Chapter 15 JULIAN HAS AN EXCITING PLAN

Chapter 15 JULIAN HAS AN EXCITING PLAN
The five children talked and talked, as they opened more tins and had a most peculiar¹ meal of hamspread with fruit salad and beans. They finished up with another barley² sugar each. George gave hersto Timmy who disposed of it with a crick-crack-swallow!
'Have we all got torches?' asked Julian. 'I know it will be bright moonlight tonight, but as we shallpresumably be getting down - or up - dark caves, we shall want torches.'
Yes - they each had a torch. Wilfrid, for some reason, had two, rather small, but quite efficient.
'What's the plan going to be, Ju?' asked George, and Timmy gave a little whine³, as if to say, 'Yes, tellus.' He sat by George, listening earnestly, with Wilfrid on the other side of him. At times he sniffed⁴ atthe baby hedgehog still in the boy's pocket, and apparently⁵ quite happy there. Wilfrid had been busycatching insects for it, much to Timmy's interest.
'I propose that we go to the cliffs - the Wailing⁶ Cliffs - as soon as it's twilight⁷, and make our waydown,' said Julian. 'There is probably some kind of pathway down, I should think - even if only arabbit-path. I'll lead the way down, of course. Anne and Wilfrid are to come between me and Dick,with George and Timmy behind.'
'Right!' said everyone.
'We are, of course, to make as little noise as possible,' said Julian. 'And do try not to send stoneshurtling down the path or cliff just in case anyone's about! When we get down to the rocks, we'll letWilfrid go ahead, because he saw where the men went in and out earlier on.'
Wilfrid felt suddenly important. My word - it was like planning an exploration! He suddenlyremembered something - the wailing noise.
'I hope the girls won't be scared when they hear the awful wailing noise,' he said. 'It's only the windscreaming in and out of the holes and corners of the great cliffs.'
George made a scornful noise. 'Who's scared of the wind!' she said.
'Timmy might be,' said Julian, smiling. 'We know what makes the wailing. He doesn't! You may haveto hold him when it begins, George. He'll be a bit restive⁸.'
'He won't!' said George. 'Timmy's not afraid of anything in the world!'
'Oh yes, he is,' said Dick, at once. 'I know something that scares him dreadfully - makes him put histail down and flop⁹ his ears.'
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'You do not!' said George, angrily.
'Well, haven't you seen him when you speak sharply to him?' said Dick, with a chuckle¹⁰. 'He goes allshaky in the legs!'
Everyone laughed except George. 'He does not,' she said. 'Nothing scares Timmy, not even me.
So shut up, Dick.'
'It may be that it would be best for only one or two of us to go right into the depths of the caves,'
went on Julian. 'If so, the rest must wait in hiding. Just keep on the look-out for any signal from me. Idon't expect we shall see a soul down there tonight, but you never know. If there is a way through thecliffs to that underground chamber¹¹ where we saw the golden statues, we shall be in real luck. Weshall then be absolutely certain how things can be taken in and out.'
'Taken in? But I thought they had been there for ages,' said Dick, 'and were probably only taken outto sell. Smuggled¹² out.'
'Well, I think it may be more than that,' said Julian. 'It might even be a central clearing-ground for agreat gang of high-class thieves, who would hide valuable stolen goods there till it was safe to sellthem. However, that's only guessing!'
'I think somebody's discovered the underground chamber, full of that rich old man's treasures, and istaking them out bit by bit,' said Dick. 'Anyway, whatever it is, it's awfully¹³ exciting. To think weknow so much!'
'All because we went down the well to get some water!' said Anne.
'Put on your sweaters,' said Julian. 'It may be freezing cold in the wind that rages round those cliffs!'
'I'm longing¹⁴ to start!' said George. 'It's an adventure, this - do you hear that, Timmy? An adventure!'
'Anything more, Julian?' asked Anne. Julian always sounded so very grown-up when he gave them aplan of campaign. She felt very proud of him.
'That's the lot,' said Julian, 'except that we'll have some sort of a meal before we go this evening.
Wilfrid will have to lead the way for us, as he's the only one who knows it - but when we come to thecliff, I'll lead you down. Can't have anyone missing a footstep and rolling headlong, frightening anyrobber or smuggler¹⁵!'
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'Do you hear that, Timmy?' said George, and Timmy whined¹⁶, and put a paw on George's knee as if tosay, 'It's a pity you haven't sure feet like mine, with rubber pads beneath, so that your footing isalways sure!'
George patted his paw. 'Yes - you've fine sure feet, Tim. I wish I could buy some like them!'
The time seemed to go very very slowly after that. Everyone was eager to start, and kept looking attheir watches! The sun left a bright glow in the sky, so they would probably start more or less indaylight, which would, however, soon fade into twilight.
They had another meal, but strangely enough, nobody felt very hungry! 'We're too excited!' saidJulian, giving Timmy a biscuit. Timmy was the only one who didn't seem at all excited. As forGeorge, she fidgeted and fidgeted until everyone was quite tired of her!
At last they started off. Wilfrid led them at first, as he knew the way. Actually he found that he didn'treally know it - it was the loud wind that guided him, just as it had done before. 'Awfully like far-offvoices shouting to one another,' he said, and everyone at once agreed.
When they came near to the cliff, the sound gradually changed into the mournful wailing noise thatgave the cliffs their name. 'EEEE-ee-OOOOO-oo-EEEEEEEEAH-OOO!'
'Not very nice,' said Anne, shivering a little. 'It sounds as if someone is crying and sobbing¹⁷ andhowling!'
'Good name for this place - Wailing Cliff,' said Dick. 'I say - what a wind up here! I'm glad my hair'smy own! It would certainly be blown off if it weren't! Hang on to old Timmy, George -he's more blowable than we are - not so heavy!'
George put her hand on Timmy's collar at once. How DREADFUL if Timmy were to be blown overthe cliff! He gave her a grateful lick. He didn't like the wind here very much - it had a truly miserablevoice!
They came to the edge of the cliff and looked down cautiously, in case anyone should be on the rocksbelow. But, except for some big gulls¹⁸ preening²⁰ their feathers there, there was no sign of life.
'No boats about - no steamer - nothing,' said Dick. 'All clear, Julian!'
Julian had been looking for a good path down the cliff. There didn't seem to be a continuous one.
'We'll have to go so far - then climb down a bit - then walk along that ledgy²¹ bit, see - then climbdown that slanting²² rock - the great big one - and get down on to the more level rocks. OKeveryone?'
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'I'll let Timmy go first,' said George. 'He is so sure-footed and will know the best way. Go on, Timmy- lead us down!'
Timmy understood at once and went in front of Julian. He took the first little path down the cliff, sliddown the next bit, walked along the ledge²³ that Julian had pointed²⁴ out, and then stood and waited foreveryone. He gave a little bark as if to say, 'Come along. It's easy! Follow me!'
They all followed, some more carefully than others. George and Wilfrid were least careful, and poorWilfrid lost his footing and slid quite a long way on his behind. He didn't like it at all, and lookedquite scared!
'Watch your feet, now, Wilfrid,' said Julian. 'It's getting a bit dark, so don't try any funny tricks.
You tried to jump over that big stone instead of stepping over carefully. I really don't want to sendTimmy down to the bottom of the cliff to pick up your pieces!'
At last they were all down the cliff, and on the rocks below. The tide was out, so that waves did notsplash up and soak them. Anne suddenly slipped into a pool and made her shoes wet, but that didn'tmatter. They were only rubber ones.
'Now - exactly where did you see those men, Wilfrid?' asked Julian, stopping on a big flat rock.
Wilfrid jumped beside him, and pointed.
'See the cliff over there? See that funny rock shaped rather like a bear? Well, that's where I saw themen. They went by that rock, and disappeared.'
'Right,' said Julian. 'Now, no more talking please - though this wailing sound would drown almostanything. Follow me!'
He went over the rocks towards the big bear- like one that Wilfrid had pointed to. The othersfollowed, a little tide of excitement welling up inside them. Anne caught hold of Wilfrid's hand, andsqueezed it. 'Exciting, isn't it?' she said, and Wilfrid nodded eagerly. He knew he would have beenscared stiff by himself - but with the others it was an adventure - a really exciting adventure!
They came to the bear-like rock. Near it was a dark place in the cliff - a way in? 'That's where themen came out, Julian,' said Wilfrid, keeping his voice low. 'Do we go in there?'
'We do,' said Julian. 'I'm going in first and I'm going to stand quite still and listen, as soon as I get thesound of the wind and sea out of my ears. If I hear nothing I'll whistle, see? Then you can all come intoo.'
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'Right!' said everyone, thrilled. They watched as Julian went to the dark slit-like opening. He pausedand looked inside. It was so dark that he knew they would all need their torches! He switched on hispowerful one and shone it into the passage. He saw a ditch that ran slanting upwards²⁵ for some way,and on either side, a rocky ledge, not too rough. Water ran down the rocky ditch and bubbled outbeside him, to join the sea over the rocks.
'I'm just going into the cliff tunnel a little way, to see if I can hear anything or anyone,' he said.
'Wait here.' He disappeared inside the dark opening and everyone waited in impatient excitement.
A gull¹⁹ suddenly swooped²⁶ down close to their heads. 'Ee-ooo, ee-ooo, EEE-OOO!' it screeched²⁷ andmade them all jump violently. Wilfrid almost fell off his rock, and clutched at George.
Timmy growled²⁸, and looked up angrily at the seagull. Silly bird, frightening everyone like that!
There came a low whistle, and Julian appeared again, his torch switched on. 'All clear,' he said. 'Ican't hear a sound inside the opening, and I've been some way along. It's not hard going. There's afunny little stream flowing down, and a ledge either side we can walk on. Very convenient!
Now, no talking please - and be careful even of your whispers - every sound seems to be magnified inhere. Keep hold of Timmy, George, in the steepest places.'
Timmy gave a little whine of surprise when George took him inside the cliff. At once his whine wasmagnified all round them, and everyone jumped. Timmy didn't like it at all.
George took firm hold of Timmy's collar. 'You're to keep close by me,' she whispered, 'and you're notto make a sound. This is an adventure, Timmy - a big adventure - and you're in it as much as any ofus. Come along!'
And there they go, all of them, climbing up the dark passage into the cliff! What will they find -what will they see? No wonder their hearts beat fast and loudly, no wonder Timmy keeps close toGeorge. An adventure? He must be on guard then - anything might happen in an adventure!

1 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

2 barley   

n.大麦，大麦粒

参考例句：

• They looked out across the fields of waving barley.他们朝田里望去,只见大麦随风摇摆。
• He cropped several acres with barley.他种了几英亩大麦。

3 whine   

v.哀号，号哭；n.哀鸣

参考例句：

• You are getting paid to think,not to whine.支付给你工资是让你思考而不是哀怨的。
• The bullet hit a rock and rocketed with a sharp whine.子弹打在一块岩石上，一声尖厉的呼啸，跳飞开去。

4 sniffed   

v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说

参考例句：

• When Jenney had stopped crying she sniffed and dried her eyes. 珍妮停止了哭泣，吸了吸鼻子，擦干了眼泪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The dog sniffed suspiciously at the stranger. 狗疑惑地嗅着那个陌生人。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

6 wailing   

v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱

参考例句：

• A police car raced past with its siren wailing. 一辆警车鸣着警报器飞驰而过。
• The little girl was wailing miserably. 那小女孩难过得号啕大哭。

7 twilight   

n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期

参考例句：

• Twilight merged into darkness.夕阳的光辉融于黑暗中。
• Twilight was sweet with the smell of lilac and freshly turned earth.薄暮充满紫丁香和新翻耕的泥土的香味。

8 restive   

adj.不安宁的，不安静的

参考例句：

• The government has done nothing to ease restrictions and manufacturers are growing restive.政府未采取任何措施放松出口限制,因此国内制造商变得焦虑不安。
• The audience grew restive.观众变得不耐烦了。

9 flop   

n.失败(者)，扑通一声；vi.笨重地行动，沉重地落下

参考例句：

• The fish gave a flop and landed back in the water.鱼扑通一声又跳回水里。
• The marketing campaign was a flop.The product didn't sell.市场宣传彻底失败，产品卖不出去。

10 chuckle   

vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑

参考例句：

• He shook his head with a soft chuckle.他轻轻地笑着摇了摇头。
• I couldn't suppress a soft chuckle at the thought of it.想到这个，我忍不住轻轻地笑起来。

11 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

12 smuggled   

水货

参考例句：

• The customs officer confiscated the smuggled goods. 海关官员没收了走私品。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Those smuggled goods have been detained by the port office. 那些走私货物被港务局扣押了。 来自互联网

13 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。

14 longing   

n.（for）渴望

参考例句：

• Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
• His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。

15 smuggler   

n.走私者

参考例句：

• The smuggler is in prison tonight, awaiting extradition to Britain. 这名走私犯今晚在监狱，等待引渡到英国。
• The smuggler was finally obliged to inform against his boss. 那个走私犯最后不得不告发他的首领。

16 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

17 sobbing   

<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的

参考例句：

• I heard a child sobbing loudly. 我听见有个孩子在呜呜地哭。
• Her eyes were red with recent sobbing. 她的眼睛因刚哭过而发红。

18 gulls   

n.鸥( gull的名词复数 )v.欺骗某人( gull的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A flock of sea gulls are hovering over the deck. 一群海鸥在甲板上空飞翔。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The gulls which haunted the outlying rocks in a prodigious number. 数不清的海鸥在遥远的岩石上栖息。 来自辞典例句

19 gull   

n.鸥；受骗的人；v.欺诈

参考例句：

• The ivory gull often follows polar bears to feed on the remains of seal kills.象牙海鸥经常跟在北极熊的后面吃剩下的海豹尸体。
• You are not supposed to gull your friends.你不应该欺骗你的朋友。

20 preening   

v.（鸟）用嘴整理（羽毛）( preen的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Will you stop preening yourself in front of the mirror? 你别对着镜子打扮个没完行不行？
• She was fading, while he was still preening himself in his elegance and youth. 她已显老，而他却仍然打扮成翩翩佳公子。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

21 ledgy   

adj.突出物很多的，有暗礁的

参考例句：

22 slanting   

倾斜的，歪斜的

参考例句：

• The rain is driving [slanting] in from the south. 南边潲雨。
• The line is slanting to the left. 这根线向左斜了。

23 ledge   

n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁

参考例句：

• They paid out the line to lower him to the ledge.他们放出绳子使他降到那块岩石的突出部分。
• Suddenly he struck his toe on a rocky ledge and fell.突然他的脚趾绊在一块突出的岩石上，摔倒了。

24 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

25 upwards   

adv.向上，在更高处...以上

参考例句：

• The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
• The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。

26 swooped   

俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The aircraft swooped down over the buildings. 飞机俯冲到那些建筑物上方。
• The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it. 鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来，并把它杀死。

27 screeched   

v.发出尖叫声( screech的过去式和过去分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫

参考例句：

• She screeched her disapproval. 她尖叫着不同意。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The car screeched to a stop. 汽车嚓的一声停住了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

28 growled   

v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说

参考例句：

• \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道：“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》