Hot haste now marked the proceedings¹ of the rescue party, for Paul and his friends felt that they had no time to lose. Fortunately the weather favoured them. That very night a sharp frost set in, hardening the moist and swampy² grounds over which they had to pass. Strongbow, on being made acquainted with the state of matters, willingly agreed to lead the party to the place to which he thought it likely the captives had been taken, or where, at least, information about them might be obtained from members of his own tribe.

 

Little Oscar, at his own urgent request, was allowed to accompany them, and Trueheart, Goodred, and the family baby and nurse were left in charge of an old Indian whose life had once been saved by Hendrick, and who, although too old to go on the war-path, was still well able to keep the family in provisions.

 

Although the party was small—numbering only six, two of whom were boys—it was nevertheless formidable, each man being more than usually powerful, as well as valiant⁴, whilst the boys, although comparatively small, possessed⁵ so much of the unconquerable spirit of their sires as to render them quite equal to average men.

 

The frost, which seemed to have fairly set in, kept them cool during the day while walking, and rendered their bivouac-fires agreeable at nights. Little time, however, was allowed for rest or food. They pressed on each day with unflagging energy, and felt little disposition⁶ to waste time in conversation during the brief halts for needed rest and food.

 

Occasionally, however, some of the party felt less disposed than usual for sleep, and sought to drive away anxiety regarding their old shipmates by talking of things and scenes around them.

 

“Does Strongbow think that the frost will hold?” asked Hendrick, one evening after supper, as he reclined in front of the fire on a pile of brushwood.

 

“Strongbow cannot tell,” returned the Indian. “It looks like thaw

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1 proceedings
n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报
参考例句：
He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。 to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

2 swampy
adj.沼泽的，湿地的
参考例句：
Malaria is still rampant in some swampy regions.疟疾在一些沼泽地区仍很猖獗。 An ox as grazing in a swampy meadow.一头牛在一块泥泞的草地上吃草。

3 rib
n.肋骨，肋状物
参考例句：
He broke a rib when he fell off his horse.他从马上摔下来折断了一根肋骨。 He has broken a rib and the doctor has strapped it up.他断了一根肋骨，医生已包扎好了。

4 valiant
adj.勇敢的，英勇的；n.勇士，勇敢的人
参考例句：
He had the fame of being very valiant.他的勇敢是出名的。 Despite valiant efforts by the finance minister,inflation rose to 36%.尽管财政部部长采取了一系列果决措施，通货膨胀率还是涨到了36%。

5 possessed
adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的
参考例句：
He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。 He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

6 disposition
n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署
参考例句：
He has made a good disposition of his property.他已对财产作了妥善处理。 He has a cheerful disposition.他性情开朗。

7 thaw
v.（使）融化，（使）变得友善；n.融化，缓和
参考例句：
The snow is beginning to thaw.雪已开始融化。 The spring thaw caused heavy flooding.春天解冻引起了洪水泛滥。

8 trench
n./v.(挖)沟，(挖)战壕
参考例句：
The soldiers recaptured their trench.兵士夺回了战壕。 The troops received orders to trench the outpost.部队接到命令在前哨周围筑壕加强防卫。

9 wilderness
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠
参考例句：
She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。 Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

10 rascal
n.流氓；不诚实的人
参考例句：
If he had done otherwise,I should have thought him a rascal.如果他不这样做，我就认为他是个恶棍。 The rascal was frightened into holding his tongue.这坏蛋吓得不敢往下说了。

11 reign
n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势
参考例句：
The reign of Queen Elizabeth lapped over into the seventeenth century.伊丽莎白王朝延至17世纪。 The reign of Zhu Yuanzhang lasted about 31 years.朱元璋统治了大约三十一年。

12 impeded
阻碍，妨碍，阻止( impede的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Work on the building was impeded by severe weather. 楼房的施工因天气恶劣而停了下来。 He was impeded in his work. 他的工作受阻。

13 depressed
adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的
参考例句：
When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。 His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

14 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。

15 fervent
adj.热的，热烈的，热情的
参考例句：
It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。 Austria was among the most fervent supporters of adolf hitler.奥地利是阿道夫希特勒最狂热的支持者之一。

16 abrupt
adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的
参考例句：
The river takes an abrupt bend to the west.这河突然向西转弯。 His abrupt reply hurt our feelings.他粗鲁的回答伤了我们的感情。

17 intensity
n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度
参考例句：
I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。 The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

18 fatigue
n.疲劳，劳累
参考例句：
The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。 I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。

19 sweeping
adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的
参考例句：
The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。 Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

20 helping
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的
参考例句：
The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。 By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

21 twig
n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解
参考例句：
He heard the sharp crack of a twig.他听到树枝清脆的断裂声。 The sharp sound of a twig snapping scared the badger away.细枝突然折断的刺耳声把獾惊跑了。

22 shrubs
灌木( shrub的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The gardener spent a complete morning in trimming those two shrubs. 园丁花了整个上午的时间修剪那两处灌木林。 These shrubs will need more light to produce flowering shoots. 这些灌木需要更多的光照才能抽出开花的新枝。

23 attains
（通常经过努力）实现( attain的第三人称单数 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况）
参考例句：
This is the period at which the body attains maturity. 这是身体发育成熟的时期。 The temperature a star attains is determined by its mass. 恒星所达到的温度取决于它的质量。

24 transformation
n.变化；改造；转变
参考例句：
Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。 He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

25 twigs
细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Some birds build nests of twigs. 一些鸟用树枝筑巢。 Willow twigs are pliable. 柳条很软。

26 insignificance
n.不重要；无价值；无意义
参考例句：
Her insignificance in the presence of so much magnificence faintly affected her. "她想象着他所描绘的一切，心里不禁有些刺痛。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹 It was above the common mass, above idleness, above want, above insignificance. 这里没有平凡，没有懒散，没有贫困，也没有低微。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

27 admiration
n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕
参考例句：
He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。 We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。

28 aurora
n.极光
参考例句：
The aurora is one of nature's most awesome spectacles.极光是自然界最可畏的奇观之一。 Over the polar regions we should see aurora.在极地高空,我们会看到极光。

29 awe
n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧
参考例句：
The sight filled us with awe.这景色使我们大为惊叹。 The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。

30 ablaze
adj.着火的，燃烧的；闪耀的，灯火辉煌的
参考例句：
The main street was ablaze with lights in the evening.晚上，那条主要街道灯火辉煌。 Forests are sometimes set ablaze by lightning.森林有时因雷击而起火。

31 lurid
adj.可怕的；血红的；苍白的
参考例句：
The paper gave all the lurid details of the murder.这份报纸对这起凶杀案耸人听闻的细节描写得淋漓尽致。 The lurid sunset puts a red light on their faces.血红一般的夕阳映红了他们的脸。

32 conflagration
n.建筑物或森林大火
参考例句：
A conflagration in 1947 reduced 90 percent of the houses to ashes.1947年的一场大火，使90%的房屋化为灰烬。 The light of that conflagration will fade away.这熊熊烈火会渐渐熄灭。

33 devastation
n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤
参考例句：
The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。 There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

34 varied
adj.多样的，多变化的
参考例句：
The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。 The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。

35 hue
n.色度；色调；样子
参考例句：
The diamond shone with every hue under the sun.金刚石在阳光下放出五颜六色的光芒。 The same hue will look different in different light.同一颜色在不同的光线下看起来会有所不同。

36 repose
v.(使)休息；n.安息
参考例句：
Don't disturb her repose.不要打扰她休息。 Her mouth seemed always to be smiling,even in repose.她的嘴角似乎总是挂着微笑，即使在睡眠时也是这样。

37 interfered
v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉
参考例句：
Complete absorption in sports interfered with his studies. 专注于运动妨碍了他的学业。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I am not going to be interfered with. 我不想别人干扰我的事情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

38 slumber
n.睡眠，沉睡状态
参考例句：
All the people in the hotels were wrapped in deep slumber.住在各旅馆里的人都已进入梦乡。 Don't wake him from his slumber because he needs the rest.不要把他从睡眠中唤醒，因为他需要休息。

39 inured
adj.坚强的，习惯的
参考例句：
The prisoners quickly became inured to the harsh conditions.囚犯们很快就适应了苛刻的条件。 He has inured himself to accept misfortune.他锻练了自己，使自己能承受不幸。

40 infancy
n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期
参考例句：
He came to England in his infancy.他幼年时期来到英国。 Their research is only in its infancy.他们的研究处于初级阶段。

41 pointed
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。

42 hoarse
adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的
参考例句：
He asked me a question in a hoarse voice.他用嘶哑的声音问了我一个问题。 He was too excited and roared himself hoarse.他过于激动，嗓子都喊哑了。

43 spoke
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。

44 affixing
v.附加( affix的现在分词 )；粘贴；加以；盖（印章）
参考例句：
Formally approves a document by affixing a signature. 以签名的形式正式批准文件。 来自互联网 Forfixing, insulating, shock affixing parts or screws of many items such as appliances, stereos, and eyeglasses. 电器、音响响、光学学、电脑等的零件、螺丝固定绝缘、防震与接著。 来自互联网

45 notch
n.(V字形)槽口，缺口，等级
参考例句：
The peanuts they grow are top-notch.他们种的花生是拔尖的。 He cut a notch in the stick with a sharp knife.他用利刃在棒上刻了一个凹痕。

46 axe
n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减
参考例句：
Be careful with that sharp axe.那把斧子很锋利，你要当心。 The edge of this axe has turned.这把斧子卷了刃了。

47 mighty
adj.强有力的；巨大的
参考例句：
A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。 The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

48 ambush
n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击
参考例句：
Our soldiers lay in ambush in the jungle for the enemy.我方战士埋伏在丛林中等待敌人。 Four men led by a sergeant lay in ambush at the crossroads.由一名中士率领的四名士兵埋伏在十字路口。

49 hesitation
n.犹豫，踌躇
参考例句：
After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。 There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

50 fawn
n.未满周岁的小鹿；v.巴结，奉承
参考例句：
A fawn behind the tree looked at us curiously.树后面一只小鹿好奇地看着我们。 He said you fawn on the manager in order to get a promotion.他说你为了获得提拔，拍经理的马屁。

51 demonstration
n.表明，示范，论证，示威
参考例句：
His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。 He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

52 kinsmen
n.家属，亲属( kinsman的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Kinsmen are less kind than friends. 投亲不如访友。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 One deeply grateful is better than kinsmen or firends. 受恩深处胜亲朋。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学

53 beaver
n.海狸，河狸
参考例句：
The hat is made of beaver.这顶帽子是海狸毛皮制的。 A beaver is an animals with big front teeth.海狸是一种长着大门牙的动物。

54 warriors
武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 )
参考例句：
I like reading the stories ofancient warriors. 我喜欢读有关古代武士的故事。 The warriors speared the man to death. 武士们把那个男子戳死了。

55 bruised
[医]青肿的，瘀紫的
参考例句：
his bruised and bloodied nose 他沾满血的青肿的鼻子 She had slipped and badly bruised her face. 她滑了一跤，摔得鼻青脸肿。

56 lodges
v.存放( lodge的第三人称单数 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属
参考例句：
But I forget, if I ever heard, where he lodges in Liverpool. 可是我记不得有没有听他说过他在利物浦的住址。 来自辞典例句 My friend lodges in my uncle's house. 我朋友寄居在我叔叔家。 来自辞典例句

57 slay
v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮
参考例句：
He intended to slay his father's murderer.他意图杀死杀父仇人。 She has ordered me to slay you.她命令我把你杀了。

58 slew
v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多
参考例句：
He slewed the car against the side of the building.他的车滑到了大楼的一侧，抵住了。 They dealt with a slew of other issues.他们处理了大量的其他问题。

59 kinsman
n.男亲属
参考例句：
Tracing back our genealogies,I found he was a kinsman of mine.转弯抹角算起来他算是我的一个亲戚。 A near friend is better than a far dwelling kinsman.近友胜过远亲。

60 wreck
n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难
参考例句：
Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。 No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。

61 slain
杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词)
参考例句：
The soldiers slain in the battle were burried that night. 在那天夜晚埋葬了在战斗中牺牲了的战士。 His boy was dead, slain by the hand of the false Amulius. 他的儿子被奸诈的阿缪利乌斯杀死了。