Chapter 1 GEORGE IS ALL ALONE
Chapter 1 GEORGE IS ALL ALONE
　　'I do think it's mean,' said George, fiercely. 'Why can't I go when the others do? I've had two weeks athome, and haven't seen the others since school broke up. And now they're off for a wonderfulfortnight and I'm not with them.'
　　'Don't be silly, George,' said her mother. 'You can go as soon as that cold of yours is better.'
　　'It's better now,' said George, scowling. 'Mother, you know it is!'
　　'That's enough, Georgina,' said her father, looking up from his newspaper. 'This is the third breakfast-time we've had this argument. Be quiet.'
　　George would never answer anyone when she was called Georgina - so, much as she would haveliked to say something back, she pursed up her mouth and looked away.
　　Her mother laughed. 'Oh, George, dear! Don't look so terribly fierce. It was your own fault you gotthis cold - you would go and bathe and stay in far too long - and after all, it's only the third week inApril!'
　　'I always bathe in April,' said George, sulkily.
　　'I said 'BE QUIET',' said her father, banging down his paper on the table. 'One more word from you,George, and you won't go to your three cousins at all.'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy, from under the table. He didn't like it when anyone spoke angrily to George.
　　'And don't you start arguing with me, either,' said George's father, poking Timmy with his toe, andscowling exactly like George.
　　His wife laughed again. 'Oh, be quiet, the two of you,' she said. 'George, be patient dear. I'll let yougo off to your cousins as soon as ever I can - tomorrow, if you're good, and don't cough much today.'
　　'Oh, Mother - why didn't you say so before?' said George, her scowl disappearing like magic. 'I didn'tcough once in the night. I'm perfectly all right today. Oh, if I can go off to Faynights Castletomorrow, I promise I won't cough once today!'
　　'What's this about Faynights Castle?' demanded her father, looking up again. 'First I've heard of it!'
　　'Oh no, Quentin dear, I've told you at least three times,' said his wife. 'Julian, Dick and Anne havebeen lent two funny old caravans by a school friend. They are in a field near Faynights 2Castle.'
　　'Oh. So they're not staying in a castle, then,' said George's father. 'Can't have that. I won't haveGeorge coming home all high and mighty.'
　　'George couldn't possibly be high and mighty,' said his wife. 'It's as much as I can do to get her tokeep her nails clean and wear clean shorts. Do be sensible, Quentin. You know perfectly well thatGeorge and her cousins always like to go off on extraordinary holidays together.'
　　'And have adventures,' grinned George, who was now in a very good temper indeed at the thought ofgoing to join her cousins the next day.
　　'No. You're not to have any of those awful adventures this time,' said her mother. 'Anyway, I don'tsee how you can, staying in a peaceful place like the village of Faynights Castle, living in a couple ofold caravans.'
　　'I wouldn't trust George anywhere,' said her husband. 'Give her just a sniff of an adventure, and she'safter it. I never knew anyone like George. Thank goodness we've only got one child. I don't feel as ifI could cope with two or three Georges.'
　　'There are plenty of people like George,' said his wife. 'Julian and Dick for instance. Always in themiddle of something or other - with Anne tagging behind, longing for a peaceful life.'
　　'Well, I've had enough of this argument,' said George's father, pushing his chair out vigorously, andaccidentally kicking Timmy under the table. He yelped.
　　'That dog's got no brains,' said the impatient man. 'Lies under the table at every meal and expects meto remember he's there! Well, I'm going to do some work.'
　　He went out of the room. The dining-room door banged. Then the study door banged. Then a windowwas shut with a bang. A fire was poked very vigorously. There was the creak of an armchair assomeone sat down in it heavily. Then there was silence.
　　'Now your father's lost to the world till lunchtime,' said George's mother. 'Dear, oh dear - I've toldhim at least three times about Faynights Castle, where your cousins are staying, bless him.
　　Now, George, I do really think you can go tomorrow, dear - you look so much better today. You canget your things ready and I'll pack them this afternoon.'
　　'Thank you, Mother,' said George, giving her a sudden hug. 'Anyway, Father will be glad to have meout of the house for a bit! I'm too noisy for him!'
　　'You're a pair!' said her mother, remembering the slammed doors and other things. 'You're both aperfect nuisance at times, but I couldn't bear to do without you! Oh, Timmy, are you still under 3the table? I wish you wouldn't leave your tail about so! Did I hurt you?'
　　'Oh, he doesn't mind you treading on it, Mother,' said George, generously. 'I'm going to get my thingsready this very minute. How do I get to Faynights Castle? By train?'
　　'Yes. I'll take you to Kirrin Station, and you can catch the ten-forty,' said her mother. 'You change atLimming Ho, and take the train that goes to Faynights. If you send a card to Julian, he'll get ittomorrow morning and will meet you.'
　　'I'll write it now,' said George, happily. 'Oh, Mother, I began to be afraid this awful cold would hangon all through the holidays! I shan't bathe again on such a cold day in April.'
　　'You said that last year - and the year before that too,' said her mother. 'You have a very shortmemory, George!'
　　'Come on, Timmy!' said George, and the two of them went out of the door like a whirlwind. Itslammed behind them, and the house shook.
　　At once the study door opened and an angry voice yelled loudly. 'Who's that slamming doors whenI'm at work? Can't ANYBODY in this house shut a door quietly?'
　　George grinned as she fled upstairs. The biggest slammer-of-doors was her father, but he only heardthe slams made by other people. George turned her writing-case inside out to find a post-card. Shemust post it at once or Julian wouldn't get it - and it would be so nice to have all her three cousinsmeeting her!
　　'We're off tomorrow,' she told Timmy, who looked up at her and wagged his tail vigorously.
　　'Yes, you're coming too, of course - then the Five will all be together again. The Famous Five!
　　You'll like that, won't you, Tim? So shall I!'
　　She scribbled the post-card and flew down to post it. Slam went the front door, and her father almostjumped out of his skin. He was a very clever and hard-working scientist, impatient, hot-tempered,kindly and very forgetful. How he wished his daughter was not so exactly like him, but was like hisquiet, gentle little niece Anne!
　　George posted the card. It was short and to the point.
　　'Cold gone. Coming tomorrow. Arriving 12.5 so make sure you all meet me and Timmy. Ourtails are well up, I can tell you!'
　　GEORGE
　　4
　　George turned out her drawers and began to pick out the things she wanted to take with her. Hermother came to help. There was always an argument about packing, because George wanted to takeas little as possible, and no warm things at all, and her mother had exactly opposite ideas.
　　However, between the two of them they managed to pack the suit-case full of quite sensible things.
　　George refused as usual to take a dress of any sort.
　　'I wonder when you'll grow out of wanting to be a boy, and of acting like one!' said her mother,exasperated.
　　'All right, all right - take those awful old shorts if you want to, and that red jersey. But you are topack those warm vests. I put them in once, and you took them out. And you must take a warm rug,Julian says. The caravans are not very warm this weather.'
　　'I wonder what they're like,' said George, stuffing the vests in. 'They're funny, old-fashioned ones,Julian said in his letter. Perhaps they're like the gypsies have - not the modern, stream-lined ones thatare pulled along by cars.'
　　'You'll see tomorrow,' said her mother. 'Oh, George - you're coughing again!'
　　'Just the dust, that's all,' said George going purple in the face trying to hold back the tickle in herthroat. She drank a glass of water in a hurry. It would be too dreadful if her mother said she wasn't togo after all!
　　However, her mother really did think that George was better. She had been in bed for a week, makinga terrible fuss, and being a very difficult patient. Now, after being up for a few days she really seemedherself again.
　　'It will do her good to get down to Faynights and it's good strong air,' thought her mother. 'She needscompany again, too - she doesn't like having to be all alone, knowing the others are holidayingwithout her.'
　　George felt happy that evening. Only one more night and she would be off to a fortnight'scaravanning! If only the weather was good, what a fine time they would have!
　　Suddenly the telephone shrilled out. R-r-r-r-r-r-ring! R-r-r-r-r-ring!
　　George's mother went to answer it. 'Hallo!' she said. 'Oh - it's you, Julian. Is everything all right?'
　　George sped out into the hall at once. Oh, surely, surely, nothing had happened! Surely Julian wasn'tringing to tell her not to come! She listened breathlessly.
　　'What's that you say, Julian? I can't make out what you're talking about, dear. Yes, of course, youruncle is all right. Why shouldn't he be? No, he hasn't disappeared. Julian, what are you 5talking about?'
　　George listened impatiently. What was all this? But it turned out to be something quite ordinary,really. When at last her mother put down the receiver, she told George.
　　'Don't hop about like that, George. It's quite all right, you can go tomorrow. Julian was only ringingup to make sure that your father wasn't one of the scientists who have suddenly disappeared.
　　Apparently in tonight's paper there is a short report about two that have completely vanished - anddear old Julian wanted to make sure your father was here safely!'
　　'As if Father would vanish!' said George, scornfully. 'Julian must be mad! It's just two more of thosesilly scientists who are disloyal to this country, and disappear to another country to sell our secrets! Icould have told Julian that!'
1.向往大篷车
　　向往大篷车
　　“这也太不公平了，”乔治生气地说，“他们能去，为什么我就不能？从学校放假到现在，我已经在家里待了两个星期了，一直没见过其他伙伴。他们已经度过了两周美好的假期，而我却只能待在这儿。”
　　“乔治，”乔治的妈妈回应说，“只要你感冒好一些，马上就能去找他们。”
　　“我现在好多了，”乔治皱着眉说，“妈妈，你看不出来吗？”
　　“够了，乔治娜，”乔治爸爸的眼神从报纸上移开，不耐烦地看着乔治说，“这已经是我们第三次在早餐时间争论这个问题了，你闭嘴吧。”
　　乔治从来不会回应叫她乔治娜的人，所以当听到爸爸这么叫她时，她把本来想说的话吞了回去，撇了撇嘴，扭头看向了别处。
　　她妈妈笑着说：“哈哈，亲爱的乔治！不要这么凶巴巴的。感冒是你自己造成的，谁让你去那么远的地方露营，还游泳，毕竟那时候是四月的第三个星期，还冷着呢！”
　　“我经常在四月游泳。”乔治闷闷不乐地狡辩说。
　　“我刚说了‘闭嘴’，”她的爸爸猛地把报纸摔在桌子上，警告她说，“乔治，你要再说一个字，就甭想再去你堂兄妹家了。”
　　“汪汪！”趴在桌下的蒂米闻声叫了起来。它很讨厌有人用愤怒的口吻和乔治说话。
　　“你也别再跟我争论了。”乔治的爸爸用脚趾戳了一下蒂米，他和他女儿一样一脸愠色。
　　乔治的妈妈又大笑了起来。“哈哈，你们两个都闭嘴吧，”她说，“亲爱的乔治，你耐心点，我会尽早让你去你堂兄妹家的，如果你明天病好了，而且不像今天这样咳嗽得厉害，我就让你去。”
　　“啊！妈妈，你怎么不早说？”乔治的愁容即刻烟消云散，她回应说，“我到晚上就不咳嗽了。今天我感觉非常棒。哦，如果我明天能去费依奈斯城堡的话，我保证今天不咳嗽！”
　　“费依奈斯城堡在哪儿？”乔治的爸爸抬起头询问道，“我第一次听说！”
　　“不会吧，亲爱的昆廷，”他的妻子诧异地说，“朱利安、迪克和安妮跟他们一个校友借用了两辆滑稽的旧式大篷车，他们就在费依奈斯城堡附近的一处田地里露营。”
　　“哦，这就是说他们没待在城堡里，”乔治的爸爸说，“那不行，我不希望乔治回来后看起来像个野孩子。”
　　“不会的，”乔治的妈妈说，“我会让她把指甲修剪整齐，穿上干净的牛仔裤。昆廷，你别这么敏感。你也知道，乔治和她堂兄妹们一直都喜欢在假期里出去玩。”
　　“还有探险。”乔治笑着说。一想到明天要和堂兄妹们出去玩，乔治的心情一下子好了起来。
　　“不行。你们这次不准再进行任何探险了。”她的妈妈说，“不过，你们开着那些旧式大篷车，住在费依奈斯城堡附近的村庄里，会很安全，估计也没什么机会去探险。”
　　“反正我是不相信她，”乔治的爸爸附和说，“只要发现探险的机会，她一定会抓住。谁都没我了解乔治。谢天谢地我们只有这一个孩子，要是我们有两三个乔治这样的孩子，谁能受得了。”
　　“像乔治这样的孩子可多了去了，”乔治的妈妈说，“比如朱利安和迪克。哪里有事哪里就有他们，后面还跟着妹妹安妮，不过这孩子倒是想过安宁的日子。”
　　“行了，我受够了这种讨论。”乔治的爸爸猛然将座椅拉了出来，不小心碰到了桌下的蒂米。受到打扰的蒂米吠叫了几声。
　　“这只狗没脑子，”乔治的爸爸不耐烦地说，“每天它都趴在桌子下边，就是为了提醒我它的存在！好了，我去干活了。”
　　乔治的爸爸走出了房间，他“砰”的一声把饭厅的门关上了，之后又“砰”的一声关上了书房的门，紧接着传来使劲关窗户的声音。
　　书房里的炉火好像被人用力搅弄着，接着伴随着吱吱呀呀的声响，有人重重地坐在了扶手椅上。不一会儿，一切归于平静。
　　“从现在到午饭前，你爸爸都不会从房间里出来了。”乔治的妈妈对乔治说，“噢，亲爱的，我都跟你爸爸说过至少三次关于费依奈斯城堡的事情了，说过你的堂兄妹们住在那里，结果呢，他还是没记住。乔治，我觉得你明天能去，你今天看起来真的好多了。你准备一下东西，我中午就给你打包好。”
　　“谢谢妈妈。”乔治开心地说，她一下子抱住了妈妈，“我想，爸爸是很乐意让我出去待一阵的！因为他嫌我太烦了！”
　　“你俩可真是一对！”乔治的妈妈说，她想起了刚才丈夫用力摔门和其他粗鲁的行为，“你们有时候真令人讨厌，但是我不能没有你们！嘿，蒂米，你还在桌子下边吗？我希望刚刚没踩到你的尾巴！
　　我伤到你了吗？”
　　“嘿，妈妈，它不介意你踩它，”乔治并不担心，她说，“我要赶紧准备东西去了。我怎么去费依奈斯城堡？坐火车吗？”
　　“对，我带你去科林火车站，你去坐早上10点40分的火车，”乔治的妈妈回答说，“然后你在林明霍站下车，再坐另一趟火车去费依奈斯城堡。你给朱利安寄张明信片，他明天早上收到后就会去接你。”
　　“我现在就去写。”乔治开心地说，“唉，妈妈，我担心这种糟糕的天气会持续整个假期！我再也不会在这么冷的四月天里游泳了。”
　　“你去年就这么说的，你前年也是这么说的。”她的妈妈回应说，“乔治，你的记性真差！”
　　“过来，蒂米！”乔治叫道。随后，她带着蒂米像一阵旋风一样跑了出去，门在她们身后“砰”的一声关上了，带动着房子震动起来。
　　就在这时，书房的门打开了，紧接着传来一阵气愤地大吼声：“是谁在我工作的时候这么使劲地关门？你们能不能轻点？”
　　乔治边跑上楼边笑。她认为最大的关门声是她爸爸弄出来的，然而他却只在乎别人的关门声。乔治把自己的文具盒翻了个底朝天，终于找到了一张明信片。她必须现在就去邮寄，否则朱利安在她到达之前是收不到的。让三个堂兄妹一起去接她，是再好不过的事情了！
　　“我们明天就走，”乔治对蒂米说，蒂米仰视着她，尾巴用力地摇来摇去，“对，你当然也要去，这样我们五个人又团聚了。我们是疯狂侦探团！你会喜欢的，对吗，蒂米？我也一样！”
　　她在明信片上潦草地写了几行字，然后急忙跑下楼去邮寄。
　　她“砰”的一声关上了前门，气得她爸爸火冒三丈。她爸爸是一位相当聪明又勤奋的科学家，也是个没有耐心、脾气暴躁而且非常健忘的人。他多希望女儿的性格不像他，而是像他小侄女安妮那样安静温和。
　　乔治邮寄了明信片，上面的内容简明扼要：
　　我的感冒已经好了。明天12点05分到。你们要一起来接我和蒂米。非常期待与你们见面！
　　乔治
　　回家后，乔治打开抽屉，开始挑选准备带上的东西。她妈妈过来帮忙。她们母女俩经常会因为带什么东西争吵起来，乔治希望带的东西越少越好，不想带保暖的东西，而她的妈妈跟她的想法截然相反。
　　然而，她们两个人还是打包装满了手提箱。乔治像往常一样拒绝带上任何裙子。
　　“我不知道你从什么时候开始想当一个男人，而且一举一动都像个男人！”乔治的妈妈生气地说，“行了行了，你想带上那些难看的旧牛仔裤就带着吧，还有那件红色的运动衫。但是你得带上几件保暖背心。每次我放里边，你都拿出来。朱利安说过，你还要带一条保暖毛毯。现在这种天气，大篷车里一点都不暖和。”
　　“我想知道大篷车是什么样子的，”乔治边说边把背心装进了箱子里，“朱利安在信里说，那些大篷车又搞笑又过时。可能就像吉卜赛人的大篷车一样，而不是那种可以由轿车牵引的现代流线型大篷车。”
　　“明天你就知道了。”她妈妈说，“唉，乔治，你又咳嗽了！”
　　“是因为有灰尘。”乔治的脸涨得发紫，她试图憋住喉咙里发痒的感觉。她赶忙喝了一杯水。要是她的妈妈不让她去，对她来说可是一件难过的事情！
　　然而，她妈妈真的觉得乔治好多了。乔治在床上躺了一个星期，又发脾气又闹别扭的，可难照顾了。现在，乔治下床活动了几天，妈妈感觉充满活力的乔治又回来了。
　　“去费依奈斯城堡对女儿有好处，她能呼吸那里的新鲜空气，”乔治的妈妈想，“她需要有人陪伴。她听说其他人都去度假了，当然不希望自己孤身一人。”
　　那个夜晚，乔治心情愉悦。因为再过一晚，她就可以享受为期两周的大篷车旅行了！只要天公作美，他们就会度过一段美好的时光！
　　突然，电话铃响了。“丁零零——丁零零——”
　　乔治的妈妈接了电话。“喂？”她说，“哦，是你呀，朱利安。有什么事吗？”
　　乔治闻声赶忙跑到了门厅。哦，什么事都没有，那就好，那就好！乔治当然不希望朱利安打电话来说不让她过去了！她全程都在屏息聆听着他们的通话内容。
　　“朱利安，你说什么？亲爱的，我不明白你在说什么。对，是的，你的叔叔挺好的。你为什么这么问？不，他没失踪……”
　　乔治听得有些不耐烦了，他们在说些什么？不过听起来都是些寻常对话。最后，她妈妈挂断了电话，把通话内容告诉了她。
　　“乔治，你别跳来跳去的了。没什么事情，你明天可以过去。刚才朱利安打电话是确认你爸爸是不是那些突然失踪的科学家之一。
　　今晚的报纸上有篇报道说，两名科学家突然失踪了。刚才朱利安打电话来询问，你爸爸是不是安然无恙！”
　　“好像我爸会失踪一样！”乔治不屑地说，“朱利安肯定是疯了！
　　只不过又是两个背叛国家的愚蠢科学家而已，跑到其他国家贩卖我们的机密！刚刚换我来说，是可以跟朱利安说清楚的！”
Chapter 2 ALL TOGETHER AGAIN
Chapter 2 ALL TOGETHER AGAIN
　　NEXT morning, on a dewy hillside a good distance from Kirrin, where George lived, two boys leaptdown the steps of a caravan, and went to one nearby. They rapped on the door.
　　'Anne! Are you awake? It's a heavenly day!'
　　'Of course I'm awake!' cried a voice. 'The door's unlocked. Come in. I'm getting breakfast.'
　　Julian and Dick pushed open the blue-painted door. Anne was standing at a little stove at one end ofher caravan, boiling eggs in a saucepan.
　　'I can't look round,' she said. 'I'm timing them by my watch. One minute more to go.'
　　'The postman has just brought a card from George,' said Julian. 'She says her tail and Timmy's areboth well up! I'm glad she's coming at last - and old Timmy too.'
　　'We'll all go and meet her,' said Anne, still with her eyes on her watch. 'Twenty seconds more.'
　　'We only came here ourselves three days ago,' said Dick. 'So she hasn't really missed much.
　　Surely those eggs will be hard-boiled, Anne!'
　　Anne stopped looking at her watch. 'No, they won't. They'll be just right.' She scooped them out ofthe little saucepan with a big spoon. 'Put them in the egg-cups, Dick. There they are-just under yournose.'
　　Dick picked an egg up from the plate on which Anne had placed them. It was so hot that he 6dropped it with a yell, and it broke its shell. Yolk flowed out of it.
　　'DICK! You saw me take it out of boiling water!' said Anne. 'Now I've got to do another. It's a pityold Timmy isn't here. He'd soon have licked that broken egg up from the floor and saved me clearingup the mess.'
　　'We'll eat our breakfast sitting on the steps of your caravan, Anne,' said Julian. 'The sun's so lovely.'
　　So they all sat there, eating boiled eggs, well-buttered bread, with chunky, home-made marmaladeafterwards, and then juicy apples. The sun shone down and Julian took off his coat.
　　Their two caravans were set on a sloping, grassy hillside. A tall hedge grew behind, and kept off thewind. Primroses ran in a pale gold streak under the hedge, and brilliant celandines shone in the sun,turning their polished faces towards it.
　　Not far off were three more caravans, but they were modern ones. The people staying in those werenot yet up, and the doors were fast shut. The three children had had no chance of making friends withthem.
　　On the opposite hill rose an old, ruined castle, whose great walls still defied the gales that sometimesblew over the hills. It had four towers. Three were very much broken, but the fourth looked almostcomplete. The windows were slitholes, made centuries back when archers shot their arrows fromthem.
　　A very steep pathway led up to the castle. At the top of it was a gateway, enormously strong, built ofbig white blocks of stone. The gateway was now filled by a great screen of wrought-iron to preventanyone entering, and the only entrance was by a small tower in which was a narrow door. Here therewas a turnstile through which visitors might go to see the old castle.
　　A high, strong wall ran all round the castle, still standing after so many years. Bits of the top of it hadfallen down the hill and lay half-buried in grass and weeds. It had once been a magnificent old castle,built on the high, steep hill for safety, a place from which the castle guards might see the countryeasily for miles around.
　　As Julian said, anyone up in one of the towers, or even on the wall, would be able to see enemiesapproaching from seven counties. There would be plenty of time to shut the great gate, man the walls,and get ready to withstand quite a long siege if necessary.
　　The three of them sat on the steps, lazing in the sun, when they had finished their breakfast. Theylooked at the ruined old castle, and watched the jackdaws circling round the four towers.
　　7
　　'There must be about a thousand jackdaws there,' said Dick. 'I wish we had field-glasses so that wecould watch them. It would be as good as a circus. I love the way they all fly up together, and circleround and round and yet never bump into one another.'
　　'Do they nest in that old castle?' asked Anne.
　　'Oh, yes - they fill up the towers with big sticks,' said Dick, 'and put their nests on the top. I bet we'dfind the ground beneath the towers strewn ankle-deep in sticks if we went to see.'
　　'Well, let's go one day when George is here,' said Anne. 'It only costs five pence to go in. I like oldcastles. I like the feel of old places.'
　　'So do I,' said Julian. 'I hope George brings the field-glasses she had for her birthday. We could takethem up into the castle with us and see all round the countryside for miles and miles. We could countthe seven counties!'
　　'I must wash up,' said Anne, getting up. 'I must tidy the caravans too before George comes.'
　　'You don't really think old George will notice if they're tidy or not, do you?' said Dick. 'It will be awaste of your time, Anne!'
　　But Anne always enjoyed tidying things and putting them away in cupboards or on shelves. She likedhaving the two caravans to look after. She had just got used to them nicely and was looking forwardto showing George round them.
　　She skipped over to the hedge and picked a great bunch of primroses. Back she went and dividedthem into two. She stuffed half into one little blue bowl, set their green crinkled leaves round them,and then put the other half into a second bowl.
　　'There - you go with the green and yellow curtains!' she said. She was soon very busy sweeping anddusting. She debated whether to send Dick to the stream to wash the breakfast things, and decided notto. Dick wasn't too good with crockery, and it was not theirs to break - it belonged to the owner of thecaravans.
　　By the time it was half-past eleven the caravans were spick and span. George's sheets and blanketswere on the shelf above her bunk, which, in the daytime, let down neatly against the wall to makemore room. Anne had a bunk on the opposite side.
　　'This is the kind of holiday I like,' said Anne to herself. 'Somewhere small to live, fields and hills justoutside, picnicky meals - and not too much adventure!'
　　'What are you murmuring about, Anne?' said Dick, peeping in at the window. 'Did I hear somethingabout adventure? Are you looking for one already?'
　　8
　　'Good gracious no!' said Anne. 'It's the last thing I want! And the last thing we'll get too, in this quietlittle place, thank goodness.'
　　Dick grinned. 'Well, you never know,' he said. 'Are you ready to come and meet George, Anne?
　　It's about time we went.'
　　Anne went down the steps and joined Dick and Julian. 'Better lock the door,' said Dick. 'We've lockedours.' He locked Anne's door and the three set off down the grassy hillside to the stile that led into thelane below. The old castle on the opposite hill seemed to tower up higher and higher as they wentdown and down towards the village.
　　'It will be lovely to see Timmy again,' said Anne. 'And I'll be jolly glad to have George too, in mycaravan. I didn't really mind being alone at night - but it's always nice to have George near me, andTimmy grunting in his sleep.'
　　'You want to sleep with Dick if you like grunts and snorts and moans,' said Julian. 'What do youdream about, Dick? You must have more nightmares than anyone else in the kingdom!'
　　'I never grunt or snort or moan,' said Dick indignantly. 'You want to hear yourself! Why...'
　　'Look - isn't that the train coming in - isn't that it curving round the line in the distance?' said Anne. 'Itmust be! There's only one train in the morning here! We'd better run!'
　　They ran at top speed. The train drew in at the station just as they raced on to the platform. A head ofshort curly hair looked out from a window - and then another dark brown head just below it.
　　'George - and Timmy!' yelled Anne.
　　'Hallo!' shouted George, almost falling out of the door.
　　'WOOF!' barked Timmy, and leapt down to the platform almost on top of Dick. Down jumpedGeorge, her eyes shining. She hugged Anne, and gave Julian and Dick a punch each. 'I'm here!'
　　she said. 'I felt awful knowing you were away camping without me. I gave poor old Mother adreadful time.'
　　'I bet you did,' said Julian, and linked his arm in hers. 'Let me take that suit-case. We'll just slip intothe village first and have a few ice-creams to celebrate. There's a shop here that has some jolly decentones.'
　　'Good. I feel exactly like ice-creams,' said George, happily. 'Look, Timmy knows what you said.
　　His tongue is hanging out for an ice-cream already. Timmy, aren't you pleased we're all togetheragain?'
　　9
　　'Woof,' said Timmy, and licked Anne's hand for the twentieth time.
　　'I really ought to bring a towel with me when I meet Timmy,' said Anne. 'His licks are so very wet.
　　Oh no, not again, Timmy - go and use your tongue on Julian!'
　　'I say, look - George has brought her field-glasses with her!' said Dick, suddenly noticing that thebrown strap over George's shoulder did not belong to a camera but to a very fine leather case thatheld the new field-glasses. 'Good! We wanted to watch the jackdaws with them and there are someherons down on the marsh too.'
　　'Well, I thought I must bring them,' said George. 'It's the first hols I've had a chance to use them.
　　Mother wouldn't let me take them to school. I say - how much further is this ice-cream shop?'
　　'In the dairy here,' said Julian, marching her in. 'And I advise you to start off with vanilla, go on tostrawberry and finish up with chocolate.'
　　'You do have good ideas!' said George. 'I hope you've got some money as well, if we're going to eatice-creams at this rate. Mother didn't give me very much to spend.'
　　They sat down and ordered ice-creams. The plump little shop-woman smiled at them. She knew themby now. 'This is very good weather for you,' she said. 'Are there many caravanners up on FaynightsField?'
　　'No, not many,' said Julian, beginning his ice.
　　'Well, you're going to have a few more,' said the little plump lady. 'I hear there's some fair-folkcoming - they usually camp up in your field. You'll have some fun if so.'
　　'Oh, good!' said Dick. 'We'll really be able to make a few friends then. We like fair-folk, don't we,Timmy?'
2.伙伴重聚
　　伙伴重聚
　　乔治的三个堂兄妹住在离科林很远的一处空气湿润的山腰上。
　　第二天清晨，两个男孩从一辆停放在山腰上的大篷车踏板上跳了下来，走向了另外一辆大篷车。他们轻轻地敲了敲车门，说：“安妮！
　　你醒了吗？今天是个好天气！”
　　“我当然醒了！”车里传来一阵清脆的声音，“门没锁，你们进来吧，我在准备早餐。”
　　朱利安和迪克推开了刷着蓝色油漆的车门。此时，安妮正站在大篷车内一端的小火炉旁用锅煮鸡蛋。
　　“我不能走动，”安妮说，“我在用表计时。还有一分钟就煮好了。”
　　“邮递员刚刚把乔治的明信片交给我，”朱利安说，“她说她和蒂米都很期待与我们见面！我很开心，她终于还是来了，蒂米也来了。”
　　“我们一起去接她，”安妮说，她仍在目不转睛地盯着手表，“还有20秒。”
　　“我们才来这儿三天，”迪克说，“所以她也没错过什么。安妮，别把那些鸡蛋煮过头了。”
　　安妮不再盯着手表。“不会的，它们刚刚好。”她用一个大勺子把鸡蛋从锅里一个一个舀了出来，“迪克，你把它们放在蛋杯里。在那儿，就在你鼻子底下。”
　　安妮把鸡蛋放在盘子里，迪克从里面拣出来一个。鸡蛋实在太烫手了，迪克大叫着把它扔下，鸡蛋壳摔裂了，蛋黄流了出来。
　　“迪克！你明明看到这鸡蛋是我从开水里捞出来的！”安妮说，“现在我得再煮一个了。蒂米不在真是可惜了。它要在的话肯定会把地板上的破鸡蛋舔干净，省得我来收拾这烂摊子。”
　　“安妮，我们坐在大篷车的踏板上吃早餐吧，”朱利安说，“今天的阳光很好。”
　　于是他们都坐在踏板上，吃着煮鸡蛋、抹了自制橘子酱的黄油面包，还有可口的苹果。阳光逐渐变得强烈，朱利安有些热，脱下了外套。
　　这两辆大篷车停在一处倾斜的山腰上，那里绿草茵茵。他们身后是一面高大的树篱，为他们挡风。树篱下的报春花形成了一条淡金色的线条，灿烂的白屈菜迎着阳光熠熠生辉。
　　不远处停着三辆时尚的大篷车。车里的人还没起床，车门紧闭，所以这三个孩子没能和他们交上朋友。
　　在山的另一面矗立着一座古老破旧的城堡，高耸的墙壁抵挡住吹过山丘的大风。这座城堡有四座塔楼，其中三座已经破损得很严重了，但是另一座几乎还是完好的。城堡的窗户是狭条状的，几百年前的弓箭手就是从这些窗户边射箭防卫的。
　　一条陡峭的小路通向城堡。路的尽头有一道由白色大石块堆砌而成的大门，庄严而牢固。如今，整个大门前围上了一层铁栅栏，阻挡任何人进入，而唯一的入口就是一座小塔上的窄门。在这里有一座十字转门，游客们可以穿过这里一览城堡全貌。
　　城堡外围环绕着一圈高耸牢固的城墙，在风雨中矗立了数年之久。有些墙体的顶部破裂，碎裂的石块坠落到山上，下半部分被杂草掩盖。曾经这是一座宏伟的城堡，建立在高耸陡峭的山上以防外患，城堡守卫可以从那里将数英里内的土地尽收眼底。
　　就像朱利安所说的那样，任何人爬上其中一座高塔甚至是城墙上，都可以注意到从周围七个郡县来犯的敌人。因此，守卫们有的是时间关闭大门、在城墙就位以及为突围的持久战做好准备。
　　早餐结束后，他们三个人坐在踏板上，在阳光下消磨时光。他们凝望着损毁的旧城堡，注视着寒鸦在四座高塔上盘旋。
　　“那儿肯定有一千只寒鸦，”迪克说，“要是有望远镜我们就能清楚地看到它们了。它们就跟马戏团一样。我喜欢看它们成群飞起的样子，它们一圈一圈地盘旋，可从来都不会碰到对方。”
　　“它们会在旧城堡里筑巢吗？”安妮问。
　　“当然了，它们会用大树枝填满城堡，”迪克回答说，“然后把它们的巢建在最上面。我敢打赌，如果我们到那里去，肯定会发现塔下的地面上散落着有脚踝那样高的树枝。”
　　“好吧，哪天我们和乔治一起去看看，”安妮说，“花五便士就能进塔参观。我喜欢旧城堡那种陈旧的地方。”
　　“我也是！”朱利安说，“我希望乔治可以带上她生日那天收到的望远镜。这样我们就可以带着它去城堡，看一望无垠的乡下了。我们还能数一数那七个郡县！”
　　“我得刷洗餐具了，”安妮边说边起身，“我要在乔治到来之前把大篷车整理干净。”
　　“你不会真的以为乔治能注意到大篷车是否干净吧？”迪克问，“安妮，我认为你是在浪费时间！”
　　但是安妮一直很享受清理东西，或者是把它们在橱柜或架子上放好的过程。她喜欢照看两辆大篷车。她已经习惯了清理大篷车，而且期待着展现给乔治看。
　　她跳过树篱，采了一大把报春花。回来的时候，她把这些花分成两束，每一束都放在了一个蓝色的小碗里，她将绿色的褶皱叶片在花朵周围摊开。
　　“你们跟黄绿色的窗帘很搭配哦！”她说。不一会儿，她就忙着清理打扫了起来。本来她还犹豫要不要让迪克去小溪那里清洗早餐用过的器具，后来还是打消了这个念头。因为迪克笨手笨脚的，容易打碎碗碟，更何况这些碗碟不属于他们，是大篷车老板的。
　　安妮一直收拾到上午11点半，大篷车看起来焕然一新。她将乔治的被单和毛毯整齐地放在了床铺上方的架子上，这样一来，白天的时候能腾出不少空间。安妮的床铺在大篷车内的另一端。
　　“这才有假期的样子，”安妮自言自语说，“有地方可以休息，田地和山丘就在外边，还可以享受野餐，而且没有太多冒险活动！”
　　“安妮，你在嘟囔什么呢？”迪克闻声把头伸进窗户问，“我刚才似乎听到了冒险？你想去探险吗？”
　　“天哪，当然不是！”安妮说，“这是我最不想做的事情！天哪，这也是我们在这片安详的地方最不该做的事情。”
　　迪克听完咧嘴笑了起来。“好吧，你不懂，”他说，“安妮，你准备好出来迎接乔治了吗？我们该走了。”
　　安妮走下踏板，来到了迪克和朱利安身旁。“你最好锁上门，”迪克说，“我们的锁上了。”他边说边把安妮的车门锁上了，然后三个人沿着绿草茵茵的山腰，向通往小巷的石阶出发了。他们一直沿着下坡路朝村庄走去，在他们眼里，山那一侧的旧城堡看起来越来越高。
　　“能见到蒂米真是太好了，”安妮高兴地说，“而且我很高兴乔治能住进我的大篷车。虽然我一点也不介意晚上自己一个人睡，但是能有乔治陪我睡，晚上听蒂米打呼噜也是不错的事情。”
　　“你要喜欢听打呼噜声，那去和迪克睡好了。”朱利安说，“迪克，你晚上都会梦到什么？你肯定比天下所有人做的噩梦都多！”
　　“我睡觉从来都不打呼噜！”迪克愤怒地说，“你无中生有！为什么……”
　　“快看，那里是不是有火车来了？就在远处那条弯弯的铁轨上？”安妮说，“就是它！这里早上只有一趟火车！我们快过去吧！”
　　他们飞快地跑了起来。火车刚进站，他们就跑到了站台上。火车里，藏在满头短鬈发下的小脸正顺着一面车窗向外看，随后，一颗深棕色的小脑袋也出现在这面窗户下方。
　　“乔治！蒂米！”安妮喊道。
　　“哎——”乔治大声回应，差点从车门处摔下去。
　　“汪汪！”蒂米边叫边跳上站台，差点蹦到了迪克的头顶上。乔治跳下火车，两眼发光。她拥抱了一下安妮，然后给朱利安和迪克每人一拳。“我来了！”乔治说，“听说你们不带我去露营，我难受极了，这些日子我妈妈可受罪了。”
　　“我猜也是，”朱利安说着挽起了她的胳膊，“让我拎着这个手提箱。我们先去村里吃一些冰激凌庆祝一下吧，这里有家店做得还不错。”
　　“真棒。我喜欢吃冰激凌，”乔治高兴地说，“你看，蒂米知道我在说什么。它伸着舌头等着吃冰激凌呢。蒂米，你为我们重聚感到开心吗？”
　　“汪汪！”蒂米叫道，这已经是它第二十次舔安妮的手了。
　　“我真应该带一条毛巾来见蒂米，”安妮说，“它的嘴真湿。哦，别这样，蒂米，你去舔朱利安！”
　　“我就说嘛，你们看，乔治把她的望远镜带来了。”迪克说道，他突然注意到乔治肩上的棕色带子吊着的不是照相机，而是一个漂亮的皮革箱，里面装着崭新的望远镜，“真不错，我们想用它看寒鸦，还有沼泽地里的苍鹭。”
　　“我就知道我得带上它，”乔治说，“我第一次有机会在假期里用。我妈妈不让我把它带到学校里去。我想说的是，那个冰激凌店还有多远才能到？”
　　“就在乳品店这里，”朱利安边说边引她进入店里，“我建议你先吃香草味的，然后再吃草莓味的，最后吃巧克力味的。”
　　“你的想法真不错，”乔治说，“如果我们按着你说的方法吃冰激凌，我希望你带够了钱。我妈妈没给我太多零花钱。”
　　他们坐下来开始点冰激凌。身材丰满的老板娘微笑地站在一旁，她现在已经认识他们了。她说：“今天天气不错，费依奈斯田地上是不是有很多旅行大篷车？”
　　“没多少。”朱利安说完吃起了冰激凌。
　　“不久人就会多了，”那个老板娘说，“我听说有些民间艺人要来，他们经常在你们落脚那里露营。到时候你们可以找些乐子。”
　　“哇，真好！”迪克说，“我们喜欢民间艺人，对吗，蒂米？”
Chapter 3 A PLEASANT MORNING
Chapter 3 A PLEASANT MORNING
　　'IS there going to be a fair near here then?' asked George, starting on her strawberry ice. 'What sort ofa fair? A circus or something?'
　　'No. Just a mixed-up show,' said the shop-woman. 'There's to be a fire-eater, and that'll bring thevillagers to the show faster than anything. A fire-eater! Did you ever hear of such a thing? I wonderthat anyone cares to make a living at that!'
　　10
　　'What else is there to be?' asked Anne. She didn't somehow fancy watching anyone eating fire!
　　'Well, there's a man who can get himself free in under two minutes, no matter how tightly he's tied upwith rope,' said the woman. 'Fair miracle he must be! And there's a man called Mr. India-rubber,because he can bend himself anywhere, and wriggle through drain-pipes and get in at a window if it'sleft open just a crack!'
　　'Gracious! He'd make a good burglar!' said George. 'I wish I was like India-rubber! Can this manbounce when he falls down?'
　　Everyone laughed. 'What else?' said Anne. 'This sounds very exciting.'
　　'There's a man with snakes,' said the plump little lady with a shudder. 'Snakes! Just fancy! I'd beafraid they would bite me. I'd run a mile if I saw a snake coming at me.'
　　'Are they poisonous snakes that he has, I wonder?' said Dick. 'I don't somehow fancy having acaravan next to ours with lashings of poisonous snakes crawling round.'
　　'Don't!' said Anne. 'I should go home at once.'
　　Another customer came in and the shop-woman had to leave the children and go to serve her.
　　The four felt rather thrilled. What a bit of luck to have such exciting people in the same field as theywere!
　　'A fire-eater!' said Dick. 'I've always wanted to see one. I bet he doesn't really eat fire! He'd burn thewhole of his mouth and throat.'
　　'Has everyone finished?' asked Julian, getting some money out of his pocket. 'If so, we'll take Georgeup to the field and show her our gay caravans. They aren't a bit like the ones we once wentcaravanning in, George - they are old- fashioned gypsy ones. You'll like them. Gay and verypicturesque.'
　　'Who lent you them?' asked George, as they left the shop. 'Some school friend, wasn't it?'
　　'Yes. He and his family always go and camp in their caravans in the Easter and summer hols,'
　　said Julian. 'But this Easter they're going to France - and rather than leave them empty, they thoughtthey'd lend them out - and we're the lucky ones!'
　　They walked up the lane and came to the stile. George looked up at the towering castle, gleaming inthe sun on the hill opposite.
　　'Faynights Castle,' she said. 'Hundreds of years old! How I'd love to know all the things thathappened there through the centuries. I do love old things. I vote we go and explore it.'
　　'We will. It only costs five pence,' said Dick. 'We'll all have a good five pence worth of castle. I 11wonder if there are any dungeons. Dark, damp, drear and dreadful!'
　　They went up the grassy hillside to the field where their caravans were. George exclaimed in delight.
　　'Oh! Are those our caravans? Aren't they gay? They're just like the caravans the gypsies use - onlythese look cleaner and gayer.'
　　'The red caravan, picked out with black and yellow, is ours,' said Dick. 'The blue one, picked out inblack and yellow, is yours and Anne's.'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy at once.
　　'Oh, sorry - yours too, Timmy,' said Dick at once, and everyone chuckled. It was queer the wayTimmy suddenly made a woofish remark, just as if he really understood every word that was said.
　　George was quite certain he did, of course.
　　The caravans stood on high wheels. There was a window each side. The door was at the front, and sowere the steps, of course. Gay curtains hung at the windows, and a line of bold carving ran round theedges of the out-jutting roof.
　　'They are old gypsy caravans painted and made really up to date,' said Julian. 'They're jollycomfortable inside too - bunks that fold down against the walls in the daytime - a little sink forwashing-up, though we usually use the stream, because it's such a fag to fetch water - a small larder,cupboards and shelves - cork carpet on the floor with warm rugs so that no draught comes through....'
　　'You sound as if you are trying to sell them to me!' said George, with a laugh. 'You needn't! I lovethem both, and I think they're miles nicer than the modern caravans down there. Somehow theseseem real!'
　　'Oh, the others are real enough,' said Julian. 'And they've got more space - but space doesn't matter tous because we shall live outside most of the time.'
　　'Do we have a camp-fire?' asked George, eagerly. 'Oh, yes - I see we do. There's the ashy patch whereyou had your fire. Oh, Julian, do let's have a fire there at night and sit round it in the darkness!'
　　'With midges biting us and bats flapping all round,' said Dick. 'Yes, certainly we will! Come inside,George.'
　　'She's to come into my caravan first,' said Anne, and pushed George up the steps. George was reallydelighted.
　　She was very happy to think she was going to have a peaceful two weeks here with her three 12cousins and Timmy. She pulled her bunk up and down to see how it worked. She opened the larderand cupboard doors. Then she went to see the boys' caravan.
　　'How tidy!' she said, in surprise. 'I expected Anne's to be tidy - but yours is just as spick and span. Ohdear - I hope you haven't all turned over a new leaf and become models of neatness. I haven't!'
　　'Don't worry,' said Dick, with a grin. 'Anne has been at work - you know how she loves to puteverything in its place. We don't need to worry about anything when she's about. Good old Anne!'
　　'All the same, George will have to help me,' said Anne, firmly. 'I don't expect boys to tidy up andcook and do things like that - but George ought to because she's a girl.'
　　'If only I'd been born a boy!' groaned George. 'All right Anne, I'll do my share - sometimes. I say- there won't be much room for Timmy on my bunk at nights, will there?'
　　'Well, he's not coming on mine,' said Anne. 'He can sleep on the floor on a rug. Can't you, Timmy?'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy, without wagging his tail at all. He looked very disapproving.
　　'There you are - he says he wouldn't dream of doing such a thing!' said George. 'He always sleeps onmy feet.'
　　They went outside again. It really was a lovely day. The primroses opened more and more of theirlittle yellow flowers, and a blackbird suddenly burst into a fluting song on the bough of a hawthorntree in the hedge nearby.
　　'Did anyone get a paper in the village?' asked Dick. 'Oh, you did, Julian. Good. Let's have a look atthe weather forecast. If it's good we might go for a long walk this afternoon. The sea is not reallyvery far off.'
　　Julian took the folded paper from his pocket and threw it over to Dick. He sat down on the steps ofhis caravan and opened it.
　　He was looking for the paragraph giving the weather forecast when headlines caught his eye. He gavean exclamation.
　　'Hallo! Here's a bit more about those two vanished scientists, Julian!'
　　'Oh!' said George, remembering Julian's telephone call of the night before. 'Julian, whatever in theworld made you think my father could be one of the vanished scientists? As if he would ever bedisloyal to his country and take his secrets anywhere else!'
　　13
　　'Oh, I didn't think that,' said Julian, at once. 'Of course I didn't! I'd never think Uncle Quentin woulddo a thing like that. No - in yesterday's paper it just said that two of our most famous scientists haddisappeared - and I thought perhaps they had been kidnapped. And as Uncle Quentin is really veryfamous, I just thought I'd ring up to make sure.'
　　'Oh,' said George. 'Well, as Mother hadn't heard a thing about them she was awfully astonished whenyou asked her if Father had disappeared. Especially as he was banging about just then in the study,looking for something he had lost."
　　'Which he was sitting on as usual, I suppose,' said Dick with a grin. 'But listen to this - it doesn't lookas if the two men have been kidnapped - it looks as if they just walked out and took important paperswith them! Beasts! There's too much of that sort of thing nowadays, it seems to me!'
　　He read out a paragraph or two.
　　'Derek Terry-Kane and Jeffrey Pottersham have been missing for two days. They met at a friend'shouse to discuss a certain aspect of their work, and then left together to walk to the underground.
　　Since then they have not been seen.
　　'It has, however, been established that Terry-Kane had brought his passport up to date and hadpurchased tickets for flying to Paris. No news of his arrival there has been reported."'There! Just what I said to Mother!' exclaimed George. 'They've gone off to sell their secrets toanother country. Why do we let them?'
　　'Uncle Quentin won't be pleased about that,' said Julian. 'Didn't he work with Terry-Kane at onetime?'
　　'Yes. I believe he did,' said George. 'I'm jolly glad I'm not at home today - Father will be rampaginground like anything, telling Mother hundreds of times what he thinks about scientists who aretraitors!'
　　'He certainly will,' said Julian. 'I don't blame him either. That's a thing I don't understand - to be atraitor to one's own country. It leaves a nasty taste in my mouth to think of it. Come on - let's thinkabout dinner, Anne. What are we going to have?'
　　'Fried sausages and onions, potatoes, a tin of sliced peaches and I'll make a custard,' said Anne, atonce.
　　'I'll fry the sausages,' said Dick. 'I'll light the fire out here and get the frying-pan. Anyone like theirsausages split in the cooking?'
　　14
　　Everyone did. 'I like mine nice and burnt,' said George. 'How many do we have each? I've only hadthose ice creams since breakfast.'
　　'There are twelve,' said Anne, giving Dick the bag. 'Three each. None for Timmy! But I've got alarge, juicy bone for him. Julian, will you get me some water, please? There's the pail, over there.
　　I want to peel the potatoes. George, can you possibly open the peaches without cutting yourself likeyou did last time?'
　　'Yes, Captain!' said George, with a grin. 'Ah - this is like old times. Good food, good company and agood time. Three cheers for Us!'
3.早间幸福
　　早间幸福
　　“这儿是不是要举办集会？”乔治边问边开始吃她的草莓味冰激凌，“什么类型的集会？马戏团还是什么？”
　　“不是，就是一场内容很杂的表演秀，”老板娘说，“有个表演吞火的魔术师会来，这比其他表演更能吸引村民。吞火表演者！你们之前听说过吗？我想不通竟然有人以此为生！”
　　“还会有什么？”安妮问道。她对吞火表演并不感兴趣。
　　“还有个男人表演逃脱术。不管他被绳子捆得多紧，都能在两分钟之内逃脱，”老板娘说，“他肯定会魔法！还有个男人自称是橡胶人，因为他可以随意地弯曲自己的身体。他能钻进排水管道，而且哪怕窗户上有个小裂缝，他都能钻过去！”
　　“天哪，他都能做贼了！”乔治说，“我也希望自己是橡胶人！不过这个人摔下去能弹起来吗？”
　　大家听后笑成一片。“还有什么？”安妮问，“这个表演听起来很精彩。”
　　“还有个身上缠满蛇的人，”老板娘不禁打个冷战，“真是神奇！
　　他都不担心它们会咬他。要是有条蛇朝我爬来，我肯定会跑得无影无踪！”
　　“别说了！”安妮说，“我就应该回家去。”
　　这时店里进来了一位女顾客，老板娘不得不离开他们去招待她。此时他们四个早已按捺不住心中的激动。能在同一个地方遇到这样一群表演者是多么幸运的事情！
　　“吞火表演者！”迪克说，“我一直想亲眼目睹。我敢打赌他不可能真的吞火！要不他的嘴和喉咙会烧伤的。”
　　“大家都吃完了吗？”朱利安边问边从兜里拿出一些钱，“要是吃完了，我们带乔治上山，给她瞧瞧我们漂亮的大篷车。乔治，它们跟以往我们住的大篷车不一样，我们这次用的是老式吉卜赛大篷车。你会喜欢的，它们又漂亮又别致。”
　　“谁借给你们的？”乔治走出店门问，“是不是学校的某个朋友？”
　　“对，他和他朋友们经常在复活节和暑假开着大篷车去露营。”朱利安说，“今年复活节，他们去了法国，但不想让大篷车闲置，所以打算租出去，我们就这样幸运地借到了！”
　　他们沿着小巷走到了阶梯处。乔治仰望着高耸的城堡，阳光下，城堡在山的另一头熠熠生辉。
　　“费依奈斯城堡，”她说，“有数百年的历史！我真想知道这几个世纪发生在城堡里所有的故事。我非常痴迷陈旧的东西。我提议咱们去探索一下吧。”
　　“我们会去的，只需要五便士，”迪克说，“我们就能好好地看一看这个值五便士的城堡。我想知道那里有没有黑暗潮湿、阴冷恐怖的地牢！”
　　他们沿着绿草茵茵的山腰来到了停放大篷车的田地。乔治高兴地大喊：“喔！那是我们的大篷车吗？真漂亮！就像是吉卜赛人用的东西，只不过比他们的干净漂亮很多。”
　　“那个有黑黄色装饰的红色大篷车是我们的，”迪克说，“那个有黑黄色装饰的蓝色大篷车是你和安妮的。”
　　“汪汪！”蒂米闻声立刻叫了起来。
　　“哦，抱歉，蒂米，这也是给你的。”迪克急忙说，大家都咯咯地笑了起来。大家觉得神奇，蒂米怎么会这么适时地吠叫一声，好像是它听懂了大家的话一样。当然了，乔治是确信蒂米能听懂人话的。
　　大篷车的车体很高，每边都有一扇窗户。车前面有门和踏板。
　　漂亮的窗帘挂在窗框上，一排醒目的雕花镶嵌在外凸的车顶边缘。
　　“这是把老式吉卜赛大篷车重新粉刷装饰，跟现在的大篷车差不多了，”朱利安说，“而且里边特别舒服。白天床铺可以靠墙折叠。
　　有个小洗涤池可以用来洗洗涮涮，不过我们还是经常到小溪洗涮，因为取水是个力气活儿；还有小食物柜、碗橱和架子；地板上铺着软木垫子和保暖地毯，这样就不会向上返潮气了……”
　　“听上去就好像你要把它卖给我似的！”乔治笑着说，“不用多说！我也很喜欢它们，而且我觉得山下的那些新式大篷车比咱们的差着十万八千里呢。不管怎么说，咱们的大篷车看起来很实用！”
　　“嗯，其他的大篷车也很实用，”朱利安说，“它们里边的空间更大。但是空间对我们来说没什么意义，毕竟我们大部分时间都在外边度过。”
　　“我们生篝火吗？”乔治急切地说，“喔，我看到了，你们在那片有灰烬的土地上已经生过火了。嘿，朱利安，我们晚上在这儿生堆火吧，可以围着坐在一起！”
　　“我们当然会生火！到时候会有蚊虫叮我们，还有蝙蝠绕着火苗飞来撞去。”迪克说，“乔治，进来吧。”
　　“她要先来我的大篷车里。”安妮说着话的时候就把乔治推向了自己大篷车的踏板。乔治看起来非常高兴。
　　乔治觉得，接下来两个星期，她会和三个堂兄妹以及蒂米一起度过非常安逸的时光。进入大篷车后，她把自己的床铺拉上拉下，弄懂了它的使用方法。之后，她打开了食品柜和碗橱柜瞧了瞧。随后，她去了男孩们的大篷车里。
　　“真整洁！”眼前的一切让乔治大吃一惊，“我原以为只有安妮的大篷车里井井有条，没想到你们的一样干干净净。哦，亲爱的，我真不敢相信你们开启了一段崭新的人生，而且都成了整洁模范！”
　　“别担心，”迪克笑着说，“安妮一直都在收拾，你知道她喜欢把所有东西都放得整整齐齐。她做事我们放心，真是多亏了安妮！”
　　“彼此彼此，乔治也会帮我的，”安妮坚定地说，“我没指望男孩们收拾房间或者做饭，但是乔治应该会，因为她是女孩。”
　　“我要是个男孩就好了！”乔治叹息道，“好了安妮，我会做好我那部分的。我想说的是，我床铺上没多大空间留给蒂米睡觉，是吧？”
　　“它不能和我睡，”安妮说，“它可以睡地上的毯子，可以吗，蒂米？”
　　“汪汪。”蒂米叫道，这次它没有摇尾巴，看上去在表示抗议。
　　“它说它做梦都不想这样睡觉！”乔治说，“它习惯在我脚边睡觉。”
　　他们走出了大篷车。今天的确是个好日子，越来越多的报春花绽放出黄色的花瓣。在附近的树篱上，一只乌鸫在一根山楂树枝上欢快地唱起了歌。
　　“有人在村子里弄到报纸了吗？”迪克问，“哦，朱利安，你弄到了。让我们看看天气预报。如果今天天气好，我们下午就去远足。
　　这里离大海不远。”
　　朱利安从口袋里掏出折叠的报纸，扔给了迪克。迪克坐在大篷车的踏板上，打开报纸读了起来。
　　在他搜寻有关天气预报的新闻时，报纸上的一行标题吸引了他的注意。他随即发出了一阵惊叹。
　　“哇！朱利安，这上面有更多关于两名失踪科学家的报道！”
　　“啊！”乔治想起来昨晚朱利安和妈妈在电话里说的事情，“朱利安，为什么你会觉得这两个失踪的科学家中，会有一个是我爸爸呢？你昨天的意思就像是我爸爸对国家不忠，然后带着秘密跑到别处一样！”
　　“不，我没那么想，”朱利安立刻回应道，“我当然不会那么想！
　　我从来没想过昆廷叔叔会做出那种事，绝对不会。昨天的报纸上就说了我国最著名的两位科学家失踪了，而且我以为他们是被绑架了。况且，昆廷叔叔那么有名望，所以我就打电话确认一下他的情况。”
　　“哦，”乔治说，“好吧，我妈妈不知道报纸上说的那些事情，所以你问她我爸爸是不是失踪了的时候，她特别震惊。我爸爸当时正在书房翻箱倒柜，寻找某些东西。”
　　“我猜他又和以往一样，把东西坐在屁股底下了，”迪克笑着说，“但是，似乎这两个人并未遭遇绑架，看起来像是带着重要文件离开了！真讨厌！现在类似的事情真是太多了！”
　　他读了一两段新闻：
　　德里克•特里•凯恩与杰弗里•波特沙姆已经失踪了两天。他们在一个朋友家中见面，讨论工作中某一方面的问题，之后一起出门坐地铁。从那之后两人就消失了。
　　然而有消息称，杰弗里•波特沙姆携带了他最新的护照购买了飞往巴黎的机票。目前没有任何关于他到达巴黎的消息。
　　“看吧，这就是我跟我妈妈说的！”乔治喊道，“他们就是去别的国家贩卖机密了。我们怎能容忍他们这样做？”
　　“昆廷叔叔听到这个会不开心的，”朱利安说，“他和特里•凯恩共事过吗？”
　　“我想是的，”乔治说，“我很高兴今天自己没在家。我爸爸听到这个消息肯定会勃然大怒，他不下数百次地表达了他对那些叛徒科学家的憎恶！”
　　“他肯定会这样。”朱利安说，“有件事我想不明白，有人竟然做自己国家的叛徒。一想到这个我就会觉得不是滋味。安妮，想想我们晚饭吃什么？”
　　“煎香肠和洋葱、土豆、一听桃片罐头，然后我还要做一份奶油蛋羹。”安妮立刻回答道。
　　“我来煎香肠，”迪克说，“我去外边生火，然后去取煎锅。有人喜欢吃裂开的香肠吗？”
　　大家都喜欢吃。“我希望我的那份又好看又焦嫩，”乔治说，“我们每人能吃多少？从早餐到现在，我只吃了一根冰激凌。”
　　“一共有12根，”安妮边说边把袋子递给迪克，“每人三根。但是没有蒂米的！不过我为它准备了一大块多汁的骨头。朱利安，请帮我取点水来，可以吗？桶在那里。我去削土豆皮。乔治，你能像上次那样打开桃片罐头，而不割伤自己吗？”
　　“收到，队长！”乔治笑着说，“啊，就跟曾经的感觉一样。美食、良友、好时光。为我们欢呼三声！”
Chapter 4 THE FAIR-FOLK ARRIVE
Chapter 4 THE FAIR-FOLK ARRIVE
　　THAT first day they were all together was a lovely one. They enjoyed it thoroughly, especiallyGeorge, who had fretted all by herself for two weeks at home. Timmy was very happy too. He toreafter rabbits, most of them quite imaginary, up and down the field and in and out the hedges till hewas tired out.
　　Then he would come and fling himself down by the four, panting like a steam-engine going uphill,his long pink tongue hanging out of his mouth.
　　'You make me feel hot just to look at you, Timmy,' said Anne, pushing him away. 'Look, George- he's so hot he's steaming! One of these days, Timmy, you'll blow up!'
　　They went for a walk in the afternoon, but didn't quite get to the sea. They saw it from a hill,sparkling blue in the distance. Little white yachts dotted the blue water like far-off swans with wingsout-spread. They had tea at a farmhouse, watched by a couple of big-eyed farm-children.
　　'Do you want to take some of my home-made jam with you?' asked the farmer's jolly, red-faced wife,when they paid her for their tea.
　　'Oh, yes, rather!' said Dick. 'And I suppose you couldn't sell us some of that fruit-cake? We'recamping in caravans in Faynights Field, just opposite the castle - so we're having picnic meals eachday.'
　　'Yes, you can have a whole cake,' said the farmer's wife. 'I did my baking yesterday, so there's plenty.
　　And would you like some ham? And I've some good pickled onions too.'
　　15
　　This was wonderful! They bought all the food very cheaply indeed, and carried it home gladly.
　　Dick took off the lid of the pickled onions half-way back to the caravans, and sniffed.
　　'Better than any scent!' he said. 'Have a sniff, George.'
　　It didn't stop at sniffs, of course. Everyone took out a large pickled onion - except Timmy whobacked away at once. Onions were one thing he really couldn't bear. Dick put back the lid.
　　'I think somebody else ought to carry the onions, not Dick,' said Anne. 'There won't be many left bythe time we reach our caravans!'
　　When they climbed over the stile at the bottom of the field the sun was going down. The evening starhad appeared in the sky and twinkled brightly. As they trudged up to their caravans Julian stoppedand pointed.
　　'Hallo! Look! There are two more caravans here - rather like ours. I wonder if it's the fair-folkarriving.'
　　'And there's another one, see - coming up the lane,' said Dick. 'It will have to go to the field-gatebecause it can't come the way we do - over the stile. There it goes.'
　　'We shall soon have plenty of exciting neighbours!' said Anne, pleased. They went up to their owncaravans and looked curiously at the one that stood near to theirs. It was yellow, picked out with blueand black, and could have done with a new coat of paint. It was very like their own caravans, butlooked much older.
　　There didn't seem to be anyone about the newly-arrived vans. The doors and windows were shut.
　　The four stood and looked curiously at them.
　　'There's a big box under that nearest caravan,' said Julian. 'I wonder what's in it!'
　　The box was long, shallow and wide. On the sides were round holes, punched into it at intervals.
　　George went to the caravan and bent down to look at the box, wondering if there was anything alivein it.
　　Timmy went with her, sniffing at the holes in curiosity. He suddenly backed away, and barked loudly.
　　George put her hand on his collar to drag him off but he wouldn't go with her. He barked withoutstopping!
　　A noise came from inside the box - a rustling, dry, sliding sort of noise that made Timmy bark evenmore frantically.
　　'Stop it, Timmy! Stop it!' said George, tugging at him. 'Julian, come and help me. There's somethingin that box that Timmy has never met before - goodness knows what - and he's half-16puzzled and half-scared. He's barking defiance - and he'll never stop unless we drag him away!'
　　An angry voice came from the bottom of the field by the stile. 'Hey you! Take that dog away!
　　What do you mean by poking into my business - upsetting my snakes!'
　　'Oooh - snakes!' said Anne, retiring quickly to her own caravan. 'George, it's snakes in there. Do getTimmy away.'
　　Julian and George managed to drag Timmy away, half-choking him with his collar, though he didn'tseem to notice this at all. The angry voice was now just behind them. George turned and saw a littledark man, middle aged, with gleaming black eyes. He was shaking his fist, still shouting.
　　'Sorry,' said George, pulling Timmy harder. 'Please stop shouting, or my dog will go for you.'
　　'Go for me! He will go for me! You keep a dangerous dog like that, which smells out my snakes andwill go for me!' yelled the angry little man, dancing about like a boxer on his toes.
　　'Ahhhhhh! Wait till I let out my snakes - and then your dog will run and run, and will never be seenagain!'
　　This was a most alarming threat. With an enormous heave Julian, Dick and George at last got Timmyunder control, dragged him up the steps of Anne's caravan, and shut the door on him.
　　Anne tried to quieten him, while the other three went out to the angry little man again.
　　He had dragged out the big, shallow box, and had opened the lid. The three watched, fascinated.
　　What snakes had he in there? Rattlesnakes? Cobras? They were all ready to run for their lives if thesnakes were as angry as their owner.
　　A great head reared itself out of the box, and swung itself from side to side. Two unblinking darkeyes gleamed - and then a long, long body writhed out and glided up the man's legs, round his waistand round his neck. He fondled it, talking in a low, caressing voice.
　　George shivered. Julian and Dick watched in amazement. 'It's a python,' said Julian. 'My, what amonster. I've never seen one so close before. I wonder it doesn't wind itself round that fellow andsqueeze him to death.'
　　'He's got hold of it near the tail,' said Dick, watching. 'Oh, look - there's another one!'
　　Sure enough a second python slid out of the box, coil upon gleaming coil. It too wreathed itself roundits owner, making a loud hissing noise as it did so. Its body was thicker than Julian's calf.
　　Anne was watching out of her caravan window, hardly able to believe her eyes. She had never in herlife seen snakes as big as these. She didn't even know what they were. She began to wish 17their caravans were miles and miles away.
　　The little man quieted his snakes at last. They almost hid him with their great coils! From each sideof his neck came a snake's head, flat and shining.
　　Timmy was now watching out of the window also, his head beside Anne's. He was amazed to see thegliding snakes, and stopped barking at once. He got down from the window and went under the table.
　　Timmy didn't think he liked the look of these new creatures at all!
　　The man fondled the snakes and then, still speaking to them lovingly, got them back into their boxagain. They glided in, and piled themselves inside, coil upon coil. The man shut down the lid andlocked it.
　　Then he turned to the three watching children. 'You see how upset you make my snakes?' he said.
　　'Now you keep away, you hear? And you keep your dog away too. Ah, you children!
　　Interfering, poking your noses, staring! I do not like children and nor do my snakes. You KEEPAWAY, SEE?'
　　He shouted the last words so angrily that the three jumped. 'Look here,' said Julian. 'We only came tosay we were sorry our dog barked like that. Dogs always bark at strange things they don't know orunderstand. It's only natural.'
　　'Dogs, too, I hate,' said the little man, going into his caravan. 'You will keep him away from here,especially when I have my snakes out, or one might give him too loving a squeeze. Ha!'
　　He disappeared into his van and the door shut firmly.
　　'Not so good,' said Julian. 'We seem to have made a bad start with the fair-folk - and I had hoped theywould be friendly and let us into some of their secrets.'
　　'I don't like the last thing he said,' said George, worried. 'A loving squeeze by one of those pythonswould be the end of Timmy. I shall certainly keep him away when I see that funny little man takingout his snakes. He really seemed to love them, didn't he?'
　　'He certainly did,' said Julian. 'Well, I wonder who lives in the second newly-arrived caravan. I feel Ihardly dare even to look at it in case it contains gorillas or elephants or hippos, or...'
　　'Don't be an idiot,' said George. 'Come on, it's getting dark. Hallo, here comes the caravan we sawdown in the lane just now!'
　　It came slowly up the grassy hillside, bumping as it went. On the side was painted a name in large,scarlet letters.
　　'Mister India-rubber.'
　　18
　　'Oh - the rubber-man!' said George. 'Dick - is he the driver, do you think?'
　　They all stared at the driver. He was long and thin and droopy, and he looked as if he might burst intotears at any moment. His horse looked rather the same.
　　'Well - he might be Mr. India-rubber,' said Julian. 'But certainly there doesn't seem to be muchbounce in him! Look - he's getting down.'
　　The man got down with a supple, loose grace that didn't seem to fit his droopy body at all. He tookthe horse out of the shafts and set it loose in the field. It wandered away pulling here and there at thegrass, still looking as sad and droopy as its master.
　　'Bufflo!' suddenly yelled the man. 'You in?'
　　The door of the second caravan opened and a young man looked out - a huge young man with a mopof yellow hair, a bright red shirt and a broad smile.
　　'Hiya, Rubber!' he called. 'We got here first. Come along in - Skippy's got some food ready.'
　　Mr. India-rubber walked sadly up the steps of Bufflo's caravan. The door shut.
　　'This is really rather exciting,' said Dick. 'An India-rubber man - Bufflo and Skippy, whoever theymay be - and a man with tame snakes next to us. Whatever next!'
　　Anne called to them. 'Do come in. Timmy's whining like anything.'
　　They went up the steps of her caravan and found that Anne had got ready a light supper for them- a ham sandwich each, a piece of fruit cake and an orange.
　　'I'll have a pickled onion with my sandwich, please,' said Dick. 'I'll chop it up and put it in with theham. What wonderful ideas I do have, to be sure!'
4.民间艺人的到来
　　民间艺人的到来
　　第一天，大家团聚在一起，度过了一段幸福的时光。他们玩得很开心，尤其是乔治，毕竟她在家里待了两个星期。蒂米看起来也很开心，它一直追逐着野兔，然而大部分的野兔都是它想象出来的。它在田地里跳上跳下、在树篱中钻入钻出，一直跑到疲倦才肯停下来。
　　随后，蒂米冲到他们四个人身后，它像一台蒸汽机一样边跑上山边喘着粗气，粉色的长舌头耷拉在嘴巴外边。
　　“蒂米，我看着你都觉得热，”安妮一把推开蒂米说，“乔治，你看，蒂米太热了，它在冒热气！蒂米，再这样下去你早晚会爆炸的！”
　　下午，他们散了会儿步，但是没走到海边。他们从山上看到了远方蓝色的大海，水波粼粼。蓝色海洋中漂浮着白色的小游艇，看起来就像在远处舒展羽毛的白天鹅。他们在一处农舍喝了杯茶，有两个大眼睛的孩子一直盯着他们看。
　　“你们想吃点我自己做的果酱吗？”当他们付茶钱的时候，面色红润的农舍主妻子和颜悦色地问道。
　　“哦，好啊！”迪克说，“我想问你们是否可以卖给我们一些水果蛋糕呢？我们开大篷车来费依奈斯田地露营，就在城堡的那一头，所以我们每天都吃野餐。”
　　“当然可以，可以给你们一整块蛋糕，”农舍主妻子说，“这都是我昨天烤的，还剩很多。你们想来些火腿吗？我还有一些腌好的洋葱。”
　　真棒！他们以很低的价格把所有东西全买了下来，开开心心地捧回了家。在回大篷车的路上，迪克把腌洋葱罐的盖子打开了一半，深深地吸了一口气。“这个味道再好不过了！”迪克说，“乔治，你来闻闻。”
　　当然，大家不可能只想闻闻。每个人都拿出了一大块腌好的洋葱——除了蒂米，它闻到气味后连忙向后躲闪，洋葱是它难以忍受的东西。迪克随后把盖子盖上了。
　　“咱们得有个人拿着洋葱罐，不能让迪克拿着，”安妮说，“要让他拿着，等我们到了大篷车那里，肯定就剩不了多少了。”
　　当他们走过田地下方的阶梯时，太阳快要落山了，天空中出现了闪烁的明星。他们终于来到大篷车前，朱利安突然停下来，用手指着旁边：“嘿，你们看！旁边又来了两辆大篷车，车看起来挺像我们的。是不是民间艺人来了？”
　　“看！那里也有一辆，正沿着小路驶来。”迪克说，“它可不像我们的大篷车，可以从阶梯这边进来，它得从大门那边进来。”
　　“我们马上就有一群有意思的邻居了！”安妮开心地说。他们从自己的大篷车里走了出来，好奇地向旁边的大篷车里张望。旁边黄色的大篷车外面点缀着蓝色和黑色，但是漆料已经剥落。这辆大篷车和他们四个人的大篷车很相似，但是要破旧一些。
　　新来的这两辆大篷车里似乎没有人，门窗紧闭。他们四个就站在车前好奇地向里面张望。
　　“在离咱们最近的大篷车下边有个大箱子，”朱利安说，“我想知道里边有什么！”
　　箱子又长又宽，但是很浅，其中一侧均匀排列着一些圆形通气孔。乔治走上前去弯腰查看这个箱子，她怀疑里边有活物。
　　蒂米跟在乔治的后面，好奇地在圆孔前嗅了嗅。它突然向后一躲，大声狂吠起来。乔治打算抓住它的项圈把它拖走，但它不想离开，而是一直狂吠不止！
　　箱子里传出一种窸窣沙哑、飘忽不定的声音，使得蒂米叫得更厉害了。
　　“别叫了！蒂米，别叫了！”乔治拽着它说，“朱利安，过来帮我。箱子里有蒂米之前从没见过的东西，天晓得里边是什么，蒂米看起来又困惑又害怕。它的叫声充满了挑衅，我们不拽它它是不会回去的！”
　　从阶梯旁的田地下游传来一阵愤怒的声音：“嘿！把狗带走！别乱碰我的东西，把我的蛇都吓到了！”
　　“哦，蛇！”安妮边叫边迅速躲向她的大篷车，“乔治，这里有蛇，快把蒂米带走。”
　　朱利安和乔治试着把蒂米带走，他们抓着蒂米的项圈，尽管蒂米被项圈勒到了脖子，但它仍不退缩。此时，那阵愤怒的声音就来自他们身后。乔治转身看到了一个小个子黑皮肤男人，一双黑眼睛闪着亮光。那个男人挥动着拳头，一直在朝着他们喊叫。
　　“对不起，”乔治边用力拉着蒂米边说，“请您不要喊了，否则我的狗会扑向您的。”
　　“扑向我！他会扑向我！你身边有这么一条危险的狗，发现了我的蛇然后扑向我！”小个子男人愤怒地嘶吼着，他气得上蹿下跳，就像个拳击手，“哼！等着我把蛇放出来，那时候你的狗就会跑得无影无踪，你们再也找不到它了！”
　　这是一个恐怖的威胁警告。在朱利安、迪克和乔治的协作下，最终控制住了蒂米，把它拖到了安妮大篷车的踏板上，然后把它锁在了大篷车里，安妮尝试着让蒂米安静下来，而其他三个人出去找那个生气的小个子男人。
　　男人把那个大箱子拖了出来，打开了盖子。他们三个人在一旁好奇地看着。里边会有什么蛇呢？响尾蛇？眼镜蛇？他们已经做好了逃跑的准备，一旦箱子里的蛇像它们主人那样愤怒，他们马上就会逃之夭夭。
　　随后一个大脑袋从箱子里伸了出来，而且摆来摆去。两只黑色的眼睛一眨不眨，闪着微光。之后，一条很长的蛇在男人的腿上蠕动滑移，进而缠绕住他的腰部和脖子。他抚摸着这条蛇，嘴里发出低沉、爱怜的声音。
　　乔治看到这一幕后不禁打了个冷战。朱利安和迪克感到十分吃惊。“这是一条巨蟒，”朱利安说，“天哪，它真大。我从来没这么近距离看过蟒蛇。它不会缠绕到那个人身上后把他勒死吧？”
　　“他抓着蛇尾巴附近的地方，”迪克注视着说，“哦，看哪，还有一条蛇！”
　　另外一条蛇从箱子里溜了出来，一直向上盘旋缠绕。它也缠绕住了男人的身体，嘴里发出“嘶嘶”的声音。这条蛇的身体要比朱利安的小腿还粗。
　　安妮躲在大篷车里向外看，她根本不相信自己的眼睛。她第一次见到这么大的蛇，甚至不知道它们是什么蛇。现在她只祈祷这些大篷车离他们越远越好。
　　最终，那个男人让他的蛇平息下来。这些蛇几乎把他的整个身体缠了起来！在他脖子两侧各伸出一只蛇头，直挺挺地闪着亮光。
　　蒂米把头凑到安妮旁边，也透过窗户向外看。它对这些顺滑的蛇感到惊奇，立刻停止了吠叫。它从窗户上退下来，钻到了桌子底下。它一点都不喜欢看到这些新生物！
　　那个男人抚摸着他的蛇，嘴里一直亲切地对它们说着什么，随后，那些蛇再次钻进了箱子里。它们滑了进去，并且一圈一圈地缠绕了起来。最后，那个男人盖上盖子，并把箱子锁好。
　　他转身看着三个孩子。“看把我的蛇吓成什么样了。”他说，“你们这些孩子！多管闲事！我不喜欢孩子，我的蛇也不喜欢。你们最好离远点，把你们的狗也弄远点，听懂了吗？”
　　最后几个字是他喊出来的，他们三个听到后吓了一跳。“您看，”朱利安说，“我只想跟您说，我们对自己的狗表示抱歉。狗总会向它们不清楚或不了解的东西吠叫，这很正常。”
　　“我讨厌狗，”小个子男人说着走进了自己的大篷车，“你们不能让它来这里，尤其是我把蛇拿出来的时候。万一哪天晚上让它们给你的狗一个温情的拥抱。哈哈！”
　　随后他钻进了自己的大篷车，重重地关上了车门。
　　“情况不妙，”朱利安说，“我们和民间艺人的交往不太顺利。我本以为他们会友善一些，并且给我们透露一些杂耍的秘密。”
　　“我不喜欢他最后说的话，”乔治担心地说，“任何一个‘温情的拥抱’都可能害死蒂米。我要是看到那个滑稽的小个子男人把他的蛇放出来，就得把蒂米拉得远远的。那个男人看起来很喜欢他的蛇，不是吗？”
　　“当然是了，”朱利安说，“就这样吧，我在想第二辆新来的大篷车里是什么人。我都不敢向车里看，怕里边有大猩猩、大象、河马或者……”
　　“别傻了，”乔治说，“走吧，天黑了。喔，我们刚才走过的车道那里又来了一辆大篷车！”
　　那辆大篷车缓慢地开上绿草茵茵的山腰，一路颠簸。车厢的一侧用油漆写着一行大大的红字——
　　“橡胶人先生。”
　　“哇，橡胶人！”乔治叫道，“迪克，那个车夫就是他，你觉得呢？”
　　他们齐刷刷地盯着车夫看。车夫看起来又高又瘦，而且有些疲倦，一副随时要哭出来的样子，他的马和他神情一样。
　　“他可能就是橡胶人先生，”朱利安说，“可以确定的是他看上去没什么活力！看，他驾着马车过来了。”
　　那个男人以一种灵巧而放松的优雅姿势驾驶着大篷车，这种状态和他疲惫的身体一点都不相称。他任凭自己的马在车外随意奔跑，在草地上转来转去。他的马看起来和他一样忧郁倦怠。
　　“巴法络！”车上的男人突然叫道，“是你来了吗？”
　　第二辆大篷车的门打开了，一个年轻人探出了头。这个年轻人穿着一件鲜红色的衬衫，他体形魁梧，一头蓬松的金发，脸上挂着笑容。
　　“你好，橡胶人！”年轻人回应道，“我们先来的。过来吧，史基比准备好饭了。”
　　橡胶人先生一脸忧郁地走上了大篷车的踏板，随手关上了车门。
　　“真有趣，”迪克说，“咱们这儿有个橡胶人先生、巴法络、不知道干什么的史基比，还有一个驯蛇人。接下来还会有谁来？”
　　安妮叫道：“你们快进来，蒂米像是在发牢骚。”
　　他们走进安妮的大篷车，发现她为大家准备了一顿烛光晚餐：
　　每人一份火腿三明治、一块水果蛋糕和一个橘子。
　　“我想在三明治里放一块腌洋葱，”迪克说，“我要把它剁碎放到火腿上。这个主意很棒吧？”
Chapter 5 NIGHT AND MORNING
Chapter 5 NIGHT AND MORNING
　　AS they had their supper they talked about the queer new arrivals. Timmy sat close to George, tryingto tell her that he was sorry for causing such a disturbance. She patted him and scolded him at thesame time.
　　'I quite understand that you don't like the snakes, Timmy - but when I tell you to stop barking andcome away you MUST do as you're told! Do you understand?'
　　Timmy's tail dropped and he put his big head on George's knee. He gave a little whine.
　　19
　　'I don't think he'll ever go near that box again, now he's seen the snakes that came out of it,' saidAnne. 'You should have seen how scared he was when he looked out of the window with me and sawthem. He went and hid under the table.'
　　'It's a pity we've made a bad start with the fair-folk,' said Julian. 'I don't expect they like childrenmuch, because as a rule the kids would make themselves an awful nuisance - peering here and pokingthere.'
　　'I think I can hear more caravans arriving,' said George, and Timmy pricked up his ears and growled.
　　'Be quiet, Timmy. We're not the only ones allowed in this field!'
　　Dick went to the window and peered out into the twilight. He saw some large dark shapes in anotherpart of the field, looming out of the darkness. A little camp-fire burned brightly in front of one,showing a small figure bending over it.
　　'These are jolly good sandwiches, Anne,' said Dick. 'What about another pickled onion, everyone?'
　　'No Dick,' said Anne, firmly. 'You've eaten your sandwich.'
　　'Well, I can eat a pickled onion without a sandwich, can't I?' said Dick. 'Hand over, Anne.'
　　Anne wouldn't. 'I've hidden them,' she said. 'You want some for tomorrow, don't you? Don't begreedy, Dick. Have a biscuit if you're still hungry.'
　　'I meant to ask if we could have a camp- fire outside tonight,' said George, remembering. 'Butsomehow I feel so sleepy I think I'd nod off if I sat by it!'
　　'I feel sleepy too,' said Anne. 'Let's clear up, George, and snuggle into our bunks. The boys can go totheir caravan and read or play games if they want to.'
　　Dick yawned. 'Well - I might read for a bit,' he said. 'I hope you've got enough water, Anne, for thevarious things you use it for - because I do NOT intend to stumble over this dark field to the stream,and fall over snakes and anything else the fair-folk may have strewn carelessly about the grass!'
　　'You don't think those snakes could get loose, do you?' said Anne, anxiously.
　　'Of course not!' said Julian. 'Anyway, Timmy will bark the place down if even a hedgehog comesroving by, so you don't need to worry about snakes!'
　　The boys said good night and went off to their own caravan. The girls saw a light suddenly shine outthere, and shadows moved across the curtains drawn over the windows.
　　'Dick's lighted their lamp,' said Anne. Theirs was already lighted, and the caravan looked cosy 20and friendly. Anne showed George how to put up her bunk. It clicked into place, felt nice and firmand was most inviting-looking.
　　The girls made their beds in the bunks, putting in sheets and blankets and rugs. 'Where's my pillow?'
　　asked George. 'Oh - it's a cushion in the daytime, is it? What a good idea!'
　　She and Anne took the covers off the two cushions in the chairs, and underneath were the pillow-cases over the pillows, ready for the night!
　　They undressed, washed in stream water in the little sink, cleaned their teeth and brushed their hair.
　　'Does the water go under the caravan when I pull the plug out of the sink?' said George.
　　'Here it goes!'
　　The water gurgled out and splashed on the ground under the van. Timmy pricked up his ears andlistened. He could see that he would have to get used to quite a lot of new noises here!
　　'Got your torch?' said Anne when at last they had both got into their bunks. 'I'm going to blow out thelamp. If you want anything in the night you'll have to put on your torch, George. Look at Timmysitting on the floor still! He doesn't realize we've gone to bed! Tim - are you waiting for us to goupstairs?'
　　Timmy thumped his tail on the floor. That was just exactly what he was waiting for. When Georgewent to bed she always went upstairs, whether she was at school or at home - and though he hadn'tmanaged to discover any stairs in the caravan yet, he was sure that George knew where they were!
　　It took Timmy a few minutes to realize that George was going to sleep for the night in the bunk shehad put up against the wall. Then, with one bound he was on top of her, and settled down on her legs.
　　She gave a groan.
　　'Oh, Timmy - you are rough! Get off my legs - get further down - get into the curve of my knees.'
　　Timmy found the bunk too small to be really comfortable. However he managed to curl himself up inas small a space as possible, put his head down on one of George's knees, gave one of his heavysighs, and fell asleep.
　　He had one ear open all the time, though - an ear for a rat that for some peculiar reason ran over theroof - an ear for a daring rabbit that nibbled the grass under the caravan - and a very alert ear for a bigcockchafer that flew straight into the glass pane of the right-hand window, just above George's bunk.
　　Plang! It collided with the pane, and fell back, stunned. Timmy couldn't for the life of him think 21what it was, but soon fell asleep again, still with one ear open. The blackbird in the hawthorn treewoke him up early. It had thought of a perfectly new melody, and was trying it out very loudly anddeliberately. A thrush nearby joined in.
　　'Mind how you do it, mind how you do it!' sang the thrush at the top of its voice. Timmy sat up andstretched. George woke up at once, because Timmy trod heavily on her middle.
　　She couldn't think where she was at first, then she remembered and smiled. Of course - in a caravan,with Anne. How that blackbird sang - a better song than the thrush! Cows mooed in the distance, andthe early morning sun slid in through the window and picked out the clock and the bowl of primroses.
　　Timmy settled down. If George wasn't going to get up neither was he! George shut her eyes and fellasleep again too. Outside, the camp began to awake. Caravan doors opened. Fires were lighted.
　　Somebody went down to the stream to get water.
　　The boys came banging at the door of the girls' caravan. 'Come on, sleepyheads! It's half-past seven,and we're hungry!'
　　'Goodness!' said Anne, sitting up, bright-eyed with sleep. 'George! Wake up!'
　　It wasn't long before they were all sitting round a little fire, from which came a very nice smell.
　　Dick was frying bacon and eggs, and the smell made everyone very hungry. Anne had boiled a kettleon her little stove, and made some tea. She came down the steps with a tray on which she had put theteapot and hot water.
　　'Anne always does things properly,' said Dick. 'Here, hold your plate out, Ju - your bacon's done.
　　Take your nose out of the way, Timmy, you silly dog - you'll get it splashed with hot fat again.
　　Do look after Timmy when I'm cooking, George. He's already wolfed one slice of bacon.'
　　'Well, it saved you cooking it,' said George. 'I say, aren't there a lot of caravans here now? They musthave come last night.'
　　They stared round at the field. Besides the snake-man's caravan, and Bufflo's and Mr. India-rubber's,there were four or five more.
　　One interested the children very much. It was a brilliant yellow with red flames painted on the sides.
　　The name on it was 'Alfredo, the Fire Eater'.
　　'I imagine him to be a great big fierce chap,' said Dick. 'A regular fire-eater, with a terribly ferocioustemper, an enormous voice and a great stride when he walks.'
　　'He will probably be a skinny little fellow who trots along like a pony,' said Julian.
　　22
　　'There's someone coming out of his caravan now,' said George. 'Look.'
　　'It's a woman,' said Anne. 'His wife, I expect. How tiny she is - rather sweet. She looks Spanish, she'sso dark.'
　　'This must be the fire-eater, coming behind her,' said George. 'Surely it is! And he's JUST like youimagined him, Dick. How clever of you!'
　　A great big fellow came down the steps behind his tiny wife. He certainly looked very fierce, for hehad a lion-like mane of tawny hair, and a big red face with large, gleaming eyes. He took enormousstrides as he went, and his little wife had to run to keep up with him.
　　'Just my idea of a fire-eater,' said Dick, pleased. 'I think we'll keep out of his way until we know if healso dislikes children, like the snake-man. What a tiny wife he has! I bet he makes her run aroundhim, and wait on him hand and foot.'
　　'Well, he's fetching water from the stream for her, anyway,' said Anne. 'Two huge pails. My word, hereally does look like a fire-eater, doesn't he?'
　　'There's somebody else, look,' said Dick. 'Now who would he be? Look at him going to the stream -he walks like a tiger or a cat - all slinky and powerful.'
　　'The man who can set himself free from ropes no matter how he's tied!' said Anne. 'I'm sure he is.'
　　It was most exciting to watch the new arrivals. They all seemed to know one another. They stoppedto talk, they laughed, they visited one another's caravans, and finally three of the women set offtogether with baskets.
　　'Going off to shop,' said Anne. 'That's what I ought to do. Coming George? There's a bus that goesdown to the village in about ten minutes. We can easily clear up when we come back.'
　　'Right,' said George, and got up too. 'What are the boys going to do while we're gone?'
　　'Oh, fetch more water, find sticks for the fire, and see to their own bunks,' said Anne, airily.
　　'Are we really?' said Dick, grinning. 'Well, we might. On the other hand, we might not. Anyway, youtwo go, because food is getting rather low. A very serious thought, that! Anne, get me some moretooth-paste, will you? And if you can spot some of those doughnuts at the dairy, bring a dozen backwith you.'
　　'Yes - and see if you can get a tin of pineapple,' said Julian. 'Don't forget we want milk too.'
　　'If you want many more things you'll have to come and help us carry them,' said Anne. 'Anythingelse?'
　　23
　　'Call at the post office and see if there are any letters,' said Dick. 'And don't forget to buy a paper.
　　We may as well find out if anything has happened in the outside world! Not that I feel I can takemuch interest in it at the moment.'
　　'Right,' said Anne. 'Come on, George - we shall miss that bus.' And off they went with Timmy at theirheels.
5.充实的一天
　　充实的一天
　　他们吃饭的时候一直在谈论新来的几个人。蒂米紧挨着乔治坐下，想告诉她，对自己引发的这次冲突感到很抱歉。乔治边轻拍边斥责着它：“蒂米，我知道你不喜欢蛇，但是当我让你闭嘴跟我走的时候你必须听我的！明白了吗？”
　　蒂米的尾巴垂在地上，它的大脑袋靠在乔治的膝盖上，发出一阵“呜呜”声。
　　“我觉得它不会再靠近那个箱子了，现在它已经看到箱子里有蛇出来了。”安妮说，“你们真应该看看，当时它从窗户里看到那些蛇时受惊吓的样子。它立马就躲在了桌子下边。”
　　“真遗憾，跟民间艺人们的交往一开始就这么不顺利，”朱利安说，“我不期待他们能喜欢孩子，因为一般来说，他们觉得孩子们很讨厌，这儿看看，那儿摸摸的。”
　　“我听到很多大篷车过来了。”乔治说，蒂米竖起耳朵低吠了起来，“蒂米，别出声。我们不是唯一能来这片田地的人！”
　　迪克凑向窗前向外看，凝望着昏黄的夜景。他隐隐约约看到旁边的田地里，出现了一些黑色的庞然大物。在其中一个庞然大物前有一小簇明亮的篝火，映照出一个人弯腰的身形。
　　“安妮，这些三明治真好吃。”迪克说，“大家再来一块腌洋葱怎么样？”
　　“迪克，不行，”安妮坚定地说，“你已经把三明治吃完了。”
　　“好吧，我能光吃腌洋葱吗？”迪克说，“安妮，把它拿出来。”
　　安妮当然不会这么做。“我把它藏起来了，”她说，“明天你再吃。迪克，别这么贪吃。你要是还饿就吃块饼干。”
　　“我想问大家今晚能不能在外边生堆篝火，”乔治提醒大家说，“但是我感觉有点困了，可能会坐在旁边打盹儿，很快睡着。”
　　“我也有点困了，”安妮说，“乔治，我们收拾一下，然后钻到被窝睡觉。男孩们不困的话，可以到他们的大篷车里看书或者玩游戏。”
　　迪克打了个哈欠。“好吧，我可能会看会儿书。”他说，“安妮，我希望水够用了，因为我不打算穿过这片黑暗的田地，去小溪那里打水，不想跌到这些民间艺人在田地上放的蛇或者其他东西上面！”
　　“这些蛇不会自己爬出来吧？”安妮焦虑地问。
　　“当然不会！”朱利安说，“放心好了，就算一只刺猬跑过来，蒂米都会叫的，所以你就不用担心蛇了！”
　　这些男孩道过晚安后就离开了，回到了他们的大篷车里。女孩们突然看到外面出现了一束亮光，光影在她们的窗帘上移动。
　　“迪克把他们的灯打开了。”安妮说。她们的灯也已经打开了，整个大篷车看起来舒适温馨。安妮教乔治如何弄好折叠床，“咔哒”一声，床铺完美地固定住，看上去既漂亮又结实，让人想躺上去。
　　女孩们在整理床铺，在上边放上垫子、毛毯和床单。“我的枕头在哪儿？”乔治问，“喔，它白天就是一个靠枕，这主意真不错！”
　　她和安妮把椅子上两个靠枕的布套拆下来，原来里面是套着枕套的枕头，一切都准备好了！
　　她们脱下衣服，在小洗涤池里用溪水洗漱，然后刷牙，梳头。“当我拔出池子里的塞子，水都会流到大篷车下边吗？”乔治说，“你看！”
　　水汩汩地流了出去，溅到大篷车底下的地面上。蒂米竖起耳朵听起来。它发现自己要习惯在这儿听到这么多新声音！
　　“你带手电筒了吗？”安妮说，两个人都已经钻进了被窝，“我要把灯熄灭了。乔治，晚上你有事的话，就需要用手电筒。你看蒂米还坐在地板上呢！它根本不知道我们要睡觉了！蒂米，你是在等我们上楼吗？”
　　蒂米用尾巴敲击着地面。它确实在等她们上楼。不管在家还是在学校，每次乔治都要去楼上睡觉，尽管它还没有发现大篷车里没有楼梯，但是它确信乔治清楚她们在哪里！
　　过了很久，蒂米才意识到，乔治整夜都要在墙边的床铺上睡觉了。之后，它蹦到乔治身上，并且趴在她的腿上。乔治不禁抱怨了一声：“哦，蒂米，你太调皮了！从我腿上下去，往下一点，趴在我膝盖弯的地方。”
　　蒂米发现床铺的空间太小，一点也不舒服。然而，它还是想办法尽可能地蜷曲在一个小空间里，把它的脑袋埋在乔治的膝盖上，发出一声沉重的叹息后，进入了梦乡。
　　不过，它的一只耳朵一直倾听着周围的动静，能听到在大篷车顶上跑来跑去的老鼠，能听到在大篷车下吃草的野兔，还听到了一只金龟子飞向乔治床铺上方右侧的窗户。
　　“啪！”金龟子撞向了玻璃，之后因震惊而往后退。蒂米虽然不知道它是什么东西，但是很快又睡着了，一只耳朵仍然保持警醒。
　　山楂树上的乌鸫早早地把它叫醒。对它来说，乌鸫的声音就像一段美妙的新旋律，响亮而深沉。附近一只画眉也跟着叫了起来。
　　“记住你是怎么做到的！记住你是怎么做到的！”画眉高声叫道。蒂米站起来伸展了一下身子。乔治立刻被弄醒了，因为蒂米刚刚用力踩了一下她的腰。
　　她一开始想不起来自己在哪里，过了一会儿，她记了起来，嘴角露出笑容：当然是和安妮在大篷车里。乌鸫的歌声比画眉好听多了！奶牛在远处“哞哞”地叫着，清晨的阳光洒进窗户，照向了钟表和放报春花的小碗。
　　蒂米又睡下了。如果乔治不起床，它也不会起来！乔治闭上眼睛，再一次进入了梦乡。其他大篷车里的人陆续起床了。随后响起一阵阵开门的声音，人们纷纷生起火。有些人下山去小溪那里打水。
　　男孩们“咚咚”地敲女孩们大篷车的门，喊道：“起来了，懒虫们！现在已经是早上七点半了，我们饿了！”
　　“天哪！”安妮坐起来说，睡眼惺忪，“乔治！起床了！”
　　不一会儿，他们都围着一小堆火坐了下来，火苗欢快地跳动着。迪克在煎培根和鸡蛋，香味让大家垂涎欲滴。安妮在小炉子上用壶烧水，她为大家沏了一壶茶。她走下踏板，手里端着的托盘中放着茶壶和刚烧好的热水。
　　“安妮总是做得这么好，”迪克说，“朱利安，把你的盘子拿来，你的培根做好了。蒂米，走开，不然你又会被热油溅到的。乔治，我做饭的时候你要看好蒂米，它刚才已经偷吃了一片培根了。”
　　“省得你煎了，”乔治说，“这里又多了很多大篷车，他们肯定是昨晚来的。”
　　孩子们环顾着田地四周。在驯蛇人、巴法络和橡胶人先生的大篷车旁，还停着四五辆大篷车。
　　有一辆车吸引了孩子们的注意力。那辆车的每一侧都画着明亮的黄色和红色火焰，上面写着“吞火表演者阿尔佛雷多”。
　　“我猜他是一个长相凶狠的家伙。”迪克说，“和其他吞火表演者一样，脾气暴躁，大嗓门，走路昂首阔步。”
　　“他也可能是个瘦骨嶙峋的家伙，像一匹矮种马一样奔跑。”朱利安说。
　　“现在有人从他的大篷车里出来了，”乔治说，“你们看。”
　　“是个女人，”安妮说，“我猜是他的妻子。看她多娇小，真是太可爱了。她看起来像个西班牙人，皮肤真黑。”
　　“那个肯定就是吞火表演者，从她后边出来了，”乔治说，“就是他！迪克，他跟你想象的一模一样！你真聪明！”
　　一个体形庞大的家伙走下了踏板，跟在他妻子的后边。他看起来确实非常凶狠，他有一头像狮子鬃毛一样的黄褐色头发、一张红润的大圆脸，还有一双明亮的眼睛。他的步子迈得很大，妻子在他旁边小跑着跟随。
　　“跟我想象中的吞火表演者一样！”迪克开心地说，“我觉得在我们不了解他是不是讨厌孩子之前先离他远一点，就像那个驯蛇人一样。他的妻子真是瘦小！我敢打赌，她一直围着她丈夫团团转，服服帖帖的。”
　　“看样子，他是去小溪为妻子打水的，”安妮说，“看那两只大桶。哎呀，他看上去真像一个吞火表演者，不是吗？”
　　“那儿还有别人，你们看，”迪克说，“他会是谁呢？看他朝着小溪走去了。他走起路来既像老虎又像猫，又有气势又灵巧。”
　　“他就是那个不管被绑得多紧，都能逃脱的人！”安妮说，“我确定就是他。”
　　观察新来的人，让孩子们感到很兴奋。这些新来的人似乎彼此都很熟络。他们停下来交谈，大笑，互相参观彼此的大篷车，后来，有三个女人提着篮子一起外出了。
　　“她们去商店了，”安妮说，“我也需要去一趟。乔治你去吗？这里有辆公交车去村子里，大概十分钟一趟。等我们回来之后，很快就能收拾完。”
　　“好的，”乔治边说边起身，“我们走后，男孩子去干什么？”
　　“哦，让他们多打点水来，拾些树枝生火，还要整理他们的床铺。”安妮轻快地说。
　　“真要这样吗？”迪克咧嘴笑着说，“好吧，我们会干的。或许，我们不会干。不管怎样，你们去吧，我们的食物越来越少了。还有一件事，安妮，你能帮我多买些牙膏吗？如果你路过乳品店，帮我带回来一些甜甜圈。”
　　“好的，方便的话买回一听菠萝罐头，”朱利安说，“别忘了我们要的牛奶。”
　　“你想要更多的东西，那就跟我们一起来，到时候帮我们拿着，”安妮说，“还有什么需要的吗？”
　　“路过邮局的时候，看看是不是有我们的信件，”迪克说，“别忘了买份报纸。我们也想知道外面世界发生了什么！并不是说，我现在对外面的事情感兴趣。”
　　“行，”安妮说，“乔治，我们走，要不就赶不上公交车了！”接着，她们就出发了，蒂米紧跟在她们后面。
Chapter 6 UNFRIENDLY FOLK
Chapter 6 UNFRIENDLY FOLK
　　THE two boys decided they would fetch the water and stack up some firewood while the girls weregone. They made their bunks too, by the simple process of dragging off all the clothes and bundlingthem on the shelf, and then letting down the bunks against the wall.
　　That done there didn't seem much else to do except wait for the girls. So they took a walk round thefield. They kept a good distance from the snake-man, who was doing something peculiar to one of hispythons.
　　'It looks as if he's polishing it, but he surely can't be,' said Julian. 'I'd like to go near enough to watchbut he's such a hot-tempered little fellow he might quite well set one of those enormous pythons on tous!'
　　The snake-man was sitting on a box, with one snake spread over his knee, some of its coils round oneof his legs, the other coils round his waist. The head appeared to be under his arm-pit. The man wasrubbing away hard at the snake's scaly body, and it really seemed as if the python was enjoying it!
　　Bufflo was doing something with a whip. It had a magnificent handle, set with semi-precious stonesthat caught the sun and glittered in many colours.
　　'Look at the lash,' said Julian. 'Yards and yards long! I'd like to see him crack it!'
　　Almost as if he heard him, Bufflo got to his feet, and swung the great whip in his hand. Then heraised it - and a moment later there was a sound exactly like a pistol-shot! The lash cracked as it waswhipped through the air, and the two boys jumped, not expecting such a loud noise.
　　Bufflo cracked it again. Then he whistled and a small plump woman came to the steps of his caravan.
　　24
　　'You mended it yet?' she called.
　　'Perhaps,' said Bufflo. 'Get a cigarette, Skippy. Hurry!'
　　Skippy put her hand into the caravan, felt along a shelf, and brought out a packet of cigarettes.
　　She didn't go down the steps, but stood there, holding out the cigarette between her finger and thumb.
　　Bufflo swung his whip. CRACK! The cigarette disappeared as if by magic! The boys stared inamazement. Surely the end of the lash hadn't whipped that cigarette from Skippy's fingers? It didn'tseem possible.
　　'There it is,' said Bufflo, pointing some distance away. 'Hold it again, Skippy. I reckon this whip isokay now.'
　　Skippy picked up the cigarette and put it in her mouth!
　　'No!' called Bufflo. 'I ain't sure enough of this lash yet. You hold it like you did.'
　　Skippy took it out of her mouth and held out the cigarette in her finger and thumb once more.
　　CRACK! Like a pistol-shot the whip cracked again, and once more the cigarette disappeared.
　　'Aw, Bufflo - you've gone and broken it in half,' said Skippy, reproachfully, pointing to where it layon the ground, neatly cut in half. 'That was real careless of you.'
　　Bufflo said nothing. He merely turned his back on Skippy, and set to work on his lash again, thoughwhat he was doing neither of the boys could make out. They went a little nearer to see.
　　Bufflo had his back to them but he must have heard them coming. 'You clear out,' he said, hardlyraising his voice. 'No kids allowed round here. Clear out - or I'll crack my whip and take the top hairsoff your head!'
　　Julian and Dick felt perfectly certain he would be able to carry out his threat, and they retreated withas much dignity as they could. 'I suppose the snake-man told him what a disturbance old Timmymade yesterday with the snakes,' said Dick. 'I hope it won't spoil things for us with all the fair-folk.'
　　They went across the field and on the way met Mr. India-rubber. They couldn't help staring at him.
　　He honestly looked as if he were made of rubber - he was a curious grey, the grey of an ordinaryschool rubber, and his skin looked rubbery too.
　　He scowled at the two boys. 'Clear out,' he said. 'No kids allowed in our field.'
　　Julian was annoyed. 'It's our field as much as yours,' he said. 'We've got a couple of caravans here -those over there.'
　　25
　　'Well, this has always been our field,' said Mr. India-rubber. 'So you clear out to the next one.'
　　'We haven't any horses to pull our caravans, even if we wanted to go, which we don't,' retorted Julian,angrily. 'Anyway, why should you object to us? We'd like to be friendly. We shan't do you any harm,or make a nuisance of ourselves.'
　　'Us-folk and you-folk don't mix,' said the man, obstinately. 'We don't want you here - nor them poshcaravans down there, neither,' and he pointed to the three modern caravans in one corner of the field.
　　'This has always been our field.'
　　'Don't let's argue about it,' said Dick, who had been looking at the man with the greatest curiosity.
　　'Are you really so rubbery that you can wriggle in and out of pipes and things? Do you-'
　　But he didn't have time to finish his question because the rubber-man flung himself down on theground, did a few strange contortions, nicked himself between the boys' legs - and there they bothwere, flat on the ground! The rubber-man was walking off, looking quite pleased with himself.
　　'Well!' said Dick, feeling a bump on his head. 'I tried to grab his legs and they honestly felt likerubber! I say - what a pity these people resent us being in their field. It's not going to be very pleasantto have them all banded against us. Not fair either. I should like to be friendly.'
　　'Well, perhaps it's just a case of us-folk and you-folk,' said Julian. 'There's a lot of that kind of feelingabout these days, and it's so silly. We're all the same under the skin. We've always got on well withanyone before.'
　　They hardly liked to go near the other caravans, though they longed to have a closer view of Alfredothe Fire-Eater.
　　'He looked so exactly like what I imagined a fire-eater ought to be,' said Dick. 'I should think he'sprobably chief of all the fair-folk here - if they've got a chief.'
　　'Look - here he comes!' said Julian. And sure enough, round the corner came Alfredo, running fast.
　　He came towards the boys, and Julian at first thought that he was coming to chase them away. Hedidn't mean to run from Alfredo, but it wasn't very pleasant standing still, either, with this enormousfellow racing towards them, his cheeks as red as fire, his great mane of hair flopping up and down.
　　And then they saw why Alfredo was running! After him came his tiny little dark wife. She wasshrieking at him in some foreign language, and was chasing him with a saucepan!
　　26
　　Alfredo lumbered by the two boys, looking scared out of his life. He went down to the stile, leaptover it and disappeared down the lane.
　　The little dark woman watched him go. When he turned to look round she waved the saucepan athim.
　　'Big bad one!' she cried. 'You burn breakfast again! Again, again! I bang you with saucepan, big badone. Come, Alfredo, come!'
　　But Alfredo had no intention of coming. The angry little woman turned to the two boys. 'He burnbreakfast,' she said. 'He no watch, he burn always.'
　　'It seems queer for a fire-eater to burn something he's cooking,' said Julian. 'Though, on secondthoughts, perhaps it's not!'
　　'Poof! Fire-eating, it is easy!' said Alfredo's hot-tempered little wife. 'Cooking is not so easy. It needsbrains and eyes and hands. But Fredo, he has no brains, his hands are clumsy - he can only eat fire,and what use is that?'
　　'Well - I suppose he makes money by it,' said Dick, amused.
　　'He is my big bad one,' said the little woman. She turned to go and then turned back again with asudden smile. 'But he is very good sometimes,' she said.
　　She went back to her caravan. The boys looked at one another. 'Poor Alfredo,' said Dick. 'He looks asbrave as a lion, and he's certainly a giant of a man - but he's as timid as a mouse. Fancy running awayfrom that tiny little woman.'
　　'Well, I'm not so sure I wouldn't too, if she came bounding over the field after me, brandishing thatdangerous-looking saucepan,' said Julian. 'Ah - who's this?'
　　The man that Anne had thought might be the one who could set himself free when bound with ropeswas coming up from the stile. He walked easily and lightly, really very like a cat. Julian glanced athis hands - they were small but looked very strong. Yes - he could certainly undo knots with handslike that. They gazed at him curiously.
　　'No kids allowed here,' said the man, as he came up.
　　'Sorry, but we're caravanners too,' said Dick. 'I say - are you the fellow that can undo ropes when he'stied up in them?'
　　'Could be,' said the man, and walked on. He turned round suddenly. 'Like me to tie you up?' hecalled. 'I've a good mind to try. Don't you try interfering with us, or I'll do it!'
　　'Dear me - what a nice, pleasant lot they are!' said Julian. 'Quite different from the other circus 27folk we've known. I begin to feel we shan't make friends as fast as I thought!'
　　'We'd better be careful, I think,' said Dick. 'They seem to resent us, goodness knows why. They maymake things jolly unpleasant. Don't let's snoop round any more this morning. Let's keep away fromthem till they get a bit used to us. Then perhaps they'll be more friendly.'
　　'We'll go and meet the girls,' said Julian. So they went down to the stile and walked to the bus-stop.
　　The bus came panting up the hill at that very moment, and the girls stepped off, with the three fair-women behind them.
　　The girls joined the boys. 'We've done a lot of shopping,' said Anne. 'Our baskets are awfully heavy.
　　Thanks, Julian, if you'll carry mine. Dick can take George's. Did you see those women who got offwith us?'
　　'Yes,' said Julian. 'Why?'
　　'Well, we tried to talk to them but they were very unfriendly,' said Anne. 'We felt quiteuncomfortable. And Timmy growled like anything, of course, which made things worse. I don't thinkhe liked their smell. They did smell rather unwashed.'
　　'We didn't get on too well either, with the rest of the fair-folk,' said Julian. 'In fact I can't say thatDick and I were a success at all. All they wanted us to do was to clear out.'
　　'I got a paper for you,' said Anne, 'and George found a letter at the post office from her mother.
　　It's addressed to all of us so we didn't open it. We'll read it when we get to the caravans.'
　　'I hope it's nearly time for dinner,' said George. 'What do you think, Timmy?'
　　Timmy knew the word dinner! He gave a joyful bark and led the way. Dinner? There couldn't be abetter idea!
6.难相处的民间艺人
　　难相处的民间艺人
　　当女孩们走后，两个男孩决定去打些水，然后拾一些树枝。他们也“整理”了自己的床铺，只不过是简单地把他们所有的衣服拿走，堆在了架子上，之后把折叠床靠墙放好。
　　他们发现，在等女孩们回来的过程中并没有什么事情可做，所以决定绕着田地散步。他们和驯蛇人的地盘保持距离，此时驯蛇人正在对其中一条蟒蛇做些什么。
　　“看上去他好像在惩罚那条蟒蛇，但是他肯定不会这样做的，”朱利安说，“我真想走近一点看看，但是他是一个脾气暴躁的家伙，他很有可能把其中一条蛇放到我们身上！”
　　驯蛇人坐在大箱子上，一条蛇在他的膝盖上摊开，它的一部分身体绕在他的腿上，另一部分绕在他的腰间，它的头从男人的腋窝处钻了出来。那个男人在用力摩擦那条蛇带鳞的身体，看上去它很享受！
　　巴法络在拿着一条鞭子做些什么。鞭子上有个华丽的把手，装饰着一些宝石，在阳光下闪烁着各种颜色的光。
　　“看那条鞭子，”朱利安说，“它得有几米长！我真想看他用它抽东西！”
　　巴法络似乎听到了朱利安的话，他站稳脚，甩起了手里的长鞭。不一会儿，传出了一声清脆的声响，就像是手枪开枪的声音！
　　鞭子发出的响亮声音，让两个男孩听到后不禁跳了起来。
　　巴法络又甩了一下鞭子。之后，他吹了一声口哨，随后一个丰满的女人顺着他的大篷车踏板走了出来。
　　“你把它修好了？”她问道。
　　“可能吧，”巴法络说，“史基比，拿根烟来，快点！”
　　史基比把她的手伸进大篷车里，顺着架子摸出来一盒香烟。她并没有走下踏板，只是站在上面，用食指和拇指夹住了香烟。
　　巴法络甩着他的鞭子。“啪！”香烟就像施了魔法一样消失了！
　　男孩们吃惊地盯着这一幕。难道是鞭子的头部把史基比指尖的香烟甩掉了吗？真是不可思议。
　　“在那儿呢，”巴法络指向远处说，“史基比，再捡起来拿着。我看这条鞭子已经没问题了。”
　　史基比捡起香烟并且用嘴含住。
　　“不行，”巴法络叫道，“我还没完全确定。你还是跟刚才一样拿着香烟。”
　　史基比把香烟从嘴里拿出来，再一次将它用食指和拇指夹住。
　　“啪！”鞭子又发出了声响，就像开枪的声音一样，随之香烟再一次消失了。
　　“喔，巴法络，你把它削成了两截，”史基比指着地上的一半香烟说，话语中流露出责备的语气，“你真不小心。”
　　巴法络什么都没说。他背对着史基比，开始鼓捣他的鞭子，然而两个孩子都看不懂他在做什么。他们为了看清楚，又向前靠近了一些。
　　巴法络虽然背对着他们，但是听到了他们靠近的脚步声。“你们离开这里，”他提高音调说，“孩子们不能在这附近。快走开，否则我用鞭子把你们头顶上的头发打下来！”
　　朱利安和迪克清楚地知道这个男人会做什么，因此他们尽可能地向后退。“我猜那个驯蛇人跟他说了，昨天蒂米惊扰蛇的事情，”迪克说，“我希望蒂米不要再得罪其他民间艺人了。”
　　他们穿过田地，在路上遇到了橡胶人先生。见到橡胶人先生，他们忍不住盯着他看。他看起来真的像橡胶做成的，他全身灰得就像一块在学校里用的普通橡皮，他的皮肤看起来也像橡胶。
　　他怒视着两个孩子。“离远点，”他说，“我们这片田地不欢迎孩子。”
　　朱利安听到后感到很恼火。“这是你的地盘，也是我的地盘，”他说，“我们有两辆大篷车，就在那边。”
　　“好吧，这里一直是我们的地盘，”橡胶人先生说，“所以你离开这儿去下一个地方。”
　　“我们没有马来拉大篷车，就算想走，我们也走不了，”朱利安生气地反驳道，“不管怎样，你为什么反对我们在这儿？我们想友好一些，不会给你们添麻烦，也不会让你们讨厌。”
　　“我们这些人和你们这些人不能在一块，”橡胶人先生固执地说，“我们不希望你们在这里，也不希望那些新式的大篷车在这里。”随即他伸手指向了田野一个角落里的三辆大篷车，“这里一直是我们的地盘。”
　　“别再和他争论了，”迪克说，他饶有兴趣地看着橡胶人，“您的身体是不是特别坚韧，可以在管道或者其他东西里钻入钻出？您能……”
　　没等他问完，橡胶人就扑倒在地，做了几个奇怪的身体扭曲动作，随后他在男孩们的腿之间穿过，把他们绊倒在了地上！然后，橡胶人离开了，他看起来非常得意。
　　“喔，”迪克摸着头上的包说，“我试图抓住他的双腿，他的腿摸起来真的和橡胶一样！很遗憾，我们在他们的地盘里不受待见。要是他们联合起来对付我们，我们肯定吃不消。而且这对我们太不公平了，我本来还想对他们友善一点。”
　　“好吧，或许我们刚好就碰到这种不待见其他人的家伙，”朱利安说，“我感觉跟他们相处太累了。除了肤色不同，我们都是一样的人呀。我们以前跟其他人相处得可好了。”
　　尽管他们想近距离瞧一瞧吞火表演者阿尔佛雷多，但是，他们再也不打算靠近附近的其他大篷车了。
　　“他和我想象中的吞火表演者一模一样，”迪克说，“我猜他是这里所有民间艺人的领头人，如果他们有领头人的话。”
　　“看，他来了！”朱利安说。毫无疑问，从角落那边飞快朝着男孩们跑过来的，正是阿尔佛雷多，朱利安第一反应以为他是来赶人的。朱利安不想就此跑开，但是呆呆地站在原地似乎也不是个办法，因为这个身形庞大的家伙疾速跑来，脸颊像火一样红，浓密的头发随风飘扬，让人不禁害怕。
　　随后他们知道阿尔佛雷多奔跑的原因了——他那身材娇小的黑皮肤妻子在追他。她尖声喊叫着某种外国语言，而且手里举着一个平底锅！
　　阿尔佛雷从两个男孩面前跑过去，不敢回头看他的妻子。他向着阶梯处往下跑，越过了阶梯后消失在了车道间。
　　他的妻子看着他跑走了。当他回头观望时，发现她正向他挥着平底锅。
　　“废物！”她喊道，“你又把早餐烧焦了！又焦了！又焦了！我要用平底锅教训你，废物。过来，阿尔佛雷多，你过来！”
　　但是阿尔佛雷多丝毫没有想回去的意思。他那愤怒的妻子转向了两个男孩。“他把早餐烧焦了，”她说，“他没照看好，经常烧焦早餐。”
　　“对一个吞火表演者来说，做饭的时候把某些东西烧坏了听起来很奇怪，”朱利安说，“但是再一想，这确实也有可能发生！”
　　“哇！吞火表演，太简单了！”阿尔佛雷多脾气暴躁的妻子说，“做饭可不简单，做饭要靠脑子、眼睛和手。但是阿尔佛雷多他没脑子，毛手毛脚的，他只会吞火，那有什么用？”
　　“我觉得他可以靠这个赚钱。”迪克笑着说。
　　“他就是一个蠢货。”女人说。她转身走了，随后又回头朝他们突然笑了起来。“但是他有时候还不错。”她说。
　　她回到自己的大篷车里。男孩们无奈地看看彼此。“可怜的阿尔佛雷多，”迪克说，“他看起来像头狮子，而且他的确是个巨人，但是他胆子小得像只老鼠，总幻想着能离开他的妻子。”
　　“如果她手里拿着那个看起来很可怕的平底锅，穿过整个田野追我的话，我也可能会这样。”朱利安说，“咦，这人是谁？”
　　一个男人从阶梯处走了上来，他就是那个可以从被捆住的绳子里逃脱的人。他的步伐很轻快，像一只猫一样。朱利安瞥了一下他的双手，他的手很小，但是看上去非常强壮。当然，他可以用这双手解开绳结。他们好奇地盯着这个人看。
　　“这里不允许孩子过来。”那个人边说边走了过来。
　　“抱歉，但是我们也是开大篷车来露营的人，”迪克说，“你就是那个可以从绑紧的绳索里逃脱的人吗？”
　　“可能是吧。”那个男人边走边说，他突然转过头，大声说道，“让我把你绑起来怎么样？我有个点子想试一下。别再试图打扰我们了，否则我就会把你们绑起来！”
　　“我的天啊，他们真是一类‘友善和蔼’的人！”朱利安说，“和我们认识的其他马戏团表演者迥然不同。我觉得我们还是不要有和他们交朋友的想法了！”
　　“我觉得我们最好小心一点，”迪克说，“他们看起来讨厌我们，天知道是什么原因。他们可能会做一些对我们不利的事情。今天早上我们就别再管闲事了。我们先离开这里吧，等他们习惯我们了再说。那时候他们也许会友善一些。”
　　“我们去看看女孩们。”朱利安说。他们沿着阶梯往下走，来到了公交车站。就在那时，一辆公交车摇摇晃晃地停在了山上。两个女孩从车上走了下来，后边跟着三个漂亮的女人。
　　女孩们走到了两个男孩中间。“我们买了很多东西，”安妮说，“我们的篮子真是太沉了。朱利安，帮我拎一下，谢谢你。迪克你拿着乔治的。你们看到刚才下车的那些女人了吗？”
　　“看到了，”朱利安说，“怎么了？”
　　“我们尝试跟她们交谈，但是她们一点都不友好”，安妮说，“我们感觉很不舒服。而且蒂米一直狂吠不止，让事情更糟糕。我觉得它不喜欢她们身上的气味。”
　　“我们这边和其他民间艺人交流得也不顺利，”朱利安说，“实际上，迪克和我根本没能和他们交上朋友。他们只想赶我们走。”
　　“我给你带了份报纸，”安妮说，“乔治在邮局找到了她妈妈寄给她的信。收信人是我们大家，所以我们没有拆开。我们到大篷车那里一起读信。”
　　“该到午餐时间了，”乔治说，“蒂米，你觉得呢？”
　　蒂米听得懂“午餐”这个词！它开心地叫了一声，带领着大家往回走。吃午餐，再没有比这更妙的主意了！
Chapter 7 A LETTER - A WALK - AND A SHOCK
Chapter 7 A LETTER - A WALK - AND A SHOCK
　　GEORGE opened her mother's letter when they had finished their meal. Everyone voted that it was atruly wizard lunch - two hard-boiled eggs each, fresh lettuce, tomatoes, mustard and cress, andpotatoes baked in the fire in their jackets - followed by what Julian had asked for - slices of tinnedpineapple, very sweet and juicy.
　　'Very nice,' said Julian, lying back in the sun. 'Anne, you're a jolly good housekeeper. Now, 28George, let's hear what Aunt Fanny has got to say in her letter.'
　　George unfolded the note-paper and smoothed it out. 'It's to all of us,' she said.
　　'DEAR GEORGE, ANNE, JULIAN AND DICK,
　　'I hope George arrived safely and that you all met her. I am really writing to remind Georgethat it is her grandmother's birthday on Saturday, and she must write to her. I forgot toremind George before she went, so thought I must quickly send a letter.'
　　'George, your father is very much upset to read about those two missing scientists. He knowsDerek Terry-Kane very well, and worked with him for some time. He says he is absolutely surethat he isn't a traitor to his country; he thinks he has been spirited away somewhere, andJeffrey Pottersham too - probably in a plane miles away by now, in a country that will forcethem to give up their secrets. It's just as well you went off today, because this afternoon yourfather is striding about all over the place, talking nineteen to the dozen, and banging everydoor he comes to, bless him.'
　　'If you write, please don't mention scientists, as I am hoping he will calm down soon. Hereally is very upset, and keeps on saying 'What is the world coming to?' when he knows quitewell that it's coming to exactly what the scientists plan it to come to.'
　　'Have a good time, all of you, and DON'T forget to write to your grandmother, George!'
　　Your loving,
　　MOTHER (AUNT FANNY).'
　　'I can just see Father striding about like a - like a...'
　　'Fire-eater,' said Julian with a grin, as George stopped for a word. 'He'll drive Aunt Fanny intochasing him around with a saucepan one day! Funny business about these scientists though, isn't it?
　　After all, Terry-Kane had planned to leave the country - got his aeroplane ticket and everything - soalthough your father believes in him, George, it honestly looks a bit fishy, doesn't it?'
　　'Anything in the paper about it?' asked Dick, and shook it open. 'Yes-here we are:
　　'MISSING SCIENTISTS
　　'It is now certain that Jeffrey Pottersham was in the pay of a country unfriendly to us, and was 29planning to join Terry-Kane on his journey abroad. Nothing has been heard of the two men, althoughreports that they have been seen in many places abroad have been received.'
　　'That rather settles it,' said Julian. 'Two Really Bad Eggs. Look - here are their photographs.'
　　The four leaned over the paper, looking at the pictures of the two men. 'Well, I should have thoughtanyone would recognize Terry-Kane if they saw him,' said Anne. 'Those big, thick, arched eyebrows,and that enormous forehead. If I saw anyone with eyebrows like that I'd think they weren't real!'
　　'He'll shave them off,' said Dick. 'Then he'll look completely different. Probably stick them on hisupper lip upside down and use them for moustaches!'
　　'Don't be so silly,' said George, with a giggle. 'The other fellow is very ordinary-looking, except forhis dome of a head. Pity none of us four have got great foreheads - I suppose we must be ratherstupid people!'
　　'We're not so bad,' said Julian. 'We've had to use our brains many times in all our adventures -and we haven't come off so badly!'
　　'Let's clear up and then go for a walk again,' said Anne. 'If we don't I shall fall asleep. This sun is sogloriously hot, it's really cooking me.'
　　'Yes - we'd better go for a walk,' said Julian, getting up. 'Shall we go and see the castle, do you think?
　　Or shall we leave that for another day?'
　　'Leave it,' said Anne. 'I honestly don't feel like clambering up that steep hill just now. I think themorning would be a better time!'
　　They cleared up and then locked the two caravans and set out. Julian looked back. Some of the fair-folk were sitting together, eating a meal. They watched the children in silence. It wasn't very pleasantsomehow.
　　'They don't exactly love us, do they?' said Dick. 'Now you listen, Timmy - don't you go accepting anytitbits from people here, see?'
　　'Oh, Dick!' said George, in alarm, 'you surely don't think they would harm Timmy?'
　　'No, I don't really,' said Dick. 'But we might as well be careful. As the rubber man pointed out to usthis morning, us-folk and his-folk think differently about some things. It just can't be helped.
　　But I do wish they'd let us be friendly. I don't like this kind of thing.'
　　'Well, anyway I shall keep Timmy to heel all the time,' said George, making up her mind firmly.
　　30
　　'Timmy, to heel! Please understand that as long as we are in the caravan field you must walk to heel?
　　Do you understand?'
　　'Woof- woof,' said Timmy, and immediately kept so close to George's ankles that his nose keptbumping into them.
　　They decided to catch the bus to Tinkers' Green, and then walk from there to the sea. They wouldhave time to get there and back before dark. The bus was waiting at the corner, and they ran to catchit. It was about two miles to Tinkers' Green, which was a dear little village, with a proper green and aduck-pond with white ducks swimming on it.
　　'Shall we have an ice-cream?' suggested Dick as they came to a grocer's shop with an ice-cream signoutside it.
　　'No,' said Julian firmly. 'We've just had an enormous lunch, and we'll save up ice-creams for teatime.
　　We shall never get down to the sea if we sit and eat ice-creams half the afternoon!'
　　It was a lovely walk, down violet-studded lanes, and then over a heathery common with clumps ofprimroses in the hollows - and even a few very very early bluebells, much to Anne's delight.
　　'There's the sea! Oh, what a dear little bay!' said Anne, in delight. 'And isn't it blue - as blue ascornflowers. We could almost bathe.'
　　'You wouldn't like it if you did,' said Julian. 'The sea would be as cold as ice! Come on - let's getdown to the little jetty and have a look at the fishing-boats.'
　　They went down to the sun-warmed stone jetty and began talking to the fishermen there. Some weresitting in the sun mending their nets, and were very willing to talk.
　　'How nice to have a bit of friendliness shown us instead of the stares and rudeness of the fair-folk!'
　　said Dick to Julian, who nodded and agreed.
　　A fisherman took them on his boat, and explained a lot of things they already knew and some theydidn't. It was nice to sit and listen to his broad speech, and to watch his bright blue eyes as he talked.
　　He was as brown as an oak-apple.
　　'Could we ever hire a boat here if we wanted to?' asked Julian. 'Is there one we could manage byourselves? We are quite good at sailing.'
　　'Old Joseph there has a boat he could hire out if you wanted one,' said the man they were talking to.
　　'He hired it out the other day, and I expect he'd hire it out to you too if so be you can really manageit.'
　　'Thanks. We'll ask him, if we ever decide to go out,' said Julian. He looked at his watch. 'We'd 31better go and get some tea somewhere. We want to be home before dark. We're camping over atFaynights Castle.'
　　'Oh ay?' said the fisherman. 'You've got the fair-folk there now, haven't you? They were here twoweeks since. My, that fire-eater is a fair treat, he is! And that rope-man - well! I tell you this - I tiedhim up in my fishing-line - you can see it here, strong as two ropes it is! I tied him up with all theknots I know - and in under a minute he stood up and the line fell off him, knots and all!'
　　'Ay, that is so,' said the old fellow called Joseph. 'A wonder he is, that man. So is the rubber fellow.
　　He called for a drain-pipe, narrow as this, see? And he wriggled through it, quick as an eel. Fairscared me, it did, to see him wriggling out of the other end.'
　　'We'll go and see them perform when they begin their show,' said Julian. 'At the moment they're notvery friendly towards us. They don't like us being in their field.'
　　'They keeps themselves to themselves,' said Joseph. 'They had a heap of trouble at the place theywere in before they came to us - someone set the police on them, and now they won't make friendswith anyone.'
　　'Well, we must go,' said Julian, and they said goodbye to the friendly fishermen and went. Theystopped and had tea at a little tea-shop, and then made their way home. 'Anyone want to take thebus?' said Julian. 'We can easily get home before dark if we walk - but if the girls are tired we'll busfrom Tinkers' Green.'
　　'Of course we're not tired!' said George indignantly. 'Have you ever known me say I'm tired, Julian?'
　　'All right, all right - it was just a bit of politeness on my part,' said Julian. 'Come on - let's get going.'
　　The way was longer than they had thought. It was getting dark when they got to the stile that led intothe caravan field. They climbed over it and made their way slowly to their corner.
　　And then they suddenly stopped and stared. They looked all round and stared again.
　　Their two caravans were gone! They could see the places where they had stood, and where their firehad been. But no caravans stood there now!
　　'Well!' said Julian, astounded. 'This beats everything! Are we dreaming? I can't see a sign of ourcaravans anywhere!'
　　'Yes - but - how could they go?' said Anne, almost stammering in her surprise. 'I mean - we had nohorses to pull them away anywhere! They couldn't go just by themselves.'
　　32
　　There was a silence. The four were completely bewildered. How could two large, solid caravansdisappear into thin air?
　　'Look - there are wheel-marks in the grass,' said Dick suddenly. 'See - our caravans went this way -come on, follow. Down the hillside, look!'
　　In the greatest astonishment the four children and Timmy followed the wheel-marks. Julian glancedback once, feeling that they were being watched. But not one of the fair-folk was to be seen. Perhapsthey are watching silently behind their caravan curtains. Julian thought, uncomfortably.
　　The wheel-marks went right down the field and reached the gate. It was shut now, but it must havebeen opened for the two caravans, because there were marks in the grass by the gate, marks thatpassed through it and then were lost in the lane.
　　'What are we to do?' said Anne, scared. 'They're gone! We've nowhere to sleep. Oh, Julian - what arewe going to do?'
7.震惊的旅途
　　震惊的旅途
　　他们吃完饭后，乔治打开了她妈妈寄来的信。大家都觉得这顿午餐很美味：每人有两颗煮熟的鸡蛋、新鲜的生菜、西红柿、芥末配水芹，用火烤的土豆，接着，在朱利安的要求下，他们还吃了几片甜蜜多汁的菠萝罐头。
　　“真棒，”朱利安躺在阳光下说，“安妮，你是一个很不错的管家。乔治，我们现在来看看范妮婶婶的信里都写了什么吧。”
　　乔治取出信纸，把它铺平。“这是写给我们大家的。”乔治说。
　　亲爱的乔治、安妮、朱利安和迪克：
　　我希望乔治已经平安到达并与你们见面。我写这封信是提醒乔治，周六是她外婆的生日，外婆一定给她写过信了。乔治走之前我忘了提醒她，只好写信告诉她。
　　乔治，你父亲读到两个科学家失踪的新闻时非常不安，他与德里克•特里•凯恩很熟，而且和他共事过一段时间。你父亲非常确定地说特里•凯恩不可能是国家叛徒，他觉得特里•凯恩是被拐到某个地方了，杰弗里•波特沙姆也是被拐走了。现在他们可能在数英里外的飞机上，也许他们将在某个国家被胁迫说出他们知道的秘密。正好你今天离开了，你父亲下午在家里一直转来转去，喋喋不休，把门关得砰砰响，希望他没事。
　　如果你回信，千万不要提科学家的事情，我希望他尽快冷静下来。他非常不安，一直念叨着：“这可怎么办？”他深知事情会按照两个科学家计划的那样发展下去。
　　希望你们大家玩得愉快，乔治，别忘了给你外婆写信！
　　爱你的妈妈（范妮婶婶）
　　“我能想象得到我爸爸踱步的样子，就像……就像是……”
　　“吞火表演家，”朱利安接过乔治的话，咧嘴笑了，“总会有一天，他会逼着范妮婶婶不得不在后边拿着平底锅追着他跑！不过这些科学家很有意思，不是吗？毕竟特里•凯恩已经打算离开这个国家了，他带上了他的飞机票和一切东西。乔治，就算你的父亲信任他，但是他看起来还是有些可疑，不是吗？”
　　“报纸上写了什么消息吗？”迪克边把报纸抖开边问，“嗯，你们看。”
　　失踪的科学家
　　目前可以确定的是，杰弗里•波特沙姆受雇于某一敌对国家，企图与特里•凯恩一同飞往国外。虽然多方报道称，在国外的多个地点发现两人的行踪，但仍没有任何关于两人的消息。
　　“这就清楚了，”朱利安说，“两个实实在在的混蛋。看，这儿有他们的照片。”
　　四个人弯下身子盯着报纸看两个科学家的照片。“我觉得任何看过特里•凯恩照片的人，都能认得出他，”安妮说，“他弯弯的眉毛又粗又浓，而且有个大额头。要是什么人有那样的眉毛，大家都会以为是假的！”
　　“他会把眉毛刮掉的，”迪克说，“之后他就会看上去判若两人。
　　他有可能把眉毛反向粘在嘴唇上面，拿它们当胡子用！”
　　“别瞎说了，”迪克笑道，“另外一个人除了脑门很圆外，没什么特别之处。可惜我们四个人都没有大脑门，我猜我们肯定都很笨！”
　　“我们还没那么糟糕，”朱利安说，“我们在冒险中动过很多次脑筋了，而且我们表现得还没那么差劲！”
　　“我们收拾一下，然后去散散步吧！”安妮说，“要是不去，我就睡觉了。太阳真是太晒了，快把我烤焦了。”
　　“好，我们最好散散步吧，”朱利安起身说，“去看看城堡怎么样？或者我们改天再去？”
　　“算了，”安妮说，“说实话，我不是很想爬那个陡坡。我觉得上午去好些！”
　　他们收拾完毕之后，锁上了大篷车，随即就出发了。朱利安回头环顾，他看到有些民间艺人坐在一起吃饭。他们默不作声地看着这些孩子，似乎并不太友好。
　　“他们并不喜欢我们，是吧？”迪克问，“蒂米，你听，你能接受这些人的八卦吗？”
　　“嘿，迪克！”乔治警告说，“你确定他们不会伤害蒂米吗？”
　　“不，我不确定，”迪克说，“但是我们还是小心点好。今天早晨橡胶人说，我们和他们对同一件事情的看法不一致。也不知道是不是这么回事。但是我的确希望他们能对我们表现得友好一些，我不喜欢现在这种感觉。”
　　“不管怎么说，我都会让蒂米紧跟着我的。”乔治坚定地说，“蒂米，跟紧我！请你记住，只要我们在大篷车附近，你就要跟紧我，听懂了吗？”
　　“汪汪！”蒂米叫了两声后，立即靠近乔治的脚踝，鼻子一直往上凑。
　　他们打算先搭乘公交车去廷克绿地，从那里去海边，就能在天黑之前赶回来。他们跑着赶上了停在角落里的公交车，到廷克绿地大概有两公里。那里是一个温馨的小村庄，有一块绿地和一处鸭塘，经常有白鸭在水中嬉戏。
　　“我们吃冰激凌怎么样？”迪克问，此时他们正路过一家杂货店，外边竖着一个冰激凌图案的牌子。
　　“不吃，”朱利安坚定地说，“我们刚刚吃了一顿丰盛的午餐，等下午茶时间再吃冰激凌吧。要是我们半个下午时间都坐下来吃冰激凌的话，就走不到海边了！”
　　一路上，他们感到很惬意，沿途盛开着紫罗兰，山谷中点缀着一簇簇石南和报春花，还有一些早开的风信子，深得安妮喜爱。
　　“大海！哦，多漂亮的海湾！”安妮高兴地说，“蓝色的大海，就像矢车菊一样蓝。我们能在这里游泳。”
　　“你不会想在这儿游泳的，”朱利安说，“海水像冰一样冷！来吧，我们去下边的码头那里看看渔船。”
　　他们来到了码头，那里的石头被太阳晒得发烫，随后他们与那里的渔民交谈了起来。一些渔民正在阳光下修补渔网，看起来很喜欢聊天。
　　“能有人对我们这么友好真是太好了，不像那些民间艺人那么粗鲁！”迪克对朱利安说，朱利安点头表示赞同。
　　一位渔民带他们上了船，给他们讲了很多听过的、没听过的故事。孩子们听得津津有味，大家都喜欢注视着渔夫那双明亮的蓝眼睛，他棕色的皮肤看起来像橡树果。
　　“我们能从这里租条船吗？”朱利安问，“这里有我们可以自己划的船吗？我们很擅长航海。”
　　“约瑟夫有条船，你们可以向他借。”渔夫说，“之前他借别人用过，如果他借给你们，我希望你们能控制得好它。”
　　“谢谢你，如果我们想出海，会跟他借的。”朱利安看了下表说，“我们要走了，找个地方喝点茶。天黑之前得回去，我们在费依奈斯城堡那里露营。”
　　“哦，是吗？”渔夫说，“民间艺人现在在那里，你们看到了吗？
　　他们已经来这里两周了。天哪，那个吞火表演者很厉害，不是吗？
　　还有那个表演绳索逃脱术的，这么跟你说吧，我把他捆在渔网里，就是这张，像两条绳拧在一起那么牢固！我把自己知道的所有打结方式都用上了，但是没过一分钟，他就站了起来，身上的绳索都掉了下来，他解开了所有绳结！”
　　“对，确实是这样，”上了年纪的约瑟夫说，“那个人真是神奇。
　　那个橡胶人也很厉害。他只需要一条像这样的排水管，看见没？然后他就能从里边钻出来，像一条鳗鱼一样快。看他从一端钻到另一端，真是吓到我了。”
　　“他们表演的时候我们会去看，”朱利安说，“目前他们对我们一点都不友好。他们不想让我们留在那片区域。”
　　“他们有自己的世界，”约瑟夫说，“来这里之前，他们在原来的地方遇到了一些麻烦。有人找警察对付他们，所以他们来了这里之后，不想和任何人交朋友。”
　　“好吧，我们必须得走了。”朱利安说。他们和友善的渔夫告别之后离开了。中途他们在一家茶店喝了杯茶，随后继续往回走。“有人想坐公交车吗？”朱利安说，“虽然我们走着也能在天黑之前回去，但是女孩们要是累了，我们可以从廷克绿地坐车回去。”
　　“我们当然不累！”乔治激动地说，“朱利安，我什么时候说过累了？”
　　“行，行，我就是礼貌地询问一下。”朱利安说，“来吧，我们走。”
　　路程要比他们想象的远得多。当他们走到通往大篷车田地的阶梯时，天已经暗下来了。他们翻了过去，慢慢地走向他们原来停放大篷车的角落。
　　突然，他们停住脚步，完全被眼前的一幕惊呆了——他们的两辆大篷车消失了！他们还能看到之前停车地方的痕迹，也能看得见生火的痕迹，但是大篷车却不见了！
　　“哇！”朱利安疑惑地说，“这一切都让人摸不着头脑！我们是在做梦吗？我根本看不到我们大篷车的踪影！”
　　“是呀。但是，它们能去哪里？”吃惊的安妮结结巴巴地说，“我的意思是，我们又没有马把它们拉走！它们不可能自己消失的。”
　　大家陷入了一片沉默，对眼前的一切感到困惑。这两辆庞大的大篷车是如何在空气中消失的？
　　“看，草里有车轮轧过的痕迹，”迪克突然说，“你们看，我们的大篷车朝这个方向走了，来，我们跟上，沿着山腰向下，你们看！”
　　震惊之余，四个孩子和蒂米沿着车轮轧过的痕迹向前走。朱利安猛然回头看，感觉到有人在后边注视着他们。但是他没看到任何一个民间艺人。也许这些人正躲在大篷车窗帘后悄悄地看着他们呢，朱利安不安地想。
　　车轮轧过的痕迹沿着田地向右下方延伸，一直到了大门处。虽然现在大门紧闭，但是曾经肯定被人打开过，为两辆大篷车放行，因为他们在大门旁的草地上发现了车轮印，这就意味着两辆大篷车曾经经过这里，然后消失在了车道处。
　　“我们该怎么办？”安妮惊恐地说，“它们消失了！我们没地方睡觉了。哦，朱利安，我们该怎么办？”
Chapter 8 WHERE ARE THE CARAVANS?
Chapter 8 WHERE ARE THE CARAVANS?
　　FOR once in a way Julian was quite at a loss what to do! It looked as if someone had stolen the twocaravans - taken them right away somewhere!
　　'I suppose we'd better ring up the police,' he said. 'They'll watch out for the two caravans, and arrestthe thieves. But that won't help us much for tonight! We've got to find somewhere to sleep.'
　　'I think we ought to go and tackle one or two of the fair-folk,' said Dick. 'Even if they have gotnothing to do with the theft they must have seen the caravans being taken away.'
　　'Yes. I think you're right,' said Julian. They must know something about it. George, you stay herewith Anne, in case the fair people are rude. We'll take Timmy - he may be useful.'
　　George didn't want to stay behind - but she could see that Anne did! So she stayed with her, strainingher eyes after the two boys as they went back up the hill with Timmy close behind.
　　'Don't let's go to the snake-man,' said Dick. 'He might be playing with his snakes in his caravan!'
　　'What possible game can you play with snakes?' said Julian. 'Or are you thinking of snakes and 33ladders?'
　　'Funny joke,' said Dick, politely. 'Look - there's somebody by a camp-fire - Bufflo, I think. No, it'sAlfredo. Well, we know he isn't as fierce as he looks - let's tackle him about the caravans.'
　　They went up to the big fire-eater, who was sitting smoking by the fire. He didn't hear them comingand jumped violently when Julian spoke to him.
　　'Mr. Alfredo,' began Julian, 'could you tell us where our two caravans have gone? We found themmissing when we got back just now.'
　　'Ask Bufflo,' said Alfredo, gruffly, not looking at them.
　　'But don't you know anything about them?' persisted Julian.
　　'Ask Bufflo,' said Alfredo, blowing out clouds of smoke. Julian and Dick turned away, annoyed, andwent over to Bufflo's caravan. It was shut. They knocked on the door, and Bufflo appeared, his mopof golden hair gleaming in the lamplight.
　　'Mr. Bufflo,' began Julian politely again. 'Mr. Alfredo told us to come and ask you about ourcaravans, which are missing, and...'
　　'Ask the rubber-man,' said Bufflo, shortly, and slammed the door. Julian was angry. He knockedagain. The window opened and Skippy, Bufflo's little wife, looked out.
　　'You go and ask Mr. India-rubber,' she called, and shut the window with what sounded suspiciouslylike a giggle.
　　'Is this a silly trick they're playing on us?' said Dick fiercely.
　　'Looks like it,' said Julian. 'Well, we'll try the rubber-man. Come on. He's the last one we'll try,though!'
　　They went to the rubber-man's caravan, and rapped smartly on the door. 'Who's there?' came thevoice of Mr. India-rubber.
　　'Come out - we want to ask you something,' said Julian.
　　'Who's there?' said the rubber-man again.
　　'You know jolly well who we are,' said Julian raising his voice. 'Our caravans have been stolen, andwe want to find out who took them. If you won't give us any help, we're going to telephone thepolice.'
　　The door opened and the rubber-man stood on the top of the steps, looking down at Julian.
　　'Nobody has stolen them,' he said. 'Nobody at all. You go and ask the snake-man.'
　　'If you think we're going round asking every single person in this camp, you're mistaken!' said 34Julian, angrily. 'I don't want to go to the police - we wanted to be friends with you fair-folk, notenemies. This is all very silly. If the carvans are stolen we've no other choice but to go to the police -and I don't imagine you want them after you again! We know they were put on to you a few weeksback.'
　　'You know too much,' said the rubber-man, in a very surly voice. 'Your caravans are not stolen. I willshow you where they are.'
　　He came lightly down the steps of his caravan and walked in front of the two boys in the half-darkness. He went across the grassy hillside, making for where the children's caravans had stood.
　　'Where are you taking us?' called Julian. 'We know the vans are not there! Please don't act the idiot -there's been enough of that already.'
　　The man said nothing, but walked on. The boys and Timmy could do nothing but follow. Timmy wasnot happy. He kept up a continuous low growling, like far-off thunder. The rubber-man took not theslightest notice. Julian wondered idly if he didn't fear dogs because they wouldn't be able to biterubber!
　　The man took them to the hedge that ran at one side of the field, beyond where the two caravans hadstood. Julian began to feel exasperated. He knew perfectly well that the two vans had been takendown to the field-gate and out into the lane - then why was this fellow leading him in the oppositedirection?
　　The rubber-man forced his way through the hedge, and the boys followed - and there, just the otherside, two big, dark shapes loomed up in the twilight - the caravans!
　　'Well!' said Julian, taken aback. 'What was the idea of putting the caravans here, in the next field?'
　　'Us-folk and you-folk don't mix,' said the man. 'We don't like kids messing about. Three weeks agowe had a canary-man, with over a hundred canaries that gave a show with him - and some kidsopened all the cages one night and set them loose.'
　　'Oh,' said Julian. 'They'd die, of course, if they were set loose - they don't know how to look for theirown food. That was bad luck. But we don't do things like that.'
　　'No kids allowed with us now,' said the rubber-man. 'That's why we put horses into your vans, tookthem down to the field-gate, and up into the next field - and here they are. We thought you'd be backin the daylight and would see them.'
　　'Well, it's nice to find you can be chatty, all of a sudden,' said Julian. 'Don't growl any more, 35Timmy. It's all right. We've found our vans!'
　　The rubber-man disappeared without another word. They heard him squeezing easily through thehedge. Julian took out the key to his caravan, went up the steps and opened the door. He rummagedabout and found his torch. He switched it on and shone it round. Nothing had been disturbed.
　　'Well - so that's that,' he said. 'Just a bit of spite on the part of the fair-folk, I suppose - punishing usfor what those horrid kids did to the canaries. I must say it was a shame to open those cages -half the poor little creatures must have died. I don't like birds put in cages - but as canaries can't livein this country unless they are looked after, it's cruel to let them go loose, and starve.'
　　'I agree with you,' said Dick. They were now walking down the hillside to a gap in the hedge throughwhich the vans must have been pulled up the hill. George and Anne would be most relieved to hearthey had found the caravans!
　　Julian gave a whistle, and George answered it at once. 'We're still here, Julian! What's happened?'
　　'We've got the caravans,' shouted back Julian, cheerily. 'They're in this field.'
　　The girls joined them at once, most surprised to hear this news. Julian explained.
　　'The fair-folk really have got a hate on against children,' he said. 'Apparently they had a canary-man,whose show consisted of singing canaries - and some kids set all the birds loose one night -so half of them died. And now the fair-folk won't have children anywhere near them.'
　　'I suppose the snake-man is afraid of us setting his snakes loose,' said Dick, with a chuckle.
　　'Well, thank goodness we've found the vans. I had a feeling we might have to sleep in a haystacktonight!'
　　'I wouldn't have minded that,' said George. 'I like haystacks.'
　　'We'll light a fire and cook something,' said Julian. 'I feel hungry after all this upset.'
　　'I don't,' said Anne. 'I hate feeling that the fair-folk won't be friends. It's silly of them. We're not usedto that.'
　　'Yes - but they're rather like children themselves,' said Julian. 'Somebody does something unkind tothem, so they get sulky, and wait for a chance to hit back - and then someone set the police on them,too, don't forget - they're very touchy at the moment, I imagine.'
　　'Well, it's a pity,' said George, watching Dick light a camp- fire very efficiently. 'I was lookingforward to having a good time with them. Do you suppose the farmer will mind us being here?'
　　36
　　'Oh - I never thought of that,' said Julian. 'This may not be a camping field. I hope to goodness wedon't have an angry farmer shouting at us tomorrow!'
　　'And, oh dear, we are so far away from the stream now,' said Anne. 'It's on the other side of the fieldwhere we were - and we do badly want water.'
　　'We'll have to do without it tonight,' said Dick, firmly. 'I don't want the top of my hair taken off byBufflo, or a rope tying up my legs, thrown by the ropeman, or a snake wriggling after me. I bet thosefair-folk will be on the watch for us to fetch water. This is all very silly.'
　　They had rather a solemn meal. Things had suddenly begun to seem rather complicated. Theycouldn't go to the police about such a silly thing - nor did they want to. But if the farmer wanted toturn them out of this field, how could they go back to their first camping-place? Nobody wanted tolive in a camp surrounded by enemies!
　　'We'll sleep on it,' said Julian, at last. 'Don't worry, you girls. We'll find a way out of this problem.
　　We are pretty good at getting out of difficulties. Never say die!'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy, agreeing heartily. George patted him.
　　'That's one of your mottoes, isn't it, Timmy?' she said.
　　'And another motto of his is 'Let sleeping dogs lie',' said Dick, with a broad grin. 'He hates beingwakened up when he's having a nice nap, dreaming of millions of rabbits to catch!'
　　'Well, talking of naps, what about getting into our bunks?' said Julian, with a yawn. 'We've had agood long walk today, and I'm tired. I'm going to lie in my bunk and read.'
　　Everyone thought this a very good idea. They cleared up the supper-things, and the girls said goodnight to the boys. They went into the caravan with Timmy.
　　'I do hope this holiday isn't going to be a failure,' said Anne, as she got into her bunk. George gaveone of her snorts.
　　'A failure! You wait and see! I've a feeling it will turn out to be super.'
8.失而复得
　　失而复得
　　这是朱利安第一次感到束手无策！看起来似乎有人把两辆大篷车偷走了，把它们带到了某个地方。
　　“我觉得我们最好叫警察，”朱利安说，“他们会找到我们的大篷车，然后抓住盗车贼。但是今晚却不可能办到了，我们得找个地方睡觉。”
　　“我觉得我们应该找一两个民间艺人问问清楚，”迪克说，“就算他们和盗车无关，他们肯定也看到了大篷车是如何被带走的。”
　　“嗯，我觉得你说得对，”朱利安说，“他们肯定知道些什么。乔治，你和安妮待在这儿，防止那些人做出无礼的事情。我们带上蒂米，它可能会派上用场。”
　　乔治不想留下来，但是她看得出来安妮想待在这里。所以，她只好和安妮待在一起，注视着两个男孩带着蒂米回到山上。
　　“我们别去找驯蛇人，”迪克说，“他没准在大篷车里玩他的蛇呢！”
　　“他和蛇能玩什么游戏呢？”朱利安说，“难道在玩蛇梯棋吗？”
　　“很有可能！”迪克回答说，“看，篝火旁有个人，我觉得是巴法络。不，是阿尔佛雷多。我们知道他没有看上去的那么凶，去问问他关于大篷车的事情。”
　　他们慢慢靠近坐在篝火旁吸烟的吞火表演者。他并没有觉察到有人靠近，因此当朱利安开口说话时，他吓了一跳。
　　“阿尔佛雷多先生，”朱利安说，“您能告诉我们，我们的两辆大篷车去哪里了吗？刚才我们回来时发现它们不见了。”
　　“去问巴法络。”阿尔弗雷多看也不看他们，粗声说道。
　　“但是你什么都不知道吗？”朱利安坚持问道。
　　“去问巴法络。”阿尔佛雷多边说边熄灭了烟头。朱利安和迪克掉头走向了巴法络的大篷车，发现车门紧闭。两个人敲了敲门，随后巴法络出来应门，他蓬松的金色头发在灯下闪着光芒。
　　“巴法络先生，”朱利安再次礼貌地说，“阿尔佛雷多让我们找你，询问关于我们的大篷车的事情。我们的大篷车不见了，而且……”
　　“去问橡胶人。”巴法络说完便关上了门。朱利安很生气，他再次敲了敲车门。随后，大篷车的窗户打开了，巴法络的妻子史基比探出头来。
　　“你们去问橡胶人先生。”她说完就关上了窗户，随后传出一阵哂笑声。
　　“他们这是在耍我们吗？”迪克生气地说。
　　“你瞧瞧，”朱利安说，“好吧，我们再去找橡胶人试试。来吧，我们最后再试一次！”
　　他们走向橡胶人的大篷车，重重地敲了敲门。“谁？”里面传来橡胶人的声音。
　　“出来，我们想问你点事情。”朱利安说。
　　“谁？”橡胶人再次问道。
　　“你明知道我们是谁，”朱利安提高了音调说，“我们的大篷车被偷了，想知道是谁把它们拖走的。如果你们不想帮我，我们就打电话找警察帮忙。”
　　门开了，橡胶人站在踏板的顶端，俯视着朱利安。“没人偷车，”他说，“你们可以去问驯蛇人。”
　　“我们才不会把田地里的人都问一遍呢！”朱利安生气地说，“我们不想去找警察，我们想和你们做朋友，而不是敌人。这一切都很过分。如果大篷车被偷了，我们只能去找警察，而且我也不希望他们再在后边追着你们！我们知道几个星期前他们对付你们的事情。”
　　“你知道得太多了，”橡胶人声音低沉地说，“你们的大篷车没被偷走，我带你们去找。”
　　他轻轻地走下大篷车踏板，在朦胧的夜色中走到两个男孩前面。他穿过绿草茵茵的山腰，带他们走向曾经停放大篷车的地方。
　　“你要带我们去哪里？”朱利安问道，“我们知道大篷车不在这里！请不要装傻了。”
　　橡胶人一言不发地向前走。两个男孩和蒂米只得在后边跟着他。蒂米看起来并不开心，一直在低声吠叫，听起来就像是远方传来的雷声。橡胶人根本不在意这些，这引起了朱利安的臆想：橡胶人不怕狗的原因是因为狗不咬橡胶！
　　橡胶人把他们带到了田地一边的树篱处，就是他们曾经停放大篷车的位置。朱利安感到恼火，因为他知道两辆大篷车被带出了田地门口外的车道处，但是为什么这个家伙朝着相反的方向走？
　　橡胶人继续向前穿过了树篱，两个男孩跟在后边。此时，就在另一侧，两个黑色的庞然大物出现了，那就是他们的大篷车。
　　“真有你的！”朱利安吃惊地说，“把我们的大篷车放到旁边的田地里，这打的什么主意？”
　　“我们和你们的人不能混在一起，”橡胶人说，“我们不喜欢孩子们添乱。三个星期前，我们这里有个驯养金丝雀的人，他养了一百多只金丝雀用来表演。然而有天晚上，一些孩子把所有的笼子都打开了，放飞了所有的金丝雀。”
　　“喔，”朱利安说，“把它们放飞，它们会死的。它们不知道怎么去觅食。真不幸。但是我们不会做这样的事情。”
　　“孩子不允许来这里，”橡胶人说，“所以我们用马把你们的大篷车拉出这里的区域，拉到了旁边的区域里，就在那儿。我们以为你们白天会回来，这样就能看到了。”
　　“不管怎么说，很高兴能见到你，突然觉得你很健谈。”朱利安说，“蒂米，别叫了。好了，我们找到大篷车了。”
　　橡胶人一言不发地离开了。他们清楚地听到橡胶人轻松地钻过了树篱。朱利安掏出大篷车钥匙，走上踏板，并打开了车门。他摸索着找到了手电筒，打开手电筒在车内照了一圈，发现一切都保持着原样。
　　“好吧，一切真相大白，”他说，“就是民间艺人他们有些刁难我们，我觉得他们是想用那些讨厌的孩子们所做的事来惩罚我们。那些孩子们真不应该打开笼子，那些可怜的小生物肯定会死一半的。
　　我不赞同把鸟类放到笼子里，但是没人照顾的金丝雀难以在咱们国家生存，把它们放走而且让它们挨饿的做法很残忍。”
　　“我同意。”迪克说。此时他们走下了山腰，发现树篱中有一个大缺口，大篷车肯定是从这里拉到山上去的。乔治和安妮听到他们找到大篷车的消息肯定会松口气的！
　　朱利安吹了一声口哨，立刻得到了乔治的回应：“朱利安，我们还在这儿！怎么样了？”
　　“我们找到大篷车了，”朱利安开心地叫道，“就在旁边的田地里。”
　　女孩们立即来到男孩们的身旁，惊讶地听朱利安向她们解释一切。
　　“这些民间艺人确实很讨厌孩子，”他说，“他们这儿原来有个驯养金丝雀的人，让它们在表演时唱歌。然而有天晚上，几个孩子把他养的金丝雀全都放走了，那些金丝雀估计死了一大半，所以现在这些民间艺人都不喜欢孩子们靠近。”
　　“我猜驯蛇人肯定害怕我们会把他的蛇放走，”迪克笑着说，“不管怎么说，谢天谢地我们找到了大篷车。我还以为今晚要在干草堆里睡觉呢！”
　　“我倒是不介意，”乔治说，“我喜欢干草堆。”
　　“我们生堆火做点吃的吧，”朱利安说，“经历了这一切，我有些饿了。”
　　“我不想做饭，”安妮说，“我讨厌民间艺人不友善的样子。他们真愚蠢。”
　　“对，他们自己就像个孩子一样，”朱利安说，“但是有些人做了一些冒犯他们的事情，惹他们生气，因此他们找机会报复。还有在那之后，有人找警察来对付他们，我想他们在那一刻肯定很生气。”
　　“唉，真遗憾，”乔治说，他看到迪克很快就把篝火点着了，“我本来还期待和他们度过一段美好的时光。你觉得那个农夫会介意我们在这里吗？”
　　“哦，我从没想过，”朱利安说，“这里可能不是露营田地。我祈祷明天别有愤怒的农夫朝我们大嚷大叫。”
　　“我的天啊，我们现在距离小溪很远了，”安妮说，“我们在田地的另一侧，现在我们非常需要水。”
　　“今晚我们凑合一点吧，”迪克坚定地说，“我不想让巴法络把我脑袋上的头发削掉，也不想表演绳索逃脱术的那个家伙在我腿上绑上绳子后把我扔来扔去，更不想驯蛇人在我身上放蛇把我缠绕起来。我敢打赌，这些民间艺人会在我们打水的时候盯着我们。那真是太傻了。”
　　大家吃饭的时候都很严肃，所有事情突然变得复杂起来。他们不能拿这种蠢事到警察局去报案，或者说，他们不想去。但是，如果那个农夫想把他们赶出这片田地，他们还能回到最开始露营的地方吗？没人想在四面楚歌的地方生活！
　　朱利安终于开口了：“女孩们，你们别担心。我们会找到解决办法的。咱们很擅长解决问题，永不言败！”
　　“汪汪！”蒂米表示完全赞同。
　　乔治轻轻地拍了拍它，说：“那是你的座右铭之一，对不对，蒂米？”
　　“另外一个座右铭是‘别惊动睡着的狗’，”迪克哈哈大笑，“它不喜欢在休憩的时候被打扰，因为他在梦里追逐着上百万只野兔呢！”
　　“说到休憩，我们回大篷车里睡觉怎么样？”朱利安说着打了个哈欠，“我们今天走了很长的路，我有些累了。我要回到床上躺着读书。”
　　大家都觉得这个主意很棒。清理干净晚餐用具后，女孩们跟男孩们道了晚安，并且带着蒂米回到了大篷车里。
　　“我真希望这个假期不要以失败告终。”安妮边说边爬上了自己的床铺。乔治哼了一声。
　　“失败？你等着瞧吧。我有预感，这个假期会非常棒的。”
Chapter 9 A GREAT SURPRISE
Chapter 9 A GREAT SURPRISE
　　IT didn't seem as if George's feeling that the holiday was going to be 'super' was at all correct the nextmorning. A loud rapping came on the door of the boys' caravan before they were even 37awake!
　　Then a large red face looked in at the window, startling Julian considerably.
　　'Who gave you permission to camp here?' said the face, looking as black as thunder.
　　Julian went to the door in his pyjamas. 'Do you own this field?' he said, politely. 'Well, we werecamping in the next field, and...'
　　'That's let for campers and caravanners,' said the man, who was dressed like a farmer. 'This isn't.'
　　'As I said, we were in the next field,' repeated Julian, 'and for some reason the fair-folk there didn'tlike us - and when we were out they brought our caravans here! As we've no horses to take themaway, we couldn't do anything else but stay!'
　　'Well, you can't stay,' said the farmer. 'I don't let out this field. I use it for my cows. You'll have to gotoday, or I'll put your caravans out into the road.'
　　'Yes, but look here...' began Julian, and then stopped. The farmer had walked off, a determined figurein riding breeches and tweed coat. The girls opened their window and called to Julian.
　　'We heard what he said. Isn't he mean? Now what are we going to do?'
　　'We're going to get up and have breakfast,' said Julian. 'And then I'm going to give the fair-folk onemore chance - they'll have to lend us two horses - the two they used yesterday to pull our vans! - andpull us back into our rightful place. Otherwise I very much fear I shall have to get help from thepolice!'
　　'Oh, dear,' said Anne. 'I do hate this kind of thing. We were having such a lovely time before the fairpeople arrived. But it seems quite impossible to get them to be friends with us.'
　　'Quite,' said Julian. 'I'm not so sure I want to be friendly now, either. I'd rather give up this holidayaltogether and go back home than have continual trouble going on round us! Dick and I will go andtackle the fair-folk after breakfast.'
　　Breakfast was just as solemn as supper had been. Julian was rather silent. He was thinking what wasbest to say to the sullen folk in the next field.
　　'You must take Timmy with you,' said George, voicing the thoughts of everyone.
　　Julian and Dick set off with Timmy about half past eight. All the fair people were up and about, andthe smoke of their fires rose up in the morning air.
　　Julian thought he would go and tackle the fire-eater, so the two boys went towards his caravan.
　　The other fair people looked up, and one by one left their vans or their fires and closed round theboys. Timmy bared his teeth and growled.
　　38
　　'Mr. Alfredo,' began Julian, 'the farmer is turning us out of that field. We must come back here.
　　We want you to lend us two horses for our vans.'
　　A ripple of laughter spread through the listening people. Mr. Alfredo answered politely, with a largesmile on his face. 'What a pity! We don't hire out our horses!'
　　'I don't want to hire them from you,' said Julian, patiently. 'It's up to you to let us have them to bringback our vans. Otherwise - well, I shall have to go and ask the police for help. Those caravans don'tbelong to us, you know.'
　　There was an angry murmur from the listening crowd. Timmy growled more loudly. One or two ofthe fair-folk stepped back hurriedly when they heard him.
　　CRACK! Julian turned quickly. The fair people ran back, and the two boys found that they werefacing Bufflo, who, with a large and unpleasant grin on his face, was swinging his whip in his hand.
　　CRACK! Julian jumped violently, for a few hairs from the top of his head were suddenly whisked offinto the air - the end of the lash had neatly cut them away!
　　The crowd laughed loudly. Timmy bared his white teeth, and snarled.
　　Dick put his hand down on the dog's collar. 'Do that again and I shan't be able to hold the dog!'
　　he called, warningly.
　　Julian stood there, at a loss to know what to do next. He couldn't bear turning tail and going off to theaccompaniment of jeers and howls. He was so full of rage that he couldn't say a word.
　　And then something happened. Something so utterly unexpected that nobody did anything at allexcept let it happen!
　　A boyish figure came running up the grassy hillside - someone very like George, with short curly hairand a very freckled face - someone dressed, however, in a short grey skirt, and not in shorts, likeGeorge.
　　She came racing up, yelling at the top of her voice. 'Dick! DICK! Hey, DICK!'
　　Dick turned and stared in amazement.
　　'Why - it's Jo! JO! The gypsy girl who once got mixed up with us in an adventure! Julian, it's Jo!'
　　There was no doubt about it at all. It was Jo! She came tearing up, her face glowing with the utmostdelight and flung herself excitedly on Dick. She had always liked him best.
　　'Dick! I didn't know you were here! Julian! Are the others here too? Oh, Timmy, dear old Timmy!
　　Dick, are you camping here? Oh, this is really too marvellous to be true!'
　　39
　　Jo seemed to be about to fling herself on Dick again, and he fended her off. 'Jo! Where in the worldhave you come from?'
　　'Well, you see,' said Jo, 'I've got school holidays like you - and I thought I'd go and visit you at KirrinCottage. So I did. But you had all gone away together. That was yesterday.'
　　'Go on,' said Dick, as Jo stopped, out of breath.
　　'Well, I didn't want to go back home again straight away,' said Jo. 'So I thought I'd pay a visit to myuncle - he's my mother's brother - and I knew he was camping here so I hitch-hiked all the wayyesterday, and came late last night.'
　　'Well, I'm blessed,' said Julian. 'And who is your uncle, may I ask?'
　　'Oh Alfredo - the Fire-Eater,' was Jo's astonishing reply. 'Didn't you know? Oh, Dick! Oh, Julian!
　　Can I stay here while you're here? Do, DO say I can! You haven't forgotten me, have you?'
　　'Of course not,' said Dick, thinking that nobody could possibly forget this wild little gypsy girl, withher mad ways and her staunch affection.
　　Then for the first time Jo realized that something was going on! What was this crowd doing roundJulian and Dick?
　　She looked round, and immediately sensed that the fair people were not friendly to the two boys- although the main expression on their faces now was one of astonishment!
　　'How did Jo know these boys?' they wondered. How was it she was so very friendly with them?
　　They were puzzled and suspicious.
　　'Uncle Alfredo, where are you?' demanded Jo, looking all round. 'Oh, there you are! Uncle, these aremy very best friends - and so are the girls too, wherever they are. I'll tell you all about them, and hownice they were to me! I'll tell everybody!'
　　'Well,' said Julian, feeling rather embarrassed at what Jo might reveal, 'well, you tell them, Jo, and I'lljust pop back and break the news to George and Anne. They will be surprised to find you are here -and that Alfredo is your uncle!'
　　The two boys and Timmy turned to go. The little crowd opened to let them pass. It closed up againround the excited Jo, whose high voice the boys could hear all the way across the field.
　　'Well, well, well!' said Dick, as they got through the hedge. 'What an astonishing thing! I couldn'tbelieve my eyes when young Jo appeared, could you? I hope George won't mind. She was alwaysrather jealous of Jo and the things she could do.'
　　The two girls were amazed at the boys' news. George was not too pleased. She preferred Jo at a 40distance rather than near. She liked and admired her but rather unwillingly. Jo was too like Georgeherself for George to give her complete friendliness!
　　'Well, fancy Jo, Jo herself being here!' said Anne, smiling. 'Oh, Julian - it was a good thing shearrived when she did! I don't like that bit about Bufflo cracking his whip at you. He might have madeyou bald on the top!'
　　'Oh, it was only a few hairs,' said Julian. 'But it gave me quite a shock. And I think it gave the fairpeople a shock too when Jo arrived like a little hurricane, yelling at the top of her voice, and flingingherself on poor old Dick. She almost knocked him over!'
　　'She's not a bad kid,' said Dick, 'but she never stops to think. I wonder if the people she stays withknow where she's gone. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she just disappeared without a word.'
　　'Like the two scientists,' said Julian, with a grin. 'Gosh, I can't get over it! Jo was the very last personI would expect here.'
　　'Well, not really, if you think a bit,' said Anne. 'Her father is a gypsy, isn't he - and her mother was ina circus, she told us so. She trained dogs, don't you remember, Julian? So it's quite natural for Jo tohave relations like the fair people. But just fancy having a fire-eater for an uncle!'
　　'Yes - I'd forgotten that Jo's mother was in a circus,' said Julian. 'I expect she's got peculiar relationsall over the country! I wonder what she's telling them about us.'
　　'She's singing Dick's praises anyway,' said George. 'She always thought the world of Dick.
　　Perhaps the fair people won't be quite so unfriendly if they know that Jo is fond of us.'
　　'Well, we're in a bit of a fix,' said Dick. 'We can't stay in this field, or the farmer will be after us again- and I can't see the fair people lending us their horses - and without horses we can't leave this field!'
　　'We could ask the farmer to lend us his horses,' suggested Anne.
　　'We'd have to pay him, though, and I don't see why we should,' said Julian. 'After all, it isn't our faultthat our caravans were moved here.'
　　'I think this is a horrid and unfriendly place,' said Anne. 'And I don't want to stay here another day.
　　I'm not enjoying it a bit.'
　　'Cheer up!' said Dick. 'Never say die!'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy.
　　'Look - someone's coming through that gap in the hedge down there by the lane,' said George,pointing. 'It's Jo!'
　　41
　　'Yes - and my goodness me, she's got a couple of horses with her!' cried Dick. 'Good old Jo!
　　She's got Alfredo's horses!'
9.意外之喜
　　意外之喜
　　乔治所说的“棒”并没有在第二天早上得到验证。男孩们还没起床，就被一阵重重的敲门声吵醒了！
　　一张红色的大脸庞从窗户向内看，着实把朱利安吓了一跳。
　　“谁允许你们在这里露营？”窗外的那个人说。他的脸看起来像红色的闪电。
　　朱利安穿着睡衣去应门。“这片田地是您的吗？”他礼貌地说，“我们本来在旁边的那片田地露营，而且……”
　　“那片田地才是露营的地方，”门外穿着像农夫的男人说，“这里不是。”
　　“我刚才说了，我们本来就在旁边的田地里露营，”朱利安重复了一遍自己说的话，“但是不知道什么原因，那些民间艺人并不喜欢我们，而且当我们回来时发现大篷车被拉到了这里！但是我们没有马把它们拉走，所以我只能暂时待在这里！”
　　“不管怎样，你们不能待在这里，”农夫说，“这片土地不允许有外人出入，我在这里养牛。你们必须今天走，否则我会把你们的大篷车放在路上。”
　　“行，但是您看……”朱利安刚准备说些什么，这个身穿粗呢外套和马裤的农夫就走开了。这时，女孩们打开窗户招呼男孩们。
　　“我们听到他说的了。他真过分，现在我们该怎么办？”
　　“我们该起来准备早餐了，”朱利安说，“然后我再给民间艺人们一次机会，让他们借我们两匹马，就是昨天把我们大篷车拉走的那两匹！让它们再把我们的大篷车拉到原来的位置上。否则我就要找警察帮忙了！”
　　“哦，亲爱的，”安妮说，“我很不喜欢发生这样的事情。在他们来之前，我们度过了一段美好的时光。但是看起来很难和他们成为朋友。”
　　“别说了，”朱利安说，“现在我也不确定自己能不能表现得很友好。我宁愿终止这次假期，赶快回家，也不想再被这些麻烦折磨！
　　迪克和我吃完早餐就去找民间艺人沟通。”
　　早餐和昨晚晚餐的气氛一样沉闷，朱利安尤为沉默。他在想着对临近田地的民间艺人说些什么好。“你得带上蒂米。”乔治说出了每个人的想法。
　　早上八点半，朱利安和迪克带上蒂米出发了。所有的民间艺人都已经起床做饭了，田野上升起了袅袅炊烟。
　　朱利安打算去找吞火表演者理论，因此两个男孩来到了他的大篷车前。其他的民间艺人看到这一幕，纷纷从大篷车里或篝火旁走过来，将两个男孩紧紧地围住。蒂米露出它的尖牙并低声吼叫。
　　“阿尔佛雷多先生，”朱利安说，“那个农夫要把我们赶出旁边的那处田地，我们必须回到这里来。我希望您能借我们两匹马把我们的大篷车拉回来。”
　　周围的人群中顿时爆发出一阵笑声。阿尔佛雷多先生脸上露出了微笑，他礼貌地说：“真遗憾！我们的马不外借！”
　　“我没想让您借我们马，”朱利安耐心地说，“让不让我们用马把大篷车拉回来取决于您。如果不行，我就找警察来帮忙。您也知道，那些大篷车并不属于我们。”
　　人群中传出一阵气愤的抱怨声。此时蒂米的叫声更大了。其中一两个人听到后急忙向后退了两步。
　　“啪！”朱利安闻声急忙转身。周围的人纷纷向回跑，此时，两个男孩发现他们面前站着巴法络，他的脸上挤出苦笑，手里摇晃着鞭子。
　　“啪！”朱利安猛然跳了起来，因为他的几缕头发突然脱离了头顶，飘到了空中——鞭子的末端把它们齐刷刷地削掉了！
　　人群中爆发出一阵笑声。蒂米露出白牙并咆哮了起来。
　　迪克把手放在蒂米的项圈上。“如果你们再这样，我就要放狗了！”他警告大家说。
　　朱利安怔怔地站在原地，不知如何是好。他恨不得从周围人群的嘲笑声中逃走，气愤得连一个字都说不出来。
　　随后，让每个人出乎意料的事情发生了，真是猝不及防！
　　一个酷似男孩子的身影跑上绿草茵茵的山腰，远远看上去长得很像乔治。这个人一头短短的鬈发，脸上长满了雀斑，但是身上却穿着一件灰色的短裙，而不像乔治那样穿了一条牛仔裤。
　　她朝大家飞奔过来，大声喊着：“迪克！迪克！嘿，迪克！”
　　迪克转过身，惊讶地盯着她看。
　　“什么？是琼！琼！就是有一次跟我们一起冒险的那个吉卜赛女孩！朱利安，她是琼！”
　　琼沿路飞奔过来，兴奋得满脸通红，激动地向迪克挥着手。她非常喜欢迪克。
　　“迪克！我不知道你在这儿！朱利安！其他人也在这儿吗？哦，蒂米，亲爱的蒂米！迪克，你在这里露营吗？喔，这一切真让我喜出望外！”
　　琼看起来要再次奔向迪克，却被他挡住了：“琼！你从哪里过来的？”
　　“你说呢，”琼说，“我跟你一样，学校放假了，我本来想着去科林庄园拜访你。等到了我才发现，你们一起出去玩了。就是昨天的事。”
　　琼停下来喘了口气。
　　“然后呢？”迪克问。
　　“然后我不想直接回家，”琼说，“就去拜访叔叔。得知他在这里露营，因此我昨天搭了一路的便车，晚上才到这里。”
　　“哦，辛苦你了。”朱利安说，“我能问问你叔叔是谁吗？”
　　“阿尔佛雷多，那个吞火表演者。”琼吃惊地回答道，“你不知道他吗？哦，迪克！哦，朱利安！我能和你们一起在这露营吗？一定要说行！你们还记得我吧？”
　　“当然记得。”迪克说。谁都无法忘记这个狂野的小姑娘，她是如此的疯狂，却又是如此的忠诚善良。
　　这时，琼才反应过来这里正有大事发生！这么多人围着朱利安和迪克在做什么？
　　她环顾四周，立刻发现周围这群人看起来对朱利安和迪克并不友好。但是大家现在的表情都变成了惊愕。
　　大家不解的是：琼是怎么认识这些男孩的？她怎么和这些男孩这么友好？这让大家感到匪夷所思。
　　“阿尔佛雷多叔叔，您在哪儿？”琼望着人群说，“哦，您在这儿！叔叔，他们是我最好的朋友，那些女孩也是，她们在哪儿？她们对我很好！我会告诉大家的！”
　　“好吧，”朱利安说，他听完琼的话有些不好意思，“琼，你跟他们聊，我赶回去把这个消息告诉乔治和安妮。她们肯定想不到你会在这里，而且她们得知阿尔佛雷多是你叔叔这个消息，一定会大吃一惊的。”
　　两个男孩带着蒂米转身离开。周围的人群给他们让开一条路，随后又围拢过来。待男孩们走远了，他们甚至还能听到琼在人群中兴奋交谈的声音。
　　“你瞧瞧，你瞧瞧！”当他们走到树篱那儿时，迪克说，“这事儿真神奇！看到琼时，我都不敢相信自己的眼睛，你呢？我希望乔治别介意。她总是嫉妒琼的交际能力。”
　　两个女孩听到男孩子带回的消息后大吃一惊。乔治并不开心，她希望琼离他们越远越好。其实，乔治喜欢琼，也欣赏琼，只是不愿承认而已。而且，琼实在是和乔治太像了，以至她很难敞开心扉和琼交朋友。
　　“喔，真棒，琼在这儿！”安妮笑着说，“哦，朱利安，她的到来真是一件好事！我看不惯巴法络用鞭子抽你的头发。他会让你的头顶变秃的！”
　　“哦，只不过是几缕头发而已，”朱利安说，“但是着实吓了我一跳。而且我觉得她的不期而至也让那些民间艺人很震惊，她高声叫喊着朝我们奔过来，直接撞向了可怜的迪克。她几乎要把他撞倒了！”
　　“她不坏，”迪克说，“但是她从不会停下来思考。我怀疑跟她在一起的人都不知道她去了哪里。如果她哪天悄然消失了，我一点都不会觉得惊讶。”
　　“就像那两个科学家一样。”朱利安笑着说，“天哪，我到现在还没有回过神来！她是我在这儿最想见到的人。”
　　“也不好说，你想想，”安妮说，“她父亲是个吉卜赛人，她母亲在马戏团工作，这些都是琼跟我们说的。琼驯养狗，朱利安，你还记得吗？所以说琼和那些民间艺人有联系再自然不过了。不过能有个表演吞火把戏的叔叔真酷！”
　　“对，我都忘了她母亲在马戏团里工作，”朱利安说，“我猜她和全国的人都有特殊的联系！我很好奇她对那些人说了些什么。”
　　“她到处向人夸赞迪克，”乔治说，“她一直惦记着迪克。如果那些民间艺人知道琼喜欢我们的话，也许对我们就不会这么不友善了。”
　　“好吧，我们被坑了，”迪克说，“我们没法待在这片田地里，那个农夫还是会把我们赶出去的。但是那些民间艺人也没有把马借给我们，没有马我们没法离开这里！”
　　“我们可以向农夫借马。”安妮说。
　　“估计要付给他钱，但是这样做毫无道理，”朱利安说，“毕竟，大篷车被拉到这里并不是我们的错。”
　　“这里是个可怕又排外的地方，”安妮说，“我一天都不想待了，我一点都不喜欢这里。”
　　“振作起来！”迪克说，“别轻言放弃！”
　　“汪汪！”蒂米闻声叫道。
　　“你们看，有人从车道旁边那片树篱的缺口处走过来了，”乔治指着远处的树篱说，“是琼！”
　　“对，我的天哪，她带来了两匹马！”迪克激动地说，“琼，好样的！她把阿尔佛雷多的马带过来了！”
Chapter 10 BACK WITH THE FAIR-FOLK AGAIN
Chapter 10 BACK WITH THE FAIR-FOLK AGAIN
　　THE four of them, with Timmy capering behind, ran to meet Jo. She beamed at everyone.
　　'Hallo, Anne, hallo, George! Pleased to meet you again! This isn't half a surprise!'
　　'Jo! How did you get those horses?' said Dick, taking one by the bridle.
　　'Easy,' grinned Jo. 'I just told Uncle Fredo all about you - what wonders you were - and all you didfor me - and wasn't I shocked when I heard they'd turned you out of your field! I let go then!
　　I told them just what I thought of them, treating my best friends like that!'
　　'Did you really, Jo?' said George, doubtfully.
　　'Didn't you hear me?' demanded Jo. 'I yelled like anything at Uncle Fredo, and then his wife, my AuntAnita, she yelled at him too - and then we both yelled at everyone.'
　　'It must have been quite a yelling match,' said Julian. 'And the result was that you got your way, andgot the horses to take back our caravans, Jo?'
　　'Well, when Aunt Anita told me they'd taken your caravans into the next field and left them there, andwouldn't lend you horses to bring them back, I told them all a few things,' said Jo. 'I said - no, I'dbetter not tell you what I said. I wasn't very polite.'
　　'I bet you weren't' said Dick, who had already had a little experience of Jo's wild tongue the yearbefore.
　　'And when I told them how my father went to prison, and you got me a home with somebody nicewho looks after me, they were sorry they'd treated you roughly,' said Jo. 'And so I told Uncle Fredo Iwas going to catch two horses and bring your caravans back into the field again.'
　　'I see,' said Julian. 'And the fair-folk just let you?'
　　'Oh, yes,' said Jo. 'So let's hitch them in, Julian, and go back at once. Isn't that the farmer coming overthere?'
　　It was, and he looked pretty grim. Julian hurriedly put one horse into the shafts of the girls'
　　caravan, and Dick backed the other horse into the shafts of the second caravan. The farmer came 42up and watched.
　　'So you thought you'd get horses after all, did you?' he said. 'I thought you would telling me a lot ofpoppycock about being stranded here and not being able to get away!'
　　'Grrrrrrrr,' said Timmy at once, but he was the only one who made any reply!
　　'Gee-up!' said Jo, taking the reins of the horse pulling the girls' caravan. 'Hup there! Git along, willyou?'
　　The horse got along, and Jo wickedly drove him so near to the farmer that he had to move back in ahurry. He growled something at her. Timmy, appearing round the caravan, growled back.
　　The farmer stood back further, and watched the two caravans going down the hillside, out throughthe wide gap in the hedge, and down the lane.
　　They came to the field-gate and Anne opened it. In went the horses, straining now, because they weregoing uphill, and the vans were heavy. At last they arrived in the corner where the vans had stoodbefore. Julian backed them over the same bit of ground.
　　He unhitched the horses, and threw the reins of the second horse to Dick. 'We'll take them backourselves,' he said.
　　So the two boys walked the horses over to Alfredo, who was pegging up some washing on a line.
　　It seemed a most unsuitable thing for a fire-eater to do, but Alfredo didn't seem to mind.
　　'Mr. Alfredo, thank you for lending us the horses,' said Julian, in his politest tones. 'Shall we tie themup anywhere, or set them loose?'
　　Alfredo turned round, and took some pegs out of his large mouth. He looked rather ashamed.
　　'Set them loose,' he said. He hesitated before he put the pegs back into his mouth. 'We didn't knowyou were friends with my niece,' he said. 'She told us all about you. You should have told us youknew her.'
　　'And how could he do that when he didn't know she was your niece?' shouted Mrs. Alfredo from thecaravan door. 'Fredo, you have no brains, not a single brain do you have. Ahhhhhh! Now you dropmy best blouse on the ground!'
　　She ran out at top speed, and Alfredo stared in alarm. Fortunately she had no saucepan with her thistime. She turned to the two amused boys.
　　'Alfredo is sorry he took your caravans away,' she said, 'are you not, Fredo?'
　　'Well! It was you who...' began Alfredo, with a look of astonishment. But he wasn't allowed to finish.
　　His dark little wife gave him a violent nudge, and spoke again herself, her words tumbling 43over one another.
　　'Pay no attention to this big bad man! He has no brains. He can only eat fire, and that is a poor thingto do! Now Jo, she has brains. Now, are you not glad that you are back again in your corner?'
　　'I should have felt gladder if you had all been friendly to us,' said Julian. 'I'm afraid we don't feel likestopping here any longer, though. We shall probably leave tomorrow.'
　　'Now there, Fredo, see what you have done! You have chased away these nice children!' cried Mrs.
　　Alfredo. 'They have manners, these boys, a thing you know nothing about, Fredo. You should learnfrom them, Fredo, you should...'
　　Fredo took some pegs from his mouth to make an indignant answer, but his wife suddenly gave ashriek and ran to her caravan. 'Something burns! Something burns!'
　　Alfredo gave a hearty laugh, a loud guffaw that surprised the boys. 'Ha! She bakes today, and burnsher cake! She has no brains, that woman! No brains at all!'
　　Julian and Dick turned to go. Alfredo spoke to them in a low voice. 'You can stay here now, here inthis field. You are Jo's friend. That is enough for us.'
　　'It may be,' said Julian. 'But it's not quite enough for us, I'm afraid. We shall leave tomorrow.'
　　The boys went back to the caravans. Jo sat on the grass with George and Anne, eagerly telling themof her life with a very nice family. 'But they won't let me wear shorts or be a boy,' she ended sadly.
　　'That's why I wear a skirt now. Could you lend me some shorts, George?'
　　'No, I couldn't,' said George, firmly. Jo was quite enough like her as it was, without wearing shorts!
　　'Well, you seem to have turned over a new leaf, Jo. Can you read and write yet?'
　　'Almost,' said Jo, and turned her eyes away. She found lessons very difficult, for she had never beento school when she lived with her gypsy father. She looked back again with bright eyes.
　　'Can I stay with you?' she said. 'My foster-mother would let me, I know - if it was you I was with.'
　　'Didn't you tell her you were coming here?' said Dick. 'That was unkind, Jo.'
　　'I never thought,' said Jo. 'You send her a card for me, Dick.'
　　'Send one yourself,' said George at once. 'You said you could write.'
　　Jo took no notice of that remark. 'Can I stay with you?' she said. 'I won't sleep in the caravans, I'lldoss down underneath. I always did that when the weather was fine, and I lived with my Dad in hiscaravan. It would be a change for me now not to live in a house. I like lots of things in 44houses, though I never thought I would - but I shall always like sleeping rough best.'
　　'Well - you could stay here with us, if we were going to stay,' said Julian. 'But I don't much feelinclined to, now we've had such an unfriendly welcome from everyone.'
　　'I'll tell everyone to be kind to you,' said Jo at once, and got up as if she meant to go then and there toforce everyone into kindness!
　　Dick pushed her down. 'No. We'll stay here one more day and night, and make up our mindstomorrow. What do you say, Julian?'
　　'Right,' said Julian. He looked at his watch. 'Let's go and celebrate Jo's coming with a few ice-creams.
　　And I expect you two girls have got some shopping to do, haven't you?'
　　'Yes,' said Anne, and fetched the shopping bags. They set off down the hill, the five of them andTimmy. As they passed the snake-man he called out cheerily to them: 'Good morning! Nice day, isn'tit?'
　　After the surliness and sulkiness the children had got from the fair-folk up till then, this came as asurprise. Anne smiled, but the boys and George merely nodded and passed by. They were not soforgiving as Anne!
　　They passed the rubber-man, bringing back water. Behind him came the rope-man. Both of themnodded to the children, and the sad-looking rubber-man actually gave a brief grin.
　　Then they saw Bufflo, practising with his whip - crack-crack-crack! He came over to them. 'If you'dlike a crack with my whip, you're welcome any time,' he said to Julian.
　　'Thanks,' said Julian, politely but stiffly. 'But we're probably leaving tomorrow.'
　　'Keep your hair on!' said Bufflo, feeling snubbed.
　　'I would if you'd let me,' said Julian at once, rubbing his hand over the top of his head where Bufflohad stripped off a few up-standing hairs.
　　'Ho, ho!' guffawed Bufflo and then stopped abruptly, afraid he had given offence. Julian grinned athim. He rather liked Bufflo, with his mop of yellow hair and lazy drawl.
　　'You stay on with us,' said Bufflo. 'I'll lend you a whip.'
　　'We're probably leaving tomorrow,' repeated Julian. He nodded to him, and went on with the others.
　　'I'm beginning to feel I'd rather like to stay after all,' said George. 'It makes such a difference if peopleare friendly.'
　　'Well, we're not staying,' said Julian, shortly. 'I've practically made up my mind - but we'll just 45wait till tomorrow. It's a - a matter of pride with me. You girls don't understand quite how I feel aboutthe whole thing.'
　　They didn't. Dick understood, though, and he agreed with Julian. They went on down to the villageand made their way to the ice-cream shop.
　　They had a very pleasant day. They had a wonderful lunch on the grass by their caravans - and totheir surprise Mrs. Alfredo presented them with a sponge sandwich she had made. Anne thanked hervery much indeed to make up for a certain stiffness in the thanks of the two boys.
　　'You might have said a bit more,' she said reproachfully to them. 'She really is a kind little woman.
　　Honestly I wouldn't mind staying on now.'
　　But Julian was curiously obstinate about it. He shook his head. 'We go tomorrow,' he said.
　　'Unless something unexpected happens to make us stay. And it won't.'
　　But Julian was quite wrong. Something unexpected did happen. Something really very peculiarindeed.
10.如愿以偿
　　如愿以偿
　　蒂米活蹦乱跳地跟在他们四个人身后跑过去迎接琼。琼朝大家微笑着。
　　“嘿，安妮！嘿，乔治！很高兴能再次看到你们！真是意外之喜！”
　　“琼！你是怎么把这些马弄来的？”迪克边说边握住一匹马的缰绳。
　　“小菜一碟，”琼笑着说，“我把你的事全和叔叔说了，说你们有多厉害，还有你们为我做过的所有的事情。听说他们把你们赶出那片田地时，我特别震惊！我跟他们说了我的感受，他们竟然这样对待我最好的朋友！”
　　“你是这样说的吗？”乔治怀疑道。
　　“你刚才没听见吗？”琼问道，“我拼命地向叔叔大呼大叫，然后她老婆，也就是我的安妮塔婶婶，也向他大呼大叫，之后我们两个一起朝着大家叫喊。”
　　“听起来像是经历了一场呐喊比赛，”朱利安说，“结果就是你赢了，然后带回了马把我们的大篷车拉走，是这样吗，琼？”
　　“当安妮塔婶婶跟我说：‘如果他们把你朋友们的大篷车拉到旁边那片田地，而且不借你们马把它们拉回来，我就和他们对峙。’”琼说，“我说……算了，你们最好不要知道我说了些什么，我的话并不怎么好听。”
　　“我猜也很难听。”迪克说。几年前他就领教过琼的唇枪舌剑。
　　“我跟大家说，当我爸爸进监狱的时候，是你们给了我一个家，无微不至地照顾我。他们对自己粗鲁的行为表示抱歉，”琼说，“所以我就告诉叔叔，我打算带两匹马过来把你们的大篷车拉回原来的地方。”
　　“明白了，”朱利安说，“那些民间艺人就这么让你走了？”
　　“是的，”琼说，“朱利安，我们把马儿套在大篷车上，赶紧拉回去。那个农夫是不是朝这边来了？”
　　走过来的确实是农夫，他一脸冷酷。朱利安赶紧将马拴在女孩们的大篷车轴上，迪克把另外一匹马拴在了男孩们的大篷车轴上。
　　那个农夫走过来注视着他们。
　　“你们终究还是找到马了，不是吗？”农夫说，“我本来也觉得你们可以的，还让我讲了一堆废话！”
　　“汪！”蒂米立刻叫了一声。只有它回应了农夫的话！
　　“驾！”琼拽着缰绳，“走！往前走，明白吗？”
　　马儿开始往前走，琼故意让马靠近农夫，使得他不得不立刻后退了几步。他向琼咆哮了几句。蒂米在大篷车旁闻声叫了起来。农夫随即又向后退了几步，注视着马拉着大篷车沿着山腰向下移动，穿过树篱间的大缺口，一直走到了车道处。
　　他们来到了田地门口，安妮打开了大门。大篷车很重，马沿着上坡前行的过程中，缰绳一直紧绷着。最终，他们到达了之前停放大篷车的角落，朱利安把两辆大篷车停放在了原来的位置上。
　　他把马身上的绳套解下来，并且把另外一匹马的缰绳扔给了迪克。“我们把它们牵回去。”朱利安说。
　　两个男孩把马牵到了阿尔佛雷多的面前，此时他正在晾衣服。
　　这件事似乎并不适合他这个吞火表演者来做，但是他看上去一点都不在意。
　　“阿尔佛雷多先生，谢谢您把马借给我们，”朱利安礼貌地说，“需不需要我把它们拴起来？”
　　阿尔佛雷多转过身，他的大嘴巴里吐出来几枚晒衣夹，看起来有些不好意思。
　　“不需要拴起来。”他说道。当他把晒衣夹放回嘴里时犹豫了一下。“我不知道你们是我侄女的朋友，”他说，“她把关于你们的一切都告诉了我们。你们早该告诉我说你们互相认识。”
　　“就算不知道琼是你侄女的事情，你们也不能这么做！”阿尔佛雷多的妻子站在大篷车门口喊道，“阿尔佛雷多，你真蠢，一点脑子都没有。啊！现在你又把我最喜欢的衬衫弄到地上了！”
　　她飞快地冲出来，阿尔佛雷多惊恐地看着她。幸运的是，这次她并没有拿平底锅。随即，她转向两个在笑的男孩：“很抱歉，阿尔佛雷多把你们的大篷车移走了。”她说，“对不对，阿尔佛雷多？”
　　“喂！还不是因为你……”阿尔佛雷多惊恐地看了他妻子一眼。
　　但是，还没等他说完，就被她打断了。他娇小的黑皮肤妻子用力地推了他一把，随后像连珠炮一样对他的话予以回击。
　　“别理会这个傻大个儿！他没脑子。他只会表演吞火，也不赚钱！琼很懂事。现在你们回到原来的地方了，不开心吗？”
　　“要是你们一直这么友善，我们会很开心的。”朱利安说，“我们不想在这儿停留了，可能明天就离开。”
　　“阿尔佛雷多，看你做的好事！你把这些可爱的孩子赶跑了！”阿尔佛雷多的妻子叫道，“这些孩子很有礼貌，阿尔佛雷多，你根本不知道什么叫礼貌。你应该跟他们学学，你应该……”
　　阿尔佛雷多吐出了几枚晒衣夹之后，愤怒地说了些什么，他的妻子听到后吃了一惊，立即跑向了大篷车，嘴里喊着：“有东西烧焦了！有东西烧焦了！”
　　阿尔佛雷多会心地大笑起来，突如其来的狂笑让男孩们吃了一惊。“哈哈！她把蛋糕烤糊了！她没脑子！那个女人根本就没脑子！”
　　朱利安和迪克转身离开了。阿尔佛雷多低声跟他们说：“你们现在可以留在这片田地里。你们是琼的朋友。这对我们来说理由足够充分了。”
　　“对你们来说可能是，”朱利安说，“但恐怕对我们来说不是。我们明天就离开了。”
　　两个男孩回到了他们的大篷车那里。琼正坐在草地上，兴奋地跟乔治和安妮讲述着自己与一户不错的人家度过的美好时光。“但是他们不让我穿牛仔裤或者打扮成男孩的样子，”她最后难过地说，“这就是为什么我今天穿短裙的原因，乔治，你能借我几条牛仔裤吗？”
　　“不行，”乔治坚定地说。琼穿牛仔裤看起来和乔治一模一样！“琼，你似乎已经开始了新的人生，你现在能读书写字吗？”
　　“基本可以。”琼说着把视线转向了别处。她和父亲一起生活的时候，从未上过学，因此她觉得课程很难。随后，她又把头转过来，眨着两只明亮的眼睛。“我能和你们待在一起吗？”她说，“我的养母要是知道我跟你们在一起的话，她会同意的。”
　　“你没告诉她，你来这里了吗？”迪克说，“琼，这样很不礼貌。”
　　“我没想着要告诉她，”琼说，“迪克，你帮我给她写张明信片吧。”
　　“你自己写，”乔治立刻说，“你说你会写字。”
　　琼并没有理会。“我能和你们待在一起吗？”她说，“我不会睡在大篷车里，我可以在车下边凑合一下。之前我和父亲住在他的大篷车里，每当天气好的时候，我都会这样做。我喜欢房子里的很多东西，都是我从来没拥有过的，但是我就喜欢在粗糙的地方睡觉！”
　　“好吧，如果我们打算留在这里的话，你可以和我们待在一起。”朱利安说，“但是我们并没有打算留在这里，我们在这里并不受欢迎。”
　　“我会跟大家说你们的好。”琼立刻说。她站了起来，看上去好像打算去找那些人，并且迫使他们对待这四个朋友友善一些！
　　迪克拉住了她说：“不用了。我们在这里再待一天一夜，然后明天再决定。朱利安，你怎么看？”
　　“好的，”朱利安看了下手表说，“我们去吃冰激凌，庆祝一下琼的到来。而且我猜你们两个女孩子打算去购物，是不是？”
　　“对。”安妮说。她起身去取购物袋。随后，他们五个人带着蒂米起身向山下走去。当他们经过驯蛇人旁边时，听到了驯蛇人跟他们欢快地打招呼：“早上好！天气不错，是不是？”
　　习惯了民间艺人们粗鲁和沉闷的态度，他们对驯蛇人突如其来的友好有些不适应。安妮朝他笑了笑，但是男孩们和乔治点了点头就过去了，他们并没有安妮那样容易原谅别人。
　　他们碰到了打水回来的橡胶人，他身后是表演绳索逃脱术的那个人。他们两个人都朝孩子们点了点头，而且面容忧伤的橡胶人立马露出了笑容。
　　随后，他们看到了巴法络，他正在练习甩鞭子。“啪，啪，啪！”他朝他们走了过来。“如果你想抽一下我的鞭子，我随时欢迎。”他对朱利安说。
　　“谢谢，”朱利安礼貌但面无表情地说，“我们可能明天就离开了。”
　　“别生气！”巴法络感觉到了朱利安的疏远。
　　“你别让我生气就行了。”朱利安立刻说道。他揉了揉自己被巴法络削掉了几缕头发的头顶。
　　“哈哈！”巴法络大笑起来，但是笑声立马戛然而止，他担心冒犯到朱利安。朱利安朝他咧嘴笑了笑，他乱蓬蓬的黄头发和慢吞吞的说话方式都与巴法络很像。
　　“你们和我们待在一起，”巴法络说，“我会借你一条鞭子。”
　　“我们可能明天就离开了。”朱利安回答说。他朝巴法络点点头，随后和其他人一起走了。
　　“我现在觉得更想和他们待在一起。”乔治说，“大家都表现出了友善，跟之前一点都不一样了。”
　　“算了，我们不留在这里了，”朱利安利落地说，“我已经决定好了，明天我们就离开。这对我来说是关于尊严的问题，你们女孩子是不会明白我对整件事情的看法的。”
　　她们不明白，但是迪克明白，他同意朱利安的话。他们沿路往下来到了村庄里，向冰激凌店走去。
　　他们度过了非常快乐的一天。大家在大篷车旁的草地上享用了一顿美味的午餐。让他们意想不到的是，阿尔佛雷多的妻子送给了他们一块亲自做的海绵蛋糕。安妮真诚地对她表示感谢，以此弥补男孩们生硬的回应。
　　“你们应该多说一点，”安妮责备他们说，“她确实是一个友善的女人。说实话，我现在并不介意待在这儿。”
　　然而朱利安出奇的固执。他摇了摇头。“我们明天离开，”他说，“除非有意外情况发生，我们不得不待在这儿。不过应该不会发生意外的。”
　　但是朱利安大错特错了。接下来确实发生了一些意想不到的事情，而且是相当特别的事情。
Chapter 11 A VERY STRANGE THING
Chapter 11 A VERY STRANGE THING
　　THE unexpected happening came that evening after tea. They had all had rather a late tea, and a verynice one. Bread and butter and honey - new doughnuts from the dairy - and the sponge-cake that Mrs.
　　Alfredo had presented them with, which had a very rich filling indeed.
　　'I can't eat a thing more,' said George, 'that spongecake was too rich for words. I don't even feel as if Ican get up and clear away - so don't start suggesting it, Anne.'
　　'I'm not,' said Anne. 'There's plenty of time. It's a heavenly evening - let's sit for a while. There goesthat blackbird again. He has a different tune every time he sings.'
　　'That's what I like about blackbirds,' said Dick, lazily. 'They're proper composers. They make up theirown tunes - not like the chaffinch who just carols the same old song again and again and again.
　　Honestly there was one this morning that said it fifty times without stopping.'
　　'Chip-chip-chip, cherry-erry-erry, chippee-OO-EE-Ar!' shouted a chaffinch, rattling it all off as if hehad learnt it by heart. 'Chip-chip-chip...'
　　'There he goes again,' said Dick. 'If he doesn't say that, he shouts pink-pink-pink as if he'd got 46that colour on the brain. Look at him over there - isn't he a beauty?'
　　He certainly was. He flew down to the grass beside the children and began to peck up the crumbs,even venturing on to Anne's knee once. She sat still, really thrilled.
　　Timmy growled, and the chaffinch flew off. 'Silly, Timmy,' said George. 'Jealous of a chaffinch!
　　Oh, look, Dick - are those herons flying down to the marsh on the east side of the castle hill?'
　　'Yes,' said Dick, sitting up. 'Where are your field- glasses, George? We could see the big birdsbeautifully through them.'
　　George fetched them from her caravan. She handed them to Dick. He focused them on the marsh.
　　'Yes - four herons - gosh, what long legs they've got, haven't they? They are wading happily about -now one's struck down at something with its great beak. What's it got? Yes, it's a frog. I can see itsback legs!'
　　'You can't!' said George, taking the field- glasses from him. 'You're a fibber. The glasses aren'tpowerful enough to see a frog's legs all that way off!'
　　But they were powerful enough. They were really magnificent ones, far too good for George, whowasn't very careful with valuable things.
　　She was just in time to see the poor frog's legs disappearing into the big strong beak of the heron.
　　Then something frightened the birds, and before the others could have a look at them they had allflapped away.
　　'How slowly they flap their wings,' said Dick. 'They must surely flap them more slowly than anyother bird. Give me the glasses again, George. I'll have a squint at the jackdaws. There are thousandsof them flying again over the castle - their evening jaunt, I suppose.'
　　He put them to his eyes, and moved the glasses to and fro, watching the endless whirl and swoop ofthe black jackdaws. The sound of their many voices came loudly over the evening air. 'Chack-chack-chack-chack!'
　　Dick saw some fly down to the only complete tower of the castle. He lowered the glasses to followthem. One jackdaw flew down to the sill of the slit-window near the top of the tower, and Dickfollowed its flight. It rested for half a second on the sill and then flew off as if frightened.
　　And then Dick saw something that made his heart suddenly jump. His glasses were trained on thewindow-slit and he saw something most astonishing there! He gazed as if he couldn't believe hiseyes.
　　Then he spoke in a low voice to Julian.
　　47
　　'Ju! Take the glasses, will you? Train them on the window-slit near the top of the only completetower - and tell me if you see what I see. Quick!'
　　Julian held out his hand in astonishment for the glasses. The others stared in surprise. What couldDick have seen? Julian put the glasses to his eyes and focused them on the window Dick had beenlooking at. He stared hard.
　　'Yes. Yes, I can. What an extraordinary thing. It must be an effect of the light, I think.'
　　By this time the others were in such a state of curiosity that they couldn't bear it. George snatched theglasses from Julian. 'Let me see!' she said, quite fiercely. She trained them on to the window. Shegazed and gazed and gazed.
　　Then she lowered the glasses and stared at Julian and Dick. 'Are you being funny?' she said.
　　'There's nothing there - nothing but an empty window!'
　　Anne snatched the glasses from her just before Dick tried to take them again. She too trained them onthe window. But there was absolutely nothing there to see.
　　'There's nothing,' said Anne, disgusted, and Dick took the glasses from her at once, focusing themonce more on the window. He lowered them.
　　'It's gone,' he said to Julian. 'Nothing there now.'
　　'DICK! If you don't tell us what you saw we'll roll go you down the hill,' said George, crossly.
　　'Are you making something up? What did you see?'
　　'Well,' said Dick, looking at Julian. 'I saw a face. A face not far from the window, staring out.
　　What did you see, Ju?'
　　'The same,' said Julian. 'It made me feel pretty queer, too.'
　　'A face!' said George, Anne and Jo all together. 'What do you mean?'
　　'Well - just what we said,' replied Dick. 'A face - with eyes and nose and mouth.'
　　'But nobody lives in the castle. It's a ruin,' said George. 'Was it someone exploring, do you think?'
　　Julian looked at his watch. 'No, it couldn't have been a visitor. I'm sure - the castle shuts at half pastfive and it's gone six. And anyway - it looked a - a - sort of desperate face!'
　　'Yes. I thought so too,' said Dick. 'It's - well, it's very peculiar, isn't it, Julian? There may be somekind of ordinary explanation for it, but I can't help feeling there's something queer about it.'
　　'Was it a man's face?' asked George. 'Or a woman's?'
　　'A man's, I think,' said Dick. 'I couldn't see any hair against the darkness inside the window. Or 48clothes. But it looked a man's face. Did you notice the eyebrows, Ju?'
　　'Yes, I did,' said Julian. 'They were very pronounced, weren't they?'
　　This rang a bell with George! 'Eyebrows!' she said at once. 'Don't you remember - the picture of thatscientist, Terry-Kane, showed that he had thick black eyebrows you said he'd shave them off and usethem upside down for moustaches, don't you remember, Dick?'
　　'Yes. I do remember,' said Dick, and looked at Julian. Julian shook his head. 'I didn't recognize thelikeness,' he said, 'but after all it's a very long way away. It is only because George's glasses are soextraordinarily good that we managed to spot a face looking out of a window so very far away.
　　Actually I think there will be an ordinary explanation - it's just that we were so startled -and that made us think it was very queer.'
　　'I wish I'd seen the face,' sighed George. 'They're my glasses, too - and I never saw the face!'
　　'Well, you can keep on looking and see if it comes back,' said Dick, handing over the glasses. 'It maydo.'
　　So Anne, George, and Jo took turn and turn about, gazing earnestly through the field-glasses -but they saw no face. In the end it got so dark that it was quite difficult to make out the tower, letalone the window or a face!
　　'I tell you what we might do,' said Julian. 'We could go and see over the castle ourselves tomorrow.
　　And we could go up into that tower. Then we should certainly see if there's a face there.'
　　'But I thought we were leaving tomorrow,' said Dick.
　　'Oh - yes, we did think of leaving, didn't we?' said Julian, who had quite forgotten this idea of his inhis excitement. 'Well - I don't feel as if we can go before we've explored that castle, and found theexplanation of the face.'
　　'Of course we can't,' said George. 'Fancy seeing a thing like that and rushing off without finding outabout it. I couldn't possibly.'
　　'I'm going to stay anyhow,' announced Jo. 'I could stop with my Uncle Alfredo, if you go, and I'll letyou know if the face comes again - if George will leave me her glasses.'
　　'Well, I shan't,' said George, with much determination. 'If I go, my glasses go with me. But I'm notgoing. You will stay now, won't you, Julian?'
　　'We'll stay and find out about the face,' said Julian. 'I honestly feel awfully puzzled about it.
　　Hallo, who's this coming?'
　　49
　　A big figure loomed up in the twilight. It was Alfredo, the fire-eater. 'Jo! Are you there?' he said.
　　'Your aunt invites you to supper - and all your friends too. Come along.'
　　There was a pause. Anne looked expectantly across at Julian. Was he still going to be high-and-mighty and proud? She hoped not.
　　'Thanks,' said Julian, at last. 'We'd be pleased to come. Do you mean now?'
　　'That would be nice,' said Alfredo, with a little bow. 'I fire-eat for you? Anything you say!'
　　This was too tempting to resist. Everyone got up at once and followed the big Alfredo over thehillside to his caravan. Outside there was a really good fire, and on it was a big black pot that gaveout a wonderful smell.
　　'Supper is not quite ready,' said Alfredo. The five children were relieved. After their big tea theydidn't feel ready even for a meal that smelt as good as the one in the pot! They sat down by it.
　　'Will you really eat fire for us?' asked Anne. 'How do you do it?'
　　'Ah, very difficult!' said Alfredo. 'I do it only if you promise me not to try it by yourselves. Youwould not like blisters all over your mouth inside, would you?'
　　Everyone felt certain that they wouldn't. 'I don't want you to have blisters in your mouth, either,'
　　added Anne.
　　Alfredo looked shocked. 'I am a very good fire-eater,' he assured her. 'No good ones ever makeblisters in their mouths. Now - you sit still and I will fetch my torch and eat fire for you.'
　　Someone else sat down beside them. It was Bufflo. He grinned at them. Skippy came and sat downtoo. Then the snake-man came up, and he sat down on the opposite side of the fire.
　　Alfredo came back carrying a few things in his hands. 'Quite a family circle!' he said. 'Now watch - Iwill eat fire for you!'
11.奇怪的发现
　　奇怪的发现
　　就在大家喝完下午茶之后，意想不到的事情发生了。今天的下午茶时间稍晚，他们吃了裹着黄油和蜂蜜的面包、从乳品店买到的现制甜甜圈、阿尔佛雷多的妻子送给他们的海绵蛋糕，真是一场盛宴。
　　“我吃不下去了，”乔治说，“那块海绵蛋糕真是太好吃了。我都觉得自己站不起来收拾餐具了。所以，安妮，你先别去收拾了。”
　　“好的，”安妮说，“反正我们还有很多时间。今晚真棒，我们再坐一会儿吧。那只乌鸫又站在那儿了，它每次唱歌的音调都不一样。”
　　“这就是我喜欢乌鸫的原因，”迪克懒洋洋地说，“它们是真正的作曲家，谱写自己独特的曲调，它们和苍头燕雀迥然不同，苍头燕雀们只会一遍又一遍地唱同一首老歌。说实话，今早就有一只苍头燕雀，一直在那里不停地唱了50遍。”
　　“哧——哧——哧，哧咿——咿——咿，哧噼——哦哦——呃呃——啊！”一只乌鸫发出一连串的声音，仿佛像是背出来的一样，“哧——哧——哧——”
　　“它又唱歌了，”迪克说，“如果它不这么叫，它会说‘粉红——粉红——粉红’，就好像它知道这种颜色一样。你们看，它是不是很漂亮？”
　　它的确非常漂亮。这只乌鸫飞到孩子们旁边的草地上啄食面包屑，甚至跳到了安妮的膝盖上。她虽然安静地坐着，但是看到这一幕后，内心依然很激动。
　　蒂米低吼了几声，那只乌鸫随即飞走了。“蒂米，你傻不傻，”乔治说，“竟然嫉妒乌鸫！哦，迪克，你看，城堡东边的山上是不是飞过去了一群苍鹭？”
　　“对，”迪克坐起来说，“乔治，你的望远镜在哪儿？我们可以看看那些美丽的大鸟。”
　　乔治到大篷车里取回了她的望远镜，递给迪克。他举着望远镜向沼泽地方向看去。“对，四只苍鹭，天哪，它们的腿真长。它们正在水里开心地玩耍，其中一只苍鹭把嘴向下插到了水里。它抓到了什么？哦，一只青蛙。我看到了它的后腿！”
　　“你瞎说！”乔治边说边抓过迪克手里的望远镜，“你说谎，这副望远镜根本看不清青蛙的腿！”
　　然而这副望远镜确实可以。这副望远镜很不错，只是乔治不识货。
　　她拿着望远镜正好看到了那只可怜的青蛙，消失在了那只体形健壮的苍鹭嘴里。随后，还没等其他人看一眼这些苍鹭，它们就不知受了什么惊吓全都飞走了。
　　“它们扑打翅膀的速度太慢了，”迪克说，“它们肯定比其他鸟都慢。乔治，把望远镜再给我看一下，我要看看那些寒鸦。又有数千只寒鸦飞过了城堡，我猜这可能是它们的晚间聚会。”
　　他把望远镜放在眼前，来回调节镜片距离。他看到黑色的寒鸦一直不停歇地盘旋和俯冲。它们发出响亮的声音，穿过整个夜空：“喳咳——喳咳——喳咳——喳咳！”
　　迪克看到有些寒鸦飞进了唯一一座完整的高塔里。他举着望远镜跟踪着它们。其中一只寒鸦飞到了塔顶附近的一处窗台上，窗户破了一个洞，迪克一直注视着它。它在窗台上停歇了半秒后，似乎被什么东西吓了一跳，随即飞走了。
　　接下来迪克看到的一幕让他心跳加快。他把望远镜对准窗台，看到的景象让他感到震惊！他一直凝视着那里，不敢相信自己的眼睛。之后，他小声地对朱利安说了些话。
　　“朱利安！你用望远镜看看。把它对准那座完好的塔楼塔顶附近的窗台，然后告诉我你看到了什么，快点！”
　　朱利安莫名其妙地接过望远镜，其他人茫然地盯着迪克。迪克究竟看到了什么？朱利安举起望远镜，向着迪克说的窗户看过去，他认真地看着。
　　“嗯，嗯，我能看到。真是件离奇的事情。我觉得应该是光线的问题。”
　　朱利安的话引起了大家的好奇心。乔治把朱利安手中的望远镜抓过来。“让我看看！”她激动地说。她把望远镜对准那个窗户，认真地看了又看。
　　随后，她放下望远镜，注视着朱利安和迪克。“你们在开玩笑吗？”她说，“那里什么都没有，就是一个空窗户！”
　　迪克想拿望远镜再看一次，却被安妮一把抓了过去。她把望远镜对准窗户，但是她什么都没看到。
　　“那里什么都没有。”安妮烦躁地说。迪克立刻把望远镜拿了过去，再一次对准那个窗户。之后，他把望远镜放下了。
　　“不见了，”他对朱利安说，“现在那里什么都没有。”
　　“迪克！如果你不告诉我们刚刚你看到了什么，我们就把你从山上推下去，”乔治生气地说，“你是在骗我们吗？你到底看到了什么？”
　　“好吧，”迪克说着看了一眼朱利安，“我看到了一张脸。那张脸离窗户不远，当时在向外看。朱利安，你看到了什么？”
　　“我看到的也是一张脸，”朱利安说，“也让我觉得不可思议。”
　　“一张脸！”乔治、安妮和琼异口同声地说，“什么意思？”
　　“就是字面的意思，”迪克回答说，“一张脸，有眼睛、鼻子和嘴。”
　　“但是没人住在那里，城堡已经损毁了，”乔治说，“是不是有人在那里参观，你们觉得呢？”
　　朱利安看了看手表说：“不可能，不会是游客，我确定。城堡下午五点半就关门了，现在已经六点了。不管怎么说，那张脸看起来有点……有点绝望。”
　　“对，我也这么觉得，”迪克说，“那张脸很特别，是不是，朱利安？也许这一切有合理的解释，但我还是觉得那里面有奇怪的事情发生。”
　　“是男人的脸吗？”乔治问，“还是女人的？”
　　“我觉得是个男人，”迪克说，“窗户里太黑，我看不到头发或者衣服，但是看起来像一个男人。朱利安，你注意到他的眉毛了吗？”
　　“我看到了，”朱利安说，“看起来很浓密，是不是？”
　　乔治听到后突然一惊！“眉毛！”她立刻说，“你们还记得那位科学家特里•凯恩的照片吗？他的眉毛又黑又厚，而且还说他可以把它们刮下来当胡须用。迪克，你还记得吗？”
　　“我当然记得。”迪克边说边看向朱利安，朱利安摇了摇头。“我认不出他的样子，”他说，“毕竟离得太远。虽然乔治的望远镜很棒，但是我们很难从这么远的距离认出那张脸。实际上，我觉得这一切都会有合理的解释，我觉得正是因为我们感到震惊，才会觉得奇怪。”
　　“我真希望刚才看到了那张脸，”乔治叹气说，“这是我的望远镜，然而我竟然没看到！”
　　“你可以一直盯着那里，看看那个人会不会回来。”迪克边把望远镜递给乔治边说，“有可能再出现。”
　　因此，安妮、乔治和琼轮流拿着望远镜，一直认真地注视着那里，但是一无所获。天越来越黑，她们很难再看清那座高塔，更不用说窗户和人脸了！
　　“我告诉你我们的计划，”朱利安说，“明天我们过去瞧瞧那边的城堡。我们可以到上边去，那时候就可以清楚地看到那张脸了。”
　　“不过，我们明天就要离开了。”迪克说。
　　“哦，对，我们是要离开的，对吧？”朱利安一激动忘了这码事，“好吧，不过我走之前还是想去那座城堡里瞧瞧，找到那个人。”
　　“那是自然，”乔治说，“发现了这么一件有趣的事情还着急回去，我可不是这样的人。”
　　“反正我得留在这里，”琼说，“我可以暂时住在叔叔那里。如果你们走了，我会告诉你们那张脸是不是又出现了，我需要乔治的望远镜。”
　　“我是不会给你的，”乔治坚定地说，“要是我走了，也会把望远镜带走，但是我不会走。朱利安，你也会留下来，对不对？”
　　“我们会留在这里找到这个人，”朱利安说，“我很想解开这个谜。嘿，那个人是谁？”
　　昏暗的夜色中出现了一个高大的身影。原来是吞火表演者阿尔佛雷多。“琼，你在吗？”他说，“你婶婶邀请你和你的朋友们去吃饭，来吧。”大家怔住了。安妮满眼期待地看着朱利安，他是否还会那么高傲？她希望不会。
　　“谢谢，”朱利安终于开了口，“我们很乐意去。您是说现在吗？”
　　“你们说了算！”阿尔佛雷多说着微微鞠了一躬，“到时我给你们表演吞火。”
　　盛情难却，大家立刻起身，跟着大个子阿尔佛雷多来到他停在山腰处的大篷车前。旁边生的火很烈，上边的锅里散发出诱人的香气。
　　“晚饭还没好。”阿尔佛雷多说。大家顿时松了一口气，毕竟刚刚享受完一顿丰盛的下午茶，他们还没准备好再吃一顿闻起来这么美味的盛宴！大家围坐了一圈。
　　“您准备好为我们表演吞火了吗？”安妮问，“您是怎么做的呢？”
　　“啊，太难了！”阿尔佛雷多说，“我可以表演给你们看，但是你们要保证自己不能学着做。你们肯定不希望被烫得满嘴水泡，对不对？”
　　大家都确定自己不会学他做。“我也不希望您嘴里起水泡。”安妮附和着说。
　　阿尔佛雷多听到这句话后很震惊。“我是一个很棒的吞火表演者，”他向安妮保证说，“差的吞火表演者才会让自己嘴里起水泡。
　　你们坐着别动，我去取火炬表演给你们看。”
　　这时，又来了个人坐在了他们旁边，这个人就是巴法络。他朝大家笑了笑。史基比也过来坐在了大家旁边。随后，驯蛇人也过来了，他坐在火堆的另一边。
　　不一会儿，阿尔佛雷多回来了，手里拿了一些东西。“真像一家人！”他说，“现在，你们看好了，我要开始表演了！”
Chapter 12 FIRE-EATING AND OTHER THINGS!
Chapter 12 FIRE-EATING AND OTHER THINGS!
　　ALFREDO sat down on the grass, some way back from the fire. He set a little metal bowl in front ofhim, that smelt of petrol. He held up two things to show the children.
　　'His torches,' said Mrs. Alfredo, proudly. 'He eats fire from them.'
　　Alfredo called out something to the snake-man, dipping his two torches into the bowl. They were 50not alight yet, and to the children they looked like very large buttonhooks, with a wad of wool caughtin the hook-part.
　　The snake-man leaned forward and took a burning twig out of the fire. With a deft throw he pitched itright into the metal bowl. Immediately it set light to the petrol there, and flames shot up in thedarkness.
　　Alfredo had held his torches out of the way, but now he thrust first one and then another into theburning petrol in the bowl.
　　They flared alight at once, and red flames shot up as he held one in each hand. His eyes gleamed inthe brilliant light, and the five children sat still, spellbound.
　　Then Alfredo leaned back his head - back and back - and opened his great mouth wide. He put one ofthe lighted torches into it, and closed his mouth over it, so that his cheeks gleamed a strange andunbelievable red from the flames inside his mouth. Anne gave a little scream and George gasped. Thetwo boys held their breath. Only Jo watched unconcerned. She had seen her uncle do this many timesbefore!
　　Alfredo opened his mouth, and flames rushed out of it, gushing like a fiery waterfall. What with theother torch flaring in his left hand, the burning petrol in the bowl, the torch in his right hand and theflames from his mouth, it really was an extraordinary scene!
　　He did the same with the other torch, and once more his cheeks glowed like a lamp. Then fire camefrom his mouth again, and was blown this way and that by the night breeze.
　　Alfredo closed his mouth. He swallowed. Then he looked round, opened his mouth to show that heno longer had any flames there, and smiled broadly.
　　'Ah - you like to see me eat fire?' he said, and put out his torches. The bowl was no longer flaming,and now only the fire-light lit the scene.
　　'It's marvellous,' said Julian, with great admiration. 'But don't you burn your mouth?'
　　'What, me? No, never!' laughed Alfredo. 'At first may be, yes - when I begin years and years ago.
　　But now, no. It would be a shameful thing to burn my mouth - I would hang my head, and go away.'
　　'But - how is it you don't burn your mouth?' asked Dick, puzzled.
　　Alfredo refused to give any explanation. That was part of the mystery of his act and he wasn't goingto give it away.
　　'I can fire-eat too,' announced Jo, casually and most unexpectedly. 'Here, Uncle, let me have one 51of your torches.'
　　'You! You will do nothing of the sort!' roared Alfredo. 'Do you want to burn to bits?'
　　'No. And I shan't either,' said Jo. 'I've watched you and I know just how it's done. I've tried it.'
　　'Fibber!' said George at once.
　　'Now you listen to me,' began Alfredo again. 'If you fire-eat I will whip you till you beg me formercy. I will...'
　　'Now, Fredo,' said his wife, 'you'll do nothing of the sort. I'll deal with Jo if she starts any nonsensehere. As for fire-eating - well, if there's to be anyone else fire-eating here, I will do it. I, your wife.'
　　'You will not fire-eat,' said Alfredo obstinately, evidently afraid that his hot-tempered little wifemight try to do it.
　　Anne suddenly gave a scream of fright. A long, thick body glided between her and Julian - one of thesnake-man's pythons! He had brought one with him, and the children hadn't known. Jo caught hold ofit and held on for dear life.
　　'Let him be,' said the snake-man. 'He will come back to me. He wants a run.'
　　'Let me hold him for a bit,' begged Jo. 'He feels so smooth and cold. I like snakes.'
　　Julian put out his hand gingerly and touched the great snake. It did feel unexpectedly smooth, andquite cool. How extraordinary! It looked so scaly and rough.
　　The snake slithered all the way up Jo and then began to pour itself down her back. 'Now don't you lethim get his tail round you,' warned the snake-man. 'I've told you that before.'
　　'I'll wear him round my neck,' said Jo, and proceeded to pull the snake's long body until in the end hehung round her neck like a fur. George watched in unwilling admiration. Anne had removed herselfas far from Jo as possible. The boys gazed in astonishment, and felt a new respect for the little gypsygirl.
　　Someone struck up a soft melody on a guitar. It was Skippy, Bufflo's wife. She hummed a sad littlesong that had a gay little chorus in which all the fair-folk joined. Practically all the camp had comealong now, and there were quite a few the children hadn't seen before.
　　It was exciting sitting there round the glowing fire, listening to the thrum of the guitar, and the soundof Skippy's low, clear voice - sitting near a fire-eater too, and within arm's length of a snake who alsoseemed to be enjoying the music! He swayed about in time to the chorus, and then suddenly pouredhimself all down the front of Jo, and glided like magic to his master, the 52snake-man.
　　'Ah, my beauty,' said the funny little man, and let the python slide between his hands, its coils pulsingpowerfully as it went. 'You like the music, my beauty?'
　　'He really loves his snake,' whispered Anne to George. 'How can he?'
　　Alfredo's wife got up. 'It is time to go,' she told the audience. 'Alfredo needs his supper. Is it not so,my big bad man?'
　　Alfredo agreed that it was so. He placed the heavy iron pot over the glowing fire again, and in a fewseconds such a glorious smell came from it that all the five children began to sniff expectantly.
　　'Where's Timmy?' said George, suddenly. He was nowhere to be seen!
　　'He crept away with his tail down when he saw the snake,' said Jo. 'I saw him go. Timmy, come back!
　　It's all right! Timmy, Timmy!'
　　'I'll call him, thank you,' said George. 'He's my dog. Timmy!'
　　Timmy came, his tail still down. George fondled him and so did Jo. He licked them both in turn.
　　George tried to drag him away from Jo. She didn't like Timmy to show affection for the little gypsygirl - but he always did! He loved her.
　　The supper was lovely. 'What is in your pot?' asked Dick, accepting a second helping. 'I've nevertasted such a delicious stew in my life.'
　　'Chicken, duck, beef, bacon, rabbit, hare, hedgehog, onions, turnips...' began Alfredo's wife. 'I putthere everything that comes. It cooks and I stir, it cooks and I stir. Perhaps a partridge goes in oneday, and a pheasant the next, and...'
　　'Hold your tongue, wife,' growled Alfredo, who knew quite well that the farmers round about mightwell ask questions about some of the things in that stew.
　　'You tell me to hold my tongue!' cried little Mrs. Alfredo angrily, flourishing a spoon. 'You tell methat!'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy, receiving some nice tasty drops on his nose, and licking them off. 'Woof!'
　　He got up and went towards the spoon, hoping for a few more.
　　'Oh, Aunt Nita, do give Timmy a spoonful out of the stew,' begged Jo, and to Timmy's great joy hegot a big plateful all to himself. He could hardly believe it!
　　'Thank you very much for a very nice supper,' said Julian, feeling that it really was time to go.
　　He got up and the others followed his example.
　　53
　　'And thank you for fire-eating for us, Alfredo,' said George. 'It doesn't seem to have spoilt yourappetite!'
　　'Poof!' said Alfredo, as if such a thing would never enter his head. 'Jo - are you going to stay with usagain tonight? You are welcome.'
　　'I'd just like an old rug, that's all, Aunt Nita,' said Jo. 'I'm going to sleep under George's caravan.'
　　'You can sleep on the floor inside, if you like,' said George. But Jo shook her head.
　　'No. I've had enough of sleeping indoors for a bit. I want to sleep out. Under the caravan will be a fineplace for me. Gypsies often sleep there when the weather is warm.'
　　They went back over the dark hillside. A few stars were out, but the moon was not yet up.
　　'That was a jolly interesting evening,' said Dick. 'I enjoyed it. I like your aunt and uncle, Jo.'
　　Jo was delighted. She always loved praise from Dick. She went under the girls' caravan, and rolledherself up in the rug. She had been taught to clean her teeth and wash and do her hair, by the foster-mother she had lived with for some months - but all that was forgotten now that she was leading agypsy life again!
　　'In a day or two she'll be the filthy, dirty, tangly-haired, rude girl she was when we first knew her,'
　　said George, combing out her own hair extra well. 'I'm glad we're going to stay here after all, aren'tyou, Anne? I really do think the fair people are friendly towards us now.'
　　'Thanks to Jo,' said Anne. George said nothing. She didn't like being under obligation to Jo! Shefinished preparing herself for bed and got into her bunk.
　　'I wish we'd seen that face at the window, don't you, Anne?' she said. 'I do wonder whose it was -and why it was there, looking out.'
　　'I don't think I want to talk about faces at windows just now,' said Anne, getting into her bunk.
　　'Let's change the subject.' She blew out the lamp and settled down. They talked for a few minutes,and then George heard something outside the caravan. What could it be? Timmy raised his head andgave a little growl.
　　George looked at the window opposite. A lone star shone through it - and then something came infront of the star, blotted it out, and pressed itself against the glass pane. Timmy growled again, butnot very loudly. Was it someone he knew?
　　George flashed on her torch, and immediately saw what it was. She gave a little giggle. Then shecalled to Anne.
　　'Anne! Anne! Quick, there's a face at the window. Anne, wake up!'
　　54
　　'I'm not asleep,' said Anne's voice, and she sat up, scared. 'What face? Where? You're not justfrightening me, are you?'
　　'No - there it is, look!' said George and shone her torch at the window. A big, long, dark-brown facelooked in, and Anne gave a shriek. Then she laughed. 'You beast, George - it's only Alfredo's horse.
　　Oh, you did give me a fright. I've a good mind to pull you out of your bunk on to the floor. Go away,you silly staring horse - shoo, go away!'
12.前往高塔
　　前往高塔
　　第二天早晨，当他们吃早餐时，再次谈到了城堡窗户旁的那张脸。他们拿着望远镜对准那个窗户看了又看，然而什么都没有发现。
　　“城堡一开门我们就进去，”迪克说，“但是记住，不要跟任何人提起这件事，琼，你听见了吗？你有时候嘴巴不严。”
　　琼突然生气地说：“我才不会说出去！我会保守秘密的！”
　　“好，脾气这么大，”乔治笑着说，他看了下手表，“我们现在该走了。”
　　“我去帮滑先生驯蛇，”琼说，“有人要跟我去吗？”
　　“滑先生！这对一个养着那么多蛇的人来说，真是一个有趣的名字，”迪克说，“我不介意去瞧瞧，但是我对它们在人身上爬来爬去不感兴趣。”
　　除了安妮，大家都来到了滑先生的大篷车前。安妮表示她更愿意留下收拾早餐餐具。
　　驯蛇人把两条蛇都拿了出来。“他在为它们涂闪亮液，”坐在一旁的乔治说，“看他是如何把这些蛇的身体弄得闪闪发亮的。”
　　“嘿，琼，你帮我涂‘美人’，”滑先生说，“闪亮液在那边的瓶子里。它鳞片下边都是脏兮兮的小螨虫，用闪亮液可以把它们弄下来。”
　　琼看起来轻车熟路。她拿起一块破布，从瓶子里倒出来一些黄色的液体，然后轻轻地拍在一条蛇身上，让洗涤液浸湿它的鳞片。
　　乔治不甘示弱，提出要帮他们清洗另外一条蛇。“你拿着它。”滑先生说着把另一条蛇传给了乔治，随后他起身走进了自己的大篷车。这让乔治意想不到。那条蛇绕在了她的膝盖上，随后又盘在了她的身体上。“不要让它的尾巴缠在你身上。”琼警告她说。
　　男孩们很快厌倦了琼和乔治两个人在蟒蛇身上的相互竞争，于是便来到巴法络练习套绳的地方。此时，他正在空中一圈圈地挥舞着绳索，构造出漂亮的图案。他朝男孩们笑了笑。
　　“想试试吗？”他说。但是没人会摆弄他的绳索。
　　“我们想看你用鞭子抽断东西，”迪克说，“在这方面你很厉害。”
　　“你想让我抽什么？”巴法络捡起他的魔法鞭说，“灌木顶上的树叶吗？”
　　“好啊。”迪克说。巴法络看了看他们，随即甩了一两下鞭子，手起鞭落，树叶随之落下。
　　灌木顶上的树叶像被施了魔法一样消失了。男孩们的眼神充满了敬意。“把那株雏菊顶上的部分打下来。”朱利安边指边说。
　　“啪！”雏菊顶上的部分应声消失。“太简单了，”巴法络说，“这样，你们一个人手里拿根笔之类的东西。我会在不碰到你手指的情况下把它打下来！”
　　朱利安犹豫了一下。而迪克把手伸进了口袋里，掏出了一支不太长的红铅笔。他伸出手，用食指和拇指捏住了这支铅笔。巴法络眯着眼睛测量了一下距离。随后他举起了鞭子。
　　“啪！”只见鞭子的尾部把铅笔紧紧卷住，然后从迪克的手中拽了出来。铅笔飞到了空中，巴法络一伸手把它接住了！
　　“真棒，”迪克说，他佩服得五体投地，“您是不是学习了很久？”
　　“20年左右。”巴法络说，“我从孩童时学起，大概三岁左右。我爸爸教的我，要不是他把我耳朵上的皮抽下来，我不可能学得这么快！如果这件事发生在你身上，你很快会明白的！”
　　男孩们盯着巴法络的耳朵看，在耳朵周围确实可以发现疤痕！
　　“我还会扔飞刀，”巴法络沉浸在男孩们的崇拜中，“我可以让史基比靠着一块板子站立，然后往她身体周围扔飞刀，表演结束后等她走开，板子上就会留下飞刀形成的人体轮廓。要看看吗？”
　　“哦，现在不看了，”朱利安看了看他的手表说，“我们要去那个城堡转转。巴法络，你去过那里吗？”
　　“没有。谁想浪费时间去那个损毁的旧城堡？”巴法络轻蔑地说，“反正我不去！”
　　他甩着套绳走回大篷车，迪克看到他娴熟的动作，打心眼里羡慕。他后悔自己当初没有学这些东西，但是即使自己从小学习，恐怕也做得没他好，而且现在学已经来不及了！
　　“乔治！琼！我们该走了，”朱利安喊道，“把蛇放下，过来吧。
　　安妮，你准备好了吗？”
　　滑先生把他的蛇拿了回去，两条蛇欢快地爬上了他的身体，他腾出手抚摸着它们光滑闪亮的身体。
　　“走之前我要洗下手，”乔治说，“手上有些滑。琼，一起洗吗？”
　　琼并不理解为什么要洗手，但是她依然与乔治来到了溪水旁把手冲洗干净了。乔治在一块有些脏的手帕上擦干了手，而琼却在更脏的裙子上抹了抹手。她羡慕地看着乔治的牛仔裤，对自己穿了条裙子感到很难过！
　　他们并没有锁上大篷车。朱利安觉得这些民间艺人现在如此友善，肯定不会在没被允许的情况下从他们的大篷车里拿东西。他们一路沿着山腰向下走，蒂米在前边开心地跳来跳去，为大家带路。
　　他们爬过阶梯，沿着车道走了一段路，随后来到了木制大门前，大门敞开着，门后陡峭的小路向上通向城堡。眼前的城堡看起来离他们很近，像要倾倒在他们头顶一样！
　　他们通过了小路之后，映入眼帘的是一座小塔，塔下敞开着一扇小门，从这里通往城堡。那里站着一位老妇人，看起来像一个巫婆。如果她的眼睛是绿色的，那么安妮一定会认定她是巫婆的后裔。然而那个女人的眼睛像两颗黑珠子一样。她的牙全都掉光了，让人很难听懂她在说些什么。
　　“五个人，谢谢。”朱利安说着给了她25便士。
　　“狗禁止入内。”老妇人喃喃地说道，他们根本没听懂。她指着狗，又把那句话重复了一遍，并且连连摇头。
　　“哦，我们不能带着狗吗？”乔治说，“它不会破坏东西的。”
　　随后，那个老妇人指向了一块板子，上边写着：狗禁止入内。
　　“好吧，我们把它放在外边，”乔治生气地说，“多么愚蠢的规定！蒂米，待在这儿，我们很快回来。”
　　蒂米的尾巴垂了下来，它对此不能接受。但是它知道自己不允许进入教堂之类的地方，而且它猜测这个地方应该是个巨大的教堂，也就是乔治每周日会进出的那类地方。于是，它躺在了阳光下的一处角落里。
　　五个孩子通过十字转门后，打开了通往城堡区域的大门。当他们进入之后，门随即关上了。
　　“等一下，我们需要一本旅游指南，”朱利安说，“我想知道塔里边都有什么东西。”
　　于是他返回去花五便士买了一本。他们站在城堡的大院子里浏览这本指南。指南里讲述了这片土地的历史：战争与和平、开战与休战、家族冲突、联姻等等。
　　“如果这些内容能认真地整理出来，肯定是一本令人激动的小说，”朱利安说，“你们看，这是平面图。地下城在这儿！”
　　“禁止入内。”迪克读出了上边的字，他失望地说，“真扫兴。”
　　“这里曾经是个固若金汤的城堡，”朱利安看着平面图说道，“它的城墙保留到了现在，城堡建在了院子中间，向四周延伸。据说城堡的城墙有八英尺厚。八英尺厚！难怪它们大部分能保存至今！”
　　他们敬畏地看着这座寂静的古迹。高耸的城堡上到处是损毁的痕迹，有的地方整面墙都倒塌了，只剩下扭曲的门廊。
　　“这里有四座塔，”朱利安目不转睛地盯着旅游指南说，“指南上说有三座已经完全损坏了，只有第四座还保存完好，不过通往塔顶的石梯已经坍塌。”
　　“好吧，这样的话，你们根本不可能看到窗边的人脸，”乔治抬头望着第四座塔楼说，“如果石梯已经坍塌，没有人上得去。”
　　“嗯，我们去看看石梯的坍塌程度吧，”朱利安说，“对外开放的话会很危险，他们可能设了禁止通行的警告牌，不过应该会有可以爬过去的地方。”
　　“你确定我们会那样做吗？”琼说，她的眼睛闪烁着光芒，“我们找到那个人之后该做些什么呢？”
　　“我们先找到再说吧！”朱利安边说边把旅游指南合上，并装在了自己的口袋里，“这里似乎只有我们。我们走，先围着院子转一圈。”
　　他们围着城堡周围的院子转了一圈。院子里到处是从城墙上坠落下来的巨大白石块。一处地方的整片城墙坍塌了，他们可以从那里看到里面的城堡，漆黑而森严。
　　他们又绕回到城堡的前门。“我们从前门进去，把这个巨大的石头拱门当作前门。”朱利安说，“你们能想象得到骑士们骑着马在院子里徘徊，等不及要去参加比赛，而且马蹄声‘嗒嗒’作响的场面吗？”
　　“当然可以！”迪克说，“身临其境！”
　　他们穿过了拱形的入口，在一间间石头房间里闲逛。每个房间的墙上都有像裂缝一样的窗户，只能透过星星点点的光线。
　　“那个时候他们的窗户没有玻璃，”迪克说，“那时候的人在过冬时难道不怕冷风刮进来吗？喔！住在这里肯定冷得要命。”
　　“地面上曾经铺着灯心草做的垫子，墙上挂着壁毯，”安妮说，她想起了在一节历史课上学到的东西，“朱利安，我们现在找找到高塔上面的楼梯。来吧！我很想知道在塔上是不是真的能看到那张脸！”
Chapter 13 OFF TO THE CASTLE
Chapter 13 OFF TO THE CASTLE
　　NEXT morning, as they had breakfast, the children discussed the face at the castle window again.
　　They had levelled the field-glasses time and again at the window, but there was nothing to be seen.
　　'Let's go and see over the castle as soon as it opens,' said Dick. 'But mind - nobody is to mentionfaces at windows - you hear me, Jo? You're the one who can't keep your tongue still sometimes.'
　　Jo flared up. 'I'm not! I can keep a secret!'
　　'All right, fire-eater,' said Dick with a grin. He looked at his watch. 'It's too soon to go yet.'
　　'I'll go and help Mr. Slither with his snakes,' said Jo. 'Anyone else coming?'
　　'Mr. Slither! What a marvellous name for a man who keeps snakes,' said Dick. 'I don't mind comingto watch, but I'm not keen on the way they pour themselves up and down people.'
　　They all went to Mr. Slither's caravan except Anne, who said she would much rather clear up thebreakfast things.
　　The snake-man had both his snakes out of their box. 'He is polishing them,' said George, sitting downnear by. 'See how he makes their brown bodies shine.'
　　'Here, Jo - you mop Beauty for me,' said Mr. Slither. 'The stuff is in that bottle over there. He's gotthose nasty little mites again under his scales. Mop him with that stuff and that will soon get rid ofthem.'
　　Jo seemed to know what to do. She got a rag, tipped up the bottle of yellow stuff and began to pat oneof the snakes gently, letting the lotion soak round his scales.
　　George, not to be outdone, offered to help in the polishing of the other snake. 'You hold him 55then,' said Mr. Slither, and slid the snake over to George. He got up and went into his caravan.
　　George hadn't quite bargained for this. The snake lay across her knees, and then began to wind roundher body. 'Don't you let him get a hold of you with his tail,' Jo warned her.
　　The boys soon got tired of seeing Jo and George vying with one another over the pythons, and wentoff to where Bufflo was practising spinning rope-rings. He spun loop after loop of rope, makingwonderful patterns in the air with it. He grinned at the boys.
　　'Like a try?' he said. But neither of them could do anything with the rope at all.
　　'Let's see you snap off something with the whip-lash,' said Dick. 'I think you're a marvel at that.'
　　'What do you want me to hit?' asked Bufflo, picking up his magnificent whip. 'The topmost leaves onthat bush?'
　　'Yes,' said Dick. Bufflo looked at them, swung his whip once or twice, lifted it - and cracked it.
　　Like magic the topmost leaves disappeared off the bush. The boys gazed in admiration. 'Now pick offthat daisy-head over there,' said Julian, pointing.
　　Crack! The daisy-head vanished. 'That's easy,' said Bufflo. 'Look, you hold a pencil or something inyour hands, one of you. I'll pick it out without touching your fingers!'
　　Julian hesitated. But Dick dived his hand into his pocket and brought out a red pencil, not very long.
　　He held out his hand, with the pencil between finger and thumb. Bufflo looked at it with half-closedeyes, as if measuring the distance. He raised his whip.
　　Crack! The tip-end of the lash curled itself round the pencil and pulled it clean out of Dick's hand. Itflew up into the air, and Bufno reached out his hand and caught it!
　　'Jolly good,' said Dick, lost in admiration. 'Does it take long to learn a thing like that?'
　　'Matter of twenty years or so,' said Bufflo. 'But you want to begin when you're a nipper - about threeyears old, say. My Pa taught me - and if I didn't learn fast enough he'd take the skin off the tips of myears with his whiplash! You soon learn if you know that's going to happen to you!'
　　The boys gazed at Bufflo's big ears. They certainly did look a bit rough at the edges!
　　'I throw knives too,' said Bufflo, basking in the boys' admiration. 'I put Skippy up against a board, andthrow knives all round her - so that when she walks away from the board at the end, there's her shapeall outlined in knives. Like to see me?'
　　'Well, no, not now,' said Julian, looking at his watch. 'We're going to see over the castle. Have youever seen over it, Bufflo?'
　　'No. Who wants to waste time going over a ruined old castle?' said Bufflo, scornfully. 'Not me!'
　　56
　　He went off to his caravan, spinning rope-rings as he went with an ease that Dick couldn't helpenvying from the bottom of his heart. What a pity he hadn't begun to learn these things early enough.
　　He was afraid he would never be really good at them now. He was too old!
　　'George! Jo! It's time we went,' called Julian. 'Put down those snakes, and come along. Anne!
　　Are you ready?'
　　Mr. Slither went to collect his snakes. They glided over him in delight, and he ran his hands overtheir smooth, gleaming bodies.
　　'I must wash my hands before I go,' said George. 'They're a bit snaky. Coming, Jo?'
　　Jo didn't really see why it was necessary to wash snaky hands, but she went with George to thestream and they rinsed them thoroughly. George wiped her hands on a rather dirty hanky, and Jowiped hers on a much dirtier skirt. She looked at George's shorts enviously. What a pity to have towear skirts!
　　They didn't lock up the caravans. Julian felt sure that the fair-folk were now really friendly to them,and would not take anything from them themselves, nor permit anyone else to do so. They all walkeddown the hillside, Timmy bounding along joyfully, under the impression that he was going to takethem for a nice long walk.
　　They climbed over the stile, walked up the lane a little way, and came to the wooden gate that openedon to the steep path up to the castle. Now that it was so near to them it looked almost as if it mightfall on top of them!
　　They went up the path and came to the small tower in which was the little door giving entrance to thecastle. An old woman was there, looking a little like a witch. If she had had green eyes Anne wouldmost certainly have set her down as a descendant of a witch! But she had eyes like black beads. Shehad no teeth at all and it was difficult to understand what she said.
　　'Five, please,' said Julian, giving her twenty-five pence.
　　'You can't take the dog in,' said the old woman, mumbling so much that they couldn't make out whatshe said. She pointed to the dog and repeated her remark again, shaking her head all the time.
　　'Oh - can't we really take our dog?' said George. 'He won't do any harm.'
　　The old woman pointed to a set of rules: 'DOGS NOT ALLOWED IN.'
　　'All right. We'll leave him outside then,' said George, crossly. 'What a silly rule! Timmy, stay here.
　　We won't be long.'
　　57
　　Timmy put his tail down. He didn't approve of this. But he knew that he was not allowed into certainplaces, such as churches, and he imagined this place must be an enormous church - the kind of placeinto which George so often disappeared on Sundays. He lay down in a sunny corner.
　　The five children went in through the clicking turnstile. They opened the door beyond and went intothe castle grounds. The door shut behind them.
　　'Wait - we ought to get a guide-book,' said Julian. 'I want to know something about that tower.'
　　He went back and bought one for another five pence. They stood in the great castle yard and lookedat the book. It gave the history of the old place - a history of peace and war, quarrels and truces,family feuds, marriages and all the other things that make up history.
　　'It would be an exciting story if it was written up properly,' said Julian. 'Look - here's the plan.
　　There are dungeons!'
　　'Not open to the public,' quoted Dick, in disappointment. 'What a pity.'
　　'It was once a very strong and powerful castle,' said Julian, looking at the plan. 'It always had thestrong wall that is still round it - and the castle itself is built in the middle of a great courtyard thatruns all round. It says the walls of the castle itself are eight feet thick. Eight feet thick! No wondermost of it is still standing!'
　　They looked at the silent ruins in awe. The castle towered up, broken here and there, with sometimesa whole wall missing, and with all the doorways misshapen.
　　'There were four towers, of course,' said Julian, still with his nose glued to the guide-book. 'It saysthree are almost completely ruined now - but the fourth one is in fairly good condition, though thestone stairway that led up to the top has fallen in.'
　　'Well then - you couldn't have seen a face at that window,' said George, looking up at the fourthtower. 'If the stairway has fallen in, no one could get up there.'
　　'Hm. We'll see how much fallen in it is,' said Julian. 'It may be dangerous to the public, and perhapswe'll find a notice warning us off - but it might be quite climbable in places.'
　　'Shall we go up it if so?' said Jo, her eyes shining. 'What shall we do if we find the Face?'
　　'We'll wait till we find it first!' said Julian. He shut the guide-book and put it into his pocket.
　　'Well, we seem to be the only people here. Let's get going. We'll walk round the courtyard first.'
　　They walked round the courtyard that surrounded the castle. It was strewn with great white stonesthat had fallen from the walls of the castle itself. In one place a whole wall had fallen in, 58and they could see the inside of the castle, dark and forbidding.
　　They came round to the front of it again. 'Let's go in at the front door - if you can call that great stonearchway that,' said Julian. 'I say - can't you imagine knights on horseback riding round this courtyard,impatient to be off to some tournament, their horses' hoofs clip-clopping all the time?'
　　'Yes!' said Dick. 'I can just imagine it!'
　　They went in at the arched entrance, and wandered through room after room with stone floors andwalls, and with small slit-like windows that gave very little light indeed.
　　'They had no glass for panes in those days,' said Dick. 'I bet they were glad on cold windy days thatthe windows were so tiny. Brrrrrrr! This must have been a terribly cold place to live in.'
　　'The floors used to be covered with rushes, and tapestry was hung on the walls,' said Anne,remembering a history lesson. 'Julian - let's go and look for the stairway to that tower now. Do let's!
　　I'm longing to find out whether there really is a face up in that tower!'
13.前往高塔
　　前往高塔
　　第二天早晨，当他们吃早餐时，再次谈到了城堡窗户旁的那张脸。他们拿着望远镜对准那个窗户看了又看，然而什么都没有发现。
　　“城堡一开门我们就进去，”迪克说，“但是记住，不要跟任何人提起这件事，琼，你听见了吗？你有时候嘴巴不严。”
　　琼突然生气地说：“我才不会说出去！我会保守秘密的！”
　　“好，脾气这么大，”乔治笑着说，他看了下手表，“我们现在该走了。”
　　“我去帮滑先生驯蛇，”琼说，“有人要跟我去吗？”
　　“滑先生！这对一个养着那么多蛇的人来说，真是一个有趣的名字，”迪克说，“我不介意去瞧瞧，但是我对它们在人身上爬来爬去不感兴趣。”
　　除了安妮，大家都来到了滑先生的大篷车前。安妮表示她更愿意留下收拾早餐餐具。
　　驯蛇人把两条蛇都拿了出来。“他在为它们涂闪亮液，”坐在一旁的乔治说，“看他是如何把这些蛇的身体弄得闪闪发亮的。”
　　“嘿，琼，你帮我涂‘美人’，”滑先生说，“闪亮液在那边的瓶子里。它鳞片下边都是脏兮兮的小螨虫，用闪亮液可以把它们弄下来。”
　　琼看起来轻车熟路。她拿起一块破布，从瓶子里倒出来一些黄色的液体，然后轻轻地拍在一条蛇身上，让洗涤液浸湿它的鳞片。
　　乔治不甘示弱，提出要帮他们清洗另外一条蛇。“你拿着它。”滑先生说着把另一条蛇传给了乔治，随后他起身走进了自己的大篷车。这让乔治意想不到。那条蛇绕在了她的膝盖上，随后又盘在了她的身体上。“不要让它的尾巴缠在你身上。”琼警告她说。
　　男孩们很快厌倦了琼和乔治两个人在蟒蛇身上的相互竞争，于是便来到巴法络练习套绳的地方。此时，他正在空中一圈圈地挥舞着绳索，构造出漂亮的图案。他朝男孩们笑了笑。
　　“想试试吗？”他说。但是没人会摆弄他的绳索。
　　“我们想看你用鞭子抽断东西，”迪克说，“在这方面你很厉害。”
　　“你想让我抽什么？”巴法络捡起他的魔法鞭说，“灌木顶上的树叶吗？”
　　“好啊。”迪克说。巴法络看了看他们，随即甩了一两下鞭子，手起鞭落，树叶随之落下。
　　灌木顶上的树叶像被施了魔法一样消失了。男孩们的眼神充满了敬意。“把那株雏菊顶上的部分打下来。”朱利安边指边说。
　　“啪！”雏菊顶上的部分应声消失。“太简单了，”巴法络说，“这样，你们一个人手里拿根笔之类的东西。我会在不碰到你手指的情况下把它打下来！”
　　朱利安犹豫了一下。而迪克把手伸进了口袋里，掏出了一支不太长的红铅笔。他伸出手，用食指和拇指捏住了这支铅笔。巴法络眯着眼睛测量了一下距离。随后他举起了鞭子。
　　“啪！”只见鞭子的尾部把铅笔紧紧卷住，然后从迪克的手中拽了出来。铅笔飞到了空中，巴法络一伸手把它接住了！
　　“真棒，”迪克说，他佩服得五体投地，“您是不是学习了很久？”
　　“20年左右。”巴法络说，“我从孩童时学起，大概三岁左右。我爸爸教的我，要不是他把我耳朵上的皮抽下来，我不可能学得这么快！如果这件事发生在你身上，你很快会明白的！”
　　男孩们盯着巴法络的耳朵看，在耳朵周围确实可以发现疤痕！
　　“我还会扔飞刀，”巴法络沉浸在男孩们的崇拜中，“我可以让史基比靠着一块板子站立，然后往她身体周围扔飞刀，表演结束后等她走开，板子上就会留下飞刀形成的人体轮廓。要看看吗？”
　　“哦，现在不看了，”朱利安看了看他的手表说，“我们要去那个城堡转转。巴法络，你去过那里吗？”
　　“没有。谁想浪费时间去那个损毁的旧城堡？”巴法络轻蔑地说，“反正我不去！”
　　他甩着套绳走回大篷车，迪克看到他娴熟的动作，打心眼里羡慕。他后悔自己当初没有学这些东西，但是即使自己从小学习，恐怕也做得没他好，而且现在学已经来不及了！
　　“乔治！琼！我们该走了，”朱利安喊道，“把蛇放下，过来吧。
　　安妮，你准备好了吗？”
　　滑先生把他的蛇拿了回去，两条蛇欢快地爬上了他的身体，他腾出手抚摸着它们光滑闪亮的身体。
　　“走之前我要洗下手，”乔治说，“手上有些滑。琼，一起洗吗？”
　　琼并不理解为什么要洗手，但是她依然与乔治来到了溪水旁把手冲洗干净了。乔治在一块有些脏的手帕上擦干了手，而琼却在更脏的裙子上抹了抹手。她羡慕地看着乔治的牛仔裤，对自己穿了条裙子感到很难过！
　　他们并没有锁上大篷车。朱利安觉得这些民间艺人现在如此友善，肯定不会在没被允许的情况下从他们的大篷车里拿东西。他们一路沿着山腰向下走，蒂米在前边开心地跳来跳去，为大家带路。
　　他们爬过阶梯，沿着车道走了一段路，随后来到了木制大门前，大门敞开着，门后陡峭的小路向上通向城堡。眼前的城堡看起来离他们很近，像要倾倒在他们头顶一样！
　　他们通过了小路之后，映入眼帘的是一座小塔，塔下敞开着一扇小门，从这里通往城堡。那里站着一位老妇人，看起来像一个巫婆。如果她的眼睛是绿色的，那么安妮一定会认定她是巫婆的后裔。然而那个女人的眼睛像两颗黑珠子一样。她的牙全都掉光了，让人很难听懂她在说些什么。
　　“五个人，谢谢。”朱利安说着给了她25便士。
　　“狗禁止入内。”老妇人喃喃地说道，他们根本没听懂。她指着狗，又把那句话重复了一遍，并且连连摇头。
　　“哦，我们不能带着狗吗？”乔治说，“它不会破坏东西的。”
　　随后，那个老妇人指向了一块板子，上边写着：狗禁止入内。
　　“好吧，我们把它放在外边，”乔治生气地说，“多么愚蠢的规定！蒂米，待在这儿，我们很快回来。”
　　蒂米的尾巴垂了下来，它对此不能接受。但是它知道自己不允许进入教堂之类的地方，而且它猜测这个地方应该是个巨大的教堂，也就是乔治每周日会进出的那类地方。于是，它躺在了阳光下的一处角落里。
　　五个孩子通过十字转门后，打开了通往城堡区域的大门。当他们进入之后，门随即关上了。
　　“等一下，我们需要一本旅游指南，”朱利安说，“我想知道塔里边都有什么东西。”
　　于是他返回去花五便士买了一本。他们站在城堡的大院子里浏览这本指南。指南里讲述了这片土地的历史：战争与和平、开战与休战、家族冲突、联姻等等。
　　“如果这些内容能认真地整理出来，肯定是一本令人激动的小说，”朱利安说，“你们看，这是平面图。地下城在这儿！”
　　“禁止入内。”迪克读出了上边的字，他失望地说，“真扫兴。”
　　“这里曾经是个固若金汤的城堡，”朱利安看着平面图说道，“它的城墙保留到了现在，城堡建在了院子中间，向四周延伸。据说城堡的城墙有八英尺厚。八英尺厚！难怪它们大部分能保存至今！”
　　他们敬畏地看着这座寂静的古迹。高耸的城堡上到处是损毁的痕迹，有的地方整面墙都倒塌了，只剩下扭曲的门廊。
　　“这里有四座塔，”朱利安目不转睛地盯着旅游指南说，“指南上说有三座已经完全损坏了，只有第四座还保存完好，不过通往塔顶的石梯已经坍塌。”
　　“好吧，这样的话，你们根本不可能看到窗边的人脸，”乔治抬头望着第四座塔楼说，“如果石梯已经坍塌，没有人上得去。”
　　“嗯，我们去看看石梯的坍塌程度吧，”朱利安说，“对外开放的话会很危险，他们可能设了禁止通行的警告牌，不过应该会有可以爬过去的地方。”
　　“你确定我们会那样做吗？”琼说，她的眼睛闪烁着光芒，“我们找到那个人之后该做些什么呢？”
　　“我们先找到再说吧！”朱利安边说边把旅游指南合上，并装在了自己的口袋里，“这里似乎只有我们。我们走，先围着院子转一圈。”
　　他们围着城堡周围的院子转了一圈。院子里到处是从城墙上坠落下来的巨大白石块。一处地方的整片城墙坍塌了，他们可以从那里看到里面的城堡，漆黑而森严。
　　他们又绕回到城堡的前门。“我们从前门进去，把这个巨大的石头拱门当作前门。”朱利安说，“你们能想象得到骑士们骑着马在院子里徘徊，等不及要去参加比赛，而且马蹄声‘嗒嗒’作响的场面吗？”
　　“当然可以！”迪克说，“身临其境！”
　　他们穿过了拱形的入口，在一间间石头房间里闲逛。每个房间的墙上都有像裂缝一样的窗户，只能透过星星点点的光线。
　　“那个时候他们的窗户没有玻璃，”迪克说，“那时候的人在过冬时难道不怕冷风刮进来吗？喔！住在这里肯定冷得要命。”
　　“地面上曾经铺着灯心草做的垫子，墙上挂着壁毯，”安妮说，她想起了在一节历史课上学到的东西，“朱利安，我们现在找找到高塔上面的楼梯。来吧！我很想知道在塔上是不是真的能看到那张脸！”
Chapter 14 FAYNIGHTS CASTLE
Chapter 14 FAYNIGHTS CASTLE
　　'CHACK-CHACK-CHACK! Chack-chack-chack!' The jackdaws circled round the old castle, callingto one another in their cheerful, friendly voices. The five children looked up and watched them.
　　'You can see the grey at the backs of their necks,' said Dick. 'I wonder how many years jackdawshave lived round and about this castle.'
　　'I suppose the sticks lying all over this courtyard must have been dropped by them,' said Julian.
　　'They make their nests of big twigs - really, they must drop as many as they use! Just look at that pileover there!'
　　'Very wasteful of them!' said Dick. 'I wish they would come and drop some near our caravan to saveme going to get firewood each day for the fire!'
　　They were standing at the great archway that made the entrance to the castle. Anne grew impatient.
　　'Do let's look at the towers now,' she said.
　　They went to the nearest one, but it was almost impossible to realize that it had been a tower. It wasjust a great heap of fallen stones, piled one on top of another.
　　59
　　They went to the only good tower. They had hoped to find some remains of a stone stairway, but totheir great disappointment they could not even look up into the tower! One of the inner walls hadfallen in, and the floor was piled up, completely blocked. There was no sign of a stairway.
　　Either it too had fallen in, or it was covered by the stones of the ruined wall.
　　Julian was astonished. It was obvious that nobody could possibly climb up the tower from the inside!
　　Then how in the world could there have been a face at the tower window? He began to feel ratheruncomfortable. Was it a real face? If not what could it have been?
　　'This is queer,' said Dick, thinking the same as Julian, and pointing to the heaped-up stones on theground floor of the tower. 'It does look absolutely impossible for anyone to get up into the top of thetower. Well - what about that face then?'
　　'Let's go and ask that old woman if there is any way at all of getting up into the tower,' said Julian.
　　'She might know.'
　　So they left the castle, walked across the courtyard, back to the little tower in the outer wall thatguarded the big gateway. The old woman was sitting by the turnstile, knitting.
　　'Could you tell us, please, if there is any way of getting up into the tower over there?' asked Julian.
　　The old woman answered something, but it was difficult to understand a word she said.
　　However, as she shook her head vigorously, it was plain that there was no way up to the tower. It wasvery puzzling.
　　'Is there a better plan of the castle than this?' asked Julian, showing his guide-book. 'A plan of thedungeons, for instance - and a plan of the towers as they once were, before they were ruined?'
　　The old lady said something that sounded like 'Society of Reservation of something-or-other.'
　　'What did you say?' asked Julian, patiently.
　　The witch-like woman was evidently getting tired of these questions. She opened a big book thatshowed the amount of people and fees paid, and looked down it. She put her finger on somethingwritten there, and showed it to Julian.
　　'Society for Preservation of Old Buildings,' he read. 'Oh - did somebody come from them lately?
　　Would they know more than it says in the guide-book?'
　　'Yes,' said the old woman. 'Two men came. They spent all day here - last Thursday. You ask thatSociety what you want to know - not me. I only take the money.'
　　She sounded quite intelligible all of a sudden. Then she relapsed into mumbles again, and no one 60could understand a word.
　　'Anyway, she's told us what we want to know,' said Julian. 'We'll telephone the Society and ask themif they can tell us any more about the castle. There may be secret passages and things not shown inthe guide-book at all.'
　　'How exciting!' said George, thrilled. 'I say, let's go back to that tower and look at the outside of it. Itmight be climbable there.'
　　They went back to see - but it wasn't climbable. Although the stones it was built of were unevenenough to form slight foot-holds and hand-holds it would be much too dangerous for anyone to try toclimb up - even the cat-footed Jo. For one thing it would not be possible to tell which stones wereloose and crumbling until the climber caught hold - and then down he would go!
　　All the same, Jo was willing to try. 'I might be able to do it,' she said, slipping off one of her shoes.
　　'Put your shoe on,' said Dick at once. 'You are NOT going to try any tricks of that sort. There isn'teven ivy for you to cling to.'
　　Jo put back her shoe sulkily, looking astonishingly like George as she scowled. And then, toeveryone's enormous astonishment, who should come bounding up to them but Timmy!
　　'Timmy! Wherever have you come from?' said George, in surprise. 'There's no way in except throughthe turnstile - and the door behind it is shut. We shut it ourselves! How did you get in?'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy, trying to explain. He ran to the good tower, made his way over the blocks ofstone lying about and stopped by a small space between three or four of the fallen stones. 'Woof,'
　　he said again, and pawed at one of the stones.
　　'He came out there,' said George. She tugged at a big stone, but she couldn't move it an inch, ofcourse. 'I don't know how in the world Timmy squeezed himself out of this space - it doesn't look bigenough for a rabbit. Certainly none of us could get inside!'
　　'What puzzles me,' said Julian, 'is how Timmy got in from the outside. We left him right outside thecastle - so he must have run round the outer wall somewhere and found a small hole. He must havesqueezed into that.'
　　'Yes. That's right,' said Dick. 'We know the walls are eight feet thick, so he must have found a placewhere a bit of it had broken at the bottom, and forced his way in. But - would there be a hole rightthrough the whole thickness of eight feet?'
　　This was really puzzling. They all looked at Timmy, and he wagged his tail expectantly. Then he 61barked loudly and capered round as if he wanted a game.
　　The door behind the turnstile opened at once and the old lady appeared. 'How did that dog get here?'
　　she called. 'He's to go out at once!'
　　'We don't know how he got in,' said Dick. 'Is there a hole in the outer wall?'
　　'No,' said the old woman. 'Not one. You must have let that dog in when I wasn't looking. He's to goout. And you too. You've been here long enough.'
　　'We may as well go,' said Julian. 'We've seen all there is to see - or all that we are allowed to see.
　　I'm quite sure there is some way of getting up into that tower although the stairway is in ruins.
　　I'm going to ring up the Society for the Preservation of Old Buildings and ask them to put me intouch with the fellows who examined the castle last week. They must have been experts.'
　　'Yes. They would probably have a complete plan,' said Dick. 'Secret passages, dungeons, hiddenrooms and all - if there are any!'
　　They took Timmy by the collar, and went out through the turnstiles, click-click-click. 'I feel likehaving a couple of doughnuts at the dairy,' said George. 'And some lemonade. Anyone else feel thesame?'
　　Everyone did, including Timmy, who barked at once.
　　'Timmy's silly over those doughnuts,' said George. 'He just wolfs them down.'
　　'It's a great waste,' said Anne. 'He ate four last time - more than anyone else had.'
　　They walked down to the village. 'You go and order what we want,' said Julian, 'and I'll just go andlook up this Society. It may have an office somewhere in this district.'
　　He went to the post office to use the telephone there, and the rest of them trooped in at the door of thebright little dairy. The plump shopwoman welcomed them beamingly. She considered them her bestcustomers, and they certainly were.
　　They were each on their second doughnut when Julian came back. 'Any news?' asked Dick.
　　'Yes,' said Julian. 'Peculiar news, though. I found the address of the Society - they've got a branchabout fifty miles from here, that deals with all the old buildings for a radius of a hundred miles. Iasked if they had any recent booklet about the castle.'
　　He stopped to take a doughnut, and bit into it. The others waited patiently while he chewed.
　　'They said they hadn't. The last time they had checked over Faynights Castle was two years ago.'
　　'But - but what about those two men who came from the Society last week, then?' said George.
　　'Yes. That's what I said,' answered Julian, taking another bite. 'And here's the peculiar bit. They 62said they didn't know what I was talking about, nobody had been sent there from the Society, andwho was I, anyhow?'
　　'Hmm!' said Dick, thinking hard. 'Then - those men were examining and exploring the castle for theirown reasons!'
　　'I agree,' said Julian. 'And I can't help thinking that the face at the window and those two men havesomething to do with one another. It's quite clear that the men had nothing whatever to do with anyofficial society - they merely gave it as an excuse because they wanted to find out what kind ofhiding-place the castle had.'
　　The others stared at him, feeling a familiar excitement rising in them - what George called the'adventure feeling'.
　　'Then there was a real face at that tower window, and there is a way of getting up there,' said Anne.
　　'Yes,' said Julian. 'I know it sounds very far-fetched, but I do think there is just a possibility that thosetwo scientists have gone there. I don't know if you read it in the paper, but one of them, JeffreyPottersham, has written a book on famous ruins. He would know all about Faynights Castle, becauseit's a very well-known one. If they wanted to hide somewhere till the hue and cry had died down, andthen escape to another country, well...'
　　'They could hide in the tower, and then quietly slip out from the castle one night, go down to the sea,and hire a fishing-boat!' cried Dick, taking the words out of Julian's mouth. 'They'd be across theChannel in no time.'
　　'Yes. That's what I'd worked out too,' said Julian. 'I rather think I'll telephone Uncle Quentin aboutthis. I'll describe the face as well as I can to him. I feel this is all rather too important to manage quiteon our own. Those men may have extremely important secrets.'
　　'It's an adventure again,' said Jo, her face serious, but her eyes very bright. 'Oh - I'm glad I'm in ittoo!'
14.费依奈斯城堡
　　费依奈斯城堡
　　“喳——喳——喳！喳——喳——喳！”一群寒鸦围绕着旧城堡盘旋着，兴奋地呼朋唤友，发出悦耳的叫声。五个孩子站在下面仰望着它们。
　　“你们可以看到它们颈部后边长着灰色的羽毛，”迪克说，“不知道这些寒鸦在城堡周围住了多久。”
　　“我猜院子里掉落的树枝都是它们弄的，”朱利安说，“它们用树枝筑巢，掉下来的和用的树枝一样多！你们看那边有一堆！”
　　“它们真浪费！”迪克说，“真希望它们能在我们大篷车附近掉一些，这样每天就方便我们生火了！”
　　他们站在通往城堡入口的拱门前。安妮等得有些不耐烦，催促说：“我们别再看这些塔了。”
　　他们走向离得最近的一座塔，但是它的形状已经难以辨认了，只不过是一摞相互堆叠的大石块。
　　随后，他们来到了那座唯一保存完整的塔下，希望找到残存的石阶。让人失望的是，其中一面城墙倒塌落下来的砖石堆在一起，完全挡住了通路。他们没有看到台阶，因为那些台阶要么被破坏得很严重，要么被损毁的城墙石块压住了。
　　朱利安对此感到很震惊。显而易见，没人能从里边爬上高塔！
　　那么那张脸是怎么出现在高塔的窗户里的呢？他有些想不通。那真的是一张脸吗？如果不是，那又会是什么呢？
　　“真神奇，”迪克指着地面堆积的石块说，他与朱利安有一样的疑问，“看起来没人能爬到塔顶。好吧，那张脸是怎么回事？”
　　“我们去找那个老妇人，问问她是否知道爬上塔顶的路。”朱利安说，“也许她会知道。”
　　他们离开高塔，穿过庭院，回到城墙外的小塔处。那个老妇人正坐在十字转门处织着东西。
　　“请您告诉我们，还有其他爬上高塔的路径吗？”朱利安问。
　　这个老妇人说了些什么，但是没人能听懂一个字。然而，她在说话时使劲摇了摇头，这表明答案是否定的。她的话让大家更迷惑了。
　　“还有比这更清晰的城堡平面图吗？”朱利安拿着他的旅游指南问道，“比如，地下城的平面图，能描绘它们损毁之前的样子？”
　　那个老妇人说了些什么，听起来像是“……保护团体”。
　　“您说什么？”朱利安礼貌地问。
　　最终，那个像巫婆一样的老妇人厌倦了回答问题。她打开了一本写着游客数量和费用收取情况的账本，向下搜寻着什么。一会儿，她指着书上的一行字给朱利安看。
　　“古建筑保护团体，”他读道，“哦，最近有人从那里出来过吗？
　　他们会知道得比写在旅游指南上的东西多吗？”
　　“对，”老妇人说，“两个男人来过，他们上周四整天在这儿，你去问那个团体。别问我，我只管收钱。”
　　她的声音突然变得清楚起来。随后，她又开始喃喃自语，没人听得懂说的是什么。
　　“不管怎么说，她告诉了我们想知道的事情，”朱利安说，“我们打电话问问那个团体，看能不能告诉我们更多的信息。也许这里有秘密通道，而没有画在旅游指南上。”
　　“真让人兴奋！”乔治激动地说，“要我说，我们回到高塔那个地方，在外面看看有什么端倪。也许我们可以从外面爬上去。”
　　他们随即原路返回，但发现根本不是他们想象的那样。虽然塔外的石头崎岖不平，人可以手扶脚蹬，但是即便对手脚灵敏的琼来说，看起来也过于艰险。没人知道哪块石头是松动的还是稳固的，只有真正攀爬时才能体会得到，那很可能会摔下来的！
　　和往常一样，琼想挑战一下。“也许我能做到。”她边说边脱下一只鞋。
　　“你把鞋穿上，”迪克立刻说，“别尝试爬上高塔了，上边都没有藤蔓。”
　　琼闷闷不乐地穿上鞋，她生起气来和乔治一模一样。然而随后让大家震惊的是，蒂米跑了过来！
　　“蒂米，你从哪儿过来的？”乔治惊讶地说，“除了十字转门外没有其他通道，而且大门也关上了。我们把自己关在了里边，你是怎么进来的？”
　　“汪！”蒂米应了一声，尝试着对乔治解释。它跑到那座完好的塔下，跳过了乱石，随后来到了一处由三四个坠落的石块形成的小空间中。“汪！”它又叫了一声，用爪子抓着其中一块石头。
　　“它从那里出来的，”乔治说。她用力拉拽一块大石头，但是它纹丝不动，“我不知道蒂米是怎么从这个空间挤进去的，看起来这个地方连兔子都钻不过去，我们肯定也进不去！”
　　“真奇怪！”朱利安说，“我们把它留在了城堡外边，它肯定是围着城堡跑了一圈，发现了一处小洞，然后挤进去的。”
　　“我也这么认为，”迪克说，“这些墙有八英尺厚，所以蒂米肯定是找到了一处墙底有破损的地方钻进来的。但是，八英尺厚的墙能形成这样的洞吗？”
　　这真的让人匪夷所思。他们注视着蒂米，此时它正满脸期待地摇着尾巴。随后，它大声地叫了起来，并且欢快地绕来绕去，好像是想和大家做游戏。
　　突然，十字转门打开了，那个老妇人出现了。“这只狗是怎么进来的？”她叫道，“让它赶紧出去！”
　　“我们不清楚，”迪克说，“外墙是不是有洞？”
　　“没有，”老妇人说，“一个洞都没有。你们肯定是趁我没注意把它带进来的。它必须出去，你们也出去，你们在这儿待的时间太久了。”
　　“我们走吧，”朱利安说，“这里的东西我们都看过了，或者说允许我们看的都看到了。我敢确定，虽然台阶损坏了，但是肯定有其他爬到高塔上的方法。我要打电话给古建筑保护团体，联系一下上周检查城堡的人们，他们肯定是专家。”
　　“对。他们肯定有完整的平面图，”迪克说，“没准儿会有秘密通道、地下城、隐蔽的房间，等等！”
　　他们拉着蒂米的项圈，一起走出了十字转门。“我想去乳品店吃一些甜甜圈，”乔治说，“还想喝柠檬水。有人和我一起去吗？”
　　大家都表示同意，包括蒂米，它立即叫了起来。
　　“蒂米喜欢吃甜甜圈，”乔治说，“每次都吃得狼吞虎咽。”
　　“真浪费，”安妮说，“它上次吃了四个，比任何人吃的都多。”
　　他们向村庄走去。“你们去点我们吃的东西，”朱利安说，“我去看看这个团体，在这个地方肯定有他们的办公室。”
　　他前往邮局打电话，其他人走进了明亮的小乳品点。丰满的女老板热情地招呼他们。她把他们视作最好的顾客，而且他们的确如此。
　　当朱利安回来时，他们每人已经吃上了第二块甜甜圈。“有消息吗？”迪克问。
　　“有，”朱利安说，“独家消息。我找到了那个团体的地址，他们在50英里外的地方有一家分部，处理方圆百英里内的古建筑问题。
　　我问他们有没有关于这座城堡的最新指南。”
　　他停下来拿了一块甜甜圈咬了一口。其他人耐心地等着他咀嚼。
　　“他说他们没有。他们说上一次检查费依奈斯城堡是两年前的事情。”
　　“但是，上周有两个来自团体的人来过这里，这是什么意思？”乔治说。
　　“对，我也跟他们说了，”朱利安说着又咬了一口甜甜圈，“这就很奇怪了。他们并不清楚我在说什么，最近团体里的人没有去过那个城堡。这到底是怎么回事？”
　　“嗯！”迪克陷入了深思，“看来这些人到城堡进行检查和勘探有自己的目的！”
　　“我也这么觉得，”朱利安说，“我不禁想起了窗户里的那张脸，其中一个人肯定让另外一个人做了一些事。现在我们清楚，这两个人与这个团体没有任何关系，他们只是想找个借口进入城堡，勘查里面那些不为人知的藏身之处。”
　　其他人盯着他看，一股熟悉的兴奋感再一次燃起，这就是乔治口中的“冒险的感觉”。
　　“那就是说当时在塔上的窗户旁真的有张人脸，而且有通向塔顶的通道。”安妮说。
　　“对，”朱利安说，“我知道这个听起来匪夷所思，但是我确实感觉那两个科学家去过那里。我不知道你们有没有看报纸，其中一个人，杰弗里•波特沙姆，写过一本关于某处著名遗迹的书。他肯定知道关于费依奈斯城堡的一切事情，因为这个城堡非常有名。如果他们想找个地方躲避追捕，然后逃到另外一个城市，然后……”
　　“他们会藏在塔里，之后在某天晚上悄悄地逃出去，去海边租一条渔船逃走！”迪克接着朱利安的话说，“他们很快就能穿过海峡！”
　　“对，我也想到了，”朱利安说，“我还想打电话给昆廷叔叔告知这件事。我要跟他描述那张脸的特征。我觉得我们要靠自己来解决这件事了。这两个科学家也许知道非常重要的秘密。”
　　“又是一次冒险，”虽然琼很严肃，但是她的眼睛闪着光，“哦，我真开心能再一次冒险！”
Chapter 15 AN INTERESTING DAY
Chapter 15 AN INTERESTING DAY
　　EVERYONE began to feel distinctly excited. 'I think I'll catch the bus into the next town,' said Julian.
　　'The telephone-box here is too easily overheard. I'd rather go to a kiosk somewhere in a 63street, where nobody can hear what I'm saying.'
　　'All right. You go,' said Dick. 'We'll do some shopping and go back to the caravans. I wonder whatUncle Quentin will say!'
　　Julian went off to the bus-stop. The others wandered in and out of the few village shops, doing theirmarketing. Tomatoes, lettuces, mustard and cress, sausage rolls, fruit cake, tins of fruit, and plenty ofcreamy milk in big quart bottles.
　　They met some of the fair-folk in the street, and everyone was very friendly indeed. Mrs. Alfredo wasthere with an enormous basket, nearly as big as herself. She beamed and called across to them.
　　'You see I have to do my shopping myself! That big bad man is too lazy to do it for me. And he hasno brains. I tell him to bring back meat and he brings fish. I tell him to buy cabbage and he bringslettuce. He has no brains!'
　　The children laughed. It was strange to find great big Alfredo, a real fire-eater, ordered about andgrumbled at by his tiny little wife.
　　'It's a change to find them all so friendly,' said George, pleased. 'Long may it last. There's the snake-man, Mr. Slither - he hasn't got his snakes with him, though.'
　　'He'd have the whole village to himself if he did!' said Anne. 'I wonder what he buys to feed hissnakes on.'
　　'They're only fed once a fortnight,' said Jo. 'They swallow...'
　　'No, don't tell me,' said Anne, hastily. 'I don't really want to know. Look, there's Skippy.'
　　Skippy waved cheerily. She carried bags filled to bursting too. The fair-folk certainly did themselveswell.
　　'They must make a lot of money,' said Anne.
　　'Well, they spend it when they have it,' said Jo. 'They never save. It's either a good time for them or avery bad time. They must have had a good run at the last show-place - they all seem very rich!'
　　They went back to the camp and spent a very interesting day, because the fair-folk, eager to make upfor their unfriendly behaviour, made them all very welcome. Alfredo explained his fire-eating a littlemore, and showed how he put wads of cotton wool at the hook-end of his torches, and then soakedthem in petrol to flare easily.
　　The rubber-man obligingly wriggled in and out of the wheel-spokes of his caravan, a most 64amazing feat. He also doubled himself up, and twisted his arms and legs together in such a peculiarmanner that he seemed to be more like a four-tentacled octopus than a human being.
　　He offered to teach Dick how to do this, but Dick couldn't even bend himself properly double.
　　He was disappointed because he couldn't help thinking what a marvellous trick it would be toperform in the playing-field at school.
　　Mr. Slither gave them a most entertaining talk about snakes, and ended up with some informationabout poisonous snakes that he said they might find very useful indeed.
　　'Take rattlers now,' he said, 'or mambas, or any poisonous snake. If you want to catch one to tame,don't go after it with a stick, or pin it to the ground. That frightens it and you can't do anything withit.'
　　'What do you have to do then?' asked George.
　　'Well, you want to watch their forked tongues,' said Mr. Slither, earnestly. 'You know how they putthem out, and make them quiver and shake?'
　　'Yes,' said everyone.
　　'Well, now, if a poisonous snake makes its tongue go all stiff without a quiver in it, just be careful,'
　　said Mr. Slither, solemnly. 'Don't you touch it then. But if its tongue is nice and quivery, just slideyour arms along its body, and it will let you pick it up.' He went through the motions he described,picking up a pretend snake and letting its body slither through his arms. It was fascinating to watch,but very weird.
　　'Thanks most awfully,' said Dick. 'Whenever I pick up poisonous snakes, I'll do exactly as you say.'
　　The others laughed. Dick sounded as if he went about picking up poisonous snakes every day!
　　Mr. Slither was pleased to have such an appreciative audience. George and Anne, however, hadfirmly made up their minds that they were not going even to look at a snake's tongue if it put it out -they were going to run for miles!
　　There were a few more fair-folk there that the children didn't know much about - Dacca, the tap-dancer, who put on high boots and tap-danced for the children on the top step of her caravan -Pearl, who was an acrobat and could walk on a wire-rope, dance on it, and turn somersaults over it,landing back safely each time - and others who belonged to the show but only helped with the crowdsand the various turns.
　　Jo didn't know them all, but she was soon so much one of them that the children began to wonder 65if she would ever go back to her foster-mother again!
　　'She's exactly like them all now,' said George. 'Cheerful and dirty, slap-dash and generous, lazy andyet hardworking too! Bufflo practises for hours at his rope-spinning, but he lies about for hours too.
　　They're queer folk, but I really do like them very much.'
　　The others agreed with her heartily. They had their lunch without Julian, because he hadn't comeback. Why was he so long? He only had to telephone his uncle!
　　He came back at last. 'Sorry I'm so late,' he said, 'but first of all I couldn't get any answer at all, so Iwaited a bit in case Aunt Fanny and Uncle Quentin were out - and I had lunch while I waited. Then Itelephoned again, and Aunt Fanny was in, but Uncle Quentin had gone to London and wouldn't beback till night.'
　　'To London!' said George, astonished. 'He hardly ever goes to London.'
　　'Apparently he went up about these two missing scientists,' said Julian. 'He's so certain that his friendTerry-Kane isn't a traitor, and he went up to tell the authorities so. Well, I couldn't wait till night, ofcourse.'
　　'Didn't you report our news then?' said Dick, disappointed.
　　'Yes. But I had to tell Aunt Fanny,' said Julian. 'She said she would repeat it all to Uncle Quentinwhen he came back tonight. It's a pity I couldn't get hold of him and find out what he thinks. I askedAunt Fanny to tell him to write to me at once.'
　　After tea they sat on the hillside again, basking in the sun. It really was wonderful weather for them.
　　Julian looked over to the ruined castle opposite. He fixed his eyes on the tower where they had seenthe face. It was so far away that he could only just make out the window-slit.
　　'Get your glasses, George' he said. 'We may as well have another squint at that window. It was aboutthis time that we saw the face.'
　　George fetched them. She would not give them to Julian first though - she put them to her own eyesand gazed at the window. At first she saw nothing - and then, quite suddenly, a face appeared at thewindow! George was so astonished that she cried out.
　　Julian snatched the glasses from her. He focused them on the window and saw the face at once.
　　Yes - the same as yesterday - eyebrows and all!
　　Dick took the glasses, and then each of them in turn gazed at the strange face. It did not move at all,as far as they could see, but simply stared. Then, when Anne was looking at it, it suddenlydisappeared and did not come back again.
　　66
　　'Well - we didn't imagine it yesterday then,' said Julian. 'It's there all right. And where there's a face,there should be a body. Er - did any of you think that the face had a - a sort of - despairingexpression.'
　　'Yes,' said Dick and the others agreed. 'I thought so yesterday, too,' said Dick. 'Do you suppose thefellow, whoever he is, is being kept prisoner up there?'
　　'It looks like it,' said Julian. 'But how in the world did he get there? It's a marvellous place to put him,of course. Nobody would ever dream of a hiding-place like that - and if it hadn't been for us lookingat the jackdaws through very fine field-glasses, we'd never have seen him looking out. It was a chancein a thousand that we saw him.'
　　'In a million,' said Dick. 'Look here, Ju - I think we ought to go up to the castle and yell up to thefellow - he might be able to yell back, or throw a message out.'
　　'He would have thrown out a message before now if he'd been able to,' said Julian. 'As for yelling,he'd have to lean right out of that thick-walled window to make himself heard. He's right at the backof it, remember, and the slit is very deep.'
　　'Can't we go and find out something?' said George, who was longing to take some action. 'After all,Timmy got in somewhere, and we might be able to as well.'
　　'That's quite an idea,' said Julian. 'Timmy did find a way in - and it may be the way that leads up tothe top of the tower.'
　　'Let's go then,' said George at once.
　　'Not now,' said Julian. 'We'd be seen if we scrambled about on the hill outside the castle walls.
　　We'd have to go at night. We could go when the moon comes up.'
　　A shiver of excitement ran through the whole five. Timmy thumped his tail on the ground. He hadbeen listening all the time, just as if he understood.
　　'We'll take you too, Timmy,' said George, 'just in case we run into any trouble.'
　　'We shan't get into trouble,' said Julian. 'We're only going to explore - and I don't think for a minutewe'll find much, because I'm sure we shan't be able to get up into the tower. But I expect you all feellike I do - you can't leave this mystery of the face at the window alone - you want to do somethingabout it, even if it's only scrambling round the old walls at night.'
　　'Yes. That's exactly how I feel,' said George. 'I wouldn't be able to go to sleep tonight, I know.
　　Oh Julian - isn't this exciting?'
　　'Very,' said Julian. 'I'm glad we didn't leave today, after all! We should have, if we hadn't seen 67that face at the window.'
　　The sun went down and the air grew rather cold. They went into the boys' caravan and played cards,not feeling at all sleepy. Jo was very bad at cards, and soon stopped playing. She sat watching, herarm round Timmy's neck.
　　They had a supper of sausage rolls and tinned strawberries. 'It's a pity they don't have meals like thisat school,' said Dick. 'No trouble to prepare, and most delicious to eat. Julian - is it time to go?'
　　'Yes,' said Julian. 'Put on warm things - and we'll set off! Here's to a really adventurous night!'
15.有趣的一天
　　有趣的一天
　　大家都非常兴奋。“我们应该赶公交车去下一个城镇，”朱利安说，“这里的公共电话亭太容易被人听到了。我宁愿去找街上的电话亭，那里没人会知道我说了什么。”
　　“好的，我们走！”迪克说，“我们去购物，然后回到大篷车里。
　　我不知道昆廷叔叔会说些什么。”
　　朱利安前往汽车站。其他人在村庄中的几个商店进进出出，买了一些东西：西红柿、莴苣、芥末、水芹、香肠卷、水果蛋糕、水果罐头以及大瓶的含乳脂牛奶。
　　他们在街上看到了几个民间艺人，每个人都很友善。阿尔佛雷多的妻子提着一个差不多和她个头一样大的篮子，她笑着和他们打招呼。
　　“你们看，我自己来买东西！那个大个子男人太懒了，而且他也没脑子。我让他买肉他带回来鱼，我让他买卷心菜他带回来莴苣。
　　他一点脑子也没有。”
　　孩子们听后大笑了起来。他们觉得阿尔佛雷多这个表演吞火的大个子，被他的妻子数落嘲笑很奇怪。
　　“他们都变得这么友善，”乔治高兴地说，“希望一直能这样下去。那是驯蛇人滑先生，他没有带蛇来。”
　　“要是他带着蛇，整个村庄的人就会被他吓跑了！”安妮说，“我想知道他买什么东西喂蛇。”
　　“每两周只需喂它们一次，”琼说，“它们吞下……”
　　“哦，别说了，”安妮赶紧说，“我不想知道这些东西。看，那是史基比。”
　　史基比朝他们欢快地挥了挥手。她的背包里也装满了东西。看来民间艺人们都很能干。
　　“他们肯定赚了很多钱。”安妮说。
　　“他们赚多少花多少，”琼说，“无论他们过得好不好，都不会攒钱。他们肯定在上个表演场赚了一大笔钱，所以每个人看起来都很富有！”
　　他们回到了露营的地方，在那里度过了有趣的一天。民间艺人为了弥补他们之前的不友善，热情地款待了孩子们。阿尔佛雷多解释了一些关于吞火表演的事情，而且展示了如何在火炬钩上的棉绒中放入填料，再浸在汽油中被火点燃的过程。
　　橡胶人在他的大篷车车轮辐条里轻盈地钻来钻去，甚是灵巧。
　　他弯曲起身体，用一种特殊的方法将手脚扭在一块，看起来像是一只四脚章鱼。
　　他提出教迪克如何蜷曲身体，但是迪克连弯腰都做不到位。迪克有些失望，因为他觉得不能在学校表演这个神奇的技艺是一件遗憾的事情。
　　滑先生兴奋地谈论着他的蛇，最后他聊了一些有关毒蛇的话题，还说毒蛇其实很有用。
　　“比如，说响尾蛇，”他说，“或者眼镜蛇，还是其他类型的毒蛇。你驯养它们的时候，不能用棍子在后边赶，也不能把它们压在地上，这样会吓到它们，之后不管你做什么都无济于事了。”
　　“那应该怎么做？”乔治问。
　　“你要注意它们分叉的舌头，”滑先生认真地说，“想知道它们是怎么把舌头吐出来并且抖动的吗？”
　　“想。”大家异口同声地说。
　　“好的。如果一条毒蛇的舌头僵直而不抖动，这时你要小心了，”滑先生严肃地说，“不要碰它们。但是如果它的舌头柔软而且抖动，你可以先用手抚摸它的身体，然后把它抓起来。”他一边描述一边拿起一条蛇模，在自己的胳膊上滑来滑去。这一幕看起来很有趣，但是也很奇怪。
　　“非常感谢，”迪克说，“哪天我捡起一条毒蛇，我会按照您说的做。”
　　其他人笑成了一片。迪克听起来好像每天都要去捡毒蛇！滑先生为自己有这样一个饶有兴趣的观众感到高兴。然而，乔治和安妮才不会去看一条蛇吐出的舌头，她们肯定早就跑得无影无踪了！
　　孩子们对其中一些民间艺人不太了解。达卡是一位踢踏舞表演者，她穿上了高高的靴子，在自己的大篷车顶为孩子们表演了一段踢踏舞；珀尔是一位杂技演员，能在钢缆上行走、跳舞和翻跟头，而且每次都能安全地落在钢缆上；还有很多一起参与表演的民间艺人，但是他们只负责热场或者翻跟头。
　　琼并不认识他们所有的人，但是她很快就跟他们打成一片了，孩子们都要怀疑她是不是还会回到养母的身边。
　　“她和那些人一模一样，”乔治说，“快乐而邋遢、鲁莽而慷慨、懒惰与勤奋并存！像巴法洛，他可以连续几个小时练习套绳，也可以连续躺好几个小时。他们是一群奇怪的人，但是依然让我喜欢。”
　　其他人由衷地表示赞同。朱利安还没回来，于是他们一起吃了午餐。为什么他去得那么久？他不过就是给叔叔打一个电话！
　　最终他回来了。“对不起，我来晚了，”他说，“开始没人接电话，所以我就等了一会儿，想着范妮婶婶和昆廷叔叔可能不在家，就在那里吃了顿午餐。随后，我又打了一次，是范妮婶婶接的电话，她说昆廷叔叔去了伦敦，晚上才能回来。”
　　“去了伦敦！”乔治惊讶地说，“他很少去伦敦。”
　　“显而易见，他是为了两个失踪的科学家的事情去的，”朱利安说，“他确信自己的朋友特里•凯恩不会是一个叛国者，他去与官方机构交涉。但是我等不到晚上了，所以就回来了。”
　　“你跟她说我们的见闻了吗？”迪克失望地说。
　　“说了。我告诉范妮婶婶了，”朱利安说，“她说等昆廷叔叔回来之后会把我说的话转述给他。很遗憾不能和昆廷叔叔通电话并且听听他的想法。我让范妮婶婶一有消息就写信给我。”
　　下午茶过后，他们再一次坐在山坡上晒太阳，那天的天气很好。朱利安看着损毁的城堡，眼睛直直地盯着之前看到人脸的那座塔。由于距离太远，他只能看到窗户缝。
　　“乔治，把望远镜给我，”他说，“我们可以再看看那扇窗户，现在和上次看到那张脸的时间差不多。”
　　乔治取来了望远镜，但是并没有给朱利安。她把望远镜放在自己的眼前，朝那扇窗户看了过去。就在那时，她看到窗前出现了一张脸！她惊讶地叫了起来。
　　朱利安一把抓过望远镜。他对准窗户，即刻看到了那张脸。
　　对，这就是昨天看到的那张脸，眉毛一模一样！
　　迪克接过望远镜，其他人轮流看向那张奇怪的脸。那张脸一直在那儿，没有移动位置。最后，当安妮看的时候，那张脸突然再一次消失了。
　　“嗯，看来那张脸不是我们昨天想象出来的，”朱利安说，“它就在那里。但是能看见脸，说明那里确实有个人。呃，有人觉得那张脸看起来有一点……一点绝望吗？”
　　“我发现了，”迪克说，其他人也表示赞同，“昨天我就发现了。
　　不管那个人是谁，你会觉得他是被囚禁在那里了吗？”
　　“看起来似乎是这样的，”朱利安说，“但是他是怎么上去的？能把他带上去真是一件神奇的事情。没人会想着要躲到那个地方。要不是我们当时用望远镜观察寒鸦，根本不会发现那个人。我们看到他的概率是千分之一。”
　　“百万分之一。”迪克说，“朱利安，看那儿，我觉得我们应该去城堡上边呼唤他，他可能会回应，也可能会扔出来纸条。”
　　“他要是能扔纸条早就扔了，”朱利安说，“呼唤的话，他需要站在窗外才能听到。”
　　“难道我们不能自己去寻找答案吗？”乔治说，她已经跃跃欲试，“毕竟，蒂米能从某个地方钻进去，也许我们同样可以。”
　　“这主意不错，”朱利安说，“蒂米的确找到了进去的路径，没准儿我们可以沿着那条路爬到塔顶。”
　　“我们走吧。”乔治干脆地说。
　　“现在不行，”朱利安说，“我们在城堡墙外会被人发现的。晚上去合适，等月亮出来的时候我们再去。”
　　这五个小伙伴的内心荡漾起了激动之情。蒂米一个劲儿地在地上甩着尾巴。它一直在聆听大家的谈话，表现出一副听懂了的样子。
　　“蒂米，我们会带上你的，”乔治说，“以防我们遇上什么麻烦。”
　　“我们不会遇到麻烦的！”朱利安说，“我们只是去探个究竟，而且我不觉得会有什么发现，因为我们有可能到不了塔顶。但是我希望你们和我的想法一样：不解开窗户旁的人脸之谜，不会善罢甘休。就算白白登了一晚上的旧城墙，我们也心甘情愿。”
　　“对，这就是我的想法。”乔治说，“今晚我肯定会睡不着觉。
　　哦，朱利安，是不是很刺激？”
　　“非常刺激，”朱利安说，“不管怎么说，我都为今天没有离开这里感到开心！要是我们之前没看到那张脸，恐怕早就离开这里了。”
　　太阳落山了，天气变得越来越冷。他们在男孩们的大篷车里玩起了纸牌，大家都毫无倦意。琼很不擅长玩纸牌，所以她玩了一会儿就不玩了，搂着蒂米的脖子坐在一旁看大家玩。
　　晚餐时，他们吃了香肠卷和罐装草莓。“真遗憾，在学校吃不到这些好吃的。”迪克说，“这些东西吃起来很方便，而且可口诱人。
　　朱利安，该走了吗？”
　　“嗯，”朱利安说，“穿上保暖的衣服，我们出发！今晚是名副其实的冒险之夜！”
Chapter 16 SECRET WAYS
Chapter 16 SECRET WAYS
　　THEY waited till the moon went behind a cloud, and then, like moving shadows, made their waydown the hillside as fast as they could. They did not want any of the fair-folk to see them. Theyclambered over the stile and went up the lane. They made their way up the steep path to the castle,but when they came to the little tower where the turnstile was they went off to the right, and walkedround the foot of the great, thick walls.
　　It was difficult to walk there, because the slope of the hill was so steep. Timmy went with them,excited at this unexpected walk.
　　'Now, Timmy listen - we want you to show us how you got in,' said George. 'Are you listening,Timmy? Go in, Timmy, go in where you went this morning.'
　　Timmy waved his long tail, panted, and let his tongue hang out in the way he did when he wanted toshow he was being as helpful as he could. He ran in front, sniffing.
　　Then he suddenly stopped and looked back. He gave a little whine. The others hurried to him.
　　The moon most annoyingly went behind a cloud. Julian took out his torch and shone it where Timmystood. The dog stood there, looking very pleased.
　　'Well, what is there to be pleased about, Timmy?' said Julian, puzzled. 'There's no hole there -nowhere you could possibly have got in. What are you trying to show us?'
　　Timmy gave a little bark. Then suddenly leapt about four feet up the uneven stones of the wall, anddisappeared!
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　　'Hie - where's he gone?' said Julian, startled, and flashed his torch up. 'I say, look! There's a stonemissing up there, quite a big block - and Timmy's gone in at the hole.'
　　'There's the block - fallen down the hillside,' said Dick, pointing to a big white stone, roughly squarein shape. 'But how has Timmy gone in, Ju? This wall is frightfully thick, and even if one stone fallsout, there must be plenty more behind!'
　　Julian climbed up. He came to the space where the great fallen stone had been and flashed his torchthere. 'I say - this is interesting!' he called. 'The wall is hollow just here. Timmy's gone into thehollow!'
　　At once a surge of excitement went through the whole lot. 'Can we get in and follow Timmy?'
　　called George. 'Shout to him, Julian, and see where he is.'
　　Julian called into the hollow. 'Timmy! Timmy, where are you?'
　　A distant, rather muffled bark answered him, and then Timmy's eyes suddenly gleamed up at Julian.
　　The dog was standing down in the small hollow behind the fallen stone. 'He's here,' called backJulian. 'I tell you what I think we've hit on. When this enormous wall was built, a space was leftinside - either to save stones, or to make a hidden passage, I don't know which. And that fallen stonehas exposed a bit of the hollow. Shall we explore?'
　　'Oh, yes,' came the answer at once. Julian climbed down into the middle of the wall. He flashed historch into the space he was standing in. 'Yes,' he called, 'it's a kind of passage. It's small, though.
　　We'll have to bend almost double to get along it. Anne, you come next, then I can help you.'
　　'Will the air be all right?' called Dick into the passage.
　　'It smells a bit musty,' said Julian. 'But if it really is a passage, there must be secret air- holessomewhere to keep the air fresh in here. That's right, Anne - you hang on to me. Jo, you come next,then George, then Dick.'
　　Soon they were all in the curious passage, which ran along in the centre of the wall. It certainly wasvery small. They all got tired of going along bent double. It was pitch dark too, and although they allhad torches, except Jo, it was very difficult to see.
　　Anne hung on to Julian's coat for dear life. She wasn't enjoying this very much, but she wouldn't havebeen left out of it for anything.
　　Julian suddenly stopped, and everyone bumped into the one in front. 'What's up?' called Dick, fromthe back.
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　　'Steps here!' shouted back Julian. 'Steps going down, very very steeply - almost like a stone ladder.
　　Be careful, everybody!'
　　The steps were certainly steep. 'Better go down backwards,' decided Julian. 'Then we can have hand-holds as well as foot-holds. Anne, wait till I'm down and I'll help you.'
　　The steps went down for about ten feet. Julian got down safely, then Anne turned herself round andwent down backwards too, as if she were on a ladder instead of on stairs. It was much easier thatway.
　　At the bottom was another passage, wider and higher, for which everyone was devoutly thankful.
　　'Where does this lead to?' said Julian, stopping to think. 'This passage is at right angles to the wall -we've left the wall now - we're going underneath part of the courtyard. I should think.'
　　'I bet we're not far from that tower,' called Dick. 'I say - I do hope this leads to the tower.'
　　Nobody could possibly tell where it was going to lead to! Anyway, it seemed to run quite straight,and after about eighty feet of it, Julian stopped again.
　　'Steps up again!' he called. 'Just as steep as the others. I think we may be going up into the inside ofthe castle walls. This is possibly a secret way into one of the old rooms of the castle.'
　　They went carefully up the steep stone steps and found themselves, not in a passage, but in a verysmall room that appeared to be hollowed out of the wall of the castle itself. Julian stopped in surprise,and everyone crowded into the tiny room. It really wasn't much larger than a big cupboard. A narrowbench stood at one side, with a shelf above it. An old pitcher stood on the shelf, with a broken lip,and on the bench was a small dagger, rusty and broken.
　　'I say! Look here! This is a secret room - like they used to have in old places, so that someone mighthide if necessary,' said Julian. 'We're inside one of the walls of the castle itself - perhaps the wall ofan old bedroom!'
　　'And there's the old pitcher that had water in,' said George. 'And a dagger. Who hid here - and howlong ago?'
　　Dick flashed his torch round to see if he could spot anything else. He gave a sudden exclamation, andkept his torch fixed on a corner of the room.
　　'What is it?' said Julian.
　　'Paper - red and blue silver paper,' said Dick. 'Chocolate wrapping! How many times have we boughtthis kind of chocolate, wrapped in silver paper patterned with red and blue!'
　　He picked it up and straightened it out. Yes - there was the name of the chocolate firm on it!
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　　Everyone was silent. This could only mean one thing. Someone had been in this room lately -someone who ate chocolate - someone who had thrown down the wrapping never expecting it to befound!
　　'Well,' said Julian, breaking the silence. 'This is surprising. Someone else knows this way in.
　　Where does it lead to? Up to that tower, I imagine!'
　　'Hadn't we better be careful?' said Dick, lowering his voice. 'I mean - whoever was here might quitewell be wandering about somewhere near.'
　　'Yes. Perhaps we'd better go back,' said Julian, thinking of the girls.
　　'No,' said George, in a fierce whisper. 'Let's go on. We can be very cautious.'
　　A passage led from the strange hidden room. It went along on the level for a little way, and then theyarrived at a spiral stairway that ran straight upwards like a corkscrew.
　　At the top they came to a small, very narrow door. It had a great, old-fashioned iron ring for a handle.
　　Julian stood hesitating. Should he open it or not? He stood for half a minute, trying to make up hismind. He whispered back to the others. 'I've come to a little door. Shall I open it?'
　　'Yes,' came back the answering whispers. Julian cautiously took hold of the iron ring. He turned it,and it made no noise. He wondered if the door was locked on the other side. But it wasn't. It openedsilently.
　　Julian looked through it, expecting to see a room, but there wasn't one. Instead he found himself on asmall gallery that seemed to run all the way round the inside of the tower. The moon shone in througha slit-window, and Julian could just make out that he must be looking down from a gallery into thedarkness of a tower-room on the second or third floor of the tower - the third, probably.
　　He pulled Anne out and the other three followed. There was no sound to be heard. Julian whisperedto the others. 'We've come out on to a gallery, which overlooks one of the rooms inside the tower. Itmay be a second-floor room, because we know that the ceiling of the first floor has fallen in. Orperhaps it's even the third floor.'
　　'Must be the third,' said Dick. 'We're pretty high.' His whisper went all round the gallery and cameback to them. He had spoken more loudly than Julian. It made them jump.
　　'How do we get higher still?' whispered George.
　　'Is there any way up from this gallery?'
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　　'We'll walk round it and see,' said Julian. 'Be as quiet as you can. I don't think there's anyone here, butyou never know. And watch your step, in case the stone isn't sound - it's very crumbly here and there.'
　　Julian led the way round the curious little gallery. Had this tower-room been used for old plays ormimes? Was the gallery for spectators? He wished he could turn back the years and lean over thegallery to see what had been going on in the room below, when the castle was full of people.
　　About three-quarters of the way round the gallery a little flight of steps led downwards into the roombelow. But just beyond where the steps began there was another door set in the wall, very like the onethey had just come through.
　　It too had an iron ring for a handle. Julian turned it slowly. It didn't open. Was it locked? There was agreat key standing in the iron lock, and Julian turned it. But still the door didn't open. Then he sawthat it was bolted.
　　The bolt was securely pushed home. So somebody was a prisoner the other side! Was it the man whoowned the Face? Julian turned and whispered very softly in Anne's ear.
　　'There's a door here bolted my side. Looks as if we're coming to the Face. Tell George to sendTimmy right up to me.'
　　Anne whispered to George, and George pushed Timmy forward. He squeezed past Anne's legs andstood by Julian, sensing the sudden excitement.
　　'We're probably coming to stairs that lead up to the top tower-room, where that window is with theFace,' thought Julian, as he slid back the bolt very cautiously. He pushed the door, and it opened. Hestood listening, his torch switched off. Then he switched it on.
　　Just as he had thought, another stone stairway led up steeply. At the top must be the prisoner,whoever he was.
　　'We'll go up,' said Julian softly. 'Quiet, everybody!'
16.秘密通道
　　秘密通道
　　等到月亮躲在云朵里时他们才出发，就像一个个移动的暗影，迅速地沿着山腰向下跑。他们不想被民间艺人发现。随后，他们爬上了阶梯，来到了车道旁。他们沿着陡峭的小路走向城堡，来到了小塔前的十字转门处，之后逆时针沿着又大又厚的城墙绕了一圈。
　　路很难走，山上的斜坡非常陡峭。蒂米跟在他们后面，对这一不同寻常的道路甚是兴奋。
　　“蒂米，你现在听好，我们想知道你之前是怎么进去的。”乔治说，“蒂米，你在听吗？蒂米，进去，沿着你今早的路线走。”
　　随后，蒂米摇着大尾巴，伸着舌头，沿着之前的路线向前走。
　　它希望能帮上他们的忙，在前面边嗅边跑。
　　突然，它停下来回头看，嘴里发出一阵“呜呜”声。其他人匆匆赶了上去。
　　月亮被云朵遮住了。朱利安掏出手电筒照向蒂米停住的地方。
　　蒂米站在那里，看起来很开心。
　　“蒂米，有什么让你开心的呢？”朱利安疑惑地说，“这里没有洞，你不可能从这里钻进去。你想告诉我们什么？”
　　蒂米叫了一声后，突然跳过了四英尺高的凹凸不平的石块，随后就消失了。
　　“喔，它去哪儿了？”朱利安震惊地说，他拿着手电筒寻找着蒂米的踪迹，“你们看！这里有个缺口，这么大一块，蒂米是从这里进去的。”
　　“那个缺口处的石头在那儿，它滚到了山腰上。”迪克指着那块形状不规则的白色大石头说，“朱利安，蒂米是怎么进去的？而且就算是一块石头滚了下去，那么它后边肯定还有更多的石头！”
　　朱利安爬了上去。他走到了滚落的石头原来的位置，拿着手电筒照来照去。“真有趣！”他叫道，“这里的墙是空心的。蒂米从墙里边进去了！”
　　听到这番话，大家纷纷感到振奋。“我们可以从里面跟着蒂米走吗？”乔治叫道，“朱利安，你叫下它，看看它在哪儿？”
　　朱利安朝着空心的墙体叫道：“蒂米！蒂米，你在哪儿？”
　　从远处隐隐约约地听到蒂米的回应声，随即朱利安看到了蒂米闪烁的眼睛。此时，蒂米正站在落石后同一处空心墙体的下部。“它在这儿，”朱利安大声回应道，“我来告诉大家咱们的偶然发现。这面墙在建造的时候，内部留有一处空间，可能是为了保存石块，也可能是一条秘密通道，我不清楚究竟是哪种原因。而且那块落石把这一空间暴露了出来。我们要不要去勘查一下？”
　　“当然要去！”大家立刻回应说。朱利安爬上了墙体的中部，并且照向自己刚才站立的地方。“对，”他叫道，“这是一条通道。它很小。我们需要弯腰才能穿过。安妮，你下一个过，我帮你。”
　　“里边的空气没问题吗？”迪克边钻进通道边说。
　　“闻起来有些发霉，”朱利安说，“如果这真的是一条通道，那么肯定有隐秘的通风孔，让空气保持流通。安妮，你抓着我往前走。
　　琼，你跟在后边，然后是乔治，最后是迪克。”
　　随后，他们都进入了这条奇异的通道中，这条通道在墙中间向前延伸着。他们弯腰走得太累了。尽管除了琼之外，每个人都打着手电筒，但是里边依旧很黑，很难看清周围的情况。
　　安妮小心翼翼地抓着朱利安的外套。她并不享受此种经历，但是她更不想留在外边等消息。
　　朱利安突然停下了脚步，这一停顿导致大家都撞在了一起。“怎么回事？”迪克从后边问道。
　　“这里有台阶！”朱利安大声回应道，“台阶是朝下的，十分陡峭，就像一副石梯。大家小心！”
　　这些台阶相当陡峭。“我们最好转过身向下爬，”朱利安说，“这样方便手扶脚蹬。安妮，等我先下去，然后再帮你。”
　　阶梯的深度大概有十英尺。朱利安顺利地爬到了底端。随后，安妮转了个身，开始顺着阶梯向下爬，她看起来像是在爬梯子而不是楼梯。毕竟这样攀爬的方式更容易一些。
　　石梯末端连接着另外一条通道，而这条通道更长更宽，每个人都能轻松通过。“这条通道通往哪里？”朱利安停下来思考，“这条通道在墙的右侧，而我们现在已经离开了那面墙，我认为我们在庭院的地下部分。”
　　“我觉得我们离那座塔不远了，”迪克叫道，“希望这条路能通往那座高塔。”
　　没人知道这条通道究竟通往哪里！不管怎样，这条通道非常直，大概向前走了80英尺之后，朱利安再一次停了下来。
　　“这里也有台阶！”他说道，“和刚才的一样陡。我猜我们已经走进城墙里面了。这可能是通往城堡里某个房间的秘密通道。”
　　他们小心翼翼地爬上陡峭的石阶，随后发现自己并未处在一条通道内，而是在一个非常狭小的房间中，即位于城堡城墙外一处中空的地方。朱利安疑惑地停下脚步，所有人都挤在了这一狭小的空间中。这个房间的大小还没有一个大型的碗柜大，其中一侧放着一张很窄的长凳，上方有架子。架子上放着一个旧水罐，水嘴处已经破损。长凳上放着一把锈迹斑斑的匕首。
　　“我懂了！看这里！这是一间密室，就跟其他旧建筑里的设计一样，所以说，有人可能会藏在里边。”朱利安说，“我们位于城堡中的一面墙里，这有可能是一间旧卧室的墙！”
　　“这个旧水壶里曾经有水，”乔治说，“还有一把匕首。是谁藏在这里，藏了多久？”
　　迪克用手电筒向四处照了照，期待发现一些线索。他突然惊叫起来，把手电筒照向了房间的一个角落。
　　“这是什么？”朱利安问。
　　“纸，红蓝相间的锡箔纸，”迪克说，“巧克力的包装纸！我们买过很多次用这种红蓝相间的锡箔纸包装的巧克力！”
　　他把锡箔纸拾起来并铺平。对，巧克力生产公司的名字就印在上面！
　　大家都安静了下来。这一切只说明了一件事情：这个房间最近有人来过，有人吃了巧克力，把包装纸扔在了这里，而且以为没人会发现。
　　“嗯，”朱利安打破了沉默的气氛，他说，“真是意外。有人知道这条路，但是它通向哪里呢？我猜是通向那座塔！”
　　“我们是不是该小心一点呢？”迪克压低声音说，“我的意思是，这儿的人可能就在附近走动。”
　　“对，也许我们该回去了。”朱利安说，他考虑到了女孩们的安全。
　　“不，”乔治坚定地低声说，“咱们往前走。我们会很小心的。”
　　这条路通往一处奇怪的密室。他们先直着走了一段路程，随后沿着螺旋状的台阶上行，看上去就像一个开瓶器。
　　楼梯的尽头是一扇又小又狭窄的门。门上有一个老式的铁环把手。
　　朱利安踌躇不前，他要不要打开门呢？他站在原地思考了半分钟。之后，他向后边的人小声说道：“我们前面是一扇小门，要我打开吗？”
　　“要。”后边传来了弱弱的回应声。于是，朱利安轻轻地拧动门把手，没弄出一点声响。他怀疑门会被反锁，但是事实并非如此，门悄然被打开了。
　　朱利安向内环顾着，本来以为会发现一个房间，然而并没有。
　　他发现自己身处于一条狭窄的走廊，它似乎环绕着整座塔楼。月光从狭长的窗户照射进来，朱利安这才发现，他所处的走廊下方应该就是塔楼的二层或三层里的其中一间房。
　　随后，他把安妮拉出来，其他人也跟着走出来。走廊上静悄悄的，朱利安低声说：“这个走廊的下面应该就是塔楼的房间，可能是二层的房间，因为一层的天花板是塌的。不过这里也有可能是第三层。”
　　“应该是第三层，”迪克说，“我们所在的位置已经很高了。”他悄声说话的回声在走廊里环绕。他比朱利安的说话声更大，让大家心中一震。
　　“我们怎么往上走？”乔治悄声说，“走廊里有向上走的通道吗？”
　　“我们转一圈看看，”朱利安说，“大家尽可能小点声。虽然我觉得这里可能没人，但是我们还是小心为妙。大家注意脚下，这些石块可能不太结实，小心松动的地方。”
　　朱利安带着大家围着走廊转了一圈。塔中的这个房间之前是用来表演戏剧或哑剧的吗？这个走廊曾是观众席吗？他多希望自己能够穿越时空，回到当时人满为患的城堡里，从走廊上俯瞰，看看下面的房间里发生了什么事。
　　大约走到整条走廊的四分之三的地方，有一小段楼梯通往楼下的房间。但是在楼梯旁边的墙上有一扇门，和他们刚穿过的门很像。
　　这扇门上也有一个铁环把手。朱利安慢慢地转动铁环，门没有开。是不是被锁住了？门上的铁锁锁眼里插着一枚大钥匙，朱利安转动了钥匙。但是门依旧没有打开。随后他发现这扇门是闩住了。
　　这门闩得很紧，所以，一定是有人被囚禁在里面了！会是那个被他们看到脸的人吗？朱利安转过身，轻轻地在安妮耳边说了些话。
　　“我这边有一扇被闩住的门，也许里面被关的就是那张脸的主人。快让乔治把蒂米带过来。”
　　安妮悄声对乔治说了些话，随后乔治把蒂米赶到了大家前边。
　　蒂米从安妮两腿之间钻了过去，站在朱利安身旁，它感知到了突如其来的惊喜。
　　“我们可能会沿着楼梯登上高塔顶部的房间，就是看到那张脸的房间。”朱利安一边思考，一边小心翼翼地拧出了螺栓。他推开门，静立聆听，随后打开了手电筒。
　　眼前和他想象的一样，又是一条陡峭的石阶。他认为在石阶尽头一定能看到那个被囚禁的人。
　　“我们向上走，”朱利安轻声说，“大家安静！”
Chapter 17 EXCITEMENT AND SHOCKS
Chapter 17 EXCITEMENT AND SHOCKS
　　TIMMY strained forward, but Julian had his hand on the dog's collar. He went up the stone stairway,very steep and narrow. The others followed with hardly a sound. All of them but Jo had 72on their rubber shoes; she had bare feet. Timmy made the most noise, because his claws clicked onthe stone.
　　At the top was another door. From behind it came a curious noise - guttural and growling.
　　Timmy growled in his throat. At first Julian couldn't think what the noise was. Then he suddenlyknew.
　　'Somebody snoring! Well, that's lucky. I can take a peep in and see who it is. We must be at the top ofthe tower now.'
　　The door in front of him was not locked. He pushed it open and looked inside, his hand still onTimmy's collar.
　　The moonlight struck through a narrow window and fell on the face of a sleeping man. Julian staredat it in rising excitement. Those eyebrows! Yes - this was the man whose face had appeared at thewindow!
　　'And I know who he is too - it is Terry-Kane!' thought Julian, moving like a shadow into the room.
　　'He's exactly like the picture we saw in the papers. Perhaps the other man is here too.'
　　He looked cautiously round the room but could see no one else, although it was possible there mightbe someone in the darkest shadows. He listened.
　　There was only the snoring of the man lying in the moonlight. He could not hear the breathing ofanyone else. With his hand still on Timmy's collar he switched on his torch and swept it round thetower-room, its beam piercing the black corners.
　　No one was there except the one man - and, with a sudden shock, Julian saw that he was tied withropes! His arms were bound behind him and his legs were tied together too. If this was Terry-Kanethen his uncle must be right. The man was no traitor - he had been kidnapped and was a prisoner.
　　Everyone was now in the room, staring at the sleeping man. He had his mouth open, and he stillsnored loudly.
　　'What are you going to do, Julian?' whispered George. 'Wake him up?'
　　Julian nodded. He went over to the sleeping man and shook him by the shoulder. He woke up at onceand stared in amazement at Julian, who was full in the moonlight. He struggled up to a sittingposition.
　　'Who are you?' he said. 'How did you get here - and who are those over in the shadows there?'
　　'Listen - are you Mr. Terry-Kane?' asked Julian.
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　　'Yes. I am. But who are you?'
　　'We are staying on the hill opposite the castle,' said Julian. 'And we saw your face at the window,through our field-glasses. So we came to find you.'
　　'But - but how do you know who I am?' said the man, still amazed.
　　'We read about you in the papers,' said Julian. 'And we saw your picture. We couldn't help noticingyour eyebrows, sir - we even saw them through the glasses.'
　　'Look here - can you undo me?' said the man, eagerly. 'I must escape. Tomorrow night my enemiesare smuggling me out of here, into a car and down to the sea and a boat is being hired to take meacross to the Continent. They want me to tell them what I know about my latest experiments. I shan'tof course - but life wouldn't be at all pleasant for me!'
　　'I'll cut the ropes,' said Julian, and he took out his pocket-knife. He cut the knots that tied Terry-Kane's wrists together and then freed his legs. Timmy stood and watched, ready to pounce if the mandid anything fierce!
　　'That's better,' said the man, stretching his arms out.
　　'How did you manage to get to the window?' asked Julian, watching the man rub his arms and knees.
　　'Each evening one of the men who brought me here comes to bring me food and drink,' said Terry-Kane. 'He undoes my hands so that I can feed myself. He sits and smokes while I eat, taking nonotice of me. I drag myself over to the window to have a breath of fresh air. I can't stay there longbecause I am soon tied up again, of course. I can't imagine how anyone could see my face at thisdeep-set slit-window!'
　　'It was our field-glasses,' said Julian. 'They are such fine ones. It's a good thing you did get to thewindow for a breath of air or we'd never have found you!'
　　'Julian - I can hear a noise,' said Jo, suddenly. She had ears like a cat, able to pick up the slightestsound.
　　'Where?' said Julian, turning sharply.
　　'Downstairs,' whispered Jo. 'Wait - I'll go and see.'
　　She slipped out of the door and down the steep little stairs. She came to the door at the bottom, theone that led into the gallery.
　　Yes - someone was coming! Coming along the gallery too. Jo thought quickly. If she darted back upthe stairs to warn the others this newcomer might go up there too, and they would all be 74caught. He could bolt the door at the top and would have six prisoners instead of one! She decided tocrouch down on the floor of the gallery a little beyond the door that led upwards.
　　Footsteps came loudly along the gallery and up to the door. Then the stranger obviously found thedoor unbolted, and stopped in consternation. He stood perfectly still, listening. Jo thought he reallymust be able to hear her heart beating, it was thumping so loudly. She didn't dare to call out to try andwarn the others - if she did they would walk straight into his arms!
　　And then Jo heard Julian's voice calling quietly down the stone stairs. 'Jo! Jo! Where are you?'
　　And then, oh dear, she thought she could hear Julian coming down the stairs to find her. 'Don't come,Julian,' she said under her breath. 'Don't come.'
　　But Julian came right down - and behind him came Terry-Kane and Dick, with the girls followingwith Timmy, on their way to escaping.
　　The stranger down at the door was even more amazed to hear voices and footsteps. He slammed thedoor suddenly and rammed the stout bolt home. The footsteps on the stairs stopped in alarm.
　　'Hey, Jo! Is that you?' called Julian's voice. 'Open the door!'
　　The stranger spoke angrily. 'The door's bolted. Who are you?'
　　There was a silence - then Terry-Kane answered. 'So you're back again, Pottersham! Open that doorat once.'
　　Oho! thought Julian, so the other scientist is here too - Jeffrey Pottersham. He must have got Terry-Kane here by kidnapping him. What can have happened to Jo?
　　The man at the door stood there as if he didn't quite know what to do. Jo crouched down in thegallery and listened intently. The man spoke again.
　　'Who set you free? Who's that with you?'
　　'Now, listen, Pottersham,' said Terry-Kane's voice. 'I've had enough of this nonsense. You must beout of your mind, acting like this! Doping me, and kidnapping me, telling me we're going to go off byfishing-boat to the Continent, and the rest of it! There are four children here, who saw my face at thewindow and came to investigate, and...'
　　'Children!' said Pottersham, taken aback. 'What in the middle of the night! How did they get up to thistower? I'm the only one that knows the way in.'
　　'Pottersham, open the door!' shouted Terry-Kane, furiously. He gave it a kick, but the old door wassturdy and strong.
　　'You can go back to the tower, all of you,' said Pottersham. 'I'm going off to get fresh orders. It 75looks as if we'll have to take those kids with us, Terry-Kane - they'll be sorry they saw your face atthe window. They won't like life, where we're going!'
　　Pottersham turned and went back the way he had come. Jo guessed that he knew the same way in asthey had happened on. She waited until she felt that it was perfectly safe, and then she ran to the dooragain. She hammered on it.
　　'Dick! Dick! Come down. Where are you?' She heard an answering shout from up the stairs behindthe door, and then Dick came running down.
　　'Jo! Unbolt the door, quick!'
　　Jo unbolted it - but it wouldn't open. Julian had now come down too, and he called to Jo. 'Turn thekey, Jo. It may be locked too.'
　　'Julian, the key's gone!' cried Jo, and she tugged in vain at the door. 'He must have locked it as well asbolted it - and he's taken the key. Oh, how can I get you out?'
　　'You can't,' said Dick. 'Still, you're free, Jo. You can go and tell the police. Buck up, now. You knowthe way, don't you?'
　　'I haven't got a torch,' said Jo.
　　'Oh dear - well, we can't possibly get one of ours out to you,' said Dick. 'You'd better wait tillmorning, then, Jo. You may lose yourself down in those dark passages. Yes - wait till morning.'
　　'The passages will still be dark!' said poor Jo. 'I'd better go now.'
　　'No - you're to wait till morning,' said Julian, fearing that Jo might wander off in the strange passages,and be lost for ever! She might even find herself down in the dungeons. Horrible thought.
　　'All right,' said Jo. 'I'll wait till morning. I'll curl up on the gallery here. It's quite warm.'
　　'It will be very hard!' said Dick. 'We'll go back to the room upstairs, Jo. Call us if you want us.
　　What a blessing you're free!'
　　Jo curled up on the gallery, but she couldn't sleep. For one thing the floor was very hard, and thestone was very very cold. She suddenly thought of the little room where they had seen the pitcher, thedagger and the chocolate wrapping-paper. That would be a far better place to sleep!
　　She could lie on the bench!
　　She stood up and thought out the way. All she had to do was to go round the gallery till she came tothe little door that opened on to the corkscrew staircase leading from the gallery to the little hiddenroom.
　　76
　　She made her way cautiously to the door. She felt for the iron ring, turned it and opened the door.
　　It was very, very dark, and she could see nothing at all in front of her. She put out her foot carefully.
　　Was she at the top of the spiral staircase?
　　She found that she was. She held out her hands on either side, touching the stone walls of the curiouslittle stairway, and went slowly down, step by step.
　　'Oh dear - am I going the right way? The stairs seem to be going on so long!' thought Jo. 'I don't likeit - but I MUST go on!'
17.陷入险境
　　陷入险境
　　蒂米想立刻冲上前去，但被朱利安紧紧地拉住了项圈。朱利安沿着陡峭且狭窄的石阶向上走去，其他人悄无声息地跟在他的身后。除了琼光着脚外，大家都穿着橡胶鞋。其中，只有蒂米发出的声音最大，因为它的爪子在爬上石阶时总会发出声响。
　　石阶的尽头出现了另外一扇门。门后传来了一阵奇怪的声响，就像喉咙里发出的低吼声。蒂米的嗓子也发出了低吼声。开始朱利安并没有弄明白门后究竟是什么声音，过了一会儿他才恍然大悟。
　　“有人在打鼾！喔，我们真幸运。我可以窥视一下里边是什么人。我们现在一定在塔顶。”
　　他面前的房门并没有上锁。于是他推开门向里边瞧，而他的手仍然抓着蒂米的项圈。
　　月光从狭小的窗户中透射进来，照在了一个熟睡男人的脸上。
　　朱利安激动地盯着他看。那对眉毛！对，这就是出现在窗户旁的那张脸！
　　“我知道他是谁，他就是特里•凯恩！”朱利安边思考边像一道暗影一样进入了房间，“他同我们在报纸上看到的照片一模一样。另外一个人也有可能在这里。”
　　他好奇地环顾房间四周，担心有其他人躲在房间黑暗的角落里。他侧耳聆听着。
　　在这个房间里，除了躺在月光下的男人的打鼾声，他听不到其他人的呼吸声。他一手抓着蒂米颈上的项圈，一手打开手电筒，照向房屋四周的每个角落。
　　房间里只有这一个人。然而让朱利安心里一惊的是，这个男人身上绑着绳子！他的胳膊被反绑着，两条腿被捆在了一起。如果这是特里•凯恩，那么他叔叔的判断就是正确的。这个男人并不是什么叛国者，而是被绑架后囚禁在了这里。
　　大家都走进房间里，盯着这个熟睡的男人。他张着嘴，发出重重的打鼾声。
　　“朱利安，你打算怎么办？”乔治悄声说，“叫醒他吗？”
　　朱利安点了点头。他走到那个男人跟前，摇了摇他的肩膀。那个男人立刻醒了，惊讶地盯着月光下的朱利安看，身体挣扎着坐了起来。
　　“你是谁？”他问，“你们是怎么到这里来的？还有那些在阴影里的人是谁？”
　　“听我说，你是特里•凯恩先生吗？”朱利安问。
　　“对，是我。但是你们是谁？”
　　“我们在城堡对面的山上露营，”朱利安说，“偶然间用望远镜看到过你的脸，所以我们就来找你了。”
　　“但是……但是你们怎么知道我是谁？”那个男人诧异地问。
　　“我们在报纸上读过关于你的新闻，”朱利安说，“我们看过你的照片。你的眉毛让人难以忘怀，先生。”
　　“你们可以帮我松绑吗？”那个男人急切地说，“我必须逃走。明天晚上我的敌人会把我从这里带走，开车把我拉到海边，他们雇了一艘船带我穿过大陆。他们想知道我最近实验的成果，我当然不会告诉他们。真是天有不测风云！”
　　“我来把绳子割断。”朱利安说着拿出了他的折刀。他切断了绑在特里•凯恩手腕和腿上的绳子。蒂米站在一旁待命，防止那个男人突然做出一些威胁他们的事情！
　　“这样舒服多了。”那个男人边说边伸展了一下胳膊。
　　“你是怎么移动到窗户旁的？”朱利安问。那个男人揉着自己的胳膊和膝盖。
　　“每晚都会有人给我送吃的和水，”特里•凯恩说，“他把我手上的绳子解开让我自己吃饭。在我吃饭的时候，他会坐在旁边吸烟，并不会注意我。我会拖着身体移动到窗户旁，呼吸一口新鲜空气。但是我在那里待的时间不能太长，因为他很快就会再次把我绑起来。
　　我从来没想过有人能从那么高的窗台处看到我的脸！”
　　“多亏有望远镜，”朱利安说，“我们的望远镜质量很好。幸亏你到窗边去呼吸新鲜空气，否则我们也不会看到你！”
　　“朱利安，我听到有声响。”琼突然说。她的耳朵像猫一样敏锐，哪怕是最轻微的声音也逃不过她的耳朵。
　　“哪里？”乔治问，她变得警觉起来。
　　“楼下，”琼小声说，“等等，我出去看看。”
　　她悄悄地溜出了房间，走下了陡峭的狭窄楼梯，来到楼梯尽头通往走廊的门前。
　　真的有人朝这里来了！而且是沿着走廊过来的。琼的大脑飞快地运转着。如果她上楼警告大家，那么这个人也会上楼，这样大家都会被他发现。这个人会把门反锁上，这样就有了六个被囚禁的人，而不是一个！于是她决定在离通往塔顶的门后不远处蹲着，躲起来。
　　走廊中的脚步声越来越近。随后，那个人惊奇地发现，门栓被打开了，这让他有点不知所措。那个人静静地站在那里，侧耳聆听。琼猜测他肯定能听到自己重重的心跳声。她不敢叫喊去警告大家，如果她这样做，他们会成了他的囊中之物！
　　随后，琼听到了石阶上朱利安微弱的呼唤声：“琼，琼！你在哪儿！”就在这时，天哪，她听到了朱利安下楼寻找她的声音。“朱利安，别过来，”她屏息说道，“别过来。”
　　但是朱利安已经走了下来，后边跟着特里•凯恩、迪克、女孩们还有蒂米。他们准备逃走。
　　那个人走到门前，对说话声和脚步声感到吃惊。他猛地把门关上，又用力锁上。随即，大家警觉地停住了脚步。
　　“嘿，琼，是你吗？”朱利安叫道，“把门打开！”
　　那个人生气地说：“门被我锁上了。你们是谁？”
　　空气突然安静起来，随后，特里•凯恩回应道：“波特沙姆，你又回来了，赶快把门打开！”
　　哦！朱利安想，另外一个科学家杰弗里•波特沙姆也在这儿。他这是把特里•凯恩绑架了，并带到了这里来。琼怎么办？
　　那个男人就站在门旁，不知道该如何是好。琼蹲在地上专注地听着。那个男人又一次开口说：“是谁把你放出来的？你旁边的人都是谁？”
　　“波特沙姆，你听着，”特里•凯恩说，“我已经受够了这些蠢事。
　　你一定是疯了，才会干这种事！给我下药、绑架我，还说要用渔船送我去其他地方……这里有四个孩子，他们无意中在窗口看到了我，所以前来一探究竟，而且……”
　　“孩子！”波特沙姆惊讶地说，“他们半夜出来干什么！他们是怎么上来的？只有我知道这条路。”
　　“波特沙姆，把门打开！”特里•凯恩气愤地喊道。他踹了一脚门，但是这扇旧门纹丝不动。
　　“你们都回到塔上去，”波特沙姆说，“我去重新订票。看起来我们要带上这些孩子了。特里•凯恩，他们会为看到你的脸而感到后悔的，他们不会喜欢未来的生活！”
　　波特沙姆扭头回去了。琼猜测他知道他们进来的路线。她静静地趴在地上，一直到绝对安全后才爬起来。随后，她跑向了那扇门，用力捶打。
　　“迪克！迪克！下来。你在哪儿？”她听到楼梯尽头从门后传来的回应声，随后，迪克跑了下来。
　　“琼，把门打开，快！”
　　琼打开了门栓，但是门仍旧紧闭。朱利安此时也跑了下来，他叫道：“琼，拧钥匙，门被锁上了。”
　　“朱利安，钥匙不见了！”琼叫道，她徒劳地拉拽着门，“他一定把门锁上了，并且把钥匙带走了。哦，我该怎么把你们弄出来？”
　　“你没办法，”迪克说，“琼，目前你是自由的，你可以去找警察，然后再回来。你知道路，对不对？”
　　“我需要一只手电筒。”琼说。
　　“哦，亲爱的，我们也没法把手电筒给你，”迪克说，“琼，你最好等到早上。现在你可能会在黑暗的通道内迷路，明天早上再说。”
　　“那时候通道依旧会很黑！”琼说，“我现在就走。”
　　“不行，你明天再走。”朱利安说，他担心琼会在陌生的通道里迷路，可能永远也走不出来！她可能会走到地下城里，后果不堪设想。
　　“好吧，”琼说，“我会等到明天早上。我在走廊里躲起来，这里很暖和。”
　　“躲在走廊真是辛苦你了！”迪克说，“琼，我们要回楼上的房间了，有事的话就喊我们吧。你没有被困真是太好了！”
　　琼蜷缩在走廊中，但是她毫无睡意。一是因为地板坚硬，二是因为石头冰冷。她突然想到那个有水罐、匕首和巧克力包装纸的房间，在那里睡觉再适合不过了！她可以躺在长凳上。
　　她站起来回忆了一下那条路。她唯一需要做的就是围着走廊走，打开那扇门，然后沿着螺旋状的台阶走向那个密室。
　　她小心翼翼地接近那扇门，摸索到了那个铁质门环。随后，她将门打开。门外一片漆黑，伸手不见五指。她谨慎地向前走，不清楚自己是否处于螺旋状台阶的顶部。
　　随后她发现确实如此。她的两只手摸索着两边的石墙，一步一步沿着台阶缓慢地向下走。
　　“哦，我的天哪，我走的路对不对？这段台阶也太长了！”琼心想，“我不喜欢这样，但是我必须向前走！”
Chapter 18 JO HAS AN ADVENTURE ON HER OWN
Chapter 18 JO HAS AN ADVENTURE ON HER OWN
　　JO came to the end of the spiral stairway at last. She found herself on the level once more, andremembered the little straight passage that led to the secret room from the stairway. Good, good,good! Now she would soon be in the room and could lie down on the bench.
　　She went through the doorway of the secret room without knowing it, because it was so dark.
　　She groped her way along, and suddenly felt the edge of the bench.
　　'Here at last,' she said thankfully, out loud.
　　And then poor Jo got a dreadful shock! A pair of strong arms went round her and held her fast!
　　She screamed and struggled, her heart beating in wild alarm. Who was it? Oh, if only she had a light!
　　And then a torch was switched on, and held to her face. 'Oho! You must be Jo, I suppose,' saidPottersham's voice. 'I wondered who you were when one of those kids yelled out for you! I thoughtyou must be wandering somewhere about. I guessed you'd come this way, and I sat on the bench andwaited for you.'
　　'Let me go,' said Jo fiercely and struggled like a wild cat. The man only held her all the more tightly.
　　He was very strong.
　　Jo suddenly put down her face and bit his hand. He gave a shout and loosened his hold. Jo wasalmost free when he caught her again, and shook her like a rat. 'You little wild cat! Don't you do thatagain!'
　　Jo did it again, even more fiercely, and the man dropped her on to the ground, nursing his hand.
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　　Jo made for the entrance of the room, but again the man was too quick and she found herself heldagain.
　　'I'll tie you up,' said the man, furiously. 'I'll rope you so that you won't be able to move! And I'll leaveyou here in the dark till I come back again.'
　　He took a rope from round his waist and proceeded to tie Jo up so thoroughly that she could hardlymove. Her hands were behind her back, her legs were tied at knees and ankles. She rolled about thefloor, calling the man all the names she knew.
　　'Well, you're safe for the time being,' said Pottersham, sucking his bitten hand. 'Now I'm going. Iwish you joy of the hard cold floor and the darkness, you savage little wild cat!'
　　Jo heard his footsteps going in the distance. She could have kicked herself for not having guessed hemight have been lying in wait for her. Now she couldn't get help for the others. In fact, she was muchworse off than they were because she was tied up, and they weren't.
　　Poor Jo! She dozed off, exhausted by the night's excitement and her fierce struggle. She lay againstthe wall, so uncomfortable that she kept waking from her doze every few minutes.
　　And then a thought came into her head. She remembered the rope-man, all tied up in length afterlength of knotted rope. She had watched him set himself free so many times. Could any of his trickshelp her now?
　　'The rope-man would be able to get himself free of this rope in two minutes!' she thought, and beganto wriggle and struggle again. But she was not the rope-man, and after about an hour she was soexhausted again that she went into a doze once more.
　　When she awoke, she felt better. She forced herself into a sitting position, and made herself thinkclearly and slowly.
　　'Work one knot free first,' she said to herself, remembering what the rope-man had told her. 'At firstyou won't know which knot is best. When you know that you will always be able to free yourself intwo minutes. But find that one knot first!'
　　She said all this to herself as she tried to find a knot that might be worked loose. At last one seemed alittle looser than the others. It was one that bound her left wrist to her right. She twisted her wristround and got her thumb to the knot. She picked and pulled and at last it loosened a little. She hadmore control over that hand now. If only she had a knife somewhere! She could manage to get itbetween her finger and thumb now and perhaps use it to cut another knot.
　　She suddenly lost her patience and flung her head back on the bench, straining and pulling at the 78rope. She knocked against something and it fell to the stone floor with a clatter. Jo wondered what itwas - and then she knew.
　　'That dagger! That old, rusty dagger! Oh, if I could find it I might do something with it!'
　　She swung herself round on the floor till she felt the dagger under her. She rolled over on her backand tried to pick it up with her free finger and thumb, and at last she managed to hold it.
　　She sat up, bent forward and did her best to force the rusty dagger up and down a little on the ropethat tied her hands behind her. She could hardly move it at all because her hands were still so tightlytied. But she persevered.
　　She grew so tired that she had to give it up for a long while. Then she tried again, then had anotherlong rest. The third time she was lucky! The rope suddenly frayed and broke! She pulled her handshard, found them looser and picked at a knot.
　　It took Jo a long long time to free her hands, but she did it at last. She couldn't manage to undo herlegs at first, because her hands were trembling so much. But after another long rest she undid the tightknots, and shook her legs free. 'Well, thank goodness I learnt a few hints from the ropeman,' she said,out loud. 'I'd never have got free if I hadn't!'
　　She wondered what the time was. It was pitch dark in the little room, of course. She stood up and wassurprised to find that her legs were shaky. She staggered a few steps and then sat down again. But herlegs soon felt better and she stood up once more. 'Now to find my way out,' she said. 'How I wish Ihad a torch!'
　　She went carefully down the flight of stone steps that led down from the room, and then came to thewide passage that ran under the courtyard. She went along it, glad it was level, and then came onceagain to stone steps that led upwards. Up she climbed, knowing that she was going the right way,although she was in the dark.
　　Now she came to the small passage where she had to bend almost double, the one that ran through thecentre of the thick outer walls. Jo heaved a sigh of relief. Surely she would soon come to where thestone had fallen out and would be able to see daylight!
　　She saw daylight before she came to the place where the stone was missing. She saw it some way infront of her, a misty little patch that made her wonder what it was at first. Then she knew.
　　'Daylight! Oh, thank goodness!' She stumbled along to it and climbed up to the hole from which thestone had fallen. She sat there, drinking in the sunlight. It was bright and warm and very comforting.
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　　After the darkness of the passages Jo felt quite dazed. Then she suddenly realized how very high thesun was in the sky! Goodness, it must be afternoon!
　　She looked cautiously out of the hole in the wall. Now that she was so near freedom she didn't wantto be caught by anyone watching out for her! There was nobody. Jo leapt down from the hole and randown the steep hillside. She went as sure-footed as a goat, leaping along till she came to the lane. Shecrossed it and made her way to the caravan-field.
　　She was just about to go over the stile when she stopped. Julian had said she was to go to the police.
　　But Jo, like the other gypsy folk, was afraid of the police. No gypsy ever asked the police for help. Jofelt herself shrivelling up inside when she thought of talking to big policemen.
　　'No. I'll go to Uncle Fredo,' she thought. 'He will know what to do. I will tell him all about it.'
　　She was going up the field when she saw someone strange there! Who was it? Could it be that horridman who had tied her up? She had not seen him at all clearly, and she was afraid it might be. She sawthat he was talking urgently to some of the fair-folk. They were listening politely, but Jo could seethat they thought he was rather mad.
　　She went a bit nearer, and found that he was asking where Julian and the rest were. He was becomingvery angry with the fair-people because they assured him that they did not know where the childrenhad gone.
　　'It's the man they call Pottersham,' said Jo to herself, and dived under a caravan. 'He's come to findout how much we've told anyone about that Face.'
　　She hid till he had gone away down the hillside to the lane, very red in the face, and shouting out thathe would get the police.
　　Jo crawled out, and the fair-folk crowded round her at once. 'Where have you been? Where are theothers? That man wanted to know all about you. He sounds quite mad!'
　　'He's a bad man,' said Jo. 'I'll tell you all about him - and where the others are. We've got to rescuethem!'
　　Whereupon Jo launched into her story with the greatest zest, beginning in the middle, then goingback to the beginning, putting in things she had forgotten, and thoroughly muddling everyone.
　　When she ended they all stared at her in excitement. They didn't really know what it was all about butthey had certainly gathered a few things.
　　'You mean to say that those kids are locked up in that tower over there?' said Alfredo, amazed.
　　'And a spy is with them!'
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　　'No - he's not a spy - he's a good man,' explained Jo. 'What they call a scientist, very, very clever.'
　　'That man who left just now, he said he was a - a scientitist,' said Skippy, stumbling over theunfamiliar word.
　　'Well, he's a bad man,' said Jo, firmly. 'He is probably a spy. He kidnapped the good man, up in thetower there, to take him away to another country. And he tied me up too, like I told you. See mywrists and ankles?'
　　She displayed them, cut and bruised. The fair-folk looked at them in silence. Then Bufflo cracked hiswhip and made everyone jump.
　　'We will rescue them!' he said. 'This is no police job. It is our job.'
　　'I say, look - that scientitist comes back,' said Skippy suddenly. And sure enough, there he was,coming hurriedly up the field to ask some more questions!
　　'We will get him,' muttered Bufflo. All the fair-folk waited in silence for the man to come up.
　　Then they closed round him solidly and began to walk up the hill. The man was taken with them.
　　He couldn't help himself! He was walked behind a caravan, and before the crowd had come apartagain he was on the ground, neatly roped by the rope-man!
　　'Well, we've got you,' said the rope-man. 'And now we'll get on to the next bit of business!'
18.琼的孤身冒险
　　琼的孤身冒险
　　最终，琼摸索着走到了螺旋状台阶的尽头。随后，她意识到自己再一次站在了平台上，而且想起了从阶梯通往密室的那段笔直通道。真棒，真棒，真棒！她马上就可以走进那个房间并且躺在长凳上了。
　　四周非常黑暗，她凭着回忆穿过了密室的大门。她独自摸索前行，突然碰到了长凳的边缘。
　　“终于找到了。”她舒了口气。
　　随即发生的事情让可怜的琼浑身一颤！黑暗中，一双强壮的手臂夹住了她，而且急速地拖拽她的身体！她一边尖叫一边挣扎着，心跳得很快。这是谁？哦，如果她带了手电筒该多好！
　　随即，一只手电筒打开了，光线照在了她的脸上。“哦！我猜你肯定是琼，”波特沙姆说，“我一直搞不懂刚才那些孩子在叫谁！我猜测你当时肯定在其他地方，而且会来这里。我就坐在长凳上等你来。”
　　“放开我。”琼生气地说，她像一只野猫一样挣扎着。那个人反而把她抓得更紧，他非常强壮。
　　琼猛然低下头咬住他的手。那个人大叫了一声，松开了手臂。
　　然而琼刚想逃走，那个男人再一次抓紧了她，像抓着一只老鼠一样边摇晃她边说：“你这只野猫！再做一次试试！”
　　琼又用力地咬了他一口，那个男人连忙把她甩到地上，揉搓着自己的手。琼跑到了房间门口，然而那个男人的速度很快，又一次把她抓住了。
　　“我要把你绑起来，”那个男人愤怒地说，“这样你就跑不了了！
　　我回来之前会把你一直关在这儿。”
　　他从腰上拉出一根绳子，把琼的整个身体捆了起来，让她寸步难行。她的手被绑在了背后，两腿的膝盖和脚踝处都被绑上了绳子。她在地上翻滚着，把那个男人骂得狗血淋头。
　　“这样你就老实多了。”波特沙姆边说边吮吸着疼痛的手掌，“我走了，希望你能享受这里坚硬冰冷的地板和黑暗的环境，你这只粗鲁的小野猫！”
　　琼听到他的脚步声越来越远。她为自己没有预测到这个男人的出现而自责。现在没人能帮上她。实际上，她比任何人的经历都更惨，至少其他人都没有被绑起来。
　　可怜的琼！现在她打起了盹来，整晚的兴奋和激烈的挣扎耗尽了她的精力。她靠墙躺着，由于这里太不舒服，每隔几分钟她都会醒来。
　　然而她突然想到了一个方法。她想起了那个表演绳索逃脱术的人，每次他的身上都会捆上打结的绳索。她已经看了他很多次的表演，他的那些小技巧能不能帮到自己呢？
　　“那个表演绳索逃脱术的人，肯定可以在两分钟之内解开的！”她想，随后再一次蠕动挣扎了起来。但是她毕竟不是表演绳索逃脱术的那个人，因此在尝试了一个小时后，她的精力再一次耗尽，又打起了盹来。
　　醒来之后，她感觉好多了。她强迫自己坐了起来，开始冷静地思考着。
　　“首先把一个绳结解开，”她想起了表演绳索逃脱术的那个人对她说过的话，自言自语道，“开始你不知道最应该解开哪个绳结。如果你知道了，就能在两分钟之内逃脱。所以首先找到那个绳结！”
　　她一边自言自语，一边寻找着可能松动的那个绳结。最终，她发现了一个比其他都松一些的绳结，这个绳结捆绑着她的两个手腕。她扭动着自己的手腕，并将拇指伸向绳结。她又拉又拽，终于让那个绳结松动了一些。这样一来，她的那只手有了更大的活动空间。要是有小刀该多好！那样她就可以用食指和拇指捏着它割断另一个绳结。
　　终于，她失去了耐心，猛然将头部朝后贴向长凳，拉紧了绳索。她的头部把某个东西碰到了地上，发出了清脆的声音。琼想了想，随后知道了那个是什么东西。
　　“匕首！那把又旧又钝的匕首！哦，要是我能早点发现它，就能用它做点什么了！”
　　她在地上扭动着身体，摸索到了那把匕首。她蜷曲起身体，尝试用食指和拇指拾起匕首，最终将它握在了手里。
　　她坐了起来并向前弯曲身体，尽力用钝匕首上下切割绑在身后手腕处的绳索。她很难移动匕首，因为她的手被绑得实在太紧了。
　　但是她依然没有放弃。
　　这样做让她精疲力竭，随后她休息了很长一段时间。之后，她又开始切割了起来，然后又休息了很长一段时间。第三次的时候，她很幸运！绳索突然被磨断了！她用力伸展了一下双手，有了更多的活动空间。
　　琼花了很长时间让自己的双手完全解脱出来。一开始，她没办法解开腿上的绳结，因为她的手抖得很厉害。休息了很长一段时间后，她终于解开了紧紧的绳结，这样她的双腿也解脱了出来。“谢天谢地，幸亏我从表演绳索逃脱术的人那里学了点东西，”她大声地自言自语道，“要是我不知道这些技巧的话，永远都解脱不了！”
　　她不知道现在是什么时间，因为这个小房间里一片黑暗。她站起身时惊讶地发现双腿在不断地颤抖。她蹒跚着走了几步后再一次坐下来休息。好在她的双腿很快恢复了正常，再一次站了起来。“现在我要走出去，”她说，“要是能找到一只手电筒就好了！”
　　她小心翼翼地沿着房间外的石阶向下走，随后来到了庭院下宽阔的通道处。她一直往前走，庆幸这段路是如此平坦，在通道尽头，她碰到了向上的石阶。她在黑暗中爬了上去，意识到自己没走错路。
　　此时，她来到了狭小的通道前，不得不弯下腰通过，这条通道穿过厚厚的外墙中央。琼长舒了一口气，如释重负。她知道自己马上就可以到达那个石头缺口处，很快就能看到日光了！
　　在她到达那块缺失石块的地方之前，她就看到了日光。光束就打在她的前方，开始她对穿过雾霭的光斑有些摸不着头脑，最终她明白这就是照射进来的日光。
　　“日光！哦，谢天谢地！”她蹒跚着走过去，爬到了石头中的那个空缺处。随后，她坐了下来，沐浴着久违的阳光。阳光很亮也很温暖，她感觉非常舒服。
　　由于琼刚刚穿过黑暗的通道，此时她觉得有些眩晕。突然她意识到，现在的太阳已经升得很高了！天哪，现在肯定是中午了！
　　她谨慎地沿着洞口向外看。她不想在最后关头再被人抓到！外边没有人，琼跳下洞口，跑向了陡峭的山腰处。她迈着像山羊一样稳健的步伐，一直跑到了车道处。她跨过车道，来到了大篷车田地。
　　她刚要跨过台阶时却停住了脚步。朱利安曾让她去找警察。但是琼和其他吉卜赛人一样害怕警察。从来没有吉卜赛人会向警察寻求帮助。琼一想到向警察们寻求帮助，就会感到身体里一阵不舒服。
　　“不。我要去找阿尔佛雷多叔叔，”琼心里想，“他知道该怎么办。我会把一切告诉他。”
　　正当她爬上田地时，发现了一位陌生人！那是谁？会不会是刚刚绑架她的那个人？她没有看清那个人的模样，同时内心感到一阵恐惧。她看见那个人在与一些民间艺人急切地说些什么。那些人礼貌地听着，但是琼可以辨别出那些人都以为那个男人疯了。
　　她走得更近了一些，发现他在向大家询问朱利安的踪影。他变得越来越生气，因为他不相信这些人不知道那个孩子去了哪里。
　　“那个人就是波特沙姆，”琼自言自语道，她赶忙钻进一辆大篷车底下，“他是来询问大家对那张脸的了解情况。”
　　她一直躲在那里，直到那个男人沿着山腰走到了车道处才出来。那个男人红着脸，大喊着要找警察帮忙。
　　琼从车下爬了出来，随即被民间艺人们围了起来：“你去哪里了？其他人在哪儿？那个男人想知道你的事情。他听起来像疯了一样！”
　　“他是个坏人，”琼说，“我会把一切告诉你们，也会告诉你们其他人在哪儿，我们去救他们！”
　　琼因为激动而语无伦次地把之前发生的事情讲了出来。她未从事件的开始讲起，而后却又提到了事情的起因，同时加上了她之前忘记的内容，她的一席话让大家听得晕头转向。当她兴奋地说完后，尽管大家都不清楚到底是怎么回事，但是至少有几件事情是理解了。
　　“你的意思是说，那些孩子现在被锁在了那座高塔里？”阿尔佛雷多惊讶地说，“其中还有个间谍！”
　　“不，他不是间谍，他是一个好人。”琼解释说，“他是一位科学家，非常聪明。”
　　“刚才走的那个人，他也说他是一个……一个科学家。”史基比说，她对陌生的词汇有些迷惑。
　　“他是一个坏人，”琼坚定地说，“有可能是个间谍。他绑架了好人，并把他放到了高塔里，还要把他带到另外一个国家去。他刚刚也把我绑了起来。你看我的手腕还有膝盖。”
　　她向大家展示自己身体上的勒痕，这让民间艺人们陷入了一片沉思。突然，巴法络甩了一下鞭子，把大家吓了一跳。
　　“我们要去救他们！”他说，“这不是警察的责任，而是我们的责任！”
　　“你们看，那个科学家回来了。”史基比突然说。那个男人飞快地跑向这些人，想向他们问更多的问题！
　　“我们抓住他。”巴法络小声地说道。所有民间艺人都安静地等待着那个男人跑上前来。随后，他们把他围个水泄不通，并且推着他向山上走去。那个男人被大家夹在中间，什么都做不了！他走到一辆大篷车前，而就在人群分散开前，他被表演绳索逃脱术的那个人捆在了地上！
　　“嗯，我们抓到你了，”表演绳索逃脱术的那个人说，“现在，该解决正事了！”
Chapter 19 JO JOINS IN
Chapter 19 JO JOINS IN
　　THE 'scientitist', as Skippy persisted in calling him, was put into an empty caravan with windows anddoors shut, because he shouted so loudly. When the snake-man opened the door and slid in one of hispythons the scientist stopped shouting at once and lay extremely still.
　　The snake-man opened the door and his python glided out again. But the man in the caravan hadlearnt his lesson. Not another sound came from him!
　　Then everyone in the camp held a conference. There was no hurry about it at all, because it had beendecided that nothing should be done before night-time.
　　'If we make a rescue in the daylight, then the police will come,' said Alfredo. 'They will interfere.
　　They will not believe a word we say. They never do.'
　　'How shall we rescue them?' said Skippy. 'Do we go through these strange passages and up steep 81stone stairs? It does not sound nice to me.'
　　'It isn't at all nice,' Jo assured her. 'And anyway it wouldn't be sensible. The door leading to thetower-room is locked, I told you. And that man has got the key.'
　　'Ah!' said Bufflo, springing up at once. 'You didn't tell us that before! He has the key? Then I will getit from him!'
　　'I didn't think of that,' said Jo, watching Bufflo leap up the caravan steps.
　　He came out in a minute or two and joined them again. 'He has no key on him,' he said. 'He says henever had. He says we are all mad, and he will get the police.'
　　'He will find it hard to get the police just yet,' said Mrs. Alfredo, and gave a high little laugh. 'He hasthrown away the key - or given it to a friend, perhaps?'
　　'Well, it's settled we can't get in through the door that leads to the tower-room, then,' said the snake-man, who seemed to have a better grasp of things than the others. 'Right. Is there any other way intothe room?'
　　'Only by the window,' said Jo. 'That slit-window there, see? Too high for any ladder, of course.
　　Anyway, we've got to get into the courtyard first. We'll have to climb over the high castle wall.'
　　'That is easy,' said the rubber-man. 'I can climb any wall. But not, perhaps, one so high as the towerwall.'
　　'Can anyone get into or out of the slit of a window?' asked Bufflo screwing up his eyes to look at thetower.
　　'Oh, yes - it's bigger than you think,' said Jo. 'It's very deep - the walls are so thick, you see -though I don't think they are so thick up there as they are down below. But Bufflo, how can anyoneget up to that window?'
　　'It can be done,' said Bufflo. 'That is not so difficult! You can lend us a peg-rope, Jekky?' he said tothe rope-man.
　　'Yes,' said Jekky. Jo knew what that was - a thick rope with pegs thrust through the strands to act asfootholds.
　　'But how will you get the peg-rope up?' said Jo, puzzled.
　　'It can be done,' said Bufflo again, and the talking went on. Jo suddenly began to feel terribly hungryand got up to get herself a meal. When she got back to the conference everything was apparentlysettled.
　　'We set off tonight as soon as darkness comes,' Bufflo told her. 'You will not come, Jo. This is 82man's business.'
　　'Of course, I'm coming!' said Jo, amazed that anyone should think she wasn't. 'They're my friends,aren't they? I'm coming all right!'
　　'You are not,' said Bufflo, and Jo immediately made up her mind to disappear before the men set offand hide somewhere so that she might follow them.
　　By this time it was about six o'clock. Bufflo and the rope-man disappeared in Jekky's caravan andbecame very busy there. Jo went peeping in at the door to see what they were doing but they orderedher out.
　　'This is not your business any more,' they said, and turned her out when she refused to go.
　　When darkness came, a little company set out from the camp. They had searched for Jo to make sureshe was not coming, but she had disappeared. Bufflo led the way down the hill, looking extremely fatbecause he was wound about with a great deal of peg-rope. Then came Mr. Slither with one of hispythons draped round him. Then the rubber-man with Mr. Alfredo.
　　Bufflo also carried his whip though nobody quite knew why. Anyway, Bufflo always did carry awhip, it was part of him; so nobody questioned him about it.
　　Behind them, like a little shadow, slipped Jo. What were they going to do? She had watched thetower-window for the last two hours, and when darkness came she saw a light there - a light thatshone on and off, on and off.
　　That's Dick or Julian signalling, she thought. They will have wondered why I haven't brought helpsometime today. They don't know that I was captured and tied up! I'll have something to tell themwhen we're all together again!
　　The little company went over the stile, into the lane and up the path to the castle. They came to thewall. The rubber-man took a jump at it, and literally seemed to run up it, fling himself on to the top,roll over and disappear!
　　'He's over,' said Bufflo. 'What it is to be made of rubber! I don't believe that fellow ever feels hurt!'
　　There was a low whistle from the other side of the wall. Bufflo unwound a thin rope from his waist,tied a stone to it and flung it over. The rope slithered after the stone and over the wall like a long thinworm.
　　Thud! They heard the stone fall on the ground the other side. Another low whistle told them that therubber-man had it. Bufflo then undid the peg-rope from his waist, and he and the others held 83out its length between them, standing one behind the other. One end was fastened to the thin ropewhose other end held the stone.
　　The rubber-man, on the other side of the wall, began to pull on the thin rope. When all the slack wastaken in, the peg-rope began to go up the wall too, because it was tied to the thin rope and had tofollow it! Up went the peg-rope and up, looking like a great thick caterpillar with tufts sticking out ofits sides.
　　Jo watched. Yes, that was clever. A good and easy way of getting over the thick high wall. But to getthe peg-rope up to the slit-window would not be so easy.
　　A whistle came again. Bufflo let go the peg-rope, and it swung flat against his side of the wall.
　　He tugged it. It was firm. Evidently the rubber-man had tied it fast to something. It was safe to go up.
　　It would bear anyone's weight without slipping down the wall.
　　Bufflo went up first, using the pegs as foot-holds and pulling himself up by the rope between thepegs. Each of the men was quick and deft in the way he climbed. Jo waited till the last one hadstarted up, and then leapt for the rope too!
　　Up she went like a cat and landed beside Bufflo on the other side of the wall. He was astounded andgave her a cuff. She dodged away, and stood aside, watching. She wondered how the men intended toreach the topmost window of the high tower. Perhaps she would be of some help. If only she couldbe!
　　The four men stood in the moonlight, looking up at the tower. They talked in low tones, while therubber-man undid the thin rope from the peg-rope, and neatly coiled it into loops. The peg-rope wasleft on the wall.
　　Jo heard a car going up the lane at the bottom of the castle hill. She heard it stop and backsomewhere. Part of her attention was on the four men and the other part on the car.
　　The car stopped its engine. There was no further sound. Jo forgot it for a few minutes, and then wason the alert again - was that voices she heard somewhere? She listened intently. The sound cameagain on the night air - a low murmur that came nearer.
　　Jo held her breath - could that horrid man - what was his name - Pottersham - could he have arrangedfor his equally horrid friends to fetch Mr. Terry-Kane, and all the children out of the tower that night,and take them off to the coast? Perhaps they had already hired a fishing-boat from Joseph the oldfisherman, and they would all be away and never heard of again!
　　So the thoughts ran in Jo's alert mind. Mr. Pottersham would have had plenty of time to get fresh 84orders, and arrange everything before he had gone to the camp and got himself locked up in acaravan! Oh dear - dare she go and warn her Uncle Alfredo, where he stood in the moonlight, holdinga little conference with the others?
　　He'll cuff me as soon as I go near, thought Jo, rubbing her left ear, which still stung from Bafflo'scuff. They won't listen to me, I know. Still I'll try.
　　She went up to the group of men cautiously. She saw Bufflo take out a dagger-knife from his belt,and tie it to the end of the thin rope that the rubber-man held. She guessed in a moment what he wasabout to do, and ran to him.
　　'No, Bufflo, no! Don't throw that knife up - you'll hurt someone - you might wound one of them!
　　No, Bufflo, no!'
　　'Clear out,' said Bufflo, angrily and raised his hand to slap her. She dodged away.
　　She went round the group to her uncle. 'Uncle Fredo,' she said beseechingly. 'Listen. I can hear voices- I think those...'
　　Alfredo pushed her away roughly. 'Will you stop this, Jo? Do you want a good whipping? Youbehave like a buzzing fly!'
　　Mr. Slither called her. 'See here, Jo - if you want to be useful, hold Beauty for me. He will be in theway in a minute.'
　　He draped the great snake over her shoulders, and Beauty hissed loudly. He began to coil himselfround Jo, and she caught hold of his tail. She liked Beauty, but just at that moment she didn't wanthim at all!
　　She stood back and watched what Bufflo was going to do. She knew, of course, and her heart beatfearfully. He was going to throw his knife through that high slit-window, a thing that surely onlyBufflo, with his unerring aim, could possibly do!
　　'But if he gets it through the window, it may stick into one of the four up there - or into Mr.
　　Terry-Kane,' she thought, in a panic. 'It might wound Dick - or Timmy! Oh, I wish Bufflo wouldn't doit!'
　　She heard low voices again - this time they came from just the other side of the wall! Men were goingto follow those secret passages, and go right up to the tower-room! Jo knew they were!
　　They would be there before Bufflo and the others had followed out their rescue plan. She pictured thefour children being dragged down the stairs, and Terry-Kane, too. Would Timmy defend them? Hewould - but the men would certainly deal with him. They knew there was a dog 85there, because Timmy had barked the night before.
　　Oh, dear, thought Jo, in despair. I must do something! But what can I DO?
19.琼的加入
　　琼的加入
　　大家把史基比口中的这个“科学家”关进了一辆空的大篷车里，紧闭门窗，因为他实在太吵了。驯蛇人打开门，将一条蟒蛇放了进去，吓得这个科学家立即停止了喊叫，一动不动。
　　过了一会儿，驯蛇人又一次打开了大篷车的门，让他的蛇爬了出来。然而车里的科学家已经吸取了教训，再也不敢出声了。
　　随后，所有在这里露营的人进行了集体讨论。他们决定目前不会轻举妄动，要等到晚上再做进一步行动。
　　“如果我们白天去营救，那么会招来警察，”阿尔佛雷多说，“他们会干涉我们。他们不会相信我们说的话，从来都没相信过。”
　　“我们该怎么营救他们？”史基比问，“我们要穿过那些奇怪的通道，爬上那些陡峭的台阶吗？这听起来并不容易。”
　　“确实不容易，”琼对她说，“而且也不合乎情理。我刚说过，通往塔顶房间的门被锁上了，而且钥匙在那个男人身上。”
　　“啊！”巴法络突然叫了一声，“你之前没跟我们说！他有钥匙？
　　那我去拿！”
　　“我没想起来。”琼说。此时巴法络已经跳到了大篷车的踏板上。
　　过了一两分钟之后，他从大篷车里走了出来。“他没有钥匙，”巴法络说，“他说他不知道什么钥匙。而且他认为我们都疯了，打算去报警。”
　　“他现在没法去找警察了，”阿尔佛雷多的妻子边说边大笑了起来，“他要不把钥匙扔掉了，要不就给他朋友了，有可能吧？”
　　“好吧，这就是说我们没法从那扇门进入到高塔房间了。”驯蛇人说，他看起来比其他人的理解力更强，“那么还有其他进入房间的道路吗？”
　　“只能从窗户进去，”琼说，“看到那个窗台了吗？但是没有那么高的梯子。不管怎样，我们先到那个庭院里去，而且需要爬过城堡的高墙。”
　　“小菜一碟，”橡胶人说，“我可以爬过所有高墙。但是可能都没有这面墙高。”
　　“有人能从窗台进出吗？”巴法络边说边注视着那座高塔。
　　“有，那个窗户比你想象得还要大，”琼说，“那个窗口很深，外墙墙壁很厚，我认为高处的墙应该会比低处的要薄一点。但是，巴法络，我们要怎么爬上窗口呀？”
　　“这个好办，”巴法络说，“一点也不难！杰克基，你能借我们一条带挂钩的绳子吗？”他对表演绳索逃脱术的那个人说。
　　“好。”杰克基说。琼知道那种东西，就是在绳子中插入一条带挂钩的绳索，可以作为脚架用于攀登。
　　“但是你怎么把这种绳子挂起来？”琼疑惑地说。
　　“很简单。”巴法络回应了一声后又接着自己之前的话说了起来。此时琼感到饥肠辘辘，于是她起身为自己做了些吃的。当她回来时，大家已经把所有事情都安排妥当了。
　　“今晚天一黑我们就走，”巴法络对她说，“琼，你不要去了。这是男人的事情。”
　　“我当然要去！”琼说，她对大家的决定表示不解，“他们是我的朋友，我当然要去！”
　　“你不能去。”巴法络说。琼灵机一动，她打算在大家出发前躲起来，然后在后边偷偷地跟着他们。
　　此时大约晚上六点了，巴法络和表演绳索逃脱术的那个人一同走进大篷车中忙碌了起来。琼在门口想偷窥他们在做什么，但是被打发走了。
　　“这跟你没关系。”他们边说边把她赶走了。
　　当黑暗降临时，一个小团队从田地出发了。他们找寻着琼，确保她没有跟过来，但是没人能发现她的踪影。巴法络带着大家走下山，他看起来很胖，因为身上带了很多带挂钩的绳子。滑先生跟在他后边，身上缠着一条蟒蛇，随后是橡胶人和阿尔佛雷多先生。
　　巴法络随身带着他的鞭子，大家并不清楚他为什么要带鞭子。
　　不管怎么说，巴法络经常随身带着鞭子，这是他的一部分，因此没人会质疑。
　　在他们身后，出现了一个小黑影，那就是琼。他们在做什么？
　　过去的两个小时，她一直在盯着那间高塔房间看，当黑夜降临时，她发现房间里发出了断断续续的亮光。
　　她想：“那是迪克和朱利安的信号。他们会想，为什么我今天没有带人营救他们。他们不知道我经历了囚禁和捆绑！等我见到他们时，我要把一切都告诉他们！”
　　这群人走过了阶梯，随后沿着车道来到了城堡处。橡胶人纵身一跃，简直是跑着攀上城墙的，越过墙顶，一翻身便消失在大家的视野里！
　　“他进去了，”巴法络说，“他的身体就像用橡胶做的一样！我敢肯定他不会伤到自己！”
　　这时，从墙的另一边传来了一阵低沉的口哨声。巴法络从手腕上解下一条细绳，拴在了一块石头上扔了过去。绳子被石头拉着沿墙壁滑行，像一条长长的虫子。
　　“砰！”他们听到了石头砸到墙另一侧地面的声音。随后，那一侧又传来一阵低沉的口哨声，这表明橡胶人接住了绳子。巴法络将手腕上带挂钩的绳子解了下来，系在从墙上垂下来的绳子上。
　　随后，墙另一侧的橡胶人开始拉拽那条细绳。当整条绳索被拉直后，那条带挂钩的绳子也被拉上了墙。因为它和细绳是绑在一起的。挂钩绳子不断往上，两边伸出来的挂钩让它看起来就像一条胖毛毛虫。
　　琼在一边观察着，暗暗敬佩他们的智慧。这是一种让绳索绕过厚墙的简单易行的方法。但是，要将带挂钩的绳索放到窗台处可不会这么简单。
　　墙的那一侧又传来一阵低沉的口哨声。巴法络松开了手中的绳子，绳子顺势贴在墙面上摆动着。他用力拉了一下绳子，感觉到了它很牢固。显而易见的是，那一侧的橡胶人已经把绳子拴在了某个东西上，因此沿着这条绳子爬上去会很安全。这条绳子可以承受每个人的体重，人不会从墙上滑下来。
　　巴法络第一个沿着绳子爬了上去，他将挂钩作为脚蹬，通过向下拉动挂钩间的绳子一点一点地向上移动。其他每个人都按照他的样子迅速灵敏地爬上了高墙。当最后一个人爬上墙壁时，琼也跟着他一下子跳到了绳子上！
　　她像一只猫一样爬过高墙，随后顺着绳子落在了巴法络的身旁。这让巴法络大吃一惊，并给了她一巴掌。琼侧了下身，站在一旁加入了他们。她不清楚这个男人该如何进入到塔顶上的窗户里。
　　如果可以的话，也许她能帮上忙。
　　这四个男人站在月光下，仰视着这座高塔。他们小声地交谈着，橡胶人将细绳从带挂钩的绳索上解了下来，整齐地卷成了一团，而把带挂钩的绳索留在了墙上。
　　这时，琼听到有辆车从车道驶向城堡山下的声音，随后停在了某个地方。她一边留意着这四个男人，一边留意着那辆车。
　　那辆车熄了火之后，再没有发出其他声响。琼开始没有在意，而过了几分钟之后，她突然警觉起来：之前从哪里听到过那些说话声？她专心地听着。夜晚的空气中又传来了隐隐约约的低语声，而且离得越来越近。
　　琼屏住呼吸：会不会是那个可怕的男人……叫什么来着……波特沙姆……他是不是安排了同党将特里•凯恩先生和塔上的孩子们带到海边？也许他们已经从老渔夫约瑟夫那里租了一条渔船，然后他们就会逃之夭夭，消失得无影无踪！
　　这些想法一下子涌入琼警觉的大脑里。在波特沙姆先生去露营地直到被困在大篷车前，他会有足够的时间订票并且将一切安排妥当！现在，她的叔叔正站在月光下和大家商量着什么，天哪，她要不要前去警告阿尔佛雷多叔叔？
　　琼想：“我一旦靠近，叔叔就会扇我巴掌。”她不禁揉了揉刚才被巴法络打过的疼痛的左耳。她知道，他们不会听她的话，但是她也要试一试。
　　她谨慎地向那些人靠近。她看到巴法络从腰带上拔出一把匕首，并且绑在了橡胶人手中细绳的一端。她猜出了他下一步要做的事情后，赶忙跑向了他。
　　“不，巴法络，不！不要把匕首扔上去，你会弄伤别人的，你会害了他们！”
　　“躲开。”巴法络生气地说，他举起手准备给她一巴掌，她马上躲开了。
　　她围着大家转到了叔叔旁边。“叔叔，”她诚恳地说，“听着，我刚才听到了说话声，我觉得那些……”
　　阿尔佛雷多粗鲁地把她推开。“琼，你想阻止我们吗？你想让鞭子打不到人吗？你就像一只蜜蜂一样嗡嗡地叫个不停！”
　　滑先生向琼叫道：“琼，如果你想帮忙，那就帮我拿着蛇美人。
　　它有点碍事。”
　　说完，他就把那条大蟒蛇放在了琼的肩上，蛇美人发出了嘶嘶声。他把它绕在了琼的身上，琼一把抓住了它的尾巴。她喜欢蛇美人，但是此时她根本不想和它在一起！
　　她向后站了站，观察巴法络接下来要做什么。其实她清楚即将发生的事情，因此心跳得很快。巴法络将要把他的匕首扔向那个高高的窗台，而且只有他可以精准地将匕首扔到正确的位置！
　　但是，如果他把匕首扔进窗户里，有可能会划伤房间里的某个人，或者直接扎向特里•凯恩先生。这让琼心里一阵慌乱：这有可能会弄伤迪克或者蒂米！哦，真希望巴法络不要这么做！
　　她再一次听到了低沉的说话声，这一次他们的声音就是从墙的另一边传过来的！这些人想沿着秘密通道进入到塔顶处的房间里！
　　琼早就知道他们的打算！他们会在巴法络等人实施营救计划前到达那里。她想象着楼顶那四个孩子和特里•凯恩被拽下楼梯的场景。蒂米会反抗吗？它会，但是那些人会处置它的。他们知道那里有只狗，因为他们听到蒂米昨晚的吠叫声。
　　哦，天哪，琼感到绝望。她想：“我必须做点什么！但是我能做什么呢？”
Chapter 20 A LOT OF EXCITEMENT
Chapter 20 A LOT OF EXCITEMENT
　　JO suddenly made up her mind. She would follow the men through those passages, and see if shecould warn the others by shouting when she came near enough to the tower-room. She would helpthem somehow. Bufflo and the others would be too late to save them now.
　　Jo ran to the wall. She was up the peg-rope left there and down the other side in a trice. She made herway to where the missing stone left the gap in the old wall.
　　Beauty, the python, was surprised to find himself pulled off and thrown on the ground, just before Joran for the wall. He wasn't used to that sort of treatment. He lay there, coiling and uncoiling himself.
　　Where had that nice girl gone? Beauty liked Jo - she knew how to treat him!
　　He glided after her. He too went up the wall and over, quite easily, though he did not need to use thepeg-rope like Jo. He glided after Jo quickly. It was amazing to see his speed when he really wanted tobe quick!
　　He came to the hole in the wall. Ah, he liked holes. He glided in after Jo. He caught up with her justas she had reached the end of the small passage, through which she had had to walk bent double. Hepushed against her legs and then twined himself round her.
　　She gave a small scream, and then realized what it was. 'Beauty! You'll get into trouble with Mr.
　　Slither, coming after me like this. Go back! Stop twining yourself round me - I've got importantthings to do.'
　　But Beauty was not like Timmy. He obeyed only when he thought he would, and he was not going toobey this time!
　　'All right - come with me if you want to,' said Jo, at last, having in vain tried to push the great snakeback. 'You'll be company, I suppose. Stop hissing like that, Beauty! You sound like an engine lettingoff steam in this narrow passage.'
　　Soon Jo had gone down the steep steps that led to the level passage under the courtyard. Beautyslithered down them too, rather surprised at the sudden drop. Along the wider passage they went.
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　　Beauty now in front, and Jo sometimes tripping over his powerful tail.
　　Up steps again, and into the thick wall of the castle itself. Something shining ahead made Jo suddenlystop. She listened but heard nothing. She went forward cautiously and found that in the little secretroom was a small lantern, left there probably by one of the men in front.
　　She saw the rusty dagger lying on the floor where she had left it the night before and grinned.
　　The rope was there too, that she had untied from her arms and legs.
　　Jo went on, along the passage that led to the spiral stairway. Now she thought she could hearsomething. She climbed the steep stairs, cross with Beauty because he pushed by her and almost senther headlong down them. She came to the door that opened on to the little gallery. Dare she open it?
　　Suppose the men were just outside?
　　She opened it slowly. It was pitch dark on the other side, of course, but Jo knew she was about to stepout on the little gallery. Beauty suddenly slithered up her and coiled himself lovingly round her. Jocould not make the snake uncoil, and she stepped out on the small gallery with Beauty firmlywrapped about her.
　　And then, what a noise she heard! She stood quite aghast. Whatever could be going on? She heardexcited voices - surely one was Bufflo's? And was that crack a pistol-shot?
　　What had happened down below in the courtyard when Jo had disappeared over the wall withBeauty? None of the men noticed her go. They were all too intent on their plan.
　　Bufflo was to use his gift for knife-throwing - but in quite a different way from usual! He was tothrow the knife high into the air, and make it curve in through the slit-window at the top of the tower!
　　Bufflo was an expert at knife-throwing, or, indeed, at any kind of throwing. He stood there in thecourtyard, looking up at the high window. He half-closed his eyes, getting the distance and thedirection fixed in his mind. The moon suddenly went in, and he lowered his hand. He could not throwaccurately in the dark!
　　The moon sailed out again, quite brilliant. Bufflo lost no time. Once more he took aim, his eyesnarrowed - and then the knife flew high into the air, gleaming as it went - taking behind it a long tailof very thin rope.
　　It struck the sill of the slit-window and fell back. Bufflo caught it deftly. The moonlight showedplainly that the knife was not sharp-pointed - Bufflo had filed off the point, and it was now quiteblunt. Jo need not have worried about someone in the tower being hurt by a sharp dagger!
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　　Once more Bufflo took aim, and once more the knife sailed up, swift as a swallow, shining silver as itwent. This time it fell cleanly in at the window-opening, slithered all the way across the stone ledgeinside, and fell to the floor of the tower-room with a thud.
　　It caused the greatest astonishment there. Mr. Terry-Kane, the four children and Timmy were allhuddled together for warmth in one corner. They were hungry and cold. No one had brought themfood, and they had nothing to keep them warm except a rug belonging to Terry-Kane. All that daythey had been in the tower- room, sometimes looking from the window, sometimes shouting alltogether at the tops of their voices. But nobody heard them, and nobody saw them.
　　'Why doesn't Jo bring help?' they had said a hundred times that long, long day. They didn't know thatpoor Jo was spending hours trying to free herself from the knots round her legs and wrists.
　　They had looked out of the window at the camp on the opposite hill, where the fair-folk went abouttheir business, looking like ants on the far-off green slope. Was Jo there? It was too far-off to makeout anyone for certain.
　　When darkness came Julian had flashed his torch from the window on and off - on and off. Then, coldand miserable, they had all huddled together, with Timmy licking first one and then another, not at allunderstanding why they should stay in this one room.
　　'Timmy will be so thirsty,' said George. 'He keeps licking round his mouth in the way he does whenhe wants a drink.'
　　'Well, I feel like licking round my mouth too,' said Dick.
　　They were half-asleep when the knife came thudding into the room. Timmy leapt up at once andbarked madly. He stood and stared at the knife that lay gleaming in the moonlight, and barkedwithout stopping.
　　'A knife!' said George, in amazement. 'A knife with a string tied on the end!'
　　'It's blunt,' said Julian, picking it up. 'The tip has been filed off. What's the meaning of it? And whythe string tied to it?'
　　'Be careful that another knife doesn't come through' warned Terry-Kane.
　　'It won't,' said Julian. 'I think this is something to do with Jo. She hasn't gone to the police. She hasgot the fair-folk to help us. This is Bufflo's knife, I'm sure!'
　　They were all round him, examining it now. 'I'm going to the window,' said Julian. 'I'll look right outinto the courtyard. Hold my legs, Dick.'
　　He climbed up on the stone sill and crawled a little forward through the deep-set slit. He came to 88the outer edge of the window and looked down. Dick hung on to his legs, afraid that the sill mightcrumble away and Julian would fall.
　　'I can see four people down in the courtyard,' said Julian. 'Oh, good - one is Alfredo, one is Bufflo -and I can't make out the other two. AHOY down there!'
　　The four men below were standing looking up intently. They saw Julian's head appear outside thewindow, and waved to him.
　　'Pull in the rope!' shouted Bufflo. He had now tied the end of a second peg-rope to the thin rope, andhe and the others lifted it so that it might run easily up the wall.
　　Julian slid back into the tower room. He was excited. 'This string on the knife runs down the wall andis tied to a thicker rope,' he said. 'I'll pull it up - and up will come a rope that we can climb down!'
　　He pulled on the string, and more and more of it appeared through the window. Then Julian felt aheavier weight and he guessed the thicker rope was coming up. Now he had to pull more slowly.
　　Dick helped him.
　　Over the window-sill, in at the window, appeared the first length of the peg-rope. The children hadnever seen one like it before; they were used to the more ordinary rope-ladder. But Terry-Kane knewwhat it was.
　　'A peg-rope,' he said. 'Circus people and fair-people make them - they are lighter and easier tomanage than rope-ladders. We'll have to fix the end to something really strong, so that it will hold ourweight.'
　　Anne looked at the peg-rope in dismay. She didn't at all like the idea of climbing down that, swingingon it all the way down the high stone wall of the tower! But the others looked at it with pleasure andexcitement - a way of escape - a good, strong rope to climb down out of this hateful cold room!
　　Terry-Kane looked about for something to fasten the rope to. In the wall at one side was a great ironring, embedded in the stone. What it had been used for once upon a time nobody could imagine - butcertainly it would be of great use now!
　　There were no pegs in the first yard or so of the rope. Terry-Kane and Julian cut off the string that hadpulled it up, and then dragged the thick rope through the iron ring. They dragged it right through untilthe first peg stopped it. Then they twisted the rope-end round upon itself and made great strong knotsthat could not slip.
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　　Julian took hold of the rope, and leaned back hard on it, pulling it with all his strength. 'It would holda dozen of us at once!' he said, pleased. 'Shall I go first, sir? I can help everyone else down then, ifI'm at the bottom. Dick and you can see to the girls when they climb out.'
　　'What about Timmy?' asked George, at once.
　　'We'll wrap him up in the rug, tie him firmly and lower him down on the string,' said Dick. 'It's verystrong string - thin rope, really.'
　　'I'll go down now,' said Julian, and went to the window. Then he stopped. Someone was clattering upthe stone steps that led to the tower. Someone was at the door! Who could it be?
20.绝处逢生
　　绝处逢生
　　琼突然想到了一个办法，她要跟着那些人进入秘密通道里，然后在靠近塔顶房间时，她打算通过喊叫来提醒小伙伴们。无论如何她都要帮助大家，现在等着巴法络他们来营救已经来不及了。
　　琼朝着墙跑去。她沿着带挂钩的绳索迅速地爬到了墙的另一边。之后，她径直走向旧墙中那个石头缺口处。
　　那条蟒蛇在琼跑向高墙前就被她扔在了地上。它还没被人这样对待过！它躺在地上，把身体卷起又展开，如此往复。它在想琼去了哪里？蛇美人喜欢琼，因为她知道如何照顾它！
　　它跟在琼的后边，轻而易举地翻过了高墙，根本不需要带挂钩的绳子作为辅助。它飞快地追逐着琼，速度快得惊人！
　　随后，它爬到了洞口处。啊，它喜欢洞穴。它跟着琼钻了进去。当琼走到通道尽头时，它终于赶上了她。琼正弯着身子向前走，它顺着琼的腿绕上了她的身体。
　　琼吓得尖叫了一声，随后她意识到爬到身上的到底是什么东西。“美人！你跟着我是在给滑先生找麻烦！不要再缠着我，我有重要的事情做。”
　　但是美人和蒂米不一样。美人只会根据自己的想法行动，而且它不会听琼的话！
　　“好吧，你想跟着就跟着吧，”琼最后说，她没法让它返回，“我觉得你想跟我做个伴。美人！别再发出嘶嘶的声响！你在这条狭窄的通道里听起来就像蒸汽机。”
　　一会儿的工夫，琼就爬下了陡峭的阶梯，来到了庭院下笔直的通道前。美人也爬了下来，它对这种突然的高度下降感到惊讶。在稍宽一些的通道中，美人在前边爬，而走在后边的琼经常会被它强有力的尾巴绊倒。
　　琼和美人再一次爬上了台阶，进入城堡的厚墙中。前方出现的亮光，让琼突然停下了脚步。她侧耳聆听，但是什么也听不到。她谨慎地向前走着，发现小密室里有一盏灯，这可能是前面的某个人留下来的。
　　当她看到昨晚放在地上的那把匕首时，不禁笑了起来。此外，昨晚捆在她胳膊和腿上的绳子也在那里。
　　琼沿着通往螺旋形台阶的方向继续向前走。这时，她听到了一些声音。她爬上陡峭的台阶，差点被美人从台阶上绊下来。随后，她来到了通往走廊的门前。她敢把门打开吗？那些人会不会就在门后？
　　琼慢慢地将门打开。门后一片漆黑，但是琼还是要穿过走廊。
　　美人突然爬上了她的身体，将她缠绕了起来。琼不知道如何将它从身上解开，在美人的紧紧缠绕下，她走进了走廊。
　　她惊愕地站着。就在这时，她听到了声响！到底发生了什么？
　　接着她听到了兴奋的说话声，其中一个是巴法络吗？那是手枪发出的声音吗？
　　在琼和美人跑到墙的另一面时，庭院下到底发生了什么？没人注意到她的消失，因为他们都太专注于自己的营救计划。
　　巴法络准备利用上自己扔飞刀的天赋，但是这一次与平常大有不同。他要将刀子抛向高空，然后让刀子飞过一段弧线后穿过塔顶的窗户。
　　巴法络对扔飞刀这件事了如指掌，他能玩转任何刀子。他站在庭院上，抬头看向高塔上的窗户。他半闭着眼睛，在头脑中确定好距离和方向。然而此时月亮忽然钻进了云里，他只好停下动作，因为在黑暗中他不可能精确地将刀子扔到窗户里！
　　过了一会儿，月亮出来了，甚是明亮。巴法络抓住时机，他眯起眼，对准目标，随后将刀子扔了出去。飞行的刀子在月光下闪着光，它的尾部还拖着一根长长的细绳。
　　然而刀子击中窗台后掉落下来，巴法络敏捷地伸手接住。刀子并不锋利，这是因为他把刀尖磨掉了，这样就不用担心塔里的人会被尖锐的匕首刺伤了。
　　巴法络再一次瞄准目标，随手将刀子扔了出去，刀子轻盈得像只燕子，在月光下熠熠生辉。这一次，刀子稳稳地落在了打开的窗框中，跨过石头窗台滑了进去，只听“砰”的一声，掉在了高塔房间的地板上。
　　这一声响把房间里的人吓了一跳。当时，特里•凯恩先生、四个孩子和蒂米正在墙角抱团取暖，他们只有特里•凯恩的一条毛毯可用。大家在塔上待了一天，时而望向窗外，时而一同大声呼叫。但是没人能听得见他们的声音，也没人能看得见他们。
　　“为什么琼没有来营救我们？”这句话被他们在漫长的一天之内说了数百次。他们并不知道琼花了数个小时从绳索里挣脱出来的事情。
　　他们透过窗户望向山的另一边，在那里，民间艺人们忙着自己的事情，看起来就像远处绿色斜坡上的蚂蚁。琼在哪儿？由于离得太远，他们分辨不出每个人的模样。
　　当夜幕降临时，朱利安把手电筒放在窗边反复开关。寒冷的天气和艰苦的环境让他们浑身打战，蒂米的舌头在嘴边舔来舔去，它并不明白为什么大家都挤在这间屋子里。
　　“蒂米很渴，”乔治说，“它这样用舌头舔自己的嘴说明它想喝水。”
　　“好吧，我也想舔嘴唇。”迪克说。
　　当那把刀子被扔进房间里时，他们几乎就要睡着了。蒂米听到声音后突然跳了起来大声狂吠。它盯着月光下那把闪闪发光的刀子看，并且一直狂吠。
　　“刀子！”乔治惊讶地叫了起来，“它上边系了一条绳子！”
　　“这刀子很钝，”朱利安边将刀子捡起来边说，“刀子尖被磨掉了。这是什么意思？为什么会系着绳子？”
　　“小心还有刀子飞上来。”特里•凯恩警告说。
　　“不会的，”朱利安说，“我觉得这一切与琼有关。她没有去找警察，而是找来了民间艺人帮我们。我确定这是巴法络的刀子！”
　　他们围上来认真地检查这把刀子。“我要到窗边去，”朱利安说，“看看外边的庭院。迪克，抓着我的腿。”
　　他爬上石头窗台，并且躬身穿过深深的裂口。他将头伸出窗户后，向下看。迪克抱着朱利安的腿，他担心窗台会垮塌，朱利安会失足跌下去。
　　“我看到庭院里有四个人，”朱利安说，“哦，真棒，其中一个是阿尔佛雷多，另外一个是巴法络，其他两个我认不出来。喂，他们在下边！”
　　下边的四个人一直专注地向上看。当他们看到朱利安的脑袋出现在窗户旁时，赶紧向他挥了挥手。
　　“拉绳子！”巴法络叫道。此刻，他将另外一条带挂钩绳索的一端系在了细绳上。
　　朱利安退回到高塔的房间里，他看起来很兴奋。“这条拴着刀子的绳索跨过高墙并且系在了一条细绳上，”他说，“我要把它拉起来，这样我们就能顺着绳子爬下去了！”
　　他沿着窗户向里拉扯着绳子，越拉越多。随后，他感觉到手中的绳子变重，他猜测可能是把下边的粗绳拉了上来。他拉绳子的速度慢了一些，迪克在一旁帮忙。
　　随后，窗台上出现了一条带挂钩的绳子。孩子们从来没见过这样的东西，他们用的更多的是绳梯。但是特里•凯恩对这一装备很熟悉。
　　“这是带挂钩的绳子，”他说，“它是由马戏团和民间艺人发明的，要比绳梯更轻而且更容易控制。我们需要把这一端系在坚固的东西上，这样就能承受得住我们的体重了。”
　　安妮沮丧地看着这条带挂钩的绳子。她一点也不喜欢这个沿着绳子从高塔上一路摇摆着爬下去的主意。但是其他人看起来很兴奋，他们喜欢这种逃离方式，终于可以从这个冰冷的房间里爬出去了。
　　特里•凯恩寻找着可以固定绳子的东西。其中一面墙上有一个巨大的铁环，镶嵌在了石头中。没人知道这个东西之前是做什么用的，但是它现在的确能派得上用场。
　　绳子前面几米没有挂钩。特里•凯恩和朱利安把前头的细绳拉起来割断，然后继续把绳子往上拉，直到出现第一个挂钩。接着，他们把绳子穿过铁环，系成一个不会脱扣的死结。
　　朱利安握着绳子，使出全身力气向后拽着它。“它能承受我们所有人的重量！”他开心地说，“凯恩先生，我先下去怎么样？我到了下边后可以帮你们。女孩们爬下来的时候，您和迪克可以在上边看着她们。”
　　“蒂米怎么办？”乔治立刻说。
　　“我们可以把它裹在毛毯里，把它捆紧，然后用绳子把它放下去，”迪克说，“这条细绳很结实。”
　　“我下去了。”朱利安说完便走向了窗边。然而，他突然停下了脚步。这是因为有人沿着石阶走上了高塔，此时那个人就在门外！
　　他会是谁呢？
Chapter 21 IN THE TOWER ROOM
Chapter 21 IN THE TOWER ROOM
　　THE door was flung open, and a man stood there, panting. Behind him came three others.
　　'Pottersham!' said Terry-Kane. 'So you're back!'
　　'Yes. I'm back,' said the panting man.
　　Timmy began to bark and try to escape from George's hand. He showed his teeth and all his hacklesrose up on his neck. He looked a very savage dog indeed.
　　Pottersham backed away. He didn't like the look of Timmy at all! 'If you let that dog go, I'll shoothim,' he said, and as if by magic a gun appeared in his right hand.
　　George tried her hardest to restrain the furious Timmy, and called to Julian to help her. 'Julian, holdhim as well. He'll fling himself on that man, he's so angry.'
　　Julian went to help. Between them they forced the furious dog back into a corner, where George triedin vain to pacify him. She was terrified that he might be shot.
　　'You can't behave like this, Pottersham,' began Terry-Kane, but he was cut short.
　　'We've no time to lose. We're taking you, Terry-Kane, and one of the kids. We can use him for ahostage if too much fuss is made about your disappearance. We'll take this boy,' and he grabbed atDick. Dick gave him a punch on the jaw immediately, thanking his stars that he had learnt boxing atschool. But he at once found himself on the floor! These men were not standing for any nonsense.
　　They were in a hurry!
　　'Get him,' said Pottersham, to one of the men behind him, and Dick was pounced on. Then Terry-90Kane was taken too, and his arms held behind him.
　　'What about these other kids?' he said, angrily. 'You're surely not going to lock them up in this roomand leave them.'
　　'Yes, we are,' said Pottersham. 'We're leaving a note for the old turnstile woman to tell her they're uphere. Let the police rescue them if they can!'
　　'You always were a...' began Terry-Kane, and then ducked to avoid a blow.
　　Timmy barked madly all the time, and almost choked himself trying to get away from George andJulian. He was mad with rage, and when he saw Dick being roughly treated he very nearly didmanage to get loose.
　　'Take them,' ordered Pottersham. 'And hurry. Go on - down the steps with them.'
　　The three men forced Terry-Kane and Dick to the stone stairs - and then everyone shot round inastonishment! A loud voice suddenly came from the window!
　　Anne gasped. Bufflo was there! He hadn't been able to understand why nobody came down the peg-rope, so he had come up to find out. And to his enormous surprise there appeared to be quite an upsetgoing on!
　　'Hey there! WHAT'S UP?' he yelled, and slid into the room, looking most out of place with his mopof yellow hair, gay checked shirt and whip!
　　'BUFFLO!' shouted all four of the children, and Timmy changed his angry bark to a welcoming one.
　　Terry-Kane looked on in astonishment, his arms still pinioned behind him.
　　'Who in the world is this?' shouted Pottersham, alarmed at Bufflo's sudden appearance through thewindow. 'How did he get through there?'
　　Bufflo eyed the gun in Pottersham's hand and lazily cracked his small whip once or twice. 'Put thatthing away,' he said, in his drawling voice. 'You ought to know better than to wave a thing like thatabout when there's kids around. Go on - put it away!'
　　He cracked his whip again. Pottersham pointed the gun at him angrily. And then a most amazingthing happened.
　　The gun disappeared from Pottersham's hand, flew right up into the air, and was neatly caught byBufflo! And all by the crack of a whip!
　　Crack! Just that - and the gun had been flicked from his hand by the powerful lash-end - and hadstung Pottersham's fingers so much he was now howling in pain and bending double to nurse hisinjured hand.
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　　Terry-Kane gasped. What a neat trick - but how dangerous! The gun might have gone off. Now thetables were indeed turned, for it was Bufflo who held the gun, not Pottersham. And Pottershamlooked very pale indeed!
　　He stared as if he hardly knew what to do. 'Let go of them,' ordered Bufflo, nodding his head towardsTerry-Kane and Dick. The three men released them and stood back.
　　'Seems as if we got to get the police after all,' remarked Bufflo, in a perfectly ordinary voice, as ifthese happenings were not at all unusual. 'You can let that dog go now, if you want, Julian.'
　　'No! NO!' cried Pottersham in terror - and at that moment the moon went behind a cloud, and thetower-room was plunged in darkness - except for the lantern that Pottersham had set down on thefloor when he had first arrived.
　　He saw one slight chance for himself and the others. He suddenly kicked at the lantern, which flewinto the air and hit Bufflo, then went out, and left the entire place in pitch darkness. Bufflo did notdare to fire. He might hit the wrong person!
　　'Set the dog loose!' he roared - but it was too late. By the time Timmy had got to the door, it wasslammed shut - and a bolt was shot home the other side! There was the sound of hurried stepsslipping and stumbling down the stone stairway in the dark.
　　'Hrrr!' said Bufflo, when the moon came out again, and showed him the astonished and dismayedfaces of the five in the room. 'We slipped up somewhere, didn't we? They've gone!'
　　'Yes. But without us,' said Terry-Kane, letting Dick untie his arms. 'They've probably gone downthrough those passages. They'll be out before we've escaped ourselves, more's the pity. And nowwe've got to try this rope-trick down the tower wall, seeing that the door is locked!'
　　'Come on, then,' said Julian. 'Let's go before anything else happens.' He went to the window, slid tothe outer edge, and took hold of the rope. It was perfectly easy to climb down, though it wasn't verypleasant to look below him into the courtyard. It seemed so very far away.
　　Anne went next, very much afraid, but not showing it. She was quite a good climber so she didn't findthe rope difficult. She was very, very glad when she at last stood safely beside Julian.
　　Then came George, with a bit of news. 'I can't think what's happening to the four men,' she said.
　　'They still seem to be about - and they're yelling like anything. It sounds as if they are rushing roundthat gallery that runs along the walls of the tower-room below.'
　　'Well, let them,' said Julian. 'If they stay there long enough, we'll have time to go to the hole in theouter wall, and wait for them to come out one by one! That would be very, very nice.'
　　92
　　'Timmy's coming now,' said George. 'I've wrapped him up well in that rug and tied it all round him,and put a kind of rope-harness on him. Dick's going to lower him down. We doubled the rope tomake sure it would hold. Look - here he comes! Poor darling Timmy! He can't think what in theworld is happening!'
　　Timmy came down slowly, swinging a little, and bumping into the stone wall now and again. Hegave a little yelp each time, and George was sure he would be covered with bruises! She watched ingreat suspense as he came lower and lower.
　　'Timmy ought to be used to this sort of thing by now,' said Julian. 'He's had plenty of it in theadventures he's shared with us. Hey there, Tim! Slowly does it! Good dog, then! I guess you're gladto be standing on firm ground again!'
　　Timmy certainly was. He allowed himself to be untied from his rug by George, and then tried a fewsteps to see if the ground was really firm beneath his feet. He leapt up at George joyfully, very glad tobe out in the open air again.
　　'Here comes Dick,' said Julian. The peg-rope swayed a little, and Alfredo went to hold it steady.
　　He and the rubber- man and Mr. Slither were now extremely concerned about something, soconcerned that they had hardly a word to say to Julian and George and Anne.
　　They had suddenly missed Jo and the snake! The snakeman didn't care tuppence about Jo - but he didcare about his precious, beloved, magnificent python! He had already hunted all round the courtyardfor it.
　　'If Jo's taken it back to camp with her, I'll pull her hair off!' muttered the snake-man, unhappily, andJulian looked at him in astonishment. What was he muttering about?
　　Terry-Kane came next, and last of all Bufflo, who seemed to slide down in a most remarkable way,not using the pegs at all. He leapt down beside them, grinning.
　　'There's a tremendous upset up aloft!' he said. 'Yelling and shouting and scampering about. What doyou suppose is the matter with those fellows? We'll be able to get them nicely, if we go to the hole inthe wall. They'll be out there soon, I reckon. Come on!'
21.塔顶的房间
　　塔顶的房间
　　房间的门猛然打开，出现了一个气喘吁吁的男人，在他身后站着三个人。
　　“波特沙姆！”特里•凯恩叫道，“是你！”
　　“对，我回来了。”那个气喘吁吁的男人说道。
　　蒂米顿时吠叫了起来，它试图从乔治的手中挣脱。它露出牙齿，颈部的毛竖了起来，看起来非常凶猛。
　　波特沙姆向后退了一步。他一点都不喜欢蒂米这副模样！“你要是敢放狗，我就朝它开枪。”他说着，如变魔术般地从右手中变出了一把手枪。
　　乔治使出最大的力气拉着愤怒的蒂米，并且叫朱利安帮她。她说：“朱利安，使劲拽着它。它想冲向那个人，它很生气。”
　　朱利安上前帮助乔治。他们把愤怒的蒂米逼到了墙角，但是乔治仍没能有效地让它冷静下来，她害怕蒂米被那个男人枪杀。
　　“波特沙姆，你不能这样做……”特里•凯恩说，但是他的话马上被打断了。
　　“我们没有时间了。特里•凯恩，我们要把你带走，再带走一个孩子。如果你的失踪引起外界的轩然大波，我们就可以拿他当人质。所以我们要带上这个孩子。”他说着一把拽过了迪克。迪克立即朝着他的下颌打了一拳，幸好他在学校里学过拳击。然而波特沙姆躲开了，迪克一下子摔倒在了地上。
　　“抓住他。”波特沙姆对身后的一个人说。那个人猛地向迪克扑了过去。他们同时抓住了特里•凯恩，他的胳膊被拧在了背后。
　　“其他孩子怎么办？”他生气地说，“你确定不把他们锁在房间里，任他们自生自灭吗？”
　　“嗯，我们会的，”波特沙姆说，“我们会给十字转门处的那个老女人一张纸条，告诉她这上边有人。如果可能的话，就让她找警察来帮忙吧！”
　　“你一直都是一个……”特里•凯恩还没说完，急忙躲开了波特沙姆的拳头。
　　蒂米一直在疯狂地叫着，他试图挣脱乔治和朱利安的控制。它勃然大怒，当它看到迪克遭受到那样的虐待后，差一点失去控制。“带上他们，”波特沙姆命令道，“快点。走，把他们带下去。”
　　三个男人胁迫特里•凯恩和迪克走向石阶，突然，让大家大吃一惊的是，窗户处传来了一阵低沉的声音！
　　安妮倒吸了一口气。巴法络上来了！由于他不知道为什么没人沿着绳索爬下去，因此爬上来想一探究竟。然而让他吃惊的是，在房间里竟然上演了这样让人不安的一幕！
　　“嘿！怎么回事？”他叫着跳进了房间，在这样的环境下，他蓬松的黄头发、鲜艳的格子衬衫和手中的鞭子看起来很不相称！
　　“巴法络！”四个孩子异口同声地叫道，蒂米的叫声从愤怒变成了欢迎。特里•凯恩吃惊地看着眼前的一切，他的胳膊依旧被扭在身后。
　　“这个人是谁？”波特沙姆叫道，他对从窗户处出现的巴法络很是警觉，“他是怎么进来的？”
　　巴法络看到了波特沙姆手中的枪，他懒洋洋地将手中的鞭子甩了两下。“把枪放下，”他慢吞吞地说，“你应该知道，不该在孩子面前玩弄那种东西。快点，把它放下！”
　　他又一次甩了一下鞭子。波特沙姆生气地拿枪指着他。随后，让人惊讶的一幕发生了。
　　枪从波特沙姆的手中飞到了半空中，随后一下子被巴法络稳稳地接住了，原来是巴法络挥鞭子夺过来了！
　　“咻”的一声，强而有力的一鞭子就把枪夺走，还重重地伤了波特沙姆的手指。波特沙姆的手指被刚刚那一下鞭子抽疼了，他不禁痛苦地号叫了起来，急忙弯下腰揉搓着受伤的手掌。
　　特里•凯恩看到这一幕倒吸一口气。这一鞭子真是干净利落，但是也很危险。因为那把枪可能会走火。然而现在的形势发生了转变，枪在巴法络手中。此时，波特沙姆看起来束手无策。
　　他目光茫然，不知道该怎么办。“放他们走。”巴法络命令道，他朝着特里•凯恩和迪克点了点头。那三个男人放开了他们，并向后退了一步。
　　“看起来我们终究还是要找警察帮忙。”巴法络用平静的口吻说道，听起来就像是他对发生的一切毫不奇怪，“朱利安，如果你想的话，可以把那只狗放开了。”
　　“不！不！”波特沙姆惊恐地叫道，此时，月亮钻进了云层，房间里暗了下来，只有地上的灯笼发出亮光。
　　此时，波特沙姆发现自己的机会来了。他突然踢了一脚灯笼，灯笼飞了起来并砸向了巴法络，波特沙姆趁机跑了出去，整个房间陷入一片黑暗。但是巴法络并不害怕火，波特沙姆惹错人了。
　　“放狗！”巴法络咆哮道，但是为时已晚。就在蒂米赶到门口时，门猛地关上了，并且从外边闩住了！门外传来一阵极速的下楼声，以及在黑暗中有人被石阶绊倒的声音。
　　“唉！”巴法络叹息道，此时月亮出来了，月光映衬出房间里孩子们和蒂米惊愕的面孔，“我们爬下去吧，他们走了！”
　　“对，但是他们没有把我们带走。”特里•凯恩边说边让迪克解开他胳膊上的绳子，“他们可能沿着那些通道下去了，在我们逃出去之前，他们早就溜之大吉了，真扫兴。现在我们不得不沿着高塔外墙的绳子爬下去，门被锁上了！”
　　“我们走吧，”朱利安说，“在其他事情发生之前离开这个是非之地。”他说着走向了窗户，爬到了外窗边，紧紧地握住了绳子。顺着绳子爬下去的过程很容易，但是站在上边往下看庭院，让人一点都不舒服，因为从这里看起来离地面很远很远。
　　下一个是安妮，尽管她很害怕，但是并没有表现出来。她很擅长攀爬，因此一点也不觉得困难。最终，她安全地触地了，开心地站在朱利安的身边。
　　接下来是乔治，她有些想不通。“我不知道那四个男人发生了什么事情，”她说，“他们听起来在拼命地叫喊。他们似乎在绕着高塔房间下边的走廊墙壁奔跑。”
　　“好吧，让他们跑吧！”朱利安说，“如果他们在那里待的时间够长，我们就有时间赶到外墙的缺口处，然后等着他们一个一个地爬出来。那样就会很有趣了。”
　　“蒂米要下来了，”乔治说，“我把它卷进了毛毯里绑紧，并且在它身上套了绳子。迪克准备把它放下来。我们不知道那条绳子能不能承受得住。看，它下来了！可怜的蒂米宝贝！它根本不知道发生了什么！”
　　蒂米缓慢地向下移动，随着绳子轻轻摇摆。它不时会撞到石墙上，每撞一次它都会叫一声，乔治知道它下来之后肯定会遍体鳞伤！她心疼地看着它一点一点地向下移动。
　　“蒂米现在应该习惯了这样的经历，”朱利安说，“它和我们一同经历了很多次冒险。嘿，蒂米！慢慢来！好样的！我猜你会为再次站到地面上感到开心！”
　　蒂米当然开心。当乔治解开了它身上的毛毯后，它在地上走了几步，感受到了脚下坚固的土地。它欢快地朝着乔治跑过去，为自己能再一次呼吸到清新的空气而兴奋。
　　“迪克下来了。”朱利安说。绳索有些摇晃，阿尔佛雷多上前稳住了它。此时，他同橡胶人和滑先生都很担心一件事，然而他们很难向朱利安、乔治和安妮开口——他们突然想起了琼和蟒蛇！滑先生担心的不是琼，而是他的掌上明珠——那条巨蟒！他已经找遍了整个庭院都一无所获。
　　“如果琼把它带回来，我就把她的头发揪下来！”滑先生生气地自言自语道。朱利安一脸迷惑：他究竟在说些什么？
　　特里•凯恩下来了，最后是巴法络，他用一种引人注目的方式滑了下来。他跳到大家身边，朝大家笑了笑。
　　“上边很不安宁！”他说，“能听到叫喊声和惊慌奔跑的声音。你们觉得那些人经历了什么事情？现在我们去墙洞那里，正好可以把他们抓到。我想他们很快就要出来了，走吧！”
Chapter 22 BEAUTY AND JO ENJOY THEMSELVES
Chapter 22 BEAUTY AND JO ENJOY THEMSELVES
　　SOMETHING certainly had happened to upset Pottersham and his three friends. After the door of thetower-room had been slammed and bolted, the men had gone clattering down the stone steps. Theyhad come to the door that led into the gallery, and had opened it and gone out on to the gallery itself.
　　But before they could find the spiral staircase a little way along, Pottersham had tripped oversomething - something that hissed like an engine letting off steam, and had wound itself round hislegs.
　　He yelled, and struck out at whatever it was. At first he had thought it was a man lying in wait forhim, who had pounced at his legs - but he knew it wasn't a man now. No man could hiss like that!
　　One of the men shone a torch down to see what was the matter with Pottersham. What he saw madehim yell and almost drop the torch.
　　'A snake! A snake bigger than any I've ever seen! It's got you, Pottersham!'
　　'Help me, man, help me!' shouted Pottersham, hitting down at the snake as hard as he could. 'It'ssqueezing my legs together in its coils.'
　　The other men ran to help him. As soon as they began to tug, Beauty uncoiled and glided off into theshadows.
　　'Where's the horrible thing gone?' panted Pottersham. 'It nearly crushed my legs to powder!
　　Quick, let's go before it comes back. Where in the world did it come from?'
　　They took a few steps - but the snake was lying in wait for them! It tripped them all up by gliding inand out of their legs, and then began to coil itself round one of the men's waists.
　　Such a shouting and yelling and howling began then! If ever there were frightened men, those fourwere! No matter where they went, that snake seemed to be there, coiling and uncoiling, gliding,writhing, squeezing!
　　It was Jo who had set the python on to them, of course. Jo had stayed in the gallery while all thedisturbance upstairs had been going on, Beauty draped round her neck. The girl tried in vain to makeout what was happening.
　　And then she had heard a door slam, a bolt shot home, and men's feet pouring down the stone 94stairs! She guessed it must be the four whose voices she had heard earlier in the evening, the menwho had gone through the passages.
　　'Beauty! Now it's your turn to do something,' said Jo, and she pulled the snake off her shoulders.
　　He poured himself down her and flowed on to the ground in one beautiful movement. He glidedtowards the men, who were now coming out of the gallery. After that, the python had the time of hislife. The more the men howled the more excited the big snake became.
　　Jo was huddled in a corner, laughing till the tears ran down her cheeks. She knew the snake was quiteharmless unless he gave one of the men too tight a squeeze. She couldn't see what was going on, butshe could hear.
　　'Oh dear - there's another one down!' she thought, as she heard one of the men tripped up by Beauty.
　　'And there goes another! I shall die of laughing. Good old Beauty! He's never allowed to behave likethis in the usual way. He must be enjoying himself!'
　　At last the men could bear it no more. 'Come up to that tower-room!' yelled Pottersham. I'm not goingback through those dark passages with snakes after me. There must be dozens of them here. We'll bebitten soon!'
　　Jo laughed out loud. Dozens of them! Well, probably Beauty did seem like a dozen snakes to thebewildered men falling over one another in the dark. But Beauty would not bite - he was notpoisonous.
　　Somehow the men got up into the tower-room, and left the snake behind. Beauty was tired of thegame now, and went to Jo when the girl called to him. She draped him round her neck, and listened.
　　The door up in the tower-room had slammed. Jo slipped up the steps, felt for the door-bolt in thedarkness and neatly and quietly pulled it across. Now, unless the men liked to risk going down thepeg-rope, which she guessed Bufflo had put up against the wall to rescue the others, they were nicelytrapped. And if they did go down the rope they would be sure to find a few people waiting for them atthe bottom!
　　'Come on Beauty, let's go,' said Jo, and went down the steps, wishing she had a torch. Sheremembered the little lantern that had been left in the hidden room, and felt more cheerful. She wouldbe able to take that with her down all those dark passages. Good!
　　Beauty slithered in front of her. He knew the way all right! They came to the little room, and Jothankfully picked up the lantern. She looked down at the big python and he stared up at her with 95gleaming, unwinking eyes. His long body coiled and uncoiled, shining brown and polished in thelight.
　　'I wouldn't mind you for a pet, if you were a bit smaller,' Jo told him. 'I don't know why people don'tlike snakes. Oh, Beauty - it makes me laugh to think of the way you treated those men!'
　　She chuckled as she went along the secret ways, holding the lantern high, except when she came tothe last passage of all, and had to walk bent double. Beauty waited for her when she came to the holein the wall. He had heard noises outside.
　　Jo climbed out first, and was immensely surprised to find herself pounced on and held. She wriggledand shouted and struggled, and finally bit the hand that was holding her.
　　Then a torch was shone on her and a shout went up. 'It's Jo! Jo, where have you been? And look here,if you bite like that I'll scrag you!'
　　'Bufflo! I'm sorry - but what did you want to go and pounce on me for?' cried Jo. The moon suddenlycame out and lighted up the scene. She saw Julian and the rest there, coming up eagerly.
　　'Jo! Are you all right?' said her uncle. 'We were worried about you. Where have you been?'
　　'You escaped!' she cried. 'Did you all get safely down the peg-rope?'
　　'There's no time to tell about that now,' said Bufflo, watching the hole in the wall. 'What about thosefellows? We're waiting for them here. Did you hear anything of them, Jo?'
　　'Oh, yes. I followed them. Oh, Bufflo, it was so funny...' said Jo, and began to laugh. Bufflo, shookher, but she couldn't stop. And then who should come gliding out through the hole but Beauty!
　　Mr. Slither saw him at once and gave a yell. 'Beauty! Jo, did you take him with you. You wicked girl!
　　Come here, my Beauty!'
　　The snake glided to him and wound himself lovingly round him.
　　'I'm not wicked,' said Jo, indignantly. 'Beauty wanted to come with me and he did - and oh, he gotmixed up with all those men, and...'
　　She went off into peals of laughter again. Dick grinned in sympathy. Jo was very funny when shecouldn't stop laughing.
　　Alfredo shook her roughly and made her stop. 'Tell us what you know about those men,' hecommanded. 'Are they coming out this way? Where are they?'
　　'Oh - the men,' said Jo, wiping her eyes and trying to stop laughing. 'They're all right. Beauty 96chased them back to the tower-room, and I bolted them in. They're still there. I expect - unless theydare to get down the peg-rope, which I bet they won't!'
　　Bufflo gave a short laugh. 'You did well, Jo,' he said. 'You and Beauty!'
　　He gave a sharp order to Alfredo and the rubber-man, who went back over the wall and into thecourtyard to watch if the men slid down the peg-rope.
　　'I think it would be a good idea to get the police now,' said Terry-Kane, beginning to feel that he mustbe in some kind of extraordinary dream, with peg-ropes and whips and knives and snakes turning upin such a peculiar manner. 'That fellow Pottersham is dangerous. He's a traitor, and must be caughtbefore he gives away all that he knows about the work he and I have been doing.'
　　'Right,' said Bufflo. 'We've got another fellow locked up too - in an empty caravan.'
　　'But - didn't he escape then?' said Jo, surprised. 'I thought that man Pottersham, who's up in the tower-room now, was the one we locked up.'
　　'The one we locked up is still locked up,' said Bufflo grimly.
　　'But who is he, then?' said Terry-Kane, bewildered.
　　'We'll soon find out,' said Bufflo. 'Come on, let's get going now. It's very late, you kids must be dyingof hunger, somebody ought to go to the police, and I want to get back to camp.'
　　'Alfredo and the rubber-man will keep guard on the peg-rope,' said Mr. Slither, still fondling Beauty.
　　'There is no need to stay here any longer.'
　　So down the hill they went, talking nineteen to the dozen. Terry-Kane went off to the police-stationand to telephone what he vaguely called 'the high-up authorities'. The five children began to thinkhungrily of something to eat and drink! Timmy ran to the stream as soon as they reached the field andbegan to lap thirstily.
　　'Let's just find out if you know the fellow we've got locked up in this caravan,' said Bufflo, when theygot to the camp. 'He seems the only unexplained bit so far.'
　　He unlocked the caravan, and called loudly. 'Come on out. We want to know who you are!' He heldup a lamp, and the man inside came slowly to the door.
　　There was a shout of amazement from all the children. 'Uncle Quentin!' cried Julian, Dick and Anne.
　　'Father!' shouted George. 'What ARE you doing here?'
22.蛇美人与琼的恶作剧
　　蛇美人与琼的恶作剧
　　波特沙姆和他的三个朋友的确遇到了奇怪的事情。在高塔房间的门被闩上之后，他们一路奔下石阶，来到了通往走廊的门前，准备穿过走廊逃跑。
　　但是，就在他们寻找螺旋形台阶的路上，波特沙姆被什么东西绊倒了，这个东西就像一台喷气发动机一样发出嘶嘶的声音，而且一下子盘在了他的腿上。
　　他顿时大叫起来，试图将身上的这个东西弄下去。开始他以为地上躺着的是个人，当他经过时扑向了他的腿。然而后来他感觉对方并不是个人，毕竟没人会发出这样的嘶嘶声！
　　其中一个人拿着手电筒向下照，想知道波特沙姆那里发生了什么。但当他看到眼前的一幕时顿时吓得大叫起来，慌忙扔掉了手电筒。
　　“一条蛇！我从来没看到过这么大的蛇！波特沙姆，它缠住你了！”
　　“救救我！救救我！”波特沙姆大声求救，他用力地敲打着蛇身，“它把我的腿捆在了一起。”
　　其他人跑过去帮他。就在他们用力拉蛇美人时，它挺直了身体，一下子钻到了阴影中。
　　“那个可怕的东西去哪儿了？”波特沙姆气喘吁吁地说，“它差点把我的腿挤碎！快，趁它回来前我们赶快走。它是从哪里来的？”
　　他们向前走了几步，但是那条蛇就在那里等着他们！它在每个人的腿间穿来穿去，并把他们撞倒，之后它绕在了一个人的腰间。
　　它的这一系列动作让大家的哀号声响成一片！这四个五大三粗的男人被吓坏了！不管他们走到哪里，都能遇到蛇，那条蛇绕来绕去、滑行翻滚并且用身体挤压着他们！
　　这是琼放的蟒蛇。正当塔顶房间里乱作一团的时候，琼就待在走廊里，而蛇美人绕在她的脖子上。琼并不清楚房间里边发生了什么。
　　随后，她听见了关门声和门闩上的声音，之后她听到男人们从石阶上冲下来的声音。她感觉他们就是稍早时说话的那四个人，当时他们正穿过通道。
　　“美人！现在轮到你做些什么了。”琼边说边将蛇从肩膀上放了下来。它从琼的身体上滑下来，优雅地在地上爬了起来。它朝着走向走廊的男人们滑过去。随后，那条蟒蛇享受起了自己的快乐时光。男人们的号叫声越剧烈，它越兴奋。
　　琼缩在墙角，眼前发生的事情让她笑出了眼泪，在脸颊上流淌。她知道这条蟒蛇不会伤害他们，除非它把一个人缠得过紧。尽管她看不到眼前的一切，但是她听得一清二楚。
　　“哦，天哪，又下来一个人！”她听到一个人被美人绊倒了，心里想道，“还有一个！笑死我了。美人，好样的！它从来不被允许做这种事情，所以今天它一定很享受！”
　　最终，那些人再也承受不住了。“我们去那个高塔房间！”波特沙姆叫道，“我不想让蛇追着我进入那些黑暗的通道里。这里肯定有数十条蛇，我们会被咬死的！”
　　琼放声大笑起来。数十条蛇！好吧，黑暗中的美人把他们每个人都搞糊涂了，让他们以为有数十条蛇。但是它并不咬人，也没毒性。
　　这些人进入到了塔顶的房间里，把蛇留在了外边。美人现在厌倦了这个游戏，所以它在琼的召唤下返回到了她的身边。她把美人绕在脖子上，静静地侧耳倾听。
　　塔顶房间的门关上了。琼悄悄地溜到门口，在黑暗中摸索到了门闩，她轻巧地将门闩横上了。此时，除非他们愿意冒险沿着带挂钩的绳子爬下去，否则就得一直困在里边了。琼猜测巴法络正在高墙下营救其他人。一旦房间里的人爬下去，就会发现另外一群人在等着他们！
　　“美人，我们走。”琼边说边摸索着走下了阶梯，她真希望自己能有一只手电筒。她想起了放在密室中的小灯笼，心里一阵窃喜。
　　她可以带着灯笼穿过所有通道！真棒！
　　美人在她的前面爬，它对路线很熟悉！他们来到了那个小房间中，琼开心地捡起了那个灯笼。她发现那条大蟒蛇一直在盯着她看，眼睛里闪着光，一眨不眨。它长长的身体蜷缩着，在灯光下熠熠生辉。
　　“如果你再小一点，我会把你当宠物养，”琼对它说，“我不知道为什么大家都不喜欢蛇。哦，美人，你对待他们的方式真是有趣！”
　　她边走边笑，一直高高地举着灯笼，直到来到了最后一段通道处，她弯下腰爬了过去。美人在洞口处等着她，然而它听到外边有声响。
　　琼先爬了出去，突然被人一下子抓住了，把她吓了一跳。她扭着身体边挣扎边喊叫，顺势咬了一口抓着她的那只手。
　　一只手电筒照向了她，随后传来了一阵惊呼声。“这是琼！琼，你跑哪里去了？你看，如果你再那样咬我，我就掐你了！”
　　“巴法络！对不起，谁让你猛扑过来？把我吓了一跳。”琼叫道。这时月亮突然出来了，把周围的一切照得通亮。她看到了朱利安和其他人急匆匆地跑了过来。
　　“琼，你没事吧？”她叔叔说道，“我们都很担心你。你去哪里了？”
　　琼并没有理会他。她跑向了迪克和那些伙伴。
　　“你逃出来了！”她叫道，“你们都是沿着那条带挂钩的绳索安全地爬下来的吗？”
　　“没时间解释了，”巴法络看着墙上的缺口说，“那些人怎么办？
　　我们在这儿等着他们。琼，你有他们的消息吗？”
　　“哦，当然。我一直跟着他们。哦，巴法络，真是太有趣了……”琼说着大笑了起来。巴法络摇了摇她，但是她还是大笑不止。就在这时，美人从洞中爬了出来！
　　滑先生看到蛇之后立刻大呼起来：“美人！琼，你一直带着它。
　　你这个坏女孩！过来，我的美人！”
　　那条蛇听话地爬向他，绕在了他的身体上。
　　“我不坏，”琼生气地说，“是它想跟着我。哦，它把那些人都戏弄了一遍，而且……”
　　她突然又大笑了起来。迪克也被她的样子逗笑了。因为琼大笑不止的样子很有趣。
　　阿尔佛雷多用力地摇晃着她，让她别再笑了。“告诉我们那些人的情况，”他命令道，“他们会不会从这里出来？他们现在在哪儿？”
　　“哦，那些人，”琼揉着眼睛试图忍住笑，“他们都很好。美人把他们赶进了高塔房间里，我把门闩上了。他们还在那里。除非他们敢从带挂钩的绳索上爬下来。但是我敢打赌，他们没这个勇气！”
　　巴法络听后笑了几声。“琼，你做得很棒，”他说，“你和美人都很棒！”
　　随后，他忙叫阿尔佛雷多和橡胶人回到刚才的地方，看看是不是有人顺着带挂钩的绳索滑了下来。
　　“我觉得现在最好叫警察来。”特里•凯恩说，他感觉自己像是在做一个诡异的梦，梦中看到了带挂钩的绳子、刀子以及行为特别的蛇，“波特沙姆那个家伙很危险。他是一个卖国贼，在他弄懂我们做的东西之前，必须要抓住他。”
　　“对，”巴法络说，“我们在一辆空的大篷车里还关了一个人。”
　　“但是，他没有逃跑吗？”琼惊讶地说，“我原以为被关起来的那个人是波特沙姆，但是他现在在高塔的房间里。”
　　“那个人一直被关在大篷车里。”巴法络严肃地说。
　　“那他究竟是谁？”特里•凯恩疑惑地问。
　　“很快就知道了，”巴法络说，“来，我们走。已经很晚了，你和孩子们肯定饿了。派个人去警察局，我要回到露营的地方去。”
　　“阿尔佛雷多和橡胶人会看着那条带挂钩的绳子，”滑先生一边爱抚着美人一边说，“我们没必要待在这里了。”
　　因此，他们沿着山路走了下去，一路攀谈。特里•凯恩去了警察局，与所谓的“高层人士”通了电话。五个孩子此时饥肠辘辘，很想找些吃的东西。就在他们到达田地时，蒂米一下子冲到了溪水旁，大口地喝起水来。
　　“我们去看看那个关在大篷车里的人是谁，”巴法络朝着走向营地的五个孩子说，“目前，他是唯一一个不期而至的人。”
　　他打开了大篷车的门，大声喊道：“出来！我们想知道你是谁！”他提着一盏灯，随后那个男人闻声从大篷车里走了出来。
　　就在此时，孩子们突然一片哗然。“昆廷叔叔！”朱利安、迪克和安妮异口同声地叫道。“爸爸！”乔治喊道，“您在这里做什么？”
Chapter 23 HAVING A WONDERFUL TIME!
Chapter 23 HAVING A WONDERFUL TIME!
　　THERE was a minute or two of silence. Everyone was most astonished. To think that George's fatherhad been locked up like that! It had been Jo's mistake, of course - she had been so sure he was Mr.
　　Pottersham.
　　'Julian,' said Uncle Quentin, very much on his dignity, and also very angry. 'I must ask you to go andget the police here. I was set on and locked up in this caravan for no reason at all.'
　　Bufflo began to look most disturbed. He turned on Jo.
　　'Why didn't you tell us he was George's father?' he said.
　　'I didn't know it was,' said Jo. 'I've never seen him, and anyway I thought...'
　　'It doesn't matter what you thought,' said Uncle Quentin, looking at the dirty little girl in disgust.
　　'I insist on the police being fetched.'
　　'Uncle Quentin, I'm sure it's all been a mistake,' said Julian, 'and anyway Mr. Terry-Kane has gone tothe police himself.'
　　His uncle stared at him as if he couldn't believe his ears. 'Terry-Kane? Where is he? What hashappened? Is he found?'
　　'Yes. It's rather a long story,' said Julian. 'It all began when we saw that face at the window. I toldAunt Fanny all about that, Uncle, and she said she would tell you when you got back from London.
　　Well - it was Mr. Terry-Kane at the window!'
　　'I thought so! I told your Aunt Fanny I had a feeling it was!' said his uncle. 'That's why I came assoon as ever I could - but you were none of you here. What happened to you?'
　　'Well, that's part of the story, Uncle,' said Julian, patiently. 'But I say, do you mind if we havesomething to eat. We're practically dead from starvation - haven't had anything since yesterday!'
　　That ended the interview for the time being! Mrs. Alfredo bustled about, and soon there was aperfectly glorious meal set in front of the five half-starved children. They sat round a camp-fire andate and ate and ate.
　　Mrs. Alfredo practically emptied her big pot for them. Timmy was surrounded by plates of scraps andbig bones brought by every member of the camp! Almost every minute someone loomed up out ofthe darkness with a plate of something or other either for the hungry children, or for Timmy.
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　　At last they really could eat no more, and Julian began to tell their extraordinary story. Dick took itup, and George added quite a few bits. Jo interrupted continually and even Timmy put in a few barks.
　　Only Anne said nothing. She was leaning against her uncle, fast asleep.
　　'I never heard such a tale in my life,' said Uncle Quentin, continually. 'Never! Fancy that fellowPottersham going off with Terry-Kane like that. I knew Terry-Kane was all right - he wouldn't let hiscountry down. Now, Pottersham I never did like. Well, go on.'
　　The fair-folk were as enthralled as Uncle Quentin with the tale. They came closer and closer as thestory of the secret passages, the hidden room, the stone stairways and the rest was unfolded.
　　They got very excited when they learnt how Bufflo had appeared in the tower-room and had flickedthe gun out of Pottersham's hand. Uncle Quentin threw back his head and roared when he heard thatbit.
　　'What a shock for that fellow!' he said. 'I'd like to have seen his face. Well, well - I never heard such atale in my life!'
　　And then it was Jo's turn to tell how she had followed the four men into the secret passages, and hadset Beauty, the python, on to the men. She began to laugh again as she told her tale, and soon all thefair-folk were laughing in sympathy, rocking to and fro, with tears streaming down their faces.
　　Only Uncle Quentin looked rather solemn at this point. He remembered how he had felt when,because of his shouting, the fair-folk had sent the python into his caravan, and almost frightened himout of his life.
　　'Mr. Slither, please do get Beauty,' begged Jo. 'He ought to listen to his part of the story. He waswonderful. He enjoyed it all too. I'm sure he would have laughed if only snakes could laugh.'
　　Poor Uncle Quentin didn't like to object when the snake-man fetched his beloved python - in fact, hefetched both of them, and they had never had such a fuss made of them before. They were patted andrubbed and pulled about in a way they both seemed to enjoy hugely.
　　'Let me hold Beauty, Mr. Slither,' said Jo, at last, and she draped him round her neck like a long,shiny fur. Uncle Quentin looked as if he was going to be sick. He would certainly have got up andgone away if it hadn't been that his favourite niece Anne was fast asleep against his shoulder.
　　'What extraordinary people George seems to be friends with,' he thought. 'I suppose they are all right- but really! What with whips and knives and snakes I must say I find all this very peculiar.'
　　'Somebody's coming up the field,' said Jo, suddenly. 'It's - yes, it's Mr. Terry-Kane, and he's got 99three policemen with him.'
　　Immediately almost all the fair-folk melted away into the darkness. They knew quite well why thepolice had come - not for them, but because of Mr. Pottersham and his unpleasant friends.
　　But all the same they wanted nothing to do with the three burly policemen walking up the hill withTerry-Kane.
　　Uncle Quentin leapt to his feet as soon as he saw Terry-Kane. He ran to meet him joyfully, andpumped his arm up and down, up and down, shaking hands so vigorously that Terry-Kane felt quiteexhausted.
　　'My dear fellow,' said Uncle Quentin. 'I'm so glad you're safe. I told everyone you weren't a traitor,and never could be - everyone! I went up to London and told them. I'm glad you're all right.'
　　'Well - it's thanks to these children,' said Terry-Kane, who looked very tired. 'I expect you've heardthe peculiar and most extraordinary tale of the Face at the Window.'
　　'Yes - it's all so extraordinary that I shouldn't believe it if I read it in a book,' said Uncle Quentin.
　　'And yet it all happened! My dear fellow, you must be very tired!'
　　'I am,' said Terry-Kane. 'But I'm not going to lie down and sleep until those other fellows are safelyunder lock and key - Pottersham and his fine friends! Do you mind if I leave you for a bit, and go offto the castle again? We simply must catch those fellows. I came to ask if one of the children could gowith us, because I hear we have to creep through all kinds of passages and galleries and up spiralstairways and goodness knows what.'
　　'But - didn't you go that way when Pottersham first took you there and hid you in that room?'
　　asked Dick, surprised.
　　'Yes. I must have gone that way,' said Mr. Terry-Kane. 'But I was blindfolded and half-doped withsomething they had made me drink. I've no idea of the way. Of course, Pottersham knew every inch -he's written books about all these old castles, you know - nobody knows more about them and theirsecrets than he does. He certainly put his knowledge to good use this week!'
　　'I'll go with you,' said Jo. 'I've been up and down those passages four times now. I know them byheart! The others have only been once.'
　　'Yes, you go,' said Bufflo.
　　'Take Timmy,' said George most generously, for usually she would never let Timmy go with Jo.
　　'Or take a snake,' suggested Dick, with a grin.
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　　'I won't take anything,' said Jo. 'I'll be all right with three big policemen! So long as they're not afterme, I like them!'
　　She didn't really, but she couldn't help boasting a little. She set off with Terry-Kane and the threepolicemen, strutting a little, and feeling quite a heroine.
　　The others all went to their caravans, tired out. Uncle Quentin sat by the camp-fire, waiting for thearrival of Pottersham and his three friends.
　　'Good night,' said Julian to the girls. 'I'd like to wait till the crowd come back - complete with therubber-man and Alfredo - but I shall fall asleep standing on my feet in a minute. I say, wasn't that asmashing supper?'
　　'Super!' said the others. 'Well - see you tomorrow.'
　　They all slept very late the next day. Jo was back long before they awoke, very anxious to tell themhow they had captured Pottersham and the others, and how they had been marched off to the police-station, with her following all the way. But Mrs. Alfredo would not let her wake the four children up.
　　However, they did awake at last, and got up eagerly, remembering all the exciting moments of theday before. Soon they were jumping down the steps of the two caravans, eager to hear the latestnews.
　　'Hallo, Father!' shouted George, seeing him not far off.
　　'Hallo, Uncle Quentin! Hallo, Jo!' called the others, and soon heard the latest bits of information fromJo who was very proud of being in at the finish.
　　'But they didn't put up any fight at all,' she said, rather disappointed. 'I think Beauty scared all thefight out of them last night - they just gave in without a word.'
　　'Now you children!' called Mrs. Alfredo, 'I have kept a little breakfast for you. You like to come?'
　　They did like to come! Jo went too, though she had already had one breakfast. Uncle Quentin went tosit down with them. He gazed around amazed at all the goings-on of the camp.
　　Bufflo was doing some remarkable rope-spinning and whip-cracking. The rubber-man was wrigglingin and out of the wheel-spokes of his caravan without stopping. Mr. Slither was polishing his snakes.
　　Dacca was step dancing on a board, click-click-clickity-click.
　　Alfredo came up with his buttonhook- like torches, and his metal bowl. 'I give you a treat,' heannounced to Uncle Quentin. 'You would like to see me fire-eat?'
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　　Uncle Quentin stared at him as if he thought he had gone raving mad.
　　'He's a fire-eater, Uncle,' explained Dick.
　　'Oh. No thank you, my good man. I would rather not see you eat fire,' said Uncle Quentin, politelybut very firmly. Alfredo was most disappointed. He had meant to give this man a real treat to makeup for locking him into the caravan! He went away sadly, and Mrs. Alfredo screamed after him.
　　'You foolish man. Who wants to see you fire-eat? You have no brains. You are a big, silly bad man.
　　You keep away with your fire-eating!' She disappeared into her caravan, and Uncle Quentin lookedafter her, astonished at her sudden outburst.
　　'This is really a very extraordinary place,' he said. 'And most extraordinary people. I'm going backhome today, George. Wouldn't you all like to come with me? I don't really feel it's the right thing foryou to get mixed up in so many queer doings.'
　　'Oh no, Father,' said George, in horror. 'Go home when we've only just settled in! Of course not.
　　None of us want to leave - do we Julian?' she said, looking round beseechingly at him.
　　Julian answered at once. 'George is right, Uncle. We're just beginning to enjoy ourselves here. I thinkwe're all agreed on that?'
　　'We are,' said everyone, and Timmy thumped his tail hard and gave a very loud 'WOOF'.
　　'Very well,' said Uncle Quentin, getting up. 'I must go, I suppose. I'll catch the bus down to thestation. Come down with me.'
　　They went to see him off on the bus. It came up well on time and he got in.
　　'Good-bye,' he said. 'What message shall I give your mother, George? She'll expect to hear somethingfrom the five of you.'
　　'Well,' shouted everyone, as the bus rumbled off, 'well - just tell her the FIVE ARE HAVING AWONDERFUL TIME! Good-bye, Uncle Quentin, good-bye!'
　　THE END
23.美好时光
　　美好时光
　　现场顿时陷入了一片沉寂，每个人都很震惊。乔治的父亲竟然被关在了车里！这是琼的过失，她原以为他就是波特沙姆先生。
　　“朱利安，”昆廷叔叔半笑半怒地说，“我之前叫你去找警察帮忙，然而我却被莫名其妙地关在了大篷车里。”
　　此时看起来最生气的是巴法络，他转向琼。
　　“你为什么不告诉我们这是乔治的父亲？”他问。
　　“我之前不知道，”琼说，“我从来没见过他，而且我以为……”
　　“你以为的什么并不重要，”昆廷叔叔厌恶地看着这个脏兮兮的小女孩说，“我一定要去找警察。”
　　“昆廷叔叔，这真的是一个误会，”朱利安解围道，“而且特里•凯恩已经去报警了。”
　　昆廷叔叔盯着他，不敢相信自己的耳朵。他说：“特里•凯恩？
　　他在哪儿？发生什么了？你们找到他了吗？”
　　“找到了，说来话长，”朱利安说，“一切都要从我们看到的窗边那张脸说起。叔叔，我已经把来龙去脉告诉了范妮婶婶，而且她说等您从伦敦回来之后告诉您。原来窗户里面的那个人就是特里•凯恩先生！”
　　“原来如此！我跟你范妮婶婶说过我有同样的感觉！”昆廷叔叔说，“这就是我尽早赶过来的原因，但是当时你们都不在。发生什么事情了？”
　　“叔叔，其实这就是整个经历的一部分，”朱利安耐心地说，“但是您介意我们先吃些东西吗？我们饿坏了，从昨天开始到现在滴水未进！”
　　因此，大家停止了寒暄。阿尔佛雷多的妻子忙得不亦乐乎，她为五个饥饿的孩子准备了一顿丰盛的晚餐。他们围着一堆篝火坐了下来，一直往嘴里塞着食物。
　　阿尔佛雷多的妻子娴熟地将罐子里的东西倒给他们吃。蒂米的周围放满了露营区每个人的剩菜残羹以及吃剩的大骨头！几乎每分钟，都有人从隐隐约约的黑夜中走过来，为他们和蒂米端来吃的东西。
　　最后，他们实在吃不下了，朱利安开始和大家分享他们一波三折的经历，迪克接着他的讲，乔治也在一旁说了一些故事，琼一直在打断他们，就连蒂米也会不时地叫几声。只有安妮一言不发，她靠在昆廷叔叔身上，很快就进入了梦乡。
　　“我这辈子都没听到过这样的故事，”昆廷叔叔连连说道，“从来没有！波特沙姆竟然想要带着特里•凯恩离开。我知道特里•凯恩是个好人，他不会背叛自己的国家，现在我一点也不喜欢波特沙姆。好吧，你们继续说。”
　　其他的民间艺人也和昆廷叔叔一样被他们的故事迷住了。他们一点一点地凑上前来，听他们讲故事。随后，大家知道了秘密通道、密室、石阶以及其他未曾发现的事物。
　　当大家听到巴法络出现在高塔房间中，并且打掉了波特沙姆手中的枪时，都变得非常激动。昆廷叔叔听到这些时，他扭过头，激动地叫了起来。
　　“对那个家伙来说肯定很震惊！”他说，“我真想看看他当时的表情。是的，这辈子我都没有听过这样的故事！”
　　下面就轮到琼讲述自己如何跟着那四个人走进秘密通道，以及蛇美人绕在他们身上的经历。她边讲边笑，其他民间艺人也被她逗得哄堂大笑，眼泪顺着他们的脸颊流了下来。
　　此时，只有昆廷叔叔一个人一言不发，因为他还记得当时自己在大篷车里叫喊时，那些民间艺人放蛇进来，把他吓得半死。
　　“滑先生，请把美人带来吧，”琼央求道，“它应该听听它自己的光辉事迹的。它很棒，它很享受。我觉得如果蛇会笑的话，它当时肯定会笑出声的。”
　　驯蛇人把他心爱的蛇拿过来了，不是一条，而是两条。可怜的昆廷叔叔不喜欢蛇，却也没办法。那两条蛇从来没有被这样热情招待过，大家用手轻拍、轻抚它们，两条蛇被抱来抱去，似乎也很享受。
　　“滑先生，让我来拿着美人吧。”琼说着把蛇美人围在了脖子上，就像是一条长长的发光皮带。昆廷叔叔看着她，整个人都不好了。要不是他最喜欢的侄女安妮靠在他的肩膀上睡觉，他早就走开了。
　　他心里想：“乔治认识的朋友都这么奇怪，看来他们对这些事情都习以为常了！我见识到了鞭子、刀子和蛇，只能说这些人很特别。”
　　“有人来田地这边了，”琼突然说，“那是……对，特里•凯恩先生，而且他带来了三位警察。”
　　突然之间，所有民间艺人都消失在了夜色中。他们其实知道，这些警察不是冲着他们来的，而是波特沙姆先生和他的三个不招人喜欢的朋友。但是他们还是想离特里•凯恩带来的这三个体格魁梧的警察远一些。
　　当昆廷叔叔看到特里•凯恩时，一下子跳了起来。他开心地跑向特里•凯恩，把他的胳膊摇来摇去，用力地跟他握手，这让特里•凯恩感到疲惫不堪。
　　“我亲爱的伙伴，”昆廷叔叔说，“我为你的安然无恙感到开心。
　　我跟所有人都说你不是叛徒，但是并不是每个人都清楚！所以我去伦敦告诉其他人，很高兴你没事。”
　　“嗯，多亏了这些孩子，”特里•凯恩说，他看起来非常疲惫，“我希望你可以听听他们关于在窗边发现一张人脸的精彩故事。”
　　“的确，要是我从书上看到这件事，肯定不会相信，”昆廷叔叔说，“但是真的发生了！我亲爱的朋友，你肯定是累坏了。”
　　“是的，”特里•凯恩说，“但是在波特沙姆和他朋友们被关起来之前，我是不会躺下来睡觉的！你介意我先离开一会儿吗？我要去那个城堡抓住那些家伙。有没有孩子愿意同我们一起去，因为我们要摸黑钻过所有陡峭的通道、穿过走廊，然后沿着螺旋形台阶爬上去，但是我们不知道路。”
　　“你不能沿着波特沙姆第一次带你进来的路线，找到囚禁的地方吗？”迪克惊讶地问。
　　“我是要沿着那条路走，”特里•凯恩说，“但是我当时被蒙着眼睛，而且喝了某种让我神志不清的东西，所以我认不清那条路。波特沙姆对这里一清二楚，他写过关于所有旧城堡的书，所以没人能比他更了解这些城堡以及它们的秘密。他肯定是把他这方面的能力全在这个星期用上了！”
　　“我跟您一起去，”琼说，“那些通道我走了四次了，已经熟记于心！其他人都只走过一次。”
　　“行，你去吧。”巴法络说。
　　“带上蒂米。”乔治这次表现得很慷慨，因为通常情况下她不会让蒂米跟着琼走。
　　“或者带着条蛇。”迪克笑着建议道。
　　“我什么都不会带，”琼说，“跟三个警察在一起，我不会有事的！只要他们不抓我，我会喜欢他们的！”
　　她不会喜欢他们的，只是忍不住吹嘘了一下。随后，她跟着特里•凯恩和三个警察出发了。她昂首阔步的样子就像一位女英雄。
　　其他人都回到了大篷车里，他们都已经精疲力竭。昆廷叔叔坐在了火堆旁，等待着波特沙姆和他的朋友们。
　　“晚安，”朱利安朝着女孩们说，“我很想等他们所有人回来，包括橡胶人和阿尔佛雷多。但是我现在很容易就会睡着。刚才那顿饭是不是很美味？”
　　“没错！”其他人回应道，“好的，明天见。”
　　第二天，他们起得都很晚。琼在他们睡醒前就回来了，她迫不及待地想告诉大家他们是如何抓到波特沙姆那些人，以及如何把他们送到警察局的。但是阿尔佛雷多的妻子不让琼过早地叫醒那四个孩子。
　　他们终于睡醒了，想起昨天那些激动人心的时刻，赶紧从床上爬起来。他们很快地从两辆大篷车的踏板上跳下来，很想听到最新的消息。
　　“嘿，爸爸！”乔治朝着不远处的父亲叫道。
　　“嘿，昆廷叔叔！嘿，琼！”其他人也叫道。随后，他们从一脸骄傲的琼的嘴里得知了最新消息。
　　“他们甚至没有反抗，”琼失望地说，“我想他们昨天被美人吓得够呛，所以只好乖乖投降。”
　　“孩子们！”阿尔佛雷多的妻子叫道，“我为你们准备了一些早餐，来吃吗？”
　　他们当然愿意去！尽管琼已经吃了一顿，但是她也答应了。昆廷叔叔走过来坐在他们身边，他惊讶地看着田地周围发生的一切。
　　巴法络一会儿甩套绳，一会儿甩鞭子；橡胶人一直在他大篷车的车轮辐条中钻来钻去；滑先生在擦洗他的蛇；达卡在一块板子上跳着踢踏舞，“啼——啼——哒——哒”。
　　这时，阿尔佛雷多拿着他的带钩的火炬和金属碗走了过来。“我要给你表演一个戏法，”他对昆廷叔叔说，“你想不想看我表演吞火？”
　　昆廷叔叔盯着他，以为他在胡言乱语。
　　“叔叔，他是一个吞火表演者。”迪克解释说。
　　“哦，不用了，谢谢你，我还是不看吞火表演了。”昆廷叔叔礼貌而坚定地说。这让阿尔佛雷多感到有些失望。他本打算弥补把昆廷叔叔关在大篷车里的错误。但是此时，他只好怏怏不乐地走开了，他的妻子在后边训斥着他。
　　“你这个傻瓜。谁想看你表演吞火？你没有脑子，真是一个又大又傻的男人。你离吞火表演远点！”随后她消失在了大篷车里，她突如其来的爆发让昆廷叔叔一脸惊愕。
　　“这里真是一个神奇的地方，”他说，“这里有一群神奇的人。乔治，我今天要回去，你不打算跟我回去吗？我觉得你跟这些奇怪的人混在一起对你不太好。”
　　“哦，爸爸，不要这样，”乔治害怕地说，“我们刚刚才在这里安顿下来！我当然不回去！我们没人想回去，朱利安，你说是不是？”她用恳求的眼神看着朱利安。
　　朱利安立即回应说：“叔叔，乔治说得对。我们刚刚才开始享受这里的生活，大家是不是都认同我的说法？”
　　“我们同意！”大家异口同声地说。蒂米用力地摇了摇尾巴，并且大声地叫了一声：“汪！”
　　“好吧，”昆廷叔叔说着站了起来，“我想我得走了，我要下山去赶公交车。你们送送我吧。”
　　于是，他们一起跟着他，看他上了公交车。他刚到车站，公交车就来了。
　　“再见，”他说，“乔治，有什么需要给你母亲带话的吗？她很期待听到你们五个人的消息。”
　　“好的，”大家在嘈杂的汽车声中叫喊道，“告诉她说，我们五个人度过了一段美好时光！再见，昆廷叔叔，再见！”