VIII WHAT RED DID

 Old dog Spot was trotting² down the road from the mill pond, carrying a bundle of somebody's clothes in his mouth. When he heard frantic³ shouts from the water, where Johnnie Green and his friends were swimming, he quickened his pace.

 

One of the swimmers was known as "Red." And it was a favorite trick of his to tie hard knots in other boys' garments while the owners of them were in the pond. Usually he wet the knots, because wetting them made them harder to untie⁴.

 

On this day somebody had turned the tables on Red. Somebody had crept up behind the big old hickory tree on the bank and had knotted Red's clothes tightly. That was why old Spot found a bundle under the tree, all tied up and ready to carry off.

 

It was no wonder that the boys began to yell when they saw Spot pick up those clothes and calmly trot¹ away with them. It was no wonder that they swam to the bank and scrambled⁵ up to the big hickory to find out whose clothes were missing.

 

When they saw that Red was the unlucky one, everybody else began to whoop⁶ and laugh.

 

But not Red! He let out a frightened scream and started to follow old dog Spot.

 

To the great delight of his companions, the rattle⁷ of a wagon⁸ and the thud of a horse's feet sounded from up the road. And since some one must soon drive over the bridge, which crossed right above the dam, Red scurried⁹ back again and dived into the pond, into which Johnnie Green and the others had already plunged¹⁰.

 

Red rose to the surface spluttering. And finding that he could touch bottom with his feet, he stood with his carroty head out of water, watching for the wagon.

 

It soon came into view, out of the woods, and the horse that drew it thundered upon the bridge. The horse was old Ebenezer; and Farmer Green was driving him.

 

"Hi!" Red shouted. "Stop! Wait a minute!"

 

Johnnie Green's father pulled Ebenezer to a halt.

 

"What's going on here?" he inquired.

 

"Spot took my clothes," Red explained. "He's run down the road with them. Get them for me—please!"

 

Hoots¹¹ and catcalls from the other boys followed Red's speech, which was a wonderfully polite one—for him.

 

Farmer Green couldn't help laughing.

 

"I'm going to the village," he said. "If I find any clothes along the road I'll pick them up and put them in the wagon. And if you're here when I come back I'll give them to you."

 

"He'll be here!" Johnnie Green shouted. "Red'll wait for you."

 

"If you hurry, maybe you can catch Spot," Red called to Farmer Green as he drove off. "I can't stay here all day."

 

"You'll have to," the boys jeered¹².

 

"Maybe you'll have to wait here till dark," Johnnie Green suggested.

 

"I won't!" Red replied, as he swam towards the bank. "Your dog took my clothes," he cried as he ran up to the big hickory. "And I'm going to take yours."

 

It was Johnnie's turn to yell then. He was on the further side of the mill pond. And long before he could cross it Red had snatched up Johnnie's clothes from the shade of the hickory and dodged¹³ into the bushes with them.

1 trot   

n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧

参考例句：

• They passed me at a trot.他们从我身边快步走过。
• The horse broke into a brisk trot.马突然快步小跑起来。

2 trotting   

小跑，急走( trot的现在分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走

参考例句：

• The riders came trotting down the lane. 这骑手骑着马在小路上慢跑。
• Alan took the reins and the small horse started trotting. 艾伦抓住缰绳，小马开始慢跑起来。

3 frantic   

adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的

参考例句：

• I've had a frantic rush to get my work done.我急急忙忙地赶完工作。
• He made frantic dash for the departing train.他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。

4 untie   

vt.解开，松开；解放

参考例句：

• It's just impossible to untie the knot.It's too tight.这个结根本解不开。太紧了。
• Will you please untie the knot for me?请你替我解开这个结头，好吗？

5 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》

6 whoop   

n.大叫，呐喊，喘息声；v.叫喊，喘息

参考例句：

• He gave a whoop of joy when he saw his new bicycle.他看到自己的新自行车时，高兴得叫了起来。
• Everybody is planning to whoop it up this weekend.大家都打算在这个周末好好欢闹一番。

7 rattle   

v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓

参考例句：

• The baby only shook the rattle and laughed and crowed.孩子只是摇着拨浪鼓，笑着叫着。
• She could hear the rattle of the teacups.她听见茶具叮当响。

8 wagon   

n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车

参考例句：

• We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
• The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。

9 scurried   

v.急匆匆地走( scurry的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She said goodbye and scurried back to work. 她说声再见，然后扭头跑回去干活了。
• It began to rain and we scurried for shelter. 下起雨来，我们急忙找地方躲避。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

11 hoots   

咄，啐

参考例句：

• His suggestion was greeted with hoots of laughter. 他的建议引起了阵阵嗤笑。
• The hoots came from the distance. 远处传来呜呜声。

12 jeered   

v.嘲笑( jeer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The police were jeered at by the waiting crowd. 警察受到在等待的人群的嘲弄。
• The crowd jeered when the boxer was knocked down. 当那个拳击手被打倒时，人们开始嘲笑他。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 dodged   

v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避

参考例句：

• He dodged cleverly when she threw her sabot at him. 她用木底鞋砸向他时，他机敏地闪开了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He dodged the book that I threw at him. 他躲开了我扔向他的书。 来自《简明英汉词典》