Chapter 22 ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL!

Chapter 22 ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL!
Morgan would not let the children stay underground any longer.
'We have things to do,' he said, in his deep voice, which sounded rather hoarse¹ now. 'You will goback to the farm and telephone to the police for me. You will say 'Morgan has won' and tell them tosend a boat to the little creek² I have already told them of. There I will bring these men all the waydown the tunnel to the sea. Go now, at once. Obey me this time, boy.'
'Yes, sir,' said Julian. This man was a hero! And he had thought him a villain³! He was ready to obeyhis smallest command now. Then a thought struck him, and he turned back.
'The old woman,' he said. 'Mrs. Thomas - that man's mother. What about her? And we've locked thecaretaker up in his room!'
'You will not do anything but go to the farm and telephone,' said Morgan, sternly. 'I will doeverything there is to be done. Take Aily with you to the farm. She must not be here. Now go.'
And Julian went! He and the others took one last look round at the men, all pinioned⁴ by the dogs,lying still and panic-stricken. Then, with Aily and her lamb and dog, he led the others up the tunnelagain, and at last back into the cellars.
'I don't like leaving that old lady up there, in the tower,' said Dick.
'No. But obviously Morgan has his plans,' said Julian, who was not going to disobey orders in anyway this time. 'I expect he has arranged something with the police. We can't interfere⁵ now.
We messed things up a bit, I'm afraid.'
They climbed soberly up to the place where they had left their toboggans. It took them some time,and they were beginning to feel very hungry. But Julian wouldn't let them stop even to eat somesandwiches.
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'No,' he said. 'I've to telephone to the police as soon as ever I can. No stopping now! We'll munch⁶ oursandwiches on the way down to the farm.'
It wasn't very difficult to get out of the pot-hole, for they had left the ropes dangling⁷ down. Julian andDick helped the two girls up by pushing them, and they in turn helped to pull up the boys from thetop of the hole.
Aily scrambled⁸ up easily, swinging delightedly on a rope, and then flinging herself out of the hole.
The lamb leapt up in a miraculous⁹ manner, and Julian handed Dave to the small girl.
Timmy was hauled up in the same way as he had been let down. He had badly wanted to stay withthe other dogs - but nothing would make him leave George!
'Well, that's that,' said Julian, scrambling¹⁰ out last of all. 'Now, let's see. We could toboggan down thisslope, and half-way up our own slope. That would save a lot of time. Aily, you're to come with us tothe farm.'
'No,' said Aily.
'Yes, Aily bach,' said Julian. 'I want you to.' He took her small hand in his and she smiled her suddenlittle smile, quite content to go along with this big kind boy, even though she was afraid of goingdown to the farm for fear she should meet her mother.
'Aily good girl,' said Julian, setting the little thing on his toboggan. 'Aily shall have big piece ofchocolate at the farm!'
They tobogganed down the slope at a great speed without any mishap¹¹, and half-way up the oppositeslope. It seemed queer to be out in the dazzling daylight after the dark tunnels underground. Theiradventure below began to seem slightly unreal!
'We'll leave the toboggans at the hut,' said Julian, as they dragged them up the rest of the slope.
'Anyone thirsty? I am. I think it must be something to do with that mine - my mouth got as dry asanything as soon as we were down there.'
Everyone said the same.
'I'll run into the hut and pour out some orangeade,' said Anne. 'You stack the toboggans in their place,Ju, and just see if there's enough oil in the can out in the bunker - we'll need to fill the stove tonight.
And if there isn't enough we must bring some up with us.'
Julian gave her the key of the hut and she unlocked it and went in with George. They pouredorangeade into five cups, and drank thirstily. Their mouths were drier than they had ever been before!
Anne felt thankful that she didn't have to wait any longer for a drink.
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'I think the roof of my mouth would have stuck to my tongue!' she said, putting down her cup.
'That was lovely!'
'There's plenty of oil,' reported Julian, coming to drink his orangeade. 'My word - I needed this.
I'd not like to work down in that mine.'
They locked the hut and set off down to the farm, munching¹² their sandwiches hungrily. They tastedvery good indeed, and even Aily asked for one after another. Timmy had his share, and once theymissed him, and had to stop and call him.
'Has he lost his bit of meat in the snow?' wondered Anne. But no - he, like the rest of them, wassuffering from a very dry mouth and was busy licking the snow, letting it melt in his mouth andtrickle down his dry throat!
Mrs. Jones was most surprised to see them. When she heard Julian's request to telephone to thepolice, she looked worried.
'It's all right, Mrs. Jones,' said Julian, comfortingly. 'It's a message to them from Morgan.
Everything is fine. We'll tell you what's happened as soon as he comes home. He might not like us tosay anything till then!'
The police did not seem at all surprised to hear Julian's message - they appeared to be expecting it!
'We will see to the matter,' said the sergeant¹³, in his deep, stolid¹⁴ voice. 'Thank you.' And he rang off atonce. Julian wondered what would happen next - what had Morgan arranged?
They were pleased to see Mrs. Jones bringing in bowls of hot chicken soup, as they sat talking roundthe wood fire she had hurriedly lighted in the living-room.
'Oh! Just what we feel like!' said Anne, gratefully. 'I'm still awfully¹⁵ thirsty - aren't you, George?
And look, Timmy - there's a nice meaty bone for you! You are kind, Mrs. Jones!'
'You know - I feel pretty awful about all this now,' said Julian. 'We shouldn't have interfered¹⁶ afterMorgan said we weren't to. I wish we hadn't. He can't think much of us!'
'I vote we all apologise humbly,' said Dick. 'How could we have thought he was the villain of thepiece? I know he's dour¹⁷ and silent - but he didn't look mean or cruel.'
'We'd better stay down here at the farm till Morgan comes back,' said George. 'Quite apart fromwanting to say I'm sorry, I'd like to know what happened!'
'So would I,' said Anne. 'And Aily ought to wait for her father. He'll want to know that she's safe.'
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So they asked Mrs. Jones if they could stay till Morgan came home. She was delighted.
'Of course, now,' she said. 'We've a roasting turkey today - and you shall come and sup with us in ourroom for a change!'
This all sounded rather good. The children gathered round their fire to talk, and Timmy rested hishead on George's knee. She looked at his neck.
'That man almost choked him,' she said. 'Oh look, Julian - he's bruised¹⁸ all round his poor neck!'
'Now don't start moaning over Timmy's neck again, for goodness' sake!' said Dick. 'Honestly,George, I'm sure Tim thinks the adventure was worth a bruised neck! He's not grumbling¹⁹. He wasjolly brave, I think - and didn't he enjoy himself when the other dogs rushed into the cave, and hejoined in the fight!'
'I wonder what they'll do about that poor old woman,' said Anne. 'She will be glad her son is alive, Isuppose - but what a shock for her to know he's lied to her, and sold what is really hers -that strange metal under the hill!'
'Well - I imagine it won't be allowed to be sold now,' said Julian. 'What a plan that was! To get menup that tunnel to mine the stuff - and to send it down by rafts to waiting ships, hidden in that creek.
We ought to go down and examine the creek - it would be interesting to see what sort of a place it isdown there. It must be well hidden in a fold of the cliff, I should think.'
'Yes - let's do that tomorrow,' said George, thrilled. 'I vote we stay here tonight. I feel tired after suchan adventure! Don't you?'
'I do a bit,' said Julian. 'Well - I suppose there won't be quite so much shuddering²¹ and shimmeringand rumbling²⁰ now! Funny that that hill should always have been so queer, isn't it -'ploughs that will not plough, spades that will not dig!' Must be some kind of iron, I suppose, thatmagnetises things. Oh well - it's all beyond me!'
Morgan came back with the shepherd when it was dark. Julian went straight up to the burly farmer.
'We want to apologise for being such idiots,' he said. 'We shouldn't have interfered after what yousaid.'
Morgan gave a broad smile. He seemed to be in a very good humour indeed.
'Forget it, boy,' he said. 'All's well now. The police came up the river tunnel, and all the men are safein jail. Llewellyn Thomas is a sad man tonight. His mother is free and is staying with friends 100- poor lady, she doesn't understand what has happened, and that is as well. And maybe now the rightpeople will get that strange metal - it's worth a hundred times its weight in gold!'
'Come you in to your supper, Morgan bach, and shepherd too!' said Mrs. Jones, in her lilting voice.
'The children too are coming. We've a roasting turkey - it's your birthday, Morgan boy!'
'Well there now, I didn't know it!' said Morgan and gave his mother such a hug that she squealed²².
'Let's go in to the turkey. I've had nothing all day.'
Soon they were all sitting down before the most enormous turkey that the children had ever seen intheir lives! Morgan carved it swiftly. Then he said something to his mother in Welsh and she smiledand nodded.
'Yes, you do that,' she said.
Morgan collected some slices of turkey on a big enamel²³ dish, and then went to the door that led fromthe living-room into the farmyard. He roared loudly and the children jumped. What a voice!
'DAI! TANG! BOB! DOON! JOLL! RAFE! HAL!'
'He's calling the dogs,' said Anne. 'Just as he called them up the tunnel. Well - they certainly deservea good dinner!'
Then down to the door came the seven dogs, jostling each other, barking excitedly. Morgan threwthem the slices of turkey, and they gobbled the tasty bits up greedily.
'Woof!' said Timmy politely from behind him, and Morgan turned. He solemnly cut a big slice and alittle slice.
'Here!' he said to Timmy and Dave. 'You did well too! Catch!'
'There'll not be much left of your birthday turkey!' said his mother, half-cross, half-amused. 'Now fillyour glasses again, children, and we will drink to my Morgan - a better son there never was!'
Anne poured home-made lemonade into the empty glasses, while Morgan sat and smiled, listening tohis seven dogs still barking together outside.
'Happy birthday, happy birthday!' shouted everyone, raising their glasses, and Julian added his ownfew words.
'Happy birthday, sir - and may your voice NEVER grow less!'
THE END

1 hoarse   

adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的

参考例句：

• He asked me a question in a hoarse voice.他用嘶哑的声音问了我一个问题。
• He was too excited and roared himself hoarse.他过于激动，嗓子都喊哑了。

2 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

3 villain   

n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因

参考例句：

• He was cast as the villain in the play.他在戏里扮演反面角色。
• The man who played the villain acted very well.扮演恶棍的那个男演员演得很好。

4 pinioned   

v.抓住[捆住]（双臂）( pinion的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His arms were pinioned to his sides. 他的双臂被绑在身体两侧。
• Pinioned by the press of men around them, they were unable to move. 周围的人群挤压着他们，使他们动弹不得。 来自辞典例句

5 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

6 munch   

v.用力嚼，大声咀嚼

参考例句：

• We watched her munch through two packets of peanuts.我们看她津津有味地嚼了两包花生米。
• Getting them to munch on vegetable dishes was more difficult.使他们吃素菜就比较困难了。

7 dangling   

悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口

参考例句：

• The tooth hung dangling by the bedpost, now. 结果，那颗牙就晃来晃去吊在床柱上了。
• The children sat on the high wall,their legs dangling. 孩子们坐在一堵高墙上，摇晃着他们的双腿。

8 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》

9 miraculous   

adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的

参考例句：

• The wounded man made a miraculous recovery.伤员奇迹般地痊愈了。
• They won a miraculous victory over much stronger enemy.他们战胜了远比自己强大的敌人，赢得了非凡的胜利。

10 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》

11 mishap   

n.不幸的事，不幸；灾祸

参考例句：

• I'm afraid your son had a slight mishap in the playground.不好了，你儿子在操场上出了点小意外。
• We reached home without mishap.我们平安地回到了家。

12 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

13 sergeant   

n.警官，中士

参考例句：

• His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
• How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？

14 stolid   

adj.无动于衷的，感情麻木的

参考例句：

• Her face showed nothing but stolid indifference.她的脸上毫无表情，只有麻木的无动于衷。
• He conceals his feelings behind a rather stolid manner.他装作无动于衷的样子以掩盖自己的感情。

15 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。

16 interfered   

v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉

参考例句：

• Complete absorption in sports interfered with his studies. 专注于运动妨碍了他的学业。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I am not going to be interfered with. 我不想别人干扰我的事情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 dour   

adj.冷酷的，严厉的；（岩石）嶙峋的；顽强不屈

参考例句：

• They were exposed to dour resistance.他们遭受到顽强的抵抗。
• She always pretends to be dour,in fact,she's not.她总表现的不爱讲话，事实却相反。

18 bruised   

[医]青肿的，瘀紫的

参考例句：

• his bruised and bloodied nose 他沾满血的青肿的鼻子
• She had slipped and badly bruised her face. 她滑了一跤，摔得鼻青脸肿。

19 grumbling   

adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的

参考例句：

• She's always grumbling to me about how badly she's treated at work. 她总是向我抱怨她在工作中如何受亏待。
• We didn't hear any grumbling about the food. 我们没听到过对食物的抱怨。

20 rumbling   

n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词

参考例句：

• The earthquake began with a deep [low] rumbling sound. 地震开始时发出低沉的隆隆声。
• The crane made rumbling sound. 吊车发出隆隆的响声。

21 shuddering   

v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动

参考例句：

• 'I am afraid of it,'she answered, shuddering. “我害怕，”她发着抖，说。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
• She drew a deep shuddering breath. 她不由得打了个寒噤，深深吸了口气。 来自飘（部分）

22 squealed   

v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He squealed the words out. 他吼叫着说出那些话。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The brakes of the car squealed. 汽车的刹车发出吱吱声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

23 enamel   

n.珐琅，搪瓷，瓷釉；(牙齿的)珐琅质

参考例句：

• I chipped the enamel on my front tooth when I fell over.我跌倒时门牙的珐琅质碰碎了。
• He collected coloured enamel bowls from Yugoslavia.他藏有来自南斯拉夫的彩色搪瓷碗。