2 Bill gets his way

2 Bill gets his way
　　Bill came along to lunch the next day. He had a ruddy face, twinkling eyes and a rather bald headwith plenty of hair at each side. The children rushed to meet him. Mrs Mannering smiled at him.
　　‘You gave the children a wonderful time yesterday,’ she said. ‘And now I hear that you want totake them on a night flight. I can’t think why you want to bother yourself with a pack of childrenlike these.’
　　‘Ah – you never know when they’re going to embark¹ on some wonderful adventure,’ said BillSmugs, grinning round at them. ‘I don’t want to be left out of it, you know. Besides, I feel sorryfor you, Mrs Mannering, having to put up with them for eight or nine weeks these summerholidays – I thought it would be a kind deed if I took them off your hands for a while.’
　　‘Well, what do you want them to do?’ asked Mrs Mannering. ‘Just go for a night flight, spendthe night at your old home and come back the next day?’
　　‘That was the first idea I had,’ said Bill. ‘But now I hear I’m due to have three or four days off –and I thought maybe you could spare the children for longer. We could fly to my old home, andthen stay there and mess about a bit. There are heaps of wild birds for Jack² to see, and I’ve nodoubt that Philip will find plenty of even wilder animals. The girls will enjoy the change too.’
　　‘Oh! It does sound good!’ cried Jack, and the others agreed. Mrs Mannering listened andthought for a moment.
　　‘Yes – I don’t see why they shouldn’t go with you, Bill. I know you’ll look after them all rightand see that they don’t get mixed up in any awful adventure again.’
　　‘I can promise you that,’ said Bill. ‘There are no adventures to be found anywhere near my oldhome. It’s a most peaceful, quiet place. Nothing doing at all.’
　　‘Well, if you promise not to rush into danger or trouble, you can go,’ said Mrs Mannering to thedelighted children. ‘When do you want them, Bill?’
　　‘Tomorrow, if possible,’ said Bill. ‘The job I am on seems to be hanging fire at the moment, so Imight as well take my few days now.’
　　‘What’s the job, Bill? Do, do tell us!’ begged Lucy-Ann. Bill laughed.
　　‘I couldn’t possibly tell,’ he said. ‘All my work is secret, you know that. I’ll tell you all aboutthe job when it’s over and done with, though. You’ll find it jolly interesting.’
　　‘We’ll have to pack suitcases, won’t we?’ said Dinah. ‘If we’re going to stay a few days, Imean. We may want a change of clothes – and macks.’
　　‘Yes, bring jerseys³ and shorts to mess about in,’ said Bill, ‘and macks too, because it alwaysseems to rain at my home. And, Mrs Mannering, could you spare a few rugs, as I may not havequite enough blankets for so many visitors?’
　　‘Of course,’ said Mrs Mannering. ‘I’ll look some out for you.’
　　‘I’ll bring my lovely camera,’ said Jack. ‘There’ll be room for odds⁴ and ends like that in theplane, won’t there, Bill?’
　　‘Plenty’ said Bill. ‘Bring your field glasses too, because you may want to have a squint⁵ at thedifferent birds in the hills around.’
　　‘Oh, it will be exciting!’ said Jack, his eyes shining at the thought. ‘I can’t wait till tomorrow.
　　Let’s go today!’
　　‘The plane’s not ready,’ said Bill. ‘Got to have something done to her today. Anyway, my leavedoesn’t start till tomorrow. You get everything packed and ready, and come to the aerodrometomorrow night. Be there at eleven o’clock sharp. I’ll order a car to call for you and take youthere.’
　　‘What a time to start on a journey!’ said Mrs Mannering. ‘I don’t know that I altogether like it.’
　　You can’t change your mind now, you can’t!’ cried the children.
　　‘No, I won’t,’ said Mrs Mannering. ‘But somehow I don’t feel very easy in my mind about itall. Oh, children, you won’t go and do anything dangerous, will you?’
　　‘There’s nothing dangerous for them to do,’ said Bill. ‘I’ll look after them all right. Anyonedoing anything dangerous will be sent back to you, Mrs Mannering.’
　　The children laughed. Then Jack’s face fell. ‘I say – what about Kiki? She won’t like me beingaway for some days. Can I take her with me? What about the plane – will she be all right in it?’
　　‘You’d better put her into a basket or something,’ said Bill. ‘She might get scared at the noiseand fly off. She’ll be all right in a basket on your knee. We can’t leave her behind.’
　　‘Right,’ said Jack, pleased. ‘Do you hear that, Kiki old bird? You’re to travel in a basket – andmind you behave yourself!’
　　‘Wipe your feet,’ said Kiki, ‘put the kettle on, kettle on! Poor, poor Polly!’
　　‘Idiot!’ said Jack, and scratched her poll⁶. ‘All I hope is that you don’t try to imitate the noise anaeroplane makes. Your express train screech⁷ is bad enough.’
　　They all had a pleasant lunch and then Bill departed. The children went upstairs to put togethertheir things. Dinah put a whole packet of chocolate into her case, in case there were no shops atBill’s home. Jack stuffed a packet of biscuits into his case. He often woke up at night and liked abiscuit to nibble⁸ then.
　　‘Better take plenty of films with you, Jack, if you’re thinking of photographing birds,’ saidPhilip. ‘I bet there won’t be anywhere to buy them where Bill lives. It’s somewhere buried rightdown in the country.’
　　Mrs Mannering came up to see what they were packing. It was a cold August, with rather a lotof rain, and the children would need a fair amount of warm things. They had put in pullovers andjerseys and macks and sou’westers. She added rubber boots too, thinking that shoes would not beof much use if they walked over wet fields.
　　‘I’ve found you some rugs,’ she said. ‘You can each take one. They are old, but very thick andwarm, and as good as two blankets. If Bill hasn’t enough blankets for you it won’t matter at all –the rugs will give you plenty of warmth. Don’t forget to bring them back, now!’
　　Jack got his camera ready. He looked out his rolls of films. He debated whether or not to takeone of his bird books with him, and then decided⁹ not to, because his suitcase was already veryheavy.
　　‘Everything’s done now, Aunt Allie,’ said Lucy-Ann, sitting on her suitcase to make it shut. ‘Iwish tomorrow would hurry up and come. Fancy flying in the dark in Bill’s plane! I never in mylife thought I would do that. I hope it’s a long long way to Bill’s home.’
　　‘It is,’ said Mrs Mannering. ‘Now let me see – I’d better pack you sandwiches and cake to takewith you for the journey because you are sure to be hungry if you stay up all night. I’ll do thosetomorrow. Have you found a basket for Kiki, Jack? And what about taking some food for her?
　　There’s a new packet of sunflower seeds come today. Put it into your suitcase.’
　　Jack found a good basket for Kiki, with a lid that closed down. He put it on the table. Kiki flewover to it at once in curiosity. She hopped¹⁰ inside and looked out comically.
　　‘Clever bird,’ said Jack. ‘You know it’s your travelling basket, don’t you?’
　　‘God save the Queen!’ said Kiki, and began to rub her curved beak¹¹ up and down the edge of thebasket.
　　‘Don’t do that, said Jack. ‘You’ll break it. Stop it, Kiki!’
　　Kiki climbed out and flew to Jack’s shoulder. She rubbed her beak against his hair.
　　‘Ding-dong bell,’ she murmured. ‘Polly’s in the well. Ding-dong bell.’
　　‘Polly’s in the basket, you mean,’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘Kiki, you’re going in an aeroplane. Think ofthat!’
　　The day went slowly – far too slowly for the children. The next day was even slower. By thetime that tea time came the children felt that night would never never come.
　　But when supper time came they felt more cheerful. The car was coming at a quarter past ten totake them to the aerodrome. Then into the plane they would get with Bill and off they would gointo the darkness. Somehow it seemed far more thrilling to fly through the dark night than throughthe sunshiny day.
　　Ten o’clock struck. The suitcases and rugs were taken down to the hall. Jacks¹² camera was theretoo, and a large packet of sandwiches and cakes. Jack wore his field glasses on a strap¹³ over hisshoulder. Kiki’s basket was in the hall also, but Kiki was still free. She was not going into thebasket till the last moment.
　　‘Here’s the car!’ cried Philip, his sharp ears hearing the engine purring up to the door. ‘Comealong! Goodbye, Mother! Look after yourself well till we come back!’
　　‘Goodbye, Aunt Allie,’ said Jack, giving her a hug. ‘We’ll send you a postcard. Hi, Kiki, comeon – it’s time you got into your basket.’
　　Kiki made a bit of a fuss¹⁴ going in. She was excited because of the excitement of the fourchildren. It took quite a time to get her into the basket and shut the lid down. She began to shout atthe top of her voice.
　　‘Poor Polly, poor Polly, down the well, down the well, up the hill, in the corner!’
　　‘She’s mixing up Ding-dong bell and Jack and Jill and Jack Horner,’ said Lucy-Ann with agiggle. ‘Be quiet, Kiki! You ought to be glad you’re coming with us, even if you have to travel ina shut basket!’
　　All the goodbyes were said. ‘I don’t like letting you go, somehow,’ said Mrs Mannering. ‘It’ssilly of me – but I don’t. I’ve got an uncomfortable feeling – as if you’re going off into anotherdreadful adventure.’
　　‘We promise not to,’ said Philip earnestly. ‘Don’t you worry Mother. We’ll be all right, andyou’ll see us turning up, like bad pennies, in a few days’ time. Anyway, Bill’s on the phone andyou can always ring him.’
　　The taxi revved¹⁵ up its engine. It moved off down the drive, with Mrs Mannering left standing¹⁶ atthe door, waving. The children waved back, excited. They were really off.
　　‘Now for the aerodrome!’ said Philip, pleased. ‘I thought tonight would never come. What’s thetime? Oh, we’re early. Good. Got the passes, Jack?’
　　‘Dinah’s got them in her bag,’ said Jack. Dinah fished them out. They were passes that wouldtake them into the aerodrome, and up to Bill himself.
　　It was a good way to the aerodrome. The night was very dark. Clouds covered the sky, and afew drops of rain spattered the windscreen.
　　‘Here’s the aerodrome at last!’ cried Jack, seeing the lights through the window. ‘Look at theflare-path – all lit up. Isn’t it fine? Don’t the aeroplanes look enormous in the shadows at eachside? Here, Dinah – where are the passes? We’ve got to show them now.’
　　The passes were shown to the man at the entrance to the aerodrome and the children went in.
　　‘I’ll set you down here and you can speak to your friend,’ said the taxi man. ‘Then I’ll run on tohis aeroplane and dump the luggage beside it for you. So long!’
　　‘Now we’ll find Bill,’ said Philip as the car drove off. ‘There he is, look! Hi, Bill, we’re here!’
 

1 embark   

vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机

参考例句：

• He is about to embark on a new business venture.他就要开始新的商业冒险活动。
• Many people embark for Europe at New York harbor.许多人在纽约港乘船去欧洲。

2 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

3 jerseys   

n.运动衫( jersey的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The maximum quantity of cotton jerseys this year is about DM25,000. 平方米的羊毛地毯超过了以往的订货。 来自口语例句
• The NBA is mulling the prospect of stitching advertising logos onto jerseys. 大意：NBA官方正在酝酿一个大煞风景的计划——把广告标志绣上球服！ 来自互联网

4 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

5 squint   

v. 使变斜视眼, 斜视, 眯眼看, 偏移, 窥视; n. 斜视, 斜孔小窗; adj. 斜视的, 斜的

参考例句：

• A squint can sometimes be corrected by an eyepatch. 斜视有时候可以通过戴眼罩来纠正。
• The sun was shinning straight in her eyes which made her squint. 太阳直射着她的眼睛,使她眯起了眼睛。

6 poll   

n.民意测验，民意调查，选举投票

参考例句：

• The result of the poll won't be known until midnight.选举结果要到午夜才能揭晓。
• They expected a heavy poll.他们期望会有很高的投票数。

7 screech   

n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音

参考例句：

• He heard a screech of brakes and then fell down. 他听到汽车刹车发出的尖锐的声音,然后就摔倒了。
• The screech of jet planes violated the peace of the afternoon. 喷射机的尖啸声侵犯了下午的平静。

8 nibble   

n.轻咬，啃；v.一点点地咬，慢慢啃，吹毛求疵

参考例句：

• Inflation began to nibble away at their savings.通货膨胀开始蚕食他们的存款。
• The birds cling to the wall and nibble at the brickwork.鸟儿们紧贴在墙上，啄着砖缝。

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

10 hopped   

跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花

参考例句：

• He hopped onto a car and wanted to drive to town. 他跳上汽车想开向市区。
• He hopped into a car and drove to town. 他跳进汽车，向市区开去。

11 beak   

n.鸟嘴，茶壶嘴，钩形鼻

参考例句：

• The bird had a worm in its beak.鸟儿嘴里叼着一条虫。
• This bird employs its beak as a weapon.这种鸟用嘴作武器。

12 jacks   

n.抓子游戏；千斤顶( jack的名词复数 )；（电）插孔；[电子学]插座；放弃

参考例句：

• Hydraulic jacks under the machine produce the movement. 是机器下面的液压千斤顶造成的移动。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The front end is equipped with hydraulic jacks used for grade adjustment. 前瑞安装有液压千斤顶用来调整坡度。 来自辞典例句

13 strap   

n.皮带，带子；v.用带扣住，束牢；用绷带包扎

参考例句：

• She held onto a strap to steady herself.她抓住拉手吊带以便站稳。
• The nurse will strap up your wound.护士会绑扎你的伤口。

14 fuss   

n.过分关心，过分体贴，大惊小怪，小题大作

参考例句：

• My mother makes a fuss of me every time I come home.我每次回家，母亲总对我体贴备至。
• Stop all this fuss and do your homework.别大惊小怪了，去做你的家庭作业吧。

15 revved   

v.（使）加速( rev的过去式和过去分词 )；（数量、活动等）激增；（使发动机）快速旋转；（使）活跃起来

参考例句：

• The taxi driver revved up his engine. 出租车司机把发动机发动起来。
• The car revved up and roared away. 汽车发动起来，然后轰鸣着开走了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。