CHAPTER XXIV "YOU SAVED MY LIFE!"

The sight of the overturned boat seemed to take all the strength from sturdy Dick Travers' frame. The full realization¹ of his own and Tommy Clifton's peril² was swallowed up for an instant in the thought of the terrible danger which menaced his chums. For the next few moments he simply drifted along on the current.

 

But fast failing strength, the helpless condition of Tommy Clifton, and the hiss³ and splash of the water all around soon aroused him to a sense of present duty.

 

"Help, help!" he cried, hoping that perhaps "Little Bill" and "Surly Joe" might be within hearing.

 

He was just abreast⁴ of the narrow entrance to the passageway at the foot of Hemlock⁵ Island.

 

Presently Dick Travers repeated the call; then he half closed his eyes, and, with set mouth and contracted brow, renewed the battle.

 

Suddenly a shout reached his ears.

 

Dick Travers' heart bounded with hope.

 

"Keep up—we'll be there in a jiffy," were the words that floated over the air.

 

Dick's senses were becoming benumbed; from which direction the sound came he could not tell, but his plight⁶ had been discovered—that was enough—and again came the encouraging cry, "Keep up!"

 

He summoned all his fleeting⁷ strength, but it was not sufficient to enable him to raise himself above the waste of gray water.

 

Then a dark form suddenly appeared from the direction of Hemlock Island, and he saw a boat headed straight toward them.

 

Nearer, nearer it came; and now he could hear the steady click of oars⁸.

 

Again encouraging cries reached him.

 

"Great Scott! Jim Havens⁹ and Phil Levins," was the thought that flashed through Dick Travers' mind.

 

Two oarsmen were rowing desperately¹⁰, and, aided by the current, their rowboat shot quickly ahead. As it loomed¹¹ close above him, the figures of the mountain boys vaguely¹² reminded Dick of giants.

 

A wave larger than the rest was bearing down upon him, and in a moment he would be buried beneath its foaming¹³ crest¹⁴. Once more he summoned his strength—he knew it would be the final effort.

 

Just as that terrifying line of white rose before his eyes, he felt a strong hand grip his collar; he was conscious of seeing indistinct forms before him, of hearing voices and of helping¹⁵ to lift Tom Clifton out of the water—then a darkness obscured his vision.

 

When he opened his eyes again, Jim Havens and Phil Levins were gazing eagerly in his face.

 

"He's all right," came from Havens. Then Dick saw that he was lying amidst tall grasses, and that Tommy Clifton, with a dazed expression, was sitting propped¹⁶ up against a rock.

 

"My," he whispered; "that was a narrow escape. I——"

 

"Quick—tell us how you got into the water," said Havens, excitedly. "Where did your boat get to?"

 

"Yes, tell us," chimed in Phil.

 

"What's become of Bob Somers and the other boys?" asked Tom Clifton, in a hoarse¹⁷ whisper.

 

"Then you don't know?" Dick Travers shook his head sadly. "The 'Speedy' and the whole crowd was carried into the gorge¹⁸. Isn't it awful?"

 

"I was afraid of that," cried Havens, in dismay. "Great Cæsar!"

 

"Carried into the gorge of Canyon¹⁹ River?" gasped²⁰ Phil Levins, breathlessly; "it can't be possible! How do you know?"

 

Dick Travers' voice faltered²¹ as he gave an account of their thrilling experience, and when he had finished a silence fell upon the group.

 

It was broken by Dick, who inquired, "How did you happen to see us?"

 

"The 'Dart²²' is anchored in the passageway, behind that clump²³ of trees," Havens explained, in a low voice. "Phil and I came over to get a few rabbits, and hadn't been ashore²⁴ but a short time when 'Little Bill' and 'Surly Joe' came along in the 'Spray.' 'Little Bill' asked us what we thought of his 'private yacht,' and both Phil and I felt sure he'd run off with it, as he did before.

 

"Well, we were loafing around, when all of a sudden your shout for help nearly startled the life out of us."

 

"And it's a mighty²⁵ lucky thing I borrowed Grimshaw's boat this morning and we towed it over," added Phil Levins. "Don't believe the clumsy old 'Dart' would ever have reached you in time."

 

"Dick!" exclaimed Tom, abruptly²⁶, "you saved my life!"

 

"And Havens and Levins saved us both," said Dick, warmly. "But, oh, isn't it awful about our fellows? I'll never get over it—never!"

 

"What's to be done, Dick?"

 

"Don't know, I'm sure," and Dick struggled to repress the emotions which surged within him.

 

The sky grew darker; the trees soughed mournfully in the breeze, and the dreary²⁷ aspect of nature was in accord with their feelings. Gloomily they sat around, with no consoling thoughts to cheer them.

 

"Don't you think there's a chance for Bob and the others?" ventured pale-faced Tommy Clifton.

 

"You know how it was with Howard Fenton," answered Dick. "This is a fine ending to our trip."

1 realization   

n.实现；认识到，深刻了解

参考例句：

• We shall gladly lend every effort in our power toward its realization.我们将乐意为它的实现而竭尽全力。
• He came to the realization that he would never make a good teacher.他逐渐认识到自己永远不会成为好老师。

2 peril   

n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物

参考例句：

• The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
• The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。

3 hiss   

v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满

参考例句：

• We can hear the hiss of air escaping from a tire.我们能听到一只轮胎的嘶嘶漏气声。
• Don't hiss at the speaker.不要嘘演讲人。

4 abreast   

adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地

参考例句：

• She kept abreast with the flood of communications that had poured in.她及时回复如雪片般飞来的大批信件。
• We can't keep abreast of the developing situation unless we study harder.我们如果不加强学习，就会跟不上形势。

5 hemlock   

n.毒胡萝卜，铁杉

参考例句：

• He was condemned to drink a cup of hemlock.判处他喝一杯毒汁。
• Here is a beech by the side of a hemlock,with three pines at hand.这儿有株山毛榉和一株铁杉长在一起，旁边还有三株松树。

6 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

7 fleeting   

adj.短暂的，飞逝的

参考例句：

• The girls caught only a fleeting glimpse of the driver.女孩们只匆匆瞥了一眼司机。
• Knowing the life fleeting,she set herself to enjoy if as best as she could.她知道这种日子转瞬即逝，于是让自已尽情地享受。

8 oars   

n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He pulled as hard as he could on the oars. 他拼命地划桨。
• The sailors are bending to the oars. 水手们在拼命地划桨。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 havens   

n.港口，安全地方( haven的名词复数 )v.港口，安全地方( haven的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Your twenty havens would back out at the last minute anyhow. 你那二十个避难所到了最后一分钟也要不认帐。 来自辞典例句
• Using offshore havens to avoid taxes and investor protections. 使用海面的港口避免税和投资者保护。 来自互联网

10 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

11 loomed   

v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• A dark shape loomed up ahead of us. 一个黑糊糊的影子隐隐出现在我们的前面。
• The prospect of war loomed large in everyone's mind. 战事将起的庞大阴影占据每个人的心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 vaguely   

adv.含糊地，暖昧地

参考例句：

• He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。
• He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面，对一切都视而不见。

13 foaming   

adj.布满泡沫的；发泡

参考例句：

• He looked like a madman, foaming at the mouth. 他口吐白沫，看上去像个疯子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He is foaming at the mouth about the committee's decision. 他正为委员会的决定大发其火。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 crest   

n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖

参考例句：

• The rooster bristled his crest.公鸡竖起了鸡冠。
• He reached the crest of the hill before dawn.他于黎明前到达山顶。

15 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

16 propped   

支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He sat propped up in the bed by pillows. 他靠着枕头坐在床上。
• This fence should be propped up. 这栅栏该用东西支一支。

17 hoarse   

adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的

参考例句：

• He asked me a question in a hoarse voice.他用嘶哑的声音问了我一个问题。
• He was too excited and roared himself hoarse.他过于激动，嗓子都喊哑了。

18 gorge   

n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃

参考例句：

• East of the gorge leveled out.峡谷东面地势变得平坦起来。
• It made my gorge rise to hear the news.这消息令我作呕。

19 canyon   

n.峡谷，溪谷

参考例句：

• The Grand Canyon in the USA is 1900 metres deep.美国的大峡谷1900米深。
• The canyon is famous for producing echoes.这个峡谷以回声而闻名。

20 gasped   

v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要

参考例句：

• She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
• People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

21 faltered   

（嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃

参考例句：

• He faltered out a few words. 他支吾地说出了几句。
• "Er - but he has such a longhead!" the man faltered. 他不好意思似的嚅嗫着：“这孩子脑袋真长。”

22 dart   

v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲

参考例句：

• The child made a sudden dart across the road.那小孩突然冲过马路。
• Markov died after being struck by a poison dart.马尔科夫身中毒镖而亡。

23 clump   

n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走

参考例句：

• A stream meandered gently through a clump of trees.一条小溪从树丛中蜿蜒穿过。
• It was as if he had hacked with his thick boots at a clump of bluebells.仿佛他用自己的厚靴子无情地践踏了一丛野风信子。

24 ashore   

adv.在(向)岸上，上岸

参考例句：

• The children got ashore before the tide came in.涨潮前，孩子们就上岸了。
• He laid hold of the rope and pulled the boat ashore.他抓住绳子拉船靠岸。

25 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

26 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

27 dreary   

adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的

参考例句：

• They live such dreary lives.他们的生活如此乏味。
• She was tired of hearing the same dreary tale of drunkenness and violence.她听够了那些关于酗酒和暴力的乏味故事。