Chapter 7 BACK AT THE FARM AGAIN

Chapter 7 BACK AT THE FARM AGAIN
Anne came running to meet Dick and Julian. 'Oh, I'm glad you're back!' she said. 'It's beginning to getdark, and I was afraid you'd lose your way!'
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'Hallo, George!' said Julian, seeing her behind Anne, in the darkness of the passage. 'How's Timmy?'
'All right, thank you,' said George, sounding quite cheerful. 'Here he is!'
Timmy barked loudly and jumped up at the boys in welcome. He was very glad to see them, for hehad been afraid that they had gone back home. They all went into the living-room, where there wasan enormous wood- fire, looking very cheerful indeed. Julian and Dick fell into the two mostcomfortable chairs and spread their legs out to the fire.
'Ha! This is good!' said Dick. 'I couldn't have walked another step. I don't believe I can even go upthe stairs to wash. We've walked MILES!'
They told the girls about their day, and when they described the little summer chalet, the two girlslistened eagerly.
'Oh - I wish we'd gone with you,' said Anne, longingly¹. 'Timmy would have been quite all right,wouldn't he, George? We've decided² it's only a skin-wound. Actually, you can hardly see it now.'
'But all the same, I'm going back home tomorrow,' said George, determinedly³. 'I'm sorry I made sucha fuss this morning - but honestly I thought Timmy had been badly bitten. Thank goodness he wasn't.
Still, I'm not risking such a thing again. If I stay on here with him, he's sure to have those three dogsattacking him sometime or other, and he might be killed. I don't want to upset your holiday - but I canNOT stay on here with Tim.'
'All right, old thing,' said Julian, soothingly⁴. 'Don't get so up-in-the-air about it. There - you've goneand started your cough again! Do you know, Dick and I haven't coughed once today!'
'Nor have I,' said Anne. 'The air is marvellous here. I think I ought to go back with George, though,Ju. She'd be miserable⁵ all by herself at home.'
'Listen,' said Julian. 'We've got an idea, Dick and I - one that means old George won't have to gohome, and...'
'Nothing will make me stop here,' interrupted George at once. 'NOTHING!'
'Give me a chance to tell you what I've got up my sleeve,' protested Julian. 'It's about that mountain-hut we've been to - Dick and I thought it would be a marvellous idea if we could all five of us go andspend our time there - instead of here. We'd be ABSOLUTELY on our own then - the way we like tobe!'
'Oh yes!' said Anne at once, delighted. They all three looked at George. She smiled suddenly.
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'Yes - that would be fun. I'd like that. I don't suppose those dogs would come near there. And howheavenly to be on our own!'
'Mrs. Jones said that her son Morgan told her we're going to have heavy falls of snow!' said Anne.
'We could spend all day long on those slopes with our toboggans and skis. Oh, George -what a pity Timmy can't ski! We'll have to leave him at the hut when we go off skiing!'
'Do you suppose Mrs. Jones will mind us going off there?' said Dick.
'I don't think so,' said Anne. 'She was telling us today that parties of children go there alone in thesummer, while their parents stay and have a peaceful time down here. I don't see why she shouldn'tlet us go. We'll ask her when she comes in with our high tea. I said we wouldn't have tea and supper -we'd just have one big meal. We didn't know what time you'd be back - and George and I had such anenormous dinner in the middle of the day that we knew we wouldn't want tea.'
'Yes. I'd rather have a big meal now, too,' said Julian, yawning widely. 'I'm afraid all I shall want todo afterwards is to go up to bed and fall asleep. I'm marvellously tired. In fact, I could go to sleep thisvery minute! I suppose you girls have been indoors all day long because of Timmy?'
'No. We took it in turns to go for a walk without him,' said Anne. 'George hasn't let him put his noseoutside the door. Poor Timmy - he just couldn't understand it, and he whined⁶ and whined!'
'Never mind - he'll enjoy himself if we can go up to that hut,' said George, who was very cheerfulindeed now. 'I do hope we can. It would be glorious fun.'
'Ju - come and wash,' said Dick, seeing that Julian had his eyes closed already. 'Julian! Come up andwash, I tell you - you don't want to miss your meal, do you?'
Julian groaned⁷ and dragged himself up the stone stairway. But once he had sluiced⁸ himself in coldwater he felt much better, and very hungry indeed. So did Dick.
'We didn't tell the girls about that funny little creature - what was her name now - Aily! And Dave herdog and Fany the lamb. We mustn't forget to ask Mrs. Jones about them,' said Julian.
They went downstairs, feeling much fresher and were delighted to see that Mrs. Jones had been inand laid the table. They went up to see what there was for their high tea.
'Pork pie - home made, of course,' said Dick. 'And what's this - golly, it's a cheese! How enormous!
Smell it, Julian - it's enough to make you start eating straightaway! And more of that home-madebread! Can't we start?'
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'No - there are new-laid boiled eggs to begin with,' said Anne, with a laugh. 'And an apple pie andcream to end with. So I hope you really are hungry, you two!'
Mrs. Jones came in with a pot of hot tea. She smiled at the boys as she set the big brown teapot downon the table.
'Is it a nice day you've had, away up on the mountain?' she said. 'You look fine, both of you. Did youfind the hut all right?'
'Yes, thank you,' said Julian. 'Mrs. Jones, it's a marvellous hut. We...'
'Yes, yes - it's a good hut,' said Mrs. Jones, 'and it's sorry I was the two girls didn't go with you, sucha fine day as it was, and the dog not really hurt! And to think that the girls want to go back home! It'ssad I've been this day in my thoughts!'
She really did seem hurt and grieved, and George looked very guilty. Julian patted Mrs. Jones on thearm, and spoke⁹ comfortingly.
'Don't you worry about us, Mrs. Jones. I've got a fine idea to tell you. What we'd really like is to goand live up at that hut, the five of us - then we'd be out of your way and Timmy would be out of theway of the farm dogs too! Do you think we might do that? Then George wouldn't have to go home, asshe had planned to do.'
'Well now! To go to that hut in this weather! What an idea!' said Mrs. Jones. 'Most uncomfortableyou would be, with no one to look after you, and see to your wants, and cook for you this coldweather. No, no...'
'We're used to looking after ourselves,' said Dick. 'We're awfully¹⁰ good at it, Mrs. Jones. And, myword, the food you've got up there is enough to feed an army! And there are cups and plates anddishes - and knives and forks - and all kinds of bedding...'
'We'd have a smashing time,' said George, joining in eagerly. 'I don't really want to go home, Mrs.
Jones. It's so lovely in these mountains - and if the snow comes down, as your Morgan says, we'd beable to have winter sports all on our own!'
'Oh, do say it's all right,' begged Anne. 'We shall be quite safe and happy there - and we do promiseto come down here again if we can't manage, or if anything goes wrong.'
'I'll see that things go all right,' said Julian, speaking in his most grown-up voice.
'Well - well, it's a queer idea you have,' said Mrs. Jones, still taken aback. 'I'll have to talk to myMorgan about it first. Now set you down and eat your meal. I'll get my Morgan to decide.'
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She went out of the room, shaking her head, her mouth pursed up in disapproval¹¹. No fire! No hotmeals! No one to 'manage' for them. What a dreadful time those children would have up in that hut inthis weather!
The five set to work to demolish¹² the good food on the table. George allowed Timmy to sit up on achair too, and fed him with titbits for a treat. He was perfectly¹³ good and very well-mannered indeed.
'I almost expect him to hand me a plate of something!' said Anne, with a giggle¹⁴. 'Tim, dear - do passme the salt!'
Timmy put a paw on the table exactly as if he meant to obey Anne, and George hastily made him putit down again! What a meal that was! The pork pie was so good that everyone had two slices, as wellas their boiled eggs. Then they started on the cheese, which even Timmy liked. There was very littleroom indeed for the apple pie that Mrs. Jones brought in at the end!
'My goodness - I forgot that an apple pie was coming,' said Anne, in dismay, as the old womanwalked in with a tray on which was a big apple pie and a jug¹⁵ of cream.
'Mrs. Jones - when we were up at the hut, we saw such a funny little creature,' said Dick. 'She saidher name was Aily and she had a lamb and a...'
'Oh, Aily! That mad little thing!' said Mrs. Jones, picking up the dirty plates. 'She's the shepherd'sdaughter - a little truant¹⁶ she is, runs off from school, and hides away in the hills with her dog and herlamb. She always has a lamb each year - it follows her about everywhere. They say there isn't a rabbithole or a blackberry bush or a bird's nest that child doesn't know!'
'She was singing when we first saw her,' said Julian. 'Singing like a bird.'
'Ah, yes - it's a lovely voice she has,' said Mrs. Jones. 'She's wild as a bird - there's nothing to be donewith her. If she's scolded she goes off for weeks, no one knows where. Don't you let her come roundthat hut now, when you're there - she'll maybe steal from you!'
'Oh, yes - the hut! Have you spoken to Morgan about it?' said Dick, eagerly.
'Yes, I have indeed,' said Mrs. Jones. 'And he says yes, to let you go. He doesn't want trouble with thedogs either. He says snow is coming for sure, but you'll be safe up there and you can take all yourtoboggans for there'll be a chance to use them! He'll help you up with your things.'
'Oh good! Thanks!' said Julian, and the others smiled and looked at one another joyfully¹⁷. 'Thanksmost awfully, Mrs. Jones. We'll go tomorrow after breakfast!'
Tomorrow! After breakfast! Up to that lonely hut on the mountainside, just the Five of them together.
What could be better than that?

1 longingly   

adv. 渴望地 热望地

参考例句：

• He looked longingly at the food on the table. 他眼巴巴地盯着桌上的食物。
• Over drinks,he speaks longingly of his trip to Latin America. 他带着留恋的心情，一边喝酒一边叙述他的拉丁美洲之行。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 determinedly   

adv.决意地；坚决地，坚定地

参考例句：

• "Don't shove me,'said one of the strikers, determinedly. "I'm not doing anything." “别推我，"其中的一个罢工工人坚决地说，"我可没干什么。” 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Dorothy's chin set determinedly as she looked calmly at him. 多萝西平静地看着他，下巴绷得紧紧的，看来是打定主意了。 来自名作英译部分

4 soothingly   

adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地

参考例句：

• The mother talked soothingly to her child. 母亲对自己的孩子安慰地说。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He continued to talk quietly and soothingly to the girl until her frightened grip on his arm was relaxed. 他继续柔声安慰那姑娘，她那因恐惧而紧抓住他的手终于放松了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 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。

6 whined   

v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨

参考例句：

• The dog whined at the door, asking to be let out. 狗在门前嚎叫着要出去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He whined and pouted when he did not get what he wanted. 他要是没得到想要的东西就会发牢骚、撅嘴。 来自辞典例句

7 groaned   

v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦

参考例句：

• He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。
• The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 sluiced   

v.冲洗( sluice的过去式和过去分词 )；（指水）喷涌而出；漂净；给…安装水闸

参考例句：

• The sailors sluiced the deck with hoses. 水手们用水龙带冲洗甲板。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He sluiced the bath and filled it with water. 他冲洗了浴缸，然后放满了一缸水。 来自辞典例句

9 spoke   

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

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

10 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。

11 disapproval   

n.反对，不赞成

参考例句：

• The teacher made an outward show of disapproval.老师表面上表示不同意。
• They shouted their disapproval.他们喊叫表示反对。

12 demolish   

v.拆毁(建筑物等)，推翻(计划、制度等)

参考例句：

• They're going to demolish that old building.他们将拆毁那座旧建筑物。
• He was helping to demolish an underground garage when part of the roof collapsed.他当时正在帮忙拆除一个地下汽车库，屋顶的一部份突然倒塌。

13 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

14 giggle   

n.痴笑，咯咯地笑；v.咯咯地笑着说

参考例句：

• Both girls began to giggle.两个女孩都咯咯地笑了起来。
• All that giggle and whisper is too much for me.我受不了那些咯咯的笑声和交头接耳的样子。

15 jug   

n.(有柄，小口，可盛水等的)大壶，罐，盂

参考例句：

• He walked along with a jug poised on his head.他头上顶着一个水罐，保持着平衡往前走。
• She filled the jug with fresh water.她将水壶注满了清水。

16 truant   

n.懒惰鬼，旷课者；adj.偷懒的，旷课的，游荡的；v.偷懒，旷课

参考例句：

• I found the truant throwing stones in the river.我发现那个逃课的学生在往河里扔石子。
• Children who play truant from school are unimaginative.逃学的孩子们都缺乏想像力。

17 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。