STEVEN MEACHAM AND HIS WIFE, Sandy, were watching 48 Hours Mystery on TV in their expansive home in Cow Hollow when the doorbell chimed.

  Steve said to Sandy, “Are we expecting someone?”

  “Hell no,” Sandy said, thinking of the door-to-door canvassing¹ that had been going on because of the heated school board elections. She took a sip² from her wineglass. “If we ignore them, they’ll go away.”

  “I guess I can always give ’em a couple of shots to the ribs³, make ’em take us off the list,” Meacham said, feinting and punching the air, then slipping his bare feet into his loafers.

  He walked to the front door, peered through the fanlight, saw two good-looking boys standing⁴ outside, kids about the age of his son, Scott.

  What was this?

  The heavier of the two wore a peachy-colored T-shirt under a camouflage⁵ vest, his hair covering his shirt collar, more Banana Republic than Republican, and definitely not a Jehovah’s Witness. The other boy was dressed traditionally in a glen plaid jacket over a lavender polo shirt, hair long in front like a kid from an English boarding school. The boys had unopened liquor bottles in hand.

  Meacham turned off the security alarm, opened the door a crack, said, “May I help you fellows with something?”

  “My name is Hawk⁶, Mr. Meacham,” said the one in the sport jacket. “This is Pidge. Uh, those are our pledge names,” he said apologetically. “We’re friends of Scotty’s, you know, and we’re pledging Alpha Delta⁷ Phi?”

  “No kiddin’? Scotty didn’t call . . .”

  “No, sir, he doesn’t know we’re here. We have to do this on the sneak⁸

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1 canvassing
v.（在政治方面）游说( canvass的现在分词 )；调查（如选举前选民的）意见；为讨论而提出（意见等）；详细检查
参考例句：
He spent the whole month canvassing for votes. 他花了整整一个月四处游说拉选票。 I'm canvassing for the Conservative Party. 我在为保守党拉选票。 来自辞典例句

2 sip
v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量
参考例句：
She took a sip of the cocktail.她啜饮一口鸡尾酒。 Elizabeth took a sip of the hot coffee.伊丽莎白呷了一口热咖啡。

3 ribs
n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹
参考例句：
He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。 Make a small incision below the ribs. 在肋骨下方切开一个小口。

4 standing
n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
参考例句：
After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。 They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 camouflage
n./v.掩饰，伪装
参考例句：
The white fur of the polar bear is a natural camouflage.北极熊身上的白色的浓密软毛是一种天然的伪装。 The animal's markings provide effective camouflage.这种动物身上的斑纹是很有效的伪装。

6 hawk
n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员
参考例句：
The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it.鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来,并把它杀死。 The hawk snatched the chicken and flew away.老鹰叼了小鸡就飞走了。

7 delta
n.（流的）角洲
参考例句：
He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。 The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

8 sneak
vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行
参考例句：
He raised his spear and sneak forward.他提起长矛悄悄地前进。 I saw him sneak away from us.我看见他悄悄地从我们身边走开。

9 initiation
n.开始
参考例句：
her initiation into the world of marketing 她的初次涉足营销界 It was my initiation into the world of high fashion. 这是我初次涉足高级时装界。

10 spacious
adj.广阔的，宽敞的
参考例句：
Our yard is spacious enough for a swimming pool.我们的院子很宽敞，足够建一座游泳池。 The room is bright and spacious.这房间很豁亮。