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CHAPTER X IN THE WOODS
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 Mr. Martin heard the murmurs1 of those in the automobile2 with him, and he knew that they might become much frightened.
 
Truly there was danger of a collision with the load of poles, as there was not room to pass on the narrow road. And, so far, he had not been able to stop his car. But it was going slowly, for, though the brakes did not hold it completely, they held it somewhat.
 
“If we bump we won’t bump very hard,” said Ted4 to his sister.
 
Meanwhile the man driving the load of poles which he had cut in the woods, was doing his best to find some place along the narrow road where he could pull to one side. The Curlytops were near enough now to see that one of the rear wheels of the wagon5 was sliding along in an iron “shoe.”
 
[111]This is what is often used in the country, and on heavy lumber6 or stone wagons7, to keep them from going downhill too fast. The “shoe,” as it is called, is made so that the wheel fits in it. The front of the shoe is fastened by a chain to the body of the wagon, and thus one wheel is dragged along the ground, acting9 as a brake. It is just the same as when you may be coasting along on one roller skate, you drag the other foot to act as a brake.
 
Nearer and nearer the automobile of the Curlytops came to the wagon load of poles. And just when it seemed as if they must “bunk,” as Janet called it, though perhaps the “bunk” would not be very hard—just then the driver, who was walking beside his horse, with the reins10 in his hand, came to a wider place in the road.
 
“I’ll turn in here and you can pass me!” he called.
 
“All right—thank you!” shouted Mr. Martin.
 
Carefully he guided the automobile past the load of poles. There was just about room enough to pass, and not much more. Soon after that the hill ended and they were on level ground again.
 
[112]“Mah good land ob goodness, Ah’s glad dat’s ended!” sighed Lucy.
 
“I guess we’re all glad,” said Mrs. Martin. “You must have your brakes looked after, Dick!”
 
“I will,” he said. “I thought they were all right. Some sand must have gotten in them from the roads. But now we’re all right.”
 
They were driving along a pleasant road through the woods. All danger seemed to be over, and Mr. Martin said he wished he had taken the other way instead of the one the farmer had told about as being the “least mite11 shorter.”
 
“Sometimes the longest way is the best,” said Mr. Martin. “But I think we’re all right now.”
 
And they were, for in about half an hour longer they were within sight of Mount Major, as it was called, the place where Mr. Martin was to set up the store for the lumbermen.
 
“Oh, what a lovely place!” cried Janet, as they caught a glimpse of it from a hill just before reaching it.
 
“Good place to fish,” observed Ted. “I see a lake and a river.”
 
[113]“I fish, too!” cried Trouble.
 
“Doan yo’ fall in!” warned Lucy, hugging the little fellow, who, in spite of his mischief12, was her special favorite.
 
“Yes, there is plenty of water around here,” said Mr. Martin. “There needs to be on account of the lumber. Well,” he went on, “I don’t see any of the men here yet. I guess I’m in plenty of time. I was afraid I’d be late. Now we’ll unpack13 and get something to eat. I suppose you’re hungry, aren’t you, Curlytops?” he asked, with a laugh.
 
“Terrible!” announced Ted. “Can we cook dinner over a campfire?”
 
“Maybe, some time,” his father said. “But I think there’s an oil stove in the bungalow14 and that will be better when we’re in a hurry.”
 
“Where’s buffalo15?” asked Trouble, looking around. “I don’t see any buffalo. Has him got a hump on his back?”
 
“You’re thinking of a camel!” laughed Janet.
 
“No, a buffalo had a sort of hump up near his head,” remarked Teddy. “But what makes him ask about a buffalo, anyhow?”
 
“He means bungalow—the place where[114] we’re going to live,” explained Mrs. Martin with a smile. “There it is, children, over under the trees. Oh, what a fine place!”
 
There was a driveway at one side of the bungalow, which was made of logs, and, a little farther on, a shed where the automobile could be kept. Leading down from the front door was a path, and this extended to a lake, the waters of which were as blue as the sky. Flowing into this lake, not far from the bungalow, was a small river.
 
All around the lake, along the river and surrounding the bungalow were trees, trees, trees—so many that the Curlytops never could have counted them all. And here and there, in cleared places where the trees had been cut down, were rough buildings, made from logs and “slabs,” that is, half-rounded pieces of wood that are sawed from logs to make the timbers square and true.
 
Over the door of one of the buildings was a sign:
 
GENERAL STORE
 
Seeing this Janet cried:
 
“Is that where you are going to keep store, Daddy?”
 
[115]“I’m not exactly going to keep store,” her father replied. “I came up here to get the store started and to show the men how to run it. They will be cutting lumber here the rest of the summer and all winter, and they will want to buy things from the store, as some of the lumbermen are bringing their families with them.”
 
As yet none of the lumbermen had arrived, for the camp was not to open for a few days. It was needful to start the store first so the men would have something to eat when they should arrive.
 
Piled about the building that was marked with the store sign were many boxes and barrels. The Curlytops had seen such packages before at their father’s store in Cresco, and they knew what the boxes and barrels held—sugar, canned goods, dried fruits, tea, coffee, oatmeal, overalls16, hats and all the things that go to make up a general store. All these goods must be taken out of their packages and arranged on the shelves.
 
“Couldn’t we help in the store, Daddy?” asked Ted, as his father started toward the bungalow, to open it with a key he had.
 
“Oh, yes, I guess so,” was the answer.[116] “I expect a couple of men up to do the heavy work. They ought to be here now.”
 
The bungalow was opened and the Curlytop family went inside. The more they saw of the place the better they liked it. There was a large living-room with a great fireplace, a dining-room and a kitchen on the first floor, and upstairs were bedrooms.
 
“And there are dishes in the pantry, too!” announced Janet, as she came back from having looked around.
 
“Is there anything to put on the dishes?” asked Ted, laughing. “I mean anything to eat?”
 
“That’s what I want to know, too,” laughed Mr. Martin.
 
“I’ll soon have something ready,” promised Mrs. Martin. “Come, Lucy, we must feed these hungry animals.”
 
“I am bear—that’s what I is!” cried Trouble, and he pretended to growl17 like a bear to show how hungry he was.
 
“I’ll go over and take a look at the store,” announced Mr. Martin. “There’s wood already cut for the fire,” he said.
 
“We’ll attend to things,” said Mrs. Martin. “Just bring in the food from the auto3 and we’ll soon have a meal ready.”
 
[117]Mr. Martin and Ted brought in the baskets of victuals18 that had been brought along, and then the Curlytop boy and his father, with Trouble trailing after them, went toward the building that soon was to be made into a store for the lumbermen to trade at. Janet remained in the bungalow to help her mother and Lucy.
 
Mr. Martin had a key to the store building and, opening it, he and the boys went inside. All there was to be seen now were empty shelves and counters.
 
“But this will be a busy place in a few days,” said Mr. Martin. “If those men were here now I could put them to opening the boxes and barrels. Maybe they’ll come after dinner.”
 
He went outside to count how many boxes and barrels there were piled up around the steps of the store, and while he was doing this Ted and Trouble roamed about the clearing in the woods where the different buildings were put up. Some were for the men to sleep in, another was a kitchen, where food would be prepared, and at the sight of one large building, with a smoke stack sticking through the roof, Ted cried:
 
“Oh, is that the sawmill?”
 
[118]“That’s the sawmill,” his father answered. “But you must never go in there unless I am with you. It’s dangerous.”
 
“Couldn’t we go with mother?” Ted wanted to know.
 
“Well, yes, with your mother. But there is a very big saw in there to cut up the logs, and it would not only cut off your finger, if you got too close, but it would do worse. So keep away!”
 
Ted and Trouble promised that they would, and they teased their father so hard to take them to the sawmill now that, after he had looked over the groceries and other supplies, he consented.
 
Leading from the mill down into the lake was a sort of small railroad track, sloping like a little hill. And in the middle of the track, and extending up into the mill, was a big chain.
 
“What’s that for?” asked Ted.
 
“That chain pulls the logs up from the river, along this inclined runway, into the mill,” answered Mr. Martin. “Once the logs are in the mill they are put on a sort of platform, or on a traveling cradle, and then machinery19 pushes them close to the big buzz saw and they are cut up into boards.”
 
[119]“Is it a cat’s cradle?” Trouble wanted to know.
 
“Well, not exactly,” laughed Mr. Martin. “Come in and I’ll show you. The mill isn’t running now, but it soon will be.”
 
“Does the chain pull the logs up all by itself?” Ted asked.
 
“No,” his father replied. “A steam engine winds the chain up on what is called a drum, just as a rope is wound up on a derrick. In fact, this runway is like a derrick, only it is stretched out on the ground instead of being up in the air.”
 
The boys were much interested in looking over the machinery of the lumber mill, and they wished for the day to come when it would start—when the engine would puff20 and clouds of smoke and steam would pour from the big stack in the roof.
 
“I think I hear your mother calling,” said Mr. Martin, after a while. “We’d better have something to eat.”
 
Ted and Trouble had been so eager to look around that for a time they had forgotten about being hungry. However, as their father now spoke21 of it they hurried on to the bungalow. In the door stood Lucy,[120] beating on the bottom of a tin pan with a big spoon.
 
“Dish yeah am de dinnah gong,” she explained.
 
“Hurray!” cried Teddy, for he felt so glad and happy at coming to camp in the woods that he wanted to stand on his head.
 
Mrs. Martin, with the help of Janet and Lucy, had gotten a fine meal ready, and they were all so hungry that they greatly enjoyed it. When it was almost over Janet, looking from the open door out toward the lake, saw a boat approaching, in which were two men.
 
“Oh, two tramps are coming!” she murmured. “Will you give them something to eat, Mother?”
 
Mr. Martin looked to where his little daughter pointed22.
 
“Those aren’t tramps,” he said.
 
“They have terribly ragged8 clothes on,” said Janet.
 
“You mustn’t think because a man wears old and ragged clothes that he is always a tramp,” went on Mr. Martin. “I think those are the two lumbermen who are coming to help me set up the store. And on account of their rough work, lumbermen[121] cannot go about dressed up. Yes, they’re lumbermen,” he said, as he saw the two step from the boat, carrying their axes and some big hooks, with long, heavy handles, by which logs are turned over and put into place.
 
“Is this Mr. Martin?” asked one of the men, as the father of the Curlytops walked down the path toward the lake to meet them.
 
“That’s my name,” was the answer.
 
“Well, we were sent to help you in the store,” went on one of the men. “The rest of the crowd will be over to-morrow. My name is Jack23 Nestor and this is my partner, Henry Hart,” he concluded.
 
“Glad to know you,” replied Mr. Martin. “Well, there is plenty to do, and the sooner we get started the better. Come on, I’ll show you what’s to be done.”
 
While Mr. Martin was busy with those who were to be his helpers, and while Mrs. Martin, Lucy and Janet were clearing away the dinner things, Ted and Trouble wandered off through the woods. It was a most delightful24 place, Ted decided25.
 
“The best one I’ve ever been to on vacation,” he said.
 
Trouble, too, seemed to like it, running[122] here and there in the woods. Then the little fellow had one of his many ideas.
 
“Can you make me a whistle?” he asked his brother. “I want a whistle.”
 
“Yes, I guess I can make you a willow26 whistle,” said Ted, as he took out his knife. “There’s a willow tree growing over there.” He pointed to one near the bank of the lake, and soon he and Trouble were sitting on a mossy log under the drooping27 willow tree while Ted cut a branch and was fashioning it into a whistle for his brother.
 
Ted cut the bark around and pounded it to soften28 it so it could be slipped off, for this must be done if a whistle is rightly made. Ted used the handle of his knife to pound the bark lightly. Then he laid his knife down on the log and began to twist off the piece of bark.
 
While waiting for his brother to do this Trouble had wandered about the little clearing under the willow tree. Before Ted knew it Trouble was out of his sight, and, hearing the little fellow tramping in the underbrush, Ted started up after him.
 
“Here, come back!” he called to Trouble.
 
Trouble was headed for the lake, and he had been told he must not go there alone.
 
[123]“Come back here, you little tyke!” cried Ted. “First you know you’ll fall in and I’ll have to fish you out.”
 
“Aw right, I come back,” agreed Trouble, stopping short. He feared if he did not mind he would get no whistle. “I just go to see maybe if fish in lake,” he said.
 
“You can’t tell by looking at a lake if it has fish in it or not,” said Teddy. “Now you stay by me if you want that whistle.”
 
As the boys started back toward the log on which they had been sitting, they saw a strange sight.
 
“Look! Look!” cried Trouble, pointing with a chubby29 finger toward the log. “Look at black bird takin’ my whistle!”
 
“No, he isn’t taking your whistle, I have that here!” said Teddy. “But it’s a crow and he’s after something. Oh, he’s got my knife!” he cried a moment later, as the big, black bird rose from the log, with something glittering held fast in his bill.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 murmurs f21162b146f5e36f998c75eb9af3e2d9     
n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 );低语声;怨言;嘀咕
参考例句:
  • They spoke in low murmurs. 他们低声说着话。 来自辞典例句
  • They are more superficial, more distinctly heard than murmurs. 它们听起来比心脏杂音更为浅表而清楚。 来自辞典例句
2 automobile rP1yv     
n.汽车,机动车
参考例句:
  • He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
  • The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。
3 auto ZOnyW     
n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车
参考例句:
  • Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
  • The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。
4 ted 9gazhs     
vt.翻晒,撒,撒开
参考例句:
  • The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
  • She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。
5 wagon XhUwP     
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。
6 lumber a8Jz6     
n.木材,木料;v.以破旧东西堆满;伐木;笨重移动
参考例句:
  • The truck was sent to carry lumber.卡车被派出去运木材。
  • They slapped together a cabin out of old lumber.他们利用旧木料草草地盖起了一间小屋。
7 wagons ff97c19d76ea81bb4f2a97f2ff0025e7     
n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 );铁路货车;小手推车
参考例句:
  • The wagons were hauled by horses. 那些货车是马拉的。
  • They drew their wagons into a laager and set up camp. 他们把马车围成一圈扎起营地。
8 ragged KC0y8     
adj.衣衫褴褛的,粗糙的,刺耳的
参考例句:
  • A ragged shout went up from the small crowd.这一小群人发出了刺耳的喊叫。
  • Ragged clothing infers poverty.破衣烂衫意味着贫穷。
9 acting czRzoc     
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。
10 reins 370afc7786679703b82ccfca58610c98     
感情,激情; 缰( rein的名词复数 ); 控制手段; 掌管; (成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的)保护带
参考例句:
  • She pulled gently on the reins. 她轻轻地拉着缰绳。
  • The government has imposed strict reins on the import of luxury goods. 政府对奢侈品的进口有严格的控制手段。
11 mite 4Epxw     
n.极小的东西;小铜币
参考例句:
  • The poor mite was so ill.可怜的孩子病得这么重。
  • He is a mite taller than I.他比我高一点点。
12 mischief jDgxH     
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。
13 unpack sfwzBO     
vt.打开包裹(或行李),卸货
参考例句:
  • I must unpack before dinner.我得在饭前把行李打开。
  • She said she would unpack the items later.她说以后再把箱子里的东西拿出来。
14 bungalow ccjys     
n.平房,周围有阳台的木造小平房
参考例句:
  • A bungalow does not have an upstairs.平房没有上层。
  • The old couple sold that large house and moved into a small bungalow.老两口卖掉了那幢大房子,搬进了小平房。
15 buffalo 1Sby4     
n.(北美)野牛;(亚洲)水牛
参考例句:
  • Asian buffalo isn't as wild as that of America's. 亚洲水牛比美洲水牛温顺些。
  • The boots are made of buffalo hide. 这双靴子是由水牛皮制成的。
16 overalls 2mCz6w     
n.(复)工装裤;长罩衣
参考例句:
  • He is in overalls today.他今天穿的是工作裤。
  • He changed his overalls for a suit.他脱下工装裤,换上了一套西服。
17 growl VeHzE     
v.(狗等)嗥叫,(炮等)轰鸣;n.嗥叫,轰鸣
参考例句:
  • The dog was biting,growling and wagging its tail.那条狗在一边撕咬一边低声吼叫,尾巴也跟着摇摆。
  • The car growls along rutted streets.汽车在车辙纵横的街上一路轰鸣。
18 victuals reszxF     
n.食物;食品
参考例句:
  • A plateful of coarse broken victuals was set before him.一盘粗劣的剩余饭食放到了他的面前。
  • There are no more victuals for the pig.猪没有吃的啦。
19 machinery CAdxb     
n.(总称)机械,机器;机构
参考例句:
  • Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗?
  • Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。
20 puff y0cz8     
n.一口(气);一阵(风);v.喷气,喘气
参考例句:
  • He took a puff at his cigarette.他吸了一口香烟。
  • They tried their best to puff the book they published.他们尽力吹捧他们出版的书。
21 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
22 pointed Il8zB4     
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。
23 jack 53Hxp     
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克
参考例句:
  • I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
  • He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。
24 delightful 6xzxT     
adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的
参考例句:
  • We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。
  • Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。
25 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
26 willow bMFz6     
n.柳树
参考例句:
  • The river was sparsely lined with willow trees.河边疏疏落落有几棵柳树。
  • The willow's shadow falls on the lake.垂柳的影子倒映在湖面上。
27 drooping drooping     
adj. 下垂的,无力的 动词droop的现在分词
参考例句:
  • The drooping willows are waving gently in the morning breeze. 晨风中垂柳袅袅。
  • The branches of the drooping willows were swaying lightly. 垂柳轻飘飘地摆动。
28 soften 6w0wk     
v.(使)变柔软;(使)变柔和
参考例句:
  • Plastics will soften when exposed to heat.塑料适当加热就可以软化。
  • This special cream will help to soften up our skin.这种特殊的护肤霜有助于使皮肤变得柔软。
29 chubby wrwzZ     
adj.丰满的,圆胖的
参考例句:
  • He is stocky though not chubby.他长得敦实,可并不发胖。
  • The short and chubby gentleman over there is our new director.那个既矮又胖的绅士是我们的新主任。


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