Adventures of a Telegraph Boy or 'Number 91'
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CHAPTER I. PAUL, THE TELEGRAPH BOY.

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 On Broadway, not far from the St. Nicholas Hotel, is an office of the American District Telegraph. Let us enter.
A part of the office is railed off, within which the superintendent1 has a desk, and receives orders for boys to be sent to different parts of the city. On benches in the back part of the office are sitting perhaps a dozen boys varying in age from fifteen to eighteen, clad in the well known blue uniform prescribed by the company. Each wears a cap on which may be read the initials of the company, with the boy’s number.
At the end of the benches sat a stout2, well made boy, apparently3 sixteen years of age. He had a warm, expressive4 face, and would generally be considered good looking.
On his cap we read this inscription5:
A. D. T.
91.
Some of the boys were smaller, two or three larger than Number 91. But among them all, he was the most attractive in appearance. The boys sat on the benches in patience waiting for a call from the superintendent.[6] They were usually selected in turn, but sometimes the fitness of a particular boy for the errand required was taken into consideration.
“Number 87!” called the superintendent.
A small boy of fifteen, but not looking over thirteen, left his seat and advanced to the desk.
“No, I don’t think you’ll do,” said the superintendent “There’s a man at the New England Hotel who wants a boy to go down with him to the Cortlandt Street Ferry, and carry his valise. A larger boy will be required.”
He glanced at the boys in waiting and called:
“Number 91!”
The boy of whom we have spoken rose with alacrity6, and stepped up to the desk. He had been sitting on the bench for an hour, and was glad of an opportunity to go out on an errand.
The superintendent wrote on a card the name “D. L. Meacham, New England Hotel,” and handed it to the boy.
“Go at once to the New England Hotel, and call for that gentleman,” he said. “If he is not in, wait for him.”

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1 superintendent vsTwV     
n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长
参考例句：
  • He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。
  • He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。
3 apparently tMmyQ     
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。
4 expressive shwz4     
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。
5 inscription l4ZyO     
n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文
参考例句：
  • The inscription has worn away and can no longer be read.铭文已磨损，无法辨认了。
  • He chiselled an inscription on the marble.他在大理石上刻碑文。
6 alacrity MfFyL     
n.敏捷，轻快，乐意
参考例句：
  • Although the man was very old,he still moved with alacrity.他虽然很老，动作仍很敏捷。
  • He accepted my invitation with alacrity.他欣然接受我的邀请。
7 perfectly 8Mzxb     
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
  • The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
  • Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。
8 rusty hYlxq     
adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的
参考例句：
  • The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。
  • I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用，我的法语又荒疏了。
9 attentively AyQzjz     
adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神
参考例句：
  • She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
10 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。
11 motive GFzxz     
n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的
参考例句：
  • The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
  • He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。
12 abhorred 8cf94fb5a6556e11d51fd5195d8700dd     
v.憎恶( abhor的过去式和过去分词 )；（厌恶地）回避；拒绝；淘汰
参考例句：
  • He abhorred the thoughts of stripping me and making me miserable. 他憎恶把我掠夺干净，使我受苦的那个念头。 来自辞典例句
  • Each of these oracles hated a particular phrase. Liu the Sage abhorred "Not right for sowing". 二诸葛忌讳“不宜栽种”，三仙姑忌讳“米烂了”。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说
13 gratuity Hecz4     
n.赏钱，小费
参考例句：
  • The porter expects a gratuity.行李员想要小费。
  • Gratuity is customary in this money-mad metropolis.在这个金钱至上的大都市里，给小费是司空见惯的。
14 attire AN0zA     
v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装
参考例句：
  • He had no intention of changing his mode of attire.他无意改变着装方式。
  • Her attention was attracted by his peculiar attire.他那奇特的服装引起了她的注意。
15 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。
16 swarmed 3f3ff8c8e0f4188f5aa0b8df54637368     
密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去
参考例句：
  • When the bell rang, the children swarmed out of the school. 铃声一响，孩子们蜂拥而出离开了学校。
  • When the rain started the crowd swarmed back into the hotel. 雨一开始下，人群就蜂拥回了旅社。
17 implements 37371cb8af481bf82a7ea3324d81affc     
n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效
参考例句：
  • Primitive man hunted wild animals with crude stone implements. 原始社会的人用粗糙的石器猎取野兽。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • They ordered quantities of farm implements. 他们订购了大量农具。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
18 rivalry tXExd     
n.竞争，竞赛，对抗
参考例句：
  • The quarrel originated in rivalry between the two families.这次争吵是两家不和引起的。
  • He had a lot of rivalry with his brothers and sisters.他和兄弟姐妹间经常较劲。
19 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。
20 triumphant JpQys     
adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的
参考例句：
  • The army made a triumphant entry into the enemy's capital.部队胜利地进入了敌方首都。
  • There was a positively triumphant note in her voice.她的声音里带有一种极为得意的语气。
21 bruised 5xKz2P     
[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。
22 outrage hvOyI     
n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒
参考例句：
  • When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
  • We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。
23 standing 2hCzgo     
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。
24 darted d83f9716cd75da6af48046d29f4dd248     
v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔
参考例句：
  • The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
25 backwards BP9ya     
adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地
参考例句：
  • He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
  • All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。
26 emboldened 174550385d47060dbd95dd372c76aa22     
v.鼓励，使有胆量( embolden的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • Emboldened by the wine, he went over to introduce himself to her. 他借酒壮胆，走上前去向她作自我介绍。
  • His success emboldened him to expand his business. 他有了成就因而激发他进一步扩展业务。 来自《简明英汉词典》
27 bully bully     
n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮
参考例句：
  • A bully is always a coward.暴汉常是懦夫。
  • The boy gave the bully a pelt on the back with a pebble.那男孩用石子掷击小流氓的背脊。
28 mash o7Szl     
n.麦芽浆，糊状物，土豆泥；v.把…捣成糊状，挑逗，调情
参考例句：
  • He beat the potato into a mash before eating it.他把马铃薯捣烂后再吃。
  • Whiskey,originating in Scotland,is distilled from a mash of grains.威士忌源于苏格兰，是从一种大麦芽提纯出来的。
29 brute GSjya     
n.野兽，兽性
参考例句：
  • The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
  • That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲，它咬人。
30 bent QQ8yD     
n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的
参考例句：
  • He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
  • We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
31 mortification mwIyN     
n.耻辱，屈辱
参考例句：
  • To my mortification, my manuscript was rejected. 使我感到失面子的是：我的稿件被退了回来。
  • The chairman tried to disguise his mortification. 主席试图掩饰自己的窘迫。

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