Chapter 4 JENNY HAS A VERY GOOD IDEA

Chapter 4 JENNY HAS A VERY GOOD IDEA
Tinker raced out to the kitchen to fetch a tray or two. He made a most peculiar¹ noise as he went, andfor a moment Timmy looked extremely startled.
'Goodness - don't say that Tinker still has that awful habit of pretending to be some kind of car!'
groaned² Julian. 'How on earth does his father put up with it? What's he think he is now? A motor-bicycle, by the sound of it.'
There was a sudden crash and a loud yell. The Five raced down the kitchen passage to find out whathad happened, Timmy at the front.
'Accident!' bellowed³ Tinker, scrambling⁴ up from the floor. 'I took the bend too quickly, and my frontwheel skidded⁵, and I went bang into a wall! I've bent⁶ my mudguard.'
'Tinker - do you mean to say you're still being fatheaded enough to pretend to be cars and bicyclesand tractors and lorries,' demanded Julian. 'You nearly drove us all mad, driving about all over thehouse, when you stayed with us. Have you got to be a machine of some sort?'
'Yes,' said Tinker, rubbing one of his arms. 'It sort of comes over me, and away I go. You shouldhave heard me being a lorry absolutely loaded with new cars for delivery yesterday. Dad reallythought it was a great lorry and he rushed out into the drive to send it away. But it was only me. Ihooted too - like this!'
And the sound of a loud and deep hooter immediately filled the passage! Julian shoved Tinker intothe kitchen and shut the door.
'I should have thought that your father would have been driven completely mad by now!' he said.
'Now you just shut up. Can't you grow up a bit?'
'No,' said Tinker, sullenly⁷. 'I don't want to grow up. I might be like my father and forget to eat mymeals, and go out with one sock on and one off. And I'd hate to forget my meals. Just think howawful it would be! I'd always be hungry.'
Julian couldn't help laughing. 'Pick up your tray, and help to clear away!' he said. 'And if you simplycan't HELP being a car sometimes, for goodness sake go outside! It sounds frightful⁸ in the house.
You're much too good at awful noises.'
'Oh, am I really good?' said Tinker, pleased. 'I suppose you wouldn't like to hear me being one ofthose new planes that go over here sometimes, making a queer, droning noise?'
16
'No. I WOULD NOT!' said Julian, firmly. 'Now will you PLEASE get that tray, Tinker. And tellMischief to get off my right foot. He seems to think it's a chair.'
But Mischief⁹ clung to Julian's ankle and refused to move. 'All right, all right,' said Julian. 'I shall justhave to walk about all day with you riding on my foot.'
'If you stamp as you walk, he soon gets off,' remarked Tinker.
'Why didn't you tell me that just now?' asked Julian, and stamped a few steps round the room.
Mischief leapt off his foot at once, and sat on a table, making an angry noise.
'He sits on Dad's foot for ages, even when he walks about,' said Tinker. 'But Dad doesn't even noticehim there! He even sat on Dad's head once, and Dad thought he was wearing his hat indoors and triedto take it off. But it was only Mischief there!'
That made everyone laugh. 'Now come on,' said Julian, briskly. 'We really must clear away the dinnerthings. We three boys will carry out the loaded trays and you girls can wash up. And DON'T letMischief think he can carry teapots or milk-jugs.'
Jenny was very pleased with their help. She was short and fat, and waddled¹⁰ rather than walked, butmanaged to get here and there remarkably¹¹ quickly.
'I'll show your visitors their bedrooms after we've cleared,' she said. 'But, you know, Tinker, thosemattresses we sent to be remade haven't come back yet. I've told your father a dozen times totelephone about them, but I'm sure he hasn't remembered.'
'Oh, JENNY!' said Tinker, in dismay. 'That means that the two beds for visitors can't be slept in!
What ever are we to do?'
'Well, your Dad will have to ring up for new mattresses¹² to be sent today,' said Jenny. 'Maybe theywould send them out by van.'
Tinker immediately became a furniture van and rushed down the passage, into the dining-room andback again, Mischief following him in delight. He made a noise exactly like a slow-moving van, andthe children couldn't help laughing.
The Professor shot out of his study, his hands to his ears. 'TINKER! COME HERE!'
'No thanks,' said Tinker, warily¹³. 'Sorry, Father. I was a van bringing the mattresses you forgot toorder for the beds for visitors.'
But the Professor didn't seem to hear. He advanced on Tinker, who fled upstairs with Mischiefleaping after him. Professor Hayling turned on Jenny.
'Can't you keep the children quiet? What do I pay you for?'
17
'Cleaning, cooking and washing,' she said, briskly. 'But I'm not a nurse for children, sir. That Tinkerof yours could do with half a dozen nurses, and he'd still be a nuisance to you while he was in thehouse. Why don't you let him take his tent and camp out in the field with his friends?
It's hot weather and those new mattresses haven't come, and they'd all love it. I can cook for thechildren and take them out meals - or they could come and fetch them.'
The Professor looked as if he could give Jenny a big hug. The children waited eagerly to see what hewould say. Camping out - that would be fun in this weather - and honestly, living in the same houseas the Professor wasn't going to be much fun. Timmy gave a little whine¹⁴ as if to say,'Fine idea! Let's go at once!'
'Good idea, Jenny. VERY good idea!' said Professor Hayling. 'But that monkey's to camp out too.
Then perhaps he won't jump in at my workroom window and fiddle¹⁵ about with my models!'
He marched back into his study and slammed the door so hard that the whole house shook.
Timmy was startled and gave a yelp¹⁶. Mischief the monkey leapt up the stairs, howling in fright.
Tinker began to dance round in joy, and very firmly Jenny took hold of him and propelled him intoher big, clean kitchen.
'Wait, Jenny, I've remembered something. We've only one tent, and that's mine, a small one. I'll haveto ask Dad if I can get two big ones!' And before anyone could stop him he was banging at theProfessor's door, then flung it open, and shouted out his request.
'WE WANT TWO MORE TENTS, DAD. CAN I BUY THEM?'
'For goodness sake, Tinker, clear out and leave me alone!' shouted his father. 'Buy six tents if youwant them, but GET OUT!'
'Ooh, thanks, Dad!' said Tinker, and was just slipping out of the door when his father yelled again.
'But what on earth do you want TENTS for?'
Tinker slammed the door and grinned at the others. 'I'd better buy Dad a new memory. He's only justtold us we can camp out, and he knows there's only my very small tent - almost a toy one.'
'I'm glad we shan't be in the house,' said Anne. 'I know what a nuisance it is to George's father to haveus around, playing about. We'll be better out of the way.'
'Camping out again!' said George, very pleased. 'Let's catch the bus back home and get our own tents.
I've got them all stored away in the garden shed. We can ask Jim the Carrier to fetch them, whenwe've found them.'
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'He's calling here today - I'll give him the message for you, if you like,' said Jenny. 'The sooner youget the tents, the better. It was a kind thought of the master's to ask you all here, but I just knew itwouldn't work! You'll be all right out in the fields at the back of the house - he won't hear a thing, noteven if you all yell together! So you get your tents and put them up, and I'll see what I can find in theway of ground-sheets and rugs.'
'Don't bother, Jenny,' said Julian. 'We've got all those things - we've often camped out before.'
'I only hope there aren't any cows in the fields,' said Anne. 'Last time we camped, a cow put its headinto my tent opening, and mooed. I woke up with such a jump, and I was too scared to move.'
'I don't think, there are any cows,' said Jenny, laughing. 'Now I am to get on with the washing-up, sowill you bring out the dinner things please - but don't let that monkey carry anything breakable, forgoodness sake! He tried to balance the teapot on his head last week - and that was the end of theteapot!'
Soon everyone was cleaning away with a will, and the two girls helped Jenny with the washing-up.
'I shall like camping out,' Anne told her. 'I'd be scared of staying here in the house. Professor Haylingis a bit like my Uncle Quentin, you know - forgetful, and quick-tempered and a bit shouty.'
'Oh, you don't want to be scared of him,' said Jenny, handing Anne a dish to dry. 'He's kind, for all hiscrossness, when he's upset. Why, when my mother was ill, he paid for her to go into a really goodnursing-home - and believe it or not, he gave me money to buy her fruit and flowers!'
'Oh goodness - that reminds me - we MUST send our cook, Joan, some flowers,' said George.
'She has scarlet¹⁷ fever, you know. That's why we're here.'
'Well, you go and telephone the florist,' said Jenny. 'I'll finish this job.'
But George was rather afraid that Professor Hayling might rush out to see who was using thetelephone!
'I'm sure we can buy flowers in Kirrin Village, and have them sent,' she said. 'We've got to go and getour things ready for the carrier, and I can order the flowers then. We might as well come back on ourbicycles - they'd be useful here.'
'Well, you'd better go now,' said Jenny, 'or you won't be back in time for tea, and then there'd betrouble.'
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'I'll bring back Anne's bicycle,' said Julian. 'I can easily manage it beside mine, as I ride back.'
'Look George,' said Dick, 'you needn't come. I'll order the flowers and I can bring your bike back too.
So you stay with Anne.' Reluctantly George agreed.
Off went Julian and Dick, leaving Tinker and the girls to help Jenny. But Jenny soon sent Tinker offafraid that he would drop things and break them.
'You go and be a nice, quiet, purring Rolls Royce at the bottom of the garden,' she said. 'And whenyou think you've done thirty miles or so, come back for petrol.'
'Lemonade, you mean!' said Tinker, with a grin. 'All right. I haven't been a Rolls Royce for a longtime. Dad won't hear me right at the bottom of the garden!'
Off he went, and Jenny and the girls finished the washing-up. Mischief was a nuisance and went offwith the teaspoons¹⁸. He leapt to the top of a high cupboard, and dropped them there.
Tinker suddenly put his head in at the window. 'Come on out in the field, where we're going to put upour tents,' he called to Anne and George. 'We'll choose a nice sheltered spot. Buck¹⁹ up!
You must have finished washing-up by now. I'm tired of being a Rolls Royce!'
'You go with him, Anne,' said George. 'I don't feel like it just now.'
So down the garden went the two children and out through a gate at the bottom into a big field.
'Good gracious!' said Tinker, staring. 'Look at all those caravans²⁰ coming in at the gate the other endof the field. I'll soon send them off. It's OUR field!' And away he marched to the gate in the distance.
'Come BACK, Tinker,' shouted Anne. 'You'll get into trouble if you interfere²¹. COME BACK!'
But Tinker marched on, his head held high. Ha - he'd soon tell the caravan-folk it was HIS field!

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 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》

3 bellowed   

v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫

参考例句：

• They bellowed at her to stop. 他们吼叫着让她停下。
• He bellowed with pain when the tooth was pulled out. 当牙齿被拔掉时，他痛得大叫。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 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》

5 skidded   

v.（通常指车辆） 侧滑( skid的过去式和过去分词 )；打滑；滑行；（住在）贫民区

参考例句：

• The car skidded and hit a lamp post. 那辆汽车打滑撞上了路灯杆。
• The car skidded and overturned. 汽车打滑翻倒了。

6 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

7 sullenly   

不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地

参考例句：

• 'so what?" Tom said sullenly. “那又怎么样呢？”汤姆绷着脸说。
• Emptiness after the paper, I sIt'sullenly in front of the stove. 报看完，想不出能找点什么事做，只好一人坐在火炉旁生气。

8 frightful   

adj.可怕的；讨厌的

参考例句：

• How frightful to have a husband who snores!有一个发鼾声的丈夫多讨厌啊！
• We're having frightful weather these days.这几天天气坏极了。

9 mischief   

n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹

参考例句：

• Nobody took notice of the mischief of the matter. 没有人注意到这件事情所带来的危害。
• He seems to intend mischief.看来他想捣蛋。

10 waddled   

v.（像鸭子一样）摇摇摆摆地走( waddle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A family of ducks waddled along the river bank. 一群鸭子沿河岸摇摇摆摆地走。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The stout old man waddled across the road. 那肥胖的老人一跩一跩地穿过马路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

11 remarkably   

ad.不同寻常地，相当地

参考例句：

• I thought she was remarkably restrained in the circumstances. 我认为她在那种情况下非常克制。
• He made a remarkably swift recovery. 他康复得相当快。

12 mattresses   

褥垫，床垫( mattress的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The straw mattresses are airing there. 草垫子正在那里晾着。
• The researchers tested more than 20 mattresses of various materials. 研究人员试验了二十多个不同材料的床垫。

13 warily   

adv.留心地

参考例句：

• He looked warily around him,pretending to look after Carrie.他小心地看了一下四周，假装是在照顾嘉莉。
• They were heading warily to a point in the enemy line.他们正小心翼翼地向着敌人封锁线的某一处前进。

14 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。

15 fiddle   

n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动

参考例句：

• She plays the fiddle well.她小提琴拉得好。
• Don't fiddle with the typewriter.不要摆弄那架打字机了。

16 yelp   

vi.狗吠

参考例句：

• The dog gave a yelp of pain.狗疼得叫了一声。
• The puppy a yelp when John stepped on her tail.当约翰踩到小狗的尾巴，小狗发出尖叫。

17 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。

18 teaspoons   

n.茶匙( teaspoon的名词复数 )；一茶匙的量

参考例句：

• Add two teaspoons of salt. 加两小匙盐。
• Add 3 heaped teaspoons of sugar. 加满满的三匙糖。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 buck   

n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃

参考例句：

• The boy bent curiously to the skeleton of the buck.这个男孩好奇地弯下身去看鹿的骸骨。
• The female deer attracts the buck with high-pitched sounds.雌鹿以尖声吸引雄鹿。

20 caravans   

（可供居住的）拖车（通常由机动车拖行）( caravan的名词复数 )； 篷车； （穿过沙漠地带的）旅行队（如商队）

参考例句：

• Old-fashioned gypsy caravans are painted wooden vehicles that are pulled by horses. 旧式的吉卜赛大篷车是由马拉的涂了颜色的木质车辆。
• Old-fashioned gypsy caravans are painted wooden vehicles. 旧时的吉普赛大篷车是涂了颜色的木质车辆。

21 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。