Chapter 9 COUSIN JEFF

Chapter 9 COUSIN JEFF
'I like dogs,' said Jeff, and patted Timmy on the head. 'This is a fine one - as smart as can be, too, isn'the?'
George nodded, pleased. She loved anyone to praise Timmy. 'Yes, he's very clever. He's been inheaps of adventures with us. He can be very fierce if he thinks anyone is going to attack us. Oh, look- he wants to shake hands again! Isn't he funny?'
Jeff shook paws once more and then Timmy settled down beside him, almost as if he considered 35himself to be his dog. George didn't mind. She liked Cousin Jeff as much as Timmy did!
'Tell us about your job,' begged Dick. 'It's such a queer airfield¹, the one you're at - no fencing roundit, hardly any planes, nobody about the field! Do you do much flying?'
'Not much at the moment,' said Cousin Jeff. 'But don't be misled by the fact that there's no fencinground the airfield! Believe me, the commanding officer knows immediately if any stranger comes intothe district, and - er - well, let us say that extra precautions are taken.'
'Really?' said George. 'Do you mean to say, for instance, that your commanding officer knows we'vearrived?'
'You bet he does,' said Jeff, laughing. 'You've probably been given the once-over already, though youdidn't know it. I expect someone has been detailed² to find out who you are and why you're here, andyou may even have been watched for a few hours - though you had no idea of it.'
This was rather a creepy thought. Watched? How? By whom? And where did they hide to watch?
Dick asked Jeff these questions, but the young airman shook his head.
'Sorry. Can't answer,' he said. 'But you needn't worry, you're all right. May be my aunt here has said afew words about you - you never know!'
Mrs. Thomas smiled, but said nothing. She beckoned³ to Anne and George to help her to bring in thetea - just as good a one as they had had before. The girls bustled⁴ about, setting out cups and saucers,while the boys talked to Cousin Jeff and asked him eager questions about planes and flying and howthis was done and that.
'I suppose you wouldn't take us up some time, Cousin Jeff, would you?' asked Toby at last.
'I don't think I'd be allowed to,' said Jeff. 'In fact I don't think I can even ask. You see, the planes thereare pretty special - you can't go joy-riding in them and...'
'Of course we see,' said Julian hurriedly, afraid of embarrassing the friendly young airman. 'Wewouldn't dream of bothering you. When are you going up next? Can we watch you from ourcamping-place?'
'Yes, I should think you could see me with field-glasses,' said Jeff, considering. 'I'll tell you thenumber of my plane - it's painted underneath⁵ it, of course, so you'll know it's me if you see it circlingover the hill. But I shan't do any stunts⁶, I'm afraid - like coming down low to you, or anything likethat. Only fat-headed beginners do that.'
'We'll look out for you,' said Dick, quite envious⁷ of Toby for having such a fine young cousin. 'I don'texpect you'll see us - but we'll wave anyway!'
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Tea was now ready and they all drew up their chairs. Benny wandered in with his pigling under hisarm, and set it down in the cat's basket, where it stayed quite peacefully, falling asleep and makingtiny, grunting⁸ snores.
'Does the cat mind?' asked George, astonished, looking at the basket.
'Not a bit,' said Mrs. Thomas. 'It had to put up with two goslings last year in its basket - andsomething the year before...'
'A lamb,' said Toby.
'Oh, yes - and old Tinky - that's the cat - didn't seem to worry at all,' said Mrs. Thomas, pouring outcreamy milk for everyone, even Cousin Jeff. 'I once found her curled up round the goslings onemorning, purring loudly.'
'Good old Tinky!' said Toby. 'Where is she? I'd like to see what she thinks of Curly. She couldn'tcuddle him - he takes up nearly all the basket, he's so plump.'
Tea was a merry meal, with Toby playing the fool, putting a spoonful of sifted⁹ sugar on the side ofAnne's plate to eat with her crisp radishes instead of salt, and offering the salt to George to eat withher strawberries.
Both girls were listening so intently to Cousin Jeff that they didn't even notice what Toby had done,and he almost fell off his chair with laughing when he saw their faces. Salt with strawberries - ugh!
Sugar and radishes - ugh!
'Funny boy, aren't you?' said George, annoyed at being tricked. 'You wait!' But Toby was too wily tobe tricked and George had to give it up. Anyway, she couldn't bother with Toby when Cousin Jeffwas talking about planes, his eyes shining with pleasure. Flying was his great love, and in listening tohim all three boys there made up their minds to take it up as soon as ever they could!
Benny didn't listen much. He was more interested in animals than in planes. He ate his tea solemnlyand watched his pigling in the cat's basket, occasionally leaning over to tap his mother's hand whenhe wanted to speak to her.
'Curly runned away again,' he told her solemnly. 'Right up to the horse-pond.'
'I thought I had told you not to go there,' said his mother. 'You fell in last time.'
'But Curly runned there,' said Benny, his big eyes looking very wide and innocent. 'I had to go afterhim, didn't I? He's my pigling.'
'Well, I shall spank¹⁰ Curly if he takes you to places you've been told not to go to,' said his mother.
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'I can't let him grow up disobedient, can I?'
This needed thinking over, and Benny ate his tea with a serious face, ignoring the others. Annelooked at him several times, delighted with the solemn little boy and his funny ways. How nice itwould be to have a small brother like that!
'Well, I must be off,' said Jeff when the meal was finished. 'Thanks most awfully¹¹ for a super tea, AuntSarah - but then your teas always are super! I was jolly lucky to be stationed here so near to BillycockFarm! Well, so long, everyone! So long, Timmy!'
Everyone went with him to the gate, Timmy and Binky as well, and Benny awoke his little pig andcarried him to the gate too, squealing¹² and kicking. They all watched the tall, sturdy young airmanstriding away round the hill.
'Do you like him?' asked Toby proudly. 'Isn't he super? I'm awfully proud of him. He's supposed to beone of the cleverest flying men in the kingdom - did you know?'
'No, we didn't,' said Dick. 'But I'm not surprised. He's got eyes as keen as a hawk's, and he's heart andsoul in his work! How lucky for you that he is stationed so near!'
'We'd better get back to our camp when the girls have helped your mother to clear away and wash-up,' said Julian, anxious not to outstay his welcome at the farm. 'Toby, can you pack us up a bit morefood in case we don't see you tomorrow?'
'Right,' said Toby, and went off, whistling.
Benny appeared again with Curly running round his feet.
'Hallo!' said Dick with a grin, 'Is that pigling of yours running away again?'
Benny grinned back. 'If he runned away to your camp, would you be cross?' he asked, looking mostinnocently up at Dick.
'He mustn't do that,' said Dick seriously, guessing what was in the little boy's mind; he meant to go tofind the camp himself, and then say that it was Curly who had 'runned away' there! 'You see, youmight lose your way if you went so far.'
Benny said no more, but wandered off with his comical pet running in front of him. The boys went tofind Toby to see if they could help him to pack food into a basket. 'We must pay his bill, too,' saidJulian, feeling for his purse. 'It was a good idea of his to save up the money to buy his mother apresent. She really is a darling.'
Soon the Five were on their way back to their camp again. Toby was left behind to do his usual jobsof collecting the eggs, washing them and grading them into sizes for the market. 'I'll be up 38tomorrow!' he called after them. 'We'll plan something good to do - may be visit the caves if youlike!'
The four children went up the steep slope of Billycock Hill, talking, while Timmy ranged in front,sniffing everywhere as usual. And then suddenly a large butterfly sailed through the air, and came torest on a flower of a blossoming elder bush, just in front of George - a butterfly that none of them hadever seen before.
'Look at that! What is it?' cried Anne in delight. 'Oh, what a beauty! Julian, what is it?'
'I've absolutely no idea!' said Julian, astonished. 'It may be an unusual Fritillary, though it's early inthe year for those. That Butterfly Man - what's his name now? - Mr. Gringle - said that this hill wasfamous for rare butterflies, and I imagine this is pretty uncommon¹³. It is a beauty, isn't it?'
They watched the butterfly opening and shutting its magnificent wings on the white blossom.
'We ought to try and catch it,' said Dick. 'I'm sure that Mr. Gringle would be thrilled. It might layeggs for him and start a whole breed of uncommon butterflies in this country.'
'I've got a very thin hanky,' said Anne. 'I think I can catch it without harming its wings - and we'll putit into the little box that Toby filled with sugar lumps for us. Get it and empty it, Dick.'
In half a minute the butterfly was inside the box, quite unharmed, for Anne had been very deft¹⁴ incatching it.
'What a magnificent creature!' said Dick, shutting the box. 'Now come on - we'll give Mr.
Gringle a surprise!'
'What about that witch woman - you know, Mrs. Janes, who looks exactly like a witch?' said Anne. 'Idon't want to meet her again.'
'I'll tell her to jump on her broomstick and fly away!' said Julian with a laugh. 'Don't be silly, Anne -she can't hurt you.'
They went off round the hill, taking the little path down which Mr. Gringle had guided them.
Soon they saw the reflection of the sun glittering on the glass-houses. Anne and George hesitated asthey came near, and Timmy stopped, too, his tail down.
'Well, stay there, then,' said Dick, impatiently. 'Ju and I won't be long!' And off went the two boystogether, while George and Anne waited in the distance.
'I hope they won't be long!' said Anne, worried. 'I don't know why I feel creepy here, but I do!'

1 airfield   

n.飞机场

参考例句：

• The foreign guests were motored from the airfield to the hotel.用车把外宾从机场送到旅馆。
• The airfield was seized by enemy troops.机场被敌军占领。

2 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

3 beckoned   

v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He beckoned to the waiter to bring the bill. 他招手示意服务生把账单送过来。
• The seated figure in the corner beckoned me over. 那个坐在角落里的人向我招手让我过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 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。

5 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

6 stunts   

n.惊人的表演( stunt的名词复数 )；（广告中）引人注目的花招；愚蠢行为；危险举动v.阻碍…发育[生长]，抑制，妨碍( stunt的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He did all his own stunts. 所有特技都是他自己演的。
• The plane did a few stunts before landing. 飞机着陆前做了一些特技。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 envious   

adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的

参考例句：

• I don't think I'm envious of your success.我想我并不嫉妒你的成功。
• She is envious of Jane's good looks and covetous of her car.她既忌妒简的美貌又垂涎她的汽车。

8 grunting   

咕哝的，呼噜的

参考例句：

• He pulled harder on the rope, grunting with the effort. 他边用力边哼声，使出更大的力气拉绳子。
• Pigs were grunting and squealing in the yard. 猪在院子里哼哼地叫个不停。

9 sifted   

v.筛( sift的过去式和过去分词 )；筛滤；细查；详审

参考例句：

• She sifted through her papers to find the lost letter. 她仔细在文件中寻找那封丢失的信。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She sifted thistles through her thistle-sifter. 她用蓟筛筛蓟。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 spank   

v.打，拍打(在屁股上)

参考例句：

• Be careful.If you don't work hard,I'll spank your bottom.你再不好好学习，小心被打屁股。
• He does it very often.I really get mad.I can't help spank him sometimes.他经常这样做。我很气愤。有时候我忍不住打他的屁股。

11 awfully   

adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地

参考例句：

• Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
• I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。

12 squealing   

v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Pigs were grunting and squealing in the yard. 猪在院子里哼哼地叫个不停。
• The pigs were squealing. 猪尖叫着。

13 uncommon   

adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的

参考例句：

• Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
• Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。

14 deft   

adj.灵巧的，熟练的（a deft hand 能手）

参考例句：

• The pianist has deft fingers.钢琴家有灵巧的双手。
• This bird,sharp of eye and deft of beak,can accurately peck the flying insects in the air.这只鸟眼疾嘴快，能准确地把空中的飞虫啄住。