Down in the village of Demon's Rocks that night, people drew their curtains, made up their fires, andsat down in their arm-chairs. They were thankful not to be out in the wind and the rain.
Old Jeremiah Boogle was lighting1 his pipe, sitting by his own roaring fire, when he heard a soundthat made him drop the flaring2 match, and listen in amazement3.
BOOOOOOM! BOOOOOOM!
'A bell! A bell I've not heard for nigh on forty years!' said old Jeremiah, standing4 up, hardly able tobelieve his ears. 'No - it can't be the light-house bell. That's been gone for many a day!'
BOOOOOOOOM!
Jeremiah went to his window and pulled aside the old curtain. He stared out - and could not believehis eyes! He gave a yell. MILLIE! Come look here! Light-house lamp is shining out!
MILLIE! Where's that granddaughter of mine? MILLIE!'
'What is it, Grandad, now?' said a plump little woman, bustling5 in.
'Look, Millie - am I seeing right - ain't that the light-house lamp a-shining there?' said Jeremiah.
'Well - there's a bright light shining out there high above Demon's Rocks,' said Millie. 'But I never inmy life saw the light-house lamp shining out before! And what's that booming noise, Grandfather -like a wonderful great bell?'
'That's the old bell in the light-house!' said Jeremiah. 'I couldn't mistake that! Many's the time I heardit booming out to warn ships off them Demon's Rocks in the old days. Millie, it can't be!
It don't hang there no more. And the light don't shine no more. What's happening?'
'I dunno, Grandad,' said Millie, scared. 'Ain't no one in the light-house, far as I know!'
Old Jeremiah smacked6 his hand down on the window-sill, knocking over a plant-pot. 'There are folkthere - three boys and two girls, and a monkey too - and a dog as well!'
'Well, there now!' said Millie. 'And what would they be there for? Did they set the lamp agoing andsound that bell? BOOOOOM - there it goes again - enough to wake all the babies in Demon's RocksVillage!'
Millie was right. It did wake all the babies, and the children - and amazed every man and woman inthe place, including Ebenezer and Jacob. They had leapt to their feet when they had 91heard the bell, and were astounded7 to see the great light shining out steadily8 in the night.
They heard people hurrying by their cottage, on their way to Demon's Rocks jetty. They heardJeremiah's big voice booming out too. 'It's they children up there in the light-house, a-banging thatbell, and setting that light a-shining. Something's wrong! It's help they're needing, folks!
Something's wrong!'
Ebenezer and Jacob knew quite well what was wrong! The children were locked in the lighthouseand couldn't get out! They might be ill or hurt - or starving - but they couldn't get out to fetch help.
And now the whole village was aroused, and when the morning came, a boat would bob out on thegreat waves and find out what had happened!
Ebby and Jacob disappeared that night! It wasn't Constable9 Sharp they feared - it was the people ofthe village! They slipped away in the dark and the rain, and were gone. But you'll be caught, Ebby,you'll be caught, Jacob! And no one will be sorry for you. No one at all!
When daylight came, there were many people on the jetty, ready to go across to the light-house.
The wind was so rough that great waves still rolled over the rocks on which the light-house stood.
Soon a boat was launched, and Jeremiah, Constable Sharp and the village doctor went across, theboat careering from side to side like a mad thing, as the waves caught it.
They went up the steps to the light-house and banged at the door - and from the other side cameJulian's glad voice. 'You'll have to break down the door. Ebby or Jacob locked us in and took the key.
We can't get out, and we're running short of food!'
'Right. Stand back,' shouted Jeremiah. 'Constable and I are going to break in!'
Jeremiah was old but he was still hefty, and Constable Sharp was heftier still. The lock suddenlysplintered under their enormous shoves, and the door flew wide open! Jeremiah and the policemanshot inside and bumped into Julian and the rest, sending them flying. Timmy barked in astonishmentand Mischief10 fled up the stairway!
Soon they were all in the living-room, and Julian was pouring out his story. Anne made tea andhanded round steaming cups. Jeremiah listened open-mouthed, and the policeman busily took notes.
The doctor, glad that no one was ill or hurt, sipped11 his tea and listened, too.
'We didn't know how to get out when we were locked in,' said Julian, coming to the end of his longstory. 'So in the end we lighted the old lamp, and hung up the old bell, and struck it with the hammer.
I could hardly stand in the gallery, though, there was such a wind! I struck it for half an hour, andthen my brother here went on till he felt too cold. The lamp didn't burn all 92night - it went out early this morning.'
'But both bell and light did their job well, son,' said Jeremiah, looking twenty years younger, he wasso excited. 'Ah, to think that old lamp shone again, and that old bell sounded - I thought I must bedreaming!'
'We'll be after that Ebenezer and Jacob,' said the policeman, shutting his notebook. 'And it seems tome you'd all best go home, young sir. This weather's going on for a bit - and there's nothing to keepyou here, is there?'
'Well,' said Julian, 'actually there is something to keep us here. You know the old wreckers' losttreasure you told us about, Jeremiah? Well - we've found it!'
Jeremiah was so astounded that he couldn't say a word! He goggled12 at Julian, and opened and shut hismouth like a fish. Julian took some golden coins out of his pocket and showed them to the policemanand the doctor, and to Jeremiah.
'There you are!' he said. 'We know where there are thousands of these - they are in iron-bound boxesand chests down in one of the tunnels in the rock. What do you think of that? We can't leave here tillwe've given the treasure into the hands of the police! It belongs to the Crown, doesn't it?'
'Yes, it does,' said Constable Sharp, gazing at the bright gold coins. 'But you'll get a fine reward,young man - all of you will! Where's this treasure? I'd better get it straight away.'
'Well - you have to go down the foundation shaft13 of the light-house,' said Julian, gravely, but with atwinkle in his eye, 'and crawl under the archway at the bottom, and then make your way down thetunnel - but be careful the sea doesn't catch you - and then when you come to...'
The policeman stopped scribbling14 down what Julian was saying, and looked startled. Julian laughed.
'It's all right - Dick and I will fetch it ourselves today, and give it to you, complete with every singlegold coin,' he said. 'We don't need to go down the shaft - there's another way in - the way you tookus, Jeremiah. We'll go this morning, for a last excitement. And then - home! Perhaps you wouldkindly telephone to Kirrin Garage for a car to fetch us at twelve o'clock, Constable?'
'Oh good!' said Anne. 'An adventure is always exciting but I've really had enough at the moment!
This was such a bad-weather one! Oh, Constable, look out - that monkey has pulled out your whistle!'
So he had - and what is more he blew it - PHEEEEEEEEEE. Jeremiah almost jumped out of his 93skin, and Mischief received a slap that almost made him jump out of his skin too!
'Good-bye, Jeremiah,' said Julian. 'It's been fine meeting you - and thanks for coming to rescue us.
We'll see you again some day. Come along Constable - we'll go and find the treasure with you now.'
'I don't think I'll come,' said Anne, who really didn't like dark, smelly tunnels and caves. 'I'll do thepacking.'
'Timmy and I will help you,' said George, who knew that Anne wouldn't like to be left alone in thelight-house.
The boys went off with Jeremiah, the doctor and Constable Sharp, rowing over the rocks to the jetty.
The doctor and Jeremiah said good-bye at the jetty, and the three boys and Mischief took ConstableSharp to find the treasure. They had to push their way through quite a crowd of people, who hadcollected on the quay15, anxious to know why the light had shone out from the light-house in the night,and why the bell had sounded.
'Make way, please,' said the policeman, politely. 'Everything is all right. These children were lockedin the light-house and couldn't get out. Make way, please. There is no need for any excitement!'
'No - that's all over now - isn't it, Ju?' said Dick. 'Whew - it was just a bit too exciting, at times! I shallbe quite glad to be at Kirrin Cottage again, with peace and quiet all around us.'
'You've forgotten that Uncle Quentin and his friend will still be there,' said Julian, with a grin.
'There'll be plenty going on while they're around! I'm afraid they won't be at all pleased to see usback!'
Oh yes they will, Julian - especially when they hear the exciting story you have to tell! You'll havesome fun showing round a gold coin or two. Timmy is to have one hung on his collar, as a reward forguarding you so well - how proud he will be!
Well, good-bye to you all! Good-bye, Julian, and Dick, and a good journey home! Good-bye, Anneand George - and Tinker too, and Mischief, you funny little monkey!
And good-bye, dear old Timmy, best of friends. How we wish we had a dog like you! See you allagain some day!
THE END
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收听单词发音
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1
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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2
flaring
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| a.火焰摇曳的，过份艳丽的 | |
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3
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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4
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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bustling
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| adj.喧闹的 | |
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smacked
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| 拍，打，掴( smack的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
astounded
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| v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶 | |
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8
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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9
constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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10
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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11
sipped
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12
goggled
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| adj.戴护目镜的v.睁大眼睛瞪视， （惊讶的）转动眼珠( goggle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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14
scribbling
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| n.乱涂[写]胡[乱]写的文章[作品]v.潦草的书写( scribble的现在分词 )；乱画；草草地写；匆匆记下 | |
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quay
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| n.码头，靠岸处 | |
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