Chapter 2 ANNE JOINS THE LITTLE CAMP

Chapter 2 ANNE JOINS THE LITTLE CAMP
Aunt Fanny soon told Anne about Timmy's ear and the big collar of cardboard that had caused all thetrouble. Anne couldn't help smiling.
'Oh Aunt Fanny - George is quite crazy about old Tim, isn't she? I'll go and meet her at twelve, and ofcourse I'll camp with her for a day or two. It's lovely weather and I'd like to. I expect Uncle Quentinwill be glad to have us out of the house!'
'How are Julian and Dick?' asked her aunt. She was very fond of Anne's two brothers, George'scousins. 'Will they be coming down here at all these holidays?'
'I don't know,' said Anne. 'They're still in France, you know, on a school-boys' tour. I feel funnywithout them! George will be cross to hear they probably won't be coming to Kirrin. She'll just haveto put up with me!'
At twelve o'clock Anne was standing¹ patiently at the end of Carters Lane. It ran to the common andthen ended in a small, winding² path that led to nowhere in particular. Big gorse bushes grew here andthere, and slender birch trees. Anne, her belongings³ strapped⁴ to her back, and a bag in her hand,looked over the common to see if she could spy George coming.
There was no sign of her. 'Blow!' said Anne. 'I suppose she's changed her mind or something.
Perhaps her watch has stopped and she doesn't know the time. She ought to, though, by looking at thesun! How long shall I wait?'
She sat down by a big gorse-bush, out of the hot sun. She hadn't been there for more than a minutewhen she heard a hissing⁵ sound.
'Pssssst!'
6Anne sat up at once. The sound came from the other side of the bush, and she got up and walkedround it. Half-hidden under a prickly branch were George and Timmy!
'Hallo!' said Anne, surprised. 'Didn't you see me when I arrived? Hallo, Tim darling! How's your poorold ear? Oh, doesn't he look a quaint⁶ old dear in that collar, George?'
George scrambled⁷ out of the bush. 'I hid here just in case Father or Mother should come with you andtry to make me come back,' she said. 'I wanted to make quite sure they weren't waiting somewhere alittle way away. I'm glad you've come, Anne.'
'Of course I've come,' said Anne. 'I wouldn't stay alone at Kirrin Cottage while you were campingout. Besides, I understand how you feel about Timmy. The collar's a jolly good idea, of course - but itdoes make him look comical. I think he looks rather a dear in it, I do really.'
George was almost relieved that Anne had not laughed at Timmy as most people had. She smiled ather cousin, and Timmy licked her till Anne really had to push him away.
'Let's go,' said George, scrambling⁸ up. 'I've got a lovely camping-place, Anne. You'll like it. It's neara little spring too, so there's plenty of water for Timmy to drink - and us too. Did you bring any morefood? I didn't really bring much.'
'Yes. I've brought heaps,' said Anne. 'Aunt Fanny made me. She's not cross with you, George. I didn'tsee your father. He was shut up in his study.'
George's spirits suddenly rose. She gave Anne a friendly punch. 'This is going to be fun!
Timmy's ear will soon be better, and he loves camping out as much as we do. I've really found a goodplace - about the loneliest on the common! Nobody near us for miles!'
They set off together, Timmy at their heels, darting⁹ off every now and again when he smelt¹⁰ rabbit.
'When are Julian and Dick coming down?' asked George. 'In a few days? Timmy's ear will be all rightthen and we can go back to Kirrin Cottage to welcome the boys, and have some fun there.'
'They may not be coming down at all these hols,' said Anne, and George's face fell at once. Shestopped and stared at Anne in dismay.
'Not coming! but they always come in the hols - or we go away somewhere together!' she said.
'They must come! I shall be miserable¹¹ without Ju and Dick.'
'Well - they're still in France, on a tour or something,' said Anne. 'We shall hear if they're staying onthere or coming down to Kirrin, when we get back to the cottage. Don't look so woebegone, George!'
7But George felt woebegone. The holidays stretched before her, suddenly seeming long and dreary¹².
Her two boy cousins were always such fun - they had had such wonderful adventures together. Andnow - now they weren't coming!
'We shan't have any adventures at all if the boys don't come,' she said, in a small voice.
'I shan't mind that,' said Anne. 'I'm the peaceful one, not always on the look-out for something tohappen, like you and the boys! Perhaps these holidays will be quite unexciting without even the smellof an adventure! Oh George - cheer up! Don't look so mournful. You'd better send a telegram toJulian and Dick if you feel so badly about it.'
'I've a good mind to!' said George. 'I can't imagine hols without the boys. Why - we shan't be the Five- the Famous Five - if they don't come!'
'Woof!' said Timmy, quite agreeing. He sat down and tried to scratch his ear, but the big collarprevented him. He didn't seem to mind and ran off after a rabbit quite happily.
'I think you are more upset about that collar than Timmy,' said Anne, as they walked along. 'Are wegetting near this place of yours, George? It's a jolly long way.'
'We go up this hill in front of us - and then drop down to a little copse,' said George. 'There's a funnyold cottage nearby - quite ruined and empty. At first I thought perhaps people lived there, but when Iwent nearer I saw that it was ruined. There's a big old rose-rambler climbing all over it, even inside. Isuppose the people who used to live there planted it.'
They walked up the little hill and down again, following curving rabbit-paths. 'Better look out foradders,' said Anne. 'This is just the kind of place for them. My word, it's hot, George. Is thereanywhere to bathe near here - a pool or anything?'
'I don't know. We could explore and see,' said George. 'I did bring my swim-suit just in case.
Look - you can see part of the old cottage now. My camp is fairly near there. I thought I'd bettercamp near the spring.'
They were soon at George's rough little camp. Her tent was up, and she had made a bed inside of thespringy heather. A mug, a bag of dog biscuits, a few tins, and a loaf of bread were at one end of thetent. It didn't seem to Anne as if George had brought very much, and she felt glad that she hadmanaged to pack such a lot of things.
'Aunt Fanny cut dozens and dozens of sandwiches,' said Anne. 'She said if we kept them in this tinthey wouldn't go stale, and would last us a day or two till we went back. I'm hungry. Shall we havesome now?'
8They sat out in the sun, munching¹³ the ham sandwiches. Anne had brought tomatoes too, and theytook a bite at a sandwich and then a bite at a tomato. Timmy had to make do with a handful of dogbiscuits and half a sandwich every now and again. After a bit he got up and wandered off.
'Where's he going?' asked Anne. 'To look for a rabbit?'
'No. Probably to get a drink,' said George. 'The spring is in the direction he's gone. I'm thirsty too- let's take the mug and get a drink ourselves.'
They went off with the mug, Anne following George through the thick heather. The little spring wasa lovely one. It had evidently been used by the people who had once lived in the old cottage, and wasbuilt round with big white stones, so that the spring ran through a little stony¹⁴ channel, as clear ascrystal.
'Oooh - it's as cold as ice!' said Anne. 'Simply delicious! I could drink gallons of this!'
They lay on the heather out in the sun, talking, when they came back from the spring. Timmywandered off by himself again.
'It's so peaceful here,' said Anne. 'Nobody near us for miles. Just the birds and the rabbits. This iswhat I like!'
'There's hardly a sound,' said George, yawning.
And then, just as she said that, there came a noise in the distance. A sharp sound, like metal on stone.
It came again and again and then stopped.
'What's that, do you suppose?' said George, sitting up.
'I can't imagine,' said Anne. 'Anyway, it's a long way away - everything is so still that sounds carryfrom quite a distance.'
The sharp noises began again in a little while and then stopped. The girls shut their eyes, and slept.
There wasn't a sound now except the pop-pop-pop of gorse pads exploding in the sun and sending outtheir little black seeds.
George woke up when Timmy came back. He sat down heavily on her feet and she woke up with ajump.
'Timmy! Don't!' she said. 'Get off my feet, you made me jump!' Timmy obligingly removed himselfand then picked up something he had dropped, lay down and began gnawing¹⁵ it. George looked to seewhat it was.
'Timmy! That's a bone! Where did you get it?' she said. 'Anne, did you bring a bone for Tim?'
'What? What did you say?' said Anne, half asleep. 'A bone. No, I didn't. Why?'
9'Because Timmy's found one,' said George, 'and it's a bone that has had cooked meat on it, so it's nota rabbit or anything Timmy's caught. Timmy, where did you get it.'
'Woof,' said Timmy, offering the bone to George, thinking that she too might like a gnaw¹⁶, as sheseemed so interested in it.
'Do you suppose anyone else is camping near us?' asked Anne, sitting up and yawning. 'After all,bones don't grow in the heather. That's quite a good meaty one, too. Timmy, have you stolen it fromanother dog?'
Timmy thumped¹⁷ his tail on the ground and went on with his bone. He looked pleased with himself.
'It's rather an old bone,' said George. 'It's smelly. Go away, Tim - take it further off.'
The sharp metallic¹⁸ noises suddenly began again and George frowned. 'I believe there is someonecamping near us, Anne. Come on - let's do a bit of exploring and find out. I vote we move our camp ifthere are other people near. Come on, Timmy - that's right, bury that horrible bone! This way Anne!'

1 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。

2 winding   

n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈

参考例句：

• A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。
• The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。

3 belongings   

n.私人物品，私人财物

参考例句：

• I put a few personal belongings in a bag.我把几件私人物品装进包中。
• Your personal belongings are not dutiable.个人物品不用纳税。

4 strapped   

adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带

参考例句：

• Make sure that the child is strapped tightly into the buggy. 一定要把孩子牢牢地拴在婴儿车上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The soldiers' great coats were strapped on their packs. 战士们的厚大衣扎捆在背包上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 hissing   

n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The steam escaped with a loud hissing noise. 蒸汽大声地嘶嘶冒了出来。
• His ears were still hissing with the rustle of the leaves. 他耳朵里还听得萨萨萨的声音和屑索屑索的怪声。 来自汉英文学 - 春蚕

6 quaint   

adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的

参考例句：

• There were many small lanes in the quaint village.在这古香古色的村庄里，有很多小巷。
• They still keep some quaint old customs.他们仍然保留着一些稀奇古怪的旧风俗。

7 scrambled   

v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞

参考例句：

• Each scrambled for the football at the football ground. 足球场上你争我夺。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He scrambled awkwardly to his feet. 他笨拙地爬起身来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 scrambling   

v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞

参考例句：

• Scrambling up her hair, she darted out of the house. 她匆忙扎起头发，冲出房去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• She is scrambling eggs. 她正在炒蛋。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 darting   

v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔

参考例句：

• Swallows were darting through the clouds. 燕子穿云急飞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Swallows were darting through the air. 燕子在空中掠过。 来自辞典例句

10 smelt   

v.熔解，熔炼；n.银白鱼，胡瓜鱼

参考例句：

• Tin is a comparatively easy metal to smelt.锡是比较容易熔化的金属。
• Darby was looking for a way to improve iron when he hit upon the idea of smelting it with coke instead of charcoal.达比一直在寻找改善铁质的方法，他猛然想到可以不用木炭熔炼，而改用焦炭。

11 miserable   

adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的

参考例句：

• It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。
• Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

12 dreary   

adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的

参考例句：

• They live such dreary lives.他们的生活如此乏味。
• She was tired of hearing the same dreary tale of drunkenness and violence.她听够了那些关于酗酒和暴力的乏味故事。

13 munching   

v.用力咀嚼（某物），大嚼( munch的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was munching an apple. 他在津津有味地嚼着苹果。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Munching the apple as he was, he had an eye for all her movements. 他虽然啃着苹果，但却很留神地监视着她的每一个动作。 来自辞典例句

14 stony   

adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的

参考例句：

• The ground is too dry and stony.这块地太干，而且布满了石头。
• He listened to her story with a stony expression.他带着冷漠的表情听她讲经历。

15 gnawing   

a.痛苦的，折磨人的

参考例句：

• The dog was gnawing a bone. 那狗在啃骨头。
• These doubts had been gnawing at him for some time. 这些疑虑已经折磨他一段时间了。

16 gnaw   

v.不断地啃、咬；使苦恼，折磨

参考例句：

• Dogs like to gnaw on a bone.狗爱啃骨头。
• A rat can gnaw a hole through wood.老鼠能啃穿木头。

17 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。

18 metallic   

adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的

参考例句：

• A sharp metallic note coming from the outside frightened me.外面传来尖锐铿锵的声音吓了我一跳。
• He picked up a metallic ring last night.昨夜他捡了一个金属戒指。