Chapter 1 AT THE STABLES
Chapter 1 AT THE STABLES
　　'We've been here a week and I've been bored every single minute!' said George.
　　'You haven't,' said Anne. 'You've enjoyed all the rides we've had, and you know you've enjoyedmessing about the stables when we haven't been out riding.'
　　'I tell you, I've been bored every single minute,' said George, quite fiercely. 'I ought to know, oughtn'tI? That awful girl Henrietta too. Why do we have to put up with her?'
　　'Oh - Henry!' said Anne, with a laugh. 'I should have thought you'd find a lot in common with anothergirl like yourself, who would rather be a boy, and tries to act like one!'
　　The two girls were lying by a haystack eating sandwiches. Round them in a field were many horses,most of which the girls either rode or looked after. Some way off was an old rambling building, andby the front entrance was a great board.
　　Captain Johnson's Riding School
　　Anne and George had been staying there for a week, while Julian and Dick had gone to camp withother boys from their school. It had been Anne's idea. She was fond of horses, and had heard so muchfrom her friends at school what fun it was to spend day after day at the stables, that she had made upher mind to go herself.
　　George hadn't wanted to come. She was sulky because the two boys had gone off somewhere withouther and Anne, for a change. Gone to camp! George would have liked that, but girls were not allowedto go camping with the boys from Julian's school, of course. It was a camp just for the boys alone.
　　'You're silly to keep feeling cross because you couldn't go camping too,' said Anne. 'The boys don'twant us girls round them all the time. We couldn't do the things they do.'
　　George thought differently. 'I can do anything that Dick and Julian do,' she said. 'I can climb, andbike for miles, can walk as far as they can, I can swim, I can beat a whole lot of boys at most things.'
　　'That's what Henry says!' said Anne, with a laugh. 'Look, there she is, striding about as usual, handsin her jodhpur pockets, whistling like the stable boy!'
　　George scowled. Anne had been very much amused to see how Henrietta and George hated oneanother at sight - and yet both had so very much the same ideas. George's real name 2was Georgina, but she would only answer to George. Henry's real name was Henrietta, but she wouldonly answer to Henry, or Harry to her very best friends!
　　She was about as old as George, and her hair was short too, but it wasn't curly. 'It's a pity yours iscurly,' she said to George, pityingly. 'It looks so girlish, doesn't it?'
　　'Don't be an ass,' George said, curtly. 'Plenty of boys have curly hair.'
　　The maddening part was that Henrietta was a wonderful rider, and had won all kinds of cups.
　　George hadn't enjoyed herself a bit during that week at the stables, because for once in a way anothergirl had outshone her. She couldn't bear to see Henrietta striding about, whistling, doing everythingso competently and quickly.
　　Anne had had many a quiet laugh to herself, especially when the two girls had each made up theirminds not to call one another Henry and George, but to use their full names, Henrietta and Georgina!
　　This meant that neither of them would answer the other when called, and Captain Johnson, the bigburly owner of the riding-stables, got very tired of both of them.
　　'What are you behaving like this for?' he demanded one morning, seeing their sulky looks at oneanother at breakfast-time. 'Behaving like a couple of idiotic schoolgirls!'
　　That made Anne laugh! A couple of idiotic schoolgirls. My goodness, how annoyed both girls werewith Captain Johnson. Anne was a bit scared of him. He was hot-tempered, out-spoken, and stood nononsense at all, but he was a wonder with the horses, and loved a good, hearty laugh.
　　He and his wife took either boys or girls for the holidays, and worked them hard, but the childrenalways enjoyed their stay immensely.
　　'If it hadn't been for Henry, you'd have been perfectly happy this week,' said Anne, leaning backagainst the haystack. 'We've had heavenly April weather, the horses are lovely, and I like Captain andMrs. Johnson very much.'
　　'I wish the boys were here,' said George. 'They would soon put that silly Henrietta in her place. I wishI'd stayed at home now.'
　　'Well, you had the choice,' said Anne, rather cross. 'You could have stayed at Kirrin Cottage withyour father and mother, but you chose to come here with me, till the boys came back from camp.
　　You shouldn't make such a fuss if things aren't exactly to your liking. It spoils things for me.'
　　'Sorry,' said George. 'I'm being a pig, I know, but I do miss the boys. We can only be with them in thehols and it seems funny without them. There's just one thing that pleases me here you'll be glad toknow...'
　　3
　　'You needn't tell me, I know what it is!' said Anne, with a laugh. 'You're glad that Timmy won't haveanything to do with Henry!'
　　'With Henrietta,' corrected George. She grinned suddenly. 'Yes, old Timmy's got some sense. He justcan't stick her. Here, Timmy boy, leave those rabbit-holes alone and come and lie down for a bit.
　　You've run for miles this morning when we took the horses out, and you've snuffled down about ahundred rabbit-holes. Come and be peaceful.'
　　Timmy left his latest rabbit-hole reluctantly and came to flop down beside Anne and George. He gaveGeorge a hearty lick and she patted him.
　　'We're just saying, Timmy, how sensible you are not to make friends with that awful Henrietta,'
　　said George. She stopped suddenly at a sharp nudge from Anne. A shadow fell across them assomeone came round the haystack.
　　It was Henrietta. By the annoyed look on her face it was clear that she had heard George's remark.
　　She held out an orange envelope to George.
　　'A telegram for you, Georgina,' she said, stiffly. 'I thought I'd better bring it in case it was important.'
　　'Oh, thanks, Henrietta,' said George, and took the telegram. She tore it open, read it and groaned.
　　'Look at that!' she said to Anne and passed it to her. 'It's from Mother.'
　　Anne took the telegram and read it. 'Please stay another week. Your father is not well. Love fromMother.'
　　'What bad luck!' said George, a familiar scowl on her face. 'Just when I thought we'd be going homein a day or two, and the boys would join us at Kirrin. Now we'll be stuck here by ourselves for ages!
　　What's the matter with Father? I bet he's only got a headache or something, and doesn't want usstamping about in and out of the house and making a noise.'
　　'We could go to my home,' said Anne. 'That's if you don't mind its being a bit upside down because ofthe decorating we're having done.'
　　'No. I know you want to stay here with the horses,' said George. 'Anyway your father and mother areabroad, we'd only be in the way. Blow, blow, blow! Now we'll have to do without the boys foranother week. They'll stay on in camp, of course.'
　　Captain Johnson said, 'Yes, certainly the two girls could stay on. It was possible that they might haveto do a bit of camping out if one or two extra children came, but they wouldn't mind that, wouldthey?'
　　4
　　'Not a bit,' said George. 'Actually we'd rather like to be on our own, Anne and I. We've got Timmy,you see. So long as we could come in to meals and do a few jobs for you, we'd love to go off on ourown.'
　　Anne smiled to herself. What George really meant was that she wanted to see as little of Henrietta aspossible! Still, it would be fun to camp out if the weather was fine. They could easily borrow a tentfrom Captain Johnson.
　　'Bad luck, Georgina!' said Henry, who was listening to all this. 'Very bad luck! I know you're terriblybored here. It's a pity you don't really like horses. It's a pity that you-'
　　'Shut up,' said George, rudely and went out of the room. Captain Johnson glared at Henrietta, whostood whistling at the window, hands in pockets.
　　'You two girls!' he said. 'Why don't you behave yourselves? Always aping the boys, pretending you'reso mannish! Give me Anne here, any day! What you want is your ears boxing. Did you take that baleof straw to the stables?'
　　'Yes,' said Henrietta, without turning.
　　'Yes, sir,' said Captain Johnson. 'If you want to act like a boy, be one, and say 'sir' when you speak tome, if you can't bother to remember I've got a name. It's...'
　　He broke off as a small boy came running in. 'Sir, there's a gypsy kid outside with a horse, askewbald, a mangy looking thing. He says can you help him - the horse has got something wrongwith its leg.'
　　'Those gypsies again!' said Captain Johnson. 'All right, I'll come.'
　　He went out and Anne went with him, not wanting to be left alone with the angry Henrietta. Shefound George outside with a small dirty gypsy boy and a patient little skewbald horse, its brown andwhite coat looking very flea-bitten.
　　'What have you done to your horse this time?' said Captain Johnson, looking at its leg. 'You'll have toleave it here, and I'll see to it.'
　　'Can't do that, sir,' said the boy. 'We're off to Mystery Moor again.'
　　'Well, you'll have to,' said Captain Johnson. 'It's not fit to walk. Your caravan can't go with the others,this horse isn't fit to pull it. I'll get the police to your father if you try to work this horse before it'sbetter.'
　　'Don't do that!' said the boy. 'It's just that my Dad says we've got to go on tomorrow.'
　　5
　　'What's the hurry?' said Captain Johnson. 'Can't your caravan wait a day or two? Mystery Moor willstill be there in two days time! It beats me why you go there, a desolate place like that, not even afarm or a cottage for miles!'
　　'I'll leave the horse,' said the boy, and stroked the skewbald's nose. It was clear that he loved the uglylittle horse. 'My father will be angry, but the other caravans can go on without us. We'll have to catchthem up.'
　　He gave a kind of half-salute to the captain and disappeared from the stable-yard, a skinny littlesunburnt figure. The skewbald stood patiently.
　　'Take it round to the small stable,' said Captain Johnson to George and Anne. 'I'll come and see to itin a minute.'
　　The girls led the little horse away. 'Mystery Moor!' said George. 'What a queer name! The boyswould like that, they'd be exploring it at once, wouldn't they?'
　　'Yes. I do wish they were coming here,' said Anne. 'Still, I expect they'll like the chance of staying onin camp. Come on, you funny little creature, here's the stable!'
　　The girls shut the door on the gypsy's pony and turned to go back. William, the boy who had broughtthe message about the horse, yelled to them.
　　'Hey, George and Anne! There's another telegram for you!'
　　The two hurried into the house at once. 'Oh, I hope Father is better and we can go home and join theboys at Kirrin!' said George. She tore open the envelope and then gave a yell that made Anne jump.
　　'Look, see what it says. They're coming here!' Anne snatched the telegram and read it.
　　'Joining you tomorrow. We'll camp out if no room. Hope you've got a nice juicy adventure ready forus! Julian and Dick.'
　　'They're coming! They're coming!' said Anne, as excited as George. 'Now we'll have some fun!'
　　'It's a pity we've no adventure to offer them,' said George. 'Still, you simply never know!'
1.马场的日常
　　马场的日常
　　“我们已经在这儿待了一个星期，很厌倦这里的生活，好无聊啊，每一分钟对我来说都是煎熬。”乔治抱怨道。
　　“我看并非如此吧。”安妮调侃说，“骑马的时候你玩得很开心呀，干活也干得挺起劲的。而且等以后离开这里，不能随时随地骑马了，你一定会想念这里的生活的。”
　　“听着，我已经彻底厌倦这里了，连一分钟都待不下去了。”乔治激动地说，“还有那个古怪的亨利尔塔，我不明白——我们为什么要忍受她？”
　　“哦，你是说亨利啊！”安妮心领神会地笑道，“我一直以为你可以找到一个志同道合的伙伴。你看亨利，你们俩的行为举止都和男孩一模一样。”
　　两个女孩躺在草堆上惬意地吃着三明治。附近的草地上有一些马，这些马平时都是由她们来照看的，有时她们也会骑着马出去跑上一圈。在草地的边缘，有一处外形不太规则的老建筑，门前放着一块很大的木牌，上面鲜明地写着：
　　约翰逊队长的马术学校
　　安妮和乔治已经在这里待了一个星期了，其实来马场体验生活是安妮的主意，她热爱骑马，而且很多朋友告诉她，到马术学校骑马会是一次美妙的体验，所以她早就决定要来这里了。
　　乔治倒不是很想来这里。朱利安和迪克跟同学去野外露营了，乔治对此郁闷不已——他们竟然丢下她和安妮，跑去逍遥自在了！
　　乔治恨不得一起跟过去，可惜她是女生，而且这次野营只对男孩子开放，否则的话，她肯定一早就去了。
　　安妮说：“只是因为没去野营，你就一直不痛快，真是太笨了。
　　男孩们也不希望让我们女孩一直跟着他们，况且他们喜欢的事也不适合咱们。”
　　乔治却有不同的看法：“迪克和朱利安能做的事，我也可以。我能爬树，骑车骑很远都不觉得累，走路可以走得跟他们一样远，我游泳游得也很棒。我会做的事情，甚至可以超过很多男孩。”
　　“这不跟亨利一样嘛！”安妮笑出声来，“看，她在那儿呢，手插裤袋，走路大摇大摆，还学着马场的男工吹口哨，一副吊儿郎当的样子。”
　　听了安妮的话，乔治皱起了眉头。安妮觉得亨利尔塔和乔治的行为举止极其相似，但她俩却互相看不顺眼，这是很有意思的一件事。乔治全名叫乔治娜，但她只有在别人叫她乔治时才会回应；亨利全名则叫亨利尔塔，同样地，她也只会在别人叫她亨利的时候才会回应。如果是比较亲密的朋友，叫她“哈利”她也乐意。
　　亨利和乔治年龄一样大，两人头发都很短，只不过乔治的头发是卷的，亨利的头发是直的。“你的鬈发跟你的个性不太搭。”她无比遗憾地对乔治说，“看起来就是一个十足的少女，不是吗？”
　　“别傻了。”乔治回答得十分干脆利落，“很多男孩也是鬈发。”
　　令乔治恼火的是，亨利尔塔不但骑术了得，还拿过各种奖项。
　　在这过去的一个星期里，乔治在马场过得并不开心——居然有另一个女孩的男子气概盖过了她。她实在无法忍受亨利尔塔，亨利尔塔竟然可以像男孩一样摇头晃脑地走路，吹口哨——而且学得惟妙惟肖，远远超过了自己。
　　安妮觉得这两个女孩非常可笑。她们都坚决不叫对方亨利和乔治，而是直呼全名——亨利尔塔和乔治娜！这样一来，她们就完全没有了交谈的可能。对此，魁梧的马场老板约翰逊队长实在觉得无奈。
　　一天早上，大家正在吃早餐，约翰逊队长见她们都拉着个脸，互不搭理对方，忍不住问道：“你们这样做很有意思吗？幼稚得简直就像幼儿园的小朋友！”
　　幼儿园的小朋友！安妮觉得这个比喻简直形象得不能再形象了。天哪！这两人究竟是有多烦人啊，才惹得约翰逊队长如此生气。说真的，安妮还真有点怕约翰逊队长，他性格直爽，笑起来声音特别洪亮，但他脾气也很暴躁，什么话都敢说。约翰逊队长非常擅长骑马。在假期里，他们夫妇会招一些孩子来马场干活，同时训练他们骑马，虽然这里的工作有些辛苦，不过孩子们都玩得很开心。
　　“要是没有亨利的话，你这星期应该会过得更舒坦一些吧。”安妮靠在身后的草堆上说道，“四月份的天气真不错，马又可爱，队长和夫人都很好，我真喜欢这里。”
　　“两个男孩要是在这儿就好了，”乔治说，“他们就能给那个愚蠢的亨利尔塔点颜色瞧瞧。真希望我现在正躺在家里睡大觉，而不是在这个讨厌的地方。”
　　“现在说这个还有什么用呢。”安妮生气地说，“本来你是可以和你父母一起待在科林庄园的，但当初是你自己决定要和我一起来这儿的，我们得一直在这儿待到男孩们从营地回来。所以，不管你怎么不喜欢这里，也不应该小题大做，而且你这样也会影响我的心情。”
　　“对不起。”乔治说，“我承认我确实做得有些过分，但这都是因为我太想念他们了。我们只有在放假时才能一起玩，他们不在，我对什么事情都提不起兴趣来。目前，这里只有一件事能让我觉得好受点，但你知道后肯定会笑掉大牙……”
　　“你不告诉我，我也知道是什么！”安妮笑着说，“唯一令你感到好受的是，蒂米不理睬亨利，对吗？”
　　“是亨利尔塔。”乔治纠正道。接着，她突然咧嘴笑了起来。“你看，蒂米不喜欢她，对她完全没兴趣。过来，蒂米，别再去钻那些兔子洞了，来这边坐一会儿。今天早上我们出去骑马时，你都已经跑了好几英里的路了，把上百个兔子洞都钻了个遍，你一定是累坏了，快过来，在这儿乖乖趴一会儿。”
　　蒂米正玩得起劲，听到乔治的呼唤，它极不情愿地离开了兔子洞，来到安妮和乔治旁边，一屁股坐下。它亲热地舔着乔治，乔治则疼爱地轻拍它的背。
　　“听我说，蒂米，你是一只聪明的狗，所以不要跟那个恐怖的亨利尔塔一起玩……”突然，她感觉安妮用力地推了她一下，于是立马闭上嘴。原来，有人正往草堆这边走过来。
　　来人正是亨利！她脸色难看极了，一定是听到了乔治刚刚说的话。只见她拿出一个橘红色的信封，递给乔治。
　　“乔治娜，有你的一封信。”她语气僵硬地说，“我想我最好快点拿过来给你，万一它是什么重要文件呢。”
　　“哦，谢谢你啊，亨利尔塔。”乔治一边说着，一边接过信。她撕开信封，取出里面的信纸认真读起来，嘴里时不时嘟哝两声。
　　“是我妈妈寄来的，你看一下。”她把信递给安妮。
　　安妮接过信，开始念道：“你最好在马术学校再多待一个星期，因为你爸爸觉得身体不太舒服——爱你的妈妈。”
　　“真倒霉！”乔治抱怨道，并配合着标志性的皱眉，脸色通红，非常生气，“刚刚我还在想，明天或后天我们就能回家了，到时男孩们会在科林等着我们一起玩。可现在妈妈却让我继续待在这个鬼地方，爸爸究竟在搞什么啊？我打赌，他不过是稍微有点头痛或者类似的小毛病而已，其实他是不想让我们在他眼前晃来晃去地惹他心烦。”
　　“要不去我家吧，”安妮说，“要是你不介意我们家一团糟、不方便的话——因为我们家现在正在装修呢。”
　　“算了，我知道你想继续待在这里骑马。”乔治说，“而且你爸妈出国了，我们也只能待在这里。我真是要疯了！我们还要再多待几天才能见到去野营的男孩们。”
　　约翰逊队长当然同意让两个女孩继续留下来，只是他表示——如果再有孩子来的话，乔治和安妮可能就得在外面搭帐篷露营了。
　　不过女孩们觉得这样也不错。
　　“我们觉得这样也很好。”乔治回答说，“事实上，我们很愿意去外面搭帐篷住——就安妮和我，对了，还有蒂米，这比住在房间里有趣多了。只要吃饭时让我们进屋，顺便帮忙做点家务，其他时间我们很乐意自己安排。”
　　安妮忍不住笑起来。乔治的意思再明显不过了——她巴不得离亨利越远越好！话说回来，如果天气好的话，野营也是个不错的选择，向队长借顶帐篷也不是什么难事。
　　“你真是太不幸了，乔治娜！”亨利冷眼旁观道，“我知道你已经彻底厌倦了这里，对骑马又没有兴趣，还有……”
　　“闭嘴！”乔治大喊，气冲冲地夺门而出。约翰逊队长看着亨利，她正若无其事地站在窗边，双手插在口袋里，吹着口哨。
　　“你们这两个女孩啊！”他说，“明明就是女孩，却偏偏喜欢扮男孩装酷，以为这样很帅是吧？你们就不能学学安妮的样子吗，哪怕一天也行！真是欠揍！如果你们没事做，干吗不去把那堆稻草搬到马场上呢？”
　　“知道了。”亨利头也不回地答道。
　　“很好，小子。”约翰逊队长说，“你这么喜欢装酷，那就随便你吧。还有，跟我说话的时候记得加上‘先生’两个字，要是你不觉得太麻烦的话……”
　　这时，一个男孩突然跑了进来，打断了他们的话。“先生，外面来了一个吉卜赛小孩，还带了一匹白花马来，他说他的马腿受伤了，问您能不能帮帮他。”
　　“是吉卜赛人！”约翰逊队长说，“好吧，我出去看看。”
　　他向外面走去，安妮连忙跟上了他——她可不想留下来跟那个生闷气的亨利尔塔单独相处。乔治正跟那个脏兮兮的吉卜赛男孩站在一起，旁边有一匹病怏怏的白花马，它那棕白相间的身体上有一大片棕红色的斑点。
　　“这次你又对你的马做了什么？”约翰逊队长看了一眼马腿，“你把它留在这儿吧，我会治好它的。”
　　“不行啊，先生。”男孩说，“我们马上就要出发去神秘荒野了。”
　　“你必须把它留在这儿。”约翰逊队长说，“它现在不适合走路。
　　你的大篷车这次没办法和其他车一起走了，这匹马根本拉不动它。
　　如果你还坚持让这匹受伤的马拉车的话，我不得不把警察带到你爸爸面前去。”
　　“千万别！”男孩说，“只是……我爸爸说明天必须出发。”
　　约翰逊队长说：“着什么急？你们就不能再多等上一两天吗？神秘荒野又跑不了！我不懂你们为什么要去那里，那个地方那么荒凉，附近连个农场都没有！”
　　“好吧，我把马留在这里。”小男孩说。他温柔地抚摸着那匹白花马的鼻子。显然，他很喜欢这匹样子丑丑的小马，“爸爸知道后一定会生气的。如果我们没办法准时出发，就只能让其他的队伍先走了。”
　　他给约翰逊队长行了个礼，瘦小黝黑的身体慢慢消失在马场大门外，留下白花马孤单地站在原地。
　　“把它带到小马房去。”约翰逊队长对乔治和安妮说，“我一会儿再回来看它。”
　　女孩们牵着小马走了。“神秘荒野！”乔治说，“好奇怪的名字啊，一听就不简单。要是男孩们知道有这么一个地方，一定会立马跑去一探究竟的，你说是不是？”
　　“是啊，真希望他们能来。”安妮说，“他们一定喜欢住在帐篷里。过来，你这个可怜巴巴的小东西，跟我去马厩吧！”
　　把马牵进马厩后，女孩们关好门正要离开，这时，威廉突然对她们大声喊道：“嘿，乔治和安妮！这里有你们的信！”
　　两人立马跑进屋。“噢，真希望爸爸快点好起来，这样我们就可以早点回家，去科林和男孩们碰面了……”乔治话还没说完，就已经撕开了信封。接着，她大喊了一声，吓得安妮差点跳起来。
　　“看，这上面写着什么！他们要来了！”听了乔治的话，安妮连忙把信抢了过去：
　　明天我们就去马术学校找你们。如果没有多余的房间，我们就去外面露营。希望等待我们的是一次奇妙的探险之旅！
　　朱利安和迪克
　　“他们要来了！他们要来了！”安妮大叫，两人都无比激动，“从现在开始我们的日子终于不会那么无趣了！”
　　乔治说：“可惜附近没有什么惊险刺激的地方让他们体验。不过，后面会发生什么事，又有谁知道呢！”
Chapter 2 JULIAN, DICK - AND HENRY
Chapter 2 JULIAN, DICK - AND HENRY
　　George was quite a different person now that she knew her two cousins were coming the next day.
　　She was even polite to Henrietta!
　　Captain Johnson scratched his head when he heard that the boys were arriving. 'We can't have themin the house, except for meals,' he said. 'We're full up. They can either sleep in the stables or have atent. I don't care which.'
　　'There will be ten altogether then,' said his wife. 'Julian, Dick, Anne, George, Henry - and John,Susan, Alice, Rita and William. Henry may have to camp out too.'
　　'Not with us,' said George, at once.
　　'I think you're rather unkind to Henry,' said Mrs. Johnson. 'After all, you and she are very alike,George. You both think you ought to have been boys, and...'
　　'I'm not a bit like Henrietta!' said George, indignantly. 'You wait till my cousins come, Mrs.
　　Johnson. They won't think she's like me. I don't expect they'll want anything to do with her.'
　　'Oh well, you'll just have to shake down together somehow, if you want to stay here,' said Mrs.
　　Johnson. 'Let me see. I'd better get some rugs out. The boys will want them, whether they sleep in thestables or in a tent. Come and help me to look for them, Anne.'
　　Anne, George and Henry were a good bit older than the other five children staying at the stables, butall of them, small or big, were excited to hear about the coming of Julian and Dick. For one thingGeorge and Anne had related so many of the adventures they had had with them, that everyone wasinclined to think of them as heroes.
　　Henrietta disappeared after tea that day and could not be found. 'Wherever have you been?'
　　demanded Mrs. Johnson when she at last turned up.
　　'Up in my room,' said Henrietta. 'Cleaning my shoes and my jods, and mending my riding-jacket.
　　You keep telling me to, and now I've done it!'
　　'Aha! Preparing for the heroes!' said Captain Johnson, and Henry immediately put on a scowl verylike the one George often wore.
　　'Nothing of the sort!' she said. 'I've been meaning to do it for a long time. If Georgina's cousins areanything like her I shan't be very interested in them.'
　　7
　　'But you might like my brothers,' said Anne, with a laugh. 'If you don't there'll be something wrongwith you.'
　　'Don't be silly,' said Henrietta. 'Georgina's cousins and your brothers are the same people!'
　　'How clever of you to work that out,' said George. But she felt too happy to keep up the sillybickering for long. She went out with Timmy, whistling softly.
　　'They're coming tomorrow, Tim,' she said. 'Julian and Dick. We'll all go off together, like we alwaysdo, the five of us. You'll like that, won't you, Timmy?'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy approvingly and waved his plumy tail. He knew quite well what she meant.
　　Next morning George and Anne looked up the trains that arrived at the station two miles away.
　　'This is the one they'll come by,' said George, her finger on the timetable. 'It's the only one thismorning. It arrives at half past twelve. We'll go and meet them.'
　　'Right,' said Anne. 'We'll start at ten minutes to twelve - we'll be in plenty of time then. We can helpthem with their things. They won't bring much.'
　　'Take the ponies up to Hawthorn Field, will you?' called Captain Johnson. 'Can you manage all fourof them?'
　　'Oh yes,' said Anne pleased. She loved the walk to Hawthorn Field, up a little narrow lane set withcelandines, violets and primroses, and the fresh green of the budding hawthorn bushes.
　　'Come on, George, let's catch the ponies and take them now. It's a heavenly morning.'
　　They set off with the four frisky ponies, Timmy at their heels. He was quite a help with the horses atthe stable, especially when any had to be caught.
　　No sooner had they left the stables and gone on their way to Hawthorn Field than the telephone rang.
　　It was for Anne.
　　'Oh, I'm sorry, she's not here,' said Mrs. Johnson, answering it. 'Who is it speaking? Oh, Julian herbrother? Can I give her a message?'
　　'Yes, please,' said Julian's voice. 'Tell her we are arriving at the bus-stop at Milling Green at half pasteleven, and is there a little hand-cart she and George could bring, because we've got our tent with usand other odds and ends?'
　　'Oh, we'll send the little wagon,' said Mrs. Johnson. 'The one that always goes to meet the train or thebus. I'll get George to meet you with Anne, they can drive it in. We're pleased you are coming. Theweather's very good and you'll enjoy yourselves!'
　　8
　　'Rather!' said Julian. 'Thanks awfully for putting us up. We won't be any trouble, in fact we'll help allwe can.'
　　Mrs. Johnson said good- bye and put down the receiver. She saw Henrietta passing outside thewindow, looking much cleaner and tidier than usual. She called to her.
　　'Henry! Where are George and Anne? Julian and Dick are arriving at the bus-stop at Milling Green ateleven-thirty and I've said we'll meet them in the little wagon. Will you tell George and Anne? Theycan put Winkie into the cart and trot him down to the bus-stop.'
　　'Right,' said Henry. Then she remembered that George and Anne had been sent up to Hawthorn Fieldwith the four ponies.
　　'I say, they won't be back in time!' she called. 'Shall I take the wagon and meet them?'
　　'Yes, do. That would be kind of you, Henry,' said Mrs. Johnson. 'You'd better hurry, though.
　　Time's getting on. Where's Winkie? In the big field?'
　　'Yes,' said Henry and hurried off to get him. Soon he was in the wagon shafts, and Henry was in thedriving-seat. She drove off smartly, grinning to herself to think how cross George and Anne would beto find they had missed meeting the two boys after all.
　　Julian and Dick had already arrived at the bus-stop when Henry drove up. They looked hopefully atthe wagon, thinking that perhaps one of the girls was driving into meet them.
　　'No go,' said Dick. 'It's somebody else, driving into the village. I wonder if the girls got our message.
　　I thought they would meet us at the bus-stop here. Well, we'll wait a few minutes more.'
　　They had just sat down on the bus-stop seat again when the wagon stopped nearby. Henry salutedthem.
　　'Are you Anne's brother?' she called. 'She didn't get your telephone message, so I've come with thewagon instead. Get in!'
　　'Oh, jolly nice of you,' said Julian, dragging his things to the wagon. 'Er - I'm Julian - and this is Dick.
　　What's your name?'
　　'Henry,' said Henrietta, helping Julian with his things. She heaved them in valiantly, then clicked toWinkie to stand still and not fidget. 'I'm glad you've come. There are rather a lot of small kids at thestables. We'll be glad of you two! I say, Timmy will be pleased to see you, won't he?'
　　'Good old Tim,' said Dick, heaving his things in. Henry gave them a shove too. She wasn't very fatbut she was wiry and strong. She grinned round at the boys. 'All set! Now we'll get back to 9the stables. Or do you want to have an ice-cream or anything before we start? Dinner's not till one.'
　　'No. We'll get on, I think,' said Julian. Henry leapt into the driver's seat, took the reins and clicked toWinkie. The boys were behind in the wagon. Winkie set off at a spanking pace.
　　'Nice boy!' said Dick to Julian, in a low voice, as they drove off. 'Decent of him to meet us.'
　　Julian nodded. He was disappointed that Anne and George hadn't come with Timmy, but it was goodto be met by someone! It wouldn't have been very funny to walk the long road to the farm carryingtheir packs by themselves.
　　They arrived at the stables and Henry helped them down with their things. Mrs. Johnson heard themarriving and came to the door to welcome them.
　　'Ah, there you are. Come along in. I've a mid-morning snack for you, because I guessed you'd havehad breakfast early. Leave the things there, Henry. If the boys sleep in one of the stables, there's nosense in bringing them into the house. Now, are George and Anne still not back? What a pity!'
　　Henry disappeared to put away the wagon. The boys went into the pleasant house and sat down tolemonade and home-made biscuits. They had hardly taken a bite before Anne came running in.
　　'Henry told me you'd come! Oh, I'm sorry we didn't meet you! We thought you'd come by train!'
　　Timmy came racing in, his tail waving madly. He leapt at the two boys, who were just giving Anne ahug each. Then in came George, her face one big beam.
　　'Julian! Dick! I am so glad you've come! It's been dull as ditch-water without you! Did anyone meetyou?'
　　'Yes. An awfully nice boy,' said Dick. 'Gave us quite a welcome and dragged our packs into thewagon, and was very friendly. You never told us about him.'
　　'Oh, was that William?' said Anne. 'Well, he's only little. We didn't bother about telling you of thejuniors here.'
　　'No, he wasn't little,' said Dick. 'He was quite big, very strong too. You didn't mention him at all.'
　　'Well, we told you about the other girl here,' said George. 'Henrietta, awful creature! Thinks she's likea boy and goes whistling about everywhere. She makes us laugh! You'll laugh too.'
　　A sudden thought struck Anne. 'Did the - er - boy who met you, tell you his name?' she asked.
　　'Yes, what was it now, Henry,' said Dick. 'Nice chap. I'm going to like him.'
　　10
　　George stared as if she couldn't believe her ears. 'Henry! Did she meet you?'
　　'No - not she - he,' corrected Julian. 'Fellow with a big grin.'
　　'But that's Henrietta!' cried George, her face flaming red with anger. 'The awful girl I told you about,who tries to act like a boy, and whistles and strides about all over the place. Don't tell me she tookyou in! She calls herself Henry, instead of Henrietta, and wears her hair short, and...'
　　'Gosh, she sounds very like you, George,' said Dick. 'Well, I never! It never occurred to me that hewas a girl. Jolly good show she put up. I must say I liked him - her, I mean.'
　　'Oh!' said George really furious. 'The beast! She goes and meets you and never says a word to us, andmakes you think she's a boy - and - and - spoils everything!'
　　'Hold your horses, George, old thing,' said Julian, surprised. 'After all, you've often been pleasedwhen people take you for a boy, though goodness knows why. I thought you'd grown out of it a bit.
　　Don't blame us for thinking Henry was a boy, and liking him - her, I mean.'
　　George stamped out of the room. Julian scratched his head and looked at Dick. 'Now we've put ourfoot in it,' he said. 'What an ass George is! I should have thought she'd have liked someone likeHenry, who had exactly the same ideas as she has. Well, she'll get over it, I suppose.'
　　'It's going to be a bit awkward,' said Anne, soberly.
　　She was right. It was going to be very awkward!
2.初次碰面
　　初次碰面
　　乔治自从知道她那两个堂兄第二天要来后，简直像变了个人，甚至跟亨利尔塔说话都变得客客气气的。
　　约翰逊队长听到还有两个男孩要来，苦恼得直挠头。他说：“现在这个房子里已经住满了人，我们可以提供食物，但不能让那两个男孩待在屋子里，看是要睡马厩还是搭帐篷，随他们挑，我可顾不了他们了。”
　　约翰逊夫人说：“到时候这里就会有十个孩子，朱利安、迪克、安妮、乔治、亨利、约翰、苏珊、爱丽丝、丽塔和威廉。亨利可能要出去露营。”
　　“别让她跟我们一起。”乔治立马回道。
　　“我觉得你对亨利不太友好。”约翰逊夫人说，“你和她其实很像，乔治。你们俩都爱装酷，像男孩，所以……”
　　“我才一点不像亨利尔塔呢！”乔治生气地说，“等我堂兄到了，您就知道了，约翰逊夫人。他们一定觉得我和她一点也不像。我可不希望跟她扯上任何关系。”
　　“好吧。反正，如果你们想待在这里的话，就不要给我惹麻烦。
　　我看看……我得找些小毯子出来，不管是睡马厩还是搭帐篷，两个男孩都用得到。安妮，请过来帮忙。”
　　马场里其他五个孩子的年纪比安妮、乔治和亨利都小，他们一听说朱利安和迪克要来，个个兴奋不已。乔治和安妮同他们讲过很多他们四个一起探险的故事，所以孩子们特别崇拜他们几个。
　　下午茶过后，亨利突然不见了人影，马场里到处都找不到她。“你到底去哪儿了？”当她终于出现时，约翰逊夫人追问道。
　　“哪儿也没去啊，一直待在楼上我的房间里。”亨利回答，“我刷了鞋子，洗了骑马装，还缝了马甲。这不都是平时您总追着我让我做的事吗！”
　　“要我看，你这是在为那两个小英雄的到来做准备啊！”约翰逊队长打趣道。亨利听完立马拉下脸来，就跟乔治时常挂在脸上的表情一模一样。
　　“不，根本不是您说的那样！”她辩解说，“这些事情我早就想做了，恰巧今天有空而已。我想，乔治娜的堂兄跟她应该是同一种人吧，我对这样的人完全没兴趣。”
　　“我倒觉得，你挺喜欢我哥哥们的啊。”安妮笑道，“要是不喜欢的话，你现在的举动可就太反常了。”
　　“别傻了。”亨利说，“你哥和乔治娜恐怕都是同一种人！”
　　“你真聪明，居然这么了解他们。”乔治说。她今天心情好，不屑跟亨利尔塔继续这种无谓的争吵。她轻轻地吹着口哨，跟着蒂米一起走了出去。
　　“他们明天就要来了，蒂米。”她说，“我是说朱利安和迪克，这下子，侦探团又可以一起行动了。你也很高兴，对吧，蒂米？”
　　“汪汪！”蒂米摇晃着毛茸茸的大尾巴，大叫着回答道，似乎它完全听得懂她的话。
　　第二天早上，乔治和安妮查看了火车时刻表，火车站就在马场两英里开外的地方。“他们就是坐这趟火车来。”乔治指着时刻表，“今天早上只有这一趟车，12点半到站，我们到时去接他们。”
　　“是的，”安妮说，“那我们11点50分出发，现在时间还早呢。到时候我们可以帮他们搬行李，这样他们可以轻松点。”
　　“安妮，能帮我个忙吗，把几匹小马牵到山楂牧场那里去。”这时，约翰逊队长走了过来，吩咐道，“你能照顾好它们吗？”
　　“哦，当然啦。”安妮满心欢喜。她喜欢到山楂牧场里去散步，特别是漫步在一条狭小的，长满了白屈菜、紫罗兰和报春花的小道上，欣赏着美丽的田园风光，刚发芽的山楂灌木丛满目翠绿，“走吧，乔治，去牵马，然后带到牧场里去。啊，多么美好的早晨呀。”
　　他们带着四匹小马欢快地出发了，蒂米紧跟在后头，在小马旁边跑来跑去，它刚刚在马厩里可帮了大忙呢。
　　两人前脚刚离开马场，电话就响了，是打给安妮的。
　　“噢，不好意思，她没在这儿。”约翰逊夫人拿起电话，说道，“您是哪位？哦，朱利安，是安妮的哥哥吧，要我给她留言吗？”
　　“是的，麻烦您了。”朱利安在电话里说道，“我们11点半到米林格律的公共汽车站，麻烦您问一下，她和乔治能否带一辆小手推车过来，我们带了帐篷还有一堆杂七杂八的东西。”
　　“嗯，我可以叫她们驾一辆小马车过去。”约翰逊夫人说，“那辆车经常去车站拉东西，乔治和安妮知道如何驾驭它。很高兴你们能来，这里天气很好，希望你们过得愉快！”
　　“那太好啦！”朱利安说，“非常感谢您的热情接待。我们不会给您添任何麻烦的，而且我们还会尽自己所能帮助大家。”
　　约翰逊夫人说声再见，挂上了电话。她看见亨利从窗前经过，看上去比平时干净整洁了很多，便叫住她。
　　“亨利！乔治和安妮在哪里？朱利安和迪克11点半到达米林格律的公共汽车站，我答应他们让乔治和安妮驾一辆小马车去接他们，你能告诉她们一声吗？让她们赶着温基去公共汽车站。
　　“好。”亨利说。突然，她想起乔治和安妮已经赶着马去田里了。“对了，她们俩应该赶不回来！”她惊呼，“不过，我可以驾着马车去接他们？”
　　“真的吗？那太好了，亨利。”约翰逊夫人说，“你最好快点，时间快到了。温基现在在哪儿？在草地上吗？”
　　“对。”亨利回答。她飞快地跑出门，找到温基，将货车固定在它身上。很快，她就上路了。亨利坐在驾驶座上，熟练地驾着车。
　　乔治和安妮等会儿肯定气得不轻，她们竟然错过迎接两个男孩的时间，一想到这儿，她就忍不住得意地笑起来，一副奸计得逞的样子。
　　当亨利驾车赶到公共汽车站时，朱利安和迪克已经到了。他们满怀希望地看着前面的马车，想象着两个女孩驾着车向他们驶来的画面。
　　“不对，”迪克说，“那不是她们的车，这辆车应该是往村子方向去的。我在想，女孩们是不是没收到我们的留言啊。我还以为她们一早就在公共汽车站等我们了呢。算了，再等几分钟吧。”
　　他们走向车站旁的椅子，这时，一辆马车忽然在他们面前停了下来。亨利朝他们摆了摆手。
　　“你们是安妮的哥哥吗？”她大声问道，“她没有收到你的电话留言，所以就由我来接你们回去，上车吧！”
　　“噢，你真好，谢谢你。”朱利安拖着他的东西走到马车前，“我叫朱利安，这是迪克，你叫什么名字？”
　　“亨利。”亨利一边回答，一边帮着朱利安搬东西。她丝毫也没有女孩子的柔弱，一把将东西举起来，放到车上，然后轻轻拍了拍马儿温基，稳定好它的情绪，免得它老是动来动去，“真高兴你们能来，等待着你们的将会是一群吵吵闹闹的小屁孩。见到你们，他们会非常开心的！要是蒂米见到了你们，一定会兴奋得汪汪大叫吧？”
　　“哈哈，它一定会的。”迪克一边回答她，一边把东西一件件搬上马车。亨利在旁边把车上的货物用力推了推，她虽然不胖，但却强壮有力。她朝男孩们咧嘴笑了笑：“搞定了！我们现在就回马场吧。你们想先吃点冰激凌什么的吗？午餐要到一点钟才吃。”
　　“不用了，直接回去吧。”朱利安说。亨利一跃，坐上驾驶座，拿起缰绳，甩向温基，车子飞快地跑起来。
　　“好家伙！”坐在后面的迪克低声对朱利安说，“看他这架势，挺厉害啊！”
　　朱利安点了点头。安妮、乔治和蒂米都没来，他的心里不免有些失落，不过让人欣慰的是，竟然来了一个这么有趣的“小伙子”！
　　他可不想背着沉重的行李，沿着长长的道路走回去，那样的话就太糟了。
　　到了马场，亨利连忙帮着卸下行李。约翰逊夫人听到他们的动静，立马出门迎接。
　　“哈哈，你们来了，快进来。我做了一些点心，就等你们了，我猜你们早餐吃得早，现在已经饿了吧。亨利，把东西放那儿就行。
　　他们要是睡马厩，东西就不用搬进来了。乔治和安妮到现在还没回来吗？真是可惜！”
　　亨利去把马车停好。两个男孩则走进舒适温馨的屋子里，坐下来享用柠檬饮料和手工饼干。他们刚刚拿起东西送到嘴边，突然，安妮跑了进来：“亨利跟我说你们来啦！噢，真不好意思，来不及去接你们。我们还以为你们是坐火车来的呢！”
　　蒂米猛烈地摇晃着尾巴，飞快地从门外冲进来。两人刚给安妮一个大大的拥抱，它便欢叫着扑到了他们身上。乔治跟在后面，满脸都是藏不住的笑意。
　　“朱利安！迪克！看到你们我真是太高兴了！没有你们的日子就跟白开水一样索然无味！你们见过其他人了吗？”
　　“见到了——一个超级厉害的男孩，”迪克回答，“他特别热情地迎接我们，还帮忙搬行李，总之是很友好的一个人。你之前怎么没跟我们提过他？”
　　“你说的是威廉吗？”安妮问，“嗯，他就是一个小屁孩，不用理会。我们和这里的孩子说过很多关于你们的事呢。”
　　“不对，他年纪不小啊，”迪克说，“个头挺高的，也很强壮。我从来没听你提起过有这样一个孩子。”
　　“别提男孩了，我跟你们提一个古怪的女孩。”乔治说，“她叫亨利尔塔，很古怪！你们想象一下，一个女孩整天像个男孩一样，走到哪儿都吹着口哨，是不是很古怪？你们看到的话一定会笑掉大牙的。”
　　安妮突然意识到了什么：“呃，你们见过的那个男孩，有没有告诉你们他叫什么名字？”
　　“有哇，叫什么来着？对，亨利。”迪克回道，“是个好小伙子，我很喜欢他。”
　　乔治瞪大眼睛，仿佛不能相信自己的耳朵：“亨利！你们见过她了？”
　　“错了，是‘他’，不是‘她’，是个男孩。”朱利安纠正，随后大笑。
　　“啊，那就是亨利尔塔呀！”乔治叫出声，满脸通红，怒气冲冲，“我刚刚跟你说的那个怪人就是她，那个整天像个男孩子一样吹口哨，满世界乱晃的怪人。别跟我说是她去接的你们！她说自己叫亨利而不是亨利尔塔，对吧，留着一头短发，还……”
　　“天哪，这听起来很像你啊，乔治。”迪克说，“哇，我真的没有想到‘他’竟然是个女孩。她演得太好了，必须承认，我挺喜欢他的，我是说‘她’。”
　　“啊——”乔治气愤地叫道，“傻瓜！她去见你们，居然不跟我们说一声，还在你们面前装男孩，还……还扰乱了一切计划！”
　　“别生气，乔治。”朱利安惊讶地说，“毕竟，别人把你当成男孩的时候，你也很受用，尽管我们不知道为什么。所以，也别怪我们把亨利当成男孩，也别怪我们会喜欢他，我是说‘她’。”
　　乔治什么话都没说，跺了跺脚，向外面走去。朱利安挠挠脑袋，看了一眼迪克，说：“我们好像惹麻烦了。乔治真是个傻瓜！我还以为她会喜欢亨利这样的人呢，毕竟她们俩的性格那么像。算了，也许她自己会想明白的。”
　　“好尴尬啊。”安妮冷静地说。
　　安妮说得对，这确实很尴尬！
Chapter 3 SNIFFER
Chapter 3 SNIFFER
　　As soon as George had gone out of the room, a scowl on her face, Henry walked in, hands in jodhpurpockets.
　　'Hallo!' said Dick, at once. 'Henrietta!'
　　Henry grinned. 'Oh, so they've told you, have they? I was tickled pink when you took me for a boy.'
　　'You've even got your riding jacket buttons buttoning up the wrong way,' said Anne, noticing for thefirst time. 'You really are a fathead, Henry. You and George are a pair!'
　　'Well, I look more like a real boy than George does, anyway,' said Henry.
　　'Only because of your hair,' said Dick. 'It's straight.'
　　11
　　'Don't say that in front of George,' said Anne. 'She'll immediately have hers cut like a convict orsomething, all shaven and shorn.'
　　'Well, anyway, it was jolly decent of Henry to come and meet us and lug our things about,' saidJulian. 'Have a biscuit, anyone?'
　　'No thanks,' said Anne and Henry.
　　'Are we supposed to leave any for politeness sake?' said Dick, eyeing the plate. 'They're homemadeand quite super. I could wolf the lot.'
　　'We aren't frightfully polite here,' said Henry, with a grin. 'We aren't frightfully clean and tidy, either.
　　We have to change out of our jods at night for supper, which is an awful nuisance, especially asCaptain Johnson never bothers to change his.'
　　'Any news?' asked Julian, drinking the last of the lemonade. 'Anything exciting happened?'
　　'No, nothing,' said Anne. 'The only excitement is the horses, nothing more. This is quite a lonelyplace, really, and the only exciting thing we've heard is the name of the big, desolate moor thatstretches from here to the coast. Mystery Moor it's called.'
　　'Why?' asked Dick. 'Some long-ago mystery gave it that name, I suppose?'
　　'I don't know,' said Anne. 'I think only gypsies go there now. A little gypsy boy came in with a lamehorse yesterday, and said his people had to go to Mystery Moor. Why they wanted to go to such adeserted stretch of land I don't know - no farms there, not even a cottage.'
　　'Gypsies have peculiar ideas sometimes,' said Henry. 'I must say I like the way they leave messagesfor any gypsy following - patrins, they're called.'
　　'Patrins? Yes, I've heard of those,' said Dick. 'Sticks and leaves arranged in certain patterns, orsomething, aren't they?'
　　'Yes,' said Henry. 'I know our gardener at home showed me an arrangement of sticks outside our backgate once, which he said was a message to any gypsy following. He told me what it meant, too!'
　　'What did it mean?' asked Julian.
　　'It meant 'Don't beg here. Mean people. No good!' ' said Henry, with a laugh. 'That's what he said,anyway!'
　　'We might ask the little gypsy boy who came with the skewbald horse,' said Anne. 'He'll probablyshow us some messages. I'd like to learn some. You never know when anything like that could comein useful!'
　　12
　　'Yes. And we'll ask him why the gypsies go to Mystery Moor,' said Julian, getting up and dusting thecrumbs off his coat. 'They don't go there for nothing, you may be sure!'
　　'Where's old George gone?' asked Dick. 'I do hope she's not going to be silly.'
　　George was in one of the stables, grooming a horse so vigorously that it was most surprised.
　　Swish-swish-swish-swish! What a brushing! George was working her intense annoyance out ofherself. She mustn't spoil things for the boys and Anne! But oh, that horrible Henrietta, meeting themlike that, pretending to be a boy. Heaving their luggage about, playing a joke on them! But surelythey might have guessed!
　　'Oh, there you are, George, old thing,' said Dick's voice at the stable-door. 'Let me help. Gosh, aren'tyou brown! Just as many freckles as ever!'
　　George grinned unwillingly. She tossed Dick the brush. 'Here you are, then! Do you and Ju want togo riding at all? There are plenty of horses to choose from here.'
　　Dick was relieved to see that George appeared to have got over her rage. 'Yes. It might be fun to gooff for the day. What about tomorrow? We might explore a little of Mystery Moor.'
　　'Right,' said George. She began to heave some straw about. 'But not with That Girl,' she announced,from behind the straw she was carrying.
　　'What girl?' asked Dick, innocently. 'Oh, Henry, you mean? I keep thinking of her as a boy. No, wewon't have her with us. We'll be just the five as usual.'
　　'That's all right then,' said George happily. 'Oh, here's Julian. Give a hand, Ju!'
　　It was lovely to have the two boys again, joking, laughing, teasing. They all went out in the fields thatafternoon and heard the tales of the camp. It was just like old times, and Timmy was as pleased asanyone else. He went first to one of the four, then to another, licking each one as he went, his tailwagging vigorously.
　　'That's three times you've smacked me in the face with your tail, Timmy,' said Dick, dodging it.
　　'Can't you look behind yourself and see where my face is?'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy happily, and turned round to lick Dick, wagging his tail in Julian's face this time!
　　Somebody squeezed through the hedge behind them. George stiffened, feeling sure that it wasHenrietta. Timmy barked sharply.
　　It wasn't Henrietta. It was the little gypsy boy. He came up to them. There were pale streaks down hisdirty little face, made by tears that had run through the dirt!
　　13
　　'I've come for the horse,' he said. 'Do you know where he is?'
　　'He's not ready for walking yet,' said George. 'Captain Johnson told you he wouldn't be. What's thematter? Why have you been crying?'
　　'My father hit me,' said the boy. 'He cuffed me and knocked me right over.'
　　'Whatever for?' asked Anne.
　　'Because I left the horse,' said the boy. 'My father said all it wanted was a bit of ointment and abandage. He has to start off with the other caravans today, you see.'
　　'Well, you really can't have the horse yet,' said Anne. 'It isn't fit to walk, let alone drag a caravan.
　　You don't want Captain Johnson to tell the police you're working it when it's not fit, do you? Youknow he means what he says?'
　　'Yes. But I must have the horse,' said the small gypsy. 'I daren't go back without it. My father wouldhalf kill me.'
　　'I suppose he doesn't care to come himself, so he sends you instead,' said Dick, in disgust.
　　The boy said nothing, and rubbed his dirty sleeve across his face. He sniffed.
　　'Get your hanky,' said Dick. 'Don't you ever wash your face?'
　　'No,' said the boy, looking quite surprised. 'Let me have my horse. I tell you, I'll be half killed if I goback without him.' He began to cry again.
　　The children felt sorry for him. He was such a thin, skinny misery of a boy, and goodness, how hesniffled all the time!
　　'What's your name?' asked Anne.
　　'Sniffer,' said the boy. 'That's what my father calls me.'
　　It was certainly a good name for him; but what a horrid father he must have!
　　'Haven't you got a proper name?' asked Anne.
　　'Yes. But I've forgotten it,' said Sniffer. 'Let me have my horse. I tell you, my father's waiting.'
　　Julian got up. 'I'll come and see your father and put some sense into him. Where is he?'
　　'Over yonder,' said Sniffer with a big sniff, and he pointed over the hedge. 'I'll come too,' said Dick.
　　In the end everyone got up and went with Sniffer. They walked through the gate and saw a dark-faced, surly-looking man standing motionless not far off. His thick, oily hair was curly, and he woreenormous gold rings hanging from his ears. He looked up as the little company came near.
　　14
　　'Your horse isn't fit to walk yet,' said Julian. 'You can have it tomorrow or the next day, the Captainsays.'
　　'I'll have it now,' said the man, in a surly tone. 'We're starting off tonight or tomorrow over the moor.
　　I can't wait.'
　　'But what's the hurry?' said Julian. 'The moor will wait for you!'
　　The man scowled and shifted from one foot to another. 'Can't you stay for another night or two andthen go after the others?' said Dick.
　　'Listen, Father! You go with the other caravans,' said Sniffer, eagerly. 'Go in Moses' caravan andleave ours here. I can put our horse into the shafts tomorrow, or may be the next day, and followafter!'
　　'But how would you know the way?' said George.
　　Sniffer made a scornful movement with his hand. 'Easy! They'll leave me patrins to follow,' he said.
　　'Oh yes,' said Dick, remembering. He turned to the silent gypsy fellow. 'Well, what about it? It seemsthat Sniffer here has quite a good idea, and you most certainly can't have the horse today anyway.'
　　The man turned and said something angry and scornful to poor Sniffer, who shrank away from thewords as if they were blows. The four children couldn't understand a word, for it was all poured outin some gypsy talk that they could not follow. Then the man turned on his heel and without so muchas a look at them, slouched away, his ear-rings gleaming as he went.
　　'What did he say?' asked Julian.
　　Sniffer gave one of his continual sniffs. 'He was very angry. He said he'd go with the others, and Icould come on with Clip the horse, and drive our caravan,' he said. 'I'll be all right there tonight withLiz.'
　　'Who's Liz?' asked Anne, hoping that it was someone who would be kind to this poor little wretch.
　　'My dog,' said Sniffer, smiling for the first time. 'I left her behind because she sometimes goes forhens, and Captain Johnson, he doesn't like that.'
　　'I bet he doesn't,' said Julian. 'All right, that's settled then. You can come for Clip, or Clop, orwhatever your horse is called, tomorrow, and we'll see if it's fit to walk.'
　　15
　　'I'm glad,' said Sniffer, rubbing his nose. 'I don't want Clip to go lame, see? But my father, he's fierce,he is.'
　　'So we gather,' said Julian, looking at a bruise on Sniffer's face. 'You come tomorrow and you canshow us some of the patrins, the messages, that you gypsies use. We'd like to know some.'
　　'I'll come,' promised Sniffer, nodding his head vigorously. 'And you will come to see my caravan? Ishall be all alone there, except for Liz.'
　　'Well, I suppose it would be something to do,' said Dick. 'Yes, we'll come. I hope it's not too smelly.'
　　'Smelly?' said Sniffer, surprised. 'I don't know. I will show you patrins there and Liz will show youher tricks. She is very very clever. Once she belonged to a circus.'
　　'We must certainly take Timmy to see this clever dog,' said Anne, patting Timmy, who had beenhunting for rabbits and had only just come back. 'Timmy, would you like to go and visit a very cleverdog called Liz?'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy, wagging his tail politely.
　　'Right,' said Dick. 'I'm glad you approve, Tim. We'll all try and come tomorrow, Sniffer, after you'vebeen to see how Clip is getting on. I don't somehow think you'll be able to have him then, though.
　　We'll see!'
3.鼻涕虫的出场方式
　　鼻涕虫的出场方式
　　当乔治满脸怒容地走出房间时，亨利正好走了进来，双手插在骑马裤的裤兜里。
　　“你好啊！”迪克立马打声招呼，“亨利尔塔！”
　　亨利嘴角上扬：“哈，看来她们已经把我的情况告诉你们了。知道你们把我看成了男孩，我心情真是好得不得了。”
　　“你看你，把衣服的纽扣都系错了。”亨利一进门，安妮就一眼注意到了这个问题，“你太粗心大意了，亨利，你和乔治简直就是天生一对！”
　　亨利回道：“哪里有，我怎么看都比乔治更像男孩。”
　　“还不是因为你的头发是直的。”迪克说。
　　“千万别在乔治面前说这个，”安妮说，“说不定她马上就会去换个发型把头发都剃光的——搞得像个囚犯似的。”
　　“不管怎么样，亨利人真的很好，主动来车站接我们，还帮我们搬东西。”朱利安说，“有谁要吃饼干吗？”
　　“不了，谢谢。”安妮和亨利说。
　　“出于礼貌，我们是不是应该离开餐桌了？”迪克目光依然不离餐盘，“这手工做的饼干就是地道，都快被我吃光了。”
　　“我们在这里可没那么多讲究。”亨利笑道，“只是吃晚餐的时候必须得换掉马裤，这一点真的很烦人。为什么队长就不用换呢？”
　　“有没有什么新鲜事？说来听听？”朱利安把剩下的柠檬汁喝光了，说，“刺激点的？”
　　“什么都没有，”安妮说，“只有骑马算好玩刺激的。对了，我们还听到一件算是刺激的事，是关于一片荒凉的大荒野的，那片荒野从这里一直延伸到海岸线，据说叫作‘神秘荒野’。”
　　“为什么这么说？”迪克问道，“是不是以前发生过一些神秘的事，所以才这么叫的？”
　　“不知道。”安妮说，“如今应该只有吉卜赛人会到那儿去吧。昨天一个吉卜赛小孩拉了一匹瘸马过来，说他们的人要去神秘荒野。
　　我不明白他们为什么要到那个荒无人烟的地方去，没有村落，也没有农田。”
　　“吉卜赛人总是令人难以捉摸。”亨利说，“不过必须承认，他们向同伴传递信息的方式，我还是挺欣赏的。据说是在经过的路上放置一些树叶、青草、石头或树枝等作为暗号。”
　　“没错，我也听说过他们的暗号。”迪克说，“是用树枝和叶子摆成某种形状，对不对？”
　　“对。”亨利说，“我曾经见过我家的花匠在我家院墙上面摆弄栅栏，他说那是在给吉卜赛人传递信息，还跟我解释了摆弄成那种形状代表什么意思！”
　　“什么意思？”朱利安问。
　　“就是‘不要在这里乞讨，这家人很吝啬’的意思，”亨利笑着说，“反正他是这么说的！”
　　“我们可以问问那个牵马来的吉卜赛小孩。”安妮说，“他跟那些吉卜赛人是一起的，也许他能帮我们解读一些暗号。我想学一学，说不定什么时候就能派上用场！”
　　“好。我们顺便问问为什么吉卜赛人要去神秘荒野。”朱利安一边站起来，一边把他外套上的面包屑抖落干净，“他们不会无缘无故去那里的，这个我可以肯定！”
　　“乔治那家伙去哪儿了？”迪克问，“希望她别犯傻。”
　　此时，乔治正在马厩里给马匹清洗、梳理皮毛。她刷得特别认真，马儿开心地享受着。“唰！唰！唰！”她觉得非常郁闷，试图排解心中的不快，她不想破坏男孩们和安妮的心情。那个可恶的亨利尔塔，故意装成男孩，跑去接朱利安他们，还帮他们搬行李。她根本就是不怀好意，他们应该对她的人品一清二楚才对啊！
　　“嘿，乔治，你在这儿呢，”迪克出现在马厩门口，“用不用帮忙？天哪，我还以为你来这儿以后会被晒成焦炭呢，看来是我想多了，不过你的雀斑还是跟以前一样多！”
　　乔治勉强咧咧嘴，把刷子扔给迪克，说：“你来刷吧！你和朱利安想骑马吗？这里有很多种类的马可供选择。”
　　看到乔治已经平静了不少，迪克松了一口气：“嗯，今天骑马还是挺不错的。也许明天可以试试去神秘荒野逛逛。”
　　“不错。”乔治说，她开始整理马厩里的稻草，“但是不能跟那个女孩一起去。”她郑重声明。
　　“哪个女孩？”迪克装作听不懂的样子，“哦，你说的是亨利啊？
　　我还是习惯性地把她当成男孩。放心好啦，不会让她跟着的，我们才是‘侦探团’嘛。”
　　“那就好。”乔治开心地说，“哦，朱利安也来啦，来，击个掌！”
　　跟两个男孩一起嬉戏打闹的时光总是那么美好。那天下午，一群人都聚集到草地上听他们俩讲野营时发生的故事。蒂米很兴奋，它从最左边开始跑到每个人跟前，挨个亲密地舔着他们，尾巴用力地摇晃着。
　　“这已经是你第三次把尾巴甩在我脸上了，蒂米。”迪克一边说，一边闪躲，“你能不能转过头来看看我的脸在哪里？”
　　“汪汪。”蒂米高兴地回应着，转过身来舔朱利安，这次，轮到朱利安的脸遭到攻击了。
　　这时，他们身后的篱笆发出一些声响。蒂米开始大声吠叫，乔治立马警觉起来，认为一定是亨利尔塔躲在那里。
　　“不是亨利尔塔，是那个吉卜赛男孩。”
　　小男孩朝他们走过来，脏兮兮的脸颊上有一道道风干的泪痕。“我来看看我的马。”他说，“你们知道它在哪里吗？”
　　“它还不能正常走路。”乔治说，“约翰逊队长不是告诉过你吗，它现在走不了路。你有什么事吗？你怎么哭了？”
　　“我爸爸打我了，”小男孩说，“差点把我打死了。”
　　“他为什么打你？”安妮问。
　　“因为我把马留这儿了。”小男孩回答，“我爸爸说只要给它抹点药膏，缠上绷带就行了。现在害得他只能搭别人的车一起走。”
　　“不管怎样，你都不能带它走。”安妮说，“它的腿根本走不了路，更别说还要拉个大篷车了。你也不希望队长去跟警察说你们在虐待一匹病马吧？你知道他会说到做到的。”
　　“是，但是我必须带它走。”小男孩说，“我不敢空手回去，我爸爸会杀了我的。”
　　“我猜他是自己不敢来，所以才叫你过来的吧。”迪克鄙视地说。
　　小男孩没再说什么，用脏兮兮的袖子擦了擦鼻涕。
　　“能不能用手帕擦，”迪克说，“你从来不洗脸的吗？”
　　“是的。”小男孩理所当然地回答道，“让我把马带走吧，真的，如果空手回去，我一定会被杀了的。”说完他又哭起来了。
　　其他人都为他感到难过，他是这么瘦小，这么可怜，而且还一直哭个不停！
　　“你叫什么？”安妮问。
　　“鼻涕虫。”小男孩回答，“我爸爸就是这么叫我的。”这名字确实挺适合他，但他爸爸也太可怕了吧！
　　“你没有正式的名字吗？”安妮问。
　　“有，不过我忘了。”鼻涕虫回答，“把马还给我吧，真的，我爸爸还在等我呢。”
　　朱利安站起身：“我去见见你爸爸，跟他讲讲道理，他现在在哪儿？”
　　“那边。”鼻涕虫吸了一下鼻涕，指向篱笆丛的方向。
　　“我也去。”迪克说。最后，大家都跟着鼻涕虫走了。他们穿过大门，看见一个脸庞黝黑、神情冷漠的男人一动不动地站在不远处，一头鬈发浓密而油腻，耳垂上吊着一串金黄色的大耳坠。他抬起头，看着逐渐靠近自己的几个孩子。
　　“你的马还不能走路。”朱利安说，“队长说，你明天或后天才能带它走。”
　　“我现在就要带它回去。”男人粗暴地说，“我们今晚或明天就要出发去荒野，我等不了。”
　　“为什么这么急？”朱利安问，“荒野又跑不了。”
　　男人眉头一紧，迈开步伐。
　　“你就不能再等一两个晚上吗？可以让其他人先走，你们再随后赶过去不就行了。”迪克说。
　　“爸爸，你听我说，你先跟着车队一起走，”鼻涕虫哀求道，“跟摩西的车走，把马留下。我明天或者后天就给马安上车轴，追赶上你们。”
　　“但是你认识路吗？”乔治说。
　　鼻涕虫鄙夷地耸了耸肩，说：“这还不简单！跟着暗号走就行了。”
　　“哦，对。”迪克想起了暗号的事，于是转过头对那个沉默的男人说，“怎么样，鼻涕虫的主意听起来不错吧，总之，你今天无论如何都不能把马带走。”
　　男人又怒气冲冲地把鼻涕虫臭骂了一顿，言语中尽是不屑，他的话就如同爆炸的炸弹一般，吓得鼻涕虫几乎缩成了一团，气都不敢喘。其他四个孩子一句话都没听懂，因为男人说的是吉卜赛语。
　　骂完后，男人看都没看他们一眼，转身朝黑暗中走去，他的大耳环发出幽幽的光。
　　“他说什么啦？”朱利安问。
　　鼻涕虫又开始吸鼻涕了：“他非常生气，不过还是同意跟其他人先走，让我带着我的马‘科里普’随后去追他们，还允许丽丝留下来陪我。”
　　“谁是丽丝？”安妮问。她希望丽丝能好好对待这个可怜的小不点。
　　“我的狗。”鼻涕虫终于露出点笑容，“我没带它出来是因为它总是追着母鸡跑，约翰逊队长似乎不喜欢它这么玩。”
　　“我也觉得他不喜欢。”朱利安说，“那么，你就留下来陪着你的科里普——还是科罗普，就看它明天能不能走动了。”
　　“太好啦！”鼻涕虫又擦了擦鼻子，笑开了，“我真不想看见科里普变成瘸马，可是我爸爸太残暴了，简直惨无人道。”
　　“放心，我们会陪着你的。”朱利安看着鼻涕虫脸上的淤伤说，“你明天来能不能给我们展示一下你们的暗号？就是你们吉卜赛人用来传讯息的标记，我们很想了解一下。”
　　“当然可以。”鼻涕虫用力地点点头，承诺道，“到时候你们要不要来看看我的大篷车？我会待在那里的，丽丝有可能不在。”
　　“看来我们可有事情要忙了。”迪克说，“好的，我们会去的。希望在你们的大篷车里不会闻到奇怪的味道。”
　　“奇怪的味道？”鼻涕虫诧异地问，“这我就不知道了。你们来了以后，我会教你们怎么摆弄、使用暗号的。丽丝还会给你们表演它的小杂技，它超级聪明，以前还在马戏团待过呢。”
　　“那我可得带上蒂米一起去会会这只聪明的狗了。”安妮轻拍蒂米，它刚才一直在追兔子，现在才舍得回来，“蒂米，你想跟我们一起去瞧瞧一只叫‘丽丝’的狗吗？”
　　“汪汪。”蒂米温顺地摇着尾巴。
　　“真高兴你能同意，蒂米。”迪克说，“鼻涕虫，等明天你确定好科里普的伤势之后我们就去你那里。不过，我想它应该不会这么快就好的。”
Chapter 4 A BED IN THE STABLE
Chapter 4 A BED IN THE STABLE
　　The boys slept in one of the stables that night. Captain Johnson said they could either have mattressessent out, or could sleep in the straw, with rugs.
　　'Oh, straw and rugs, please,' said Julian. 'That's fine. We'll be as snug as anything with those.'
　　'I wish Anne and I could sleep in a stable too,' said George, longingly. 'We never have. Can't we,Captain Johnson?'
　　'No. You've got beds that you're paying for,' said the Captain. 'Anyway, girls can't do that sort ofthing, not even girls who try to be boys, George!'
　　'I've often slept in a stable,' said Henrietta. 'At home when we've too many visitors, I always turn outand sleep in the straw.'
　　16
　　'Bad luck on the horses!' said George.
　　'Why?' demanded Henry at once.
　　'Because you must keep them awake all night with your snoring!' said George.
　　Henry snorted crossly and went out. It was maddening that she should snore at night, but she simplycouldn't help it.
　　'Never mind!' George called after her. 'It's a nice manly snore, Henrietta!'
　　'Shut up, George,' said Dick, rather shocked at this sudden display of pettiness on George's part.
　　'Don't tell me to shut up,' said George. 'Tell Henrietta!'
　　'George, don't be an ass,' said Julian. But George didn't like that either, and stalked out of the room injust the same stiff, offended way that Henry had done!
　　'Oh dear!' said Anne. 'It's been like this all the time. First Henry, then George, then George, thenHenry! They really are a couple of idiots!'
　　She went to see where the boys were to sleep. They had been told to use a small stable, empty exceptfor the gypsy's horse that lay patiently down, its bandaged leg stretched out on the floor.
　　Anne patted it and stroked it. It was an ugly little thing but its patient brown eyes were lovely.
　　The boys had heaps of straw to burrow into, and some old rugs. Anne thought it all looked lovely.
　　'You can wash and everything at the house,' she said. 'Then just slip over here to sleep.
　　Doesn't it smell nice? All straw and hay and horse! I hope that gypsy's horse won't disturb you.
　　He may be a bit restless if his leg hurts him.'
　　'Nothing will disturb us tonight!' said Julian. 'What with camp-life and open-air and wind-on-the-hillsand all that kind of thing, we're sure to sleep like logs. I think we're going to enjoy it here, Anne, veryquiet and peaceful!'
　　George looked in at the door. 'I'll lend you Timmy, if you like,' she said, anxious to make up for herdisplay of temper.
　　'Oh, hallo, George! No thanks. I don't particularly want old Tim climbing over me all night long,trying to find the softest part of me to sleep on!' said Julian. 'I say, look, he's showing me how tomake a good old burrow to sleep in! Hey, Tim, come out of my straw!'
　　Timmy had flung himself into the straw and was turning vigorously round and round in it as if hewere making a bed for himself. He stood and looked up at them, his mouth open and his tonguehanging out at one side.
　　17
　　'He's laughing,' said Anne, and it did indeed look as if Timmy was having a good old laugh at them.
　　Anne gave him a hug and he licked her lavishly, and then began to burrow round and round in thestraw again.
　　Someone came up, whistling loudly, and put her head in at the door. 'I've brought you a couple of oldpillows. Mrs. Johnson said you'd better have something for your heads.'
　　'Oh thanks awfully, Henry,' said Julian, taking them.
　　'How kind of you, Henrietta,' said George.
　　'It's a pleasure, Georgina,' said Henry, and the boys burst out laughing. Fortunately the supperbellwent just then and they all went across the yard at once. Somehow everyone was always hungry atthe stables!
　　The girls looked very different in the evening, because they had to change out of their dirty, smellyjodhpurs or breeches and put on dresses. Anne, Henry and George hurried to change before Mrs.
　　Johnson rang the supperbell again. She always gave them ten minutes' grace, knowing that theymight sometimes have a job to finish with the horses, but everyone was supposed to be at the tablewhen the second supperbell had finished ringing.
　　George looked nice, because her curly hair went with a skirt and blouse quite well, but Henry lookedquite wrong, somehow, in her frilly dress.
　　'You look like a boy dressed up!' said Anne, and this pleased Henry, but not George. The talk at thesuppertable was mainly about all the wonderful things that Henry had done in her life.
　　Apparently she had three brothers and did everything with them, and according to her own tales, shewas considerably better than they were!
　　They had sailed a ship up to Norway. They had hiked from London to York.
　　'Was Dick Turpin with you?' inquired George, sarcastically. 'On his horse, Black Bess? I expect yougot there long before him, didn't you?'
　　Henry took no notice. She went on with wonderful tales of her family's exploits, swimming acrosswide rivers, climbing Snowdon to the top, goodness, there wasn't a single thing she didn't seem tohave done!
　　'You certainly ought to have been a boy, Henry,' said Mrs. Johnson, which was exactly what Henrywanted everyone to say!
　　18
　　'Henry, when you've told us the story of how you climbed Mount Everest and got there before anyoneelse, perhaps you would finish your plateful,' said Captain Johnson, who got very tired of Henry'stongue.
　　George roared with laughter, not that she thought it was very funny, but because she loved anychance to laugh at Henry. Henry tackled the rest of her food at top speed. How she did love to holdeveryone spellbound with her extraordinary tales! George didn't believe a word, but Dick and Julianthought it quite likely that this tall, wiry girl could do things just as well as her brothers.
　　There were a few jobs to be done after supper, and Henry kept well away from George, knowingquite well that she would have a few cutting things to say. Well, she didn't care! Everyone elsethought she was marvellous! She tore off her frilly dress and put on jodhpurs again, although it wouldonly be a short time before they all went to bed.
　　George and Anne went with the boys to their stable. They were in pyjamas and dressing-gowns, bothyawning as they went. 'Got your torches?' said George. 'We're not allowed to have candles in thestables, because of the straw, you know. Good night! Sleep well! And I hope that that fathead of aHenry doesn't come along early in the morning, whistling like a paper-boy, and wake you up!'
　　'Nothing will wake me up tonight, nothing at all!' said Julian, with a huge yawn. He lay down in thestraw and pulled an old rug over him. 'Oh, what a bed! Give me stable straw every time to sleep in!'
　　The girls laughed. The boys really did look very comfortable. 'Sleep tight,' said Anne, and walked offwith George to the house.
　　Soon all the lights were out everywhere. Henry was asleep and snoring as usual. She had to have aseparate room, otherwise she kept everyone awake! But even so, Anne and George could hear her,snoring away - rrrumph - rrrumph! rrrumph - RRRRUMPH!
　　'Blow Henrietta!' said George, sleepily. 'What a row she makes. Anne, she's not to come with uswhen we go riding tomorrow. Do you hear, Anne?'
　　'Not very well,' murmured Anne, trying to open her eyes. 'G' night, George!'
　　Timmy was on George's feet as usual. He lay snuggled there, eyes shut and ears asleep too. He got astired as everyone else, running over the hills all day, scrabbling at scores of rabbit-holes, chasingdozens of remarkably fleet-footed rabbits. But at night he too slept like a log.
　　19
　　Out in the stable the two boys slept peacefully, covered by the old rug. Nearby the little skewbaldhorse moved restlessly, but they heard nothing. An owl came swooping over the stable, looking formice down below. It screeched loudly, hoping to scare a mouse into sudden flight.
　　Then it would swoop down and take it into its talons.
　　Not even the screech awakened the boys. They slept dreamlessly, tired out.
　　The door of the stable was shut and latched. Clip, the horse, suddenly stirred and looked round at thedoor. The latch was moving! Someone was lifting it from the outside. Clip's pricked ears heard thesound of a little shuffle.
　　He watched the door. Who was coming? He hoped it was Sniffer, the boy he liked so much.
　　Sniffer was always kind to him. He didn't like being away from Sniffer. He listened for the sniff-sniffthat always went with the little gypsy boy, but he didn't hear it.
　　The door opened very slowly indeed. It gave no creak. Clip saw the night sky outside, set with stars.
　　He made out a figure outlined against the darkness of the starry night, a black shadow.
　　Someone came into the stable, and whispered 'Clip!'
　　The horse gave a little whinny. It wasn't Sniffer's voice. It was his father's. Clip did not like him, hewas too free with cuffs and kicks, and slashes with the whip. He lay still, wondering why the gypsyhad come.
　　The man had no idea that Dick and Julian were sleeping in the stable. He had come in quietly becausehe had thought there might be other horses there, and he did not want to startle them and make themstamp about in fright. He had no torch, but his keen gypsy's eyes made out Clip at once, lying in hisstraw.
　　He tiptoed across to him and fell over Julian's feet, sticking out from the straw bed he was lying on.
　　He fell with a thud, and Julian sat up very suddenly indeed, awake at once.
　　'Who's there! What is it?'
　　The gypsy shrank down beside Clip, keeping silent. Julian began to wonder if he had been dreaming.
　　But his foot distinctly hurt him. Surely somebody had trodden on it, or fallen over it?
　　He woke Dick.
　　'Where's the torch? Hello, look, the stable door is open! Quick, Dick, where on earth is the torch?'
　　They found it at last and Julian clicked it on. At first he saw nothing, for the gypsy was in Clip's stall,lying down behind the horse. Then the torch picked him out.
　　20
　　'Hallo! Look there - it's that gypsy, Sniffer's father!' said Julian. 'Get up, you! What on earth are youdoing here, in the middle of the night?'
4.不平静的一夜
　　不平静的一夜
　　晚上，男孩们决定睡在一间马厩里。约翰逊队长说他们可以把床垫搬进去，或者睡在稻草上，上面铺上毯子。
　　“就在稻草上铺上毯子吧，”朱利安说，“这样睡起来一定很舒服。”
　　“真希望我和安妮也能睡在马厩里。”乔治憧憬着，“我们还从没有睡过呢，可以吗，约翰逊队长？”
　　“不行。你们必须睡自己的床，”约翰逊队长说，“女孩怎么能跟男孩一样呢，就算有人想假扮男孩也不行，知道吧，乔治？”
　　“我就经常睡马厩里。”亨利尔塔说，“家里有时来的客人太多，我就睡在外面的稻草堆上。”
　　“哎呀，那马可要遭殃了！”乔治说。
　　“为什么这么说？”亨利立马不服气地问道。
　　“因为你在夜里打呼噜，会把它们都震醒的！”乔治说道。
　　亨利无力反驳，她生气地哼了一声，转身向门外冲去。打呼噜这件事确实很令人烦恼，但是她有什么办法呢。
　　“不用担心！”乔治在她身后大喊着，“打呼噜恰好能体现你的男性魅力，亨利尔塔！”
　　“住嘴，乔治。”迪克完全没有料到乔治竟然还有这么刻薄的一面。
　　“别总是责备我。”乔治说，“你该说的是亨利尔塔！”
　　“乔治，别这么幼稚，好吗？”朱利安说。但乔治并不理会朱利安，她怒气冲冲地走出房间，像极了亨利刚刚甩手而出的模样。
　　“我的天哪！”安妮很无奈，“她们俩怎么总是这么针锋相对呢。
　　一会儿是亨利不高兴，一会儿乔治又生气了，真是天生的一对冤家！”
　　安妮跟男孩们一起来到马厩，想瞧瞧他们睡觉的地方究竟是什么样。那是一间简陋的小马厩，里面只有那匹吉卜赛人的小马，它安静地趴在地上。看到缠满绷带的马腿，安妮感到很心疼，她温柔地拍了拍小马。说实话，它长得并不怎么好看，但那双安静的棕色眼睛却惹人喜爱。
　　男孩们在稻草堆里钻来钻去，开心地盖上那些旧毯子，安妮觉得这一切看起来很有趣。“你们可以在房间里洗漱，然后在这里睡觉。我担心你们今晚会睡得不踏实。”安妮说，“这些稻草啊，还有马啊，恐怕会散发出奇怪的味道，而且那匹马的腿伤可能会把它疼醒，所以夜里可能会不太安静。”
　　“之前在露营的时候，风吹雨打的事都经历过了，所以今晚没有什么会打扰到我们的，”朱利安说，“我们肯定会睡得很沉的。安妮，这里的生活我们很喜欢——安静又舒适！”
　　这时，乔治出现在门口。“如果你们愿意的话，我把蒂米借给你们。”她很想做点什么，来弥补刚刚失控时给大家造成的不快。
　　“不用麻烦了，乔治，我可不想那个家伙一整晚都在我身上爬来爬去，只为找个最舒服的地方趴着！”朱利安说，“你看看，我就说嘛，它现在就在到处闻了，看哪个地方适合睡觉。嘿，蒂米，快从我的稻草床上下来！”
　　蒂米正一个劲地往草堆里钻，东翻翻、西翻翻，准备给自己搭个窝睡觉。听到朱利安叫它的名字，它便停了下来，抬眼看着他们，嘴巴张开，耷拉着舌头。
　　“它在笑呢。”安妮说。她仔细瞧着蒂米的眼睛，感觉它好像在嘲笑他们。安妮伸手去抱蒂米，结果却被它热情地舔湿了脸。
　　这时，门外传来吹口哨的声音，有人正往这边走来。随后，亨利从门口探出了脑袋：“我给你们送来了一些旧枕头，约翰逊夫人说你们最好拿点东西垫一垫脑袋。”
　　“太感谢你了，亨利。”朱利安接过枕头。
　　“你真是有心啊，亨利尔塔。”乔治说。
　　“听你这么说我感到很荣幸，乔治娜。”亨利回道。看到她们俩针锋相对的样子，男孩们笑了起来。这时，晚餐铃声响起，所有人立马跑到院子里去集合，大家早就饿了。
　　约翰逊夫人通常在第一遍铃声过后，间隔十分钟会再按响第二遍铃声。女孩们便利用这个时间脱下又脏又臭的马靴马裤，换上漂亮的裙子，有时候会忙着把吃草回来的马拴好，或者做完手头剩下的一些工作。按照规定，每个人都必须赶在第二次铃声结束时在餐桌旁坐好。
　　乔治看起来很美，卷曲的头发跟裙子十分相配，但穿着百褶裙的亨利看起来却怪怪的。
　　“你看起来像穿着裙子的男孩！”安妮说。这句话正合亨利的心意，但是乔治听了却不太开心。晚餐时间，大家谈论最多的都是关于亨利的故事。亨利有三个哥哥，她总是跟在他们屁股后面跑。而且按照她的说法，她比她三个哥哥还厉害呢。
　　他们曾经开船北上挪威，还曾经从伦敦徒步到约克角。
　　“迪克•特平是不是和你们一起去的？”乔治嘲讽道，“骑着他那匹叫贝丝的黑马。不对，我想你们应该是比他提早到达的。”
　　亨利并不在意，继续讲着他们英勇的探险事迹：横游大江、攀登到北威尔士的斯诺登峰的峰顶诸如此类。这世界上没有什么事情是她没做过的！
　　“亨利，你真应该当个男孩。”约翰逊夫人说出大家的心声。
　　“亨利，在你讲述你如何率先爬上珠穆朗玛峰之前，可不可以先把盘子里的食物吃完呢？”听亨利讲了那么多，约翰逊队长有些不耐烦。
　　乔治突然哈哈大笑，不但是因为她觉得约翰逊队长的话很好笑，而且她也不想放过任何可以笑话亨利的机会。亨利三下五除二地解决了盘里的食物。她心想：“自己原本希望跟大家分享一下自己非凡的经历，让大家羡慕自己。可现在倒好，乔治一个字都不信。”不过，迪克和朱利安倒是觉得这个高高瘦瘦的小姑娘和她的哥哥们都挺厉害的。
　　晚餐过后，马场上还有一些活儿需要大家完成。亨利跟乔治始终保持着一段距离，因为她知道两人碰到一起准没有好事发生。乔治心里很不是滋味，每个人都觉得亨利很了不起，她却不想承认！
　　她用力扯下百褶裙，重新换上马裤，虽然他们很快就得上床睡觉了。
　　睡觉前，乔治和安妮跟着男孩子去了马厩。他们穿着睡衣，连连打着哈欠。“需要手电筒吗？”乔治问，“你们不能点蜡烛，因为这里到处都是稻草，点蜡烛的话容易起火。希望亨利那个笨蛋明天早上不要太早起来，别像送报工一样到处吹口哨，把大家吵醒！”
　　“放心吧，今晚不管有什么动静都吵不醒我，什么都吵不醒！”说着，朱利安又打了个巨大的哈欠。他在稻草堆上躺下来，拽了一块旧毯子盖到身上：“哦，这床太舒服了，希望每次都有这样的稻草床睡觉！”
　　女孩们笑了，男孩们应该如他们所言，会睡得很香的。“晚安！”安妮和乔治跟男孩们告别后，一起回到了房子里。
　　没过多久，所有的灯都熄灭了。亨利已经睡着了，鼾声如旧。
　　她单独住一间房，要不然别人都没办法睡觉了！尽管和她的房间隔了很远的距离，安妮和乔治还是能听到她雷鸣般的鼾声——“呼噜噜，呼噜噜”！
　　“讨厌的亨利尔塔！”乔治困倦地说道，“还有她那难听的呼噜声。安妮，明天骑马的时候不要让她跟着，听到没？”
　　“你说什么？”安妮昏昏欲睡，试图睁开眼睛，“快睡吧，乔治！”
　　蒂米跟往常一样蜷缩在乔治脚边，它闭上双眼，耷拉着耳朵，沉沉入睡。今天它跟其他人一样都累瘫了，白天在山坡上钻了无数个兔子洞，追着四处逃窜的兔子到处跑，现在已经筋疲力尽了。
　　而待在外面马厩里的两个男孩也安恬地睡着了，身上盖着旧毯子。旁边的白花马不老实地动来动去，但是男孩们什么动静也没听到。一只猫头鹰盘旋在马厩上方，搜寻着地上的老鼠。它不时地发出刺耳响亮的尖叫声，希望把老鼠吓得四处逃窜，以便能立马俯冲下来，一举将它们捉住。这个叫声依然吵醒不了男孩们，因为他们实在是累坏了。
　　马厩的门原本已经上了闩。突然，科里普动了一下，不安地看向门边。门闩在移动——有人正从外面慢慢打开门闩。科里普的耳朵捕捉到了这个细微的声音。
　　它盯着门看。是谁进来了？是鼻涕虫吗？那个小男孩对它那么好，它非常依赖他，时刻都不想跟他分开。然而这次它却没有听到小男孩标志性的吸鼻涕声。
　　门缓慢地被打开了，毫无声响。科里普透过门看见了外面的天空，星星正不停地眨着眼，它收回目光，努力地想看清星空下那一团黑色的轮廓究竟是什么。它希望能听到那个吉卜赛小男孩吸鼻涕的声音，但它并没有听到。
　　这时，那团黑影溜进了马房，轻声叫着：“科里普！”
　　科里普发出轻微的嘶嘶声。那不是鼻涕虫的声音，而是他爸爸的！科里普并不喜欢他，因为他喜欢动不动就大打出手，还用鞭子抽人。它躺着一动不动，心想：“这个男人来做什么？”
　　男人没有料到迪克和朱利安也睡在马厩里。他之所以偷偷潜进来，纯粹是因为他以为还有其他马在这里，而不想让它们受到惊吓，发出声响或者乱动乱踩，弄不好自己还会被踩伤。他连手电筒都没带，仅凭他吉卜赛人敏锐的双眼，立马就认出了躺在草堆里的科里普。
　　他踮起脚，慢慢靠近它，突然被稻草堆里伸出来的什么东西绊了一下，重重地摔了一跤。朱利安在睡梦中感觉自己的脚被踩到了，立马“呼”地一下坐起来，脑袋一下子就清醒了。
　　“是谁？谁在那儿？”
　　男人躲在科里普旁边，默不出声。朱利安怀疑自己刚刚是在做梦，但脚上的疼痛感却无比真实，一定有人踩了他一脚，接着又被绊倒了，于是他叫醒了迪克。
　　“手电筒呢？你看，马厩的门是开着的！快点，迪克，手电筒在哪儿？”
　　吉卜赛人躲在科里普的围栏里，趴在地上，忽然一道光线锁定在他身上。
　　“嘿！你看那里，是那个吉卜赛人——鼻涕虫的爸爸！”朱利安说，“你，站起来！大半夜跑到这里来，究竟想干什么？”

Chapter 5 GEORGE GETS A HEADACHE!
Chapter 5 GEORGE GETS A HEADACHE!
　　The man got up sullenly. His ear-rings shone in the light of the torch. 'I came to get Clip,' he said.
　　'He's my horse, isn't he?'
　　'You were told he wasn't fit to walk yet,' said Julian. 'Do you want him to go lame for life? You oughtto know enough about horses to know when one can be worked or not!'
　　'I've got my orders,' said the man. 'I've got to take my caravan with the others.'
　　'Who said so?' said Dick, scornfully.
　　'Barney Boswell,' said the man. 'He's boss of our lot here. We've got to start off together tomorrow.'
　　'But why?' said Julian, puzzled. 'What's so urgent about all this? What's the mystery?'
　　'There ain't no mystery,' said the man, still sullen. 'We're just going to the moor.'
　　'What are you going to do there?' asked Dick, curiously. 'It doesn't seem to me to be the place to takea lot of caravans to. There's nothing there at all, is there? Or so I've heard.'
　　The man shrugged his shoulders and said nothing. He turned to Clip as if to get him up. But Julianrapped out at him at once.
　　'Oh no, you don't! If you don't care about injuring a horse, I do! You've only got to be patient for aday or two more, and he'll be quite all right. You're not to take him tonight. Dick, go and wakeCaptain Johnson. He'll know what to do.'
　　'No,' said the man, scowling. 'Don't go waking anybody. I'll go. But just you see that Clip is given toSniffer as soon as it's possible, or I'll know the reason why! See?'
　　He looked at Julian in a threatening way.
　　'Take that scowl off your face,' said Julian. 'I'm glad you've seen sense. Clear out now. Go off withthe others tomorrow and I'll see that Sniffer has the horse in a short time.'
　　21
　　The man moved to the door and slid out like a shadow. Julian went to watch him across the yard,wondering whether, out of spite, the man might try to steal a hen, or one of the ducks sleeping besidethe pond.
　　But there was no sudden clucking, no loud quack. The man had gone as silently as he had come.
　　'Most peculiar, all this!' said Julian, latching the door again. He tied a piece of thick string over it hisside, so that it could not be lifted from outside. 'There! Now if the gypsy comes again, he'll find hecan't get in. What a nerve, coming here in the middle of the night like that!'
　　He got back into the straw. 'He must have fallen right over my foot,' he said, snuggling down.
　　'He woke me up with an awful jump. Good thing for Clip that we were sleeping out here tonight, orhe'd be dragging along a heavy cart tomorrow, and going lame again. I don't like that fellow!'
　　He fell asleep again and so did Dick. Clip slept too, his leg feeling easier. How glad he had been thatday not to have to drag along the heavy caravan!
　　The boys told Captain Johnson next morning about the gypsy's midnight visit. He nodded. 'Yes, Iought to have warned you that he might come. They're not always very good to their horses.
　　Well, I'm glad you sent him off. I don't reckon Clip's leg will be ready for walking on till the day aftertomorrow. There's no harm in giving the poor creature a few days' rest. Sniffer can easily take thecaravan on after the others.'
　　It looked as if that day was going to be fun. After all the horses had been seen to, and many odd jobsdone, the four, with Timmy, planned to set out for a day's ride. Captain Johnson said he would letJulian ride his own sturdy cob and Dick took a bonny chestnut horse with four white socks. The girlshad the horses they usually rode.
　　Henry hung about, looking very mournful. The boys felt quite uncomfortable. 'We really ought to tellher to come along too,' said Dick to Julian. 'It seems jolly mean to leave her behind with those littlekids.'
　　'Yes, I know. I agree with you,' said Julian. 'Anne, come here! Can't you suggest to George that wetake Henry too? She's longing to come, I know.'
　　'Yes. She is,' said Anne. 'I feel awful about it. But George will be mad if we ask Henry. They reallydo get across one another. I simply daren't ask George to let Henry come, Ju.'
　　'But this is silly!' said Julian. 'To think we don't dare to ask George to let somebody come!
　　George will have to learn sense. I like Henry. She's boastful, and I don't believe half the tales shetells, but she's a sport and good fun. Hey, Henry!'
　　22
　　'Coming!' yelled Henry, and came running, looking very hopeful.
　　'Would you like to come with us?' said Julian. 'We're all going off for the day. Have you got any jobsto do, or can you come?'
　　'Can I come! Rather,' said Henry, joyfully. 'But - does George know?'
　　'I'll soon tell her,' said Julian, and went in search of George. She was helping Mrs. Johnson to getsaddle-bags ready, full of food.
　　'George,' said Julian, boldly. 'Henry is coming too. Will there be enough food for everyone?'
　　'Oh! How nice of you to ask her!' said Mrs. Johnson, sounding very pleased. 'She's dying to come.
　　She's been so good this week, too, while we've been shorthanded. She deserves a treat.
　　Isn't that nice, George?'
　　George muttered something peculiar and went out of the room, her face scarlet. Julian stared afterher, his eyebrows cocked in a comical manner.
　　'I don't somehow feel that George thinks it's nice,' he said. 'I feel as if we are in for an awkward day,Mrs. Johnson.'
　　'Oh, don't take any notice of George when she's silly,' said Mrs. Johnson, comfortably, filling anotherpaper bag with delicious-looking sandwiches. 'And don't take any notice of Henry, either, when she'sidiotic. There! If you get through all this food, I shall be surprised!'
　　William, one of the younger ones, came in just then. 'What a lot of food you've given them,' he said.
　　'Will there be enough left for us to have today?'
　　'Good gracious, yes!' said Mrs. Johnson. 'You think of nothing but your tummy, William! Go and findGeorge and tell her the food is ready for her to put into the saddle-bags.'
　　William disappeared and then came back. 'George says she's got a headache and doesn't think she'llgo on the ride,' he announced.
　　Julian looked startled and upset. 'Now you listen to me, Julian,' said Mrs. Johnson, beginning to insertthe parcels of food carefully into the saddle-bags, 'just you leave her to her imaginary headache.
　　Don't go fussing round her, and begging her to come and saying you won't have Henry. Just believequite firmly in her headache, and go off by yourselves. It's the quickest way to make George seesense, believe me!'
　　'Yes. I think you're right,' said Julian, frowning. To think that George should behave like a sulky littlegirl, after all the adventures they had been through together! Just because of Henry. It really wasabsurd.
　　23
　　'Where is George!' he said to William.
　　'Up in her room,' said William, who had been engrossed in picking up and eating all the crumbs hecould. Julian went out of the room and into the yard. He knew which window belonged to the roomwhere George and Anne slept. He yelled up.
　　'I say, George! Sorry about your headache, old thing! Sure you don't feel like coming?'
　　'No!' came back an answering shout, and the window was shut down with a slam.
　　'Righto! Awfully disappointed and all that!' shouted Julian. 'Do hope your head will soon be better!
　　See you later!'
　　No other reply came from the window, but, as Julian went across the yard to the stables, a verysurprised face watched him go, from behind the bedroom curtains. George was extremely astonishedto have been taken at her word, shocked at being left behind after all, and angry with Henry andeveryone else for putting her into this fix!
　　Julian told the others that George had a headache and wasn't coming. Anne was most concerned andwanted to go and comfort her but Julian forbade her to.
　　'No. She's up in her room. Leave her alone, Anne. That's an order - see?'
　　'All right,' said Anne, half-relieved. She felt sure that George's headache was mostly temper, and shedidn't at all want to go and argue with her for half an hour. Henry hadn't said a word. She had flushedwith surprise when Julian had announced that George was not coming, and she knew at once thatthere was no real headache! She was George's headache, she knew that!
　　She went up to Julian. 'Look, I guess it's because you've asked me to come, that Georgina won't comewith us. I don't want to spoil things. You go and tell her I'm not going after all.'
　　Julian looked at Henry gratefully. 'That's jolly nice of you,' he said. 'But we're taking George at herword. Anyway, we didn't ask you out of politeness. We wanted you to come!'
　　'Thanks,' said Henry. 'Well, let's go before anything else happens! Our horses are ready. I'll fix thesaddle-bags.'
　　Soon all four were on their horses, and were walking over the yard to the gate. George heard theclippity-clop-clippity-clop of the hooves and peeped out of the window again. They were going afterall! She hadn't thought they really would go without her. She was horrified.
　　Why did I behave like that? I've put myself in the wrong! thought poor George. Now Henrietta willbe with them all day and will be as nice as possible, just to show me up. What an ass I am!
　　'Timmy, I'm an ass and an idiot, and a great big fathead! Aren't I?'
　　24
　　Timmy didn't think so. He had been puzzled to hear the others going off without him and George, andhad gone to the door and whined. Now he came back to George and put his head on her knee. Heknew George was not happy.
　　'You don't care how I behave, do you, Tim?' said George, stroking the soft, furry head. 'That's thebest of a dog! You don't care if I'm in the wrong or not, you just love me all the same, don't you?
　　Well, you shouldn't love me today, Tim. I've been an idiot!'
　　There was a knock at her door. It was William again. 'George! Mrs. Johnson says, if your headache isbad, undress and get into bed. But if it's better, come down and help with Clip, the gypsy's horse.'
　　'I'll come down,' said George, flinging away her sulks at one go. 'Tell Mrs. Johnson I'll go to thestable at once.'
　　'All right,' said the stolid William, and trotted off like a reliable little pony.
　　George went downstairs with Timmy, and into the yard. She wondered how far the others had gone.
　　She couldn't see them in the distance. Would they have a good day together, with that horrid Henry?
　　Ugh!
　　The others were almost a mile away, cantering easily. What fun! A whole day before them, onMystery Moor!
5.装出来的头痛病
　　装出来的头痛病
　　男人阴着脸站起身，大耳环在手电筒的照耀下闪闪发光。“我来带科里普回去。”他说，“这是我的马，懂吗？”
　　“都已经跟你说得很清楚了，它还走不了路。”朱利安说，“你想让它一辈子瘸着腿吗？你应该对马很熟悉，知道什么时候可以让它干活，什么时候不可以吧？”
　　“我接到命令。”男人说，“我的车必须跟着队伍一起走。”
　　“谁说的？”迪克鄙夷地问。
　　“巴尼•博斯韦尔。”男人说，“他是我们的头儿，他让我们明天务必一起出发。”
　　“为什么？”朱利安疑惑不解，“你们究竟有什么不可告人的秘密？”
　　“没什么秘密。”男人脸色依旧不好，“只是去一趟荒野而已。”
　　“你们去那里做什么？”迪克好奇地问，“那里那么荒凉，看起来不像是需要很多大篷车的地方啊。”
　　男人耸了耸肩，没说什么。他转过身，好像准备把科里普扶起来。这时，朱利安突然朝他大喊起来：“住手！你不心疼这匹病马，我还心疼呢！请你耐心再等一两天，它很快就好了。你今晚肯定带不走它，迪克，去把队长叫醒，他知道该怎么处置。”
　　“等等！”男人怒目而视，“不用叫醒任何人，我自己会走。但你也知道，科里普很快就交给鼻涕虫了，到时候大家走着瞧！”
　　他看着朱利安，眼里满含威胁的意味。
　　“不用这么凶巴巴地瞪着我。”朱利安说，“你要是还有一丝自知之明，现在就赶紧离开。明天跟其他人先走，鼻涕虫很快就会带着马去找你们。”
　　男人幽灵一般往门口移去。朱利安看着他穿过院子，心想：“那个人会不会为了泄愤，顺手偷走一只鸡或者池塘边的鸭子呢？”
　　他没听到“咯咯”声或“嘎嘎”声，那个男人来也悄悄，去也悄悄。
　　“这也太荒唐了！”朱利安一边说着，一边把门闩上，然后又拿出一根绳子，将安装在门和门框上的门闩的两部分缠住，以防再有人从外面把门闩拨开，“那个人要是还想再进来的话，门儿都没有。
　　他胆子可真够大的，半夜三更像个贼一样偷偷地潜进来！”
　　他回到草堆旁边，舒舒服服地躺下，说：“刚刚他一定是被我的腿绊倒了，这才把我给弄醒了。还好我们今晚睡在了这里，要不然科里普明天就要被赶着去拉大篷车了，到时它的腿伤一定会加重的。我真不喜欢那个家伙！”
　　两人再次进入梦乡，科里普也闭上了眼睛，它感觉腿好些了，心里无比庆幸自己明天不用去拉那辆重逾千斤的大篷车。
　　第二天一大早，男孩们就把那个吉卜赛人半夜溜进马厩的事告诉了约翰逊队长。“我其实应该提醒你们他有可能会来的，他们吉卜赛人经常虐待马匹。知道你们把他赶走了，我真开心。另外，科里普的腿伤几乎不可能在后天之前痊愈，让这个可怜的小东西休养几天总没有坏处。到时候，再让鼻涕虫驾着它拉的大篷车去追赶队伍。”队长说。
　　这一天注定会很有趣。大家见到了所有的马，还做了许多其他事情。四个小伙伴加上蒂米已经准备好骑马去兜风了。队长让朱利安骑着自己那匹壮实的矮脚马，迪克骑着一匹穿着四只“白袜”的活泼的栗色小马，女孩们则跟往常一样。
　　亨利到处晃悠，情绪似乎有些低落。男孩们觉得有点不好意思。“我们其实应该叫上她的。”迪克对朱利安说，“把她一个人留下跟一群小孩一起玩，好像太过分了。”
　　“你说得没错。”朱利安说，“安妮，你能不能去劝一下乔治，让亨利和我们一起去骑马？看她的样子，我知道她很想跟来。”
　　“其实我也觉得很过意不去。”安妮回道，“但如果乔治知道我们想要带亨利一起玩，一定会立刻疯掉，她们俩真的是水火不相容。
　　所以，我真的不敢去说。”
　　朱利安说：“我们为什么这么纵容乔治啊，就连邀请一个伙伴加入我们也要看她的脸色吗？她不应该总是意气用事的。我就是喜欢亨利，虽然她爱说大话，还编造了一些故事给我们听，但她真的喜欢运动，是一个很有趣的人。嘿，亨利！”
　　“来了！”亨利喊道，满怀希望地跑过来。
　　“你要不要加入我们？”朱利安说，“我们今天一整天都要去骑马，你忙不忙，不忙的话一起来吧？”
　　“真的可以吗？那太好了！”亨利高兴地说，“只是……乔治知道吗？”
　　“我正要告诉她呢。”朱利安一边说着，一边用目光搜寻着乔治的身影。她正在帮约翰逊夫人把食物装进鞍囊。
　　“乔治，”朱利安壮着胆说，“亨利也跟我们一起去，这些食物够大家吃吗？”
　　“哦！你想得可真周到，还惦记着她！”约翰逊夫人一脸欣慰，“她也特别想加入你们。这个星期马场缺少人手，亨利可帮了不少忙呢，所以我们也应该奖励一下她的，不是吗，乔治？”
　　乔治嘴里小声嘀咕了两句，红着脸走出房间。朱利安目光追随着她，扬了扬眉毛，一脸无奈。“好像乔治不太能接受啊。”他说，“我感觉我们今天可能会不太顺利。”
　　“没关系，如果乔治想不通的话别理她就是。”约翰逊夫人淡定地说，“对于亨利也是，她犯傻的时候谁都别理她。把这些三明治都带着吧，出去玩的时候饿肚子的感觉可不好受。”
　　威廉恰好在这时跑了进来，说道：“你把这么多吃的都给他们了，我们今天还有吃的吗？”
　　“当然有了。”约翰逊夫人说，“你这个小东西，一天到晚就只知道关心你的肚子。威廉，去把乔治找来，告诉她，吃的东西都准备好了，可以放进鞍囊里了。”
　　威廉出去后，回来说：“乔治说她头痛，不想去骑马了。”
　　朱利安没想到乔治会有这么大的反应，不免有些沮丧。“你听我说，朱利安。”约翰逊夫人开始亲自动手把食物塞进鞍囊里，“你就让乔治自己去生闷气吧，千万别围着她团团转，然后向她妥协说不让亨利加入进来了。不用理她，就让她一个人待着吧，这是让她冷静下来的最好方式，相信我！”
　　“也许您是对的。”朱利安微微皱眉。一想到五个小伙伴一起经历了那么多冒险，可乔治还是像个小孩一样，动不动就生气。这一次仅仅因为亨利，她就又闹别扭，实在糟糕透了。
　　“乔治在哪儿呢？”他问威廉。
　　“在她房间里面。”威廉回答道，他正埋头在一堆面包里，忘乎所以地吃着。朱利安走出房间，向院子那边走去。他知道哪扇窗户是乔治和安妮房间的。
　　他抬起头，对着那扇窗户大喊：“嘿，乔治！你头痛好些了吗，真是太遗憾了，你确定不跟我们一起去了吗？”
　　“我确定！不去了！”乔治大声回答，随后“砰”地一下关上了窗户。
　　“那真是太遗憾了。”朱利安喊道，“祝你头痛赶快好起来！再见！”
　　窗户里再也没有声音传出来，然而，就在朱利安穿过院子往马房走去时，从窗帘后面伸出了一个脑袋，满脸震惊地看着他离开。
　　没想到他居然把她的话当真了，就这么头也不回地丢下她走了。她讨厌亨利和所有人，他们个个都让她骑虎难下。
　　朱利安跟其他人说，乔治头痛来不了了。安妮听完之后，非常担忧，打算去安慰她一下，但朱利安马上制止了。
　　“不，就让她一个人待在房间里吧，别理她，安妮。这是命令，懂吗？”
　　“好吧。”安妮说完，稍微放宽心。她能肯定，乔治不是因为头痛才不去，而是在发脾气，她也不想浪费半天的时间去跟她理论。
　　亨利沉默不语，满脸通红，当朱利安说乔治不来的时候，她立马就明白了乔治根本不是因为什么头痛，而是因为自己才不来的。
　　她走到朱利安旁边，说：“我就知道，乔治娜不跟我们一起去是因为我的缘故。我不想破坏大家的好心情，你跟她说，我不去了。”
　　朱利安感激地看着亨利，说：“你真善解人意，但乔治必须为她说的话负责。我们并非出于礼貌才邀请你，而是真心希望你也能加入。”
　　“谢谢。”亨利说，“既然如此，要走就赶紧走吧！马已经备好了，我去把鞍囊装上。”
　　过了没多久，四人就整装待发了。他们骑着马经过院子，向大门走去。乔治听见马蹄声响起，连忙透过窗户偷偷望向窗外——他们竟然就这么离开了！她完全没料到他们真的说走就走，心里感到无比慌张。
　　“我之前怎么那么矫情呢？现在活该自食其果！”乔治内心开始自责。现在倒好，亨利尔塔可以跟他们玩一整天，然后再跑来向我炫耀。我一定是哪根筋搭错了！“蒂米，我是个大傻瓜，是个超级无敌大白痴，对不对？”
　　蒂米并不这么认为。听到其他人要丢下它和乔治离开，它确实感到疑惑不解，于是跑到门口汪汪大叫了几声。看到乔治一脸不开心，蒂米只好又回到乔治旁边，将大脑袋搭在她的膝盖上。“你在意我的过错，对吗，蒂米？”乔治抚摸着它脑袋上柔软的绒毛说，“这就是当狗狗的好处！你并不在意我做得对不对，无论我做什么，你都会一如既往地爱我，是不是？但是，你今天不应该站在我这边。
　　哦，蒂米，我就是个傻瓜！”
　　这时敲门声响起，又是威廉：“乔治！夫人说，要是你头痛得厉害，就去睡一会儿。如果感觉好些了，就下去帮一帮那匹叫科里普的吉卜赛马。”
　　“我马上下来。”乔治回道，她暂时把脾气收起来，“告诉夫人，我立马就去马厩。”
　　“好的。”威廉面无表情，转身走了。
　　乔治和蒂米下了楼梯直接向院子走去。他们几个应该已经走出了很远，因为完全看不到他们的身影了。他们和那个讨厌鬼亨利是不是玩得很开心啊？
　　此时，其他人正在一英里开外的地方，慢悠悠地骑着马。大好时光就在眼前，神秘荒野，我们来了！
Chapter 6 A GRAND DAY
Chapter 6 A GRAND DAY
　　'I think it's got a jolly good name, Mystery Moor,' said Dick, as the four of them went along.
　　'Look at it stretching for miles, all blazing with gorse.'
　　'I don't think it looks at all mysterious,' said Henry, surprised.
　　'Well, it's got a sort of quietness and broodiness,' said Anne. 'As if something big happened long agoin the past and it's waiting for something to happen again.'
　　'Quiet and broody? It sounds like one of the farmyard hens sitting on her eggs!' said Henry with alaugh. 'I think it might be a bit frightening and mysterious at night, but it's just an ordinary stretch ofcountry in the day-time, fine for riding over. I can't think why it's called Mystery Moor.'
　　25
　　'We'll have to look it up in some book that tells about this part of the country,' said Dick. 'I expect itwas called that because of some queer happenings or other, hundreds of years ago, when peoplebelieved in witches and things like that.'
　　They followed no road or path, but rode where they pleased. There were great stretches of wiry grass,masses of heather springing up afresh, and, blazing its gold everywhere on this lovely April day, wasthe gorse.
　　Anne sniffed continually as they rode past the gorse bushes. Dick looked at her.
　　'You sound like Sniffer!' he said. 'Have you got a cold?'
　　Anne laughed. 'No, of course not. But I do so love the smell of the gorse. What does it smell of?
　　Vanilla? Hot coconut? It's a lovely warm smell!'
　　'Look! What's that moving over there?' said Julian, suddenly reining in his horse. They all strainedtheir eyes to see.
　　'Why, it's caravans!' said Julian, at last. 'Of course! They were setting out today, weren't they?
　　Well, they must find it very rough going, that's all I can say. There's no real road anywhere, as far as Ican see.'
　　'Where can they be going?' wondered Anne. 'What's over in that direction?'
　　'They'll come to the coast if they keep on the way they are going,' said Julian, considering. 'Let's rideover and have a look at them, shall we?'
　　'Yes. Good idea!' said Dick. So they turned their horses' heads to the right, and rode towards thefaraway caravans. These made quite a splash of colour as they went along. There were four of them -two red ones, a blue one and a yellow one. They went very slowly indeed, each pulled by a small,wiry horse.
　　'They all look like skewbalds, brown and white,' said Dick. 'It's funny that so many gypsies haveskewbald horses. I wonder why it is?'
　　They heard shouting as they came near the caravans, and saw one man pointing them out to another.
　　It was Sniffer's father!
　　'Look, that's the fellow who woke us up in the stable last night,' said Julian to Dick. 'Sniffer's father!
　　What a nasty bit of work he is! Why doesn't he get a haircut?'
　　'Good morning!' called Dick, as they rode up to the caravans on their horses. 'Nice day!'
　　There was no answer. The gypsies driving their caravans and those walking alongside, looked sourlyat the four riders.
　　26
　　'Where are you going?' asked Henry. 'To the coast?'
　　'It's naught to do with you,' said one of the gypsies, an old man with curly grey hair.
　　'Surly folk, aren't they?' said Dick to Julian. 'I suppose they think we're spying on them, or something.
　　I wonder how they manage about food on this moor, no shops or anything. I suppose they take it allwith them.'
　　'I'll ask them,' said Henry, not at all put off by the surly looks. She rode right up to Sniffer's father.
　　'How do you manage about food, and water?' she asked.
　　'We got food there,' said Snifler's father, jerking his head back towards one of the caravans. 'As forwater, we know where the springs are.'
　　'Are you camping on the moor for a long time?' asked Henry, thinking that a gypsy's life might be afine one, for a time! Fancy living out here on this lovely moor with gorse blazing gold all around, andprimroses by the thousand in the sheltered corners!
　　'That's naught to do with you!' shouted the old man with curly grey hair. 'You clear off and let usalone!'
　　'Come on, Henry,' said Julian, swinging round to go off. 'They don't like us asking them questions.
　　They think it's prying, not interest. May be they have lots of things to hide, and don't want us pokingaround - one or two chickens from a farm, a duck or so from some pond. They live from hand tomouth, these folk.'
　　Some dark-eyed children peered from the vans as they went by. One or two were running outside, butthey sheered off like frightened rabbits when Henry cantered towards them.
　　'Oh well, they simply don't want to be friendly,' she said, and went to join the other three. 'What astrange life they lead, in their houses on wheels! Never staying anywhere for long, always on themove. Get up, there, Sultan. Go after the others!'
　　Her horse obediently followed the other three, taking care not to step into any rabbit-holes! What funit was to be out here in the sunshine, jogging up and down on a horse's back, without a care in theworld! Henry was very happy.
　　The other three were enjoying their day, but they were not quite so happy. They kept wonderingabout George. They missed Timmy too. He should be trotting beside them, enjoying the day as well!
　　27
　　They lost sight of the caravans after a time. Julian kept track of the way they went, half-afraid ofbeing lost. He had a compass with him, and checked their direction continually. 'It would never do tohave to spend a night out here!' he said. 'Nobody would ever find us!'
　　They had a magnificent lunch about half-past twelve. Really, Mrs. Johnson had surpassed herself!
　　Egg and sardine sandwiches, tomato and lettuce, ham - there seemed no end to them!
　　Great slices of cherry cake were added too, and a large, juicy pear each.
　　'I like this kind of cherry cake,' said Dick, looking at his enormous slice. 'The cherries have all goneto the bottom. They make a very nice last mouthful!'
　　'Any drinks?' said Henry, and was handed a bottle of ginger-beer. She drank it thirstily.
　　'Why does ginger-beer taste so nice on a picnic?' she said. 'Much nicer than drinking it sitting downin a shop, even if it's got ice in it!'
　　'There's a spring or something nearby,' said Julian. 'I can hear it bubbling.'
　　They all listened. Yes, there was a little bubbling, tinkling noise. Anne got up to trace it. She found itin a few minutes and called the others. There was a round pool, cool and blue, lying two or three feetdown, and into it, from one side, fell a crystal clear spring of water, tinkling as it fell.
　　'One of the springs that the gypsies use, when they travel this deserted moor, I expect,' said Julian. Hecupped his hands under the falling water and got his palms full. He carried the water to his mouth andsipped it.
　　'Delicious! Cool as an ice-box,' he said. 'Taste it, Anne.'
　　They rode a little farther, but the moor seemed the same everywhere, heather, wiry grass, gorse, aclear spring falling into a pool or tiny stream here and there, and a few trees, mostly silver birch.
　　Larks sang all the time, soaring high in the air, almost too far up to see.
　　'Their song falls down like raindrops,' said Anne, holding out her hands as if to catch them.
　　Henry laughed. She liked this family, and was very glad they had asked her to come out with them.
　　She thought George was silly to have stayed at the stables.
　　'I think we ought to go home,' said Julian at last, looking at his watch. 'We're a good way away.
　　Let me see now. We want to make more or less for the setting sun. Come on!'
　　He led the way, his horse picking its own path over the heather. The others followed. Dick stoppedafter a while.
　　28
　　'Are you sure we're quite right, Ju? I don't somehow feel that we are. The moor is different here,rather sandy and not so much gorse.'
　　Julian stopped his horse and looked round and about. 'Yes, it does look a bit different,' he said.
　　'But yet we seem to be going in the right direction. Let's go a bit more to the west. If only there wassomething on the horizon to guide us. But this moor hasn't a thing that stands out anywhere!'
　　They went on again, and then Henry gave an exclamation. 'I say! What's this? Do come here.'
　　The two boys and Anne swerved over to Henry. She was now off her horse, and was bending over,scraping away at the heather.
　　'Look, it seems like rails, or something,' said Henry. 'Very old and rusty. But they can't be, surely?'
　　Everyone was now down on their knees, scraping sand and heather away. Julian sat back andconsidered.
　　'Yes, it's rails. Old ones, as you say. But what in the world were rails laid down here for?'
　　'I can't think,' said Henry. 'I only caught sight of them by chance, they're so overgrown. I couldn'tbelieve my eyes!'
　　'They must lead from somewhere to somewhere!' said Dick. 'Perhaps there was a quarry, orsomething on the moor and they ran little engines with trucks there, to fetch the sand, and take it backto town to sell.'
　　'That's about it,' said Julian. 'It's very sandy here, as we noticed. Good, fine sand. May be there is aquarry on the moor. Well, that way, behind us goes right out on the moor, so this way must lead backto some town or village, probably Milling Green or somewhere like that.'
　　'Yes. You're right,' said Dick. 'In which case, if we follow the lines along, we'll get back tocivilization sooner or later!'
　　'Well, seeing that we seem to be more or less lost, that would be quite a good idea!' said Henry.
　　She mounted her horse again and rode along the lines.
　　'They're fairly easy to see!' she called. 'If you ride between them, that is, because they go so straight.'
　　The lines ran steadily over the moor, sometimes very overgrown, and in about half an hour's timeHenry gave a cry and pointed forward. 'Houses! I thought we'd soon come to some place!'
　　'It is Milling Green!' said Julian, as the rails came to a sudden end, and they rode out into a small cart-road.
　　29
　　'Well, we haven't far to go now, to get to the stables,' said Henry, pleased. 'I say, wouldn't it be fun tofollow those lines all across the moor and see where they really lead to?'
　　'Yes. We might do that one day,' said Julian. 'Gosh, it's getting late. I wonder how old George hasbeen getting on today!'
　　They walked quickly along to the stables, thinking of George. Would she have retired to bed?
　　Would she still be cross, or worse still, hurt and grieved? It was anybody's guess!
6.放风的时光
　　放风的时光
　　四人乘着马，迎风齐行。
　　迪克感慨道：“我觉得‘神秘荒野’这名字起得太好了，看那金灿灿的金雀花，绵延了数英里。”
　　“这地方看起来也没那么神秘嘛。”亨利有些出乎意料。
　　“嗯，有点荒凉，大地似乎在酝酿着什么。”安妮说，“好像很久以前发生过什么大事件，现在又将有什么事情发生。”
　　“荒凉？酝酿？听起来像是农场里的母鸡在孵蛋！”亨利觉得很好笑，“我认为晚上这里或许真的既神秘又恐怖，而白天看来，只不过是从乡村延伸出来的大片空地而已，挺适合骑马的。我不明白它为什么叫‘神秘荒野’。”
　　“我们得去找找资料，看看有没有什么书上记载着这个地方的历史。”迪克说，“我猜它之所以叫这个名字，是因为几百年前这里发生过什么怪事，比如女巫之类的。”
　　他们没有沿着道路走，连小路也看不到，孩子们就随心所欲，喜欢哪个方向就往哪个方向走。放眼望去，地上是一大片又尖又硬的杂草，石南花刚抽出新芽，还有在这个可爱的四月天里闪闪发光的金雀花。
　　当他们穿过这些金雀花丛的时候，安妮一直不停地吸鼻子。迪克对她说：“你被鼻涕虫附身啦？是感冒了吗？”
　　安妮笑道：“当然不是啦。我只是太喜欢这金雀花的香气了，真是令人心旷神怡！这气味闻起来像什么，香草还是热巧克力？”
　　“看那边！是什么东西在移动？”朱利安说完，猛地勒住马。所有人纷纷睁大眼睛朝那个方向望去。
　　“是大篷车队！”朱利安总算看出点眉目，“他们大部队就是在今天出发，对吧？他们好像发现这里的路很难走。确实是，反正据我观察，这里是没有什么路可走的。”
　　“照目前的情况看，他们应该是往海岸的方向前进。”朱利安思索着，“我们骑过去看看，怎么样？”
　　“好主意！”迪克非常赞同。他们调转马头，驱马向车队的方向前进。他们隐约看见，车队是由四种颜色组成的：两辆红色的车，一辆蓝色和一辆黄色的车。每辆车都由一匹瘦小的马拉着，缓慢地移动。
　　“那些马好像都是棕白相间的白花马。”迪克说，“为什么吉卜赛人都养白花马呢？真奇怪。”
　　当他们渐渐靠近队伍时，听到有人在大声叫喊，一个男人正把他们指给另一个人看。仔细一瞧，竟是鼻涕虫的爸爸！
　　“看，是昨天晚上潜进马房被我们发现的那个人。”朱利安对迪克说，“鼻涕虫的爸爸怎么一点都不注意形象，为什么就不能去剪个头发呢？”
　　他们跟上前去，迪克喊了一声：“早上好！天气不错啊！”
　　没有人回应他。那些坐着大篷车和跟在车旁走路的吉卜赛人，脸色难看地盯着他们四个。
　　亨利问：“你们要去哪里，是去海岸吗？”
　　“跟你无关。”其中一个年长的，留着一头花白鬈发的吉卜赛人回答道。
　　“真是粗鲁。”迪克对朱利安说，“他们大概以为我们几个是来监视他们的吧。还有，他们怎么弄到食物的，这里没有店铺--什么都没有，他们应该是自己带了吃的东西上路的。”
　　“我去问问。”亨利完全无视那些不友善的眼神，直接骑着马跑到鼻涕虫的爸爸跟前。
　　“你们哪里来的食物和水？”她问。
　　“食物是出发前准备好的。”男人说完，扭头看向其中一辆大篷车，“至于水，我们自然知道去哪里取。”
　　“你们准备在这片荒野上待上一段时间吗？”亨利问。她甚至觉得吉卜赛人的生活在短期内还是挺不错的！想一想，每天生活在这片美丽的荒野，到处都可以看到金灿灿的金雀花，还有成千上万棵报春花在角落里盛开，简直胜似神仙！
　　“这跟你没关系！”那个白发苍苍的老人朝她吼道，“你们赶紧滚开，别多管闲事！”
　　“走吧，亨利。”朱利安调转马头，打算离开，“他们不希望我们过问太多，觉得我们不只是单纯的感兴趣，而是在试探他们。说不定他们藏了一些东西，不想让我们发现，有可能是农场里的一两只鸡，或者池塘里的鸭子。毕竟这些人平时过得捉襟见肘的。”
　　坐在货车里的几个小孩睁大着眼睛，黑黑的眼珠直勾勾地盯着朱利安他们从旁边经过。有一两个小孩甚至还跑了出来，当亨利骑着马慢慢向他们靠近时，他们一个个却又像受惊的兔子一样溜走了。
　　“他们一点都不友好。”她说道，跑去跟另外三人汇合，“他们的生活方式真奇怪，大篷车就是生活起居的地方！从来不会在某个地方停留太长时间，总是不停地迁移。振作起来，苏丹，跟上去！”
　　亨利的马顺从地跟在其他三人的后面，小心翼翼地避开兔子洞！在阳光下骑着马，出来溜达的时光简直太美好了，无忧无虑的，亨利开心极了。
　　其他三人也很享受此时此刻的风景，只不过没有亨利那么激动。他们心里挂念着乔治，也想念着蒂米。它要是在的话，肯定会在后面活蹦乱跳地追赶他们！
　　吉卜赛人的队伍离他们越来越远，最后渐渐地消失在他们的视野中。朱利安担心会迷失方向，始终保持直线行走。他身上带着指南针，时不时拿出来看看方向对不对。他说：“我们决不能在这里过夜，否则没有人能找到我们！”
　　大约在12点半时，大家坐下来吃了一顿丰盛的午餐。约翰逊夫人给他们带了相当多的食物，鸡蛋和沙丁鱼做成的三明治，里面还放了番茄、生菜、火腿……孩子们怎么吃都吃不完！还配了一大块樱桃蛋糕和一个大雪梨。
　　“我喜欢这种樱桃蛋糕，真美味。”迪克望着自己手里的那一块大蛋糕说，“樱桃酱都垫在最下面，最后一口才吃到，真是太好吃了！”
　　“有没有什么喝的东西？”亨利问。朱利安递给她一瓶姜汁汽水，她大口喝起来。
　　她说：“这姜汁汽水怎么这么好喝，简直就是野餐必备饮品。比店里卖的饮料强多了，哪怕是加了冰的饮料。”
　　“这儿附近好像有泉水。”朱利安说，“我能听到水声。”
　　他们都竖起耳朵。没错，真的有“叮叮咚咚”的水声。安妮起身寻找声音的源头。不出几分钟，她果真找到了，于是连忙招来伙伴们。这是一个圆形的池塘，池水冰凉清澈，呈湛蓝色，大概有两三英尺深。池塘的一边，一股晶莹剔透的水像小瀑布一样缓缓流下。
　　“这大概是吉卜赛人刚刚取水的地方，应该是他们来到这个荒废的荒野时发现的。”朱利安说道。他把手伸进流淌的水流中，双手捧满水，一头扎进去仔细地品尝。
　　“好清甜的水！”他说，“安妮，你也尝一尝。”
　　吃饱喝足，他们又骑着马继续往深处走去。但是这片荒野太大了，而且各处看起来都差不多，石南花、尖叶草、金雀花、还有随处可见的小瀑布和池塘，或是涓涓的溪流，还有一些以黄桦树为主的树木。
　　云雀的叫声悦耳动人，一转眼飞入云霄，消失在众人视线里。
　　“这鸟叫声像雨滴一样清脆动人。”安妮把手伸向空中，似乎要抓住它们。亨利笑了，她喜欢这个小团体，他们能把她叫上，她满怀感激，但同时又觉得愧对乔治。她觉得，乔治因赌气而决定待在马房这实在是太笨了。
　　“我想我们该回去了。”朱利安看了一眼手表，提醒大家，“我们已经走了很远的路，让我看看，要赶在日落之前回去的话我们得快点了！”
　　他走在最前头，其他人紧紧跟在他后面。这时，迪克突然停了下来，发觉有些不对劲。
　　“你确定我们走的方向是对的吗，朱利安？我隐隐感觉不对劲，这里的荒野看起来跟前面的不一样，沙土变多了，而且金雀花明显变少了。”
　　朱利安停下马，环顾四周，说：“没错，看起来确实不太一样。
　　但这个方向应该是对的呀。我们往西走走，但愿地平线上出现一些能够指引我们的东西。不过这个荒野里什么标志性的东西都没有！”
　　他们继续赶路，突然听见亨利发出惊呼，她似乎发现了什么：“嘿！那是什么？快过来看！”
　　两个男孩和安妮调转马头往亨利这边骑来。只见她下了马，弯着腰，正趴在地上的石南花丛里挖什么。
　　“快看，这个看起来像不像铁轨？”亨利说，“而且很旧，已经生锈了。但这东西不应该出现在这儿呀！”
　　其他人纷纷蹲下去，把沙子和石南花清理掉。朱利安席地而坐，认真思考起来。
　　“确实是旧铁轨，跟你说的一样。只是这些铁轨为什么会在这儿呢？”
　　“不知道。”亨利说，“我也只是不经意间看见的。真是不敢相信，居然能在这儿看见这个庞然大物！”
　　“这些铁轨应该是连接两个地方的枢纽！”迪克说，“也许这里之前有一座采沙场或者其他什么，这些铁轨的作用就是方便火车行驶进来，然后给车装上沙子，再沿着铁轨运到镇子里去卖。”
　　“八九不离十。”朱利安说，“这里一眼望去都是沙子，沙质细腻，或许真的有一个采沙场在这里。我们后边的那一条路就是进出荒野的路，它应该通往某个小镇或村落，有可能是米林格律或者其他地方。”
　　“你说得对。”迪克说，“不管哪条路，只要我们沿着这条轨道走，早晚都会离开这里，回到镇上的！”
　　“现在我们已经迷路了，只能这么办了，这个办法不错！”亨利踩着脚镫上了马，沿着轨道往前骑去。
　　她招呼同伴：“你们到铁轨中间来，这样特别好认，因为它是笔直往前延伸的。”
　　铁轨平缓地向前延伸，虽然有些被草丛覆盖住了，但大部分都能很容易辨认出来。约莫过了一个半小时，亨利手指着前方，兴奋地大叫：“我看见房子了！应该很快就到了。”
　　“欢迎来到米林格律！”朱利安说。他们走到了铁轨的尽头，进入了一条乡村小道。
　　“太好了，马场离这儿不远了！”亨利高兴地说，“要是跟着那些铁轨穿过整片荒野，看看最后通往哪个地方，是不是很有趣？”
　　“是啊，以后可以试试看。”朱利安说，“天哪，已经很晚了。不知道乔治这家伙是怎么度过这一天的！”
　　一想起乔治，他们快马加鞭，直奔马厩。她是不是已经结束工作，回床上睡觉了？会不会还在生气，被我们伤透了心？每个人心里都在为乔治默默地担忧。
Chapter 7 GEORGE, SNIFFER AND LIZ
Chapter 7 GEORGE, SNIFFER AND LIZ
　　George had had quite an interesting day. First she had gone down to help Captain Johnson do Clip'sleg again and bandage it up. The little skewbald stood very patiently, and George felt a sudden likingfor the ugly little creature.
　　'Thanks, George,' said Captain Johnson, who, to her relief, had said nothing about her not havinggone riding with the others. 'Now would you like to come and put jumps up for the youngsters?
　　They're longing to do some more jumping.'
　　George found that it was quite amusing to teach the younger ones how to jump. They were so veryvery proud of themselves when they went over even a foot-high jump on their little ponies.
　　After that Sniffer arrived, accompanied by a peculiar little mongrel called Liz. Liz was a bit of aspaniel, a bit of a poodle, and odd bits of something else - and looked rather like a small, walkinghearth-rug of black curly fur.
　　Timmy was amazed to see this walking mat, and sat and watched Liz sniffing here and there for sometime, before he came to the conclusion that it really was some kind of dog. He gave a sharp little barkto see what this comical creature would do when she heard it.
　　Liz took no notice at all. She had unearthed a small bone, which smelt extremely interesting.
　　Timmy considered that all bones within the radius of at least a mile belonged to him and him alone.
　　So he ran over to Liz at once and gave a small, warning growl.
　　Liz immediately dropped the bone humbly at his feet, then sat up on her hind-legs and begged.
　　Timmy eyed her in astonishment. Then Liz stood up on her hindlegs and walked daintily all roundTimmy and back again.
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　　Timmy was astounded. He had never seen a dog do that before. Could this hearthrug affair be a dogafter all?
　　Liz saw that Timmy was really impressed, and went on with yet another trick she had learnt duringthe time she had been with the circus.
　　She turned head-over-heels, yapping all the time. Timmy retreated a few steps into the bushes.
　　This was going too far! What was this animal doing? Trying to stand on its head?
　　Liz went on turning head-over-heels very rapidly and ended up almost on Timmy's front paws.
　　He had now backed into the bush as far as he could.
　　Liz remained on her back, paws in air, tongue hanging out, panting. She gave a very small,beseeching whine.
　　Timmy bent his head down and sniffed at her paws. Behind him his tail began to move a little, yes, ithad a wag in it! He sniffed again. Liz leapt on to her four feet and pranced all round Timmy, yappingas if to say 'Come on and play! Do come!'
　　And then suddenly Timmy fell upon the absurd little creature and pretended to worry it. Liz gave adelighted volley of yaps and rolled over and over. They had a marvellous game, and when it was allover, Timmy sank down panting for breath, in a sunny corner of the yard and Liz settled herselfbetween his front paws, as if she had known him all her life!
　　When George came out of the stable with Sniffer, she could hardly believe her eyes. 'What's thatTimmy's got between his paws?' she said. 'It's surely not a dog!'
　　'It's Liz,' said Sniffer. 'She can get round any dog there is, Master George! Liz! You're a monkey,aren't you! Walk, then, walk!'
　　Liz left Timmy and ran over to Sniffer, walking daintily on her hind legs. George laughed. 'What afunny little creature, like a bit cut out of a furry hearthrug!'
　　'She's clever,' said Sniffer and patted Liz. 'Well, Master George, when can I have Clip, do you think?
　　My father has gone off with the other caravans and he's left me with ours. So it doesn't matterwhether it's today or tomorrow, or even the next day.'
　　'Well, it won't be today, that's certain,' said George, pleased that Sniffer called her Master George notMiss. 'It might perhaps be tomorrow. Haven't you got a hanky, Sniffer? I never on my life heardanyone sniff as often as you do.'
　　Sniffer rubbed his sleeve across his nose. 'I never had no hanky,' he said. 'But I've got my sleeve,see?'
　　31
　　'I think you're quite disgusting,' said George. 'I'm going to give you one of my own hankies, andyou're to use it. You're not to keep sniffing like that.'
　　'Didn't know I did,' said Sniffer, half sulkily. 'What's it matter, anyway?'
　　But George had gone indoors and up the stairs. She chose a large hanky, in red and white stripes.
　　That would do nicely for Sniffer! She took it down to him. He looked at it in surprise.
　　'That's a scarf for my neck!' he said.
　　'No, it isn't. It's a hanky for your nose,' said George. 'Haven't you a pocket to put it in? That's right.
　　Now, use it instead of sniffing, for goodness' sake!'
　　'Where are the others?' asked Sniffer, putting the hanky carefully into his pocket, almost as if it weremade of glass.
　　'Gone riding,' said George, shortly.
　　'They said they would come and see my caravan,' said Sniffer. 'They said so!'
　　'Well, they won't be able to today,' said George. 'They'll be back too late, I expect. I'll come and seeit, though. There's nobody in it, is there?'
　　George was not keen on meeting Sniffer's father or any other of his relations! He shook his head.
　　'No, it's empty. My father's gone, I told you, and my aunt and my grandma too.'
　　'What do you do on the moor?' asked George, as she followed Sniffer across the field and up the hillto where the caravans had stood. Now only one was left - Sniffer's.
　　'Play around,' said Sniffer, and gave an enormous sniff. George gave him a shove in the back.
　　'Sniffer! What did I give you the hanky for? Don't do that! It gets on my nerves!'
　　Sniffer used his sleeve at once, but fortunately George didn't notice. She had now come to thecaravan and was staring at it. She thought of Sniffer's answer to her question a minute or two back.
　　'You said you just played around on the moor. But what does your father do, and your uncle andgrandad and all the rest of the men? There's nothing to do there at all, as far as I can see, and nofarmhouse to beg eggs or milk or anything from.'
　　Sniffer shut up like a clam. He was just about to sniff and thought better of it. He stared at George, hismouth set in an obstinate line.
　　George looked at him impatiently. 'Captain Johnson said you and your caravans went there everythree months,' she said. 'What for? There must be some reason?'
　　'Well,' said Sniffer, looking away from her, 'we make pegs, and baskets, and...'
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　　'I know that! All gypsies make things to sell,' said George. 'But you don't need to go into the middleof a deserted moor to make them. You can do them just as well in a village, or sitting in a field near afarmhouse. Why go to such a lonely place as the moor?'
　　Sniffer said nothing, but bent over a queer little arrangement of sticks set on the path beside hiscaravan. George saw them and bent over them too, her question forgotten.
　　'Oh! Is that a patrin? A gypsy message! What does it mean?'
　　There were two sticks, one long and one short, neatly arranged in the shape of a cross. A little fartherup on the path were a few single, straight sticks, all pointing in the same direction. 'Yes,'
　　said Sniffer, very glad to have the subject changed. 'It's our way of telling things to those who maycome after us. See the sticks in the shape of the cross? That's a patrin that says we've been along thisway and we're going in the direction that the long stick points.'
　　'I see,' said George. 'How simple! But what about these four straight sticks, all pointing the same waytoo. What do they mean?'
　　'They mean that the travellers went in caravans,' said Sniffer, giving a sudden sniff. 'See, four sticks,four caravans, going that way!'
　　'I see,' said George, making up her mind that she herself would evolve quite a few 'patrins' for use atschool when they went for walks. 'Are there any more 'patrins' Sniffer?'
　　'Plenty,' said the boy. 'Look, when I leave here, I shall put a patrin like this!' he picked a large leaffrom a nearby tree, and then a small one. He placed them side by side, and weighted them down withsmall stones.
　　'What in the world does that mean?' said George.
　　'Well, it's a patrin, a message, to say that me and my little dog have gone in the caravan too,' saidSniffer, picking up the leaves. 'Suppose my father came back to find me, and he saw those leavesthere, he'd know I'd gone on with my dog. It's simple. Big leaf for me, little leaf for my dog!'
　　'Yes. I like it,' said George, pleased. 'Now let's look at the caravan.'
　　It was an old-fashioned kind of caravan, not very big, and with high wheels. The door and the stepsdown were in front. The shafts rested on the ground waiting for Clip to come back. The caravan wasblack, with red designs on it here and there.
　　George went up the steps. 'I've been inside a few caravans,' she said. 'But never one quite like this.'
　　33
　　She peeped in curiously. It certainly wasn't very clean, but it wasn't as dirty as she expected either.
　　'It's not smelly, is it?' said Sniffer, quite anxiously. 'I tidied it up today, seeing as how I thought youwere all visiting me. That's our bed at the back. We all sleep on it.'
　　George stared at the big bunk-like bed stretched at the end of the caravan, covered with a bright quilt.
　　She imagined the whole family sleeping there, close together. Well at least they would be warm inthe winter.
　　'Don't you get hot in the summer, sleeping in this small caravan?' asked George.
　　'Oh no, only my grandma sleeps here then,' said Sniffer, swallowing a sniff in a hurry, before Georgecould hear it. 'Me and the others sleep under the caravan. Then if it rains it don't matter.'
　　'Well, thanks for showing me so many things,' said George, looking round at the cupboards, the littlelocker-seats, and the over-big chest of drawers. 'How you all get in here is a miracle.'
　　She didn't go in. Even though Sniffer had tidied up, there was still a distinctly peculiar smell hangingabout!
　　'Come and see us tomorrow, Sniffer,' she said, going down the steps. 'Clip may be all right by then.
　　And Sniffer, don't you forget you've got a hanky now!'
　　'I won't forget,' said Sniffer, proudly. 'I'll keep it as clean as can be, Master George!'
7.乔治这一天
　　乔治这一天
　　乔治这一天过得还挺有趣。一开始她去帮约翰逊队长照看科里普的腿，给它换上新的绷带。这匹小白花马温顺地站在那儿，乔治突然间喜欢上了这只丑得可爱的小东西。
　　“谢谢你呀，乔治。”约翰逊队长说通。乔治内心松了一口气——约翰逊队长没再提早上乔治闹别扭没去骑马的事。“你能不能教教那些小孩骑马起跳？他们挺想多做一些起跳练习的。”
　　乔治发现，原来教小孩起跳还挺好玩的。每当他们骑着小矮马，跳起一英尺高的时候，个个都觉得自己非常了不起。
　　在乔治的工作结束时，鼻涕虫来了，旁边跟着一只奇怪的杂种狗——“丽丝”。“丽丝”身上有一点西班牙猎狗的血统，一点贵宾犬血统，还有一些别的不知道是什么的血统，样子很奇怪，看起来像是一块会自己走路的黑色卷毛小毯子。
　　蒂米看到这块会移动的毛毯时，先是感到十分震惊，然后蹲在地上，看着丽丝嗅嗅这边，嗅嗅那边，观察了好一阵子，终于得出一个结论：这块“毛毯”原来是只狗啊。蒂米朝着那只滑稽的“生物”吼了一声，想看看它有什么反应。
　　丽丝一点都不理会，它从地上刨出一块骨头，津津有味地闻起来。这让蒂米感到很不高兴——这方圆一英里之内的骨头，都是属于它的。所以它连忙跑向丽丝，警告性地朝它低吼。
　　丽丝往后缩了缩，把骨头放到脚边，接着坐了下来，用哀求的眼神看着蒂米。蒂米有些不知所措了。丽丝站起来，优雅地绕着蒂米走过来，走过去。
　　蒂米更加惊愕了，它从来没见过一只像丽丝这样的狗。这块“毛毯”究竟是不是一只真正的狗呢？
　　蒂米的目光瞬间成功地被吸引住了，丽丝见状，趁机拿出以前在马戏团学到的看家本领。它朝蒂米的方向翻了几个跟头，还“汪汪”地叫个不停。
　　蒂米步步向后，被逼得只能退到灌木丛里去了。怎么跟我想的不太一样，这个家伙到底在做什么，想显摆倒立给我看吗？
　　丽丝继续快速地翻着跟头，最后稳妥地落在蒂米的面前。蒂米见状连忙溜回灌木丛里，希望离它越远越好。
　　丽丝保持着刚刚落下的姿势，背挨着地，四脚朝天，舌头耷拉在外，微微喘息，嘴里发出乞求的汪汪声。
　　蒂米低下头嗅了嗅丽丝的爪子，尾巴摇摆了一下，然后又闻了一遍。丽丝一个翻身，弹跳起来，围着蒂米边跳边叫，好像在招呼它一起过来玩耍！
　　蒂米突然趴在这只古灵精怪的小家伙身旁，假装很担心它。丽丝发出一连串的叫声，在地上滚来滚去。它们一起愉快地玩耍了一会儿，最后，蒂米躺在院子里一处有阳光的角落，喘着气；丽丝则蹲在蒂米的两只前爪之间，似乎它们已经成为好朋友了。
　　当乔治和鼻涕虫一起走出马厩时，她几乎不敢相信自己的眼睛。“蒂米前面的那一团是什么东西？”她问，“不会是一只狗吧！”
　　“乔治，它就是丽丝。”鼻涕虫回答道，“它能让任何一只狗拜倒在它的石榴裙下。丽丝，你这只调皮狗，起来！”
　　丽丝离开蒂米，前脚先离地，身姿绰约地向鼻涕虫走过来。乔治被逗笑了：“好可爱的小东西啊，真像一块剪下来的毛地毯。”
　　“它很聪明。”鼻涕虫说着，轻轻地拍拍丽丝，“乔治小少爷，你觉得我什么时候能带走科里普？不过我爸爸已经和其他车队离开了，把我们的车留在家里。所以不管今天、明天还是后天带它回去，对我来说都一样。”
　　“嗯，今天还不行。”乔治说，当听到鼻涕虫叫她乔治小少爷而非小姐时，心里不禁得意扬扬，“或许明天可以，你身上带着手帕没，鼻涕虫？我从没见过有人跟你一样一直吸鼻涕的。”
　　鼻涕虫用袖口擦擦鼻子：“我从来不带手帕，因为我没有手帕，但我有袖子，可以像这样擦。”
　　“你太恶心了。”乔治说，“我去取我的手帕来，你可以拿去用，这样就不用老是拿袖子擦鼻涕了。”
　　“我没这个习惯。”鼻涕虫有些不高兴了，“再说这有什么关系嘛！”
　　乔治已经走进门，上楼梯去拿手帕了。她挑了一块红白条纹的大手帕，这个一定很适合鼻涕虫！她下楼把手帕拿给他看，他下巴差点惊掉了。
　　“这根本就是小孩子戴的围巾嘛！”他说。
　　“乱讲，这是给你擦鼻涕用的。”乔治说道，“你没有口袋可以装进去吗？从今往后你就把鼻涕擦在手帕上面，听到没有！”
　　鼻涕虫把手帕小心翼翼地放进口袋里面，好像它是用什么易碎的玻璃做成的一样。他问道：“其他人去哪里了？”
　　“骑马去了。”乔治简略地说。
　　“他们不是说要来看我的大篷车吗，人呢？明明约好了的。”鼻涕虫说道。
　　“不用管他们了，我想他们今天很晚才会回来。不过我可以跟你去看看，你家里没有别人吧？”
　　乔治实在不想看见鼻涕虫的爸爸或者其他家人！他摇了摇头：“嗯，没有人。爸爸已经走了，阿姨和奶奶也一起走了。”
　　乔治一路跟着鼻涕虫，先穿过一片田野，又爬上吉卜赛人原先驻扎的一座山。如今山上只有一顶帐篷了——只有鼻涕虫一个人孤零零地住在这儿。“你们一般去荒野里都做什么？”乔治问。
　　“就是到处逛逛。”鼻涕虫说完，重重地吸了一下鼻涕，乔治在他后背推了一把。
　　“鼻涕虫！我给你的手帕是用来装饰的吗？你以后不要那样子吸鼻涕了，好吗？太恶心了！”
　　鼻涕虫立马又用袖子擦了擦鼻涕，所幸的是乔治没有注意到。
　　她已经走到大篷车前面，正兴致勃勃地研究呢。她想了想刚刚鼻涕虫说的话。
　　“你刚才说你们只是去那里玩。但是你爸爸、叔叔和爷爷，还有其他男人都只是去那儿玩吗？我知道那边没有农场，鸡蛋、牛奶之类的什么都没有，你们根本买不到吃的东西吧。”
　　鼻涕虫一言不发，他刚刚正准备再吸一次鼻涕，但看了看乔治，便控制住了，站在那儿一动不动。
　　乔治不耐烦了：“队长说你们拉着大篷车，每隔三个月就到荒野上去。去那里干吗呢？一定是有原因的吧？”
　　“好吧。”鼻涕虫避开她的目光，“我们去那里做橛子、篮子，还有……”
　　“我知道了！所有的吉卜赛人总是做一些东西拿出去卖了换钱。”乔治说，“但……你们也不用到那么荒凉的荒野去做呀，在村里同样可以做啊，为什么要去那么荒凉的地方呢？”
　　鼻涕虫什么也没说，弯下腰来，看着大篷车旁的小路上摆着的一堆奇怪的小木棍。乔治看见了，立马弯下腰来，把一堆问题抛到脑后了。
　　“哇！这就是暗号吗？用来传递信息的？这是什么意思？”
　　只见一根长、一根短的两根树枝整齐地摆成十字架的形状。再往前看，是几根单独摆放的直树枝，这些树枝直指同一个方向。
　　“是的。”鼻涕虫连忙答应，庆幸她转移了话题，“这是给后面跟来的人传信息用的。看见那个用树枝摆成的十字架没？那个就是表示‘我们’正沿着这条路一直走，而长树枝指的就是行进的方向。”
　　“我明白了。”乔治说，“看起来很简单啊！但是这四根直树枝又是怎么回事呢？它们都指向同一条路，是什么意思？”
　　鼻涕虫又吸了一下鼻涕：“它们意味着大篷车的数目。瞧，四根棍子，指四辆大篷车往那边的方向走了。”
　　“我明白了。”乔治说，暗暗决定要自己发明一些暗号作为路标用，“还有别的暗号吗，鼻涕虫？”
　　“多着呢。”鼻涕虫说，“看，当我离开的时候，我会摆一个这样的暗号！”他从旁边的树上摘下一片大叶子，又摘了一片小的。他将它们排在一起，用几块小石头固定住。
　　“这又是什么意思？”乔治问。
　　“嗯，这也是一个暗号，意思就是我和我的小狗在大篷车里。”鼻涕虫一边说，一边把叶子捡起来，“要是我爸爸回来时看不到我，发现地上的这些叶子，就知道我是跟狗狗在一起。这很容易理解，大叶子是我，小叶子代表狗狗。”
　　“好厉害啊。”乔治高兴地说，“我们再去看看大篷车吧。”
　　这是一辆老式大篷车，体积不是很大，车轮较高，门和阶梯都在前面。车轴搁在地上，等科里普回来时将它拴上。整辆车呈黑色，上面星星点点布满了红色印子。
　　乔治走上阶梯，说：“我之前也坐过不少大篷车，但这种我从没见过。”
　　她好奇地到处瞅瞅，车子里并不干净，但也没她想象中那么脏。
　　鼻涕虫眼巴巴地问：“是不是没有难闻的气味？我今天清扫过了，因为想着你们都会过来看它。这后面是我们的床，所有人都睡在那儿。”
　　乔治直勾勾地看着平放在大篷车后面的那张大床，上面铺着颜色鲜艳的被子。她想象着整个家庭成员都挤在这里睡觉的样子，实在难以接受，不过至少他们冬天可以相互取暖。
　　“夏天你们不觉得热吗，睡在这么小的车子里？”乔治问。
　　“不，那时候只有奶奶睡这里。”鼻涕虫说，强忍着吸鼻子的冲动，“我和其他人睡在车底，下雨了也不怕。”
　　“好了，谢谢你带我参观了这么多东西。”乔治说道，她看了看四周挤得满满的橱柜、储物柜和一个超大型的五斗橱，“你们怎么进去的，简直就是个奇迹。”
　　她并没有进去，即使鼻涕虫已经打扫过了，但是还能明显地闻到一股奇怪的味道。
　　“明天你来马场找我们吧，鼻涕虫。”她一边说着，一边走下楼梯，“科里普会好起来的。还有你，别忘了裤袋里的手帕！”
　　“我不会忘记的。”鼻涕虫自信满满地说，“我会努力保持干净的，乔治！”
Chapter 8 SNIFFER MAKES A PROMISE
Chapter 8 SNIFFER MAKES A PROMISE
　　George was feeling very lonely by the time the evening came. How had the others got on withouther? Had they missed her at all? Perhaps they hadn't even thought of her!
　　'Anyway, they didn't have you, Timmy!' said George. 'You wouldn't go off and leave me, wouldyou?'
　　Timmy pressed against her, glad to see that she was happier again. He wondered where the otherswere, and where they had gone to all day.
　　There was suddenly a clattering of hooves in the stableyard and George flew to the door. Yes, theywere back! How should she behave? She felt cross and relieved and rather humble and glad all atonce! She stood there, not knowing whether to frown or to smile.
　　34
　　The others made up her mind for her. 'Hallo, George!' shouted Dick. 'We did miss you!'
　　'How's your head?' called Anne. 'I hope it's better!'
　　'Hallo!' called Henry. 'You ought to have come. We've had a super day!'
　　'Come and help us stable the horses, George,' shouted Julian. 'Tell us what you've been doing!'
　　Timmy had sped over to them, barking in delight. George found her legs running towards them too, awelcoming smile on her face.
　　'Hallo!' she called. 'Let me help! Did you really miss me? I missed you too.'
　　The boys were very relieved to see that George was herself again. Nothing more was said about herheadache! She busied herself unsaddling the horses and listening to their story of the day.
　　Then she told them about Sniffer and his patrins, and how she had given him a brand- newhandkerchief.
　　'But I'm sure he thinks he's got to keep it spotlessly clean!' she said. 'He never used it once when Iwas with him. There's the supper-bell, we'll only just be in time! Are you hungry?'
　　'You bet we are!' said Dick. 'Though after Mrs. Johnson's sandwiches I never thought I'd be able toeat any supper at all. How's Clip?'
　　'Never mind now. I'll tell you everything at supper,' said George. 'Do you want any help, Henry?'
　　Henry was surprised to hear George call her Henry instead of Henrietta. 'No thanks - er -George,' she said. 'I can manage.'
　　It was a very jolly supper-time that evening. The youngsters were set at a table by themselves, so theolder ones talked to their hearts' content.
　　Captain Johnson was very interested to hear about the old railway they had found. 'I never knew therewas anything like that on the moors,' he said. 'Though, of course, we've only been here about fifteenyears, so we don't know a great deal of the local history. You want to go and ask old Ben theblacksmith about that. He's lived here all his life, and a long life it is, for he's over eighty!'
　　'Well, we've got to take some of the horses to be shod tomorrow, haven't we?' said Henry, eagerly.
　　'We could ask him then! Why, he might even have helped to make the rails!'
　　'We saw the caravans, George, when we had got pretty far out on the moor,' said Julian.
　　'Goodness knows where they were heading for, towards the coast, I should think. What's the coastlike beyond the moor, Captain Johnson?'
　　35
　　'Wild,' said the Captain. 'Great, unclimbable cliffs, and reefs or rocks stretching out to sea. Only thebirds live there. There's no bathing, no boating, no beach.'
　　'Well, it beats me where those caravans are going,' said Dick. 'It's a mystery. They go every threemonths, don't they?'
　　'About that,' said Captain Johnson. 'I've no idea what the attraction of the moor is for the gypsies.
　　It just beats me! Usually they won't go anywhere where there are not a few farms, or at least a smallvillage where they can sell their goods.'
　　'I'd like to go after them and see where they are and what they're doing,' said Julian, eating his thirdhard-boiled egg.
　　'All right. Let's,' said George.
　　'But how? We don't know where they've gone,' said Henry.
　　'Well, Sniffer's going to join them tomorrow, or as soon as Clip is all right for walking,' said George.
　　'And he's got to follow the patrins left on the way by the others. He says that he looks at the placeswhere fires have been made on the way, and beside them somewhere he will see the patrins, the sticksthat point in the direction he must follow.'
　　'He's sure to destroy them,' said Dick. 'We couldn't follow them!'
　　'We'll ask him to leave his own patrins,' said George. 'I think he will. He's not a bad little boy, really.
　　I could ask him to leave plenty of patrins, so that we could easily find the way.'
　　'Well, it might be fun to see if we could read the right road to go, just as easily as the gypsies do,'
　　said Julian. 'We could make it a day's ride. It would be interesting!'
　　Henry gave a most enormous yawn, and that made Anne yawn too, though hers was a very politeone.
　　'Henry!' said Mrs. Johnson.
　　'Sorry,' said Henry. 'It just came almost like a sneeze does. I don't know why, but I feel almostasleep.'
　　'Go to bed then,' said Mrs. Johnson. 'You've had such a day of air and sunshine! You all look verybrown too. The April sun has been as hot as June today.'
　　The five of them, and Timmy, went out for a last look at the horses, and to do one or two small jobs.
　　Henry yawned again, and that set everyone else off, even George.
　　'Me for the straw!' said Julian, with a laugh. 'Oh, the thought of that warm, comfy straw bed is toogood for words! You girls are welcome to the beds!'
　　36
　　'I hope Sniffer's Pa doesn't come in the middle of the night again,' said Dick.
　　'I shall tie up the latch,' said Julian. 'Well, let's go and say goodnight to Mrs. Johnson.'
　　It wasn't long before the three girls were in bed and the two boys cuddled down in the straw of thestable. Clip was there still, but he no longer fidgeted. He lay down quietly, and did not once move hisbad leg. It was getting much better. He would certainly be able to go after the others the next day!
　　Julian and Dick fell asleep at once. No one came creeping in at the stable door that night.
　　Nothing disturbed them until the morning, when a cock got into the stable through a window, sat on arafter just above them, and crowed loudly enough to wake both boys with a jump.
　　'What's that!' said Dick. 'That awful screeching in my ear! Was it you, Ju?'
　　The cock crowed again and the boys laughed. 'Blow him!' said Julian, settling down again. 'I could dowith another couple of hours sleep!'
　　That morning Sniffer came slipping in at the gate again. He never came boldly in, he slid through thehedge, or crept in at the gate, or appeared round a corner. He saw George and went over to her.
　　'Master George,' he called, much to Julian's amusement. 'Is Clip better?'
　　'Yes!' called back George. 'Captain Johnson says you can take him today. But wait a bit, Sniffer, Iwant to ask you something before you go.'
　　Sniffer was pleased. He liked this girl who had presented him with such a magnificent handkerchief.
　　He took it carefully out of his pocket, hoping to please her.
　　'See,' he said. 'How clean it is! I have kept it very carefully.' He sniffed loudly.
　　'You're a fathead,' said George, exasperated. 'I gave it to you to use, not to keep clean in your pocket.
　　It's to stop your sniffing. Honestly, you're a bit of a mutt, Sniffer. I shall take that hanky away if youdon't use it!'
　　Sniffer looked alarmed. He shook it out carefully and then lightly touched his nose with it. He thenfolded it up conscientiously in the right creases and put it back into his pocket again.
　　'Now, NO sniffing!' commanded George, trying not to laugh. 'Listen, Sniffer, you know those patrinsyou showed me yesterday?'
　　'Yes, Master George,' said Sniffer.
　　'Well, will the other gypsies who have gone in front, leave you patrins to follow, so that you willknow the way?' said George.
　　37
　　Sniffer nodded. 'Yes, but not many, because I have been that way twice before. They will only leavethem in places where I might go wrong.'
　　'I see,' said George. 'Now Sniffer, we want to have a sort of game. We want to see which of us canfollow patrins, and we want you to lay patrins for us quite often, on your way to your family today.
　　Will you?'
　　'Oh yes, I will,' said Sniffer, quite proud to have a favour asked of him. 'I will lay the ones I showedyou, the cross, the long sticks, and the big and little leaf.'
　　'Yes, do,' said George. 'That will mean that you have passed in a certain direction and you are a boyand a dog. That's right, isn't it?'
　　'Yes,' said Sniffer, nodding his head. 'You have remembered!'
　　'Right. And we're going to have a kind of game, trying to pretend we are travelling gypsies followingothers who have passed,' said George.
　　'You must not show yourselves when you come up to our caravans,' said Sniffer, looking suddenlyalarmed. 'I should get into trouble for laying patrins for you.'
　　'All right. We'll be careful,' said George. 'Now let's go and get Clip.'
　　They fetched the patient little skewbald who came out gladly. He no longer limped, and his restseemed to have done him good. He went off at a good pace with Sniffer. The last George heard ofthem was a very loud sniff indeed!
　　'Sniffer!' she shouted, warningly. He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out the hanky. He waved itgaily in the air, a sudden grin lighting up his face.
　　George went to find the others. 'Sniffer has taken Clip,' she said. 'What about going down to theblacksmith, and taking those horses that want shoeing?'
　　'Good idea,' said Julian. 'We can ask him all about Mystery Moor then, and the strange little railwayline, or whatever it is! Come on.'
　　They took the horses that needed shoeing. There were six of them, so they each rode one, and Julianled the sixth. Timmy ran happily along beside them. He loved the horses, and they regarded him as areal friend, bending their long noses down to sniff at him, whenever he came near.
　　They went slowly down the long lane to the blacksmith's. 'There it is!' said George. 'A proper oldsmithy with a lovely fire! And there's the smith!'
　　38
　　Old Ben was a mighty figure of a man, even though he was over eighty. He didn't shoe many horsesnow, but sat in the sun, watching all that was going on. He had a great mane of white hair, and eyesthat were as black as the coal he had so many times heated to a fiery flame.
　　'Good morning, young masters and Miss,' he said and Julian grinned. That would please George andHenry!
　　'We've got some questions to ask you,' said George, dismounting.
　　'Ask away!' said the old man. 'If it's about this place, there's nothing much old Ben can't tell you!
　　Give Jim your horses. Now, ask away!'
8.鼻涕虫的保证
　　鼻涕虫的保证
　　夜幕降临时，乔治没来由地从心里涌出一股强烈的孤独感。他们怎么可以丢下自己走了呢？他们心里到底有没有我？也许他们根本就忘记了我的存在吧！
　　“而且，他们也没带上你，蒂米！”乔治说，“你不会离开我的，对吗？”
　　看到乔治的心情好了一些，蒂米开心地蹭了蹭乔治的腿。蒂米心里很疑惑，其他人现在在哪里，他们这一天都干吗去了？
　　突然，马场里传来一阵马蹄声，乔治飞奔到门口。是的，他们回来了！她该怎么做呢？所有的情绪——生气、宽慰、自责和高兴一下子全部涌上心头！她站在那里，不知该皱眉还是该微笑地迎接他们。
　　其他人主动跟她打招呼，打破了她内心的纠结。“你好啊，乔治！”迪克喊道，“我们很想你！”
　　“你的头痛怎么样了？”安妮问道，“你感觉好点了吧？”
　　“嘿！”亨利也跟着打了声招呼，“你应该一起来的。我们今天玩得超开心！”
　　“过来帮我们把马赶进马厩，乔治。”朱利安喊道，“说说你今天都在干什么！”
　　蒂米急忙奔向他们，高兴得直叫。乔治也放下了不安，向他们跑去，微笑不知不觉地爬上了脸颊。
　　“大家好！”她回应，“我来帮忙，你们真的想我了吗，我也很想你们。”
　　男孩们看到乔治又恢复了大家熟悉的感觉，终于舒了一口气，没人再提起她装头痛的糗事！她一边卸马鞍，一边听着他们讲述今天的经历。她又把鼻涕虫和吉卜赛暗号的事讲给他们听，包括自己是怎样想到要送给他一条手帕的事。
　　“不过我觉得，他应该一心只想着要怎样保持手帕干净吧！”她说，“反正我跟他待在一起的时候他一次都没用过。吃饭铃响了，我们赶快到餐桌那里去。你们都饿了吧？”
　　“这还用说，饿坏了！”迪克说道，“还好中午吃了约翰逊夫人准备的三明治，我没想到还能赶得上吃晚餐，现在真的很饿。科里普怎么样了？”
　　“先不说这个，吃饭的时候我再跟大家说。”乔治说，“你需要帮忙吗，亨利？”
　　亨利听到乔治喊她的小名而非亨利尔塔，无比震惊，以为自己听错了：“不……不用了，嗯……乔治，我自己可以搞定。”
　　那天晚上，大家度过了愉快的晚餐时光。小孩子们自己围坐在一张桌子旁，年纪大的孩子坐另一张桌子。他们开始讲起今天发生的事。
　　约翰逊队长显然对于他们发现旧铁路的事表现出极大的兴趣。“我从没听说过荒野里还有这种东西。”他说，“虽然我们来这儿有15年了，但是对当地的历史还不太清楚。你们或许可以去问问铁匠老本，他一直住在这里，而且年事已高，已经八十多岁了！
　　“噢，对了，我们明天要带马去钉马掌，是吧？”亨利满怀期待地问，“到时就可以问他了！说不定他曾经还是搭建铁路的一员，知道许多内幕呢。”
　　“我们看见大篷车队伍了，乔治，就在荒野的深处。”朱利安说，“天知道他们要去哪里，我猜他们是往海岸那边走。约翰逊队长，荒野尽头的海岸究竟是什么样子的？”
　　“非常荒凉。”队长说，“还有一片高耸的悬崖，海底有大片的暗礁和岩石。那里只有鸟类，没有适合游泳和划船的地方，也没有沙滩。”
　　“呃……这我就想不通了，这么说的话这些车队去那里到底要做什么呢？真是个谜。他们不是每隔三个月就去一次吗？”
　　约翰逊队长说：“我也想不通这一点，不知道这个荒野到底有什么魔力，吸引着那些吉卜赛人。通常他们不会去没有农场的地方，最起码也得有一个小村落吧，这样他们才能把手工艺品卖出去。”
　　“我想跟在他们后面，看看他们去哪里，在做什么？”朱利安一边说，一边吃着第三个水煮鸡蛋。
　　“行啊，我们这就走！”乔治说。
　　“怎么走？我们都不知道他们往哪边去了。”亨利说。
　　“这样吧，明天鼻涕虫和他的车就出发了，科里普的腿可以走路了。”乔治说，“他说他只要观察路上生火的痕迹，就能在附近找到由树枝摆成的暗号，树枝所指的方向就是他要走的方向。”
　　“他一定会销毁痕迹的。”迪克说，“这样一来就什么都看不见了。”
　　“我们叫他把暗号留着，这样方便我们找到路。”乔治说，“我觉得他会听我们的。他本性不坏。”
　　“太好了，看看我们能不能像吉卜赛人一样轻松解读那些暗号，找到正确的路。”朱利安说，“我们可以骑一整天的马，那一定很有趣！”
　　亨利打了一个大大的哈欠，连礼貌有加的大家闺秀安妮也被她传染到了。
　　“亨利！”约翰逊夫人提醒她。
　　“不好意思。”亨利连忙道歉，“哈欠来得太快，就像打喷嚏一样猝不及防。我也不知道怎么了，眼睛已经睁不开了。”
　　“快去睡觉吧。”约翰逊夫人说道，“你们今天在太阳底下晒了一天，看看你们，都变黑了！这四月的太阳就跟六月的一样毒辣。”
　　五个人一起去外面看了看马，又帮忙干了点小活儿。亨利又打了一个哈欠，大家纷纷被传染，甚至连乔治也打起了哈欠。
　　“去睡稻草床喽！”朱利安笑着说，“一想到那张温暖又舒服的稻草床，我就瞌睡虫上身！如果你们女孩想来感受一下的话，我们很欢迎哦！”
　　“但愿鼻涕虫的爸爸不会半夜三更又来扰人好梦。”迪克说。
　　“我会把门闩上的。”朱利安说，“好了，我们走吧，顺便跟约翰逊夫人说声晚安。”
　　没过多久，三个女孩就上床睡觉了，两个男孩也倒在了稻草床上。科里普安静地待在里面，没有像之前一样烦躁不安。它乖乖地躺着，受伤的腿不再动来动去，伤口已经好了很多，相信明天就可以上路了！
　　朱利安和迪克一挨上枕头就睡着了，晚上没有人再偷偷摸摸潜进马厩里。整个夜里都很安静，直到第二天早上，一只公鸡跃过窗户，误入马厩，恰好落在他们头顶的椽条上，高声啼叫起来，吓得他们一跃而起。
　　“发生什么事了？”迪克惊魂不定，“什么东西在我耳边鬼叫？朱利安，是不是你？”
　　公鸡又叫了一声，两个男孩相视而笑。“什么呀！”朱利安又躺下了，“要是没这个烦人的东西的话，我可以再睡几个小时！”
　　那天早上，鼻涕虫又来了，他从不光明正大地走进来，而是偷偷摸摸地从篱笆钻进来，或是猫着腰蹑手蹑脚地从大门进来，或者从某个角落冒出来。他看见乔治经过，连忙跟了上去。
　　“乔治小少爷。”他叫住她，这个叫法惹得朱利安忍俊不禁，“科里普好些了吗？”
　　“好了，”乔治回应，“队长说你今天可以带它离开了。等一下，鼻涕虫，我想问你件事。”
　　鼻涕虫开心地笑了，他喜欢乔治——这个送他一条美丽手帕当礼物的人。他把她送的手帕从口袋里仔细地拿出来，好显示出他对它的珍视。
　　“你看，是不是很干净！我一直很小心地保护着它。”他骄傲地说。
　　“你就是个傻瓜。”乔治生气地说，“我给你是让你拿它来用的，不是让你放在口袋里发霉的。你要用它来擤鼻涕，能不能理解我的良苦用心啊，鼻涕虫。你要是用不着的话，我就收回来了。”
　　鼻涕虫满脸惊慌，连忙从乔治手里抽出手帕，作势碰了碰鼻子，然后沿着折痕重新认真叠好，又放进口袋里。
　　“现在，不准再吸鼻涕了！”乔治忍住想笑的冲动，“听着，鼻涕虫，那些暗号你全部都能看懂吗，就像昨天你给我看的那些？”
　　“是的，乔治小少爷。”鼻涕虫回答。
　　“那好，走在前面的那些吉卜赛人给你留下了暗号，你可以根据那些暗号跟上他们吧？”乔治问。
　　鼻涕虫点点头：“是的，但是不会留太多，因为那条路我走过两遍了。他们只会在我容易认错的地方留下暗号。”
　　“我明白了。”乔治说，“要不这样吧，我们几个人想玩个小游戏，看看我们中间谁能够读懂这些暗号。你只要在路上每隔一段距离留下一个暗号就行，可以吗？”
　　“好哇，当然可以啦。”鼻涕虫感到相当自豪，终于有人找他帮忙了，“我摆一些之前给你看的暗号，有十字暗号、树枝暗号和大小叶子暗号。”
　　“太好了。”乔治说，“也就是说，你会沿着正确的方向走，一路给我们提示，对吧？”
　　“没错。”鼻涕虫点点头。
　　“好，我们即将开启游戏，假扮吉卜赛人按照暗号去寻找提前出发的吉卜赛车队。”乔治说。
　　“当你们接近我们的大篷车队时，千万不能暴露行踪。”鼻涕虫突然一副担心的模样，“如果他们知道我偷偷给你们留了暗号，我会倒大霉的。”
　　“放心吧，我们会很小心的。”乔治说，“我们走吧，带上科里普。”
　　他们把白花马牵了出来。它非常听话，开心地走到外面。他的腿伤已经好了，几天的休养看起来发挥了很大的作用。鼻涕虫骑到马上，欢快地奔跑起来。就在他们离去的时候，乔治又听到一声巨大的吸鼻涕声。
　　“鼻涕虫！”她用警告的语气对他嚷道。他连忙把手伸进口袋，掏出手帕，滑稽地挥着，嘴角挂着一抹得意的微笑。
　　乔治找到其他人。“鼻涕虫把科里普带走了。”她说，“现在我们去铁匠那里，给马钉马掌吧？”
　　“好主意。”朱利安说，“我们顺便问问他有关神秘荒野的事，还有那条诡异的小型铁路，不管什么，先出发再说。”
　　他们把那些需要上马掌的马全部带上，一共有六匹，正好每个人骑一匹，剩下一匹由朱利安牵着。蒂米兴奋地跟在他们旁边了。
　　蒂米喜欢马，而那些马也视它为好朋友，每次它跑过来时，它们都会低下头，用鼻子蹭蹭它。
　　他们沿着长长的小巷慢悠悠地骑到铁匠家。“我们到了！”乔治说，“看见炉子里的火没，很旺吧？那个人就是老铁匠，大家叫他‘老本’。”
　　老本虽然已经是耄耋之年，但看起来依然精神抖擞。他没有忙着给马钉马掌，而是懒洋洋地坐在太阳底下休憩。他双鬓斑白，眼睛漆黑，宛如等待燃烧的煤炭。“早上好，小少爷们和旁边这位小姐。”他说道。听他说完，朱利安咧开嘴笑了——乔治和亨利听他称呼她们为小少爷，心里肯定乐坏了！
　　“我们有一些问题要请教您。”乔治跳下马，率先开了口。
　　“尽管问。”老人说道，“只要是关于这个地方的，就没有我这个老头不知道的，把马交给吉姆吧。”
Chapter 9 THE BLACKSMITH TELLS A TALE
Chapter 9 THE BLACKSMITH TELLS A TALE
　　'Well,' began Julian, 'we went riding on Mystery Moor yesterday, and for one thing we'd like to knowif there is any reason for the curious name. Was there ever a mystery on that moor?'
　　'Oh, there be plenty of mysteries away there,' said Old Ben. 'People lost and never come back again,noises that no one could find the reason of...'
　　'What kind of noises?' said Anne, curiously.
　　'Ah now, when I were a boy, I spent nights up on that moor,' said old Ben, solemnly, 'and the noisesthat went on there! Screeches and howls and the like, and moans and the sweep of big wings...'
　　'Well, all that might have been owls and foxes and things like that,' said Dick. 'I've heard a barn-owlgive a screech just over my head which made me nearly jump out of my skin. If I hadn't known it wasan owl I'd have run for miles!'
　　Ben grinned and his face ran into a score of creases and wrinkles.
　　'Why is it called Mystery Moor?' persisted Julian. 'Is it a very old name?'
　　'When my Grandad was a boy it were called Misty Moor,' said the old blacksmith, remembering.
　　'See, Misty, not Mystery. And that were because of the sea-fogs that came stealing in from the coast,and lay heavy on the moor, so that no man could see his hand in front of his face. Yes, I've been lostin one of them mists, and right scared I was too. It swirled round me like a live thing, and touched meall over with its cold damp fingers.'
　　39
　　'How horrid!' said Anne with a shiver. 'What did you do?'
　　'Well, first I ran for my life,' said Ben, getting out his pipe and looking into the empty bowl. 'I ranover heather and into gorse. I fell a dozen times, and all the time the mist was feeling me with itsdamp fingers, trying to get me, that's what the old folk used to say of that mist, it was always trying toget you!'
　　'Still, it was only a mist,' said George, feeling that the old man was exaggerating. 'Does it still comeover the moor?'
　　'Oh ay,' said Ben, ramming some tobacco into his pipe. 'Autumn's the time, but it comes sudden-likeat any moment of the year. I've knowed it come at the end of a fine summer's day, creeping instealthy-like, and my, if you don't happen to see it soon enough, it gets you!'
　　'What do you mean, it gets you?' said George.
　　'Well, it may last for days,' said old Ben. 'And if you're lost on them moors, you're lost proper, andyou never come back. Ah, smile if you like, young sir, but I knows!' He went off into memories oflong ago, looking down at his pipe. 'Let's see now, there was old Mrs. Banks, who went bilberry-picking with her basket on a summer's afternoon, and no one ever heard of her again, after the mistcame down. And there was young Victor who played truant and went off to the moors, and the mistgot him too.'
　　'I can see we'd better watch out for the mist if we go riding there,' said Dick. 'This is the first I'veheard of it.'
　　'Yes. You keep your eyes skinned,' said old Ben. 'Look away to the coast-side and watch there, that'swhere it comes from. But there baint many mists nowadays, I don't know for why. No, now I think onit, there haven't been a mist, not a proper wicked one, for nigh on three years.'
　　'What I'd like to know is why was the name changed to Mystery Moor,' said Henry. 'I can understandits being called Misty Moor, but now everyone calls it Mystery, not Misty.'
　　'Well now, that must have been about seventy years ago, when I were a bit of a boy,' said Ben,lighting his pipe and puffing hard. He was enjoying himself. He didn't often get such an interestedaudience as this, five of them, including a dog who sat and listened too!
　　'That was when the Bartle Family built the little railway over the moor,' he began, and stopped at theexclamations of his five listeners.
　　'Ah! We wanted to know about that!'
　　'Oh! You know about the railway then!'
　　40
　　'Do go on!'
　　The blacksmith seemed to get some trouble with his pipe and pulled at it for an exasperatingly longtime. George wished she was a horse and could stamp her foot impatiently!
　　'Well, the Bartle Family was a big one,' said Ben at last. 'All boys, but for one ailing little girl.
　　Big strong fellows they were, I remember them well. I was scared of them, they were so free withtheir fists. Well, one of them, Dan, found a mighty good stretch of sand out there on the moor...'
　　'Oh yes, we thought there might have been a sand- quarry,' said Anne. Ben frowned at theinterruption.
　　'And as there were nine or ten good strong Bartles, they reckoned to make a fine do of it,' said Ben.
　　'They got wagons and they went to and from the quarry they dug, and they sold their sand for milesaround, good, sharp sand it were...'
　　'We saw some,' said Henry. 'But what about the rails?'
　　'Don't hurry him,' said Dick, with a frown.
　　'They made a mort of money,' said Ben, remembering. 'And they set to work and built a little railwayto carry an injin and trucks to the quarry and back, to save labour. My, my, that were a nine days'
　　wonder, that railway! Us youngsters used to follow the little injin, puffing along, and it were thelonging of us all to drive it. But we never did. Them Bartles kept a big stick, each one of them, andthey whipped the hide off any boy that got too near them. Fierce they were, and quarrelsome.'
　　'Why did the railway fall into ruin?' asked Julian. 'The rails are all overgrown with heather and grassnow. You can hardly see them.'
　　'Well, now we come to that there Mystery you keep on about,' said Ben, taking an extra big puff at hispipe. 'Them Bartles fell foul of the gypsies up on the moor...'
　　'Oh, were there gypsies on the moor then?' said Dick. 'There are some now!'
　　'Oh ay, there's always been gypsies on the moor, long as I can remember,' said the blacksmith.
　　'Well, it's said them gypsies quarrelled with the Bartles, and it wasn't hard to do that, most peopledid! And the gypsies pulled up bits of the line, here and there, and the little injin toppled over andpulled the trucks with it.'
　　The children could quite well imagine the little engine puffing along, coming to the damaged railsand falling over. What a to-do there must have been up on the moor then!
　　41
　　'The Bartles weren't ones to put up with a thing like that,' said Ben, 'so they set about to drive all thegypsies off the moor, and they swore that if so much as one caravan went there, they'd set fire to itand chase the gypsies over to the coast and into the sea!'
　　'They must have been a fierce family,' said Anne.
　　'You're right there,' said Ben. 'All nine or ten of them were big upstanding men, with great shaggyeyebrows that almost hid their eyes, and loud voices. Nobody dared to cross them. If they did, they'dhave the whole family on their door-step with sticks. They ruled this place, they did, and my, theywere hated! Us children ran off as soon as we saw one coming round a corner.'
　　'What about the gypsies? Did the Bartles manage to drive them off the moor?' asked George,impatiently.
　　'Now you let me go my own pace,' said Ben, pointing at her with his pipe. 'You want a Bartle afteryou, young sir, that's what you want!' He thought she was a boy, of course. He did something to hispipe and made them all wait a little. Julian winked at the others. He liked this old fellow with hislong, long memories.
　　'Now, you can't cross the gypsies for long,' said Ben, at last. 'That's a fact, you can't. And one day allthem Bartles disappeared and never came back home. No, not one of them. All that was left of thefamily was little lame Agnes, their sister.'
　　Everyone exclaimed in surprise and old Ben looked round with satisfaction. Ah, he could tell a story,he could!
　　'But whatever happened?' said Henry.
　　'Well, no one rightly knows,' said Ben. 'It happened in a week when the mist came swirling over themoors and blotted everything out. Nobody went up there except the Bartles, and they were safebecause all they had to do was to follow their railway lines there and back. They went up to thequarry each day the mist was there, and worked the same as usual. Nothing stopped them Bartlesfrom working!'
　　He paused and looked round at his listeners. He dropped his voice low, and all five of the childrenfelt little shivers up their backs.
　　'One night somebody in the village saw twenty or more gypsy caravans slinking through the villageat dead of night,' said Ben. 'Up on the moor they went in the thick mist. Mebbe they followed therailway; nobody knows. And next morning, up to the quarry went the Bartles as usual, swallowed upin the mist.'
　　42
　　He paused again. 'And they never came back,' he said. 'No, not one of them. Never heard of again!'
　　'But what happened?' said George.
　　'Search-parties were sent out when the mist cleared,' said old Ben. 'But never one of the Bartles didthey find, alive or dead. Never a one! And they didn't find any gypsy caravans either. They'd all comecreeping back the next night, and passed through the village like shadows. I reckon them gypsies setupon the Bartles in the mist that day, fought them and defeated them, and took them and threw themover the cliffs into the roaring sea!'
　　'How horrible!' said Anne, feeling sick.
　　'Don't worrit yourself!' said the blacksmith. 'It all happened a mort of time ago, and there wasn't manythat mourned them Bartles, I can tell you. Funny thing was, their weakly little sister, Agnes, she livedto be a hale old woman of ninety-six, and only died a few years ago! And to think them strong fiercebrothers of hers went all together like that!'
　　'It's a most interesting story, Ben,' said Julian. 'So Misty Moor became Mystery Moor then, did it?
　　And nobody ever really found out what happened, so the mystery was never solved. Didn't anyonework the railway after that, or get the sand?'
　　'No, not a soul,' said Ben. 'We was all scared, you see, and young Agnes, she said the railway and thetrucks and injin could rot, for all she cared. I never dared to go near them after that. It was a long timebefore anyone but the gypsies set foot on Misty Moor again. Now it's all forgotten, the tale of theBartles, but them gypsies still remember, I've no doubt! They've got long memories, they have.'
　　'Do you know why they come to Mystery Moor every so often?' asked Dick.
　　'No. They come and they go,' said Ben. 'They've their own queer ways. They don't belong anywhere,them folk. What they do on the moor is their own business, and I wouldn't want to poke my nose intoit. I'd remember them old Bartles, and keep away!'
　　A voice came from inside the smithy, where Jim, the blacksmith's grandson, had been shoeing thehorses. 'Grandad! You stop jabbering away there, and let the children come and talk to me!
　　I've shod nearly all the horses.'
　　Ben laughed. 'You go along,' he said to the children. 'I know you like to be in there and see the sparksfly, and the shoes made. I've wasted your time, I have, telling you long-ago things. You 43go along into the smithy. And just you remember two things - watch out for that mist, and keep awayfrom the gypsies on the moor!'
9.老铁匠的回忆
　　老铁匠的回忆
　　“好的，谢谢。”朱利安说道，“我们昨天去了神秘荒野，想知道这名字究竟有什么来头，那里是不是发生过一些离奇的事件啊？”
　　“哦，那可多了去了。”老本说，“有人进去以后迷了路，就再没出来过。荒野里时常有奇怪的声音传出来，但是没人知道那是什么东西……”
　　“什么奇怪的声音？”安妮好奇地问。
　　“我小时候，在荒野上待过几晚。”老本脸上的神情开始严肃起来，“清楚地听到过那些声音！时而号叫，时而低吼，时而呼啸，如同大鹏挥翅……”
　　“会不会是猫头鹰、狐狸之类的发出的声音？我之前看过一只仓鸮在我头顶上方呼啸着盘旋而过，吓我一大跳。要是当时没认出它只是一只猫头鹰的话，我肯定早就冲出去很远了！”
　　老本咧嘴笑了，苍老的脸上瞬间爬满了皱纹。
　　“那里为什么叫神秘荒野呢？”朱利安追问道，“是很早以前就这么叫的吗？”
　　“当我还是个孩子的时候，它叫迷雾荒野。”老本回忆道，“对，是‘迷雾’，不是‘神秘’。这是由于从海岸上蔓延过来的雾气，环绕在荒野上方，雾气重的时候，时常伸手不见五指，所以才这么叫的。
　　我也遇见过这种情况，还因此迷了路，把我吓得不轻。那些雾气就像一只怪物一样追着我不放，用冰冷湿黏的手指触摸着我。”
　　“太可怕了！”安妮起了一身鸡皮疙瘩，“您当时是什么处境？”
　　“一开始我拼命地跑，只为了能够活命。”老本掏出烟斗，眼睛在四周寻找着烟灰缸，“跑过石南花丛，又进入了金雀花地，我摔了无数次跤，而那团迷雾一直对我穷追不舍，它伸出湿漉漉的手指，企图将我困住。这就是为什么老一辈人习惯叫它迷雾荒野的缘故，因为它总是想尽办法抓住你！”
　　“尽管如此，它也只不过是一团迷雾而已。”乔治说道，觉得老本就是在小题大做，“它现在还会出现在荒野上吗？”
　　“哦，是的，”老本把一些烟草塞进他的烟斗里，说道，“秋季是它经常出没的季节，但是也有可能突然发生在其他季节。有一年夏天，晴空万里，突然有一天它就这么悄无声息地溜了进来，当时要是不及时发现的话，真的很难脱身。”
　　“什么意思？什么叫很难脱身？”乔治问。
　　“就是说，它会持续逗留好几天。”老本说，“一旦你在荒野里迷路了，基本上就彻底被困在里头，永远别想着出来了。你们尽管笑吧，年轻人，别以为我不知道你们在想什么！”他低头看着手中的烟斗，陷入了深深的回忆中，“我想想，当时有一个叫班克斯的老太太，一天下午，她带上篮子去摘越橘，迷雾消散过后就再没有她的消息了。还有一个叫维克托的年轻人，逃课跑到荒野里去，最后也被困在里头了。”
　　“我看我们下次去骑马的时候最好小心点。”迪克说，“我还是第一次听说这样的事。”
　　“说得对，擦亮你们的双眼。”老本说，“盯着海岸线，那里就是它出现的地方。不过现在这样的浓雾倒是少见了，我也不明白这其中的缘由。这些诡谲的东西已经消失达三年之久了。”
　　“我只想知道为什么后来那里又被叫作‘神秘荒野’了。”亨利说，“我能理解它‘迷雾荒野’这个叫法，但现在每个人说的都是‘神秘’，而不是‘迷雾’。”
　　“这么说吧，这已经是70年前的事了，当时我还是一个小男孩。”老本点燃了烟斗，用力地吸了一口。五个听得津津有味的忠实听众，加上一只乖乖坐在旁边的小狗，这般场景对他来说实在少有，他不禁滔滔不绝，乐在其中。
　　“那时候，巴图家族在这片荒野上兴建了一条小型铁路……”他开始了他的故事，但又在五个小听众七嘴八舌的惊叹声中停顿了下来。
　　“哇，快跟我们讲讲这个！”
　　“您真的知道铁路的事？”
　　“继续讲，别停下！”
　　老铁匠的烟斗好像出了点小问题，抽了好长一段时间，都不见有烟出来，实在令人恼火。乔治等得不耐烦，急得就像马一样直跺脚。
　　“别急，听我说嘛。巴图家族是一个大家族，”老本继续说道，“家族里几乎都是男孩，只有一个体弱多病的小女孩。他们几个兄弟很团结，我对他们印象很深。当时我很怕他们几个，因为他们经常动手打人。其中有一个叫‘当’的，发现荒野里有一大片沙……”
　　“对，没错。我们也想过，之前那里或许有一个采沙场。”安妮打断他。这时老本皱了皱眉头。
　　“巴图家族有几个强壮的小伙子，他们觉得这是个好机会，可以大干一场了，便挖了个采沙场，开来大货车，来来回回地运送这些沙子将它们卖掉。那些沙子，质地又好又细腻……”
　　“我们见过了。”亨利说，“那么铁轨又是怎么回事呢？”
　　“不要急，听他慢慢讲。”迪克皱起眉头。
　　“他们大赚了一笔。”老本回忆道，“接着又兴建了一条小铁路，让那些火车方便地进出采沙场，以节省人力。我的天哪！那条铁路简直就是一个奇迹，九天就建成了！我们这些小年轻的经常追着那个呜呜冒着气的小火车头跑，每个人都幻想着去开一开它，但也只是想想而已。只有他们巴图家族的人才能轮流上去操纵火车，如果有哪个男孩敢靠它太近，他们就举起鞭子吓跑他。他们那些人，太残暴了，动辄打人。”
　　“为什么铁路最后被破坏了？”朱利安问，“现在铁轨上密密麻麻地丛生着杂草，几乎把铁轨都覆盖住了，不仔细看的话很难辨认出铁轨。”
　　“这就是接下来我要说的，有关‘神秘’这一说法的由来，看你们一个个的，总是穷追不舍。”老本拿起烟斗猛地抽了一口，从嘴里吐出了一口烟，“后来，荒野来了一些吉卜赛人，巴图家的人跟他们起了冲突……”
　　“那时候吉卜赛人就生活在荒野了吗？”迪克说，“现在他们又去那里了。”
　　“唉，自我记事起，吉卜赛人就时不时地出现在那一带。”老本说，“说是那些吉卜赛人挑起来的事，这也不难理解，因为几乎所有人都对巴图家有意见。吉卜赛人把铁轨七零八落地拆下来，把小火车头弄翻，再把货车拖走。”
　　孩子们能够想象得到当时冒着烟的火车头是如何被破坏和毁掉的，那时的场面一定很混乱。
　　“巴图家的人肯定忍受不了这样的耻辱。”本说，“所以他们扬言，要把所有的吉卜赛人都赶出荒野，并发誓，只要再看见吉卜赛人的大篷车队进入荒野，他们会毫不留情地烧了它，并把他们逼到海岸边，最后掉到海里去！”
　　“这一定是一个残暴的家族。”安妮说。
　　“你说得对。”老本说，“他们所有人——九个还是十个兄弟，个个都是大块头，粗犷的眉毛几乎遮住了眼睛，嗓门很大，没有人敢冲撞他们。要是真有人敢这么做，他们全家人一定会打上门去。他们就是这个地方的恶霸，作恶多端，所有人都把他们看作蛇蝎！我们几个小孩远远地看见他们从哪里冒出来，立马就会跑掉。”
　　“那后来那些吉卜赛人怎么样了？巴图家的人真的把他们都赶出荒野了吗？”乔治急忙问道。
　　“你先听我说，不要急。”老本叼着烟斗对着她说，“小伙子，你想听巴图兄弟的事，马上就说到了。”他想当然地以为乔治是个男孩子，所以才这么叫她。他摆弄了一会儿烟斗，让所有人眼巴巴地等着。朱利安朝其他人眨了眨眼，他很喜欢这个有历史积淀的老人家。
　　“你们是没办法跟吉卜赛人抗争太久的，”老本终于开口了，“这是事实。最终有一天，所有的巴图兄弟们都消失了，再也没有回来过。不，也不是所有人，整个家族就只剩下他们那个腿脚不方便的妹妹艾格尼丝。”
　　所有人听完都震惊地叫出声来，对于他们的反应老本很是满意，就好像他们在说“这个人讲的故事好精彩”一样。
　　“究竟发生了什么？”亨利问。
　　“这件事嘛，没有人能讲清楚。”老本说，“这件事是发生在某一周，那时候突然来了一场雾，席卷了整个荒野，把所有东西都遮住了。没人敢到那儿去，除了巴图兄弟们。但他们一直沿着铁轨进出，所以没有遇到危险。即使浓雾尚未散去，他们仍旧每天前去采沙场，跟往常一样工作。没人阻止得了巴图家拼命工作的狠劲儿！”
　　他停下来，看了看周围的听众，突然低下声音，五个人觉得脊背发凉。
　　“一天晚上，夜深人静的时候，村里有人看见二十几辆吉卜赛人的大篷车悄悄地从村里穿过。”老本说，“他们朝着浓雾弥漫的荒野前进。也许是沿着铁路进去的，这个没人清楚。第二天，巴图家的人照常前去采沙场工作，就被迷雾吞噬了。”
　　他又停顿了一下，继续说：“从那以后，他们再也没回来过，一个人都没有，没人再听过他们的消息！”
　　“究竟发生了什么事？”乔治问。
　　“雾气散去之后，搜寻队出去寻找过他们。”老本说，“但是没有发现任何一个巴图家的人，甚至连尸体也没有。他们一点痕迹都没留下，也没发现吉卜赛人的大篷车。第二天晚上，吉卜赛人又偷偷潜回来，像影子一样穿过村子。我觉得他们早就谋划在迷雾那天对巴图家下手了——先把他们抓走，再从悬崖上丢入波涛汹涌的海中！”
　　“好可怕呀！”安妮感觉浑身不自在。
　　“不要害怕！”老本说，“这已经是很久以前的事了，再说，也没有人会因为巴图家出了这样的事而感到悲哀。有意思的是，他们那个孱弱的妹妹艾格尼丝活到96岁，一直精神抖擞，几年前才去世。
　　再看看那几个强壮如牛的兄弟，却出了那档子事，想想都觉得不可思议！”
　　“这是我听过的最有趣的故事了，老本先生。”朱利安说，“所以说，迷雾荒野从那时起变成了神秘荒野，是吗？没有人真正知道到底发生了什么事，所以这个谜团一直都没有解开。后来还有没有人继续使用那个铁路，或者把沙再运出去呢？”
　　“没有了。”老本回答，“我们都很害怕。况且小艾格尼丝说，她之后去查看了一番，铁路和火车头也生锈了。反正从那以后，我就没敢再靠近那些东西。那之后有很长一段时间，除了吉卜赛人之外，没有人再踏入荒野半步。如今巴图家族的故事差不多都被遗忘了，但是那些吉卜赛人肯定不会忘记，这一点我坚信不疑，他们一定记得很久之前的事。”
　　“你知道为什么他们经常去神秘荒野吗？”迪克问。
　　“不知道，他们去了又离开，总是行为古怪，不知所踪。他们在荒野里做些什么那是他们自己的事，我一点都不感兴趣。我只记得巴图家的祸事，所以避之唯恐不及呢！”
　　一个声音从打铁铺里传出来，是老本的孙子吉姆，他刚刚一直在忙着给马钉马掌：“爷爷，您别再瞎扯了，让孩子们过来吧，我已经给马上好马掌了。”
　　老本笑了，对着孩子们说：“你们进去吧，我知道你们很想去里面看看飞溅的火花和马掌的制作过程。我占用你们太多时间了，一直念叨着很久以前的事。你们可以去荒野里面看看，但一定要牢记两件事：小心怪雾，还有，离那些吉卜赛人远远的！”
Chapter 10 SNIFFER'S PATRINS
Chapter 10 SNIFFER'S PATRINS
　　It was fun in the smithy, working the bellows, seeing the fire glow, and watching the red-hot shoesbeing shaped. Jim was quick and clever, and it was a pleasure to watch him.
　　'You been hearing Grandad's old stories?' he said. 'It's all he's got to do now, sit there and remember,though when he wants to he can make a horse-shoe as well as I can! There, that's the last one. Standstill, Sultan. That's right!'
　　The five children were soon on their way back again. It was a lovely morning, and the banks andditches they passed were bright gold with thousands of celandines.
　　'All beautifully polished!' said Anne, picking two or three for her button-hole. It did look as ifsomeone had polished the inside of each petal, for they gleamed like enamel.
　　'What a queer tale the old man told,' said Julian. 'He told it well!'
　　'Yes. He made me feel I don't want to go up on the moor again!' said Anne.
　　'Don't be feeble!' said George. 'It all happened ages ago. Jolly interesting too. I wonder if the gypsieswho are there now know the story. May be their great-grand-parents were the ones who set on theBartles that misty day!'
　　'Well, Sniffer's father looked sly enough to carry out a plan like that,' said Henry. 'What about ushaving a shot at following the way they went, and seeing if we can make out the patrins that Sniffertold George he would leave?'
　　'Good idea,' said Julian. 'We'll go this afternoon. I say, what's the time? I should think it must be half-past dinner-time!'
　　They looked at their watches. 'Yes, we're late, but we always are when we get back from theblacksmith,' said George. 'Never mind, I bet Mrs. Johnson will have an extra special meal for us!'
　　She had! There was an enormous plate of stew for everyone, complete with carrots, onions, parsnipsand turnips, and a date pudding to follow. Good old Mrs. Johnson!
　　'You three girls must wash up for me afterwards,' she said. 'I've such a lot to do today.'
　　44
　　'Why can't the boys help?' said George at once.
　　'I'll do all the washing-up,' said Anne with a sudden grin. 'You four boys can go out to the stables!'
　　Dick gave her a good-natured shove. 'You know we'll help, even if we're not good at it. I'll dry. I hatethose bits and pieces that float about in the washing-bowl.'
　　'Will it be all right if we go up on the moors this afternoon?' asked George.
　　'Yes, quite all right. But if you want to take your tea, you'll have to pack it yourselves,' said Mrs.
　　Johnson. 'I'm taking the small children out for a ride, and there's one on the leading-rein still, as youknow.'
　　They were ready to set off at three o'clock with their tea packed and everything. The horses werecaught in the field and got ready too. They set off happily.
　　'Now we'll see if we are as clever as we think we are, at reading gypsy patrins!' said George.
　　'Timmy, don't chase every rabbit you see, or you'll be left behind!'
　　They cantered up on to the moor, passing the place where the caravans had stood. They knew thedirection they had taken, and here and there they saw wheel-marks. It was fairly easy to follow theirtrail, because five caravans made quite a path to follow.
　　'Here's where they camped first,' said Julian, riding up to a blackened spot that showed where a firehad been lighted. 'We ought to find a message left somewhere here.'
　　They searched for one. George found it. 'It's here, behind this tree!' she called. 'Out of the wind.'
　　They dismounted and came round George. On the ground was the patrin, the shape of a cross, thelong stick pointing forwards, in the direction they were going. Other single sticks lay there, to showthat a caravan had gone that way, and beside them were the large and the small leaf, weighted withtiny stones.
　　'What did those leaves show now, oh yes, Sniffer and his dog!' said Dick. 'Well, we're on the rightway, though we'd know that anyhow, by the fire!'
　　They mounted again and went on. It proved quite easy to find and follow the patrins. Only once didthey find any difficulty and that was when they came to a place, marked by two trees, where therewas no apparent sign in the heather of any caravan marks.
　　'The heather's so jolly thick here that it's taken the caravans as if it were a feather-bed, springing upwhen they had gone, and giving no sign of where they had passed,' said Julian. He dismounted andhad a good look round. No, there was no sign.
　　45
　　'We'll go on a little way,' he said. 'We may come to a camping place, then we'll know.'
　　But they came to no old camping place, and stopped at last in bewilderment. 'We've lost the trail,'
　　said Dick. 'We're not such good gypsies after all!'
　　'Let's go back to those two trees,' said George. 'We can still just see them. If it's so easy to lose theway there, there might be a patrin, although there are no camp-marks. After all, a patrin is left toshow the way, in case the ones following take the wrong route.'
　　So back they rode to the two trees, and there, sure enough, was Sniffer's patrin! Henry found it setcarefully between the trees, so that nothing could disturb it.
　　'Here's the cross, and the single sticks, and the leaves!' she said. 'But look, the long stick of the crosspoints to the east and we went off to the north. No wonder we found no signs of the caravans!'
　　They set off to the east this time, across the thick, springy heather, and almost at once found signs ofthe passing of caravans, twigs broken off the bushes, a wheel rut on a soft piece of ground.
　　'We're right now,' said Julian, pleased. 'I was beginning to think it was all too easy for words!
　　But it isn't!'
　　They rode for two hours, and then decided to have tea. They sat down in a little glade of silverbirches, with an unexpected copse of pale primroses behind. Timmy had to make up his mind whichto choose, a rabbit-chase, or titbits from the children's tea!
　　He chose both, racing after an imaginary rabbit, and then coming back for a sandwich!
　　'You know, it's a lot better for us when Mrs. Johnson makes sandwiches of tomato or lettuce orsomething like that,' said Henry. 'We do get them all then, but when we have meat or sardine or eggsandwiches Timmy gets as much as we do!'
　　'Well, surely you don't mind that, Henrietta,' said George at once. 'You make Timmy sound verygreedy. After all, you don't need to give him any of your sandwiches!'
　　'Now, Georgina!' murmured Dick, in her ear.
　　'Sorry, Georgina,' said Henry, with a grin. 'I just can't help giving him a sandwich or two when hecomes and sits down and looks at me so longingly.'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy, and at once sat down in front of Henry, his tongue out, and his eyes fixedunblinkingly on her.
　　46
　　'He sort of hypnotizes me,' complained Henry. 'Make him go away, George. I shan't be able to keep asingle sandwich or bit of cake for myself. Go and stare at someone else, Timmy, for goodness' sake!'
　　Julian looked at his watch. 'I don't think we ought to spend too long over tea,' he said. 'I know we'vegot summertime now, and the evenings are nice and light, but we haven't reached the gypsy campyet, and after that we've got to go all the way back. What about starting off again?'
　　'Right,' said everyone and remounted their horses. They set off through the heather. Soon they foundit unexpectedly easy to follow the caravan route, because the soil became sandy, and there were manybare patches on which the marks of the wheels could plainly be seen.
　　'Goodness, if we go to the east much more, we'll come to the sea!' said Dick.
　　'No, it's still some miles away,' said Julian. 'Hallo, there's a little hill or something in the distance.
　　First time we've seen anything but complete flatness!'
　　The wheel-marks led steadily towards the little hill, which, as they came near, seemed to growconsiderably bigger. 'I bet the caravans are there,' said George. 'That hill would give a nice bit ofshelter from the wind that came from the sea. I believe I can see one!'
　　George was right. The caravans were there. They showed up well against the hill, in their brightcolours.
　　'They've even got up a washing-line as usual!' said Anne. 'Clothes flapping in the wind!'
　　'Let's go and ask if Clip is all right,' said Julian. 'It will be a very good excuse for going right up to thecamp.'
　　So they cantered straight up to the little group of five caravans. Four or five men appeared as soon asthey heard the sound of hooves. They looked silent and rather forbidding. Sniffer ran out and shouted.
　　'Hallo! Clip's fine! Quite all right again!'
　　His father gave him a push and said something sharp to him. He disappeared under the nearestcaravan.
　　Julian rode up to Sniffer's father. 'Did I hear Sniffer say that Clip was quite all right?' he asked.
　　'Where is he?'
　　'Over there,' said the man, with a nod of his head. 'No need for you to see him. He's mended fine.'
　　'All right, all right! I'm not going to take him away from you!' said Julian. 'This is a nice shelteredplace you've got, isn't it? How long are you staying?'
　　47
　　'What's that to do with you?' said an old gypsy, unpleasantly.
　　'Nothing,' said Julian, surprised. 'Just a polite question, that's all!'
　　'How do you get water?' called George. 'Is there a good spring here?'
　　There was no reply at all. The four or five men had now been joined by others, and there were threemangy-looking dogs growling round. Timmy was beginning to growl back.
　　'You'd better go before our dogs get at you,' said Sniffer's father, sourly.
　　'Where's Liz?' said George, remembering Sniffer's dog, but before she got an answer the three dogssuddenly made an attack on Timmy! They pounced on him and he had hard work to keep them off.
　　He was far bigger than they were, but they were nippy little things.
　　'Call off those dogs!' yelled Julian, seeing that George was dismounting to go to Timmy's help.
　　She would get bitten. 'Do you hear me? Call off those dogs.'
　　Sniffer's father whistled. The three dogs reluctantly left Timmy and went over to the men, their tailsdown. George had reached Tim and had now got her hand on his collar to stop him from chasing theother three dogs.
　　'Mount your horse, whistle Timmy, and we'll go,' shouted Julian, not at all liking the silent, sour-looking gypsies. George did as she was told. Timmy ran beside her, and they all cantered away fromthe unpleasant camp.
　　The men stood watching them in complete silence. 'What's up with them?' said Dick puzzled.
　　'Anyone would think they were planning another Bartle affair!'
　　'Don't!' said Anne. 'They're planning something, all alone out here, far away from anywhere! I shan'tgo near them again.'
　　'They thought we were prying and spying,' said Dick. 'That's all. Poor old Sniffer. What a life he has!'
　　'We couldn't even tell him that we found his patrins useful,' said George. 'Oh well, there's probablynothing in it, not even an adventure!'
　　Was she right or wrong? Julian looked at Dick and Dick looked back, his eyebrows raised. Theydidn't know. Oh well, time would tell!
10.鼻涕虫留下的暗号
　　鼻涕虫留下的暗号
　　大家兴致勃勃地进入铁匠铺里参观，生炉、点火、锻铁……吉姆动作娴熟，一气呵成，让观摩者赞叹不已。
　　“你们听完我爷爷的陈年往事啦？”他问，“他就喜欢这么坐着，想想以前的事，但是他打马掌的本事一点都没退步，跟我比毫不逊色！现在就剩那匹马了，站好了，苏丹，对，就是这样！”
　　没过多久，马掌全部钉好，五人踏上了归途。清晨阳光明媚，河岸边长满了燕子草，星星点点的花朵在阳光的照耀下璀璨夺目。
　　“这些花长得太美了，晶莹透亮！”安妮说道，她摘下两三朵小花，别在纽扣上。仔细看，确实像是有人把珐琅涂抹在花瓣上，折射出迷人的光芒。
　　这时，朱利安突然说道：“那老人的话太怪异了。”
　　“就是嘛，吓得我都不敢再去荒野了！”安妮说。
　　“这有什么，”乔治说，“反正那些事已经过去很久了，不过听起来确实挺有趣的。我在想，有没有吉卜赛人也知道这个故事的，或许他们的祖先就是曾经趁着大雾攻击巴图兄弟的人呢？”
　　“有可能，鼻涕虫的爸爸那么狡猾，看起来确实像是会干出这种事的人。”亨利说，“要不我们沿着他们走的路跟过去瞧瞧？正好看看能不能认出鼻涕虫留给乔治的暗号？”
　　“好主意。”朱利安说，“我们下午就出发。让我想想，什么时间合适呢？那就吃完饭半小时以后吧！”
　　他们纷纷看了看表。乔治说：“行，现在确实有点晚，不过平常从铁匠那里回来也差不多是这个时间。没关系，约翰逊夫人肯定会为我们重新再准备一顿大餐的！”
　　事实证明，约翰逊夫人确实安排好了！每个人一大盘菜，有胡萝卜、洋葱、萝卜、甘蓝，还有一道饭后甜点——海枣布丁。夫人真的太能干了！
　　“你们三个女孩待会儿帮我洗碗。”她说，“我今天忙坏了。”
　　“为什么不叫男孩去？”乔治立马不服。
　　“让我来就行。”安妮笑了，“你们四个男孩可以出去了。”
　　迪克轻轻地拍了拍她，说：“放心好了，我们会帮忙的。我可以负责擦干碗上的水珠。”
　　“那下午我们还能去荒野吗？”乔治问。
　　“当然可以。不过你们要是想带点吃的出去，请自行备好。”约翰逊夫人说，“我要带小朋友们出去骑马了，总得有一个人来照看他们。”
　　下午三点钟，茶点准备好了，马也拉到院子里整装待发，一切都安排妥当，于是，他们愉快地上路了。“现在我们就来证明一下自己到底有没有那么聪明，看谁能读懂吉卜赛人的暗号！”乔治很兴奋，“蒂米，不要一看见兔子就追，否则你就要掉队啦！”
　　他们慢慢骑着马，沿着大篷车队的方向走。他们确实走对了方向，一路上都能看到车轮的痕迹，五辆大篷车，拖出来一条长长的泥印子，想注意不到都难。
　　朱利安看见前面有一片黑黑的地方——很明显那里燃烧过火堆，便立刻骑马过去：“这就是他们第一次驻扎的地方。我们应该找找这附近留下的暗号。”
　　他们果真找到了一个，是乔治发现的，她的声音从某个地方传出来：“这里，就在树后面！”
　　其他人连忙下马，走过去围在乔治身旁。地上有一个十字形暗号，长的一根指着他们现在前进的方向，其余的树枝则单独搁在地上，说明有一辆篷车曾经驶过这条路，旁边还有一对大小不同的叶子，上面压着小石头。
　　“这些叶子表示什么？哦，我知道了，鼻涕虫和他的狗！”迪克说，“很好，我们走的路是正确的，虽然我们只看火堆已经知道我们该走哪里了。”
　　他们重新上了马，继续前进。事实上，寻找暗号的过程并不难，他们只在一个地方遇到了点麻烦——那里伫立着两棵大树，但是石南花周围的地上却没有大篷车车轮留下的痕迹。
　　“这些草长得异常茂盛，马车轧过时就像轧在羽绒垫上，车轮一离开就立马弹了回来，完全看不出碾压的痕迹。”朱利安说。他下了马，又仔细观察了一下四周，还是看不出蛛丝马迹。
　　“要不我们再往前面走走看。”他说，“或许可以看到他们驻扎的地方，之后再做打算。”
　　然而，他们并没有发现疑似驻扎的营地，最后大家都陷入了迷茫之中。“我们跟丢了。”迪克说，“毕竟我们没有人家吉卜赛人那么专业！”
　　“我们回到那两棵树那里去，”乔治说，“趁我们现在还能看得见它们。我们就是从那里开始辨别不出方向的，所以我想，即使没有任何营地的痕迹，也肯定能在那儿找到一个暗号。毕竟，暗号就是用来指明道路的，如果有某段路特别容易迷失，那么就应该有暗号。”
　　于是，他们又原路返回到那两棵树那里。果然，那里留有鼻涕虫的暗号！亨利发现这暗号就设在两棵树中间，非常隐蔽，极不容易发现。
　　“这又是一个十字架的形状，旁边依然是小树枝和叶子！”她说，“等等，长的树枝指向东，而刚刚我们却往北边走了，难怪看不到任何大篷车的痕迹呢！”
　　这次，他们重新调转方向，往东边赶，穿过茂盛蓬勃的石南花丛，立刻就发现大篷车队经过的痕迹，草丛里有一些枝条被轧断了，还能看见泥地上印了一个车辙。
　　“这次我们走对了。”朱利安高兴地说，“一开始我理所当然地认为不过是小菜一碟，事实证明我的想法错得实在离谱。”
　　马不停蹄赶了两个小时后，他们决定停下来吃点东西，于是在桦树林里找了一小块空地坐下来。令人惊喜的是，身后竟是一片淡黄色的樱草丛。蒂米可就犯难了，到底是去追兔子呢，还是跟在他们身旁蹭点茶点吃？
　　那就两个都选了，先去追追看有没有兔子，再回来吃个三明治好了！
　　“约翰逊夫人给我们做番茄或生菜之类的三明治可比做肉馅、沙丁鱼或鸡蛋三明治明智多了，这样我们就可以独自享用了，要不然蒂米吃的比我们还多！”亨利说。
　　“不过，你肯定不会介意的吧，亨利。”乔治立马回她，“你这么说，搞得蒂米好像很贪吃似的。反正也用不着分你的那份三明治给它。”
　　“嘿嘿嘿，乔治！”迪克凑到她耳边提醒了一下。
　　“不好意思，乔治。”亨利笑着说，“只是它跑过来坐在我旁边，眼巴巴看着我的时候，我真的忍不住想给它一两块。”
　　“汪汪。”蒂米叫了一下，马上坐在亨利前面，伸出舌头，眼睛直勾勾地望着她。
　　“我真的受不了这样的眼神。”亨利抱怨道，“快把它拉走吧，乔治，否则我连一块三明治或一丁点蛋糕都保不住了。去，蒂米，去盯着别人看！”
　　朱利安看了看表说：“尽管夏日的傍晚风光无限，可我们并没有太多时间用在吃东西上。我们还没有到达吉卜赛人的营地，而且之后还要沿原路返回，所以我们最好现在继续赶路。”
　　“好的。”众人纷纷回到马背上。他们穿过一片石南花海，很快，便又重新发现大篷车的行迹。这边的土地开始变得有些沙化，而且有很多地表裸露着，上面的车轮印清晰可见。
　　“我的天哪，要是再继续往东走，我们就到海边了！”迪克说。
　　“还有好几英里远呢。”朱利安说，“你们看，那边好像是个小山丘，除了空荡荡的土地，终于看见点别的东西了！”
　　车轮的印记一直绵延到小山丘那里。随着距离逐渐拉近，山丘的轮廓变得越来越大，越来越清晰。“我敢肯定，车队就在那儿。”乔治说，“那座山是很好的屏障，可以遮挡吹来的海风。”
　　乔治猜对了，车队的确在那儿。他们赫然出现在山上，衣服颜色鲜艳，一眼就能辨认出来。
　　“他们还像往常一样拉了一根晾衣绳，在那儿晾衣服呢，”安妮说，“衣服正在风中飘动呢。”
　　“我们去问问科里普的伤好得怎么样了。”朱利安说，“这是一个前去探究他们营地的好借口。”
　　于是他们便慢悠悠地骑着马，往五辆大篷车所在的位置走去。
　　有四五个人听到了马蹄声，赶紧出来看。他们默不作声，脸色相当冷峻。鼻涕虫也跑了出来，他大叫道：“你们好呀！科里普很好！它又活蹦乱跳的了！”
　　他爸爸走过来推了他一下，又吼了他两声，他立刻跑进离他最近的大篷车里。
　　朱利安骑上马前去，来到鼻涕虫爸爸身边：“我刚刚听鼻涕虫说科里普已经好了，是吧？它现在在哪儿呢？”
　　“那里。”男人头往那边摆了一下，说，“你不用去看了，它已经痊愈了。”
　　“别担心，我又不是要把它带走！”朱利安说，“这地方真的很适合居住，你说是不是？你们在这儿待多久了？”
　　“这跟你有什么关系？”一个年长的吉卜赛人不悦地说道。
　　“是没关系，”朱利安故作诧异地说，“我也只是客套一下而已，别多心。”
　　“你们去哪里取水？”乔治问，“这附近有泉水吗？”
　　没有人回答，那四五个男人自顾自地忙活起来，只有旁边的三只癞皮狗冲他们大声吠叫，蒂米也立刻吼了起来。
　　“你们最好趁我们的狗还没咬你们之前赶紧离开。”鼻涕虫的爸爸不怀好意地说。
　　“丽丝呢？”乔治问。她想起鼻涕虫还有一只狗，可还没等到答案，那三只狗便突然袭击了蒂米！它们猛地扑向它，把它逼得四处闪躲。蒂米虽然体形庞大，但明显没有那三只狗动作敏捷。
　　“把它们叫住！”朱利安喊道。他看见乔治正准备下马帮蒂米，乔治这样会被咬伤的，“你听见没有？快把它们叫住。”
　　鼻涕虫的爸爸吹了声口哨，那三只狗才不情愿地离开蒂米，转身朝他走过去，尾巴沮丧地耷拉着。乔治已经来到蒂米身边，她抓住它的项圈，不让它继续追赶那三只狗。
　　“上马，我们走。”朱利安大声喊道，他一点也不想再面对那些冷漠阴郁的吉卜赛人。乔治吹了声口哨，蒂米跑到她身边，几个人便驱马离开了这个让人扫兴的地方。
　　鼻涕虫的爸爸站在那儿，一言不发地看着他们离开。
　　“他们究竟是怎么回事啊？”迪克困惑不解，“是不是又在谋划另一起巴图事件！”
　　“他们几个人大老远地跑到这儿来，一定在密谋什么，”安妮说，“我们还是离他们越远越好。”
　　“他们以为我们是来打探什么事，监视他们的，所以才那么戒备。”迪克说，“可怜的鼻涕虫，他过的这是什么生活啊！”
　　“我们连跟他道谢的机会都没有，他留下的暗号可帮了我们大忙呢。”乔治说，“算了，可能真的什么事都没发生，只是我们想多了。”
　　事情是不是真如她所说呢？朱利安和迪克相视一下，扬了扬眉毛，若有所思。接下来会发生什么谁也不知道，时间会证明一切的！
Chapter 11 A NICE LITTLE PLAN
Chapter 11 A NICE LITTLE PLAN
　　The five of them told Captain and Mrs. Johnson about their afternoon's experience, as they werehaving supper.
　　'Patrins!' said Mrs. Johnson. 'So Sniffer told you about those? But I really don't think you should visitthe gypsy camp. Those particular gypsies are a surly, bad-tempered lot.'
　　'Did you ever hear the tale of the Big Bartles?' said Henry, getting ready to relate it, and add little bitsof her own, here and there!
　　'No. But it can wait, I'm sure,' said Mrs. Johnson, knowing Henry's habit of leaving her food quiteuneaten once she began on some marvellous tale. 'Is it one of your tales? You can tell it after supper.'
　　'It's not Henry's tale,' said George, annoyed that Henry should get all the limelight again, and take theblacksmith's tale for her own. 'It's one old Ben told us. Ju, you tell it!'
　　'Nobody is to tell it now,' said Captain Johnson. 'You came in late for supper, we waited for you, andthe least you can do is to get on with your eating.'
　　The five juniors at the other table were disappointed. They had hoped to hear another of Henry'smarvellous stories. But Captain Johnson was hungry and tired.
　　'Old Ben is a great age, as you said,' began Henry, after a few mouthfuls. 'He -'
　　'Not another word, please, Henrietta,' said the captain, curtly. Henry went red and George grinned,kicking at Dick under the table. Unfortunately she kicked Henry instead, and the girl glared at her fora whole minute.
　　'Oh dear!' thought Anne. 'Just as we'd had such a lovely day! I suppose we're all tired and scratchy.'
　　'Why did you kick me?' began Henry in a cross voice, as soon as she and George left the table withthe others.
　　'Shut up, you two,' said Julian. 'She probably meant to kick me or Dick, not you.'
　　Henry shut up. She didn't like Julian to tick her off. George looked mutinous and went off withTimmy.
　　Dick yawned. 'What jobs are there to do, if any?' he said. 'Don't say there's washing-up again. I feel Imight break a few things.'
　　49
　　Mrs. Johnson heard him and laughed. 'No, there's no washing-up. The woman has come in to do ittonight. Have a look at the horses - and see that Jenny the mare is not with Flash, you know shedoesn't like her for some reason, and will kick out at her. She must always be kept in another field.'
　　'That's all right, Mrs. Johnson,' said William, suddenly appearing, stolid and competent as ever.
　　'I've seen to that. I've seen to everything, really.'
　　'You're better than any stable-boy, William,' said Mrs. Johnson, smiling at him. 'I wish you'd take apermanent job here!'
　　'I wish you meant that,' said William, earnestly. There was nothing he would have liked better!
　　He went off looking pleased.
　　'I think you'd better all go to bed then, as William appears to have done everything necessary,'
　　said Mrs. Johnson. 'Any plans for tomorrow?'
　　'Not yet,' said Julian, trying to stop a yawn. 'So if you want anything done, we'll do it.'
　　'We'll see what tomorrow brings,' said Mrs. Johnson and said good night. The boys said good night tothe three girls and went off to the stable.
　　'Gosh, we've forgotten to undress and wash and everything,' said Julian, half-asleep. 'What's thematter with us at this place? I can't seem to keep my eyes open after half-past eight!'
　　The next day certainly brought a few things. It brought a letter for Henry that filled her with disgust.
　　It brought two letters for Mrs. Johnson that made her start fussing and worrying. It brought atelegram for Captain Johnson that sent him down to the station at once.
　　Henrietta's letter was from two of her great-aunts. They announced that as they would be near thestables that day and the following, they would like to fetch her and take her out with them.
　　'Blow!' said Henrietta, ungratefully. 'Great-Aunts Hannah and Lucy would choose this very week tocome along and see me! Just when Julian and Dick are here, and everything is such fun. Can't I phoneand say I'm too busy, Mrs. Johnson?'
　　'Certainly not,' said Mrs. Johnson, shocked. 'That would be very rude, Henry, and you know it.
　　You're having the whole of the Easter holidays here, and yet you think you can't spare two days.
　　As a matter of fact I shall be glad if your aunts do take you off my hands for a couple of days.'
　　'Why?' asked Henry, astonished. 'Have I been a nuisance?'
　　'Oh no, but I've had two letters this morning telling me that four children are coming unexpectedly,'
　　said Mrs. Johnson. 'They were not supposed to come till three of the others left 50this week-end, but there you are! These things happen. Where I am to put them I really don't know!'
　　'Oh dear!' said Anne. 'Do you think Dick and Julian ought to go home, Mrs. Johnson? You didn't planfor them, you know, they just came.'
　　'Yes. I know,' said Mrs. Johnson. 'But we're more or less used to that, and I do like having biggerboys, I must say, they're such a help. Now let me see. What can we do?'
　　Captain Johnson came in, looking hurried. 'I've just had a telegram, dear,' he said. 'I've got to godown to the station. Those two new horses have arrived. Two days before I wanted them - what anuisance!'
　　'This is one of those days!' said Mrs. Johnson, desperately. 'Good gracious, how many shall we be inthe house? And however many horses shall we have? No, I can't count this morning. I'm all muddle-headed!'
　　Anne felt that it was a pity that she and George and the boys couldn't immediately pack and go home.
　　After all, poor Mrs. Johnson had thought that she and George would have gone home three or fourdays ago, and instead of that they had stayed on and the boys had arrived as well!
　　Anne hurried to find Julian. He would know what to do. She found him with Dick, carrying straw forthe stables.
　　'Julian! Listen! I want to talk to you,' said Anne. Julian let the load of straw slip to the ground, andturned to Anne.
　　'What's up?' he said. 'Don't tell me it's a row between George and Henry again, because I shan'tlisten!'
　　'No. Nothing like that,' said Anne. 'It's Mrs. Johnson. She's got four children coming unexpectedly,before the others go. She's in a great state about it, and I wondered what we could do to help. Yousee, she didn't expect any of us four to be here this week.'
　　'No. That's true,' said Julian, sitting down on his straw. 'Let's think hard.'
　　'It's easy!' said Dick. 'We'll simply take our tents, some food, and go and camp out on the moor bysome spring. WHAT could be nicer?'
　　'Oh yes!' said Anne, her eyes shining. 'Oh Dick, that's a marvellous idea! Mrs. Johnson will get rid ofus all and Timmy too, then, and we would have a lovely time all by ourselves!'
　　51
　　'Killing quite a lot of birds with one stone!' said Julian. 'We've got a couple of tents in our kit, Anne.
　　Very small ones, but they'll do. And we can borrow rubber sheets to put on the heather, though it's asdry as a bone, as far as I can see!'
　　'I'll go and tell George!' said Anne, joyfully. 'Let's go today, Julian, and be out of the way before thenew children come. Captain Johnson's got two new horses coming too. He'll be very glad to have afew of us out of the way!'
　　She flew off to tell George. George was busy polishing some harness, a job she liked very much.
　　She listened to Anne's excited tale. Henry was there too, looking gloomy. She looked gloomier still atthe end.
　　'It's too bad,' she said, when Anne had finished. 'I could have come with you if it hadn't been for thesegreat-aunts of mine. WHY did they have to come just at this very moment! Don't you think it'smaddening?'
　　Neither Anne nor George thought it was maddening. They were secretly very pleased indeed to thinkthat they could once more go off entirely on their own, with Timmy, as they had so often done before.
　　But they would have had to ask Henry if her aunts hadn't written at this very lucky moment!
　　George didn't like to show how delighted she was to think of going off camping on the moor.
　　She and Anne did a little comforting of poor Henry and then went off to make arrangements withMrs. Johnson.
　　'Well, that's a very bright idea of Dick's!' she said in delight. 'It solves a whole lot of problems.
　　And I know you don't mind. You're thrilled at the chance, aren't you! It's really very helpful. I onlywish poor Henry could go too, but she must go out with her old great-aunts. They adore her!'
　　'Of course she must,' said George, solemnly. She and Anne exchanged a look. Poor Henry. But really,it would be very nice to be without her for a little while.
　　Everyone began to be suddenly very busy. Dick and Julian undid their packs to find out exactly whatwas in them. Mrs. Johnson looked out rubber sheets and old rugs. She was a wonder at producingthings like that!
　　William wanted to go with them and help to carry the things, but nobody wanted his help. They justwanted to be off and away by themselves, just the Five and nobody else! Timmy caught theexcitement too and his tail thumped and wagged the whole morning.
　　52
　　'You'll be pretty well loaded,' said Mrs. Johnson, doubtfully. 'It's a good thing that fine weather isforecast, or you'd have to take macs as well. Still, I imagine you won't go very far on the moors, willyou? You can easily get back to the stable if you have forgotten anything, or want more food.'
　　They were ready at last, and went to find Henry to say good-bye. She stared at them mournfully.
　　She had changed into a smart little coat and dress. She looked completely different and very gloomy.
　　'What part of the moor are you going to?' she asked eagerly. 'Up the railway?'
　　'Yes. We thought we would,' said Julian. 'Just to see where it goes to. And it's a nice straight way tofollow. We can't lose our way if we keep near the railway!'
　　'Have a good time, Henry,' said George, with a grin. 'Do they call you Henrietta?'
　　'Yes,' said poor Henry, putting on a pair of gloves. 'Well, good-bye. For goodness' sake don't stayaway too long. Thank goodness you're all such a hungry lot. You'll simply have to come back and getmore food in a couple of days!'
　　They grinned and left her, Timmy at their heels. They made their way to the moor, intending to cutout the part of the railway that ran to Milling Green, and join it some way before that.
　　'Now we're off,' said George, contentedly. 'Without that chatterbox of a Henry.'
　　'She's really not too bad,' said Dick. 'All the same, it's fine to be on our own, just the Famous Fivetogether!'
11.完美计划
　　完美计划
　　晚餐时分，五人将这天下午的经历一五一十地告诉约翰逊队长和夫人。
　　“暗号！”约翰逊夫人惊呼，“鼻涕虫把一切都告诉你们了？不过我真的不希望你们随便上吉卜赛人的营地去。那群吉卜赛人个个脾气古怪，乖戾无礼，太危险了。”
　　“您听过巴图家族的故事吗？”亨利迫不及待地想把他们知道的故事告诉队长和夫人。
　　“没听过，但我不急着现在听。”约翰逊夫人很了解亨利，她一旦打开话匣子，就会连饭都不吃的，“是不是又要开始讲你的英雄事迹了？吃完饭再讲吧。”
　　“不是亨利的故事。”乔治有些恼火，因为亨利又想博大家的眼球——一个人把铁匠的故事全说出来，“是一个叫老本的老人家讲给我们听的。朱利安，你来说！”
　　“吃饭的时候谁都不许讲话。”队长发话了，“你们已经错过开饭时间，让我们所有人等着，现在你们要做的就是赶紧把饭吃完。”
　　坐在另一桌的那群小孩子见没故事可听，变得有些沮丧。他们期待能够听到亨利的精彩故事，但约翰逊队长明显又饿又累。
　　“老本已经是一个很老的老人了。”亨利赶紧塞几口饭到嘴里，开始了她的演讲，“他……”
　　“一个字都不许多说，拜托你了，亨利尔塔。”队长简略地说。
　　亨利满脸通红，乔治见状忍不住笑起来，在桌子底下用脚偷偷踢了一下迪克。不幸的是，她踢到的是亨利，亨利瞪了她整整一分钟。
　　老天！安妮心里嘀咕着，我们确实度过了美好的一天，但我们现在都很累，嗓子也哑了。
　　“你踢我干吗？”亨利趁乔治还没离开餐桌，生气地质问她。
　　“你们俩别说了。”朱利安说，“她可能原本想踢我或者迪克，但踢错人了。”
　　亨利没有多说什么，她不喜欢被朱利安说。乔治满脸不屑，跟蒂米走了。
　　迪克打了个哈欠，说：“还有没有什么事需要帮忙的？别跟我说洗碗什么的，否则我可能又要打碎东西了。”
　　约翰逊夫人听他说完大笑道：“不，不用你洗碗，今晚有人过来洗。去照看一下马吧，看看那只母马珍妮跟弗拉什在不在一块儿，不知道为什么，它们俩待在一块儿总是会打起来，所以必须把它关到其他地方去。”
　　“好的，夫人。”威廉突然出现，脸上表情木讷，“我已经照料好了，所有的一切都安排好了。”
　　“你比任何马童都能干，威廉。”约翰逊夫人对他微笑着说，“真希望你能留在这里工作。”
　　“希望您说的是真的，谢谢您夸奖。”威廉真诚地说道。这是他目前为止最喜欢做的事，很明显，他离开时心情非常愉悦，开心地跑去忙活了。
　　“你们都去睡觉吧，威廉已经把所有该做的事都做好了。”约翰逊夫人说，“明天有什么打算没有？”
　　“还没计划好，”朱利安止住打哈欠的冲动，“如果您有什么吩咐的话，我们会帮忙的。”
　　“明天再说吧。”约翰逊夫人说道。男孩们跟三个女孩互道晚安后便往马房走去。
　　“天哪，我们竟然没换衣服，没洗漱，什么都还没收拾就已经困得要命了。”朱利安睡眼惺忪，“究竟怎么回事啊，这个地方真邪门，才八点半我的眼睛就已经睁不开了！”
　　第二天确实有了不同的气象：亨利收到了一封让她嫌弃不已的信件，约翰逊夫人收到了两封让她开始变得心神不宁的信件，还有一封让队长立即赶去火车站的信。
　　“怎么回事！”亨利尔塔没好气地说，“舅妈汉娜和露西这周要来看我，她们偏偏选在这个星期过来看我——选了朱利安和迪克都在这儿的时候，我还想跟他们一起玩呢。您能不能打电话跟舅妈她们说我现在很忙，让她们别过来，行吗，夫人？”
　　“当然不行。”约翰逊夫人很是震惊，“这样太没有礼貌了，亨利，你知道的。你整个复活节假期都待在这儿，难道连两天的时间都拿不出来陪陪她们吗？其实，如果你的舅妈她们能把你从这里接过去几天，我会很开心的。”
　　“为什么？”亨利很吃惊，“我给您添了不少麻烦吗？”
　　“哦，不不不。我今天早上收到两封信，得知突然又有四个小孩要过来。”约翰逊夫人解释说，“他们本来要等到这周末其他三个孩子离开后才过来的，但是现在事情已经发生了，我真的不知道该怎么安顿他们！”
　　“哎呀，别急嘛！”安妮说，“您要让迪克和朱利安回去吗，夫人？您之前没料到他们会来，而且他们才刚来没几天。”
　　“是的，我知道。”约翰逊夫人说，“他们已经住下了，我们也都习惯了，况且我也需要他们两个年轻力壮的小伙子，他们确实帮了不少忙。你让我想想，我们应该怎么安排好呢？”
　　这时候，约翰逊队长进来了，神色慌张：“我刚刚收到一封电报，亲爱的，我得去一趟火车站，那两匹马到了，两天前就到了，真是麻烦！”
　　“这只是个开始而已！”约翰逊夫人绝望地说，“我的天，究竟得有多少人住在这栋房子里，还有多少马送到这里来呢？不行，我数不过来，我现在头脑不是很清醒！”
　　安妮觉得很抱歉，因为她、乔治还有朱利安他们不能直接收拾行李回家。本来她和乔治打算三四天前就要走的，现在的情况却是，不仅她们还要继续待在这儿，而且两个男孩也过来了！
　　安妮连忙去找朱利安商议——他知道应该怎么处理。她看见他和迪克两个人在忙着把稻草搬进马厩里。
　　“朱利安，停一下，我有话跟你说。”安妮说。朱利安把手中的稻草放下，转过身来。
　　“怎么了？”他说，“别跟我说乔治和亨利又吵起来了，我可不想听到这个！”
　　“不是，跟这个无关。”安妮说，“是关于约翰逊夫人的。现在突然又要来四个小孩，但夫人不知道该怎么安置他们，所以她感到很头疼。我想我们应该做点什么。你想想看，她之前也没有料到我们四个这周会留在这儿。”
　　“确实如此。”朱利安坐在地上的稻草上，说，“让我好好想想。”
　　“其实没那么复杂！”迪克说，“很简单，我们带上帐篷，再带点吃的东西，到荒野上找一处有水源的地方住下来。现在正好是春天，你说还有什么比这更棒的？”
　　“对呀！”安妮叫道，眼睛一亮，“迪克，你太聪明了！约翰逊夫人可以不用费神管我们几个和蒂米了，我们自己也能玩得很开心！”
　　“真的是一石三鸟！”朱利安说，“我们的背包里有几顶帐篷，虽然很小，不过挺好用的。再去借几张橡胶垫放在草地上，以现在的天气，草地上应该挺干燥的。”
　　“我去告诉乔治！”安妮兴奋地说，“今天就走吧，朱利安，趁新来的小孩还没到，先给他们腾出地方来。队长已经去接两匹刚到的马了，我们几个就别让他为难了。”
　　此时乔治正忙着打磨马具，这是她非常喜欢做的工作。安妮把计划完整地跟乔治说了一遍，亨利也在旁边听着，一副满怀心事的样子，直到安妮讲完，她才发了声感慨：“太糟糕了。我原本可以跟你们一起去的，都怪我那些舅妈。她们偏偏这时候来！你们不觉得这太扫兴了吗？”
　　其实，这只是亨利的想法，安妮和乔治可不这么觉得。相反，她们内心一阵狂喜，如此一来，他们就能像以前一样，四个人加上蒂米，自由自在地拥抱阳光，快乐玩耍了。如果亨利的舅妈们没有写信要来的话，她们就不得不邀请亨利加入了。
　　乔治不想过分表现出自己此刻的心情，虽然一想到他们即将出发去冒险，心里就不禁狂喜。她和安妮稍微安慰了一下可怜的亨利，就去找约翰逊夫人商量他们的计划了。
　　“嗯，迪克的主意太完美了！”约翰逊夫人高兴地说，“现在什么事都迎刃而解了，你们确实帮了我大忙。这个机会你们应该期待已久了吧？真希望可怜的亨利也能一块儿去，可她必须跟她的舅妈们待在一起，她们太疼爱她了！”
　　“她当然得陪着舅妈她们啦。”乔治郑重其事地说。她和安妮交换了一下眼神，亨利确实可怜，不过说真的，暂时撇开她的话，他们会玩得更好一些。
　　接着，每个人都开始忙活起来。迪克和朱利安打开包裹，查看里面都有些什么装备。约翰逊夫人找出一些橡胶垫和旧毛毯，让他们带上。
　　威廉希望跟他们一起去，顺便可以帮忙拿东西，但似乎没有人需要他的帮助。侦探团的小伙伴们一心想着单独行动，不希望任何人来打扰他们！蒂米也感受到了大家的昂扬斗志，整个早上尾巴都在使劲地摇个不停。
　　“你们的负担很重啊。”看到他们带了这么多东西，约翰逊夫人有些放心不下，“还好天气预报说天气很好，要不然你们还得带些雨衣。你们应该不会走太远吧？这样的话，要是你们落下什么东西，或者需要一些食物，可以随时回来拿。”
　　一切就绪，他们准备出发了，临走前，大家纷纷跟亨利道别。
　　她满脸悲伤地看着他们，身上刚换上时髦的小外套和裙子，看起来和平常不太一样，而且垂头丧气的。
　　“你们要去荒野的哪个地方？”她依然满怀希冀地问，“铁轨那边吗？”
　　“是的，打算往那边去。”朱利安说，“去看看它通往哪里，况且沿着铁轨好走些，不容易迷失方向。”
　　“玩得开心点，亨利。”乔治笑着说，“你舅妈她们是叫你亨利尔塔吗？”
　　“对。”可怜的亨利戴上手套，“好吧，再见了，千万不要离开太久哦。幸亏你们都特别能吃，需要很多食物，这样我们没过多久就又可以见面了！”
　　他们脸上挂着笑容，转身离开，蒂米紧紧跟在他们后面。几个人再次向荒野前进，这次他们打算从米林格律进去，之后再沿着铁轨往别的方向走。
　　“我们终于自由啦，”乔治满意地说，“终于摆脱了那个话匣子亨利。”
　　“她没那么糟糕吧。”迪克说，“这次一切照旧，只有我们疯狂侦探团，简直太棒了！”
Chapter 12 THE LITTLE RAILWAY
Chapter 12 THE LITTLE RAILWAY
　　It was a very hot day. The five had had their lunch before they started, as Mrs. Johnson said it wouldbe easier to carry that inside than outside!
　　Even Timmy carried something. George said that he ought to do his share, and had neatly fastened abag of his pet biscuits on his back.
　　'There now!' she said. 'You've got your load too. No, don't try and sniff the biscuits all the time,Timmy. You can't walk with your head screwing round like that. You ought to be used to the smell ofbiscuits by this time!'
　　53
　　They set off to the railway line, or where they hoped it would be. It took a little time to discover itrunning under the heather. Julian was glad. He didn't want to walk right into Milling Green to find thebeginning of it and then walk all the way up again!
　　Anne found it by tripping over it! 'Oh!' she said, 'here it is! I caught my foot in a bit of rusty line.
　　Look you can hardly see it!'
　　'Good,' said Julian, and stepped in between the narrow pair of old, rusty lines. In some places theyhad rusted away, and there were gaps. In other places the heather had grown completely over thelines, and unless the children had known that they must keep straight forward, they would have lostthem completely. As it was they sometimes missed them and once had to do quite a bit of scrabblingabout in the heather to see if they could feel them.
　　It was very hot. Their packs began to feel distinctly heavy. Timmy's biscuits began to slide round hisbody and eventually hung below his tummy. He didn't like that, and George suddenly spied himsitting down trying to prise open the bag with his teeth!
　　She put down her own pack and adjusted Timmy's. 'If only you didn't keep chasing rabbits, andmaking your pack swing about, it wouldn't slip,' she said. 'There now, it's all right again, Tim.
　　Walk to heel and it won't slip any more.'
　　They went on and on up the railway lines. Sometimes the rails took a curve round an unexpectedrock. Soon the soil began to look sandy, and the heather did not grow so thickly. It was easier to seethe lines, though in some places the sand had sifted over them and hidden them.
　　'I really must have a rest!' said Anne, sitting down in some heather. 'I feel I want to pant and hang mytongue out like Timmy!'
　　'I wonder how far these lines go,' said Dick. 'It's so very sandy now underfoot that I feel we must begetting near the quarry!'
　　They lay back in the heather and felt very sleepy. Julian yawned and sat up.
　　'This really won't do!' he said. 'If we fall asleep we'll never want to start off with our heavy packsagain. Stir yourselves, lazy-bones!'
　　They all got up again. Timmy's biscuits had slithered round to his tummy once more, and George hadto put them right again. Timmy stood quietly, panting, his tongue hanging out. He thought thebiscuits were a great nuisance. It would be much easier to eat them!
　　The sand got deeper and soon there were big sandy patches with no heather or grass at all. The windblew the sand up in the air, and the five found that they had to shut their eyes against it.
　　54
　　'I say! The lines end here!' said Julian, stopping suddenly. 'Look, they're broken, wrenched out ofplace, the engine couldn't go any farther.'
　　'They may appear again a bit farther on,' said Dick, and went to look. But he couldn't find any, andcame back to look at the lines again.
　　'It's funny,' he said. 'We aren't at any quarry yet, are we! I quite thought that the line would run rightto the quarry, the trucks would fill up there, and the engine would pull them back to Milling Green.
　　Where is the quarry? Why do the lines stop so suddenly here?'
　　'Yes. The quarry should be near here, shouldn't it?' said Julian. 'Well, there simply must be more linessomewhere! Ones that go to the quarry. Let's look for the quarry first, though. We ought to see thateasily enough!'
　　But it wasn't really very easy to find because it was behind a great mass of thick tall gorse-bushes.
　　Dick rounded them and stopped. Behind the enormous spread of bushes was a great pit, a sandy pit,quarried and hollowed for its beautiful sand.
　　'Here it is!' called Dick. 'Come and look! My word, there's been some quarrying here for sand.
　　They must have taken tons and tons out of it!'
　　The others came to look. It certainly was an enormous pit, deep and wide. They put their packsbeside it and leapt down. Their feet sank into the fine sand.
　　'The sides are pitted with holes,' said Dick. 'I bet hundreds of sand-martins nest here in May!'
　　'There are even some caves,' said George, in surprise. 'Sand-caves! Well, we can easily shelter here ifwe have rain. Some of these caves seem to go quite a long way back.'
　　'Yes. But I'd be a bit afraid of the sand falling in and burying me, if I crawled in,' said Anne. 'It's quiteloose, look!' She scraped some down with her hand.
　　'I've found the lines!' called Julian. 'Here, look. The sand has almost covered them. I trod on a rail andit was so rotten it broke beneath my foot!'
　　The others went to see, Timmy too. He was quite delighted with this place. The rabbit-holes in it!
　　What fun he was going to have!
　　'Let's follow these lines,' said Julian. So they kicked away the sand from the rails and followed themslowly out of the quarry and towards the ends of the other broken lines.
　　About ten yards from these the lines they were following were wrenched apart. Some were flung intonearby heather, and could be seen there, bent and rusty.
　　55
　　The children stared at them. 'I guess the gypsies did that, when the Bartles were here years ago,'
　　said Dick. 'The day they attacked them perhaps. I say look, whatever's that great lump over there,with gorse growing over it?'
　　They went to see. Timmy saw the lump and couldn't make it out. He growled warningly at it.
　　Julian took up a broken piece of rail and forced back the gorse bush that had grown over and aroundthe great lump, almost hiding it.
　　'See what it is?' he said, startled.
　　They all stared. 'Why, it's the engine! The little 'injin' old Ben the blacksmith told us about!' saidDick. 'It must have run right off the broken lines and over-turned here, and through the years thesegreat gorse-bushes grew up and hid it. Poor old engine!'
　　Julian forced the gorse back a little more. 'What a funny old-fashioned affair!' he said. 'Look at thefunnel, and the fat little boiler. And see, there's the small cab. It can't have had much power, only justenough to puff along with a few trucks!'
　　'What happened to the trucks?' wondered Anne.
　　'Well, they would be easy enough to set upright again and put on the rails, and hand-pushed toMilling Green,' said Dick. 'But this engine couldn't be lifted, except by some kind of machinery.
　　Not even a dozen men could lift it and set it on the rails!'
　　'The gypsies must have set on the Bartles in the mist, having first broken up the lines so that theengine would run off and overturn,' said Julian. 'They may even have used the broken rails to attackthem with. Anyway, they won the battle, because not one of the Bartles ever returned.'
　　'Some of the villagers must have gone to see what became of them and have got the trucks back onthe lines and pushed them to Milling Green,' said George, trying to reconstruct the long- agohappenings in her mind. 'But they couldn't do anything about the engine.'
　　'That's about it,' said Julian. 'My word, what a shock for the Bartles when they saw the gypsiescreeping out at them from the mist, like shadows!'
　　'I hope we don't dream about this tonight,' said Anne.
　　They went back to the quarry. 'This wouldn't be a bad place to camp in,' said Dick. 'The sand is sodry and so soft. We could make lovely beds for ourselves. We wouldn't need the tents up, either,because the sides of the quarry shelter us beautifully from the wind.'
　　'Yes. Let's camp here,' said Anne, pleased. 'There are quite a lot of nice holes to store our things in.'
　　56
　　'What about water?' asked George. 'We want to be fairly near it, don't we? Timmy, find some water!
　　Drink, Timmy, drink! Aren't you thirsty! Your tongue looks as if it is, the way you are hanging it outlike a flag!'
　　Timmy put his head on one side as George talked to him. Water? Drink? He knew what both thosewords meant! He ran off, sniffing the air. George watched him.
　　He disappeared round a bush and was away for about half a minute. When he came back Georgegave a pleased shout.
　　'He's found some water! Look - his mouth is all wet! Timmy, where is it?'
　　Timmy wagged his tail vigorously, glad that George was pleased with him. He ran round the bushagain and the others followed.
　　He led them to a little green patch and stopped. A spring bubbled up like a small fountain, dancing alittle in the sunshine. The water fell from it into a little channel it had made for itself in the sand, ranaway for a short distance, and then disappeared underground again.
　　'Thank you, Tim,' said George. 'Julian, is the water all right to drink here?'
　　'Well I can see some that is!' said Julian, pointing to the right. 'The Bartles must have put a pipe inthat bank, look, and caught another spring there, a much bigger one. It's as clear as can be.
　　That will do fine for us!'
　　'Good,' said Anne, pleased. 'It's hardly any way from the quarry. It's as cold as ice, too - feel!'
　　They felt, and then they drank from their palms. How cold and pure! The moor must be full of theselittle bubbling springs, welling up from underground. That explained the brilliant green patches hereand there.
　　'Now let's sit down and have some tea,' said Anne, unpacking the bag she had carried. 'It's too hot tofeel really hungry.'
　　'Oh no, it isn't,' said Dick. 'Speak for yourself, Anne!'
　　They sat in the sunny quarry, the sand warm to their legs. 'Far away from everybody!' said Anne,pleased. 'Nobody near us for miles!'
　　But she wasn't quite right. There was somebody much nearer than she thought!
12.惊天大发现
　　惊天大发现
　　这一天，天气异常炎热。约翰逊夫人说午餐随身携带的话很容易变质，所以侦探团在出发前就把午餐给装进肚子里了。
　　大家要带的东西很多，连蒂米也带了东西在身上，乔治说它应该帮大家分担，所以它也有模有样地背了一袋自己的狗粮。
　　乔治对蒂米说：“蒂米，你不能老是惦记着你的饼干，不能边跑边转过头看后面，要适应你背上飘过来的香气，抵住诱惑，知道吗？”
　　他们直奔铁轨而去，希望能以最短的时间到达目的地。可是由于石南花长得太茂密，他们还是花了些时间才找到铁轨。朱利安很高兴，他可不想跑到米林格律去，从铁轨的源头沿着铁路折回来。
　　先是安妮被绊了一下，她这才注意到脚下的铁轨，她说：“哦！
　　原来在这儿呢！我的脚被卡在这生锈的轨道里了，要不然都没办法注意到！”
　　“真棒！”朱利安说完，走到锈迹斑斑的狭窄的轨道中间。有一些地方已经裂开了，甚至完全烂掉。有一些地方被茂盛的石南花覆盖住，要不是这几个孩子早就知道必须沿铁路直行，估计他们这会儿已经迷路了。其实，他们有时也不能清晰地看见铁轨，还得用脚拨一拨周围的石南花，看看能不能找到它。
　　天气依旧炎热。他们明显地感觉到背包越来越沉重了。蒂米的饼干也滑到身体底下，最后贴着肚皮悬挂着，让它感觉很不舒服。
　　乔治瞥了它一眼，看见它坐在地上，用牙齿使劲地咬开包裹。
　　于是她先把自己的背包放下，过去帮蒂米调整。“要不是你老追着兔子跑，你的包也不会晃来晃去，一直溜下来。”她说，“好了，现在已经绑好了，它也不会再掉下来了。快，蒂米，跟上去。”
　　他们继续沿着轨道往前走，有时地面上突然出现一块大石头，铁轨便顺势拐了个大弯。渐渐地，土地上沙子变多了，石南花逐渐稀疏，铁轨也清晰可见，只有某些地段被沙子覆盖了。
　　“我真的需要休息一下！”安妮说完，在一处石南花地上坐了下来，“太累了，真想像蒂米一样伸出舌头，大口喘气！”
　　“这条轨道究竟还有多长。”迪克说，“这里到处都是沙子，感觉我们应该快到采沙场了！”
　　几个人在草地上躺下，昏昏欲睡，朱利安打了声哈欠，又坐了起来。
　　“我们不能睡！”他说，“如果大家睡着了，就没有力气再背着重重的包继续走下去了，赶紧振作起来，伙伴们！”
　　众人纷纷起身，蒂米装着狗粮的小背包又滑到了肚皮底下，乔治不得不重新帮它绑好。蒂米乖乖地站着，耷拉着头，不停地喘着气，内心非常鄙夷这个包，觉得它就是个大麻烦，还不如把里面的东西直接吃掉呢！
　　地面上的沙层厚度在逐渐增加，往前走了没多远，就只能看见一大片沙地，没有石南花，没有任何植被，风一吹，沙子便满天飞，一行人不得不眯着眼睛走。
　　“轨道到这儿就结束了！”朱利安突然停了下来，“看，这里被破坏了，脱离了原来的轨迹，前面应该就能看见火车头了。”
　　“再往前应该还会看到的。”迪克说完，前去查探了一番，却没有发现任何东西，便返了回来。
　　“真是有趣。”他说，“我以为这条轨道会直接通往采沙场，货车也会停在那里，由火车将它们拉到米林格律去呢。但是，采沙场在哪儿呢？为什么轨道在这儿就没有了？”
　　“嗯，这附近某个地方肯定还有其他铁轨通向采沙场。”朱利安说，“不过，我们还是先找找采沙场在哪儿吧，应该不难找到。”
　　但事实上，采沙场还真的很难被注意到，因为它被隐藏在一片茂密的金雀花丛后面。迪克绕到花丛后面，停下了脚步。隐藏在花丛后面的竟然是一个巨大的沙坑，因为沙质细腻柔软，才被开采成现在这样。
　　“在这里！”迪克大喊，“快过来看！我的天，这里之前一定是一个大型的开采场地，成吨成吨的沙子被运到了外面。”
　　小伙伴们纷纷跑过来看，确实如迪克所说，这是一个几乎望不到边的巨型沙坑。他们把背包扔到旁边，一下子跳了进去，脚立马陷进柔软的沙子里。
　　“四周都是洞。”迪克说，“一定是五月份时灰沙燕来到这里筑的巢。”
　　“这儿还有许多洞穴呢。”乔治很是吃惊，“沙地洞穴！太好了，要是下雨的话还可以在这里面避一避。其中有一些洞穴似乎还挺深的，应该要走很长的一段路才能走到头。”
　　“是啊，不过我怕走着走着那些沙子就会掉下来把我们埋在里面。”安妮用手抓了一把沙子下来，说，“你看，这些沙土太松软了。”
　　“我又看到轨道了。”朱利安大喊，“在这里，快来看，几乎都被沙子盖住了。我刚伸出脚踩了一下，它立马就断开了，已经锈得不成样子了。”
　　其他人连忙过来看，蒂米也跟着跑过来，它兴奋得不得了——这个地方有好多兔子洞啊，以后有得玩了！
　　他们沿着轨道一直走到采沙场外面，来到另一个地方，离他们十码开外的地方，有些轨道被拆成一段一段的，还有些被扔在附近的石南花丛里，歪歪扭扭，锈迹斑斑。
　　所有人都盯着这些轨道看。“我猜这是吉卜赛人干的，就在很早以前巴图家族的那个时期。”迪克说，“很有可能就在他们攻击巴图兄弟的那天，大家快看，那一大团是什么东西，上面长满金雀花的那一团？”
　　大家纷纷上前查探。蒂米也看到那一大团东西，却看不明白是什么，一直警惕地朝它咆哮。
　　朱利安拿起一片坏掉的铁轨碎片，然后把那一大团东西上面茂密的金雀花丛拨开，它们几乎把这一整块东西都覆盖住了。
　　“你们看，这是什么？”他看起来很是震惊。
　　其他人都围过来看。“天哪，居然是火车头！就是铁匠老本告诉我们的那个东西！”迪克说，“它应该是沿着这些轨道开到这个地方，然后在这里翻车的。经过漫长的岁月，周围长起了密密麻麻的金雀花丛，才把它给盖住的。这可怜的破火车头！”
　　朱利安将金雀花往后拨了拨。“这些老式的玩意儿真有趣！”他说，“看看这烟囱，还有笨重的小锅炉，咦，还有个小驾驶室。看起来它的驱动力不大，只够拉得动几节车厢！”
　　“那些车厢哪儿去了？”安妮问。
　　“嗯，车厢倒是很容易就能立起来放回轨道，再推到米林格律去。”迪克说，“不过这个火车头这么沉，是立不起来的，就算十几个大汉也不可能将它举起来放到轨道上，除非借助于机器！”
　　“我猜测，当时吉卜赛人借着浓雾趁机对巴图兄弟下手，他们先把轨道破坏掉，这样一来，火车必定脱轨翻倒。”朱利安说，“他们或许还拿起坏掉的轨道来袭击他们。不管怎样，最后他们胜利了，因为巴图家没一个人回来。”
　　“后来，应该有一些村民跑去看到底发生了什么，并把车厢重新放上轨道，推到了米林格律。”乔治尝试把以前的事件在脑海中重现一遍，“可他们发现，这个火车头却无论如何都弄不走。”
　　“大概就是这样。”朱利安说，“我的天，当巴图兄弟们看见吉卜赛人像幽灵一样偷偷摸摸从迷雾中潜进来的时候，一定吓死了吧！”
　　“今晚千万不要做噩梦。”安妮说。
　　一行人回到采沙场。“这地方拿来当营地还是不错的。”迪克说，“沙子又干又软，我们自己铺个舒服的床在上面，连帐篷都不需要搭，因为这沙坑四周俨然就是挡风屏障啊。”
　　“好，那我们就在这儿扎营。”安妮非常满意，“还可以把我们的东西都放到这些洞里。”
　　“咱们怎么解决饮水问题呢？”乔治问，“我们得靠近有水的地方，不是吗？蒂米，去找找水在哪儿！你不是渴了吗，瞧你的舌头像一面旗一样挂在外面，快去找水喝！”
　　蒂米全程歪着脑袋听完乔治的话。水？喝？它好像明白这是什么意思了！于是它撒开腿，一路嗅着跑开了。乔治在一旁看着。
　　蒂米消失在一处灌木丛后面，半分钟后，它再次跑出来，乔治高兴地喊道：“它找到水了！看，它的嘴巴是湿的！蒂米，水在哪里？”
　　蒂米使劲地摇着尾巴，对于乔治的赞赏感到很荣幸。它转身再次扎进草丛里，其他人立刻跟上了它。
　　蒂米带着大家来到一块长着草的地方，停了下来。只见一股泉水像细小的喷泉一样，嗞嗞往上冒，在阳光下如同一个跳舞的小仙女。水源源不断地流出来，自然而然地在沙地上形成了一道细小的水渠，延伸到不远处，又再次消失在土壤中。
　　“蒂米，谢谢你。”乔治说，“朱利安，这里的水可以直接饮用吗？”
　　朱利安指向右方，说：“现在事情就解释得通了，我知道水是从哪里来的了。巴图兄弟在岸边插了一根管子，看那儿，这样就可以和一股更大的水流连接在一起，水质很好。这水我们可以直接喝。
　　我们的运气太好了。”
　　“太好了。”安妮开心地说，“这处水源离采沙场不远，水质又无比清澈！”
　　他们碰了碰水，然后捧起来尝了尝。哇！甘甜可口！这片荒野底下一定到处都流淌着水流。这样就能解释得通为什么这里到处都长满茂盛的草丛了。
　　“我们坐下来吃点东西吧！”安妮打开肩上的包，“你们一定饿坏了吧？”
　　迪克说：“是你自己想吃东西了吧，安妮？”
　　他们坐在干爽的采沙场里，沙子覆在腿上，暖洋洋的。“真像世外桃源。”安妮很喜欢这个地方，“方圆数十英里都没有人来打扰我们。”
　　不过，也不尽如她所想的那样，因为离他们不远的地方就有人烟。
Chapter 13 A NOISE IN THE NIGHT
Chapter 13 A NOISE IN THE NIGHT
　　It was Timmy who first knew there was somebody not far off. He pricked up his ears and listened.
　　George saw him.
　　'What is it, Tim?' she said. 'Nobody is coming here, surely?'
　　Timmy gave a tiny growl, as if he were not quite sure of himself. Then he leapt up, his tail wagging,and tore out of the quarry!
　　'Where's he gone to?' said George astonished. 'Gosh, here he is, back again!'
　　So he was, and with him was a funny little hearthrug of a dog - yes, Liz! She was not quite sure ofher welcome and crawled up to the children on her tummy, looking more like a hearthrug than ever!
　　Timmy leapt round her in delight. She might have been his very best friend, he was so delighted!
　　George patted the funny little dog and Julian looked thoughtful.
　　'I hope this doesn't mean that we are anywhere near the gypsy camp,' he said. 'It's quite likely that thelines might end somewhere near them. I've rather lost my sense of direction.'
　　'Oh goodness, I do HOPE we're not near their camp!' said Anne, in dismay. 'Those old-time gypsiesmust have camped pretty near to the Bartles' quarry before they attacked them, so perhaps the presentcamp is near too.'
　　'Well, what's it matter if it is?' said Dick. 'Who's afraid of them? I'm not!'
　　They all sat still, thinking hard, Liz licking Anne's hand. And in the silence they heard an all-too-familiar sound.
　　Sniff! Sniff!
　　'Sniffer!' called George. 'Come on out, wherever you are hiding. I can hear you!'
　　A pair of legs stuck out from a great clump of heather at the edge of the quarry, and then the whole ofSniffer's wiry little body slithered out and down into the sand. He sat there, grinning at them, half-afraid to come any nearer in case they were cross with him.
　　'What are you doing here?' said Dick. 'Not spying on us, I hope?'
　　'No,' said Sniffer. 'Our camp isn't very far away. Liz heard you, I think, and ran off. I followed her.'
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　　'Oh blow. We hoped we weren't near anyone else,' said George. 'Does anyone at your camp knowwe're here.'
　　'Not yet,' said Sniffer. 'But they'll find out. They always do. I won't tell, though, if you don't want meto.'
　　Dick tossed him a biscuit. 'Well, keep your mouth shut if you can,' he said. 'We're not interfering withanyone and we don't want anyone interfering with us. See?'
　　Sniffer nodded. He suddenly put his hand in his pocket and pulled out the red and white hanky thatGeorge had given him. It was still clean and beautifully folded.
　　'Not dirty yet!' he said to George.
　　'Well, it ought to be,' said George. 'It's for your sniffs. Now don't use your coat-sleeve.'
　　Sniffer simply could not understand why he should use a beautiful clean hanky when he had a dirtycoat-sleeve. He put the hanky carefully back into his pocket.
　　Liz ran to him and fawned on him. Sniffer fondled the peculiar little creature, and then Timmy wentover and played with them both. The four finished their tea, threw Sniffer one last biscuit, and got upto put their things away safely. Now that Sniffer was about, and the gypsy camp near, they didn't feelit was terribly safe to leave anything unguarded or unhidden.
　　'Scoot off, now, Sniffer,' said Julian. 'And no spying on us, mind! Timmy will know immediately youarrive anywhere near, and come hunting for you. If you want to see us, give a whistle when you getnear. No creeping or slipping into the quarry. Understand?'
　　'Yes,' said Sniffer, standing up. He took the hanky from his pocket again, waved it at George, anddisappeared with Liz at his heels.
　　'I'm just going to see exactly how near to the gypsy camp we are,' Julian said. He walked to theentrance of the quarry and up on to the moor. He looked in the direction that Sniffer had gone.
　　Yes, there was the hill in the shelter of which the gypsies had their caravans. It wasn't more than aquarter of a mile away. Blow! Still, it was far enough for the gypsies not to discover them, unless bychance.
　　'Or unless Sniffer gives the game away,' thought Julian. 'Well, we'll spend the night here, anyway,and we can move off somewhere else tomorrow if we feel like it.'
　　They felt rather energetic that evening and played a ball game in the quarry, in which Timmy joinedwholeheartedly. But as he always got the ball before anyone else did they had to tie him 59up in order to get a game themselves. Timmy was very cross. He turned his back on them and sulked.
　　'He looks like you now, George,' said Dick, grinning, and got the ball bang on the side of his headfrom an angry George!
　　Nobody wanted much supper. Julian took a little aluminium jug to the spring and filled it once foreveryone. It really was lovely water from that bubbling spring!
　　'I wonder how Henry's getting on,' said Anne. 'Spoilt to bits by her great-aunts. I expect. Didn't shelook odd in proper clothes, gloves and all!'
　　'Yes, she ought to have been a boy,' said Dick. 'Like you, George,' he added hastily. 'Both of you arereal sports, plucky as anything.'
　　'How do you know Henry's plucky?' said George, scornfully. 'Only by her silly tales! I bet they're allmade-up and exaggerated.'
　　Julian changed the subject. 'Shall we want rugs tonight, do you think?' he said.
　　'Rather! It may be warm now, and the sand is hot with the sun, but it won't be quite so nice when it'sgone down,' said Anne. 'Anyway we can always creep into one of those cosy little caves if we feelchilly. They're as warm as toast. I went into one, so I know.'
　　They settled down quite early to sleep. The boys took one side of the quarry, the girls the other.
　　Tim, as usual, was on George's feet, much to Anne's discomfort.
　　'He's on mine too,' she complained to George. 'He's so long, he stretches over my feet as well.
　　Move him, George.'
　　So George moved him, but as soon as Anne was asleep he stretched out again and lay on both girls'
　　legs. He slept with one ear open.
　　He heard a scurrying hedgehog. He heard all the rabbits out for a night-time game. He heard the frogsin a far-off pool croaking in the night. His sharp ear even heard the tinkle of the little spring outsidethe pit.
　　Nobody moved in the quarry. There was a small moon but it gave very little light. The stars thatstudded the sky seemed to give more light than the moon.
　　Timmy's one open ear suddenly pricked itself right up. Then the other ear stood up too. Timmy wasstill asleep but his ears were both listening very hard!
　　A low, humming sound came slowly over the night. It came nearer and nearer. Timmy awokeproperly and sat up, listening, his eyes wide open now.
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　　The sound was now very loud indeed. Dick awoke and listened. What was that noise? An aeroplane?
　　It must be jolly low! Surely it wasn't about to land on the moor in the dark!
　　He woke Julian and they both got up and went out of the quarry. 'It's an aeroplane all right,' saidDick, in a low voice. 'What's it doing? It doesn't seem to be going to land. It's gone round in a lowcircle two or three times.'
　　'Is it in trouble, do you think?' asked Julian. 'Here it comes again.'
　　'Look, what's that light over there?' suddenly said Dick, pointing to the east. 'See, that sort of glow.
　　It's not very far from the gypsies' camp.'
　　'I don't know,' said Julian, puzzled. 'It's not a fire, is it? We can't see any flames and it doesn't seem toflicker like a fire would.'
　　'I think it may be some sort of guide to that plane,' said Dick. 'It seems to be circling round and aboutover the glow. Let's watch it.'
　　They watched it. Yes, it did seem to be circling round the glow, whatever it was, and then, quitesuddenly it rose in the air, circled round once more and made off to the east.
　　'There it goes,' said Dick, straining his eyes. 'I can't tell what kind it is, except that it's very small.'
　　'What can it have been doing?' said Julian, puzzled. 'I thought the glow might have been to guide it inlanding, though where it could land here in safety I simply don't know. But it didn't land at all, it justcircled and made off.'
　　'Where would it have come from?' said Dick. 'From the coast, I suppose, from over the sea, do youthink?'
　　'I simply don't know,' said Julian. 'It beats me! And why should the gypsies have anything to do withit? Gypsies and planes don't seem to mix, somehow.'
　　'Well, we don't know that they do have anything to do with the plane, except that we saw that glow,'
　　said Dick. 'And that's going now, look.'
　　Even as they watched, the bright glow died completely away. Now the moor lay in darkness again.
　　'Funny,' said Julian, scratching his head. 'I can't make it out. It's true that the gypsies may be up tosomething, the way they come out here secretly, apparently for no purpose at all, and also they don'twant us snooping round, that's clear.'
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　　'I think we'd better try and find out what that glow is,' said Dick. 'We could have a bit of a snooptomorrow. Or perhaps Sniffer could tell us.'
　　'He might,' said Julian. 'We'll try him. Come on, let's get back into the quarry. It's cold out here!'
　　The quarry struck quite warm to them as they went down into it. The girls were sound asleep still.
　　Timmy, who had been with them, did not wake them. He had been as puzzled as Julian and Dickover the low-flying plane, but he had not barked at all. Julian had been glad about that.
　　Timmy's bark might have carried right over to the gypsy camp and warned it that someone wascamping near.
　　They got back under their rug, keeping close to one another for warmth. But they soon lost theirshivers, and Dick threw off his share of the rug. In a few minutes they were asleep.
　　Timmy awoke first and stretched himself out in the warm morning sunshine. Anne sat up with a littlescream. 'Oh Timmy, don't! You nearly squashed me to bits. Do that to George if you must stretchyourself all over somebody!'
　　The boys awoke then, and went to the spring to splash their faces and bring back a jugful of water todrink. Anne got the breakfast, and over it the boys told the girls of the aeroplane in the night.
　　'How queer!' said Anne. 'And that glow too. It must have been a guide of some sort to the plane.
　　Let's go and see where it was. It must have been a fire of some kind!'
　　'Right,' said Dick. 'I vote we go this morning, but we'll take Tim with us in case we meet thosegypsies!'
13.奇怪的声响
　　奇怪的声响
　　蒂米第一个觉察到不远处有人的气息，乔治看见它竖着耳朵，仔细听着远处的动静。
　　“蒂米，发现什么了？”她说，“没人过来吧？”
　　蒂米低声吼叫了一声，似乎不是很确定。接着，它突然跳起来，猛烈地摇动着尾巴，冲出采沙场。
　　“它去哪里了？”乔治震惊地说，“天哪，它又跑回来了！”
　　蒂米确实回来了，不过跟它一起回来的还有那条形似地毯的卷毛狗——丽丝！丽丝不确定其他人是否乐意看到自己，所以将身体放得很低，肚子贴着地面，慢慢地往前爬，看起来更像一块地毯了。
　　蒂米在它身旁欢快地跳来跳去，它应该已经当它是好朋友了吧。乔治轻轻拍着看起来很搞笑的“地毯”，而朱利安却若有所思。
　　“千万不要告诉我，我们正在吉卜赛人的营地附近。”他说，“他们很可能就在这条铁路尽头的不远处。唉，我现在几乎已经丧失方向感了。”
　　“我的天哪，我真不希望离他们太近啊！”安妮恐惧地说，“当时那些吉卜赛人在攻击巴图兄弟之前，一定就扎营在采沙场附近，方便他们下手，所以恐怕现在他们的营地也离这里不远。”
　　“就算是这样，又有什么关系呢？”迪克说，“我可不怕他们！”
　　所有人都坐在原地，苦苦思索，丽丝友好地舔着安妮的手。一片沉寂中，一个熟悉的声音突然从某处传来。
　　“嗤——嗤——”
　　“鼻涕虫！”乔治大叫，“出来，不要再藏了，我听到你的声音了！”
　　一双腿从采沙场边缘的一片石南花丛里伸出来，接着，鼻涕虫瘦削的身躯露了出来，滑进沙坑里。他乐呵呵地坐在原地，有些不敢靠近他们，怕他们对他发脾气。
　　“你在这儿干什么呢？”迪克说，“不是来监视我们的吧？”
　　“不是。”鼻涕虫说，“我们的营地离这儿不远。丽丝听到你们的动静，就跑来了，我是跟着它过来的。”
　　“唉，我们本来是想离其他人远远的。”乔治说，“你们的人没发现我们在这儿吧？”
　　“没有。”鼻涕虫说，“不过他们很快就会发现的，他们很擅长这种事。当然，我是不会跟他们说的——要是你们不想让我说的话。”
　　迪克扔给他一块饼干：“那就好，你只要保持安静就行了。我们不会打扰到任何人，同时也不希望被任何人打扰，知道吗？”
　　鼻涕虫点点头，突然他把手伸进裤兜里，抽出乔治送给他的那条红白相间的手帕——它看起来依然整洁如初。
　　“我没有弄脏它，很干净。”他跟乔治炫耀。
　　“不脏才不正常吧。”乔治无奈，“这是拿来擤鼻涕的，你不要一直用袖子擦。”
　　鼻涕虫实在想不明白，好好的一条手帕为什么要拿来擦鼻涕，用他本来就脏了的袖子擦不是更好吗。他重新把手帕认真地放进口袋里。
　　丽丝跑到他跟前，讨好似的围着他转。鼻涕虫宠溺地抚摸着这只奇特的小东西，蒂米也跑过来跟他们一起玩。其他四个人吃完点心，扔给鼻涕虫最后一块饼干，起身去寻找一个安全隐蔽的地方，以便将他们的物品安置好。
　　现在鼻涕虫就在这里，吉卜赛人的营地也在附近，他们可不认为把东西随意放在地上是个好主意。
　　“你回去吧，鼻涕虫，现在就走。”朱利安说，“不要偷看我们，知道吗！你一靠近，蒂米立马就知道，它会发现你的。你要是想来看我们，就在附近吹个口哨，不要偷偷摸摸溜进来，知道吗？”
　　“好。”鼻涕虫站起来，又把手帕从裤兜里抽出来，朝着乔治挥了挥手，带着丽丝消失了。
　　“我准备去看看吉卜赛人的营地离我们究竟有多近。”朱利安说。他走到采沙场的入口处，爬上地面，看着鼻涕虫离去的方向。
　　确实，吉卜赛人驻扎的地方就在前面的一座小山丘上，离这里不到四分之一英里远。不过，以这个距离想要轻易发现他们也是不太可能的，除非出于偶然。
　　“或者是鼻涕虫不小心说漏了嘴。”朱利安猜测着，“无论如何，今晚我们得在这儿住一晚，实在不行的话，明天再搬到别的地方去。”
　　当晚，大家兴致勃勃地在采沙场上打了一局球，蒂米也全身心地参与其中。但是每次它都是第一个抢到球，所以他们不得不把它绑起来，这样才能好好玩上一局。蒂米很生气，它扭过身去，背对着他们，生着闷气。
　　“它现在的样子跟你很像，乔治。”迪克笑道，接住了从生气的乔治那里扔过来的球。
　　晚餐大家吃得不多，朱利安把一个铝罐摁进泉水中，打满水，分给每个人。大家都觉得泉水清冽甘甜，纷纷夸赞。
　　“不知道亨利怎么样了，”安妮说，“和她舅妈们在一起郁闷坏了吧。她穿着裙子，戴着手套的样子实在太怪异了！”
　　“可不是，她打扮成男孩子的样子更顺眼些。”迪克说，“就像你，乔治。”之后，迪克连忙又补充一句，“你们两个都是运动能手，胆量非凡。”
　　“你怎么知道亨利胆量非凡呢？”乔治鄙夷地说，“就凭她说的那些愚蠢的故事吗？告诉你，那些故事都是她编的，夸大其词。”
　　朱利安话题一转：“我们今晚盖上毯子睡觉吧，你们说呢？”
　　“当然了！现在有太阳还不冷，沙子还是热烘烘的，但到了晚上可能就没这么暖了。”安妮说，“不管怎样，要是觉得冷，我们随时可以爬进洞里避风，里面暖烘烘的，很舒服，我刚刚进去过。”
　　他们安排好所有的事，就躺下休息了。男孩们在采沙场的这边，女孩们则在另一边。蒂米跟往常一样，睡在乔治的脚边，这让安妮很不爽。
　　“它老碰到我的脚。”她跟乔治抱怨，“它太胖了，一摊开就耷拉在我脚上。你让它挪开些，乔治。”
　　乔治把蒂米的身体挪开了一些。但等安妮睡着时，它又摊开身体，趴在她们两人的腿上，竖着一只耳朵睡着。它听到刺猬在散步，听到兔子在夜间出来活动，听到远处的池塘传来青蛙呱呱的叫声，甚至还捕捉到了沙坑外面那股水流的叮咚声。
　　采沙场里再没有其他响动了。天空挂着一轮明月，月光微弱，星星布满了天空，光芒盖过了月亮。
　　蒂米的另一只耳朵突然也竖起来——虽然还在睡梦中，但是它的耳朵还在尽职地坚守岗位。
　　一阵低沉的嗡嗡声缓慢地传过来，越来越近，越来越近。蒂米立刻醒过来，连忙站起身，竖起耳朵仔细听着，眼睛睁得大大的。
　　声音变得越来越响，迪克也被吵醒了，他侧耳细听，试图辨认着。那是什么声音？飞机吗？那它得飞得多低啊！它该不会是准备降落在荒野上吧！”
　　他叫醒朱利安，两人一块儿起身走出采沙场。“是飞机，没错。”迪克低声说，“那飞机在干什么？看起来似乎不打算着陆，已经低空绕了好几圈了。
　　“是不是遇到什么问题了，你觉得呢？”朱利安问，“看，它又朝这边飞来了。”
　　“看，那边有光，那是什么东西？”迪克指着东边的方向，“它发出那种光芒——就在离吉卜赛人的营地不远的地方。”
　　“我也不知道。”朱利安疑惑地说，“看起来不像是火光，对吧？
　　没看到有火焰啊，而且它闪烁的方式和火光也不一样。”
　　“我觉得有可能是在给飞机指引方向。”迪克说，“它好像要绕着那一团东西飞，我们先观察一下再说。”
　　他们观察了一会儿，果真如迪克所说，飞机确实绕着那团不知为何物的东西在飞，接着，它突然升到空中，绕了一圈后便往东飞去。
　　“它不见了。”迪克努力瞪大眼睛，“我真看不清那是什么东西，只知道它非常小。”
　　“那是用来干吗的呢？”朱利安疑惑地说，“我开始以为那团东西是来引导飞机着陆的，虽然我暂时看不出哪里可以安全降落。但是最后也没见它着陆，只是绕了一圈就飞走了。”
　　“那飞机是从哪里飞来的呢？”迪克说，“我猜是从海岸边起飞，跨越海洋飞到这里的，你怎么看？”
　　“我想不出来。”朱利安说，“这个问题难倒我了！这跟吉卜赛人又有什么关系呢？总觉得把他们和飞机放到一起解释不通。”
　　“除非我们看清楚那团东西是什么，要不然我们根本弄不懂他们跟飞机有什么关系。”迪克说，“看，那团东西消失了。”
　　正当他们的眼睛一动不动地盯着看时，那团明亮的东西完全消失了。大地又陷入一片黑暗中。
　　“真令人费解。”朱利安挠挠头，“不过吉卜赛人很有可能在背地里搞什么鬼，否则他们不会偷偷跑到这里来，加上他们不想让我们知道太多。动机实在太明显了。”
　　“我们最好试着找出那一团东西到底是什么。”迪克说，“明天我们去打探打探，也许鼻涕虫会告诉我们。”
　　“对，”朱利安说，“我们就从他那儿入手。走吧，我们回采沙场，这外面太冷了！”
　　一到采沙场，他们便明显感觉到温暖的气息扑面而来。女孩们依然酣睡着。蒂米守在她们身旁，没有吵醒她们。它跟朱利安和迪克一样，对那架低空飞行的飞机感到疑惑不解，但它一声没哼。朱利安很是欣慰，要是蒂米叫出声来，很有可能传到吉卜赛人的营地去，到时他们就会被发现了。
　　他们钻进毛毯里，紧挨着对方，相互取暖。很快，他们便停止颤抖，迪克轻轻把毛毯让出来一些，几分钟以后，两人再次入睡了。
　　清晨，和煦的阳光照进来，蒂米第一个醒过来，在阳光底下伸了个懒腰。安妮坐起身，小声嘟囔着：“哦，蒂米，你都快把我压扁了！你要是再伸懒腰的话，麻烦挪到乔治那边，行吗？”
　　男孩们也起床了，他们走到泉水边，用水洗了把脸，装了一壶水带回来喝。安妮拿出早餐，随后男孩们把半夜发生的事情讲给两个女孩听。
　　“好奇怪啊！”安妮说，“那团光应该是用来给飞机指引方向的，说不定是火之类的东西，我们去它消失的地方看看吧！”
　　“好啊。”迪克说，“我提议今天早上就出发，顺便带上蒂米，以防遇到那些吉卜赛人！”
Chapter 14 THE GYPSIES ARE NOT PLEASED
Chapter 14 THE GYPSIES ARE NOT PLEASED
　　Julian and Dick went to stand where they had stood the night before, trying to see exactly in whatdirection the glow had been.
　　'I think it was beyond the gypsies' camp, to the left,' said Julian. 'What do you think, Dick?'
　　'Yes. That's about it,' said Dick. 'Shall we go now?' He raised his voice. 'We're going, George andAnne. Are you coming? We can leave our stuff here, tucked away in the caves because we shan't bevery long.'
　　62
　　George called back. 'Julian, I think Timmy's got a thorn in his foot or something. He's limping.
　　Anne and I think we'll stay here with him and try to get it out. You go, but for goodness' sake don'tget into trouble with the gypsies!'
　　'We shan't,' said Julian. 'We've as much right on this moor as they have and they know it. All right,we'll leave you two here then with Timmy. Sure you don't want any help with his paw?'
　　'Oh no,' said George. 'I can manage, thank you.'
　　The two boys went off, leaving Anne and George fussing over Timmy's paw. He had leapt into agorse bush after a rabbit and a thorn had gone right into his left fore-paw. Then it had broken off,leaving the point in poor Timmy's pad. No wonder he limped! George was going to have quite a timetrying to ease out the bit of thorn.
　　Julian and Dick set off over the moor. It was a day like summer, far too warm for April. There wasnot a single cloud to be seen in the sky, which was as blue as forget-me-nots. The boys felt too hot intheir pullovers and longed to take them off. But that would mean carrying them, which would be anawful nuisance.
　　The gypsy camp was not really far away. They soon came near to the curious hill that stood up fromthe flatness of the moor. The caravans still stood in its shelter, and the boys saw that a little group ofmen were sitting together, talking earnestly.
　　'I bet they're having a jaw about that aeroplane last night,' said Dick. 'And I bet it was they who setthat light or fire, or whatever it was, to guide it. I wonder why it didn't land.'
　　They kept in the shelter of big gorse bushes, as they skirted the camp. They were not particularlyanxious to be seen. The dogs, sitting round the group of men, apparently did not see or hear them,which was lucky.
　　The boys made their way towards the place where they thought they had seen the glow, some way tothe left of the camp, and beyond it.
　　'Doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary anywhere,' said Julian, stopping and looking round.
　　'I was expecting to see a big burnt patch, or something.'
　　'Wait - what's in that dip over there?' said Dick, pointing to where the ground seemed to dipdownwards. 'It looks like another old quarry, rather like the one we're camping in, but smaller, muchsmaller. I bet that's where the fire was!'
　　63
　　They made their way to the quarry. It was much more overgrown than theirs was, and was evidentlyone that had been worked at an earlier time. It dipped down to quite a pit in the middle and set therewas something unusual. What was it?
　　The boys scrambled down into the pit-like quarry and made their way to the middle. They stared atthe big thing that was set there, pointing to the sky.
　　'It's a lamp, a powerful lamp of some kind,' said Dick. 'Like those we see making a flare-path at anaerodrome, guiding planes in to land. Fancy seeing one here!'
　　'How did the gypsies get it?' wondered Dick, puzzled. 'And why signal to a plane that doesn't land? Itlooked as if it wanted to, circling round low like that.'
　　'May be the gypsies signalled that it wasn't safe to land for some reason,' said Julian. 'Or perhaps theywere going to give something to the pilot and it wasn't ready.'
　　'Well, it's a puzzle,' said Dick. 'I can't imagine what's going on. Something is, that's certain. Let'ssnoop round a bit.'
　　They found nothing else, except a trail that led to the lamp and back. Just as they were examining it, ashout came to their ears. They swung round - and saw the figure of a gypsy at the edge of the pit.
　　'What are you doing here?' he shouted, in a harsh voice. He was joined by a few others, and they alllooked threateningly at Julian and Dick as they climbed out of the pit.
　　Julian decided to be honest. 'We're camping out on the moor for a night or two,' he said, 'and weheard a plane last night, circling low. We also saw a glow that appeared to be guiding it, and we camealong to see what it was. Did you hear the plane?'
　　'Mebbe we did and mebbe we didn't,' said the nearest gypsy, who was Sniffer's father. 'What of it?
　　Planes fly over this moor any day!'
　　'We found that powerful lamp,' said Dick, pointing back at it. 'Do you know anything about that?'
　　'Nothing,' said the gypsy scowling. 'What lamp?'
　　'Well, as far as I can see there's no charge for looking at it,' said Julian. 'Go and have a squint, if youdon't know anything about it! But I can't believe that you didn't see the light it gave last night! It's ajolly good place to hide it, I must say.'
　　'We don't know anything about any lamp,' said another gypsy, the old one with grey hair. 'This is ourusual camping-place. We don't interfere with anything or anybody - unless they interfere with us.
　　Then we make them sorry for it.'
　　64
　　The boys at once thought of the long-ago mystery of the disappearance of the Bartles. They felt quiteuncomfortable.
　　'Well, we're going now, so don't worry,' said Julian. 'We're only camping for a night or two, as I said.
　　We won't come near here again, if you object to us.'
　　He saw Sniffer creeping up behind the men, with I.iz, who for some reason of her own, was walkingsedately on her hind-legs. Sniffer pulled at his father's arm.
　　'They're all right,' he said. 'You know our Clip got his leg made better at the stables. They're all right!'
　　All he got was a savage cuff that sent him to the ground, where he rolled over and over. Liz droppeddown on all fours and went to lick him.
　　'Here, I say!' said Julian, shocked. 'Leave that kid alone! You've no right to hit him like that!'
　　Sniffer set up such a yelling that some of the women left the caravans not far off and came running tosee what was up. One of them began to shout at Sniffer's father and he shouted back.
　　Soon there was quite a row going on between the men and the angry women, one of whom hadpicked up poor Sniffer and was dabbing his head with a wet cloth.
　　'Come on, it's a good time to go,' said Julian to Dick. 'What an unfriendly lot they are, except poorSniffer, and he was doing his best for us, poor kid.'
　　The two boys went off quickly, glad to be away from the men and their dogs. They were puzzledabout everything. The men said they knew nothing about the lamp, but they must know somethingabout it. Nobody but a gypsy could have lighted it last night.
　　They went back to the girls and told them what had happened. 'Let's get back to the stables,' saidAnne. 'There's something queer going on. We'll be in the middle of an adventure before we knowwhere we are!'
　　'We'll stay one more night,' said Julian. 'I want to see if that plane comes again. Those gypsies don'tknow where we're camping and though Sniffer knows, I'm pretty sure he won't tell. It was plucky ofhim to try and stick up for us to his father.'
　　'All right. We'll stay,' said George. 'I'm not particularly anxious for Timmy to have that long walkhome today. I think I've got most of that thorn out of his pad, but he still won't put his foot to theground.'
　　'He's jolly clever at running about on three legs,' said Dick, watching Timmy tearing round thequarry, sniffing as usual for rabbits.
　　65
　　'The amount of quarrying that Timmy has done in this pit already is colossal!' said Julian, staringround at the places where Timmy had tried to get in at some rabbit-hole and scrabbled out big heapsof sand. 'He would have been a great help to the Bartles when they dug out sand! Poor old Tim - yourbad foot has stopped you scraping for rabbits, hasn't it!'
　　Timmy ran over on three legs. He enjoyed all the fussing he got when anything happened to him.
　　He meant to make the most of his bad foot!
　　They had a very lazy day indeed. It really was too hot to do anything much. They went to the littlespring and sat with their feet in the rivulet it made - it was deliciously cool! They went and had a lookat the old engine again, lying on its side, half-buried.
　　Dick scraped away a lot of the sand that had seeped into the cab. Soon they were all helping.
　　They uncovered the old handles and levers and tried to move them. But they couldn't of course.
　　'Let's go round to the other side of the gorse bush and see if we can see the funnel again,' said Dick, atlast. 'Blow these thorns. I'm getting pricked all over. Timmy's very sensible, sitting there, notattempting to examine this old Puffing Billy!'
　　They had to cut away some of the gorse before they could examine the funnel properly. Then theyexclaimed in wonder.
　　'Look! It's very like the long funnel that Puffing Billy had, you know, one of the first engines evermade!'
　　'It's filled with sand,' said Dick, and tried to scrape it out. It was fairly loose, and soon he was able topeer down the funnel quite a long way.
　　'Funny to think of smoke puffing out of this queer old funnel,' said Dick. 'Poor old engine, lying herefor years, quite forgotten. I'd have thought someone would rescue it!'
　　'Well, you know what the blacksmith told us,' said George. 'The Bartle sister that was left wouldn'thave anything more to do with the railway or the engine or the quarry. And certainly nobody couldmove this great thing on their own.'
　　'I shouldn't be surprised if we're the only people in the world who know where the old engine is,'
　　said Anne. 'It's so overgrown that nobody could see it except by accident!'
　　'I feel jolly hungry, all of a sudden,' said Dick, stopping his work of getting sand off the engine.
　　'What about something to eat?'
　　'We've got enough to last for a day or two more,' said Anne. 'Then we'll have to get something else -or go back to the stables.'
　　66
　　'I must spend one more night here,' said Julian. 'I want to see if that plane returns again.'
　　'Right. We'll all watch this time,' said George. 'It will be fun. Come on, let's go and get something toeat. Don't you think that's a good idea, Timmy?'
　　Timmy certainly did. He limped off at top speed on three legs, though really his right fore-paw nolonger hurt him. Timmy, you're a fraud!
14.来者何人
　　来者何人
　　朱利安和迪克站在昨晚他们蹲点的地方，努力寻找昨晚那团光亮的方向。
　　“我觉得它应该是在比吉卜赛营地更远一些、偏左的地方。”朱利安说，“你觉得呢，迪克？”
　　“对，差不多。”迪克说，“那我们现在就出发吧？”他突然提高音量，“我们要走了，乔治、安妮，你们要一起去吗？”
　　乔治大声回答道：“朱利安，蒂米的脚底不知道是扎了一根刺还是别的什么东西，走路一拐一拐的，我们俩要待在这儿陪着它，想办法把刺拔出来。你们先走吧，千万别跟吉卜赛人发生正面冲突！”
　　“不会的。”朱利安说，“这荒野又不是他们的，就算被发现又怎样。好吧，那你们俩跟蒂米留下来，你们确定不需要我们帮忙吗？”
　　“不用。”乔治说，“我们可以搞定的，谢谢。”
　　两个男孩离开了，留下安妮和乔治对着蒂米的脚掌发愁。它追着一只兔子到金雀花丛里去，一根刺正好扎进它的左前脚掌里，断成两截，留下一丁点在蒂米的脚掌里，怪不得它走路一瘸一拐的。
　　乔治准备大干一场，非要把这根刺拔出来不可。
　　此时，朱利安和迪克正在荒野上跋涉着。尽管才四月，可天气热得就跟夏天似的，已经不能用“暖和”来形容了。天空万里无云，犹如忘忧草般湛蓝。男孩们穿着套衫，感觉像在蒸桑拿，巴不得立马将它脱掉。但是脱下来的话又得拿在手里，实在麻烦。
　　吉卜赛人营地并不远，他们很快就来到那座小山丘的附近，营地在一片平坦的土地上显得如此突兀。几辆大篷车依旧停放在掩蔽处，几个男人围坐在一处，正聊得起劲。
　　“我猜他们在说昨晚那架飞机的事。”迪克说，“肯定是他们弄了个灯火之类的东西，给飞机做指引。我不明白飞机为什么迟迟不降落。”
　　两人隐蔽在一片茂密的金雀花丛中。那几只狗坐在男人们旁边，并没发现朱利安他们的动静。这也算是幸运的事。
　　两人慢慢靠近昨晚他们看见光亮的地方，就在营地的左方，还要再走远一些。
　　“哪里都看不出有任何异常啊。”朱利安停下来，环顾四周，“我还想着能看见地面有烧焦的痕迹呢。”
　　“等等，那边的大坑是做什么的？”迪克指着地面凹进去的地方，“看起来有点像一个旧的采沙场，很像我们扎营的那个，但是小很多，我觉得昨晚那团火就在这里。”
　　他们走进采沙场。这个地方杂草丛生，很明显能看出这里的年代更久远。在中间有一处陷得很深，隐约可以看见某样不同寻常的东西。那究竟是什么？
　　两人爬进坑里，走向中心。那里搁着一个大家伙，它直指天空。
　　“原来是一个大功率的探照灯。”迪克说，“像我们之前见过的，在机场跑道上用于照明，指引飞机降落的那种东西，居然在这儿被我们看见了！”
　　“吉卜赛人是在哪儿弄到的？”迪克百思不得其解，“为什么他们发了信号，飞机也没有降落？明明那架飞机原本打算降落的，可后来它一直低空绕圈。”
　　“也许那些吉卜赛人发信号说这里降落不安全。”朱利安说，“又或许他们正打算给飞行员打个什么暗号，但是还没来得及。”
　　“不明白。”迪克说，“我无法想象这到底是怎么一回事，总之这事不简单。我们四处去瞧瞧。”
　　他们只发现地上有一条延伸到探照灯又折回去的轨迹，除此之外，别无他物。就在他们仔细研究这条轨迹时，一声大喝传入他们耳朵里，他们猛地转过身，看见大坑的边缘站着一个吉卜赛人。
　　“你们在干什么？”那个人大喊道，声音尖锐刺耳。接着，又过来几个人，恶狠狠地盯着朱利安和迪克。他们只好在那几个人不友善的注视下爬出大坑。
　　朱利安决定实话实说：“这两天我们在荒野里野营。昨天晚上，我们听到一架飞机低空环绕时发出的声音，还看见一团光在指引着它，就过来看看那究竟是什么东西。你们有没有听到飞机的声音？”
　　“可能听到，也可能没有。”离他们最近的吉卜赛人——鼻涕虫的爸爸回答，“这又不是什么大事，飞机经常会飞过这片荒野！”
　　“我们还发现那台强光探照灯。”迪克指着身后，“你们知道那是什么吗？”
　　“不知道。”男人脸色很差，“什么灯？”
　　“你们要是完全不知情，就一起过去瞧一眼呗！反正看一下也不用钱。”朱利安说，“不过我不信你们真的没有看见昨晚那团光。我只能说，这个地方真是一个天然的屏障。”
　　“我们对那个什么灯完全不知情。”另一个白发苍苍的吉卜赛人说道，“这里只是我们常来扎营的地方，人不犯我，我不犯人。要是有谁敢来搅和，那只能说抱歉了。”
　　两个男孩瞬间想起很久以前巴图家族神秘消失的事件，立马觉得脊背发凉。
　　“嘿嘿，我们现在就走，不要担心。”朱利安说，“我们只是暂时住在这里一两晚，你们要是不喜欢，我们不会再靠近这里半步。”
　　他看见鼻涕虫悄悄出现在几个男人的身后，后面还跟着丽丝，不知为何，它竟然可以只用两条后腿走路，看起来还很怡然自得的样子。鼻涕虫走到他爸爸身旁，扯了扯他的手臂。
　　“他们是好人。”他说，“你知道的，我们的马科里普就是在他们的马厩里好起来的。他们都是好人！”
　　他爸爸充耳不闻，反而用力地推了他一把。鼻涕虫跌到坑里头，滚了好几个跟头。丽丝见状，立刻张开四肢，跟着滑下来，到他身旁舔着他。
　　看到这个情景，朱利安感到很震惊，他大声说道：“你们没有权利那样打这个孩子！”
　　他的声音引来了不远处的女人们，她们跑过来看个究竟。看到鼻涕虫跌倒在那里，有一个女人立刻对着鼻涕虫的爸爸大骂起来，他反骂回去。于是这里又上演了一场男人和女人们的骂战，有一个女人把可怜的鼻涕虫扶起来，用湿布轻轻擦拭他的头部。
　　“趁现在没人注意，我们赶紧走。”朱利安对迪克说，“这是一群多么粗鲁的人，除了那个可怜的鼻涕虫，他一直在为我们说好话，这个孩子太可怜了。”
　　两个人快速离开，庆幸自己终于远离了那些男人和那几只狗。
　　但是两人心存疑虑，那些男人说他们不知道探照灯的事，但是很显然他们在说谎——昨晚除了吉卜赛人之外，没有人会去点亮它。
　　他们回到自己的营地，把刚刚经历的事情统统告诉了两个女孩。听完之后，安妮说：“我们回马场吧。这里的事情太诡异了，我们还没搞清楚发生了什么，就已经卷入其中了。”
　　“我们再待一个晚上，”朱利安说，“我想看看飞机还会不会来。
　　那些吉卜赛人并不知道我们住在这里，只有鼻涕虫知道，不过我保证他不会说的。他很有勇气，为了维护我们居然敢顶撞他爸爸。”
　　“好吧，我们就待一晚上吧。”乔治说，“这样的话，我也可以不用太担心蒂米能不能走这么远的路回家了，我想我应该把扎在它脚掌里的刺给清理干净了，但是它的脚还不能着地。”
　　“就算它只用三条腿也能跑得很溜的。”迪克看着蒂米在采沙场里到处乱蹿，跟往常一样寻觅着兔子的踪迹。
　　“蒂米在这里做了大量的采沙工作！”朱利安环顾四周，看着蒂米努力地钻进兔子洞里，接着刨出一堆沙子，“要是搁以前挖沙的那会儿，它完全算得上是巴图家的得力助手了。小可怜，你的脚变成这样，是不是抓起兔子来都不方便了？”
　　蒂米真的只用三只脚在跑，它对发生在它身上的任何小麻烦都毫不在意，甚至还很享受。它还想充分利用好它这只受伤的脚呢。
　　接下来的时间里，他们都闲着没什么事干，因为天气太热，实在干不了太多事情。他们来到泉眼边，把脚伸进旁边的一股小溪流里。哇，简直太舒服了！过了一会儿，他们起身来到破旧的火车头旁边，它有一半都被埋在沙子里。
　　迪克试图把驾驶室里的沙子刨掉，其他人也纷纷过来帮忙。他们把操纵杆上的沙子擦干净，试着移动它们，但它们一点反应都没有。
　　“我们去金雀花丛的另一边看看能不能找到烟囱。”迪克建议道，“这些花刺真多，扎了我一身的洞，蒂米很聪明啊，蹲在那里，完全没有要掺和进来的意思。”
　　他们为了能找到烟囱，不得不先把一些金雀花砍掉。最后，几个人不约而同地发出了惊叹声。
　　“看！这个烟囱好像是之前的那种老式烟囱，就是历史上最早出现的一批火车机头！”
　　“它上面全是沙子。”迪克试着把沙子擦掉，好在沙子是松软的，很容易就弄掉了。很快，一根烟囱便呈现在大家眼前。
　　“一想到一团团烟雾从这根奇怪的旧烟囱里冒出来，我就觉得好笑。”迪克说，“可怜的老烟囱，躺在这里不知道多少年了，已经彻底被人们遗忘。我还以为会有人愿意把它修好呢。”
　　“你还记不记得老铁匠告诉我们的。”乔治说，“巴图家剩下的唯一一个妹妹说，不会再跟铁路、火车或者采沙场扯上任何关系了。
　　其他人就更不用说了，谁会愿意费力搬走这个巨大的家伙呢。”
　　“说不定我们是这个世界上，唯一知道这台旧机器下落的人呢。”安妮说，“这里杂草丛生，一般情况下确实不容易发现这个东西。”
　　“我突然感觉好饿。”迪克停下手头上的活儿，“要不先吃点东西吧？”
　　“我们带来的食物还够吃一两天。”安妮说，“两天后，我们就要找别的东西吃了，或者回马场。”
　　“我必须在这儿多待一晚。”朱利安说，“我想看看那飞机还会不会出现。”
　　“好，那我们一起等。”乔治说，“肯定很好玩。走吧，我们去吃点东西。你是不是也是这样想的，蒂米？”
　　蒂米非常赞同，它当然想吃东西啦。它跛着脚，以最快的速度冲在了前面，不过，它扎刺的那只前脚现在已经不痛了。蒂米，你真是个大骗子！
Chapter 15 A STARTLING NIGHT
Chapter 15 A STARTLING NIGHT
　　No gypsies came near them that day, not even Sniffer. The evening was as lovely as the day hadbeen, and almost as warm.
　　'It's extraordinary!' said Dick, looking up into the sky. 'What weather for April! The bluebells will berushing out soon if the sun goes on being as hot as this!'
　　They lay on the sand in the quarry and watched the evening star shine in the sky. It looked very bigand bright and round.
　　Timmy scrabbled round in the sand. 'His paw is much better,' said George. 'Though I notice that hestill sometimes holds it up.'
　　'Only when he wants you to say 'Poor Timmy, does it hurt!' ' said Dick. 'He's a baby, likes to befussed!'
　　They talked for a while and then Anne yawned. 'It's early, I know - but I believe I'm going to sleep.'
　　There was soon a trek to the spring, and everyone sluiced themselves in the cool water. There wasonly one towel between them, but that did very well. Then they settled down in their sandy beds. Thesand was beautifully warm and they did not bother about putting down the rubber sheets. There couldnot possibly be any dampness in that quarry after it had been baked so much by the hot sun!
　　'I hope we wake when that plane comes, if it does come,' said Julian to Dick, as they lay without anycovering in their soft, sandy bed. 'My goodness, isn't it hot! No wonder Timmy's panting over there!'
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　　They went to sleep at last, but Dick awoke suddenly, feeling much too hot. Phew! What a night!
　　He lay looking up at the brilliant stars, and then shut his eyes again. But it was no use, he couldn't goto sleep.
　　He sat up cautiously, so as not to awake Julian. I think I'll just go and have a squint to see if that biglamp is lighted again, down in that pit by the gypsy camp, he thought.
　　He went to the edge of the quarry and climbed up. He looked towards the gypsy camp and gave asudden exclamation. Yes! he thought. It's glowing again! I can't see the lamp, of course, but its lightis so jolly powerful that I can easily see the glow it makes. It must be very bright, looked down onfrom the sky. I wonder if the plane is due to come now that the lamp is lighted.
　　He listened, and yes, he could distinctly hear a low humming noise from the east. It must be the planecoming again? Would it land this time, and if so, who was in it?
　　He ran to wake Julian and the girls. Timmy was alert at once, wagging his tail excitedly. He wasalways ready for anything, even in the middle of the night! Anne and George got up too, verythrilled.
　　'Is the lamp really alight again? And I can hear the plane too now! Oh, I say! This is exciting!
　　George, Timmy won't bark and give us away, will he?'
　　'No. I've told him to be quiet,' said George. 'He won't make a sound. Listen, the plane is comingnearer!'
　　The noise was now loud enough for them to search the starry sky for the plane. Julian gave Dick anudge. 'Look, you can just see it, straight over where the gypsy camp is!'
　　Dick managed to pick it out. 'It's very small,' he said. 'Smaller even than I thought it was last night.
　　Look, it's coming down!'
　　But it wasn't. It merely swept low, and then went round in a circle, as it had done the night before. Itrose a little again and then came in low once more, almost over the boys' heads.
　　Then something extraordinary happened. Something fell not far from Julian, something that bouncedand then came to rest! It made a thud as it fell, and all four jumped. Timmy gave a startled whine.
　　Thud! Something else fell. Thud, thud, thud! Anne gave a squeal. 'Are they trying to bomb us orsomething. Julian, what are they doing?'
　　Thud! Thud! Julian ducked at the last two thuds, they sounded so near. He took hold of Anne andpulled her down into the quarry, calling to Dick and George.
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　　'Get down here, quickly! Force yourselves into the caves somewhere! We shall get hit!'
　　They ran across the quarry as the plane swooped round in a circle once more and then again begandropping the things that went 'thud! thud!'. Some even fell into the quarry this time.
　　Timmy got the shock of his life when one bounced in front of his nose and rolled away. He yelpedand tore after George.
　　Soon they were all safely squeezed into the little caves that lined the sides of the quarry. The planeswept round once more, up and then round, and the thud-thudding began again. The four could hearthat some of the thuds were actually in the quarry again and they were thankful they were wellsheltered.
　　'Well, nothing is exploding,' said Dick, thankfully. 'But what on earth is the plane dropping? Andwhy? This is a most peculiar adventure to have.'
　　'It's probably a dream,' said Julian, and laughed. 'No, not even a dream could be so mad. Here we are,snuggling into sandy caves in a quarry on Mystery Moor, while a plane drops something all round usin the middle of the night! Quite mad.'
　　'I believe the plane's going away now,' said Dick. 'It's circled round but hasn't dropped anything.
　　Now it's climbing, it's going away! The engine doesn't sound nearly so loud. Goodness, when wewere standing out there at the edge of the quarry, I almost thought the plane would take my head off;it was so low!'
　　'I thought that too,' said Anne, very glad that there was to be no more swooping down and droppingdozens of unknown things. 'Is it safe to go out?'
　　'Oh yes,' said Julian, scrambling out of the sand. 'Come on. We shall easily hear if the plane comesback again. I want to see what it has dropped!'
　　In great excitement they ran to get the parcels. The stars gave so much light on that clear night thatthe four did not even need a torch.
　　Julian picked up something first. It was a firm, flattish parcel, done up well, sewn into a canvascovering. He examined it.
　　'No name. Nothing,' he said. 'This is most exciting. Let's have three guesses what's inside.'
　　'Bacon for breakfast, I hope!' said Anne at once.
　　'Idiot,' said Julian, getting out a knife to slit the string threads that sewed up the canvas. 'I guess it'ssmuggled goods of some sort. That's what that plane was doing, I should think, flying over fromFrance, and dropping smuggled goods in a pre-arranged place, and I suppose the gypsies 69pick them up, and take them away, well hidden in their caravans, to deliver them somewhere.
　　Very clever!'
　　'Oh Julian, is that the explanation?' said Anne. 'What would be in the parcels then, cigarettes?'
　　'No,' said Julian. 'The parcels wouldn't be so heavy if they only contained cigarettes. There, I've slitthe threads at last!'
　　The others crowded round to see. George took her torch out of her pocket so that they could seereally well. She flashed it on.
　　Julian ripped off the canvas covering. Next came some strong brown paper. He ripped that off too.
　　Then came strong cardboard, tied round with string. That was undone as well, and the cardboard fellto the ground.
　　'Now, what have we got?' said Julian, excited. 'Thin sheets of paper, dozens and dozens of thempacked together. Shine your torch nearer, George.'
　　There was a silence as all the four craned over Julian's hands.
　　'Whew! I say! Gosh, do you see what they are?' said Julian, in awe. 'American money, dollar notes.
　　But look what they are, one hundred-dollar notes! And my word there are scores and scores of themin this one packet.'
　　The four stared in amazement as Julian riffled through the packet of notes. However much wouldthey be worth?
　　'Julian, how much is a hundred-dollar note worth in our money?' asked George.
　　'About forty pounds I think,' said Julian. 'Yes, just about that. Gosh, and there are scores in this onepacket, and we know they dropped dozens of the packets too. Whatever is it all about?'
　　'Well, there must be thousands and thousands of dollars lying around us, here in the quarry andoutside it,' said George. 'I say! Surely this isn't a dream?'
　　'Well, I must say it's a very extravagant kind of dream, if so,' said Dick. 'A dream worth thousands ofpounds isn't very usual. Ju, hadn't we better get busy picking up these parcels?'
　　'Yes. We certainly had,' said Julian. 'I'm beginning to see it all now. The smugglers come over in aplane from France, say, having previously arranged to drop these packets in a lonely spot on thismoor. The gypsies are in the plot to the extent that they light the guiding lamp and pick up theparcels.'
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　　'I see, and then they quietly pack them into their caravans, slip off the moor, and deliver them tosomebody else, who pays them well for their trouble,' said Dick. 'Very smart!'
　　'That's about it,' said Julian. 'But I can't for the life of me see why dollar notes have to be smuggledhere. They can be brought freely enough into the country - why smuggle them?'
　　'Stolen ones, perhaps?' said George. 'Oh well, its quite beyond me. What a thing to do! No wonderthe gypsies didn't want us around.'
　　'Better buck up and collect all these parcels and clear off back to the stables with them,' said Julian,picking up one near him. 'The gypsies will be after them, there's no doubt about that! We must begone before they come.'
　　The four of them went about looking for the parcels. They found about sixty of them, and they madequite a heavy load.
　　'We'll put them somewhere safe, I think,' said Julian. 'What about stuffing them into one of the sand-caves? I don't very well see how we can carry them like this.'
　　'We could put them in the rugs and tie up the ends and carry them like that,' said George. 'It would bemad to leave them hidden somewhere in this quarry. It's the first place the gypsies would search.'
　　'All right. We'll follow your idea,' said Julian. 'I think we've about collected all the packets there are.
　　Get the rugs.'
　　George's idea proved to be a good one, Half the parcels were rolled into one rug, and tied up, and halfinto the other.
　　'Good thing the rugs are nice and big,' said Dick tying his up strongly. 'Now I can just about managemine nicely on my back. You all right, Ju?'
　　'Yes, come along, you girls,' said Julian. 'Follow behind us. We'll go down the railway line.
　　Leave everything else here. We can easily get it another time. We must leave before the gypsiescome.'
　　Timmy began to bark suddenly. 'That must mean the gypsies are coming,' said Dick. 'Come on,quick! Yes I can hear their voices - for goodness' sake, HURRY!'
15.惊悚之夜
　　惊悚之夜
　　一整天下来，没有一个吉卜赛人来打扰他们，连鼻涕虫也没出现。夜晚的氛围也跟白天一样美好，一样温暖。
　　“太壮观了！”迪克看向天空，发出一声感慨，“最美不过四月天！要是天气一直像现在这么温暖和煦的话，很快就能看见风信子开花了。”
　　他们躺在采沙场的沙地上，欣赏着天空中那些璀璨夺目的星星。
　　蒂米在沙地上刨来刨去。“它的脚掌现在好多了。”乔治说，“不过它有时还是不敢踩着地面。”
　　“只有在你叫它‘可怜的蒂米’时，它才觉得自己受了伤。”迪克接过话，“它只想引起你的关注！”
　　他们聊着聊着，安妮打了个哈欠说：“我知道现在还早，但是我真的想去睡觉了。”
　　其他人也都有些困了，于是，一行人来到泉水旁边，用冰凉的水冲洗了一下。虽然大家只带了一条毛巾，但也发挥了极大作用。
　　洗漱完毕，他们回到采沙场，以沙为床，和衣而睡。沙床非常暖和，在太阳底下曝晒了一整天，沙里连一丁点水分都没有，所以没人想要把橡胶垫铺开。
　　“希望飞机来的时候我们能醒过来，当然前提是它会出现。”当他们一起躺在柔软的沙子上时，朱利安跟迪克说道，“我的天哪！这沙子还是热烘烘的，怪不得蒂米在那边直喘气。”
　　最终，大家都入睡了。半夜，迪克突然醒了过来，他是被热醒的。哇！这里的夜晚太美了，天幕中一闪一闪的星星像极了一颗颗夺目的钻石！他躺着没动，闭上双眼。但是没有用，他怎么都睡不着。
　　于是，他小心翼翼地起身，避免吵醒朱利安，心想着不如到吉卜赛人营地旁边的沙坑走走，瞧一眼那台探照灯还亮不亮。
　　他念头一闪，便起身走到采沙场边缘，爬了上去。当他向吉卜赛人营地的方向望去时，心里不由得发出一声感叹——就是它！那东西又亮了！虽然看不见那台探照灯本身，但它发出的光实在太强了，很容易就能看见光束直射向天空。如果从空中俯瞰，一定一眼就能发现那团明亮的灯光。是不是因为飞机又要来，所以它才亮起来的呢？
　　他竖起耳朵，果真清晰地听到了一阵嗡嗡的低鸣声从东边传来，一定是那架飞机又飞来了，这次它会不会落地？如果落地的话，谁会从里面走出来？
　　他跑去叫醒朱利安和两个女孩，蒂米听到动静立马醒过来，兴奋得直摇尾巴。它什么事都冲在前头，就算半夜三更也是如此！安妮和乔治也醒了，全都兴奋不已。
　　“那台探照灯真的又亮了吗？我现在也听到飞机的声音了！哦，我的天哪！太刺激了吧！乔治，蒂米不会叫出声暴露我们的行踪吧？”
　　“不会的，我已经跟它说要保持安静了，”乔治说，“所以它不会发出任何声音的。听，飞机离我们很近了。”
　　声音变得越来越大，足以让他们在星空中搜寻到飞机的位置。
　　朱利安轻推了迪克一把，说：“看，它就在吉卜赛人营地的上方，正好能够看到。”
　　迪克努力寻找它的踪迹。“太小了。”他说，“比我设想的要小。
　　看，它下降了！”
　　但其实并没有，飞机只是在低空飞行，然后盘旋了一圈，就跟昨晚一样。再往上升一点，接着又再次下降，几乎一直在男孩们的头顶上方飞行。
　　接着，离奇的事情发生了。离朱利安不远的地方，有个东西“砰”的一声掉落到地上，弹了一下又落下来，接着就没动静了。
　　四个人吓得都跳了起来，蒂米更是忍不住大叫起来。
　　“砰！”又有东西掉落。“砰！砰！砰！”安妮吓坏了，尖声叫道：“他们是想把我们炸死吗？朱利安，他们在干什么？”
　　“砰！砰！”最后两声好像就在他们身旁响起，朱利安连连闪躲，他抓住安妮，把她拉到采沙场里，并叫着迪克和乔治的名字。
　　“快躲进来，快点！随便躲进哪个洞里，要不然我们会被砸死！”
　　他们急忙跑进采沙场里藏身，此时，飞机突然下降，又兜了一圈，“砰砰砰”地不断往下丢东西，有些正好投入采沙场里。蒂米差点就遭了殃，一个东西弹到它的鼻子正前方，接着滚到地上。它吓得嗷嗷大叫，连忙躲到乔治身后。
　　幸好最后所有人都毫发无损地挤进了狭小的洞穴里。飞机依然在上空盘旋，先是一圈，而后升起，又一圈，接着又开始“砰砰砰”地往下投东西。躲在洞里的四人清晰地听到又有东西砸进了采沙场，心里无比庆幸自己已经找到了藏身之处。
　　“还好，这东西不会爆炸。”迪克松了口气，“这飞机投的究竟是什么东西？出于什么目的？这真的是我经历的最离奇的事件了。”
　　“这真像是一场梦。”朱利安开玩笑说，“不，连做梦都没这么荒诞。真没想到，我们现在竟然蜷缩在神秘荒野上一个采沙场的沙洞中，头顶上盘旋着一架飞机，还一直在我们附近不断地扔东西，这大半夜的，太吓人了。”
　　“飞机似乎准备飞走了。”迪克说，“它现在还在绕圈，不过没再继续扔东西下来。呃，它飞走了！声音已经没有之前那么响了。天哪，刚刚我们站在边上的时候我还以为我的头会被它绞断呢，感觉它就在我头顶上！”
　　“我也这么觉得。”安妮说道。看到天空不再掉下不明物体，安妮心情好了起来，“我们现在可以出去了吗？”
　　“当然。”朱利安爬出沙洞，“出来吧，要是飞机再回来的话我们很容易就能听到。我想去看看它究竟扔了什么东西下来！”
　　四个人无比激动地跑到地上的一捆东西旁边。晴朗的夜晚，星星异常明亮，他们甚至不需要打开手电筒。
　　朱利安把它捡了起来，那是一个被捆得很牢固的包裹，外面还缝着帆布，看起来很普通。他拿在手中仔细端详着。
　　“看不出任何线索，什么破绽都没有。”他说，“真刺激。你们猜猜看，里面包的是什么？”
　　“我希望是培根，可以当早餐！”安妮立马发言。
　　“你这想法太傻了。”朱利安拿出一把小刀，割开帆布的缝线，“我猜应该是黑货之类的东西。我觉得，那架飞机就是专门走私黑货的，它从法国飞过来，在提前预谋好的地方把走私物品扔下去。到时候由吉卜赛人捡走那些东西，把它们藏在大篷车里头，再送到某个地方去。这是个不错的方法吧？”
　　“哇，朱利安，这是你对飞机飞来飞去的解释吗？”安妮说，“那么包裹里是什么东西，烟吗？”
　　“不是。”朱利安说，“如果里面装的只是烟的话，包裹不可能这么重。等着瞧吧，我把最后这些线都割开。”
　　其他人围过来看，乔治从口袋里掏出手电筒，为大家照明。
　　朱利安扯掉外面那层帆布，又露出一层厚厚的牛皮纸，他随手把纸也扯掉了。
　　接下来看到的是一个厚厚的纸板箱，外面绑着绳索。于是他解开了绳索，纸板箱掉到了地上。
　　朱利安兴奋地说：“快看看这是什么？薄薄的纸，成沓成沓的包装。乔治，把手电筒靠近一些。”
　　大家越过朱利安的手，把视线集中在箱子里，有几秒钟大家都是沉默的。
　　“我的天哪，你们看清楚了吗？”朱利安大声感叹道，“美钞！再翻过去看看，是百元钞票！这个包裹里是成沓成沓的百元钞票。”
　　朱利安用拇指和食指快速地掠过那些钞票，几个人都目瞪口呆，这到底是多少钱？
　　“朱利安，一张百元美钞换算成我们国家的货币是多少钱？”乔治问。
　　“大概40英镑 吧，我觉得。”朱利安回答，“没错，大概这么多钱。老天，这包里不知道有多少打，而且这地上到处都是。这全部加起来究竟有多少钱啊？”
　　“嗯，现在采沙场里里外外全都是，得有成千上万的钞票。”乔治说，“我说，你们确定这真的不是梦吗？”
　　“如果真是梦的话，那这个梦也太奢侈了吧。”迪克说，“一个价值连城的梦可不寻常。朱利安，我们是不是应该赶紧把这些包裹都捡起来？”
　　“没错，理应如此。”朱利安说，“我现在大概能明白这件事情的来龙去脉了。走私犯是从法国来的，他们一早就在这荒野上踩好点，然后搭着飞机，把这些包裹扔到这里来。某种意义上，吉卜赛人算是局中人，因为他们需要点亮指示灯，然后捡走丢下的包裹。”
　　“我明白了，接着他们把东西塞进车里，一队人悄无声息地溜走，把东西交给雇佣他们的人。”迪克接过话，“这个推理简直太完美了！”
　　“就是这样。”朱利安说，“但是我想破脑袋都想不通他们为什么要把美钞走私到这里来。他们明明可以光明正大地把钱带进来，为什么要走私呢？”
　　“钱会不会是偷来的，有这个可能吗？”乔治说，“唉，我想不通。这是怎么一回事！怪不得吉卜赛人不想看到我们在附近晃悠。”
　　“现在，咱们把这些包裹集中起来，收拾好东西，回马场。”朱利安捡起身边的一个包裹，说道，“吉卜赛人就要赶过来了，毋庸置疑！我们必须赶在他们前面走人。”
　　四人四处搜寻包裹，加起来大概有六十个，这重量可非比寻常。
　　“不如我们先把这些包裹藏到一个安全的地方。”朱利安说，“比如找一个沙洞，然后把东西塞进去？我想不出其他的办法能把这堆东西运走。”
　　“可以把这些东西裹在毯子里，将四个角绑起来，然后带走啊。”乔治说，“要我说，把东西搁在这个采沙场里的哪个角落都不安全。吉卜赛人第一个搜查的地方就会是这里。”
　　“你说的有道理。”朱利安说，“我想我们已经把所有包裹都集齐了。走，去把毯子拿来。”
　　事实证明，乔治的想法很可行，他们把一半的包裹裹进一张毯子里扎好，而另一半则包在另一张毯子里扎牢。
　　“好在毯子足够大，足够结实。”迪克把它扎得很紧实，“现在我正好只能背得起我这一袋。你还行吗，朱利安？”
　　“当然，走吧，女孩们。”朱利安说，“你们跟在我们后面。我们还是沿着铁轨线走。其余的东西暂时搁在这里，找个时间再过来收拾，趁吉卜赛人还没到，我们赶紧走。”
　　蒂米突然开始吠叫。“看来吉卜赛人要来了。”迪克说，“快点，快走！我听到他们的声音了。天哪！赶紧！”
Chapter 16 THE TERRIBLE MIST
Chapter 16 THE TERRIBLE MIST
　　Yes, the gypsies were certainly coming! Their dogs were with them, barking. The four childrenhurried out of the quarry with Timmy at their heels, quite silent.
　　'Those fellows may not know we were camping in the quarry,' panted Dick. 'They may just becoming to find the parcels, and while they are hunting around, we may be able to get a good start.
　　Buck up!'
　　They set off to where the lines ended, near where the old engine lay half-buried. The gypsy dogsheard them and set up a yelping and howling. The gypsies stopped to see what had excited them.
　　They spied shadows moving in the distance, the four children slipping away from the quarry.
　　One of the men shouted loudly.
　　'Hey you - stop! Who are you? Stop, I say!'
　　But the five didn't stop. They were now stumbling between the railway lines, glad of George's torch,and Anne's. The boys could not have held one for it was all they could do to hang on to the heavy-laden rugs.
　　'Quick, oh quick!' whispered Anne, but it was impossible to go very quickly.
　　'They must be catching us up,' said Julian, suddenly. 'Look round and see, George.'
　　George looked round. 'No, I can't see anyone,' she said. 'Julian, everywhere looks peculiar.
　　What's happening? Julian, stop. Something queer is happening!'
　　Julian stopped and looked round. His eyes had been fixed on his feet, trying to see where he wasgoing without stumbling. Anne had shone her torch down for him but it was still dificult to get alongproperly. Julian gazed all round, wondering what George meant.
　　Then he gave a gasp. 'Gosh! How queer! There's a mist come up, look. It's even blotted out the stars.
　　No wonder it seems so jolly dark all of a sudden.'
　　'A mist!' said Anne, scared. 'Not that awful mist that sometimes covers the moor! Oh Julian, is it?'
　　Julian and Dick watched the swirling mist in astonishment. 'It's come from the sea,' Julian said.
　　'Can't you smell the salt in it? It's come just as suddenly as we've been told it comes, and look, it'sgetting thicker every minute!'
　　'What a good thing we're on the railway lines!' said George. 'What shall we do? Go on?'
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　　Julian stood and thought. 'The gypsies won't come after us in this mist,' he said. 'I've a good mind tohide this money somewhere, and then walk back to get the police. If we keep on the lines we can't gowrong. But we must be sure not to leave them, or we'll be completely lost!'
　　'Yes, let's do that,' said Dick, who was heartily sick already of lugging along his heavy load. 'Butwhere do you propose to hide them, Ju? Not in the quarry! We'd have to walk through this awful mistto do that, and we'd get lost at once.'
　　'No. I've thought of a fine place,' said Julian, and he lowered his voice. 'Remember that old engine,fallen on its side? Well, what about stuffing these packets all the way down that great long funnel,and then stopping the top of it up with sand? I bet you anything you like that nobody would find thepackets there.'
　　'Grand idea!' said Dick. 'The gypsies will be sure we've gone off carrying the money, and they'll nothunt about for it long, once they find the dropped packets are all gone. We'll be half-way home by thetime they try to catch us, if they dare to brave this mist.'
　　Anne and George thought Julian's idea was first- rate, a stroke of genius. 'I'd never, never havethought of the engine funnel!' said Anne.
　　'Now, there's no need for you two girls and Timmy to walk all the way to the engine with us,'
　　said Julian. 'You sit down here on the lines, and wait for us to come back. We shan't be long.
　　We'll walk straight up the railway, find the engine, pack the money into the funnel, and walk back.'
　　'Right,' said George, squatting down. 'Bring the rugs back with you, though. It's cold now!'
　　Julian and Dick went off together, with Anne's torch. George kept hers. Timmy pressed close againsther, astonished at the thick mist that had so suddenly swirled up and around them.
　　'That's right. Keep close to us and keep us warm, Tim,' said George. 'It's jolly cold now. This mist isdamp!'
　　Julian stumbled along, keeping a look-out for the gypsies. He could see nothing of them, but then, ifthey had been only two feet away he could not have seen anything of them in the mist! It seemed toget thicker and thicker.
　　I know what old Ben meant now, when he said that it had damp fingers, thought Julian, feeling littletouches like fingers on his face, hands and legs as the mist wreathed itself round him.
　　Dick nudged him. 'Here we are,' he said. 'The lines are broken here. The engine should be just overthere, a yard or two away.'
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　　They stepped cautiously away from the lines. The big gorse-bush could not be seen, but it could befelt! Julian felt thorns pricking his legs, and knew he was beside it.
　　'Shine your torch here, Dick,' he whispered. 'That's right. There's the cab of the engine, see? Now let'scircle the bush, and we'll come to the funnel.'
　　'Here it is,' said Dick, in a few moments. 'Look! Now then, let's do a bit of work, shoving thesepackets down. Gosh, what a lot of them there are! I hope the funnel will take them all.'
　　They spent ten minutes ramming the packets into the wide funnel. Down they went to the bottom!
　　More and more followed and then, at last, the final one was shoved in and rammed down.
　　'That's the lot,' said Dick, relieved. 'Now we'll pack some sand in. Gosh, isn't this bush full ofprickles! It's really spiteful!'
　　'The packets almost fill the funnel,' said Julian. 'Hardly any room for sand. Still, we can put in enoughto hide the money all right. There that's done. Now pull this gorse-branch over the top of the funnel.
　　My word, I never knew a bush so set with spines! I'm scratched to bits!'
　　'Can you hear anything of the gypsies?' asked Dick, in a low voice, as they prepared to go back to thelines.
　　They listened. 'Not a thing,' said Julian. 'It's my belief they're scared of this mist, and are lying low tillit clears.'
　　'They may be in the quarry,' said Dick. 'Waiting there in safety. Well, long may they be there!
　　They won't get the money now!'
　　'Come on,' said Julian, and walked round the bush. 'It's just about here that we step out to get to thelines. Take my arm. We mustn't get separated. Did you ever see such a mist in your life? It's thethickest fog I ever knew. We can't even see our feet in the light of the torch now.'
　　They took a few steps and then felt about for the rails. They couldn't feel even one. 'A bit farther, Ithink,' said Julian. 'No, this way.'
　　But they still couldn't find the railway lines. Where were the wretched things? A small feeling ofpanic came into Julian's mind. Which way should they step now, to find the rails? How had they gonewrong?
　　Now both boys were on hands and knees, feeling for the broken rails. 'I've got one,' said Dick.
　　'No, blow, it isn't. It's a bit of wood, or something. For goodness' sake, keep close to me, Ju.'
　　After ten minutes' search, the two boys sat back on their heels, the little torch between them.
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　　'Somehow we've just missed those two or three correct steps from the gorse-bush to the rails,'
　　said Julian. 'Now we're done! I don't see anything for it but to wait till the mist clears.'
　　'But what about the two girls?' said Dick, anxiously. 'Let's try a bit longer. Look, the mist is clearing alittle there. Let's go forward and hope we'll stumble over the lines soon. If the mist does clear, weshall soon be able to get our bearings.'
　　So they went forward hopefully, seeing the mist clear a little in front of them, so that the torch made alonger beam for them to see by. Now and again, when their feet knocked against something hard,they felt for the rails. But they could not find even one!
　　'Let's shout,' said Julian, at last. So they shouted loudly. 'George! Anne! Can you hear us?' They stoodand listened. No answer.
　　'GEORGE!' yelled Dick. 'TIMMY!'
　　They thought they heard a far-off bark. 'That was Timmy!' said Julian. 'Over there!'
　　They stumbled along and then shouted again. But this time there was no bark at all. Not a soundcame out of that dreadful mist, which had now closed tightly round them again.
　　'We'll be walking in it all night long,' said Julian, desperately. 'Why did we leave the girls?
　　Suppose this frightful fog doesn't clear by tomorrow? Sometimes it lasts for days.'
　　'What a horrible idea,' said Dick, lightly, sounding much more cheerful than he felt. 'I don't think weneed worry about the girls, Ju. Timmy's with them and he can easily take them back to the stablesacross the moor, in the mist. Dogs don't mind fogs.'
　　Julian felt most relieved. He hadn't thought of that. 'Oh yes, I'd forgotten old Tim,' he said. 'Well,seeing that the girls will probably be all right with Timmy to guide them, let's sit down somewhereand have a rest. I'm tired out!'
　　'Here's a good thick bush,' said Dick. 'Let's get into the middle of it if we can, and keep the damp outof us. Thank goodness it's not a gorse-bush!'
　　'I wish I knew if the girls had had the sense not to wait for us any longer, but to try to find their wayback down the lines,' said Julian. 'I wonder where they are now?'
　　Anne and George were no longer where Julian and Dick had left them! They had waited and waited,and then had become very anxious indeed.
　　'Something's happened,' said George. 'I think we ought to go and get help, Anne. We can easilyfollow the railway down to where we have to break off for the stable. Timmy will know, anyway.
　　Don't you think we ought to go back and get help?'
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　　'Yes, I do,' said Anne, getting up. 'Come on George. Gosh, this mist is worse than ever! We'll have tobe careful we don't lose the lines! Even Timmy might find it hard to smell his way in this fog!'
　　They got up. Anne followed George and Timmy followed behind, looking puzzled. He couldn'tunderstand this night-time wandering about at all!
　　Anne and George kept closely to the railway lines, walking slowly along, shining the light of thetorch downwards, and following carefully.
　　After a time George stopped, puzzled. 'This line's broken here,' she said. 'There's no more of it.
　　That's funny, I don't remember it being as badly broken as this. The lines simply stop. I can't see anymore.'
　　'Oh George!' said Anne, peering down. 'Do you know what we've done. We've come all the way upthe lines again - instead of going down them, homewards! How could we have been so mad?
　　Look, this is where they break off; so the old engine must be somewhere near, and the quarry!'
　　'Blow!' said George, quite in despair. 'What asses we are. It shows how we can lose our sense ofdirection in a mist like this.'
　　'I can't see or hear anything of the boys,' said Anne, fearfully. 'George, let's go to the quarry and waitthere till daylight comes. I'm cold and tired. We can squeeze into one of those warm sand-caves.'
　　'All right,' said George, very much down in the dumps. 'Come along, and for goodness' sake don'tlet's lose our way to the quarry!'
16.迷雾来袭
　　迷雾来袭
　　果然，来的正是吉卜赛人！那几只狗也跟着过来了，一路狂吠。四个小伙伴迅速爬到采沙场外面，蒂米屏住呼吸，乖巧地跟在后面。
　　“这些人应该还不知道我们在这里扎营。”迪克气喘吁吁地说，“可能只是过来找包裹，在他们四处搜寻的时候，我们就可以逃之夭夭了。大家振作起来！”
　　一行人动身去了轨道的尽头，旧的火车头就在那附近，半掩在沙地里。吉卜赛人的几只狗听到他们的动静，开始大声吠叫。吉卜赛人因而停下脚步，看看究竟是什么东西让它们如此烦躁不安。
　　于是，他们发现了远处有几个正在移动的黑影——就是四个小伙伴，正准备悄悄溜走。其中一个男人朝孩子们大喊：“嘿，你们站住！是谁在那儿？站住，听见没有？”
　　孩子们怎么可能乖乖听话，说站住就站住呢？此时，他们已经跑到轨道中间，正踉踉跄跄地往前跑。多亏了乔治和安妮的手电筒，要不然两个男孩连路都看不清楚。他们背上那沉重的背囊，已经把他们折腾得够呛，根本腾不出手拿手电筒。
　　“快点，快！”安妮小声地催促。只是脚步跟不上意愿，想快也快不了。
　　“他们还在后面追着。”朱利安突然发话，“乔治，留意四周。”
　　乔治看了看四周，神色变了：“等等，我怎么什么都看不见了。
　　朱利安，周围的景象看起来有些诡异。发生什么事了？朱利安，你先停一停，发生奇怪的事了。”
　　朱利安的眼睛刚刚一直盯着脚下的路，以免被什么东西绊到而摔跤。虽然安妮已经用手电筒为他照亮前面的路，但是依然很难配合好。朱利安听了乔治的话后，停下脚步，仔细凝视着四周的环境，思考着乔治刚刚说的话。
　　接着，他倒吸了一口冷气：“我的天！见鬼！起雾了，看。星星都被挡住了。怪不得整个世界突然都变暗了。”
　　“雾！”安妮不由得害怕起来，“不会就是传说中把荒野团团围住的那可怕的大雾吧？告诉我这不是真的，朱利安！”
　　朱利安和迪克震惊地看着重重迷雾席卷而来。“是从海上蔓延过来的。”朱利安说，“你们闻到咸咸的味道没有？我们前几天才听人提起过，现在竟然碰巧就遇上了，看，迷雾变得越来越浓了！”
　　“这算怎么回事？幸亏我们已到铁轨这边了。”乔治说，“我们接下来应该怎么做，继续走吗？”
　　朱利安依然站着不动，低头思索：“雾这么大，那些吉卜赛人应该不会再追过来了。我想到一个好办法，先把钱藏到某个地方，然后回去找警察帮忙。只要我们沿着这条铁轨一直走，准不会错。但是我们要确保不能偏离它半步，要不然就彻底迷路了。”
　　“好，就这么办吧。”迪克巴不得立马把背上的包袱卸下，“只是要把这些东西藏哪儿，朱利安？别跟我说采沙场！我们又得穿过这层层迷雾走回去，我敢保证，我们一往回走，立马就会迷路。”
　　“不，我已经想到一个好地方。”朱利安压低嗓门说，“还记得那个旧火车头吗，翻倒在地上的那个？我们把这些包裹塞进它的烟囱里去，然后在最上面铺上沙子，你们觉得怎么样？我保证没人发现，赌什么都行。”
　　“天才啊！”迪克说，“吉卜赛人一定会认为我们把钱运走了，所以一旦他们发现从天上掉下来的包裹都不见了，肯定不会花太多时间继续搜索。到时我们已经在回家的路上了，他们想要抓我们也为时已晚。况且，他们有胆就冒着大雾来啊。”
　　安妮和乔治也觉得朱利安简直就是天才，居然想得出这么机智的办法。安妮说：“换成是我，我想破脑袋都想不到还可以塞进火车头这样的好办法！”
　　“嗯，我和迪克回火车头那里，你们俩和蒂米待在这儿，没有必要再跟着我们来回跑。”朱利安说，“就坐在轨道上面等我们回来，我们沿着铁轨一直往前，一找到火车头，把钱装好，就立马回来，不会让你们等太久。”
　　“好。”乔治在铁轨上坐下来，“回来时顺便把毛毯带上，现在太冷了。”
　　朱利安和迪克带上安妮的手电筒出发了。乔治手里也拿着一只，蒂米紧紧挨着她，张着嘴巴瞪着像漩涡一样席卷而来的层层浓雾。
　　“这样就对了，蒂米，挨着我们，这样可以暖和些。”乔治说，“好冷啊，这雾湿气太重了。”
　　朱利安一路跌跌撞撞，还要四处留意吉卜赛人有没有追来。他什么都看不清，即便他们真的离他只有几步之遥，他也无法察觉，雾气越来越浓了。
　　“我终于知道老本先生说的‘湿漉漉的手指’是什么意思了。”朱利安恍然大悟，他感觉浑身上下，包括脸、手和腿等似乎都被冰冷的手指滑过一般。
　　这时迪克推了他一把。“我们到了。”他说，“轨道到这里就停住了，所以火车头应该就在附近，差不多一两码的距离。”
　　他们小心谨慎地迈出脚步，虽然看不见那一大片金雀花丛，但是却真实地感受到了。朱利安感觉腿上被刺扎到，便知道他们已经来到花丛旁边。
　　“迪克，拿手电筒照一下这边。”他小声说道，“没错，就是这儿了。看到没，火车头的驾驶室？我们绕过去就到了。”
　　“到了，”迪克说，“现在我们要开始干活了。先把包裹解开，我的天，怎么这么多！但愿这根烟囱能装得下这么多。”
　　十分钟后，他们把包裹一个一个塞进火车头的烟囱里，推到最底部，并压得实实的，不留一丝缝隙，直到最后一个也被使劲塞了进去。
　　“搞定！”迪克松了一口气，“我们再铺层沙上去。天哪，这草丛里长满了刺吗！简直可恶之极！”
　　“烟囱几乎满了。”朱利安说，“没剩多少空间能够填上沙子，不过，它已经足以把钱掩盖住了。完成！再拔一些金雀花枝铺在上面。我要疯了，从没见过长这么多刺的枝条！简直要把我扎成刺猬了！”
　　“你有没有听到吉卜赛人的动静？”迪克低着声音问道。此刻，他们正准备打道回府。
　　朱利安竖着耳朵听了一会儿，说道：“什么都没有。我相信他们也怕这样的大雾，肯定要老老实实地等到雾散了才敢出来。”
　　“也许他们正待在采沙场里。”迪克说，“那里还算安全，不过，我看他们得待上好一会儿了！哈哈，这下看他们上哪儿找钱去！”
　　“走吧。”朱利安说着，绕着灌木丛走了回来，“我们刚刚差不多就是从这里走到铁轨的。你拉着我的手臂，一定不能松手。你之前有没有见过这么大的雾？反正我是没见过，竟然打着手电筒都看不见脚。”
　　他们走了几步路，用脚试探着摸索轨道，然而，什么都没碰到。“我觉得还要再走远点。”朱利安说，“不，这边。”
　　但他们还是什么都没有找到。那些断成一截截的轨道究竟在哪里？朱利安心底生出一阵恐慌。他们应该往哪个方向走，才能到达铁轨？他们为什么会走错呢，不应该呀！
　　两人蹲下身子，双手并用，摸索着轨道。“我摸到了。”迪克说，“哎呀！居然不是！就是一截木头。朱利安，紧紧挨着我。”
　　前前后后找了十分钟，两人停了下来，坐在地上，把手电筒放到中间。
　　“我们从花丛里出来时应该就走错那么两三步，结果一步错，步步错。”朱利安说，“我们完了！我什么都看不清，只能等到雾散了再做决定了。”
　　“那两个女孩怎么办？”迪克紧张起来，“要不我们再多走两步。
　　看，那边的雾好像没那么重。我们再走远点，希望走着走着就摸到轨道了。要是雾真的散去一些，我们很快就能辨认出方向。”
　　于是他们满怀希望地朝前走去，前方的雾气确实散去了一些，手电筒的光线也能照到更远的地方。每次踩到坚硬的东西时，他们都以为找到轨道了，但事实上并不是。
　　“我们喊一声吧。”朱利安满脸无奈。于是两人大声喊着：“乔治！安妮！你们能听到吗？”
　　他们竖着耳朵听了一会儿，没有回应。
　　“乔治——”迪克大叫，“蒂米！”
　　他们隐隐约约听到远处传来一声狗叫。“是蒂米！”朱利安说，“那里！”
　　他们踉踉跄跄地循声而去，然后又喊了一声，可这次却没有听到任何回应。周围一片寂静，只有可怕的雾气紧紧围绕在他们身边。
　　“我们一整晚只能在大雾里走。”朱利安绝望地说，“我们当初为什么要离开她们？要是这该死的大雾明天还没散呢？要是过几天都没散呢？”
　　“别想得这么消极。”迪克轻声安慰道，语气尽量放轻松，“我们并不需要太过担心她们，朱利安。有蒂米陪着，它会带她们走出荒野回到马场去的，狗可是不怕雾的。”
　　朱利安松了口气，他倒是没想过这一层。“对，我把蒂米给忘了。”他说，“这样的话，她们有蒂米带路，情况还好些。我们找个地方坐下休息休息吧，累死我了！”
　　“这里有一片茂密的灌木丛，可以倚靠。”迪克说，“我们躲到里面去，可以避开湿气。老天保佑，幸好不是金雀花丛！”
　　“希望她们自己知道先沿着轨道走回去，而不是傻傻地待在那里等我们。”朱利安说，“我在想，她们现在会在哪里呢？”
　　安妮和乔治并没有待在原地！她们等了朱利安和迪克很长一段时间，也不见他们回来，于是不禁担忧起来。
　　“他们肯定遇到什么事了。”乔治说，“我想我们应该回去找人来帮忙，安妮。我们沿着轨道一直走，很容易就能回到马场。反正我们还有蒂米呢。你觉得怎么样？”
　　“我赞同。”安妮站起身，“走吧，乔治。天哪，这雾好像比之前更大了！我们千万要小心，要不然很容易迷路！到时候就算是蒂米也找不着路了。”
　　安妮跟在乔治后面，蒂米跟随着她们，眼神很困惑。它完全理解不了——大晚上的，小伙伴们一直在瞎折腾什么。
　　安妮和乔治紧紧沿着铁轨的路线，打着手电筒小心翼翼地往前移动着。
　　走了一会儿，乔治觉得有些不对劲。“轨道怎么在这儿断了？”她说，“我怎么不记得这中间还有一段被破坏得这么严重的铁轨，而且就停在这儿，前面都没有了。”
　　“糟糕，乔治！”安妮仔细看着脚下的路，“你知道我们做了什么蠢事吗！我们竟然在沿着轨道往回走，而不是往前走——往回家的方向！我们怎么这么笨？看，我们现在应该就在那个旧火车头附近，靠近采沙场的地方！”
　　“见鬼！”乔治完全陷入绝望，“我们脑袋生锈了吗？看来在这么浓的雾里很容易失去方向感。”
　　“我一点也听不到他们两个人的动静。”安妮害怕地说，“乔治，我们去采沙场吧，在那里待到明天天亮。我现在又冷又累，我们去洞里待着会暖和一些。”
　　“好。”乔治在冰冷的雾气里也非常沮丧，“我们走，老天保佑，我们去采沙场时可千万别迷路。”
Chapter 17 PRISONERS TOGETHER
Chapter 17 PRISONERS TOGETHER
　　The two girls and Timmy made their way carefully, hoping to come across the lines that led to thequarry. They were lucky. They went across the gap in the lines where once long ago the gypsies hadwrenched out the rails, and came to where they began again, and led to the edge of the quarry.
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　　'Here they are!' said George, thankfully. 'Now we're all right. We've only just got to follow these andwe'll be in the quarry. I hope it will be warmer than here. Brrrr! This mist is terribly cold andclammy.'
　　'It came up so suddenly,' said Anne, shining her torch downwards. 'I couldn't believe my eyes when Ilooked round and saw it creeping up on us. I...'
　　She stopped suddenly. Timmy had given a low growl. 'What's up, Tim?' whispered George. He stoodquite still, his hackles up and his tail motionless. He looked steadfastly into the mist.
　　'Oh dear. What can be the matter now?' whispered Anne. 'I can't hear a thing, can you?'
　　They listened. No, there was nothing to hear at all. They went on into the quarry, thinking thatTimmy might have heard a rabbit or hedgehog, and growled at it as he sometimes did.
　　Timmy heard a sound and ran to the side, lost in the mist at once. He suddenly yelped loudly, thenthere was a heavy thud, and no more sound from Timmy!
　　'Timmy! What's happened! Timmy, come here!' shouted George, at the top of her voice. But noTimmy came. The girls heard the sound of something heavy being dragged away, and George ranafter the sound.
　　'Timmy! Oh Timmy, what's happened!' she cried. 'Where are you? Are you hurt?'
　　The mist swirled round, and she tried to beat against it with her fists, angry that she could not see.
　　'Tim! Tim!'
　　Then a pair of hands took her arms from behind and a voice said, 'Now you come with me! You werewarned not to snoop about on the moor!'
　　George struggled violently, less concerned for herself than for Timmy.
　　'Where's my dog?' she cried. 'What have you done to him?'
　　'I knocked him on the head,' said the voice, which sounded very like Sniffer's father. 'He's all right,but he won't feel himself for a bit! You can have him back if you're sensible.'
　　George wasn't sensible. She kicked and fought and wriggled and struggled. It was no use. She washeld in a grip like iron. She heard Anne scream once and knew that she had been caught too.
　　When George was too tired to struggle any more, she was led firmly out of the quarry with Anne.
　　'Where's my dog?' she sobbed. 'What have you done with him?'
　　'He's all right,' said the man behind her. 'But if you make any more fuss I'll give him another blow onthe head. NOW will you be quiet.'
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　　George was quiet at once. She was taken with Anne across the moor for what seemed like miles, butwas really only the fairly short distance between the quarry and the gypsies' camp.
　　'Are you bringing my dog?' asked George, unable to contain her fears about Timmy.
　　'Yes. Somebody's got him,' said her captor. 'You shall have him back safe and sound, if you do whatyou're told!'
　　George had to be content with that. What a night! The boys gone, Timmy hurt, she and Annecaptured, and this horrible, wreathing mist all the time!
　　The mist cleared a little as they came near to the gypsy camp. The hill behind seemed to keep it off.
　　George and Anne saw the light of a fire, and of a few lanterns here and there. More men weregathered together, waiting. Anne thought she could see Sniffer and Liz in the background but shecouldn't be sure.
　　'If only I could get hold of Sniffer,' she thought. 'He would soon find out if Timmy is really hurt.
　　Oh Sniffer, do come nearer if it's you!'
　　Their captors took them to the little fire, and made both girls sit down. One of the men thereexclaimed in surprise.
　　'But these are not those two boys! This is a boy and a girl, not as tall as the others were!'
　　'We're two girls,' said Anne, thinking that the men might treat George less roughly if they knew shewas not a boy. 'I'm a girl and so is she.'
　　She got a scowl from George, but took no notice. This was not the time to pretend anything.
　　These men were ruthless, and very angry. They thought their plans had gone wrong, all because oftwo boys. Perhaps when they found they had got two girls, they would let them go.
　　The men began to question them. 'Where are the boys then?'
　　'We've no idea! Lost in the mist,' said Anne. 'We all went out to go back home, and got separated, soGeorge, I mean Georgina, and I went back to the quarry.'
　　'Did you hear the plane?'
　　'Of course!'
　　'Did you see or hear it dropping anything?'
　　'We didn't see anything drop, we heard it,' said Anne. George stared at her furiously. Why was Annegiving all this away? Perhaps she thought that Timmy would be given back to them if they provedhelpful? George immediately changed her mind about feeling cross with Anne. If only Timmy wereall right!
　　78
　　'Did you pick up what the plane dropped?' The man rapped out the question so sharply that Annehumped. What should she say?
　　'Oh yes,' she heard herself saying. 'We picked up a few queer parcels. What was in them, do youknow?'
　　'Never you mind,' said the man. 'What did you do with the parcels?'
　　George stared at Anne, wondering what she was going to say. Surely, surely she wouldn't give thatsecret away?
　　'I didn't do anything with them,' said Anne, in an innocent voice. 'The boys said they would hidethem. So they went off into the mist with them, but they didn't come back. So George and I went tothe quarry again. That's when you caught us.'
　　The men talked among themselves in low voices. Then Sniffer's father turned to the girls again.
　　'Where did the boys hide these packets?'
　　'How do I know?' said Anne. 'I didn't go with them. I didn't see what they did with them.'
　　'Do you think they will still have got them with them?' asked the man.
　　'Why don't you go and find the boys and ask them?' said Anne. 'I haven't seen or heard of the boyssince they left us and went into the mist. I don't know what became of them or the parcels!'
　　'They're probably lost somewhere on the moors,' said the old, grey-haired gypsy. 'With the packets!
　　We'll look for the boys tomorrow. They won't get home in this! We'll fetch them back here.'
　　'They wouldn't come,' said George. 'As soon as they saw you, they'd run. You'd never catch them.
　　Any way they'd get back home as soon as the mist cleared.'
　　'Take these girls away,' said the old gypsy, sounding tired of them. 'Put them in the far cave, and tiethem up.'
　　'Where's my dog?' shouted George, suddenly. 'You bring me my dog!'
　　'You haven't been very helpful,' said the old gypsy. 'We'll question you again tomorrow, and if youare more helpful, you shall have your dog.'
　　Two men took the girls away from the fire and over to the hill. A large opening led into the queer hill.
　　One of the men had a lantern and led the way, the other man walking behind.
　　A passage led straight into the hill. There was sand underfoot, and it seemed to Anne as if even thewalls were made of sand. How strange!
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　　The hill was honeycombed with passages. They criss-crossed and forked like burrows in a rabbit-warren. Anne wondered however the men could find their way!
　　They came at last to a cave that must have been right in the heart of the hill, a cave with a sandyfloor, and a post that was driven deeply into the ground.
　　Ropes were fastened firmly to it. The two girls looked at them in dismay. Surely they were not goingto be tied up like prisoners!
　　But they were! The ropes were fastened firmly round their waists and knotted at the back. The knotswere gypsy knots, firm, tight and complicated. It would take the girls hours to unpick those, evensupposing they could manage to reach right round to their backs!
　　'There you are,' said the men, grinning at the two angry girls. 'May be in the morning you willremember where those packets were put?'
　　'You go and get my dog,' ordered George. But they only laughed loudly and went out of the cave.
　　It was stuffy and hot in there. George was worried to death about Timmy, but Anne was almost tootired to think.
　　She fell asleep, sitting up uncomfortably with the ropes round her waist, and the knots digging intoher back. George sat brooding. Timmy - where was he? Was he badly hurt? George was verymiserable indeed.
　　She didn't go to sleep. She sat there, worrying, wide awake. She made an attempt to get at the knotsbehind her, but it was no use, she couldn't.
　　Suddenly she thought she heard a noise. Was that someone creeping up the passage to the cave?
　　She felt frightened. Oh, if only Timmy were here!
　　Sniff! Sniff!
　　'Gracious goodness, it must be Sniffer!' thought George, and at that moment she almost loved thedirty little gypsy boy!
　　'Sniffer!' she called quietly, and put on her torch. Sniffer's head appeared and then his body. He wascrawling quietly up the passage on all fours.
　　He came right into the cave, and stared at her and the sleeping Anne. 'I've sometimes been tied uphere too,' he said.
　　'Sniffer, how is Timmy?' asked George, anxiously. 'Tell me, quickly!'
　　'He's all right,' said Sniffer. 'He's just got a bad cut on his head. I bathed it for him. He's tied up too,and he's mad about it!'
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　　'Sniffer, listen, go and get Timmy and bring him to me,' said George, breathlessly. 'And bring me aknife too, to cut these ropes. Will you? Can you?'
　　'Oooh, I dunno,' said Sniffer, looking frightened. 'My father would half kill me!'
　　'Sniffer, is there anything you want, anything you've always wanted?' said George. 'I'll give it to youif you do this for me. I promise you!'
　　'I want a bike,' said Sniffer, surprisingly. 'And I want to live in a house, and ride my bike to school.'
　　'I'll see that you have what you want, Sniffer,' said George, wildly. 'Only, do, do go and get Timmy,and a knife! You got here without being seen, you can surely get back again safely with Timmy.
　　Think of that bike!'
　　Sniffer thought of it. Then he nodded and disappeared down the passage as silently as he had come.
　　George waited and waited. Would he bring dear old Timmy to her, or would he be caught?
17.绑作人质
　　绑作人质
　　乔治和安妮还有蒂米小心翼翼地迈开脚步，希望能碰巧找到延伸至采沙场的那段铁轨。事实证明，她们运气极佳，恰好来到曾经被吉卜赛人扳断的那两段轨道中间，从这里再走到铁轨的末端，就能到达采沙场的边缘。
　　“就是这里！”乔治感到很幸运，“现在没有问题了，我们只要跟着这段铁路一直走，就可以到达采沙场。希望里面暖和一些。哎哟！这雾也太冷了，还黏糊糊的。”
　　“就是啊，而且出现得非常突然。”安妮打着手电筒照着前方的路，“我看见这雾气从四周悄无声息地将我们所有人笼罩住，当时我简直不敢相信自己的眼睛，真……”
　　她突然没了声音，因为蒂米低声咆哮了一声。“怎么啦，蒂米？”乔治小声问道。只见它安静地站在那儿，一动不动，颈毛都竖了起来，尾巴也停止了摆动，看起来如同迷雾里的一尊雕塑。
　　“怎么了？发生什么事了？”安妮小声问，“我什么都没听到，你呢，乔治？”
　　她们再仔细听了一会儿，还是什么异常都没有。于是她们继续往采沙场里走去，心想也许是蒂米听到了兔子或豪猪的声音，跟平常一样只是吼两下而已。
　　蒂米听到了一些声响，于是跑到一旁去，一下子就不见了踪影。突然，它大声吠叫起来，接着又出现“砰”的重击声，之后周围又安静如初了。
　　“蒂米！你怎么了？蒂米！快回来！”乔治大声喊道。然而，依然不见蒂米的踪影。两人只听到有什么重物被拖走的声音，于是，乔治循声而去。
　　“蒂米！蒂米啊！你怎么了？”她哭喊道，“你在哪儿？你受伤了吗？”
　　这时，迷雾翻滚而来，她什么都看不见，气得只能用拳头胡乱挥舞，试图把雾推开。“蒂米！蒂米！”她又喊道。
　　忽然，一双手从她身后伸出，擒住她的双臂，一个声音幽幽响起：“跟我走！我们警告过你们，不要在荒野上瞎逛！”
　　乔治拼命挣扎，一心只想知道蒂米的处境。
　　“我的狗呢？”她哭喊着，“你对它做了什么？”
　　“我敲了它的头。”声音再次响起，听起来似乎是鼻涕虫的爸爸，“它很安全，只不过晕过去了！你要是乖乖听话的话，自然会还给你。”
　　乔治可没那么老实，她对那个人拳打脚踢，奋力挣脱，但是没有任何效果，她被铁一般的手掌紧紧地擒住。随之她又听到安妮一声尖叫，这次她俩都被抓了。
　　等乔治没有力气再挣扎后，他们把她们拉到采沙场外。
　　“我的狗呢？”她啜泣着，“你们把它怎么样了？”
　　“它没事。”身后的男人回道，“你要是再乱动的话，我就再敲它的头，所以你给我老实点！”
　　听他这样威胁，乔治立马安静了下来。她和安妮被拖着走了似乎有很长一段距离，但是其实从采沙场到吉卜赛人的营地之间并没有多远。
　　“你把我的狗带上了吗？”乔治追问道，内心抑制不住对蒂米的担忧。
　　“嗯，有人看着它。”身后的声音响起，“你要是乖乖听话，我们肯定会把它完好无缺地还给你！”
　　乔治不得不妥协。这一晚上都发生了什么？男孩们走丢了，蒂米受伤了，她和安妮被捉了，还有这该死的大雾！
　　当他们靠近营地时，雾气消散了一些，似乎是后面那座小山把雾气阻挡住了。乔治和安妮看见了火光，到处有着星星点点的火光。很多男人聚集在一起，似乎在等待着什么。安妮好像看见鼻涕虫和丽丝也在其中，但不是很确定。
　　“要是我能把鼻涕虫叫到我旁边就好了。”她心想，“它可以帮我看看蒂米是不是受伤了。鼻涕虫呀，如果真是你的话就走近一些吧。”
　　男人把她们带到小火堆旁，让她们坐下。其中一个男人惊讶地说：“这不是那俩男孩！这是一个男孩和一个女孩，明显不如那两个高！”
　　“我们都是女孩。”安妮立即回道，心想也许那些男人知道乔治不是男孩后，会对她温柔一点，“我是女孩，她也是。”
　　乔治朝安妮皱了皱眉。但安妮没在意，要知道，现在不是逞强的时候，这些人粗暴易怒，笃定就是两个男孩将他们的计划全盘打乱的。说不定他们发现抓错了人，就把她们放了呢。
　　男人开始盘问道：“那么，两个男孩在哪里？”
　　“我们不知道啊！他们走丢了。”安妮面不改色，“我们原本要一起回家的，但是中间分开了，剩下乔治……乔治娜和我，只能回采沙场等着。”
　　“你们听到飞机的声音没有？”
　　“当然有！”
　　“你们听到或者看到从上面掉下来什么东西没有？”
　　“我们没有亲眼看见，只是听到有东西掉下来的声音。”安妮说。乔治气愤地瞪着她。她怎么什么都招了？她是不是觉得只要她们说了实话，蒂米就可以回来？接着，乔治念头一转，气就渐渐消了——只要蒂米没事，一切都好说。
　　“你们是不是把飞机掉下的东西捡走了？”男人突然直截了当地问道，吓得安妮往后缩了缩，这让她怎么回答？
　　“是啊。”她听见自己的声音响起，“我们确实捡到几个奇怪的包裹，你们知道里面是什么吗？”
　　“你不用管是什么？”男人说，“你们把包裹怎么样了？”
　　乔治直盯着安妮看，想看看她到底怎么回答。她该不会真的把秘密全盘托出吧？
　　“我什么都没做。”安妮表情无辜，“他们两个男孩说会把东西藏好的，就带着东西走了，只是最后没见他们回来。所以我和乔治才回到采沙场，一回来就被你们给抓了。”
　　几个男人压着嗓子交谈了一会儿，鼻涕虫的爸爸转身对她们说：“他们把包裹藏哪儿去了？”
　　“我怎么知道？”安妮说，“我没有跟过去，没看见他们藏东西的地方。”
　　“那你觉得他们是不是把东西带在身边了？”男人问。
　　“你为什么不自己去找他们问问？”安妮说，“他们离开之后，我就再也没有他们的消息了，更不可能知道他们怎样处理了那些包裹！”
　　“他们可能在荒野上走丢了，”那个满头白发的老人说，“那些包裹应该在他们那里！我们明天去找找，雾这么大，他们不可能回得去，我们去把他们抓来。”
　　“你们不可能抓到他们的。”乔治说，“只要他们一见到你们，马上就会逃掉，而且雾一散，他们就会立马回家。”
　　“把这两个人带走，”老人已经心生厌烦，“关进山洞里去。”
　　“我的狗呢？”乔治突然大叫，“你把我的狗还我！”
　　“你们刚刚说的话一点价值都没有。”老人说，“我们明天还会再问，你们要是能说出点有用的东西来，我就把狗还给你。”
　　两个男人过来把女孩带离火堆，走到山丘脚下一个巨大的洞口。其中一个男人提着灯，走在前面，另一个人走在后面。
　　一条长长的过道通往山里面。安妮能感觉到她们脚下踩的全是沙子，甚至连这里的墙壁看起来都是由沙子砌成的，太奇怪了！
　　整座山布满了大大小小的路，如蜂窝一般密密麻麻，又如兔子洞一般交错纵横、四通八达。安妮心想：“不知道那些人是怎么把这么复杂的路认清楚的！”
　　最后，他们来到一个山洞里，这个山洞恰好正处于山的正中间，地上依然都是沙子，一根柱子拔地而起。
　　柱子上牢牢地绑着一些粗壮的绳子，两个女孩惊愕地望着，难道她们会像囚犯一样被绑起来吗？
　　果不其然，男人把绳子结结实实地围着她们的腰绑了一圈又一圈，最后在背后打了个死结，要想解开的话，至少得花几个小时，并且前提是她们可以把手伸到背后去！
　　“你们就在这儿待着吧。”男人朝着两个愤怒的女孩不怀好意地笑着，“可能明天你们就能想起来把东西藏哪儿了。”
　　“你把我的狗带来。”乔治朝他大喊，可回应她的只有放肆大笑的声音和离去的背影。
　　洞里又闷又热，乔治非常担心蒂米，安妮却累得已经无法思考了，她渐渐睡了过去。乔治坐在地上，内心无比焦虑——蒂米，你到底在哪里，是不是受了很重的伤？她越想越沮丧。
　　她完全睡不着觉，只是呆呆地坐着，忧心忡忡。她试着用手去够身后的绳结，但是一点用都没有，她根本够不到。
　　恍惚间，她似乎听到了一些声响，好像有人悄悄从过道溜进来了？她顿时起了一身鸡皮疙瘩，要是蒂米在就好了！
　　“嗤，嗤！”是吸鼻子的声音啊！
　　天哪，一定是鼻涕虫！乔治心底欢呼着，此时此刻，她别提有多喜爱这个脏兮兮的小男孩了！
　　“鼻涕虫！”她小声地叫他，同时把手电筒打开，只见他的头先伸进来，接着才是身体，他正手脚并用地沿着过道慢慢爬进来。
　　他走进洞里，看着乔治和熟睡的安妮。“我有时也被绑在这儿。”他说。
　　“鼻涕虫，蒂米怎么样了？”乔治紧张地问，“告诉我，快点！”
　　“它没事。”鼻涕虫说，“不过它的脑袋被重重地砸了一下，我帮它洗过澡了。它现在也被绑起来，气呼呼的！”
　　“鼻涕虫，听我说，去把蒂米带到这儿来。”乔治急切地说，“然后顺便带一把小刀给我，我要把这些绳子割断。”
　　“呃，我做不到。”鼻涕虫脸色大变，“我爸爸会杀了我的！”
　　“鼻涕虫，你有没有特别喜欢的东西，一直很想要的那种？”乔治说，“我保证，只要你答应帮我，我一定帮你实现。”
　　“我想要一辆自行车。”鼻涕虫很惊喜，“我想要住在一座房子里，然后骑着自行车去上学。”
　　“这就要看你的表现了，鼻涕虫。”乔治突然很激动，“只要你去把蒂米带来，还有刀！来的时候别被人看见，你肯定可以把蒂米安全地带过来的，想想那辆自行车！”
　　鼻涕虫认真地思考了一会儿，接着点了点头，消失在过道的尽头，就如同来时一般悄无声息。
　　乔治等了又等，心中想着他能否把蒂米安全带过来，会不会被抓住呢？
Chapter 18 GEORGE'S TRICK
Chapter 18 GEORGE'S TRICK
　　George sat in the darkness of the cave, hearing Anne's peaceful breathing nearby, waiting for Snifferto come back. She was longing to see Timmy again. Was the cut on his head very bad?
　　A thought came into her mind. She would send Timmy back to the stables with a note! He was veryclever, he knew what to do when he had a note tied to his collar. Then help would come very quicklyindeed. Timmy would know his way all right out of this hill, once he had been in it!
　　Ah, here was Sniffer coming back again. Was Timmy with him? She heard Sniffer's sniff-sniff-sniff,but no sound of Timmy. Her heart sank.
　　Sniffer appeared cautiously in the cave.
　　'I didn't dare to take Timmy,' he said. 'My father has him tied up too near to him, and I'd have wakedhim. But I've brought you a knife, look.'
　　'Thank you, Sniffer,' said George, taking the knife and putting it into her pocket. 'Listen, there'ssomething important I'm going to do and you've got to help.'
　　'I'm scared,' said Sniffer. 'I'm real scared.'
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　　'Think of that bicycle,' said George. 'A red one, perhaps, with silver handles?'
　　Sniffer thought of it. 'All right,' he said. 'What are you going to do?'
　　'I'm going to write a note,' said George, feeling in her pocket for her note-book and pencil. 'And Iwant you to tie it on to Timmy's collar, under his chin, and set him free somehow. Will you do that?
　　He'll run off back to the stables with the note, and then Anne and I will be rescued, and you will getthe most beautiful bicycle in the world!'
　　'And a house to live in,' said Sniffer, at once. 'So's I can ride my bike to school?'
　　'All right,' said George, hoping that somehow he could have that too. 'Now, wait a minute.'
　　She scribbled the note, but she had hardly written more than a few words, when a sound came up thepassage. Someone was coughing.
　　'It's my father!' said Sniffer, in fright. 'Listen, if you cut your ropes and escape, can you find your wayout from here? It's very twisty and turny.'
　　'I don't know. I don't think I can!' whispered George, in a panic.
　　'I'll leave patrins for you!' said Sniffer. 'Look out for them! Now I'm going to slip into the cave nextdoor, and wait till my father's finished talking to you. Then I'll go back to Timmy.'
　　He slipped out just in time. The lantern shone into George's cave and Sniffer's father stood there.
　　'Have you seen Sniffer?' he asked. 'I missed him when I woke just now. If I catch him in here I'llwhip him till he squeals.'
　　'Sniffer? He's not here,' said George, trying to sound surprised. 'Look round the cave and see!'
　　The man caught sight of the note-book and pencil in George's hand. 'What's that you're writing?'
　　he said suspiciously and took it from her.
　　'So you're writing for help, are you!' he said. 'And how do you think you're going to get help. I'd liketo know? Who's going to take this note home for you? Sniffer?'
　　'No,' said George, truthfully.
　　The man frowned as he looked again at the note. 'Look here,' he said, 'you can write another note, tothose two boys. And I'll tell you what to say.'
　　'No,' said George.
　　'Oh yes, you will,' said the man. 'I'm not going to hurt those boys. I'm just going to get back thosepackets from wherever they are hidden. Do you want your dog back safely?'
　　'Yes,' said George, with a gulp.
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　　'Well, if you don't write this note you won't see him again,' said the man. 'Now then, take your penciland write in that note-book of yours.'
　　George took up her pencil. 'This is what you must write,' said the man, frowning as he thought hard.
　　'Wait a minute,' said George. 'How are you going to get this note to the boys? You don't know wherethey are! You won't be able to find them if this mist still goes on.'
　　The man scratched his head and thought.
　　'The only way to get the note to them is to tie it on my dog's collar and send him to find them,'
　　said George. 'If you bring him here to me I can make him understand. He always does what I tellhim.'
　　'You mean he'll take the note to whoever you tell him to take it?' said the man, his eyes gleaming.
　　'Well, write it then. Say this:
　　' 'We are prisoners. Follow Timmy and he will bring you to us and you can save us.' Then sign yourname, whatever it is.'
　　'It's Georgina,' said George, firmly. 'You go and get my dog while I write the note.'
　　The man turned and went. George looked after him her eyes bright. He thought he was making herplay a trick on Julian and Dick, to bring them here so that they could be threatened and questionedabout the packets, and where they were hidden!
　　'But I'm going to play a trick on him,' thought George. 'I'm going to tell Timmy to take the note toHenry, and she'll be suspicious and get Captain Johnson to follow Tim back here, and that will givethe gypsies an awful shock! I expect the Captain will be sensible enough to get the police as well.
　　Aha, I'm playing a trick too!'
　　In ten minutes' time Sniffer's father returned with Timmy. It was a rather subdued Timmy, with avery bad cut on his head, which really needed stitching. He pattered soberly across to George, andshe flung her arms round his neck and cried into his thick hair.
　　'Does your head hurt you?' she said. 'I'll take you to the vet when I get back, Tim.'
　　'You can get back as soon as we've got those two boys here and they've told us where those packetsare hidden,' said the man.
　　Timmy was licking George as if he would never stop, and his tail waved to and fro, to and fro.
　　He couldn't understand what was happening at all! Why was George here? Never mind, he was withher again. He settled down on the floor with a thump and put his head on her knee.
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　　'Write the note,' said the man, 'and tie it on to his collar, on the top, so that it can easily be seen.'
　　'I've written it,' said George. The gypsy held out a dirty hand for it and read it.
　　'We are prisoners. Follow Timmy and he will bring you to us and you can save us.
　　Georgina.'
　　'Is that really your name, Georgina?' asked the man. George nodded. It was one of the few times sheever owned to a girl's name!
　　She tied the note firmly to Timmy's collar, on the top of his neck. It was quite plainly to be seen.
　　Then she gave him a hug and spoke urgently to him.
　　'Go to Henry, Tim, go to HENRY. Do you understand, Timmy dear, take this note to HENRY.'
　　She tapped the paper on his collar as he listened to her. Then she gave him a push. 'Go along.
　　Don't stay here any longer. Go and find HENRY.'
　　'Hadn't you better tell him the other boy's name too?' said the man.
　　'Oh no, I don't want to muddle Timmy,' said George hastily. 'Henry, Henry, HENRY!'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy, and George knew that he understood. She gave him another push. 'Go, then,' shesaid. 'Hurry!'
　　Timmy gave her rather a reproachful look as if to say, 'You haven't let me stay with you very long!'
　　Then he padded off down the passage, the note showing clearly on his collar.
　　'I'll bring the boys up here as soon as they come with the dog,' said the man, and he turned on hisheel, and went out. George wondered if Sniffer was still about and she called him. But there was noanswer. He must have slipped away down the passages back to his caravan.
　　Anne woke up then, and wondered where she was. George switched on her torch again and explainedall that had happened.
　　'You should have wakened me,' said Anne. 'Oh blow these ropes. They're so uncomfortable.'
　　'I've got a knife now,' said George. 'Sniffer gave it to me. Shall I cut our ropes?'
　　'Oh yes!' said Anne, in delight. 'But don't let's try and escape yet. It's still night-time and if that mist isabout, we'll only get lost. We can pretend we're still tied up if anyone comes.'
　　George cut her own ropes with Sniffer's exceedingly blunt knife. Then she cut Anne's. Oh, what arelief to lie down properly, and not to have to sit up all the time and feel the knots at the back!
　　'Now do remember, if we hear anyone coming, we must tie the ropes loosely round us,' she said.
　　'We will stay here till we know it's day, and perhaps we can find out if the mist is still about, or if it'sgone. If it's gone, we'll go.'
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　　They fell asleep on the sandy floor, both glad to lie down flat. Nobody came to disturb them, and theyslept on and on, tired out.
　　Where were the boys? Still under the bush, half- sleeping, half- waking, for they were cold anduncomfortable. They hoped the girls were now safely at home. They must have gone right down therailway, and made their way back to the stables, thought Julian, every time he awoke. I do hope theyare safe and Timmy too. Thank goodness he is with them.
　　But Timmy wasn't with them, of course. He was padding across the misty moor all by himself,puzzled, and with a badly-aching head. Why had George sent him to Henry? He didn't like Henry. Hedidn't think that George did, either. And yet she had sent him to find her. Very strange!
　　Still, George had given him his orders, and he loved her and always obeyed her. He padded over theheather and grass. He didn't bother about keeping to the railway line. He knew the way back withouteven thinking about it!
　　It was still night, though soon the dawn would come. But the mist was so thick that even the dawnwould not be able to break through it. The sun would have to remain hidden behind the thick swathesof mist.
　　Timmy came to the stables. He paused to remember which was Henry's bedroom. Ah yes, it wasupstairs, next to the room that Anne and George had had.
　　Timmy leapt into the kitchen through a window left open for the cat. He padded upstairs and came toHenry's room. He pushed at the door and it opened.
　　In he went and put his paws on her bed. 'Woof,' he said in her ear. 'Woof! Woof! Woof!'
18.乔治的把戏
　　乔治的把戏
　　洞里一片漆黑，乔治端坐着，听着身边安妮平稳的呼吸声，等着鼻涕虫的消息。她已经准备好迎接蒂米的到来，它头上的伤口会不会很严重？
　　突然她灵光一闪——可以让蒂米带一张纸条回马场去呀！它那么聪明，一定知道该怎么做，随后便会有人来救她们。即使山路复杂，但是蒂米只要走过一次，就知道怎么走出去。
　　太好了，鼻涕虫回来了。蒂米跟他一起来了吗？她只听到鼻涕虫哧溜哧溜吸鼻涕的声音，却没有听到蒂米的声音。她的心瞬间就沉下去了。
　　鼻涕虫蹑手蹑脚地走进洞里。“我不敢把蒂米带到这儿来。”他说，“我爸爸把它绑到一个离他很近的地方，我怕弄醒他。不过我带了一把刀来，你看。”
　　“谢谢你，鼻涕虫。”乔治把刀藏在了口袋里，“你听着，现在我有一件重要的事要去做，你得帮帮我。”
　　“我害怕，我不行的。”鼻涕虫说，“我真的很怕。”
　　“想想自行车吧。”乔治说，“红色的自行车，把手还是银色的？”
　　鼻涕虫想了想，说：“好吧，你准备做什么？”
　　“我写一张纸条，”乔治边说，边在口袋里摸索笔记本和铅笔，“然后你把它绑到蒂米脖子下面的项圈上，想办法放它走，你可以做到吧？它自己会带着纸条跑回马场，安妮和我就可以得救，你也可以得到世界上最漂亮的自行车了。”
　　“还有一座住的房子呢。”鼻涕虫立马来了精神，“我还要骑着自行车去上学呢。”
　　“当然。”乔治希望他都能如愿以偿，“你等我一下。”
　　她急忙动笔，然而她还没写上几个字，一阵咳嗽声就从过道传了进来。
　　“是我爸爸！”鼻涕虫立马慌了，“你听我说，如果你割断绳子后自己走的话，能找到出去的路吗？这里的路绕来绕去的，太复杂了。”
　　“我不确定，可能不行。”乔治惊慌失措地说。
　　“我给你留暗号！”鼻涕虫说，“你找找看！我现在从洞里的另一道门溜出去，等我爸爸跟你谈完，我就去把蒂米放走。”
　　他前脚刚走，他爸爸后脚正好踏进来。他站在洞口，手里提着灯。
　　“你见过鼻涕虫没？”他问，“我醒来时发现他不见了，要是我发现他在这里的话，保证抽到他跪地求饶。”
　　“鼻涕虫？我没看见他。”乔治假装很吃惊，“不信的话，自己看看。”
　　男人瞥见乔治手里的笔记本和铅笔，顿时起了疑心，一把从她手里抢了过来，说：“你在写什么？”
　　“你是不是想叫人来救你们啊？”他喊道，“你想怎么求救？我倒是很好奇，谁来帮你把纸条送出去，鼻涕虫吗？”
　　“不是。”乔治真诚地回答。
　　男人皱着眉头，再次看了一遍字迹，说道：“这样，你给那两个男孩留个纸条，我告诉你写什么。”
　　“不行。”乔治说。
　　“你还想不想要回你的狗？”男人说，“听我说，我不会伤害他们的，只是想拿回那些包裹。”
　　“蒂米在哪儿？”乔治猛地吸了一口气，问道。
　　“要是你不写的话，休怪我对它不客气。现在拿起你的铅笔和笔记本。”
　　乔治拿起铅笔。
　　“你写上……”男人皱紧眉头，努力地思考。
　　“等一等。”乔治说，“你打算怎么把纸条送到男孩那儿去？你根本不知道他们在哪儿！这大雾天的，你也找不到他们。”
　　男人抓抓脑袋，继续陷入沉思。
　　“唯一一个方法就是把纸条绑在我的狗身上，让它带着纸条去找他们。”乔治说，“你把它带过来，我自然有办法让它明白怎么做，它听得懂我的话。”
　　“你是说它可以把纸条交给任何一个你交代给它的人吗？”男人目光狡黠，“行，那就写吧。写上：‘我们被囚禁了。跟着蒂米，它会带你们来救我们。’接着签上你的名字——我不管你是谁。”
　　“我叫乔治娜。”乔治坚定地说，“你去把我的狗带来，我现在就写。”
　　男人转身离开，乔治看着他的背影，眼底闪着光。那个男人以为逼她说谎，把朱利安和迪克引来，就可以威胁他们把包裹交出来了！但是，她怎么可能乖乖就范呢？乔治心中已有了主意：“我得告诉蒂米，把纸条交到亨利手上。亨利一定会起疑心的，然后将事情告诉约翰逊队长，队长就会带着蒂米返回，杀吉卜赛人一个措手不及！希望队长会想到叫上警察一起过来。”
　　十分钟之后，鼻涕虫的爸爸带着蒂米回来了。它现在看起来可怜极了，头上有一道急需缝合的、大大的伤口。它镇定地跑到乔治身旁，她张开手臂，紧紧地抱住它的脖子，一头扎进它蓬松的毛发里大哭。
　　“你的头痛不痛？”她说，“我一出去就带你去看医生，别怕。”
　　“只要那两个男孩一来，告诉我们包裹藏在哪儿，你马上就可以回家了。”男人插话说。
　　蒂米一见到乔治就舔个不停，尾巴摇来摇去。它从头到尾都不明白发生了什么事。为什么乔治被关在这儿？不管了，反正它现在又和她在一起了。它重重地往地上一坐，将头靠在她的膝盖上。
　　“赶紧写。”男人命令道，“写完了就把它绑到它的项圈上，那样容易被注意到。”
　　“我已经写好了。”乔治说。男人伸出黑兮兮的手，拿过纸条读了起来：
　　我们被囚禁了，你们跟着蒂米，它会带你们来救我们。
　　乔治娜
　　“这是你的真名，乔治娜？”男人问道。乔治点点头，这种时刻为数不多，她平常不可能承认这个娇气的名字是自己的。
　　她把纸条紧紧地绑在蒂米的项圈上，一眼就看得到。接着，她抱了它一下，急切地跟它说：“去找亨利，蒂米，去找亨——利！你听懂了吗，亲爱的，把纸条带给亨利。”蒂米安静地听着，她拍着它脖子上的纸条，然后推了它一把，说：“去吧。别待在这儿了，去找亨——利！”
　　“你把另外一个男孩的名字也告诉它岂不是更好？”男人说。
　　“不不不，它会被搞懵的。”乔治立马回应，“亨利！亨利！亨利！”
　　“汪汪！”蒂米叫着，乔治知道它已经听懂了，于是又推了它一把。
　　“那就走吧。”她说，“亨利！”
　　蒂米可怜巴巴地望着她，就像在说：“你竟然不让我待久一点就赶我走！”最后，它转过头，带着明晃晃的纸条沿着过道跑出去了。
　　“一旦他们一出现，我就带他们上这儿来。”男人说完，转身离开了。乔治不知道鼻涕虫还在不在附近，便叫了他几声，但没有任何回应，他应该已经从哪条小路悄悄溜走，回到他的大篷车上了。
　　直到这时，安妮才迷迷糊糊地醒过来，忘记了自己到底身处何方。乔治打开手电筒，跟她解释发生过的一切。
　　“你应该叫醒我的。”安妮说，“这该死的绳子，弄得我很不舒服。”
　　“我身上有把刀。”乔治说，“鼻涕虫拿给我的，我把绳子都割断怎么样？”
　　“好哇！”安妮高兴地说，“但是我们先不要想着逃跑。现在还是晚上，雾还很大，我们出去只会迷路。如果有人来的话，我们就假装老老实实地被绑着。”
　　乔治拿出鼻涕虫给的那把极钝的小刀，把自己和安妮身上的绳子割断了。哇，躺着就是舒服啊，不用老坐着，被绳结硌得慌。
　　“记住，如果听到有人上来，我们立马把绳子重新缠在身上。”她说，“我们要在这儿待到天亮，或许那会儿才能看看雾散没散，如果散了的话，我们就走。”
　　两人平躺在沙地上，心情好多了，渐渐地，她们进入了梦乡。
　　没有人前来打扰，她们就一直沉睡着，因为实在太累了。
　　男孩们现在在哪儿呢？他们依然待在灌木丛底下，半睡半醒，因为灌木丛里太冷，待着又不舒服。两人心里无比希望女孩们已经安全回到家。朱利安一醒过来，心里就忍不住想，她们应该已经沿着轨道一直走，回到马场了吧。希望她们和蒂米一切顺利，还好有蒂米陪着她们。
　　当然，蒂米此时已经离开她们了。它自己穿过笼罩着浓雾的荒野，头部的伤口无比疼痛，它心里很迷茫：“为什么乔治要让自己去找亨利？它不喜欢亨利，而且乔治也不喜欢她。可是她居然叫自己去找她，这太奇怪了！”
　　不过，乔治既然让它这么做，就一定有她的道理，它喜欢她，她让它做什么它都答应。它直接穿过石南花地，根本用不着沿着轨道走，它都不需要想，就知道该怎么走回家。
　　这是一个寂静的夜晚，黎明很快就要到来了。但是雾气一点不见消散，依然很重，连曙光都没能穿透它。太阳依然躲在层层浓雾后面。
　　蒂米终于回到马场里。它停下来，回忆着亨利的房间。啊，对了，在楼上，安妮和乔治的隔壁。
　　蒂米通过一扇窗跳到厨房里面——那扇窗本是专门给猫咪留的。它轻轻地上楼，来到亨利的房间，推了一下门，门开了。
　　它走进去，跳到她的床上。“汪汪。”它凑到她耳边叫着，“汪汪！汪汪！汪汪！”
Chapter 19 GOOD OLD TIM!
Chapter 19 GOOD OLD TIM!
　　Henry had been fast asleep and snoring. She awoke with a tremendous jump when she felt Timmy'spaw on her arm and heard his sharp little bark.
　　'Oooh! What is it?' she said, sitting up straight in bed and fumbling for her torch. She was quitepanic-stricken. She switched on the torch with trembling fingers and then saw Timmy, his big browneyes looking at her beseechingly.
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　　'Why, Timmy!' said Henry, in amazement, 'Timmy! Whatever are you doing here? Have the otherscome back? No, they couldn't have, not in the middle of the night! Why have you come then,Timmy?'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy, trying to make her understand that he was bringing a message. Henry put out herhand to pat his head, and suddenly caught sight of the paper tied to his collar at the back.
　　'What's this on your collar?' she said, and reached out for it. 'Why, it's paper. Tied on, too. It must bea message!'
　　She untied the piece of paper and unrolled it. She read it.
　　'We are prisoners. Follow Timmy and he will bring you to us and you can save us.
　　Georgina.'
　　Henry was astounded. She looked at Timmy and he looked back, wagging his tail. He pawed at herarm impatiently. Henry read the note again. Then she pinched herself to make sure she was notdreaming.
　　'We are prisoners. Follow Timmy and he will bring you to us and you can save us.
　　Georgina.'
　　'Oooh, no, I'm awake all right,' she said. 'Timmy, is this note true? Are they prisoners? And who does'we' mean? George and Anne, or the whole four? Oh, Timmy, I do wish you could speak!'
　　Timmy wished the same! He pawed energetically at Henry. She suddenly saw the cut on his head andwas horrified.
　　'You're hurt, Timmy! Oh, you poor, poor thing. Who did that to you? You ought to have that woundseen to!'
　　Timmy certainly had a very outsize headache, but he couldn't bother to think about that. He gave alittle whine and ran to the door and back.
　　'Yes, I know you want me to follow you, but I've got to think,' said Henry. 'If Captain Johnson washere I'd go and fetch him. But he's away for the night, Timmy. And I'm sure Mrs. Johnson wouldhave the fright of her life if I fetched her. I simply don't know what to do.'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy, scornfully.
　　'It's all very well to say 'Woof' like that,' said Henry, 'but I'm not as brave as you are. I pretend I am,Timmy, but I'm not really. I'm afraid of following you! I'm afraid of going to find the others.
　　I might be caught too. And there's a terrible mist, Timmy, you know.'
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　　Henry slid out of bed, and Timmy looked suddenly hopeful. Was this silly girl going to make up hermind at last?
　　'Timmy, there's no grown-up here tonight except Mrs. Johnson, and I really can't wake her,' saidHenry. 'She's had such a very hard, busy day. I'm going to dress, and then get William. He's onlyeleven, I know, but he's very sensible, and he's a boy. He'll know what to do. I only pretend to be aboy.'
　　She dressed quickly in her riding things and then set off to William's room. He slept by himselfacross the landing. Henry walked in and switched on her torch.
　　William awoke at once. 'Who's there?' he demanded, sitting up at once. 'What do you want?'
　　'It's me. Henry,' said Henry. 'William, a most extraordinary thing has happened. Timmy has arrived inmy room with a note on his collar. Read it!'
　　William took the note and read it. He was most astonished. 'Look,' he said, 'George has signed herselfGeorgina. She wouldn't do that unless things were very urgent. She never, never lets herself be calledanything but George. We'll have to follow Tim and go, at once, too'
　　'But I can't walk miles in a mist over the moor,' said Henry, in a panic.
　　'We don't need to. We'll saddle our horses and go on those,' said William, beginning to dress, andsounding very sensible indeed. 'Timmy will lead the way. You go and get the horses out. Do buck up,Henry. The others may be in danger. You're acting like a Henrietta!'
　　That made Henry cross. She went out of the room at once and down into the yard. What a pityCaptain Johnson happened to be away just that night. He would have decided everything at once.
　　Courage came to her when she got the horses. They were surprised but quite willing to go for anighttime ride, even in this thick mist! William came up in a very short time with Timmy behind him.
　　Timmy was delighted to have William with him. He liked him, but he was not very fond of Henry.
　　He ran forward, just in front of the horses, and they followed behind. Both Henry and William hadexcellent torches, and kept them shining downwards, so that they should not miss Timmy.
　　He did go out of sight once or twice, but came back immediately, when he heard the horses stopping.
　　Over the moor they rode. They didn't follow the railway, of course. Timmy didn't need to. He knewthe way perfectly!
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　　Once he stopped and sniffed the air. What had he smelt? Henry and William had no idea, but Timmywas puzzled by what he had smelt on the misty air.
　　Surely he had smelt the smell of the two boys, Julian and Dick? It had come on the air for a momentor two, and Timmy was half-inclined to follow it and see if the smell was right. Then he rememberedGeorge and Anne and went on through the swirling mist.
　　The boys were actually not very far away when Timmy smelt them. They were still in the middle ofthe bush, trying to keep warm, and sleep. If only they had known that Timmy was near, with Henryand William! But they didn't.
　　Timmy led the way. Soon they came to the quarry, but did not see it because of the mist. They wentround it, led by Timmy, and rode towards the gypsy camp. Timmy slowed down, and they tookwarning.
　　'He's getting near wherever he wants to take us,' whispered William. 'Had we better dismount and tiethe horses up, do you think? Their hooves may give a warning that we are near.'
　　'Yes. Yes, William,' said Henry, thinking that the boy was really very sensible. They dismountedquietly and tied the horses to a nearby birch tree.
　　They were quite near the hill in front of which was the gypsy camp. The mist was not so thick here,and the two suddenly caught sight of a dark, shadowy caravan, outlined against a campfire, leftburning nearby.
　　'We'll have to be very quiet,' whispered William. 'Timmy's brought us to the gypsy camp on themoor. I had an idea that he would. The others must be held prisoner somewhere near - be as quiet asyou can.'
　　Timmy watched them dismount. He hung his head, panting, his tail down. His head was hurting himvery much, and he felt decidedly queer and giddy. But he must get to George, he must!
　　He led the way to the opening in the hill. William and Henry were most astonished. They followedTimmy through the maze of passages, wondering how he knew the way so surely. But Timmy didn'tfalter. He only needed to go somewhere once, and after that he never forgot the way!
　　He was going very slowly now, and his legs felt queer and shaky. He wanted to lie down and put hisaching head on his paws. But no, he must find George. He must find George.
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　　George and Anne were lying in the little cave, asleep. They were uncomfortable, and the cave washot, so they were restless, waking up every few minutes. But both were asleep when Timmy walkedslowly into the cave, and flopped down beside George.
　　George awoke when she heard William and Henry come into the cave. She thought it might beSniffer's father coming back, and she hastily put the ropes round her waist so that she would look asif she were still tied up. Then she heard Timmy panting, and switched on her torch eagerly.
　　It showed her Timmy, and Henry and William! Henry was full of amazement when she saw Georgeand Anne with ropes round their waists. She gaped at them.
　　'Oh Timmy darling, you fetched help!' said George, putting her arms round his neck. 'Oh Henry, I'mso glad you've come. But didn't you bring Captain Johnson too?'
　　'No. He's away,' said Henry. 'But William's here. We rode, and Timmy guided us. Whatever'shappened, George?'
　　Anne awoke just then, and couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the visitors! There was a hastydiscussion, and then William spoke firmly.
　　'If you want to escape, you'd better come now, while the gypsy camp is asleep. Timmy can guide usout of this rabbit-warren of a hill. We'd never be able to find our way out alone. Come on!'
　　'Come on, Tim,' said George, shaking him gently. But poor old Timmy was feeling very peculiar.
　　He couldn't see things properly. George's voice sounded blurred to him. His head felt as heavy aslead, and somehow his legs wouldn't carry him. The blow on his head was taking real effect now, andthe hurried journey over the moor and back was making it worse.
　　'He's ill!' said George, in a panic. 'He can't get up! Oh Timmy, what's the matter?'
　　'It's that cut on his head,' said William. 'It's pretty bad, and he's worn out with coming to fetch us andrunning all the way back again. He can't possibly guide us back, George. We'll have to do the best wecan by ourselves.'
　　'Oh, poor, poor Timmy!' said Anne, horrified at seeing the dog stretched out quite limp, on the floorof the cave. 'George, can you carry him?'
　　'I think so,' said George, and she lugged him up in her arms. 'He's awfully heavy, but I think I can justmanage him. Perhaps the fresh air will revive him when we get outside.'
　　'But George, we don't know our way out of here,' said Anne, fearfully. 'If Timmy can't lead us, we'relost! We'd end up by wandering miles and miles inside this hill and never getting out!'
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　　'Well, we'll simply have to make a shot at it,' said William. 'Come on, I'll lead the way. We reallyMUST go!'
　　He went out of the cave and down a passage; the others followed. George carrying the limp Timmy.
　　But very soon William came to a fork and stopped.
　　'Oh dear - do we go to the left or the right?' he wondered.
　　Nobody knew. George shone her torch here and there, trying to remember. The beam of light pickedup something on the ground nearby.
　　It was two sticks, one short and one long, in the shape of a cross! George gave an exclamation.
　　'Look - a patrin! Left by Sniffer to show us the way out. We have to take the passage that the longstick points to! Oh, I hope that Sniffer has left patrins at every corner and every fork!'
　　They took the right-hand way and went on, their torches making long beams in the darkness, and atevery place where they might go wrong, they saw a patrin, a message left by Sniffer to show them theright way to go.
　　'Another cross, we go this way,' said Anne.
　　'Here's a patrin again, we take this fork!' said George. And so it went on until they came safely to theentrance of the hill. How thankful they were to see the mist. At least it meant that they were in theopen air!
　　'Now to get to the horses,' said William. 'They will each have to carry two of us at once, I'm afraid.'
　　And then, just as they were making their way to where they had left the horses, the gypsies' dogsbegan to bark the place down!
　　'They've heard us!' said William, desperately. 'Buck up! We'll be stopped if we don't get off at once!'
　　Then a voice shouted loudly. 'I can see you over there, with your torches! Stop at once! Do you hearme? STOP!'
19.蒂米，好样的
　　蒂米，好样的
　　亨利昨天很早就上床了，现在正呼呼大睡。她在睡梦中感觉到有什么东西在她的手臂上踩来踩去，还发出急促尖细的声音，她吓得立马跳了起来。
　　“啊啊啊！什么东西？”她僵直地坐在床上，四处摸索着手电筒，眼中满是惊恐。她手指颤抖着打开了手电筒，紧接着，就看见蒂米站在床边，圆滚滚的棕色眼睛里满眼歉意地看着她。
　　“你怎么在这里，蒂米？”亨利很惊讶，“蒂米！你在这里干吗？
　　其他人回来了吗？不不不，他们不可能半夜三更回来！你为什么自己回来了呢？”
　　“汪汪——”蒂米一直叫个不停，试图让她注意自己身上系着的纸条。亨利伸出手轻拍着它的脑袋，瞬间注意到它脖子上系着的纸条。
　　“你脖子上绑着什么东西？”她说，“什么东西呀？是一张纸，还系上了，一定写了什么东西。”
　　她解开绳子，摊开卷成一卷的纸条，读了起来：
　　我们被囚禁了，你们跟着蒂米，它会带你们来救我们。
　　乔治娜
　　亨利这下更震惊了，她看着蒂米，它也回望着她，尾巴摇个不停。它伸出脚掌，急切地抓着她的手臂。亨利再次看了一遍纸条，接着掐了自己一把，确定自己不是在做梦。
　　“哦哦哦，不，我不是在做梦。”她说，“蒂米，这上面说的是真的吗？他们被囚禁起来了吗？‘我们’指的是谁？乔治和安妮，还是他们四个人？哦，蒂米，你要是能说话就好了！”
　　蒂米也巴不得自己能说话！它用脚不停地扒着亨利。突然，她瞥见它头上的伤口，才明白大事不妙。
　　“你受伤了，蒂米？你怎么样，疼不疼？谁干的？你看起来好像伤得很严重！”
　　蒂米确实感觉自己的头疼得快要炸开了，但是它现在没有工夫管这么多。
　　它痛苦地叫了一声，跑到门口又折回来。
　　“我知道，你让我跟着你走，但我要先思考思考。”亨利说，“要是约翰逊队长在的话，我马上会找他商量，但是他昨晚出去了，约翰逊夫人知道这件事的话会吓晕过去的，我保证。我现在真的不知道该怎么办。”
　　“汪汪——”蒂米朝她鄙夷地喊。
　　“不管你怎么看我。”亨利说，“我不像你那么勇敢。我总是装作很勇敢的样子，蒂米，但事实上，我并非如此。我怕跟你去之后，自己也被抓了起来。况且，外面的雾那么大，你知道的，蒂米。”
　　亨利翻身下床，蒂米见状，眼睛立马闪着光。这傻姑娘最后还是做出决定了吗？
　　“蒂米，这里除了约翰逊夫人之外，就没有其他大人了，我是绝对不能对夫人说的。”亨利说，“她忙了一整天，已经很累了。我现在穿好衣服，然后去叫威廉。虽然他只有11岁，但他脑子清楚，而且至少是个男孩，他知道该怎么做。而我就只会扮扮男孩。”
　　她快速地穿戴好骑马的套装，来到威廉的房间，看到他一个人睡在地板上。亨利走了进去，打开手电筒。
　　威廉立马醒了，坐起来，问：“谁在那儿？想干什么？”
　　“是我，亨利。”亨利回答，“威廉，大事不好了。蒂米晚上跑到我的房间里，项圈上还系了个纸条，你看！”
　　威廉接过纸条看了看，表情就跟亨利一样震惊。“看。”他说，“乔治居然签着自己的本名‘乔治娜’，她一般不会这么做，除非发生了紧急的事情。她向来只允许别人叫她乔治。我们必须跟着蒂米去找他们，马上就走。”
　　“但是外面有大雾，我们在荒野上走不了太远。”亨利惊慌地说。
　　“不用走路，我们骑马去。”威廉开始穿衣服，看起来镇定自若，“蒂米会带路的，你去把马牵出来。振作一些，亨利。他们很可能遇到危险了，现在不是扭扭捏捏的时候。”
　　这话激怒了亨利，她立马走出房间，下楼到院子里。约翰逊队长今晚出门了，这简直太不巧了。要是他在的话，一定可以思虑周全。
　　当她牵着马出来的时候，突然浑身充满了斗志。马也很吃惊，不过它们倒是乐意晚上出去溜达，即便四周浓雾弥漫！过了一会儿，威廉也出来了，蒂米跟在他后面，看见威廉也跟着一起来，它心里很开心。它喜欢他，觉得他比亨利好多了。
　　它在马的前面跑着，给他们带路。亨利和威廉手里拿着手电筒，光线很强，可以很清楚地照到前面的路，以及前面带路的蒂米。有一两次蒂米跑得太快，以至他们都看不到它的踪影了，只好停了下来。好在蒂米一发觉马蹄声停止，就会立马跑回来。
　　他们没有沿着铁轨前行，而是直接越过荒野，因为蒂米知道该怎么走！
　　其间，它停下脚步，嗅了嗅空气。它在闻什么？亨利和威廉摸不着头脑，蒂米很迷惑，因为它好像闻到了什么气味。
　　似乎是两个男孩朱利安和迪克的气味？这个气味只出现了一两次，蒂米想追踪过去，看看究竟是不是他们。但念头一转，它想起了乔治和安妮还在等着他们，便继续冲进浓浓的迷雾深处。
　　实际上，蒂米闻到两个男孩的气味时，他们确实就在离它不远的地方。他们依旧待在灌木丛里瑟瑟发抖，一边试图维持体温，一边渐渐睡着了。要是他们知道蒂米就在附近，后面还跟着亨利和威廉，那就太好了！然而，这只是假设而已。
　　蒂米依然在前面领路，他们很快便赶到了采沙场，由于雾气太重，他们什么都看不清，只是跟在蒂米后面绕了一会儿，便离开采沙场前往吉卜赛人的营地。不一会儿，蒂米减缓了速度，他们也戒备起来。
　　“它已经靠近我们要去的地方了。”威廉小声说，“我们最好下马，先把马放好，你觉得呢？马蹄声会引起别人的注意。”
　　“你说得没错，威廉。”亨利附和，她很佩服这个小男孩，觉得他很有头脑。于是，他们便轻轻地下了马，将马系在附近一棵桦树上。
　　此时他们所处的地方已经非常接近吉卜赛人安营的小山丘了，这里雾气明显没有那么浓重。忽然，一堆正燃烧着的篝火映出了一辆大篷车的影子。“我们一定要保持绝对的安静。”威廉低声说，“蒂米把我们带到吉卜赛人的营地，一定有它的道理，我有预感，他们几个应该被关在这儿附近的某个地方，你尽量别出声。”
　　蒂米看着他们下马，垂下头，耷拉着尾巴，不停地喘着气。它头上的伤无比疼痛，已经明显感觉到眩晕。但它一直忍着，它必须去找乔治，必须去！
　　它领着两人来到山丘的入口处，威廉和亨利被眼前的景象惊呆了，他们跟着蒂米穿过大大小小的过道，心想：“它是怎么确定走哪条路的呢？”蒂米一路上走得毫不犹豫——只要它走过一次，就会永远记住！
　　它的动作渐渐迟缓，明显感觉腿在不停地颤抖，变得越来越沉重。它很想躺下来休息一会儿，把疼痛的头靠在脚上。不行！它必须先找到乔治，它必须见到她。
　　而此时，乔治和安妮正躺在山洞里迷迷糊糊地睡着，山洞里热气腾腾，她们睡得极不舒服，翻来覆去，每隔几分钟就醒来一次。
　　不过，当蒂米带着亨利他们慢慢地走进来那会儿，两人还都睡着，蒂米一下子跳到乔治的旁边。
　　乔治听到有人进来，立马就醒了。她以为是鼻涕虫的爸爸来了，赶紧拿绳子在腰上绕了几下，假装被老老实实地绑着。接着，她听到蒂米的喘气声，于是急切地打开了手电筒。
　　出现在眼前的竟是蒂米、亨利和威廉！亨利见到乔治和安妮都被绳索绑起来，整个人都呆住了，就这么目瞪口呆地望着她们。
　　“噢，蒂米，亲爱的，你真的把人带来了！”乔治张开手臂抱了抱它，说，“亨利，见到你真开心，可是你怎么没把约翰逊队长带来呢？”
　　“他不在。”亨利说，“不过我把威廉带来了。我们骑马来的，蒂米在前面带路。究竟发生什么事了，乔治？”
　　此时安妮也醒了过来，见到亨利他们来了，她几乎不敢相信自己的眼睛！几个人讨论了一会儿，威廉语气坚定地说：“要是想走的话，我们最好趁他们现在都还在睡觉时就走。蒂米可以带我们逃出这个兔子洞一样的山，单靠我们自己，一辈子都走不出去。现在就走！”
　　“蒂米，走！”乔治温柔地晃晃它。但是可怜的蒂米觉得自己很不对劲，眼前一片模糊，乔治的声音在它耳边嗡嗡作响。它感觉脑袋跟灌了铅一样沉重，腿也不听使唤。脑袋上那一下重击现在逐渐起了反应，加上来回两趟马不停蹄地赶路，它的情况变得越来越糟糕。
　　“它不行了！”乔治一下子慌了神，“它站不起来了！蒂米，你怎么了？”
　　“应该是它头上的伤导致的，”威廉说道，“伤口很严重，加上跑来给我们带信，又带我们来这里，它已经精疲力竭了。它不能给我们带路，帮我们出去了，乔治。我们必须尽我们的最大努力找到出去的路。”
　　“我的天，蒂米太可怜了。”安妮看见蒂米四肢不稳地瘫倒在地上，顿时惊慌了，“乔治，你抱得动它吗？”
　　“可以的。”乔治说完，把它圈进手臂里，“好重啊，不过我可以抱得动。或许带它到外面呼吸点新鲜空气可以让它好起来。”
　　“等一下，乔治，我们不知道出去的路。”安妮满脸担忧，“没有蒂米在前面带路，我们会迷路的，恐怕会在这座山里绕一圈又一圈，永远被困在这儿！”
　　“嗯，我们先试着走一下。”威廉发话，“走吧，我带路，我们必须现在就走！”
　　他走出山洞，往过道走去，其他人紧紧地跟在后面，乔治则抱着虚弱的蒂米。不一会儿，威廉便来到了一个岔口，他停下了脚步。
　　“朋友们，我们要往左还是往右？”他纠结了。
　　其他人也没了主意。乔治拿着手电筒四处照着，试着回忆当初来的路。突然，光线照到地上的一些东西。
　　是两根树枝，一长一短，摆成一个十字！乔治惊呼：“看！是吉卜赛人的暗号！一定是鼻涕虫留下的，方便我们找到出去的路。按照上面的指示，我们应该往长树枝所指的方向走！噢，希望鼻涕虫能在每个分岔口都留下了暗号！”
　　他们拐到右边的路上，继续走着。手电筒的光线在黑暗里照出长长的光束。每到可能出错的地方，他们都能看见一个暗号——那是鼻涕虫留下来指引他们通往正确方向的。
　　“又一个路口，往这边走。”安妮说。
　　“这里又有一个暗号，知道怎么走了。”乔治说。于是，就这样一路按照指示，他们安全地到达了山丘的出口。众人忽然觉得这浓雾甚是亲切，至少这意味着他们已经重获自由。
　　“我们去牵马。”威廉说，“恐怕它们每一匹得驮两个人。”
　　就在他们刚刚准备离开时，吉卜赛人的狗开始吠叫起来，叫声越来越近。
　　“它们听到我们的动静了！”威廉绝望地说，“抓紧时间，要是我们不赶紧离开的话，会被拦住的。”
　　接着，一个声音大喊道：“我看到你在那儿了，还拿着手电筒！
　　给我站住！听到了吗？站住！”
Chapter 20 EXCITEMENT IN THE MORNING
Chapter 20 EXCITEMENT IN THE MORNING
　　The dawn was coming now. The mist was no longer full of darkness, but was white, and thinningrapidly. The four children hurried to the horses, which were stamping impatiently by the trees.
　　George couldn't go very fast because of Timmy. He really was very heavy.
　　Suddenly he began to struggle. The fresh, cool air had revived him and he wanted to be set down.
　　George put him down thankfully, and he began to bark defiantly at the gypsies who were nowcoming out of their caravans, their dogs with them.
　　The four children mounted hurriedly and the horses were surprised at the double weight. Williamswung his horse's head round and set off with George sitting behind him. Henry took Anne.
　　Timmy, feeling much better, ran after them, his legs no longer feeling so shaky.
　　The gypsies ran too, shaking their fists and shouting. Sniffer's father was amazed beyond measure.
　　Why, there were the two girls he had tied up - and that dog he had sent off to trick the other two boyson the moor.
　　Then who were these on horse-back, and how had they found their way to the hill? How had theprisoners been able to find their way out of the hill, too? That was a real puzzle to Sniffer's father.
　　The gypsies tore after the horses, but the dogs contented themselves with excited barks. Not one ofthem dared to go after Timmy. They were afraid of him.
　　The horses went off as fast as they dared in the mist, Timmy running in front. He seemed very muchbetter, though George was afraid it was only the excitement that now kept him going. She glancedback at the gypsies. They would never catch up now, thank goodness!
　　Somewhere behind the mist the sun was shining. Soon it would disperse the strange fog that hadcome up so suddenly from the sea. She glanced down at her watch. Good gracious, could it really bealmost six o'clock in the morning. It was tomorrow now!
　　She wondered what had happened to Julian and Dick.
　　She thought of Sniffer gratefully, and all those patrins he had left in the hill. They would never havegot out but for those. She thought of Henry and William, and gave William a sudden tight hug roundthe waist for coming out in the middle of the night and rescuing them!
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　　'Where are Julian and Dick, do you suppose?' she said to William. 'Do you think they are still lost onthe moor? Ought we to shout, and look for them?'
　　'No,' called back William over his shoulder. 'We're going straight back to the stables. They can lookafter themselves!'
　　Dick and Julian had certainly tried to look after themselves, that cold, misty night, but not verysuccessfully. By the time that their torch showed them that it was a quarter to five by their watches,they had had enough of the bush they were in. If only they had known it, Henry and William, withTimmy, were just then riding over the moor, not a great distance from where they were!
　　They got out of the bush, damp and stiff. They stretched themselves and looked into the dark night,still full of mist.
　　'Let's walk,' said Julian. 'I can't bear keeping still in this mist. I've got my compass. If we walk duewest we should surely come to the edge of the moor, not far from Milling Green.'
　　They set off stumbling in the now dim light of the torch, whose battery was getting low. 'It will giveout soon,' groaned Dick, giving it a shake. 'Blow the thing! It hardly gives us any light now, and wesimply must keep looking at the compass.'
　　Julian tripped against something hard and almost fell. He snatched the torch from Dick. 'Quick, letme have it!'
　　He shone it on what had tripped him and gave a delighted exclamation. 'Look, it's a rail! We're on therailway line again. What a bit of luck!'
　　'I should think so!' said Dick, relieved. 'This torch is just about finished. Now, for GOODNESS'
　　sake don't let's lose this railway line. Stop at once if you can't feel it with your foot.'
　　'To think we were so jolly near the line after all, and didn't know it!' groaned Julian. 'We could havebeen back at the stables ages ago. I do hope the girls got back safely and didn't alarm anyone aboutus. They'd know we would come back as soon as it was daylight, anyhow, if we could follow thelines!'
　　They stumbled in at the stables' entrance about six o'clock, tired out. Nobody was yet up, it seemed.
　　They found the garden door open, left ajar by William and Henry, and went up to the girls' room,hoping to find them in bed.
　　But the beds were empty of course. They went to Henry's room, to ask her if she had heard anythingof the girls, but her bed, though slept in, was empty too!
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　　They went across the landing to William's room. 'He's gone as well!' said Dick, in great astonishment.
　　'Where are they all?'
　　'Let's wake Captain Johnson,' said Julian, who had no idea that the Captain was away for the night.
　　So they awakened a very startled Mrs. Johnson, and almost scared the life out of her, for she thoughtthey were far away, camping on the moor!
　　She was even more startled when she heard their tale and realized that George and Anne weremissing. 'Where are the girls, then!' she said, flinging on a dressing-gown. 'This is serious, Julian.
　　They might be completely lost on the moor, or those gypsies might have got them! I must telephonemy husband, and the police too. Oh dear, oh dear, why did I ever let you go camping out!'
　　She was in the middle of telephoning, with Julian and Dick beside her, looking very anxious indeed,when the sound of horses' hooves came in the yard below.
　　'Now goodness me! Who's that?' said Mrs. Johnson. 'Horses! Who's riding them at this time of themorning!'
　　They all went to the window and looked down into the yard. Dick gave a yell that almost made Mrs.
　　Johnson fall out of the window!
　　'Anne! George! Look, there they are, and Timmy too. And gosh, there's Henry, and William!
　　What is all this!'
　　Anne heard the yell and looked up. Tired as she was, she gave a cheerful wave and a grin.
　　George gave a shout.
　　'Oh Julian! Oh Dick, you're back then! We did hope you would be. After you left us we went back upthe lines the wrong way and arrived at the quarry again!'
　　'And the gypsies took us prisoners,' yelled Anne.
　　'But - but - how do Henry and William come into this?' said poor Mrs. Johnson, thinking she mustreally still be asleep. 'And what's the matter with Timmy?'
　　Timmy had suddenly flopped on the ground. The excitement was over, they were home, now hecould put his poor aching head on his paws and sleep!
　　George was off her horse immediately. 'Timmy! Darling Timmy! Brave Timmy! Help me, William.
　　I'll take him upstairs to my room and see to that cut.'
　　By this time all the other children were awake and there was such a pandemonium going on that Mrs.
　　Johnson couldn't make herself heard.
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　　Children in dressing-gowns and without, children shouting and yelling, children pouring into the yardand asking questions; William trying to quiet the two horses which were getting very excited at allthis sudden clamour; and all the cocks round about crowing their heads off! What an excitement!
　　The sun suddenly shone out brilliantly, and the last wisps of mist disappeared. 'Hurrah! That mist hasgone!' shouted George. 'The sun's out. Cheer up, Timmy. We'll all be all right now!'
　　Timmy was half-carried, half-dragged up the stairs by William and George. George and Mrs.
　　Johnson examined his cut head carefully, and bathed it.
　　'It really should have been stiched up,' said Mrs. Johnson, 'but it seems to be healing already.
　　How wicked to hit a dog like that!'
　　Soon there was the sound of horse's hooves again in the yard, and Captain Johnson arrived, lookingvery anxious. At almost the same moment a car slid in at the gates, a police car, with two policemenwho had been sent to inquire about the missing girls! Mrs. Johnson had forgotten to telephone againto say they had arrived.
　　'Oh dear, I'm so sorry to have bothered you,' said Mrs. Johnson to the police sergeant. 'The girls havejust arrived back, but I still don't know what has really happened. Still, they're safe, so please don'tbother any more.'
　　'Wait!' said Julian, who was in the room, too. 'I think we shall need the police! Something verypeculiar has been happening up on the moor.'
　　'Really, sir? What's that?' said the sergeant, taking out a note-book.
　　'We were camping there,' said Julian. 'And a plane came over, very low, guided by a lamp set in asandpit by the gypsies.'
　　'A lamp set by the gypsies!' said the sergeant, surprised. 'But why should they need to guide a plane?
　　I suppose it landed?'
　　'No. It didn't,' said Julian. 'It came again the next night, and did exactly the same thing, swooping lowand circling. But this time it dropped packages, sir!'
　　'Oh, it did, did it?' said the sergeant, more interested. 'For the gypsies to pick up, by any chance?'
　　'Yes, sir,' said Julian. 'But the plane's aim wasn't very good, and the packets fell all round us andalmost hit us. We ran for shelter, because we didn't know if there were any explosives or not!'
　　'Did you pick up any of the packages?' asked the sergeant. Julian nodded.
　　'Yes, we did, and I opened one.'
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　　'What was in it?'
　　'Paper money, dollars!' said Julian. 'In one packet alone there were scores of notes and each note wasfor a hundred dollars, about forty pounds a time! Thousands of pounds-worth thrown all around us!'
　　The sergeant looked at his companion. 'Ha! Now we know! This explains a lot that has been puzzlingus, doesn't it, Wilkins?'
　　Wilkins, the other policeman, nodded grimly. 'It certainly does. So that's what happens! That's howthe gang get the dollars over here, from that printing-press in North France. Just a nice little run in aplane!'
　　'But why do they throw the packets down for the gypsies to collect?' asked Julian. 'Is it so that theycan give them to someone else? Why don't they bring them openly into the country? Surely anyonecan bring dollars here?'
　　'Not forged ones, my lad,' said the sergeant. 'These will all be forged, you mark my words. The ganghave got a headquarters near London, and as soon as those packets are handed over to them by one ofthe gypsies, they will set to work passing them off as real ones, paying hotel bills with them, buyingall kinds of goods and paying for them in notes that aren't worth a penny!'
　　'Whew!' said Julian. 'I never thought of them being forged!'
　　'Oh yes. We've known of this gang for some time, but all we knew was that they had a printing-pressto print the notes in North France, and that somehow the rest of the gang here, near London, receivedthem and passed them off as real ones,' said the sergeant. 'But we didn't know how they were broughthere, nor who took them to the gang near London.'
　　'But now we know all right!' said Wilkins. 'My word, this is a pretty scoop, Sergeant. Good kidsthese, finding out what we've been months trying to discover!'
　　'Where are these packages?' said the sergeant. 'Did you hide them? Did the gypsies get them?'
　　'No, we hid them,' said Julian. 'But I guess the gypsies will be hunting all over the place for themtoday, so we'd better get on the moors quick, Sergeant.'
　　'Where did you hide them?' said the sergeant. 'In a safe place, I hope!'
　　'Oh very!' said Julian. 'I'll call my brother, Sergeant. He'll come with us. Hey, Dick! Come on in here,and you'll hear a very interesting bit of news!'
20.重磅消息
　　重磅消息
　　黎明总算来临了，荒野也不再如昨夜那般黑暗，清晨的阳光透进来，雾变得越来越薄。四个孩子向马儿跑过去，那两匹马站在树边等得都不耐烦了。乔治因为抱着蒂米，所以跑不快，它真的非常沉重。
　　蒂米突然开始不安分地动起来。新鲜凉爽的空气使它舒服了很多，它迫不及待想要跳下来。乔治舒了一口气，把它放下。它挑衅似的朝着吉卜赛人吠叫着——他们正从大篷车出来，身边跟着那几只狗。
　　四人迅速上马，两匹马觉得背上一沉，对这突如其来的双倍重量感到不适。威廉和乔治同乘一匹马，威廉掉转马头，和乔治出发了。亨利则带着安妮同乘另一匹马。蒂米感觉好多了，跟在他们后面一路跑，腿也没有那么抖了。
　　吉卜赛人也跟着跑了过来，挥舞着拳头大喊大叫。鼻涕虫的爸爸感到非常惊讶，为什么他绑起来的两个女孩，还有他派去诱骗另外两个男孩的那只狗此时此刻会出现在荒野中？
　　这些在马背上的陌生孩子是谁，他们是怎么找到上山的路的？
　　那两个被囚禁起来的孩子又是怎么找到下山的路的？这让鼻涕虫的爸爸疑惑不解。
　　吉卜赛人拼命地追赶着，但那几只狗却只会虚张声势地吠叫，谁也不敢去追蒂米，它们怕它。
　　孩子们以最快的速度驱马前进。蒂米跑在前面，它看起来好多了，乔治担心它只是因为一时兴奋才硬挺着向前奔跑。她回头看了一眼吉卜赛人，他们现在追不上了，谢天谢地！
　　雾气之上，阳光明媚。不久阳光就会驱散这股从海上突然飘过来的奇怪雾气。她看了一眼手表。天哪，现在是早上六点，已经是第二天了。
　　她在想朱利安和迪克到底发生了什么事。
　　想起鼻涕虫以及鼻涕虫在山上留下的那些暗号，她满怀感激。
　　如果没有那些暗号，他们永远也出不了山。她转而又想起了亨利和威廉，对于威廉——她非常感激这个大半夜跑出来救他们的小男孩。
　　“你觉得朱利安和迪克会在哪里呢？”她对威廉说，“你觉得他们会不会还被困在荒野？我们要不要喊一下，找一找他们？”
　　“不，”威廉回头说道，“我们直接回马场。他们可以照顾好自己。”
　　在这个雾气弥漫、又湿又冷的夜晚，迪克和朱利安确实很努力地让自己舒服一些，但效果似乎并不太好。他们借着手电筒的光看了看手表：4点45分。此时，两人已经受够了这灌木丛。他们并不知道，亨利、威廉和蒂米正在离他们不远的荒野上骑着马往回赶，与他们擦肩而过了。
　　两人终于从又湿又硬的灌木丛中爬出来。他们伸了伸懒腰，望着仍然充满雾气的荒野。
　　“我们走吧。”朱利安说，“我再也受不了这雾气了。我有指南针，如果我们一直往西走，一定可以走到荒野的边缘，那里离米林格律不远。”
　　在手电筒微弱的灯光下，他们踉踉跄跄地走着，手电筒的电池快耗完了。“它很快就没电了。”迪克摇了摇手电筒抱怨道，“真可恶！反正也用不了多久了，我们只需要看着这个指南针就行。”
　　突然，朱利安被一个硬硬的东西绊到，差点摔倒。他从迪克手中夺过手电筒说：“快！把它给我！”
　　他用手电筒照了照绊倒他的东西，高兴地叫了起来：“看，是铁轨！我们又碰上铁轨了，太幸运了！”
　　“我也觉得我们太幸运了！”迪克如释重负，“手电筒就要没电了。谢天谢地，现在我们沿着轨道往前走，千万不要再偏离轨道半步，如果感觉不到它在脚底下，我们就马上停下来。”
　　“我们竟然不知道这铁轨离我们这么近！”朱利安抱怨道，“我们原本可以很早就回到马场的。希望女孩们可以安全地回去，不要为我们担心。他们应该知道，这大白天的，我们很快就会回去的。不管怎样，只要我们能一直沿着这条铁轨走就好了。”
　　大约六点的时候，他们历经千辛万苦，精疲力竭地回到了马场大门处。这时，似乎还没有人起床。他们发现花园的门是开着的——威廉和亨利出去时没把门关紧。他们径直朝女孩们的房间走去，还以为她们正在睡觉呢。
　　然而，床是空的。他们又去了亨利的房间，想问一下她知不知道女孩们的事情。然而，经常睡懒觉的亨利的床也是空的！
　　他们穿过楼梯平台去了威廉的房间。“他也不在！”迪克感到非常惊讶，“他们都去哪儿啦？”
　　“我们去把约翰逊队长叫醒吧。”朱利安说。他并不知道队长在外过夜，却把约翰逊夫人惊醒了。她被吓到了，她以为他们还在遥远的荒野上露营呢，此刻却出现在她的卧室！
　　听完他们的故事，尤其是得知乔治和安妮不见时，她更加惊恐了。“所以，女孩们现在在哪儿？”她匆忙披上一件睡衣，说，“这件事很严重，朱利安。他们可能在荒野迷路了，或者被吉卜赛人抓走了！我必须打电话给我的丈夫和警察。天哪，天哪，我为什么要让你们去露营呢！”
　　她连忙拿起电话，看起来非常焦虑，朱利安和迪克来到她身边。这时，楼下的院子传来一阵马蹄声。
　　“我的天哪！是谁？”约翰逊夫人说，“马！是谁一大早在骑马？”
　　几个人走到窗边，往楼下的院子看。迪克大喊了一声，吓得约翰逊夫人差点从窗户掉下去。
　　“安妮！乔治！看，他们在那里，还有蒂米。天哪，还有亨利和威廉！这是怎么回事啊？”
　　安妮听到喊声抬起头来。虽然很累，她还是愉快地挥了挥手，笑了笑。乔治也大喊了一声。
　　“噢！朱利安！迪克！你们回来啦！我们一直祈祷你们已经回到这儿来了。你们离开之后，我们走错了路，又重新走到了采沙场。”
　　“然后吉卜赛人把我们抓走关起来了。”安妮喊道。
　　“但是，亨利和威廉为什么会卷入这件事呢？”可怜的约翰逊夫人问道，她认为一定是在她还睡觉时发生的事情，“还有，蒂米发生了什么事吗？”
　　蒂米突然“扑通”一声倒在了地上。激动兴奋的劲头一过，现在它终于可以把它那可怜的、疼痛的脑袋搭在自己的爪子上睡大觉了。
　　乔治立刻从马上跳下来，喊道：“蒂米！亲爱的蒂米！勇敢的蒂米！帮我，威廉。我要把它带到楼上的房间里检查一下伤口。”
　　这时其他的孩子都醒了，院子里闹哄哄的，约翰逊夫人没法让大家听到她讲的话。
　　孩子们有的穿着睡衣，有的换上了便服，或大喊大叫，或一窝蜂涌进院子里相互问候。威廉试图让那两匹马安静下来，它们因为这突如其来的喧闹变得异常兴奋。周围的公鸡似乎要把它们的嗓子喊哑。多么热闹的场面啊！
　　阳光顿时变得无比灿烂，就连最后的几缕薄雾也消失了。“太好了！没有雾了。”乔治大喊，“太阳出来了。开心一点，蒂米。从现在开始，一切都会好起来的！”
　　蒂米被威廉和乔治半扛半拖地抬上了楼。乔治和约翰逊夫人仔细检查它被砸伤的头，清洗了伤口。
　　“应该缝一下伤口。”约翰逊夫人说，“但它好像好得差不多了。
　　真是太不道德了，怎么可以这么残忍地对待一只狗！”
　　很快院子里再次传来马蹄声，是约翰逊队长回来了，他看起来异常焦虑。几乎同时，门口来了一辆警车。两位警察被派来询问失踪女孩们的情况，约翰逊夫人忘记再次打电话告诉他们孩子们已经回来了。
　　“哎呀，非常抱歉，打扰你们了。”约翰逊夫人对其中的警官说，“两个女孩刚刚回来了，但我还不知道到底发生了什么事情。不过，她们很安全。所以我希望你们不要再吓到她们了。”
　　“等一下！”这时也在房间里的朱利安说，“我觉得我们需要警察！荒野上发生了一些非常奇怪的事情。”
　　“真的吗，先生？发生了什么事？”警官边问边拿出了一个笔记本。
　　“那时我们正在那儿露营。”朱利安说，“一架飞机跟着吉卜赛人安装在沙坑里的大灯飞过来，而且是低空飞行。”
　　“吉卜赛人的灯！”警官感到非常惊讶，“他们为什么要引一架飞机过来呢？它最后着陆了吗？”
　　“没有。”朱利安说，“飞机第二天晚上又来了，做了同样的事，还不断向下俯冲盘旋。不过这次，它扔了一些包裹下来！”
　　“噢，是吗？”警官似乎更感兴趣了，“那些包裹有没有可能是有意让这些吉卜赛人捡拾的？”
　　“是的，先生。”朱利安说，“但这架飞机好像投放的位置有误，那些包裹都落在我们周围了，还差点砸中我们。我们四处躲避，因为我们不确定里面有没有炸药！”
　　“你们捡过那些包裹吗？”警官问道。
　　朱利安点头：“是的，我们捡了，打开了一个。”
　　“里面是什么？”
　　“是钞票，美元！”朱利安说，“单单一个包裹就装有一大沓钞票，每张钞票的面值都是100美元，一个包裹大概有40磅那么重！想想，全是这样的包裹落在我们的周围，该是多么震惊的场面！”
　　警官望着他的同伴，说：“哈！现在我们知道是怎么回事了！这刚好能够解释我们一直以来的困惑，对吧，威尔金斯。”
　　另一个警察严肃地点了点头：“确实解释得通。所以这就是为什么这帮犯罪团伙能把美元从法国北部的印刷厂那里带到这来的原因了，原来是动用了飞机！”
　　“但是他们为什么要把包裹扔给吉卜赛人去捡呢？”朱利安问，“这样做是为了把钱转给其他人吗？为什么不直接走合法途径，把钱带进我们国家？不是每个人都可以把美元带来这里吗？”
　　“假币不可以啊，小家伙。”警官说，“那些都是假币，你要记住我说的话。这个犯罪团伙在伦敦附近有一个总部，只要任何一个吉卜赛人把那些包裹交给他们，他们就能以假乱真，用这些假币当真钱使用，比如支付酒店费用，用它去买各种各样的东西等，而实际上这些钞票不值一分钱。”
　　“哦！”朱利安说，“我从来没想过它们会是假币！”
　　“是的。我们对这个犯罪团伙早有耳闻了，但我们只知道他们在法国北部有一个印假钞的印钞机，至于伦敦这边的同伙怎么拿到假币，怎么拿它们冒充真币，就不得而知了。”警官说，“我们也不清楚它们是怎么被运到这里的，又是谁把它们运到伦敦据点的。”
　　“不过现在事情已经一目了然！”威尔金斯说，“我的天，这是一次非常成功的搜查，警官。这些好孩子居然误打误撞，破解了我们调查了好几个月的谜团！”
　　“这些包裹在哪里呢？”警官问，“你们把它们藏起来了吗，还是吉卜赛人已经拿到它们了？”
　　“不，我们把它们藏起来了。”朱利安说，“但我猜今天吉卜赛人会到处找它们，所以我们最好快点到荒野去，警官。”
　　“你们把它们藏在哪儿啦？”警官问，“希望是一个安全的地方！”
　　“噢，非常安全！”朱利安说，“我去叫我的兄弟，警官。他会跟我们一起去。嘿，迪克！快来这儿，有一个重磅消息！”
Chapter 21 THE END OF THE MYSTERY
Chapter 21 THE END OF THE MYSTERY
　　Mrs. Johnson was amazed to hear that the police wanted Julian and Dick to go out on the moorsagain.
　　'But they're tired out!' she said. 'They need something to eat. Can't it wait?'
　　'I'm afraid not,' said the sergeant. 'You needn't worry, Mrs. Johnson. These boys are tough!'
　　'Well actually I don't think that the gypsies can possibly find the packets,' said Julian. 'So it wouldn'tmatter if we had a bite to eat. I'm ravenous!'
　　'All right,' said the big policeman, putting away his note-book. 'Have a snack and we'll go afterwards.'
　　Well, of course, George, Anne and Henry all wanted to go too, as soon as they heard about theproposed jaunt over the moors!
　　'What! Leave us out of that!' said George, indignantly. 'What a hope! Anne wants to come too.'
　　'So does Henry,' said Anne, looking at George, 'even though she didn't help to find the packages ofnotes.'
　　'Of course Henry must come,' said George at once, and Henry beamed. George had been very struckindeed with Henry's courage in coming with William to rescue her and Anne, and very pleased thatshe hadn't boasted about it! But Henry knew that William was the one mostly to praise, and she hadbeen unexpectedly modest about the whole affair.
　　It was quite a large party that set off after everyone had made a very good breakfast. Mrs.
　　Johnson had set to work cooking huge platefuls of bacon and egg, exclaiming every now and againwhen she thought of all that had happened up on the moors.
　　'Those gypsies! And fancy that plane coming like that - dropping money all over the place! And thegypsies tying up Anne and George in that hill. I never heard anything like it in my life!'
　　Captain Johnson went with the party too. He could hardly believe the extraordinary tale that the fourhad to tell, five, with old Timmy! Timmy now had a beautiful patch on his head, and was feelingextremely important. Wait till Liz saw that!
　　Ten people set out, including Timmy, for William had been included in the party too. He tried toguess where Julian had hidden the notes, but he couldn't, of course. Julian firmly refused to tellanyone. He wanted it to be a real surprise.
　　96
　　They came to the quarry at last, having walked all the way up the old railway line. Julian stood on theedge of the quarry and pointed out the gypsy camp.
　　'Look, they're leaving,' he said. 'I bet they were afraid we'd spread the news of their behaviour, afterthe girls escaped.'
　　Sure enough, the caravans were moving slowly away.
　　'Wilkins, as soon as you get back, give word to have every gypsy watched if he leaves the caravans,'
　　said the sergeant. 'One of them is sure to have arranged a meeting-place to give the gang the packetsdropped from the plane, and if we watch those caravans, and every gypsy in them, we'll soon be ableto put our hands on the gang that spends the forged notes.'
　　'I bet it's Sniffer's father,' said Dick. 'He's the ringleader, anyway.'
　　They watched the caravans move away one by one. Anne wondered about Sniffer. So did George.
　　What had she promised him last night, if he would help them? A bicycle, and to live in a house sothat he could ride it to school! Well, it wasn't likely she would ever see the dirty little boy again, butif she did she would certainly have to keep her word!
　　'Now, where's this wonderful hiding-place?' asked the sergeant, as Julian turned from watching thecaravans. He had tried to make out Sniffer and Liz, but the vans were too far away.
　　'Follow me!' said Julian, with a sudden grin and led the way back up the lines to where they brokeoff. The gorse-bush was there, and the old engine lay on its side as before, almost hidden.
　　'Whatever's that?' said the sergeant, surprised.
　　'It's the old Puffing Billy that used to pull the trucks of sand from the quarry,' said Dick.
　　'Apparently there was a quarrel long ago between the owners of the quarry and the gypsies, and thegypsies pulled up the lines and the engine ran off and fell over. There it's been ever since, as far as Ican see!'
　　Julian went round to the funnel-end, and bent back the prickly gorse-branch that hid it. The sergeantlooked on in surprise. Dick scraped the sand out of the top of the funnel and then pulled out one ofthe packages. He had been afraid they would not be there.
　　'Here you are!' he said, and tossed the packet to the sergeant. 'There are plenty more. I'll come to theone we opened in a minute - yes - here it is.'
　　The sergeant and Wilkins were amazed to see the packages hauled up from such a peculiar hiding-place. No wonder the gypsies hadn't found them. Nobody would ever have looked down the funnel ofthe old engine, even if they had spotted it, half-buried as it was.
　　97
　　The sergeant looked at the hundred-dollar notes in the opened parcel and whistled. 'My word, this isit! We've seen these before, beautiful forgeries they are! If the gang had got rid of this lot, a greatmany people would have suffered. The money is worth nothing! How many packets did you say therewere?'
　　'Dozens!' said Dick, and pulled more of them out of the funnel. 'Gosh, I can't reach the ones at thebottom.'
　　'Never mind,' said the sergeant. 'Put some sand in to hide them and I'll send a man to poke the rest outwith a stick. The gypsies have gone and they are the only people likely to hunt for them.
　　This is a wonderful scoop! You kids have certainly put us on to something.'
　　'I'm glad,' said Julian. 'I say, we'd better collect all the things we left here yesterday, hadn't we?
　　We went off in rather a hurry, you see, Sergeant, and left our things in the quarry.'
　　He and George went into the quarry to collect the things they had left there. Timmy went with them.
　　He suddenly growled, and George stopped, her hand on his collar.
　　'What's up, Tim? Ju, there must be somebody here! Is it one of the gypsies, do you think?'
　　Then Timmy stopped growling and wagged his tail. He dragged away from George's hand and ranover to one of the little caves in the sandy walls. He looked most peculiar with the patch on his head.
　　Out of the cave came Liz! As soon as she saw Timmy she began to turn head-over-heels as fast as shecould. Timmy stared in wonder - what a dog! How could she turn somersaults like that?
　　'Sniffer!' called George. 'Come on out. I know you're there!'
　　A pale, worried face looked out of the cave. Then Sniffer's thin, wiry little body followed, and soonhe was standing in the quarry, looking scared.
　　'I got away from them,' he said, nodding his head towards where the gypsy camp had been. He wentup to George, and gave a sniff.
　　'You said I could have a bike,' he said.
　　'I know,' said George. 'You shall have one, Sniffer. If you hadn't left us patrins in that hill, we'd neverhave escaped!'
　　'And you said I could live in a house and ride my bike to school,' said Sniffer urgently. 'I can't goback to my father, he'd half-kill me now. He saw those patrins I left in the hill and he chased me allover the moor for miles. But he didn't catch me. I hid.'
　　'We'll do the best we can for you,' promised Julian, sorry for this little waif. Sniffer sniffed.
　　98
　　'Where's that hanky?' demanded George. He pulled it out of his pocket, still clean and folded. Hebeamed at her.
　　'You're quite hopeless,' said George. 'Listen, if you want to go to school, you'll have to stop thatawful sniff and use your hanky. See?'
　　Sniffer nodded, but put the hanky carefully back into his pocket. Then the sergeant came into thequarry and Sniffer fled at the sight of him!
　　'Funny little thing,' said Julian. 'Well, I should imagine that his father will be sent to prison for hisshare in this affair, so Sniffer will be able to get his wish and leave the caravan life to live in a house.
　　We might be able to get him into a good home.'
　　'And I shall keep my word, and take some money out of my savings-bank and buy him a bicycle,'
　　said George. 'He deserves it! Oh, do look at Liz - simply adoring Timmy and his patch. Don't look soimportant, Tim - it's only a patch on your cut!'
　　'Sniffer!' called Julian. 'Come back. You needn't be afraid of this policeman. He is a friend of ours.
　　He'll help us to choose a bicycle for you.'
　　The sergeant looked extremely surprised at this remark, but at any rate it brought Sniffer back atonce!
　　'Well, we'll go back now,' said the sergeant. 'We've got what we want, and Wilkins has alreadystarted back to get somebody on to watching the gypsies. Once we find out who they have to report toabout this forged money we shall feel happy.'
　　'I hope Wilkins went along down the railway,' said Julian. 'It's so easy to get lost on this moor.'
　　'Yes. He had the sense to do that, after hearing how you got lost!' said the sergeant. 'It's wonderful uphere, isn't it, so peaceful and quiet and calm.'
　　'Yes, you'd never think that mysteries could happen up here, would you?' said Dick. 'Old ones, andnew ones! Well, I'm glad we happened to be mixed up in the newest one. It was quite an adventure!'
　　They all went back to the stables, to find that it was now almost dinner-time and that everyone had avery large appetite to match the very large dinner that Mrs. Johnson had got ready. The girls wentupstairs to wash. George went into Henry's room.
　　'Henry,' she said, 'thanks most awfully. You're as good as a boy any day!'
　　'Thanks, George,' said Henry, surprised. 'You're better than a boy!'
　　Dick was passing the door and heard all this. He laughed, and stuck his head in at the door.
　　99
　　'I say do let me share in these compliments!' he said. 'Just tell me I'm as good as a girl, will you?'
　　But all he got was a well-aimed hair-brush and a shoe, and he fled away, laughing.
　　Anne gazed out of her bedroom window over the moor. It looked so peaceful and serene under theApril sun. No mystery about it now!
　　'All the same, it's a good name for you,' said Anne. 'You're full of mystery and adventure, and yourlast adventure waited for us to come and share it. I really think I'd call this adventure 'Five Go ToMystery Moor'.'
　　It's a good name, Anne. We'll call it that too!
　　THE END
21.谜团解开
　　谜团解开
　　对于警官希望朱利安和迪克再次前往荒野的请求，约翰逊夫人不大认同。
　　“他们已经很疲惫了，需要吃些东西补充点体力再作打算，不能让他们休息一下再出发吗？”约翰逊夫人问道。
　　警官回应：“这恐怕不行。约翰逊夫人，您不用担心。这些男孩们经得起折腾。”
　　朱利安接过话说：“其实我不认为吉卜赛人能找到包裹，所以我们吃些东西先补充一下体力也无妨，我已经饿得不行了。”
　　“好吧！”警官把他的笔记本放到一边，接受了这个建议，“吃些东西，然后我们继续前进。”
　　当然，听到这个消息的时候，乔治、安妮和亨利都想一起去荒野探险。
　　“什么！居然不让我们跟着去！”乔治有些气愤，“我们白忙活一场了！安妮也想一起去的。”
　　“亨利也是。”安妮看着亨利说道，“虽然她没有参与到找钞票的行动中。”
　　乔治立马接下话茬：“亨利当然要一起来。”亨利听完不好意思地笑起来。亨利能够和威廉一起来救乔治和安妮，简直就成了她们心目中的英雄，乔治被亨利的英勇气概折服了，并且亨利也没有因此在她面前吹嘘，这让她对亨利的看法有所改观。亨利知道威廉是最应该被受到表扬的，但是威廉对此却表现出了出人意料的谦虚。
　　一想起在荒野里发生的一切，约翰逊夫人就觉得心惊胆战，她亲自煎了满满一大盘培根和鸡蛋犒劳孩子们。大家吃完早餐后聚集到一起准备出发，完全就是一支浩浩荡荡的大部队。
　　“那些吉卜赛人总想不劳而获，幻想着钱从天上掉下来！还把安妮和乔治绑到山上去，我从没听过这么荒唐的事情！”约翰逊队长也加入了这次行动中。他几乎不敢相信这四个孩子的经历——不，还有蒂米。对于他来说，这些经历惊奇又刺激，让人难以置信。现在，蒂米头上绑的纱布就像一个漂亮的“补丁”，这个“补丁”让它觉得自己无比重要，并且迫不及待地想要炫耀给丽丝看。
　　十个同伴浩浩荡荡地出发了，蒂米和威廉也加入其中。威廉试图猜测朱利安将假币藏在哪里，当然，他没能猜出来。朱利安知道这些假币即将给大家带来一个巨大的惊喜。
　　沿着旧铁轨走了很久，他们终于来到了采沙场。朱利安站在采沙场的高处，指了指吉卜赛人安营的方向。
　　朱利安叫道：“看！他们准备离开了。我打赌，女孩们成功逃走之后，他们肯定怕我们将他们的秘密公之于众。”
　　不出所料，大篷车已经慢慢从他们的视线中消失。
　　警官对威尔金斯说道：“威尔金斯，你一回去，马上派人监视每一个吉卜赛人，他们中一定有人会去安排一个接头的地方，将从飞机上丢下来的包裹转移给同伙。我们通过监视大篷车和那个吉卜赛人，很快就能找到散布假币的团伙了。”
　　“我猜一定是鼻涕虫的爸爸，他肯定是团伙的头目。”迪克煞有其事地说道。
　　他们看着大篷车一辆一辆地离开，安妮想起了鼻涕虫，乔治也是。昨晚她答应过鼻涕虫，如果他帮她们逃走的话，就给他买一辆自行车，并让他有房子住，这样鼻涕虫就可以骑自行车去学校了。
　　好吧，乔治不太可能再见到这个脏兮兮的小男孩了，如果还能相见的话，乔治倒是很愿意遵守承诺。
　　朱利安尝试辨认大篷车里的鼻涕虫和丽丝，但是车已经走远了。朱利安收回视线，警官忍不住向他发问：“现在，可以告诉我们那个完美的‘藏匿点’在哪儿了吧？”
　　朱利安咧嘴笑道：“跟我来吧！”他带头沿着铁轨走到了他们出发的地方。金雀花丛依旧灿烂，旧火车头也依然安静地倒在边上，几乎被花丛挡住了。
　　“那是个什么东西？”警官一脸惊奇的表情。
　　迪克解释：“是一个老式的火车头，可以拉着车厢从采沙场运成车成车的沙子出来。显然很久之前采沙场的主事和吉卜赛人发生了争执，吉卜赛人把轨道扳断，火车冲出轨道后翻了，然后就成现在这样了。当然，这是我的猜想。”
　　朱利安来到烟囱的末端，将覆盖在上面长满刺的金雀花枝拿开。警官一脸震惊地在旁边看着。迪克把沙子从烟囱里挖出来，然后把包裹从里面拉了出来。他之前还有点担心包裹会不会已经不在里面了。
　　“给你！”迪克说，随后把包裹扔给了警官，“还有呢，我马上就能拿到之前我们打开的那个了，喏，在这里。”
　　警官和威尔金斯看到包裹竟然藏在这么奇怪的地方，大为吃惊。难怪吉卜赛人找不到呢。谁都不会想到去查探烟囱里面有什么东西的，虽然火车头只是半掩在沙子里，有些显眼。
　　警官看着摊开的包裹，里面装满了一沓沓假币，他喃喃道：“天哪，真的都是纸币。我们之前见过这个，几乎到可以以假乱真的程度了。如果那些团伙拿到了这些，很多人将会因此而遭受损失。钱财真是罪恶的源头。你说总共有多少个包裹来着？”
　　“很多！”迪克一边说一边从烟囱里拿出了更多包裹，“天哪，我够不到最底下的那些了！”
　　“没关系。”警官摆摆手，“弄些沙子进去把它们埋起来，我回去派一个警员来，用棍子把剩下的挖出来。吉卜赛人是唯一想要得到这些包裹的人，现在他们已经走了。这真是个独家新闻，可以肯定的是，你们这帮孩子帮了我们一个大忙。”
　　朱利安说：“是我的荣幸，我们最好把昨天放在这里的东西都带走，你们觉得呢？我们昨天离开得太匆忙了，警官，你知道的，我们的东西都落在采沙场了。”
　　朱利安和乔治去采沙场把他们落下的东西都拿上，蒂米跟在他们后面。它突然大吼，乔治停了下来，手抓着蒂米的项圈。
　　“蒂米，怎么了？朱利安，这里肯定有别人！你觉得会是吉卜赛人吗？”
　　蒂米停止了吼叫，摇了摇尾巴。它挣脱开乔治的手，跑向了沙坑里的一个小洞穴。它头上的纱布让它看起来很有个性。
　　丽丝从洞里出来了！当它看到蒂米的时候，立马快速地翻起了跟头。蒂米惊讶地盯着它，一脸的不可思议。它只是一只狗！怎么翻个跟头都可以翻得这么优雅！
　　“鼻涕虫，你出来！我知道你在里面！”乔治喊道。
　　一个苍白而带着惊恐的面孔从洞穴里探出来，紧接着是鼻涕虫瘦小的身躯。他走到采沙场中央，看起来很害怕。
　　他朝吉卜赛人营地的方向指了指，解释道：“我从他们那儿逃出来了。你说过，我可以拥有一辆自行车的。”他朝乔治走了过去，吸了一下鼻子。
　　乔治回答：“我知道，鼻涕虫，你应得的。如果不是你在那座山上留下那些暗号，我们也不可能顺利逃脱。”
　　“你还说我可以住在一座房子里，骑着自行车去上学。”鼻涕虫有些急切地说，“我不能再回到爸爸身边去了，他差点杀了我。他看到我留下的暗号，在荒野上追着我跑了几十英里，幸好我藏起来了，没被抓到。”
　　朱利安很心疼这个到处流浪的孩子，于是对他承诺：“我们一定会尽我们所能帮助你的。”鼻涕虫又吸了一下鼻子。
　　乔治问：“我给你的手帕在哪里？”鼻涕虫从口袋里把折叠好的手帕抽了出来，干净如初。他朝乔治露出了笑容，出神地望着乔治。
　　“听着，如果你想要去上学的话，这样子是不行的，你不能再这样吸鼻涕了，听起来让人很不舒服，用你的手帕擦，知道吗？”
　　鼻涕虫点了点头，但还是小心翼翼地把手帕放回口袋里。警官走进了采沙场，鼻涕虫一看到他撒腿就跑！
　　朱利安笑了笑，说：“真是个有趣的小东西，我感觉他爸爸会因为他给我们提供的帮助而入狱的，现在鼻涕虫可以如愿以偿地远离他爸爸，远离住在大篷车里的生活，然后住进房子里。我们或许可以让他住进很好的房子里。”
　　“是的，我应该信守承诺，从我银行账户里取出一些钱，给他买一辆自行车。”乔治说道，“这是他应得的。看丽丝，它正痴迷地欣赏着蒂米和它头上的‘补丁’。蒂米，别太在意那个‘补丁’，那只是一块绑在你头上的纱布而已！”
　　“鼻涕虫！”朱利安叫道，“回来！你不用害怕警察，他是我们的朋友，他会帮我们挑选一辆自行车给你。”
　　警官对于朱利安的话感到很惊讶，但最终还是把鼻涕虫给叫了回来。
　　“好了，我们该走了，我们已经拿到了想要的东西，威尔金斯已经先回去了，因为我们得确保有人监视那些吉卜赛人。一旦我们查出他们把假币给了谁，那就皆大欢喜了。”警官说道。
　　“希望威尔金斯能沿着铁轨一直走，在荒野里很容易迷失方向的。”朱利安说道。
　　警官回道：“是的。听到你们在荒野里迷了路之后，他应该知道怎么做的。这里景色真迷人，不是吗？”
　　“是的，你永远也想象不到在这里会发生这么神奇的事情，是吧？”迪克说，“包括以前的故事和现在的经历。当然，我很高兴我们也是这次历险的一员。这真是一次难忘的冒险。”
　　所有人都回到了马场，发现恰好已经快到晚餐时间了，每个人都非常饿，正好约翰逊夫人已经为他们准备好了一顿丰盛的晚餐。
　　女孩们先上楼去洗漱，这时乔治走进亨利的房间，她想表示一下感谢：“亨利，我最想感谢的人就是你了，你在任何时候都可以和一个男孩媲美！”
　　“谢谢你，乔治，你甚至比男孩还要厉害！”亨利颇为惊讶地回应。
　　迪克正好从房门前经过，听到了她们所有的对话。他不禁笑了起来，从门缝里探出了头。
　　“我说，让我也接受这些赞美吧，只要告诉我我像一个女孩一样优秀就行了，可以吗？”
　　回应他的是迎面飞来的梳子和一只鞋，他笑着逃走了。
　　安妮从卧室的窗口往外望，四月的夕阳下，荒野看起来祥和而静谧。现在这里已经没有什么未解之谜了。
　　安妮感叹：“当然啦，这是个好名字，这里确实充满了神秘和冒险的气氛，我们一起经历了神奇的冒险，破解了谜题。我真的觉得这场冒险可以叫‘荒野疑云’。”
　　这确实是个好名字，安妮。我们也决定就叫它“荒野疑云”。