Above, the blue-white lightning zig-zagged and the boom of the thunder shook the earth. A huge elm shivered and shrieked7 as if in agony as a darting8 tongue of flame enwrapped it like a yellow serpent, splitting its heart in twain.
Billy found himself, face down, on the wet moss9. Maurice was tugging at his arm. The stricken tree had burst into flame, beneath the ghostly light of which path, creek10 and pine-grove11 stood out clear-limned as a cameo against a velvet background. Billy noted12 this as he sat dazedly13 up. He and Maurice were alone; old Harry had vanished.
"He's gone," Maurice answered his chum's look. "Took to his heels when the lightnin' struck that elm. The shock knocked us both down. He was gone when I come to."
Billy grinned a wan14 grin and pressed his knuckles15 against his aching eyes. "So's my milk-snake," he said. "Guess I spilled him out o' my pocket when I fell. Gee16! that was a close call. Say, Maurice, ain't it queer though? I was feelin' mighty17 scared an' trembly afore that bolt fell, but now I feel nervy enough to tackle any ghost. How 'bout18 you?"
"By gosh! that's jest how I feel, Bill. That lightnin' knocked all the scare plumb19 out o' me. I don't like these no-rain sort of thunderstorms though," he added. "They're always slashin' out when they're least expected."
"Well, the lightnin' part of this un's about past us, Maurice. But the rain's comin'. Guess that ol' elm's done fer. She's dead, though, else she wouldn't burn like that. By hokey!" he broke off, "will you look here?"
He picked up something that glittered in the firelight, and held it up for his chum's inspection20.
"Old Harry's fairy arrer," gasped21 Maurice. "Oh say, Bill, ain't that lucky? He must have lost it in his scramble22 to get away."
"Likely. Now I move we go right over into that ha'nted grove. What you say?"
Maurice swallowed hard, "I'm blame fool enough fer anythin' since I got knocked silly by that bolt," he answered, "so I'm game if you are."
"Watch out!" warned Billy, grasping him by the arm and jerking him to one side, "that struck elm is goin' to fall." A rainbow of flame flashed close before the boys, as the stricken tree crashed across the path, hurling24 forth25 a shower of sparks as it came to earth. Then inky darkness followed and from the black canopy26 which a moment ago had seemed to touch the tree tops the rain fell in torrents27.
"Bill, Oh Bill! where 'bouts28 are you?" Maurice's voice sounded muffled29 and far away to his chum's ears.
"I'm right here," he answered.
"Gollies! but ain't it dark? I can't see anythin' of you, Bill."
"Ner me, either. I guess we'll have to give up the hunt fer t'night, Maurice. Anyways, we don't know jest how to work ol' Harry's fairy arrer."
"No, we'll have to find out. Say, Bill, where 'bouts is the path?"
"Gee! how am I to know; it's right here somewheres, though."
"I guess I've found it, Bill. Come over close, so's I kin23 touch you, then we'll be movin' 'long. Hully gee! but I'm wet. Got both them charms safe?"
"Right here in my two fists, Maurice."
"Well, hang to 'em tight till we get away from this ha'nted grove. Ghosts don't mind rain none—an' he's liable t' be prowlin' out. Say, can't y' whistle a bit, so's it won't be so pesky lonesome?"
Billy puckered31 up his lips, but his effort was a failure. "You try, Maurice," he said, "I can't jest keep the hole in my mouth steady long enough t' whistle."
"Gosh! ain't I been trying," groaned32 Maurice. "My teeth won't keep still a'tall. Maybe I won't be one glad kid when we get out 'a here."
For half an hour they groped their way forward, no further words passing between them. The heavy roar of the rain on the tree tops made conversation next to impossible. The darkness was so dense33 they were forced to proceed slowly and pause for breath after bumping violently against a tree or sapling. They had been striving for what seemed to both to be a long, long time to find the clearing when Billy paused in his tracks and spoke34: "It's no use, Maurice. We're lost."
Maurice sank weakly down against a tree trunk, and groaned.
"I guess we've struck into the big woods," Billy informed him. "Anyways, the trees are gettin' thicker the further we go."
"Gee! Bill, there might be wolves an' bears in this woods," said Maurice, fearfully.
"Sure there might but I guess all we kin do is take our chance with 'em."
"Well, I'd rather take a chance with a bear than a ghost, wouldn't you Bill?"
"Betcha, I would. Say Maurice," he broke out excitedly, "there's a light comin' through the trees. See it? It's movin'. Must be somebody with a lantern."
"I see it," Maurice replied in guarded tones. "Bill, that light's comin' this way, sure as shootin'."
"Looks like it. Wonder who it kin be? Maybe somebody lookin' fer us."
The two boys crouched35 down beside a great beech36. The light, which had not been a great distance from them when first sighted, was rapidly approaching. Billy grasped his chum's arm. "Look," he whispered, "there's two of 'em."
"I see 'em," his friend whispered back. "Gosh! looks as though they're goin' to tramp right onto us."
However, the night-roamers of the forest did not walk into them. Instead they came very close to the boys and halted. The man who carried the lantern set it down on the ground and spoke in gruff tobes to his companion, a short, heavy-set man with a fringe of black beard on his face.
"I say no, Tom," the other returned, surlily. "It won't be safe there. Somebody'll be sure to find it."
The other man turned on him angrily. "Who'll find it?" he retorted. "Don't be a fool, Jack. You couldn't pull anybody to that place with a loggin' chain. It's the safest spot in the world to hide the stuff, I tell ye. Besides, the boat orter be in in a few days, and we kin slip the stuff to Cap. Jacques without the boss ever knowin' how far we've exceeded his orders."
"All right," gruffly assented38 his companion, "if you're so cock sure, it suits me all right. Come on; let's get out of this cussed woods. Remember we've got some work before us tonight."
The man named Tom picked up the lantern and moved on, cursing the rain and the saplings that whipped his face at every step. His pal39 followed without a word.
The boys waited until the lantern's glow grew hazy40 through the slackening rain, then they sprang up and followed. Three-quarters of an hour later the trees began to thin. Unwittingly the strangers had guided them into the clearing.
As they reached the open the rain ceased altogether. High above a few pale stars were beginning to probe through the tattered41 clouds. The men with the lantern were rapidly moving across the stumpy fallow, towards the causeway.
"Will we foller 'em, Bill?" asked Maurice eagerly.
Billy shook his head. "I'd sort o' like to," he said, slowly, "jest to find out what game they're up to, but I guess if we know what's good fer us we'll go home an' take off these wet duds. Hard lookin' customers, wasn't they?"
"Hard, I should say so! I'll bet either one of 'em 'ud murder a hull30 family fer ten cents. Say, Bill, maybe they're pirates; you heard what they said about a boat, didn't you?"
"Yep, I heard, but they ain't pirates, 'cause they didn't have no tattoo42 marks on 'em, er rings in their ears; but whoever they are they're up to no good. They're aimin' to hide somethin' somewheres, but jest what it is an' where they intend hidin' it there's no way of tellin'; so come on, let's get movin'."
In silence they made their way across the clearing to the road. "Say, Bill," said Maurice, as they paused to rest on the top rail of the fence, "do you 'spose we best tell our dads about seein' them men?"
"Naw, can't you see if we told our dads that, they'd want 'a know what you an' me was doin' out in Scroggie's bush in the rain, at that hour of the night? No siree, we won't say a word 'bout it."
"Then s'posin' we try an' find out something 'bout 'em fer ourselves, eh?"
"Say, you give me a pain," cried Billy. "Don't you 'spose we've got all we kin do ahead of us now?"
"Findin' Scroggie's money an' will, you mean?"
"Sure. Now shut up an' let's get home. I expect Ma'll be waitin' up to give me hail Columbia, an' I guess you won't be gettin' any pettin' from yourn, either."
"I know what I'll be gettin' from mine, all right," said Maurice, moodily43. "Say, Bill," he coaxed44, "you come along over by our place an' smooth things over fer me, will you? You kin do anythin' with Ma."
"No," said Billy, "I got to be movin' on."
"But I'll get an awful hidin' if you don't. I don't mind an ordinary tannin' but a tannin' in these wet pants is goin' to hurt like fury. They're stickin close to my legs. I might as well be naked an' Ma she certainly does lay it on."
Billy laughed. "All right, I'll come along, but I ain't believin' anythin' I kin say to your Ma'll keep you from gettin' it."
The boys slid from the fence, then leaped back as something long and white rose from behind a fallen tree and, with a startled snort, confronted them.
Maurice peered out from behind a tree. "Well, I'll be jiggered!" he exclaimed. "It's our old sow. She's been lost fer nigh onto two weeks, an' Dad's been huntin' fer her everywhere."
"That so? Then we'll drive her home."
"Aw, say, Bill," protested Maurice, "I'm tired an' wet as a water-logged plank46. Let her go. I'll tell Dad, an' he kin come after her tomorrow."
"No, we'll drive her home now. I guess I know what's best. Get on t'other side of her. Now then, don't let her turn back!"
Maurice grumblingly47 did his share of the driving. It was no easy task to pilot that big, rangy sow into the safe harbor of the Keeler barnyard but done it was at last.
"Ma's got the light burnin' an' the strap48 waitin' fer her little boy," chaffed Billy as they put up the barn-yard bars.
Maurice, who had climbed the fence so as to get a glimpse of the interior of his home through a window, whistled softly as his eyes took in the scene within.
"Say, Billy," he cried, "your Ma an' Pa's there."
"Gee whitticker!" exclaimed Billy. "I wish now I hadn't promised you I'd come in. All right, lead on. Let's get the funeral over with."
Without so much as another word the boys went up the path.
"If I don't see you ag'in alive, Bill, good bye," whispered Maurice as he opened the door.
Mrs. Keeler, who was doing her best to catch what her neighbor was saying, lifted her head as the two wet and tired boys entered the room.
"There they be now," she said grimly. "The two worst boys in Scotia, Mrs. Wilson."
"I believe you, Mrs. Keeler," nodded her friend. "Now then, where have you two drowned rats been tonight, Willium?"
Cobin Keeler, who was playing a game of checkers with Billy's father, cleared his throat and leaned forward like a judge on the bench, waiting for the answer to his neighbor's question.
"We got——" commenced Maurice, but Billy pinched his leg for silence.
"I got track of your lost sow, Mr. Keeler, when I was comin' home from the store tonight," he said. "Least-wise I didn't know it was your sow but Maurice told me about yours bein' lost. So after Mrs. Keeler went to give Mr. Spencer a call down we hired Anse to look after the preservin' an' went out to try an' track her down."
Maurice, who had listened open mouthed to his chum's narration49, sighed deeply. "We had an awful time," he put in, only to receive a harder pinch for his pains.
"But you didn't see her, did ye?" Cobin asked eagerly.
Disregarding the question, Billy continued: "The tracks led us a long ways, I kin tell you. We got up into the Scroggie bush at last an' then the rain come."
"But we kept right on trackin—" put in Maurice, eagerly. "After the stars come out again, of course," explained Billy, managing to skin Maurice's shin with his boot-heel, "an' we found her—"
"You found her?" cried Cobin, leaping up.
"Jest half an hour ago," said Billy.
"Good lads!" cried Cobin heartily50, "Ma, hear that? They found ol' Junefly. Wasn't that smart of 'em, an' in all that rain, too."
"Who'd you say was agoin' to soon die?" Mrs. Keeler put her hand to her ear and leaned forward.
"I say the boys found the old sow, Ma!" Cobin shouted.
"They did?" Mrs. Keeler turned towards Billy and Maurice, her face aglow51. "An' was that what they was adoin'? Now I'm right sorry I spoke harsh. I am so. Ain't you, Mrs. Wilson?"
"Oh, I must say that Willium does do somethin' worth while, once in a long while," returned her neighbor, grudgingly52. "But Anson, now—"
Mrs. Keeler broke in. "Anson, humph! Why, that boy had the nerve to say that I should give him ten cents fer watchin' the kettle while them two dear boys was out in the storm, huntin' fer Pa's sow. I give him a box on the ear instead an' sent him home on the jump. Maybe I was a bit hasty but I was mad after havin' to give that old Caleb Spencer a piece of my mind fer sendin' me sawdust instead of groceries. I guess he won't try that ag'in."
Billy moved towards the door. "I'd best be gettin' home," he said, "I'm awful wet."
"Stay all night with Maurice," invited Mrs. Keeler. "You an' him kin pile right into bed now and I'll bring you both a bowl of hot bread and milk."
Billy glanced at his mother.
"You kin stay if your want to, Willium," she said, "only see that you are home bright and early in the mornin'. Your Pa'll want you to help hill potaters."
She stood up. "Well, Tom, if you and Cobin are through with the game don't start another. It's late an' time all decent folks was home abed."
Snug53 in Maurice's corn-husk bed in the attic54, the boys lay and listened for the door to open and close. Then Maurice chuckled55.
"Gee! Bill, I could'a knocked your head off fer makin' me help drive ol' Junefly home but now I see you knowed what you was doin'. Holy smoke! I wish't I was as smart as you."
Half an hour later when Mrs. Keeler carrying two bowls of steaming bread and milk ascended57 the stairs Billy alone sat up to reach for it.
"Is Maurice asleep?" whispered the woman.
Billy nodded.
"Well, you might as well have both bowls then. I don't like to see good bread an' milk wasted."
She set the bowls down on the little table beside the bed, placed the lamp beside them, then leaning over tucked the blankets about the boys.
"No use tryin' to wake Maurice," she said as she turned to go. "As well try to wake the dead. Remember, you boys get up when I call you."
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
velvet
|
|
| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
tugging
|
|
| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
harry
|
|
| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
superstitious
|
|
| adj.迷信的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
squat
|
|
| v.蹲坐，蹲下；n.蹲下；adj.矮胖的，粗矮的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
oozing
|
|
| v.（浓液等）慢慢地冒出，渗出( ooze的现在分词 )；使（液体）缓缓流出；（浓液）渗出，慢慢流出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
shrieked
|
|
| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
darting
|
|
| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
moss
|
|
| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
creek
|
|
| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
grove
|
|
| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
noted
|
|
| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
dazedly
|
|
| 头昏眼花地，眼花缭乱地，茫然地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
wan
|
|
| (wide area network)广域网 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
knuckles
|
|
| n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
gee
|
|
| n.马；int.向右！前进！，惊讶时所发声音；v.向右转 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
mighty
|
|
| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
bout
|
|
| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
plumb
|
|
| adv.精确地，完全地；v.了解意义，测水深 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
inspection
|
|
| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
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： |
|
|
|
|
22
scramble
|
|
| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
kin
|
|
| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
hurling
|
|
| n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的现在分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
canopy
|
|
| n.天篷，遮篷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
torrents
|
|
| n.倾注；奔流( torrent的名词复数 )；急流；爆发；连续不断 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
bouts
|
|
| n.拳击（或摔跤）比赛( bout的名词复数 )；一段（工作）；（尤指坏事的）一通；（疾病的）发作 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
muffled
|
|
| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
hull
|
|
| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
puckered
|
|
| v.（使某物）起褶子或皱纹( pucker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
groaned
|
|
| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
dense
|
|
| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
spoke
|
|
| 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： |
|
|
|
|
35
crouched
|
|
| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
beech
|
|
| n.山毛榉；adj.山毛榉的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
jack
|
|
| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
assented
|
|
| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
pal
|
|
| n.朋友，伙伴，同志；vi.结为友 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
hazy
|
|
| adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
tattered
|
|
| adj.破旧的，衣衫破的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
tattoo
|
|
| n.纹身，(皮肤上的)刺花纹；vt.刺花纹于 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
moodily
|
|
| adv.喜怒无常地；情绪多变地；心情不稳地；易生气地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
coaxed
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
hog
|
|
| n.猪；馋嘴贪吃的人；vt.把…占为己有，独占 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
plank
|
|
| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
grumblingly
|
|
| 喃喃报怨着，发牢骚着 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
48
strap
|
|
| n.皮带，带子；v.用带扣住，束牢；用绷带包扎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
narration
|
|
| n.讲述，叙述；故事；记叙体 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
heartily
|
|
| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
aglow
|
|
| adj.发亮的；发红的；adv.发亮地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
grudgingly
|
|
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
snug
|
|
| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
attic
|
|
| n.顶楼，屋顶室 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
chuckled
|
|
| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
drowsily
|
|
| adv.睡地，懒洋洋地，昏昏欲睡地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
ascended
|
|
| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |