The next day dawned bright and sunny. The four tore down to breakfast, full of high spirits.
'Can we bathe? Aunt Fanny, it's really warm enough! Oh do say we can!'
'Of course not! Whoever heard of bathing in April!' said Aunt Fanny. 'Why, the sea is terriblycold. Do you want to be in bed for the rest of the holiday with a chill?'
'Well, let's go for a walk on the moors2 at the back of Kirrin Cottage,' said George. 'Timmy wouldlove that. Wouldn't you, Tim?'
'Woof,' said Timmy, thumping3 his tail hard on the ground.
'Take your lunch with you if you like,' said her mother. 'I'll pack some for you.'
'You'll be glad to be rid of us for a little while, I expect, Aunt Fanny,' said Dick, with a grin. 'Iknow what we'll do. We'll go to the old quarry and look for prehistoric4 weapons! We've got ajolly good museum at school, and I'd like to take back some stone arrow-heads or something likethat.'
They all liked hunting for things. It would be fun to go to the old quarry, and it would be lovelyand warm in the hollow there.
'I hope we shan't find a poor dead sheep there, as we once did,' said Anne, with a shudder5. 'Poorthing! It must have fallen down and baa-ed for help for ages.'
'Of course we shan't,' said Julian. 'We shall find stacks of primroses6 and violets though, growingdown the sides of the quarry. They are always early there because it's sheltered from every wind.'
'I should love to have bunches of primroses,' said his aunt. 'Nice big ones! Enough to put all overthe house.'
'Well, while the boys are looking for arrow-heads we'll look for primroses,' said Anne, pleased. 'Ilike picking flowers.'
34
'And Timmy, of course, will hunt for rabbits, and will hope to bring home enough for you todecorate the larder7 from top to bottom,' said Dick, solemnly.
Timmy looked thrilled and gave an excited little woof.
They waited for Uncle Quentin's signal at half past ten. It came - six flashes of a mirror in thesun. The flashes were quite blinding.
'Nice little bit of heliographing!' said Dick. 'Good morning and good-bye, Uncle! We'll watch foryou tonight. Now, everybody ready?' 'Yes! Come' on, Tim! Who's got the sandwiches? I say,isn't the sun hot!'
Off they all went. They had on coats and their rubber boots, but no hats, and nobody thought oftaking a macintosh. It was going to be a really lovely day! The quarry was not really very far -only about a quarter of a mile. The children went for a walk beforehand, for Timmy's sake. Thenthey made for the quarry.
It was a queer place. At some time or other it had been deeply quarried8 for stone, and then left toitself. Now the sides were covered with small bushels and grass and plants of all kinds. In thesandy places heather grew.
The sides were very steep, and as few people came there, there were no paths to follow. It waslike a huge rough bowl, irregular in places, and full of colour now where primroses opened theirpale petals9 to the sky. Violets grew there by the thousand, both white and purple. Cowslips wereopening too, the earliest anywhere.
'Oh, it's lovely!' said Anne, stopping at the top and looking down. 'Simply super! I never in mylife saw so many primroses - nor such huge ones!'
'Be careful how you go, Anne,' said Julian. 'These sides are very steep. If you lose your footingyou'll roll right down to the bottom - and find yourself with a broken arm or leg!'
'I'll be careful,' said Anne. 'I'll throw my basket down to the bottom, so that I can have two handsto cling to bushes with, if I want to. I shall be able to fill that basket cramful of primroses andviolets!'
She flung the basket down, and it bounced all the way to the bottom of the quarry. The childrenclimbed down to where they wanted to go - the girls to a great patch of big primroses, the boys toa place where they thought they might find stone weapons.
35
'Hallo!' said a voice, suddenly, from much lower down. The four stopped in surprise, and Timmygrowled.
'Why - it's you!' said George, recognizing the boy they had met the day before.
'Yes. I don't know if you know my name. It's Martin Curton,' said the boy.
Julian told him their names too. 'We've come to picnic here,' he said. 'And to see if we can findstone weapons. What have you come for?'
'Oh -- to see if I can find stone weapons too,' said the Martin.
'Have you found any?' asked George.
'No. Not yet.'
'Well, you won't find any just there,' said Dick. 'Not in heather! You want to come over here,where the ground is bare and gravelly.'
Dick was trying to be friendly, to make up for the day before. Martin came over and began toscrape about with the boys. They had trowels with them, but he had only his hands.
'Isn't it hot down here?' called Anne. 'I'm going to take off my coat.'
Timmy had his head and shoulders down a rabbit hole. He was scraping violently, sending upheaps of soil behind him in a shower.
'Don't go near Timmy unless you want to be buried in earth!' said Dick. 'Hey, Timmy - is a rabbitreally worth all that hard work?'
Apparently it was, for Timmy, panting loudly, went on digging for all he was worth. A stoneflew high in the air and hit Julian. He rubbed his cheek. Then he looked at the stone that laybeside him. He gave a shout.
'Look at this - a jolly fine arrow-head! Thanks, Timmy, old fellow. Very good of you to godigging for me. What about a hammer-head next?'
The others came to see the stone arrow-head. Anne thought she would never have known what itwas -- but Julian and Dick exclaimed over it in admiration10.
'Jolly good specimen11,' said Dick. 'See how it's been shaped, George? To think that this was usedthousands of years ago to kill the enemies of a cave-man!'
Martin did not say much. He just looked at the arrowhead, which certainly was a very fineunspoilt specimen, and then turned away. Dick thought he was a queer fellow. A bit dull andboring. He wondered if they ought to ask him to their picnic. He didn't want to in the least.
But George did! 'Are you having a picnic here too?' she asked.
36
Martin shook his head. 'No. I've not brought any sandwiches.'
'Well, we've plenty. Stay and have some with us when we eat them,' said George, generously.
'Thanks. It's very nice of you,' said the boy. 'And will you come and see my television set thisafternoon in return! I'd like you to.'
'Yes, we will,' said George. 'It would be something to do! Oh Anne -- just look at those violets!
I've never seen such big white ones' before. Won't Mother be pleased?'
The boys went deeper down, scraping about with their trowels in any likely place. They came towhere a shelf of stone projected out a good way. It would be a nice place to have their lunch. Thestone would be warm to sit on, and was flat enough to take, ginger-beer bottles and cups insafety.
At half past twelve they all had their lunch. They were very hungry. Martin shared theirsandwiches, and became quite friendly over them.
'Best sandwiches I've ever tasted,' he said. I do like those sardine12 ones. Does your mother makethem for you? I wish I had a mother. Mine died ages ago.'
There was a sympathetic silence. The four could not think of any worse thing to happen to a boyor girl. They offered Martin the nicest buns, and the biggest piece of cake immediately.
'I saw your father flashing his signals last night,' said Martin, munching13 a bun.
Dick looked up at once. 'How do you know he was signaling?' he asked. 'Who told you?'
'Nobody,' said the 'boy. 'I just saw the six flashes, and I thought it must be George's father.' Helooked surprised at Dick's sharp tone. Julian gave Dick a nudge, to warn him not to go off thedeep end again.
George scowled14 at Dick. 'I suppose you saw my father signaling this morning too,' she said toMartin. 'I bet scores of people saw the flashes. He just heliographs with a mirror at half past tento signal that he's all right -- and flashes a lantern at the same time at night.'
Now it was Dick's turn to scowl15 at George. Why give away all this information? It wasn'tnecessary. Dick felt sure she was doing it just to pay him out for his sharp question. He tried tochange the subject.
'Where do you go to school?' he asked.
'I don't,' said the boy. 'I've been ill.'
'Well, where did you go to school before you were ill?' asked Dick.
"I -- I had a tutor,' said Martin. 'I didn't go to school.'
37
'Bad luck!' said Julian. He thought it must be terrible not to go to school and have all the fun, thework and the games of school-life. He looked curiously16 at Martin. Was he one of these ratherstupid boys who did no good at school, but had to have a tutor at home? Still he didn't lookstupid. He just looked rather sullen17 and dull.
Timmy was sitting on the warm stone with the others. He had his share of the sandwiches, buthad to be rationed18, as Martin had to have some too. He was funny with Martin. He tookabsolutely no notice of him at all. Martin might not have been there! And Martin took no noticeof Timmy. He did not talk to him, or pat him. Anne was sure he didn't really like dogs, as he hadsaid. How could anyone be with Timmy and not give him even one pat?
Timmy did not even look at Martin, but sat with his back to him, leaning against George. It wasreally rather amusing, if it wasn't so odd. After all, George was talking in a friendly way toMartin; they were all sharing their food with him - and Timmy behaved as if Martin simplywasn't there at all! Anne was just about to remark on Timmv's odd behaviour when he yawned,shook himself, and leapt down from the rock.
'He's going rabbiting again,' said Julian. 'Hey, Tim - find me another arrow-head will you, oldfellow?'
Timmy wagged his tail. He disappeared under the shelf of rock, and there came the sound ofdigging. A shower of stones and soil flew into the air.
The children lay back on the stone and felt sleepy. They talked for some minutes, and then Annefelt her eyes closing. She was awakened19 by George's voice.
'Where's Timmy? Timmy! Timmy! Come here! Where have you got to?' But no Timmy came.
There was not even an answering bark. 'Oh blow' said George., 'Now he's gone down someextra-deep rabbit hole, I suppose. I must get him. Timmy! Wherever are you?'
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
quarry
|
|
| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
moors
|
|
| v.停泊，系泊（船只）( moor的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
thumping
|
|
| adj.重大的，巨大的；重击的；尺码大的；极好的adv.极端地；非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词)；狠打；怦怦地跳；全力支持 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
prehistoric
|
|
| adj.（有记载的）历史以前的，史前的，古老的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
shudder
|
|
| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
primroses
|
|
| n.报春花( primrose的名词复数 )；淡黄色；追求享乐（招至恶果） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
larder
|
|
| n.食物贮藏室，食品橱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
quarried
|
|
| v.从采石场采得( quarry的过去式和过去分词 )；从（书本等中）努力发掘（资料等）；在采石场采石 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
petals
|
|
| n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
admiration
|
|
| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
specimen
|
|
| n.样本，标本 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
sardine
|
|
| n.[C]沙丁鱼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
munching
|
|
| v.用力咀嚼（某物），大嚼( munch的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
scowled
|
|
| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
scowl
|
|
| vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
curiously
|
|
| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
sullen
|
|
| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
rationed
|
|
| 限量供应，配给供应( ration的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
awakened
|
|
| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |