The smell of fresh water was in the air, and along with it came a faint odor of things belonging to shipping10. The gurgle and splash of lapping waves and the creaking of boats vainly tugging11 at their moorings formed a steady accompaniment to the occasional puffing12 of passing tugs13 or the hoarse14 blasts of whistles.
[32]Close alongside a big lumber schooner1 the boys, who had taken turns in carrying Victor’s heavy luggage, finally discovered the motor yacht “Fearless.”
Captain Ralph Bunderley had been successively the master of a barge4, a coastwise schooner and a windjammer on the Atlantic. Having been left a comfortable fortune by a relative, he finally retired16 from the sea, but, feeling that to get away from the sight of land occasionally was as necessary to him as water to a fish, he had built a motor yacht some sixty feet in length designed for speed, as well as to withstand the rough weather on the lake.
Victor, still in a surly mood, felt considerably17 embarrassed, for Uncle Ralph, attired18 in a suit of faded blue overalls19 and a greasy20 cap, gave more the impression of being a man out of a job than one of the richest citizens in the community.
The boy glanced slyly around to see if any of his companions were wearing suspicious grins, but, to his relief, they were too busily engaged in inspecting the graceful21 lines of the[33] motor yacht to pay attention to the captain’s appearance.
Uncle Ralph cordially shook hands. His bluff22, hearty23 way caught the fancy of the crowd, and before long they were talking together like old acquaintances.
“There is certainly a lot of class to that cruiser, captain!” exclaimed Tom, in his gruff tones, “and I’ll bet it can go some, too.”
“Over twenty miles an hour,” answered Uncle Ralph, smilingly. “We’ll go aboard now.” He raised his voice. “Hey, you Phil Malone!”
Like a jack-in-the-box, a face popped quickly to one of the cabin port-holes.
“That’s Phil,” explained the captain. “My first mate, I call him—a bashful young chap, especially among strangers. Consider yourselves introduced.”
The “Fearless,” a raised deck cruiser with a rakish bow, painted a creamy white, and relieved here and there by touches of blue and gold, made a striking appearance against the background of restless water. Like a racer[34] impatient for the start she strained and tugged25 at her cables, occasionally rolling slightly as heavier onslaughts of choppy waves gurgled and splashed against her hull26.
Before the crowd could set foot on deck Phil Malone appeared. He was tall and angular, with red hair, a long, gaunt face and deep-set eyes. He looked at his visitors with such a comical expression of astonishment27 that Victor, forgetting his ill-humor for the moment, burst into a hearty laugh.
“You never expected to see a bunch of Indians like this, hey, Phil?” he asked.
“Naw—I—I sure didn’t,” agreed Phil, as he diffidently backed away.
“Here now, don’t you run off. Give us a song.”
“Let Phil alone,” commanded Uncle Ralph. “Singing isn’t his forte28. He’s better at polishing brass29.”
“Oh, I say, fellows, this isn’t seeing the yacht,” broke in Bob.
“Let the inspection31 begin at once,” returned Captain Bunderley, with a smile.
[35]They followed him to the companionway and then down into the dining saloon.
Standing32 in the cozy33 interior the boys with the exception of Victor voiced their enthusiasm in words that brought forth34 chuckles35 of satisfaction from the old salt’s lips.
Never did woodwork, or door-knobs, or furnishings appear more spotlessly clean than those revealed by the cold gray rays streaming through the open port-holes.
“These,” remarked Captain Bunderley—he indicated the ports—“are provided with heavy plate glass and can be so locked as to make them practically water-tight. With ordinary windows, after a heavy sea has been pounding against the boat for several hours, the cabin would probably be in a mess.” Walking across the floor, he opened a door. “Let me introduce you to the engine room and galley36.”
“Who’s the engineer, captain?” asked Bob.
“Jack Stubbs, a sailor I had with me on many a sea voyage. Martin Ricks is the helmsman.”
[36]“Now, uncle, please show the bunch your stateroom,” put in Victor.
The captain led them to a passageway abaft38 the engine room, presently stepping into a compartment39 finished in enamel40 white.
“This is enough to make even me feel like becoming a skipper,” commented Dave.
“If only it weren’t so dreadfully dangerous,” ventured Charlie Blake.
“Certainly would be with him as skipper,” piped Victor.
Out in the open air again the crowd found an awning42 extending from the stern to a point where the raised deck began. Dave expressed the opinion that it must be very delightful43 to sit there on a pleasant day, with the water sparkling in the sunlight and a gentle breeze sighing past.
“I guess some howling blasts would make you the sigher, instead,” laughed Victor.
“Say, Bob!”
Tom Clifton’s voice cut sharply into the conversation.
“Let’s hear it, Tom.”
“I’ve been thinking about that ball nine[37] of ours. Kirk Talbot had an awful nerve to——”
“Ha, ha!” grinned Victor. “Can’t you get that off your mind, Clifton?”
Tom tossed his head.
“I don’t want to,” he snapped. “Besides, I’ve got an idea, and a mighty44 good one. I’ll tell you all about it to-night.”
“Don’t hurry yourself. We can wait.” Victor nudged Charlie sharply in the ribs45. “Say, Blakelets, don’t you wish you were going along with us on the ‘Fearless’ to-morrow?”
Charlie was one of those lads who possess a certain ill-defined dread41 of the water. At almost every roll of the deck rather shivery feelings coursed along his spine46.
“Gracious! I don’t see why in the world Victor wants to go to Milwaukee by boat,” he thought, nervously47. He took a long, earnest look at the sky, then exclaimed, with considerable emphasis:
“No, Vic, I most certainly do not!”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
schooner
|
|
| n.纵帆船 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
schooners
|
|
| n.（有两个以上桅杆的）纵帆船( schooner的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
barges
|
|
| 驳船( barge的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
barge
|
|
| n.平底载货船，驳船 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
moored
|
|
| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
picturesque
|
|
| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
lumber
|
|
| n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
artistic
|
|
| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
enraptured
|
|
| v.使狂喜( enrapture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
shipping
|
|
| n.船运（发货，运输，乘船） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
tugging
|
|
| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
puffing
|
|
| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
tugs
|
|
| n.猛拉( tug的名词复数 )；猛拖；拖船v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
hoarse
|
|
| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
wharf
|
|
| n.码头，停泊处 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
retired
|
|
| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
considerably
|
|
| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
attired
|
|
| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
overalls
|
|
| n.（复）工装裤；长罩衣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
greasy
|
|
| adj. 多脂的，油脂的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
graceful
|
|
| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
bluff
|
|
| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
hearty
|
|
| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
mumbling
|
|
| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
tugged
|
|
| v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
hull
|
|
| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
astonishment
|
|
| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
forte
|
|
| n.长处，擅长；adj.(音乐)强音的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
brass
|
|
| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
mumbled
|
|
| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
inspection
|
|
| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
cozy
|
|
| adj.亲如手足的，密切的，暖和舒服的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
chuckles
|
|
| 轻声地笑( chuckle的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
galley
|
|
| n.（飞机或船上的）厨房单层甲板大帆船；军舰舰长用的大划艇； | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
confided
|
|
| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
abaft
|
|
| prep.在…之后；adv.在船尾，向船尾 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
compartment
|
|
| n.卧车包房，隔间；分隔的空间 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
enamel
|
|
| n.珐琅，搪瓷，瓷釉；(牙齿的)珐琅质 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
dread
|
|
| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
awning
|
|
| n.遮阳篷；雨篷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
delightful
|
|
| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
mighty
|
|
| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
ribs
|
|
| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
spine
|
|
| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
nervously
|
|
| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |