"Big Bill" Dugan, the stage-driver, wearing his usual sour expression, growled3 these words, as he stood, late one afternoon, on the Resort House porch.
There was the usual crowd present, sitting and lounging around, and "Big Bill's" harsh voice was loud enough to reach them all. Sile Stringer, the old man of Mountain Village, who had been half dozing4 in a chair, sat up and rubbed his eyes.
"Plumb crazy—who's plumb crazy, Bill Dugan?" he quavered.
"When I says a thing, Stringer, I says it oncet," growled Bill. "If yer can't listen, I——"
"Who's plumb crazy?"
"Jest listen at him!" The lines above Dugan's nose deepened. "That feller over ter Promontory5."
"What's he gone and did now?"
"Always a-buttin' in, Sile Stringer—go ter sleep ag'in," and Dugan walked impatiently to the other end of the porch.
"Neil Prescott crazy?" questioned Sam Randall; "I guess not—he's sharp as a steel trap."
"I'm not talkin' ter the nursery," said Bill Dugan, ungraciously, "but, ter my mind, if ye'd like ter know, he's plumb out of his senses."
"How—in what way?"
"What's he a-buyin' sich stacks of grub for, eh? He's got 'nuff ter last a man six months."
"How d'ye find that out, Bill?" interrupted Tom Sanders.
"The feller he bought 'em of tole me—that's how. An' only yisterday I seen him takin' over a lot more. An' ain't it 'nuff ter make any man laugh ter see the way he handles that boat?"
Old Sile again sat up and rubbed his eyes.
"Who—who d'ye mean, Bill Dugan? Handles what boat?" he asked.
"Go ter sleep," he growled. "If the man ain't crazy, would he build a fire so big that yer kin6 'most feel the heat of it over here? No, sir, fur my part, he's plumb crazy. An' what's he doin' on the island; an' where's 'e come from, ennyway? Who knows 'im?" "Big Bill" paused and glared at his auditors8. "Who knows 'im?" he repeated.
"Knows who, Bill Dugan?" came a quavering voice.
"Now, now—be good," laughed Mr. George Kimball, of Boston. "Bill, tell us something more about this mysterious old character."
"As long's ye got nothin' ter do but loaf around all day, I should think you'd know more'n me, who's got ter work fur a livin'," he growled. "Guess nobody's goin' ter ask me ter grub with 'em, so I'll git."
"I say, Bill Dugan," came a voice, "did you say some one's plumb crazy? Who's plumb crazy?"
Old Sile Stringer sat up and looked around with a quizzical smile. Then he remarked, "I suspicioned he was going to act that 'ere way. I've know'd 'im since he was a kid, an' I ain't never know'd a day when Bill didn't speak rude to some one."
When Sam Randall and Tom Clifton walked home, they were accompanied part way by the last named youth, with whom they had made peace. Their principal topic of conversation was the strange dweller14 on Promontory Island.
Early next morning, the boys met at the wharf16, and were not particularly surprised to find "Little Bill" hanging around.
"Sure, jest look at the mug on him," added Sanders.
"Let's get on board so as to be as far away as possible when the row starts," chimed in Sam, and his advice was followed.
Before the lines were cast off, however, "Little Bill" turned toward them.
"My eye, Sanders," he exclaimed, "I always thought you was a purty big chump, an' now I knows it. Goin' with this here crowd, now?"
"Run right along, an' warble ter Billee the Big," growled Sanders. "If I oncet git up there, I'll chase yer!"
"Yer will, hey?" retorted "Little Bill." "Yer ain't big 'nuff by two feet ter chase me. Yer 'most as bad as that elephant roamin' the mountains. Chase me, hey?"
A bucket half full of water was standing18 near by; "Little Bill's" wrath19 was too great to be appeased20 by mere21 words. Before Sam Randall could push off, a sheet of water curved gracefully22 through the air and descended23 squarely on Sanders' head and shoulders.
"Know'd I git a chancet some day," cried "Little Bill."
Then he and a cloud of dust kept pace together up the yellow road.
When Sanders had recovered sufficiently24 to speak, he turned a forlorn-looking face toward the two Ramblers, and observed, with considerable vehemence25, "It's a good thing yer ain't a-laughin' at me."
Sam Randall's face had turned purple from suppressed mirth; it was only by a great effort that he stifled26 his desire to roar, and thus a tremendous row was probably averted27.
Meanwhile, they had made a start. For once, they skirted the far shore of Hemlock28 Island, finally anchoring just below the passageway.
"But the old duffer is on the island, for we saw his boat," put in Sam. "Let's look around a bit."
So down the cliff they scrambled32; then began to wander around amidst the trees, gradually working their way toward the western end of the island.
"Gee! Where can he be, I wonder?" said Sam. "We can't get much further."
"Hello! Look at this," remarked Sanders, presently. "Pertaters."
"Jiminy! A regular trail of 'em," put in Sam.
"Maybe old Pressed Biscuits is going ter start a patch."
"Give it up," said Sanders. "All I know is how some of 'em is a-goin' ter leave."
Stooping over, he gathered a pocketful.
"For goodness' sake—there's Neil now!" exclaimed Sam, suddenly.
Neil Prescott, at the very farthest point, had his back turned. He was leaning over, with a long pole in his hand, apparently36 gazing at the water. The boys saw an object resembling a cask floating slowly away on the current.
"Sh—sh! Let's see what Pressed Bricks—that's as good a name fur him—is up ter," whispered Sanders.
"Say! This is funny," muttered Tom.
Neil straightened up; then sat down on a rock, with his back still to them.
"I'm a-goin' ter give him the s'prise of his life," grinned Sanders. "Watch!"
He drew forth37 a potato, and sent it flying toward the sitter, observing, pleasantly, "Keep still, an' listen fur the plunk."
The tuber was small and round, and the curve Sanders gave it was perfect. Neil Prescott received it directly in the middle of the back, and proceeded to arise much more quickly than he had sat down.
Sanders let out a tremendous yell, waved his arms in the air, and the trio walked forward.
For an instant, the "hermit38" seemed greatly nonplussed39. Then, recognizing the boys, he quietly resumed his seat.
"Well, well!" he exclaimed, reproachfully; "this here is a surprise—who throw'd it?"
"See here, old sport," said Sanders, ignoring the question, and pointing to the cask, "why did you chuck that in the lake?"
"H'm," Neil Prescott looked at the speaker calmly; "you're another one of them quizzers from Quizzerville—jest joined, eh? Hain't got me life's history writ40 out yet, an'——"
"Aw—wake up, an' answer me."
"Didn't yer never hear tell of them scientists what do all sorts o' funny things?"
"I kin swear I ain't buyin' an ounce over a ton," replied Neil, as he filled a very large pipe and winked42 at Tommy Clifton. "No, fur a fact, I hain't."
Tom Sanders sniffed.
"Now, old sport, you ain't as smart as you think. What was you a-goin' ter do with them 'taters back there?" A jerk of his thumb indicated the direction.
"'Tatars' is Latin fur pertaters, ain't it? I never went ter no college, but l'arnin' comes nat'ral ter me, jist as it acts kinder opposite with you. I remember oncet, when I was young an' unsoapfixycated, a man says ter me——"
"Aw—cut it out," growled the disgusted Sanders. "Why did you throw that thing in the water?"
"So as ter put in me life's hist'ry—writ by special request of the chief quizzer of Quizzerville—that Neil Prescott, at the height of his career, was a-studyin' currents. Who's a-comin' up ter the office?"
"We've learned an awful lot eh?" ventured Tommy Clifton.
"My eye, but I think Billee the Big hit it about right," said Sanders. "The feller ain't got no sense in him."
"One thing sure," remarked Sam Randall, "Neil had just shoved off that keg."
"Yep."
"And what in the dickens were those potatoes doing there?" put in Tommy.
The boys walked along in silence for a few steps, when Sam turned toward his companions, and said, abruptly44, "I give it up. The whole thing is just a bit too deep for me."
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1
plumb
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| adv.精确地，完全地；v.了解意义，测水深 | |
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2
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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3
growled
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| 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 | |
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4
dozing
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| v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡 | |
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5
promontory
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| n.海角；岬 | |
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kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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7
withering
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| 使人畏缩的，使人害羞的，使人难堪的 | |
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8
auditors
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| n.审计员，稽核员( auditor的名词复数 )；（大学课程的）旁听生 | |
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9
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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10
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bout
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| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
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12
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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13
grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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14
dweller
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| n.居住者，住客 | |
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15
squeal
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| v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音 | |
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16
wharf
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| n.码头，停泊处 | |
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17
scowl
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| vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容 | |
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18
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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19
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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20
appeased
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| 安抚，抚慰( appease的过去式和过去分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争） | |
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21
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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22
gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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23
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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24
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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25
vehemence
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| n.热切；激烈；愤怒 | |
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26
stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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27
averted
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| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
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28
hemlock
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| n.毒胡萝卜，铁杉 | |
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29
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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30
gee
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| n.马；int.向右！前进！，惊讶时所发声音；v.向右转 | |
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31
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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32
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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33
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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34
mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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35
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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36
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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37
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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38
hermit
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| n.隐士，修道者；隐居 | |
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39
nonplussed
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| adj.不知所措的，陷于窘境的v.使迷惑( nonplus的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
writ
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| n.命令状，书面命令 | |
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41
coaxed
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| v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的过去式和过去分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱 | |
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42
winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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43
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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