Bill Mosely and Tom Hadley did not become reconciled to the loss of their stolen horses. They found it much less agreeable to use their own legs than the legs of the two mustangs which had borne them so comfortably over the hills. They cursed the fate which had led to their meeting with Ki Sing, and the poor Chinaman would have fared worse at their hands had they anticipated the trouble which he indirectly¹ brought them.

 

Bill Mosely was naturally lazy; any sort of work he considered beneath him, and he desired to avoid all possible trouble in the lawless and vagabond life which he had chosen. He took it worse, in[Pg 123]deed, than his companion, who was neither so shiftless nor so lazy as he.

 

During the few days which had elapsed since they were glad to leave the mountain-cabin they had averaged less than ten miles' daily travel. They had money enough to purchase animals to replace those which had been taken from them, but had not found any one who was willing to sell for a reasonable price, and Mosely, though he came easily by his money, was far from lavish² in the spending of it.

 

It chanced that an hour after the arrival of Richard Dewey and his party at the Golden Gulch³ Hotel, Mosely and his companion, dusty and tired, approached the small mining-settlement, of which the hotel was the principal building.

 

They had had nothing to eat since morning, and both of them felt hungry, not to say ravenous⁴.

 

"Thank Heaven, Tom, there's a mining-town!" ejaculated Mosely, with an expression of devotion not usual to him. "Now we can get something to eat, and I, for my part, feel as empty as a drum. It's hard travelling on an empty stomach."

 

[Pg 124]"I should say so," remarked Mr. Hadley, with his usual formula. It must be admitted, however, that in the present instance he was entirely⁵ sincere, and fully

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1 indirectly
adv.间接地，不直接了当地
参考例句：
I heard the news indirectly.这消息我是间接听来的。 They were approached indirectly through an intermediary.通过一位中间人，他们进行了间接接触。

2 lavish
adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍
参考例句：
He despised people who were lavish with their praises.他看不起那些阿谀奉承的人。 The sets and costumes are lavish.布景和服装极尽奢华。

3 gulch
n.深谷，峡谷
参考例句：
The trail ducks into a narrow gulch.这条羊肠小道突然下到一个狭窄的峡谷里。 This is a picture of California Gulch.这是加利福尼亚峡谷的图片。

4 ravenous
adj.极饿的，贪婪的
参考例句：
The ravenous children ate everything on the table.饿极了的孩子把桌上所有东西吃掉了。 Most infants have a ravenous appetite.大多数婴儿胃口极好。

5 entirely
ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地
参考例句：
The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。 His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

6 fully
adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地
参考例句：
The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。 They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

7 pretentious
adj.自命不凡的，自负的，炫耀的
参考例句：
He is a talented but pretentious writer.他是一个有才华但自命不凡的作家。 Speaking well of yourself would only make you appear conceited and pretentious.自夸只会使你显得自负和虚伪。

8 exorbitant
adj.过分的；过度的
参考例句：
More competition should help to drive down exorbitant phone charges.更多的竞争有助于降低目前畸高的电话收费。 The price of food here is exorbitant. 这儿的食物价格太高。

9 assented
同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The judge assented to allow the prisoner to speak. 法官同意允许犯人申辩。 "No," assented Tom, "they don't kill the women -- they're too noble. “对，”汤姆表示赞同地说，“他们不杀女人——真伟大！

10 sarcasm
n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic）
参考例句：
His sarcasm hurt her feelings.他的讽刺伤害了她的感情。 She was given to using bitter sarcasm.她惯于用尖酸刻薄语言挖苦人。

11 obtuse
adj.钝的；愚钝的
参考例句：
You were too obtuse to take the hint.你太迟钝了，没有理解这种暗示。 "Sometimes it looks more like an obtuse triangle,"Winter said.“有时候它看起来更像一个钝角三角形。”温特说。

12 complacently
adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地
参考例句：
He complacently lived out his life as a village school teacher. 他满足于一个乡村教师的生活。 "That was just something for evening wear," returned his wife complacently. “那套衣服是晚装，"他妻子心安理得地说道。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

13 browsing
v.吃草( browse的现在分词 )；随意翻阅；（在商店里）随便看看；（在计算机上）浏览信息
参考例句：
He sits browsing over[through] a book. 他坐着翻阅书籍。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Cattle is browsing in the field. 牛正在田里吃草。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 longing
n.（for）渴望
参考例句：
Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。 His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。

15 prospect
n.前景，前途；景色，视野
参考例句：
This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。 The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

16 amendment
n.改正，修正，改善，修正案
参考例句：
The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。 The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

17 motives
n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )
参考例句：
to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机 His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。

18 kin
n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的
参考例句：
He comes of good kin.他出身好。 She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。

19 vaguely
adv.含糊地，暖昧地
参考例句：
He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。 He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面，对一切都视而不见。

20 licensed
adj.得到许可的v.许可，颁发执照(license的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句：
The new drug has not yet been licensed in the US. 这种新药尚未在美国获得许可。 Is that gun licensed? 那支枪有持枪执照吗？

21 fervently
adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地
参考例句：
"Oh, I am glad!'she said fervently. “哦，我真高兴！”她热烈地说道。 来自《简明英汉词典》 O my dear, my dear, will you bless me as fervently to-morrow?' 啊，我亲爱的，亲爱的，你明天也愿这样热烈地为我祝福么？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

22 commendable
adj.值得称赞的
参考例句：
The government's action here is highly commendable.政府这样的行动值得高度赞扬。 Such carping is not commendable.这样吹毛求疵真不大好。

23 jaw
n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训
参考例句：
He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。 A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。

24 lame
adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的
参考例句：
The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。 I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。

25 vengeance
n.报复，报仇，复仇
参考例句：
He swore vengeance against the men who murdered his father.他发誓要向那些杀害他父亲的人报仇。 For years he brooded vengeance.多年来他一直在盘算报仇。

26 coveted
adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图
参考例句：
He had long coveted the chance to work with a famous musician. 他一直渴望有机会与著名音乐家一起工作。 Ther other boys coveted his new bat. 其他的男孩都想得到他的新球棒。 来自《简明英汉词典》

27 surmised
v.臆测，推断( surmise的过去式和过去分词 )；揣测；猜想
参考例句：
From the looks on their faces, I surmised that they had had an argument. 看他们的脸色，我猜想他们之间发生了争执。 From his letter I surmised that he was unhappy. 我从他的信中推测他并不快乐。 来自《简明英汉词典》