Chapter 23 HAVING A WONDERFUL TIME!

Chapter 23 HAVING A WONDERFUL TIME!
　　THERE was a minute or two of silence. Everyone was most astonished. To think that George's fatherhad been locked up like that! It had been Jo's mistake, of course - she had been so sure he was Mr.
　　Pottersham.
　　'Julian,' said Uncle Quentin, very much on his dignity, and also very angry. 'I must ask you to go andget the police here. I was set on and locked up in this caravan¹ for no reason at all.'
　　Bufflo began to look most disturbed. He turned on Jo.
　　'Why didn't you tell us he was George's father?' he said.
　　'I didn't know it was,' said Jo. 'I've never seen him, and anyway I thought...'
　　'It doesn't matter what you thought,' said Uncle Quentin, looking at the dirty little girl in disgust.
　　'I insist on the police being fetched.'
　　'Uncle Quentin, I'm sure it's all been a mistake,' said Julian, 'and anyway Mr. Terry-Kane has gone tothe police himself.'
　　His uncle stared at him as if he couldn't believe his ears. 'Terry-Kane? Where is he? What hashappened? Is he found?'
　　'Yes. It's rather a long story,' said Julian. 'It all began when we saw that face at the window. I toldAunt Fanny all about that, Uncle, and she said she would tell you when you got back from London.
　　Well - it was Mr. Terry-Kane at the window!'
　　'I thought so! I told your Aunt Fanny I had a feeling it was!' said his uncle. 'That's why I came assoon as ever I could - but you were none of you here. What happened to you?'
　　'Well, that's part of the story, Uncle,' said Julian, patiently. 'But I say, do you mind if we havesomething to eat. We're practically dead from starvation - haven't had anything since yesterday!'
　　That ended the interview for the time being! Mrs. Alfredo bustled² about, and soon there was aperfectly glorious meal set in front of the five half-starved children. They sat round a camp-fire andate and ate and ate.
　　Mrs. Alfredo practically emptied her big pot for them. Timmy was surrounded by plates of scraps³ andbig bones brought by every member of the camp! Almost every minute someone loomed⁴ up out ofthe darkness with a plate of something or other either for the hungry children, or for Timmy.
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　　At last they really could eat no more, and Julian began to tell their extraordinary story. Dick took itup, and George added quite a few bits. Jo interrupted continually and even Timmy put in a few barks.
　　Only Anne said nothing. She was leaning against her uncle, fast asleep.
　　'I never heard such a tale in my life,' said Uncle Quentin, continually. 'Never! Fancy that fellowPottersham going off with Terry-Kane like that. I knew Terry-Kane was all right - he wouldn't let hiscountry down. Now, Pottersham I never did like. Well, go on.'
　　The fair-folk were as enthralled⁵ as Uncle Quentin with the tale. They came closer and closer as thestory of the secret passages, the hidden room, the stone stairways and the rest was unfolded.
　　They got very excited when they learnt how Bufflo had appeared in the tower-room and had flickedthe gun out of Pottersham's hand. Uncle Quentin threw back his head and roared when he heard thatbit.
　　'What a shock for that fellow!' he said. 'I'd like to have seen his face. Well, well - I never heard such atale in my life!'
　　And then it was Jo's turn to tell how she had followed the four men into the secret passages, and hadset Beauty, the python, on to the men. She began to laugh again as she told her tale, and soon all thefair-folk were laughing in sympathy, rocking to and fro, with tears streaming down their faces.
　　Only Uncle Quentin looked rather solemn at this point. He remembered how he had felt when,because of his shouting, the fair-folk had sent the python into his caravan, and almost frightened himout of his life.
　　'Mr. Slither, please do get Beauty,' begged Jo. 'He ought to listen to his part of the story. He waswonderful. He enjoyed it all too. I'm sure he would have laughed if only snakes could laugh.'
　　Poor Uncle Quentin didn't like to object when the snake-man fetched his beloved python - in fact, hefetched both of them, and they had never had such a fuss made of them before. They were patted andrubbed and pulled about in a way they both seemed to enjoy hugely.
　　'Let me hold Beauty, Mr. Slither,' said Jo, at last, and she draped him round her neck like a long,shiny fur. Uncle Quentin looked as if he was going to be sick. He would certainly have got up andgone away if it hadn't been that his favourite niece Anne was fast asleep against his shoulder.
　　'What extraordinary people George seems to be friends with,' he thought. 'I suppose they are all right- but really! What with whips and knives and snakes I must say I find all this very peculiar⁶.'
　　'Somebody's coming up the field,' said Jo, suddenly. 'It's - yes, it's Mr. Terry-Kane, and he's got 99three policemen with him.'
　　Immediately almost all the fair-folk melted away into the darkness. They knew quite well why thepolice had come - not for them, but because of Mr. Pottersham and his unpleasant friends.
　　But all the same they wanted nothing to do with the three burly policemen walking up the hill withTerry-Kane.
　　Uncle Quentin leapt to his feet as soon as he saw Terry-Kane. He ran to meet him joyfully⁷, andpumped his arm up and down, up and down, shaking hands so vigorously that Terry-Kane felt quiteexhausted.
　　'My dear fellow,' said Uncle Quentin. 'I'm so glad you're safe. I told everyone you weren't a traitor,and never could be - everyone! I went up to London and told them. I'm glad you're all right.'
　　'Well - it's thanks to these children,' said Terry-Kane, who looked very tired. 'I expect you've heardthe peculiar and most extraordinary tale of the Face at the Window.'
　　'Yes - it's all so extraordinary that I shouldn't believe it if I read it in a book,' said Uncle Quentin.
　　'And yet it all happened! My dear fellow, you must be very tired!'
　　'I am,' said Terry-Kane. 'But I'm not going to lie down and sleep until those other fellows are safelyunder lock and key - Pottersham and his fine friends! Do you mind if I leave you for a bit, and go offto the castle again? We simply must catch those fellows. I came to ask if one of the children could gowith us, because I hear we have to creep through all kinds of passages and galleries and up spiralstairways and goodness knows what.'
　　'But - didn't you go that way when Pottersham first took you there and hid you in that room?'
　　asked Dick, surprised.
　　'Yes. I must have gone that way,' said Mr. Terry-Kane. 'But I was blindfolded⁸ and half-doped withsomething they had made me drink. I've no idea of the way. Of course, Pottersham knew every inch -he's written books about all these old castles, you know - nobody knows more about them and theirsecrets than he does. He certainly put his knowledge to good use this week!'
　　'I'll go with you,' said Jo. 'I've been up and down those passages four times now. I know them byheart! The others have only been once.'
　　'Yes, you go,' said Bufflo.
　　'Take Timmy,' said George most generously, for usually she would never let Timmy go with Jo.
　　'Or take a snake,' suggested Dick, with a grin.
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　　'I won't take anything,' said Jo. 'I'll be all right with three big policemen! So long as they're not afterme, I like them!'
　　She didn't really, but she couldn't help boasting a little. She set off with Terry-Kane and the threepolicemen, strutting⁹ a little, and feeling quite a heroine.
　　The others all went to their caravans¹⁰, tired out. Uncle Quentin sat by the camp-fire, waiting for thearrival of Pottersham and his three friends.
　　'Good night,' said Julian to the girls. 'I'd like to wait till the crowd come back - complete with therubber-man and Alfredo - but I shall fall asleep standing¹¹ on my feet in a minute. I say, wasn't that asmashing supper?'
　　'Super!' said the others. 'Well - see you tomorrow.'
　　They all slept very late the next day. Jo was back long before they awoke, very anxious to tell themhow they had captured Pottersham and the others, and how they had been marched off to the police-station, with her following all the way. But Mrs. Alfredo would not let her wake the four children up.
　　However, they did awake at last, and got up eagerly, remembering all the exciting moments of theday before. Soon they were jumping down the steps of the two caravans, eager to hear the latestnews.
　　'Hallo, Father!' shouted George, seeing him not far off.
　　'Hallo, Uncle Quentin! Hallo, Jo!' called the others, and soon heard the latest bits of information fromJo who was very proud of being in at the finish.
　　'But they didn't put up any fight at all,' she said, rather disappointed. 'I think Beauty scared all thefight out of them last night - they just gave in without a word.'
　　'Now you children!' called Mrs. Alfredo, 'I have kept a little breakfast for you. You like to come?'
　　They did like to come! Jo went too, though she had already had one breakfast. Uncle Quentin went tosit down with them. He gazed around amazed at all the goings-on of the camp.
　　Bufflo was doing some remarkable¹² rope-spinning and whip-cracking. The rubber-man was wrigglingin and out of the wheel-spokes of his caravan without stopping. Mr. Slither was polishing his snakes.
　　Dacca was step dancing on a board, click-click-clickity-click.
　　Alfredo came up with his buttonhook- like torches, and his metal bowl. 'I give you a treat,' heannounced to Uncle Quentin. 'You would like to see me fire-eat?'
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　　Uncle Quentin stared at him as if he thought he had gone raving¹³ mad.
　　'He's a fire-eater, Uncle,' explained Dick.
　　'Oh. No thank you, my good man. I would rather not see you eat fire,' said Uncle Quentin, politelybut very firmly. Alfredo was most disappointed. He had meant to give this man a real treat to makeup¹⁴ for locking him into the caravan! He went away sadly, and Mrs. Alfredo screamed after him.
　　'You foolish man. Who wants to see you fire-eat? You have no brains. You are a big, silly bad man.
　　You keep away with your fire-eating!' She disappeared into her caravan, and Uncle Quentin lookedafter her, astonished at her sudden outburst.
　　'This is really a very extraordinary place,' he said. 'And most extraordinary people. I'm going backhome today, George. Wouldn't you all like to come with me? I don't really feel it's the right thing foryou to get mixed up in so many queer doings.'
　　'Oh no, Father,' said George, in horror. 'Go home when we've only just settled in! Of course not.
　　None of us want to leave - do we Julian?' she said, looking round beseechingly¹⁵ at him.
　　Julian answered at once. 'George is right, Uncle. We're just beginning to enjoy ourselves here. I thinkwe're all agreed on that?'
　　'We are,' said everyone, and Timmy thumped¹⁶ his tail hard and gave a very loud 'WOOF'.
　　'Very well,' said Uncle Quentin, getting up. 'I must go, I suppose. I'll catch the bus down to thestation. Come down with me.'
　　They went to see him off on the bus. It came up well on time and he got in.
　　'Good-bye,' he said. 'What message shall I give your mother, George? She'll expect to hear somethingfrom the five of you.'
　　'Well,' shouted everyone, as the bus rumbled¹⁷ off, 'well - just tell her the FIVE ARE HAVING AWONDERFUL TIME! Good-bye, Uncle Quentin, good-bye!'
　　THE END

1 caravan   

n.大蓬车；活动房屋

参考例句：

• The community adviser gave us a caravan to live in.社区顾问给了我们一间活动住房栖身。
• Geoff connected the caravan to the car.杰弗把旅行用的住屋拖车挂在汽车上。

2 bustled   

闹哄哄地忙乱，奔忙( bustle的过去式和过去分词 )； 催促

参考例句：

• She bustled around in the kitchen. 她在厨房里忙得团团转。
• The hostress bustled about with an assumption of authority. 女主人摆出一副权威的样子忙来忙去。

3 scraps   

油渣

参考例句：

• Don't litter up the floor with scraps of paper. 不要在地板上乱扔纸屑。
• A patchwork quilt is a good way of using up scraps of material. 做杂拼花布棉被是利用零碎布料的好办法。

4 loomed   

v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• A dark shape loomed up ahead of us. 一个黑糊糊的影子隐隐出现在我们的前面。
• The prospect of war loomed large in everyone's mind. 战事将起的庞大阴影占据每个人的心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 enthralled   

迷住，吸引住( enthrall的过去式和过去分词 )； 使感到非常愉快

参考例句：

• The child watched, enthralled by the bright moving images. 这孩子看着那明亮的移动的影像，被迷住了。
• The children listened enthralled as the storyteller unfolded her tale. 讲故事的人一步步展开故事情节，孩子们都听得入迷了。

6 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

7 joyfully   

adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地

参考例句：

• She tripped along joyfully as if treading on air. 她高兴地走着，脚底下轻飘飘的。
• During these first weeks she slaved joyfully. 在最初的几周里，她干得很高兴。

8 blindfolded   

v.（尤指用布）挡住（某人）的视线( blindfold的过去式 )；蒙住（某人）的眼睛；使不理解；蒙骗

参考例句：

• The hostages were tied up and blindfolded. 人质被捆绑起来并蒙上了眼睛。
• They were each blindfolded with big red handkerchiefs. 他们每个人的眼睛都被一块红色大手巾蒙住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 strutting   

加固，支撑物

参考例句：

• He, too, was exceedingly arrogant, strutting about the castle. 他也是非常自大，在城堡里大摇大摆地走。
• The pompous lecturer is strutting and forth across the stage. 这个演讲者在台上趾高气扬地来回走着。

10 caravans   

（可供居住的）拖车（通常由机动车拖行）( caravan的名词复数 )； 篷车； （穿过沙漠地带的）旅行队（如商队）

参考例句：

• Old-fashioned gypsy caravans are painted wooden vehicles that are pulled by horses. 旧式的吉卜赛大篷车是由马拉的涂了颜色的木质车辆。
• Old-fashioned gypsy caravans are painted wooden vehicles. 旧时的吉普赛大篷车是涂了颜色的木质车辆。

11 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。

12 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

13 raving   

adj.说胡话的；疯狂的，怒吼的；非常漂亮的；令人醉心[痴心]的v.胡言乱语(rave的现在分词)n.胡话；疯话adv.胡言乱语地；疯狂地

参考例句：

• The man's a raving lunatic. 那个男子是个语无伦次的疯子。
• When I told her I'd crashed her car, she went stark raving bonkers. 我告诉她我把她的车撞坏了时，她暴跳如雷。

14 makeup   

n.组织；性格；化装品

参考例句：

• Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
• Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

15 beseechingly   

adv. 恳求地

参考例句：

• She stood up, and almost beseechingly, asked her husband,'shall we go now?" 她站起身来，几乎是恳求似地问丈夫：“我们现在就走吧？”
• Narcissa began to cry in earnest, gazing beseechingly all the while at Snape. 纳西莎伤心地哭了起来，乞求地盯着斯内普。

16 thumped   

v.重击， （指心脏）急速跳动( thump的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Dave thumped the table in frustration . 戴夫懊恼得捶打桌子。
• He thumped the table angrily. 他愤怒地用拳捶击桌子。

17 rumbled   

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）

参考例句：

• The machine rumbled as it started up. 机器轰鸣着发动起来。
• Things rapidly became calm, though beneath the surface the argument rumbled on. 事情迅速平静下来了，然而，在这种平静的表面背后争论如隆隆雷声，持续不断。