩层渐渐风化。
• They represent all social strata.他们代表各个社会阶层。

10 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

11 decided   

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。

12 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。