THE four children stared out to sea. They had all been so interested in exploring the exciting oldcastle that not one of them had noticed the sudden change in the weather.
Another rumble1 came. It sounded like a big dog growling2 in the sky. Tim heard it and growled3 back,sounding like a small roll of thunder himself.
"My goodness, we're in for it now," said George, half-alarmed. "We can't get back in time, that'scertain. It's blowing up at top speed. Did ever you see such a change in the sky?"The sky had been blue when they started. Now it was overcast4, and the clouds seemed to hang verylow indeed. They scudded5 along as if someone was chasing them— and the wind howled round insuch a mournful way that Anne felt quite frightened.
"It's beginning to rain," said Julian, feeling an enormous drop spatter on his outstretched hand.
"We had better shelter, hadn't we, George? We shall get wet through."29
"Yes, we will in a minute," said George. "I say, just look at these big waves coming! My word, itreally is going to be a storm. Golly— what a flash of lightning!"The waves were certainly beginning to run very high indeed. It was queer to see what a change hadcome over them. They swelled6 up, turned over as soon as they came to rocks, and then rushed up thebeach of the island with a great roar.
"I think we'd better pull our boat up higher still," said George suddenly. "It's going to be a very badstorm indeed. Sometimes these sudden summer storms are worse than a winter one."She and Julian ran to the other side of the island where they had left the boat. It was a good thing theywent, for great waves were already racing7 right up to it. The two children pulled the boat up almost tothe top of the low cliff and George tied it to a stout gorse bush growing there.
By now the rain was simply pelting8 down, and George and Julian were soaked. "I hope the othershave been sensible enough to shelter in that room that has a roof and walls," said George.
They were there all right, looking rather cold and scared. It was very dark there, for the only lightcame through the two slits9 of windows and the small doorway10.
"Could we light a fire to make things a bit more cheerful?" said Julian, looking round. "I wonderwhere we can find some nice dry sticks?"
Almost as if they were answering the question a small crowd of jackdaws cried out wildly as theycircled in the storm. "Chack, chack, chack!""Of course! There are plenty of sticks on the ground below the tower!" cried Julian. "You know—where the jackdaws nest. They've dropped lots of sticks there."He dashed out into the rain and ran to the tower. He picked up an armful of sticks and ran back.
"Good," said George. "We'll be able to make a nice fire with those. Anyone got any paper to start it—or matches?"
"I've got some matches," said Julian. "But nobody's got paper.""Yes," said Anne, suddenly. "The sandwiches are wrapped in paper. Let's undo11 them, and then wecan use the paper for the fire."
"Good idea," said George. So they undid12 the sandwiches, and put them neatly13 on a broken stone,rubbing it clean first. Then they built up a fire, with the paper underneath14 and the sticks arrangedcriss-cross on top.
It was fun when they lighted the paper. It flared15 up and the sticks at once caught fire, for they werevery old and dry. Soon there was a fine cracking fire going and the little ruined room was 30lighted by dancing flames. It was very dark outside now, for the clouds hung almost low enough totouch the top of the castle tower! And how they raced by! The wind sent them off to the northeast,roaring behind them with a noise like the sea itself.
"I've never, never heard the sea making such an awful noise," said Anne. "Never! It really sounds asif it's shouting at the top of its voice."What with the howling of the wind and the crashing of the great waves all round the little island, thechildren could hardly hear themselves speak! They had to shout at one another.
"Let's have our dinner!" yelled Dick, who was feeling terribly hungry as usual. "We can't do anythingmuch while this storm lasts."
"Yes, let's," said Anne, looking longingly16 at the ham sandwiches. "It will be fun to have a picnicround the fire in this dark old room. I wonder how long ago other people had a meal here. I wish Icould see them."
"Well, I don't, said Dick, looking round half-scared as if he expected to see the old-time people walkin to share their picnic. "It's quite a queer enough day without wanting things like that to happen."They all felt better when they were eating the sandwiches and drinking the ginger-beer. The fireflared up as more and more sticks caught, and gave out quite a pleasant warmth, for now that thewind had got up so strongly, the day had become cold.
"We'll take it in turn to fetch sticks," said George. But Anne didn't want to go alone. She was tryingher best not to show that she was afraid of the storm— but it was more than she could do to go out ofthe cosy17 room into the rain and thunder by herself.
Tim didn't seem to like the storm either. He sat close by George, his ears cocked, and growledwhenever the thunder rumbled18. The children fed him with titbits and he ate them eagerly, for he washungry too.
All the children had four biscuits each. "I think I shall give all mine to Tim," said George. "I didn'tbring him any of his own biscuits, and he does seem so hungry.""No, don't do that," said Julian. "We'll each give him a biscuit— that will be four for him— and we'llstill have three left each. That will be plenty for us.""You are really nice," said George. "Tim, don't you think they are nice?"Tim did. He licked everyone and made them laugh. Then he rolled over on his back and let Juliantickle him underneath.
31
The children fed the fire and finished their picnic. When it came to Julian's turn to get more sticks, hedisappeared out of the room into the storm. He stood and looked around, the rain wetting his barehead.
The storm seemed to be right overhead now. The lightning flashed and the thunder crashed at thesame moment. Julian was not a bit afraid of storms, but he couldn't help feeling rather over-awed atthis one. It was so magnificent. The lightning tore the sky in half almost every minute, and thethunder crashed so loudly that it sounded almost as if mountains were falling down all around!
The sea's voice could be heard as soon as the thunder stopped— and that was magnificent to hear too.
The spray flew so high into the air that it wetted Julian as he stood in the centre of the ruined castle.
"I really must see what the waves are like," thought the boy. "If the spray flies right over me here,they must be simply enormous!"
He made his way out of the castle and climbed up on to part of the ruined wall that had once run allround the castle. He stood up there, looking out to the open sea. And what a sight met his eyes!
The waves were like great walls of grey-green! They dashed over the rocks that lay all around theisland, and spray flew from them, gleaming white in the stormy sky. They rolled up to the island anddashed themselves against it with such terrific force that Julian could feel the wall beneath his feettremble with the shock.
The boy looked out to sea, marvelling19 at the really great sight he saw. For half a moment hewondered if the sea might come right over the island itself! Then he knew that couldn't happen, for itwould have happened before. He stared at the great waves coming in— and then he saw somethingrather queer.
There was something else out on the sea by the rocks besides the waves — something dark,something big, something that seemed to lurch20 out of the waves and settle down again. What could itbe?
"It can't be a ship," said Julian to himself, his heart beginning to beat fast as he strained his eyes tosee through the rain and the spray. "And yet it looks more like a ship than anything else. I hope it isn'ta ship. There wouldn't be anyone saved from it on this dreadful day!"He stood and watched for a while. The dark shape heaved into sight again and then sank away oncemore. Julian decided21 to go and tell the others. He ran back to the firelit room.
32
"George! Dick! There's something queer out on the rocks beyond the island!" he shouted, at the topof his voice. "It looks like a ship— and yet it can't possibly be. Come and see!"The others stared at him in surprise, and jumped to their feet. George hurriedly flung some moresticks on the fire to keep it going, and then she and the others quickly followed Julian out into therain.
The storm seemed to be passing over a little now. The rain was not pelting down quite so hard.
The thunder was rolling a little farther off, and the lightning did not flash so often. Julian led the wayto the wall on which he had climbed to watch the sea.
Everyone climbed up to gaze out to sea. They saw a great tumbled, heaving mass of grey-greenwater, with waves rearing up everywhere. Their tops broke over the rocks and they rushed up to theisland as if they would gobble it whole. Anne slipped her arm through Julian's. She felt rather smalland scared.
"You're all right, Anne", said Julian, loudly. "Now just watch— you'll see something queer in aminute."
They all watched. At first they saw nothing, for the waves reared up so high that they hid everythinga little way out. Then suddenly George saw what Julian meant.
"Gracious!" she shouted, 'it is a ship! Yes, it is! Is it being wrecked22? It's a big ship— not a sailing-boat, or fishing-smack!"
"Oh, is anyone in it?" wailed24 Anne.
The four children watched and Tim began to bark as he saw the queer dark shape lurching here andthere in the enormous waves. The sea was bringing the ship nearer to shore.
"It will be dashed on to those rocks," said Julian, suddenly. "Look— there it goes!"As he spoke25 there came a tremendous crashing, splintering sound, and the dark shape of the shipsettled down on to the sharp teeth of the dangerous rocks on the southwest side of the island. It stayedthere, shifting only slightly as the big waves ran under it and lifted it a little.
"She's stuck there," said Julian. "She won't move now. The sea will soon be going down a bit, andthen the ship will find herself held by those rocks."As he spoke, a ray of pale sunshine came wavering out between a gap in the thinning clouds. It wasgone almost at once. "Good!" said Dick, looking upwards26. "The sun will be out again soon.
We can warm ourselves then and get dry— and maybe we can find out what that poor ship is. Oh 33Julian— I do so hope there was nobody in it. I hope they've all taken to boats and got safely to land."The clouds thinned out a little more. The wind stopped roaring and dropped to a steady breeze.
The sun shone out again for a longer time, and the children felt its welcome warmth. They all staredat the ship on the rocks. The sun shone on it and lighted it up.
"There's something queer about it somehow," said Julian, slowly. "Something awfully27 queer. I'venever seen a ship quite like it."
George was staring at it with a strange look in her eyes. She turned to face the three children, andthey were astonished to see the bright gleam in her blue eyes. The girl looked almost too excited tospeak.
"What is it?" asked Julian, catching28 hold of her hand.
"Julian— oh Julian— it's my wreck23!" she cried, in a high excited voice. "Don't you see what'shappened! The storm has lifted the ship up from the bottom of the sea, and has lodged29 it on thoserocks. It's my wreck!"
The others saw at once that she was right. It was the old wrecked ship! No wonder it looked queer.
No wonder it looked so old and dark, and such a strange shape. It was the wreck, lifted high out of itssleeping-place and put on the rocks near by.
"George! We shall be able to row out and get into the wreck now!" shouted Julian. "We shall be ableto explore it from end to end. We may find the boxes of gold. Oh, George!"
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收听单词发音
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1
rumble
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| n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说 | |
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growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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3
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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4
overcast
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| adj.阴天的，阴暗的，愁闷的；v.遮盖，（使）变暗，包边缝；n.覆盖，阴天 | |
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5
scudded
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| v.（尤指船、舰或云彩）笔直、高速而平稳地移动( scud的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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pelting
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| 微不足道的，无价值的，盛怒的 | |
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slits
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| n.狭长的口子，裂缝( slit的名词复数 )v.切开，撕开( slit的第三人称单数 )；在…上开狭长口子 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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11
undo
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| vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销 | |
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12
Undid
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| v. 解开, 复原 | |
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13
neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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14
underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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15
Flared
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| adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词 | |
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longingly
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| adv. 渴望地 热望地 | |
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cosy
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| adj.温暖而舒适的，安逸的 | |
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rumbled
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| 发出隆隆声，发出辘辘声( rumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 轰鸣着缓慢行进； 发现…的真相； 看穿（阴谋） | |
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marvelling
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| v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的现在分词 ) | |
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lurch
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| n.突然向前或旁边倒；v.蹒跚而行 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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wrecked
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| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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25
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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26
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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27
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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28
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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lodged
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| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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