For some time the brothers paddled about the sedgy shore of the small islet on which the camp had been pitched, now setting up a flock of ducks and then slipping into the heart of some reeds and concealing¹ themselves until a good chance was obtained at a passing flock of geese.

 

Archie Sinclair soon laid in enough provision to serve the party for a few meals, for his hand was steady and his eye true.

 

“Little Bill,” he said, looking back after one of his successful shots, “you must take a shot now. We will go right-about-face, and convert the bow into the stern in the usual way. See, catch hold of the gun.”

 

“No, Arch-ee, as Oké calls you, I won’t; I’m quite content to look on, for your gun kicks like a Mexican mule². Besides, it’s easy work to steer³, and seeing you panting and toiling⁴ in the bow makes it seem all the easier. Just you keep blazin’ away, old man. But, I say, where shall I steer to now? I’m tired o’ steering⁵ among the reeds. Let us push out into the clear water.”

 

“You heard what Oké said,” objected Archie; “we must keep well clear o’ both shores.”

 

“I know that,” returned Billie, “but he did not forbid us to try the reeds round the other islands; there’s a much bigger one, not a quarter of a mile up stream. I think there are some beautiful sedges there where geese are likely to live. I’m sure I would choose to live in such a place if I was a goose.”

 

“O! then, we must go, Little Bill, for I think it would be hard to keep any one out of his native home.”

 

So saying, he dipped his paddle with vigour⁶, and the light bark shot swiftly over the glancing water.

 

The sun was beginning to descend

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点击收听单词发音  

1 concealing
v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Despite his outward display of friendliness, I sensed he was concealing something. 尽管他表现得友善，我还是感觉到他有所隐瞒。 来自《简明英汉词典》 SHE WAS BREAKING THE COMPACT, AND CONCEALING IT FROM HIM. 她违反了他们之间的约定，还把他蒙在鼓里。 来自英汉文学 - 三万元遗产

2 mule
n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人
参考例句：
A mule is a cross between a mare and a donkey.骡子是母马和公驴的杂交后代。 He is an old mule.他是个老顽固。

3 steer
vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶
参考例句：
If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。 It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

4 toiling
长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉
参考例句：
The fiery orator contrasted the idle rich with the toiling working classes. 这位激昂的演说家把无所事事的富人同终日辛劳的工人阶级进行了对比。 She felt like a beetle toiling in the dust. She was filled with repulsion. 她觉得自己像只甲虫在地里挣扎，心中涌满愤恨。

5 steering
n.操舵装置
参考例句：
He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration. 他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。 Steering according to the wind, he also framed his words more amicably. 他真会看风使舵，口吻也马上变得温和了。

6 vigour
（=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力
参考例句：
She is full of vigour and enthusiasm.她有热情，有朝气。 At 40,he was in his prime and full of vigour.他40岁时正年富力强。

7 descend
vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降
参考例句：
I hope the grace of God would descend on me.我期望上帝的恩惠。 We're not going to descend to such methods.我们不会沦落到使用这种手段。

8 expressive
adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的
参考例句：
Black English can be more expressive than standard English.黑人所使用的英语可能比正式英语更有表现力。 He had a mobile,expressive,animated face.他有一张多变的，富于表情的，生动活泼的脸。

9 opportunely
adv.恰好地，适时地
参考例句：
He arrived rather opportunely just when we needed a new butler. 就在我们需要一个新管家的时候他凑巧来了。 来自互联网 Struck with sudden inspiration, Miss Martha seized the occasion so opportunely offered. 玛莎小姐此时灵机一动，及时地抓住了这个天赐良机。 来自互联网

10 vociferous
adj.喧哗的，大叫大嚷的
参考例句：
They are holding a vociferous debate.他们在吵吵嚷嚷地辩论。 He was a vociferous opponent of Conservatism.他高声反对保守主义。

11 wont
adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯
参考例句：
He was wont to say that children are lazy.他常常说小孩子们懒惰。 It is his wont to get up early.早起是他的习惯。

12 steered
v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导
参考例句：
He steered the boat into the harbour. 他把船开进港。 The freighter steered out of Santiago Bay that evening. 那天晚上货轮驶出了圣地亚哥湾。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 savage
adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人
参考例句：
The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。 He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

14 fixed
adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的
参考例句：
Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？ Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

15 crouching
v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 )
参考例句：
a hulking figure crouching in the darkness 黑暗中蹲伏着的一个庞大身影 A young man was crouching by the table, busily searching for something. 一个年轻人正蹲在桌边翻看什么。 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译

16 leisurely
adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的
参考例句：
We walked in a leisurely manner,looking in all the windows.我们慢悠悠地走着，看遍所有的橱窗。 He had a leisurely breakfast and drove cheerfully to work.他从容的吃了早餐，高兴的开车去工作。

17 countenance
n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同
参考例句：
At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。 I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地，仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。

18 agitated
adj.被鼓动的，不安的
参考例句：
His answers were all mixed up,so agitated was he.他是那样心神不定，回答全乱了。 She was agitated because her train was an hour late.她乘坐的火车晚点一个小时，她十分焦虑。

19 concealed
a.隐藏的，隐蔽的
参考例句：
The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。 I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

20 audacity
n.大胆，卤莽，无礼
参考例句：
He had the audacity to ask for an increase in salary.他竟然厚着脸皮要求增加薪水。 He had the audacity to pick pockets in broad daylight.他竟敢在光天化日之下掏包。

21 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。

22 warfare
n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突
参考例句：
He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。 Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。

23 trump
n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭
参考例句：
He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。 The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

24 trumpet
n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘
参考例句：
He plays the violin, but I play the trumpet.他拉提琴，我吹喇叭。 The trumpet sounded for battle.战斗的号角吹响了。

25 stump
n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走
参考例句：
He went on the stump in his home state.他到故乡所在的州去发表演说。 He used the stump as a table.他把树桩用作桌子。

26 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。

27 reptiles
n.爬行动物，爬虫( reptile的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Snakes and crocodiles are both reptiles. 蛇和鳄鱼都是爬行动物。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Birds, reptiles and insects come from eggs. 鸟类、爬虫及昆虫是卵生的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

28 sarcastic
adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的
参考例句：
I squashed him with a sarcastic remark.我说了一句讽刺的话把他给镇住了。 She poked fun at people's shortcomings with sarcastic remarks.她冷嘲热讽地拿别人的缺点开玩笑。

29 vouchsafed
v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的过去式和过去分词 )；允诺
参考例句：
He vouchsafed to me certain family secrets. 他让我知道了某些家庭秘密。 The significance of the event does, indeed, seem vouchsafed. 这个事件看起来确实具有重大意义。 来自辞典例句

30 muster
v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册
参考例句：
Go and muster all the men you can find.去集合所有你能找到的人。 I had to muster my courage up to ask him that question.我必须鼓起勇气向他问那个问题。

31 descended
a.为...后裔的，出身于...的
参考例句：
A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。 The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

32 pending
prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的
参考例句：
The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。 He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。

33 determined
adj.坚定的；有决心的
参考例句：
I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。 He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

34 foe
n.敌人，仇敌
参考例句：
He knew that Karl could be an implacable foe.他明白卡尔可能会成为他的死敌。 A friend is a friend;a foe is a foe;one must be clearly distinguished from the other.敌是敌，友是友，必须分清界限。

35 dense
a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的
参考例句：
The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。 The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。

36 thicket
n.灌木丛，树林
参考例句：
A thicket makes good cover for animals to hide in.丛林是动物的良好隐蔽处。 We were now at the margin of the thicket.我们现在已经来到了丛林的边缘。

37 encompassed
v.围绕( encompass的过去式和过去分词 )；包围；包含；包括
参考例句：
The enemy encompassed the city. 敌人包围了城市。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I have encompassed him with every protection. 我已经把他保护得严严实实。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

38 glided
v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔
参考例句：
The President's motorcade glided by. 总统的车队一溜烟开了过去。 They glided along the wall until they were out of sight. 他们沿着墙壁溜得无影无踪。 来自《简明英汉词典》