Chapter 2 PLANS FOR THE FIVE

Chapter 2 PLANS FOR THE FIVE
George was still looking upset. What with her fears that Timmy might be ill or hurt, and now herdistress at Joan being carried off in the ambulance, she wasn't much help to anyone.
'Do stop, sniffing¹, George,' said Anne. 'We've just got to be sensible and think of some way out ofthis.'
'I'm going to find Mother,' said George. 'I don't care if she's in quarantine or not.'
6'Oh no, you're not,' said Julian, taking her firmly by the arm. 'You jolly well know what quarantinemeans. When you had whooping-cough you weren't allowed to come near any of us, in case wecaught it too. You were infectious, and that meant that you didn't have close contact with anybody forat least a few weeks. I think it's only two weeks for scarlet³ fever, so it won't be too bad.'
George went on sniffing, trying to pull away from Julian's hand. Julian winked⁴ at Dick, and saidsomething that made George pull herself together at once.
'Well, REALLY, George!' he said. 'You're acting⁵ just like a weepy girl. Poor Georgina! Poor little oldGeorgina!'
George stopped sniffing immediately and glared at Julian in fury. If there was one thing she reallyhated it was to be told she was acting like a silly girl! And how awful to be called by her real name,Georgina! She gave Julian a hefty punch, and he grinned at her, warding⁶ her off.
'That's better,' he said. 'Cheer up! Just look at Timmy staring at you in amazement⁷. He's hardly everheard you crying before.'
'I'm NOT crying!' said George. 'I'm - well, I'm upset about Joan. And it's awful to have nowhere togo.'
'I can hear Aunt Fanny telephoning,' said Anne, who had very sharp ears. She fondled Timmy's head,and he licked her hand. He had already given everyone a wonderful welcome, whining⁸ with pleasure,and licking lavishly⁹. He had been mad with joy to see George again, and was surprised and sad tofind her looking so miserable¹⁰ now. Dear Timmy - he certainly belonged to the Five!
'Let's sit down and wait for Aunt Fanny,' said Julian, settling himself on the grass. 'We look a bit sillystanding staring at Kirrin Cottage like this. Aunt Fanny will come to the window in a minute. She issure to have thought of a good idea for us. TIMMY! I shan't stay sitting down for long if you keeplicking my neck like that. I shall send you for a towel in a minute, so that I can wipe it dry! '
The little joke made everyone feel better. They were all sitting on the grass now, and Timmy wentlovingly from one to the other. All his family back again - it was too good to be true! He settled downat last, his head on George's knee, George's hand caressing¹² his ears.
'Aunt Fanny's put down the telephone,' said Anne. 'Now she'll come to the window.'
'You've got ears like a dog - just as good as Timmy's,' said Dick. 'I couldn't hear a thing!'
7'Here's Mother!' said George, and leapt to her feet as Mrs. Kirrin came to the window and leaned out.
'It's all right, dears,' she called. 'I've been able to arrange something for you. I have been telephoningthe scientist that your father has been working with, George - Professor Hayling. He was coming herefor a day or two, and when I told him he couldn't because we're in quarantine, he at once said thatyou must all go there - and that Tinker, his son - you remember him, don't you - would be delightedto have your company!'
'Tinker! Goodness, yes, I shall never forget him - or his monkey either!' said Julian. 'He's the boywho owns that old lighthouse at Demon's Rocks, isn't he? We went to stay there with him, and had amarvellous time.'
'Well - you're not staying at the lighthouse, I'm afraid,' said his aunt, from the window.
'Apparently¹³ a storm blew up one night and damaged it, and it's not safe to live in any more.'
Groans¹⁴ from all the Five, of course, Timmy joining in as usual! 'Where are we to go then? ToTinker's home?' asked Dick.
'Yes. You can get a bus from here, at Little Hollow, that will take you almost to Big Hollow, whereProfessor Hayling lives,' said Aunt Fanny. 'You're to go today. I'm so very sorry about this, dears, butit's just one of those things we have to put up with. I'm sure you'll have a good time with Tinker, andthat monkey of his. What was it called now?'
'Mischief,' said everyone together, and Anne smiled in delight to think of being with the naughty littlecreature, and watching its wicked ways.
'The bus will pass in ten minutes,' said her aunt. 'Julian, if you can't manage to get your things on thebus, ask the gardener over the way to help you. And have a good time, dears, and send me a card ortwo. I'll let you know how we get on - but I really don't think that either your uncle or I will catchscarlet fever, so don't worry. And I'll send you some money to spend. You'd better run for the busnow.'
'Right, Aunt Fanny, and thank you!' called Julian. 'I'll look after everyone and keep them in order- especially old George. Don't worry at all - and I DO hope you or uncle don't go down with thefever. Good-bye.'
They all went to the front gate where the luggage still stood. 'Anne, go out into the road and stop thebus when it comes,' ordered Julian. 'Then Dick and I will heave our bags aboard. Gosh, I 8wonder what it will be like with old Tinker at Big Hollow. I've a feeling it might be rather exciting!'
'I don't think so,' said George, mournfully. 'I like Tinker all right - he's funny - and that little monkeyis a darling - such a naughty little thing too. But oh dear, don't you remember what it was like whenTinker's father came to stay with us? It was awful! He never remembered to come to meals, and wasalways losing his coat or his hanky or his money, and losing his temper too. I got very tired of him.'
'Well, he'll probably get very tired of us!' said Julian. He won't find it very funny to have four kidsparked on him, especially if he's in the middle of difficult work - to say nothing of a rather large,licky dog leaping round the house as well.'
'Timmy isn't likely to lick him,' said George, at once, and put on one of her scowls¹⁵. 'I didn't likeTinker's father at all.'
'Well, don't look like a thunderstorm,' said Julian. 'I don't expect he'll like any of us either. But it'sdecent of him to give us an invitation to stay at Big Hollow, and we're jolly well going to behaveourselves, see? There's to be no back-chat from you, George - even if he dares to disapprove¹⁶ ofTimmy!'
'He'd better not,' said George. 'In fact, I've a good mind not to go. I think I'll live in the summerhousewith Timmy, at the bottom of the garden!'
'You will NOT!' said Julian, taking firm hold of her arm. 'You'll play fair, come with us, and behaveproperly! Listen, there's the bus. Come on, we'll all wave, and hope the driver has a few empty seats.'
Anne had already stopped the bus, and run round to the back of it to ask the conductor if he couldhelp with the bags. He knew the children very well, and leapt down at once.
'You're going back to school pretty quick!' he said. 'I thought the schools had only just broken up.'
'They have,' said Julian, 'but we're off to stay at Big Hollow. The bus goes there, doesn't it?'
'Yes, we go right through the village of Big Hollow,' said the conductor, carrying three bags at once,much to Julian's envy. 'Whereabouts are you staying there?'
'At Professor Hayling's house,' said Julian. 'I think that's called Big Hollow too, like the village.'
'Ah, we pass it,' said the conductor, 'I'll stop the bus just outside and give you a hand with your thingsagain. My word - you'll have to mind your p's and q's there - old Professor Hayling's a bit 9peculiar, you know. Goes off the handle properly if things don't go his way! Once a horse got into hisgarden and believe it or not he chased that horse for two miles, shouting at it all the way.
And bless me, when he got back home, tired out, there was that horse, chewing up his garden again.
The horse was cute - he'd taken a short cut back. Yes - you be careful how you behave at Big Hollow.
The old man might get cross and pop you into one of his queer machines and grind you up into littlepieces!'
The four children laughed. 'Oh, the old Professor is all right,' said Julian. 'A bit forgetful, like mostpeople who work with their brains all the time. My brain goes fairly slowly - but my Uncle Quentin'sgoes about a hundred miles an hour, and I bet the Professor's does too! We'll be all right!'
Away went the bus, bumping over the road from Kirrin and Little Hollow, and on to Big Hollow.
The four children gazed out of the windows as they passed alongside the shore, where the sea shoneas blue as cornflowers, and once more saw Kirrin Island out in the big bay.
'Wish we were going there!' sighed George. 'We'll have to take a picnic meal there sometime, andenjoy ourselves. I'd like old Tinker to visit my island. He may have a lighthouse of his own, buthaving an island is MUCH better!'
'I think I agree with you,' said Julian. 'Tinker's lighthouse is certainly lovely and all on its own, andthe view from it is amazing - but there's something about Kirrin Island that I love. Islands are quitedifferent from anything else!'
'Yes. They are,' said Anne. 'I'd like one too. A very little one, so that I could see all round it at oneglance. And I'd like one little cave to sleep in - just big enough for me.'
'You'd soon be lonely, Anne,' said Dick, giving his sister a friendly pat. 'You love to have peopleround you, you like to be friendly!'
'So does Timmy!' said Julian, as Timmy left his place by George's knee and went to sniff² at a net-bagheld by an old man, who at once fondled the big dog, and fumbled¹⁷ for a biscuit out of a paper bag.
'Timmy doesn't mind how many people there are around, so long as one or two of them has a biscuitor a bone to hand out!'
'Come to heel, Timmy,' said George. 'You're not to go round begging, telling people you are half-starved! I should think you eat more than any other dog in Kirrin. Who eats the cat's dinner wheneverhe can, I should like to know?'
10
Timmy gave George a loving lick and settled down beside her, his head on her shoes. He got uppolitely every time someone entered or left the bus. The conductor was most impressed.
'I wish all dogs were as good on my bus as yours,' he told George. 'You'd better get ready to jumpout. Our next stop is supposed to be a little way beyond Big Hollow, but I'll ring my bell, and thedriver will stop for a moment, and you can get out.'
'Thanks awfully,' said Julian, gratefully, and when the bus stopped with a jerk a minute later, all theFive were ready to jump out.
The bus went on, and left them standing¹¹ outside a large wooden gate. The drive from it led steeplydownwards, and a large house could just be seen hidden in a hollow by great trees.
'Big Hollow!' said Julian. 'Well - here we are. What a queer place - sort of mysterious and brooding.
Now to find old Tinker! I bet he'll be pleased to see us all, especially Timmy! Help me with the bags,Dick!'

1 sniffing   

n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；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：

• We all had colds and couldn't stop sniffing and sneezing. 我们都感冒了，一个劲地抽鼻子，打喷嚏。
• They all had colds and were sniffing and sneezing. 他们都伤风了，呼呼喘气而且打喷嚏。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

2 sniff   

vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视

参考例句：

• The police used dogs to sniff out the criminals in their hiding - place.警察使用警犬查出了罪犯的藏身地点。
• When Munchie meets a dog on the beach, they sniff each other for a while.当麦奇在海滩上碰到另一条狗的时候，他们会彼此嗅一会儿。

3 scarlet   

n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的

参考例句：

• The scarlet leaves of the maples contrast well with the dark green of the pines.深红的枫叶和暗绿的松树形成了明显的对比。
• The glowing clouds are growing slowly pale,scarlet,bright red,and then light red.天空的霞光渐渐地淡下去了，深红的颜色变成了绯红，绯红又变为浅红。

4 winked   

v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮

参考例句：

• He winked at her and she knew he was thinking the same thing that she was. 他冲她眨了眨眼，她便知道他的想法和她一样。
• He winked his eyes at her and left the classroom. 他向她眨巴一下眼睛走出了教室。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

6 warding   

监护，守护（ward的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• Magina channels a powerful warding magic damping the negative effects of spells. 敌法师用守护魔法来抵御负面法术的攻击。
• Indeed, warding off disruption is the principal property of complex systems. 的确，避免破损解体是复杂系统主要的属性。

7 amazement   

n.惊奇，惊讶

参考例句：

• All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
• He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

8 whining   

n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚

参考例句：

• That's the way with you whining, puny, pitiful players. 你们这种又爱哭、又软弱、又可怜的赌棍就是这样。
• The dog sat outside the door whining (to be let in). 那条狗坐在门外狺狺叫着（要进来）。

9 lavishly   

adv.慷慨地，大方地

参考例句：

• His house was lavishly adorned.他的屋子装饰得很华丽。
• The book is lavishly illustrated in full colour.这本书里有大量全彩插图。

10 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。

11 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

12 caressing   

爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的

参考例句：

• The spring wind is gentle and caressing. 春风和畅。
• He sat silent still caressing Tartar, who slobbered with exceeding affection. 他不声不响地坐在那里，不断抚摸着鞑靼，它由于获得超常的爱抚而不淌口水。

13 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。

14 groans   

n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦

参考例句：

• There were loud groans when he started to sing. 他刚开始歌唱时有人发出了很大的嘘声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It was a weird old house, full of creaks and groans. 这是所神秘而可怕的旧宅，到处嘎吱嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 scowls   

不悦之色，怒容( scowl的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• All my attempts to amuse the children were met with sullen scowls. 我想尽办法哄这些孩子玩儿，但是他们总是满脸不高兴。
• Frowns, scowls and grimaces all push people away -- but a smile draws them in. 1. 愁眉苦脸只会把人推开，而微笑却把人吸引过来。

16 disapprove   

v.不赞成，不同意，不批准

参考例句：

• I quite disapprove of his behaviour.我很不赞同他的行为。
• She wants to train for the theatre but her parents disapprove.她想训练自己做戏剧演员，但她的父母不赞成。

17 fumbled   

（笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下

参考例句：

• She fumbled in her pocket for a handkerchief. 她在她口袋里胡乱摸找手帕。
• He fumbled about in his pockets for the ticket. 他（瞎）摸着衣兜找票。