儿童英语读物 The Ghost of the Chattering Bones CHAPTER 10 The Secret Hiding Place
时间：2018-12-06 作者：英语课 分类：102 The Ghost of the Chatterin
“I just can’t believe Bob and Annette would do such a thing,” Norah was saying, as they sat around the kitchen table having a late-night snack.
“Some people!” exclaimed Mrs. McGregor, who was pouring milk for everyone.
Pam came over with a plate of cookies. She set them down on the table. As it turned out, she had alerted her great-aunt after hearing noises outside.
“I have a question,” said Violet. “If it wasn’t Spence who was trying to scare us
… and it wasn’t Annette … then who was it?”
“It was me,” Pam said in a small voice.
All eyes turned to her.
“You tried to scare us?” Violet asked in surprise.
“You’re the one we were chasing the other night?” Jessie said at the same time.
Nodding, Pam sank down into a chair. “I … I’m really sorry.”
“What on earth is this all about?” Norah looked at Pam in bewilderment.
Pam buried her head in her hands. “I thought my parents would come and get me if they heard about a ghost,” she said, sniffling. Jessie quietly handed her some tissues.
“But how could …” Benny’s eyebrows 1 furrowed 2.
Pam lifted her head and looked at the youngest Alden. “You’re wondering how I did it?”
Benny nodded. “It sounded just like water rushing over rocks.”
“Wait a minute!” Henry snapped his fingers in sudden understanding. “You recorded the sound of the stream in the woods, didn’t you? That’s why we found your headband by the water.”
Pam glanced sheepishly at her great-aunt. “I know it was wrong to take your tape recorder, Aunt Norah.” Her voice wavered. “I’m really sorry.”
Norah was too stunned 3 to speak.
“You went outside in the middle of the night, didn’t you?” Henry went on, watching Pam closely. “Then you played the tape back.”
Pam didn’t deny it. “I had it all planned before you got here.” She could hardly look the Aldens in the eye. “But I hadn’t counted on you being so nice.”
“We were hoping we could be friends,” Violet said quietly.
“You might not believe this,” Pam said, looking sad, “but I’d already decided 4 not to try to scare you anymore.”
Norah hadn’t said a word for a while. Now she spoke 5 up. “I knew you were unhappy, Pam, but I had no idea why.” She paused and sighed. “I still don’t.”
Pam twisted her hands in her lap. “I love spending time with you, Aunt Norah, but … I miss my parents.” Her face crumbled 6. “I just wish they wouldn’t go away all summer.”
“Have you ever told them how you feel?” Jessie asked.
Pam lowered her eyes, then shook her head.
“Maybe it’s time you did.” Norah put a hand gently on Pam’s arm. “They’re not mind-readers, you know. Why don’t we give them a call first thing in the morning?”
“I like that idea,” said Pam, giving her great-aunt a watery 7 smile.
“I’m sure you’re always in their thoughts,” Mrs. McGregor added kindly 8. “And in their hearts.”
Suddenly Violet’s mouth dropped open and she almost spilled her milk. A wild idea was flitting through her head. “We have to go back!” she cried.
“Back … where?” asked Henry.
“Back to the bridge!” Violet was on her feet in a flash. She grabbed the flashlight and headed for the door.
Baffled, the others followed outside. When they reached the middle of the bridge, Violet swept the flashlight beam back and forth 9. It finally came to rest on the stone with the shape of a heart in it.
“What’s going on?” Henry asked, curiously 10.
Violet didn’t answer right away. With a finger, she traced the name inside the heart—the name MEG.
“I don’t get it,” said Benny.
“When Mrs. McGregor said Pam was always in her parents’ hearts, it suddenly hit me.” Violet’s eyes were shining. “Look at the name inside this heart.”
Henry scratched behind his neck. “I’m not following you, Violet.”
“Remember the first two lines of Meg’s verse?” she said.
Everybody recited at the same time, “When last goes first, and first goes last.”
Henry suddenly drew in his breath, catching 11 on. “If you switch the letters around, then—”
“MEG becomes GEM 12!!” finished Jessie, her eyes wide.
“Oh, my!” said Norah. “Meg’s brooch was made from precious gems 13.”
Henry said, “I think we just found the final clue.”
“Wait right here,” said Norah, heading for the house. She returned a moment later holding a screwdriver 14. “This is all I could find. But it should do the trick.”
With that, Henry set to work. The mortar 15 crumbled easily as he jabbed away at it. When the stone was finally loose, he put his hands on either side, then he wiggled and pulled with all his might. Slowly the stone came out, revealing a gaping 16 hole.
When Violet shone the flashlight’s beam into the opening, Benny couldn’t stand the suspense 17. “Do you see anything, Violet?” he wanted to know.
“I’m afraid I can’t—wait!” Violet said.
Everyone gasped 18 when Violet removed a small rotted leather pouch 19 from the hole. For a moment they all remained still, staring at the pouch. Then Violet held it out to Norah.
Untying 20 the drawstring, Norah gently pulled out a small cloth bundle. Her eyes widened as she unrolled the cloth to reveal a dazzling brooch. “Oh!” A broad smile spread across her face.
The Aldens let out a cheer. So did Pam.
“I’ve never seen anything like it!” exclaimed Mrs. McGregor.
“No wonder Meg wanted to keep it safe,” Henry said.
Norah nodded. “But she didn’t want it hidden away forever. So she left clues for her descendants to follow.”
But something was still bothering Benny. “What about the Chattering 21 Bones?” he said, puzzled. “Does it haunt the bridge? Or doesn’t it?”
Norah put an arm around the youngest Alden. “Some questions can never be answered, Benny,” she said. “There will always be mysteries.”
“Well, guess what, Norah?” Benny said with a grin. “Mysteries just happen to be our—”
“Specialty!” everyone said together.
- Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
- His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。
- Overhead hung a summer sky furrowed with the rash of rockets. 头顶上的夏日夜空纵横着急疾而过的焰火。 来自辞典例句
- The car furrowed the loose sand as it crossed the desert. 车子横过沙漠，在松软的沙土上犁出了一道车辙。 来自辞典例句
- 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。
- 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。
- He crumbled the bread in his fingers. 他用手指把面包捻碎。
- Our hopes crumbled when the business went bankrupt. 商行破产了，我们的希望也破灭了。
- In his watery eyes there is an expression of distrust.他那含泪的眼睛流露出惊惶失措的神情。
- Her eyes became watery because of the smoke.因为烟熏，她的双眼变得泪汪汪的。
- Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
- A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。
- The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
- He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。
- He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
- He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。
- There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
- Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。
- The gem is beyond my pocket.这颗宝石我可买不起。
- The little gem is worth two thousand dollars.这块小宝石价值两千美元。
- a crown studded with gems 镶有宝石的皇冠
- The apt citations and poetic gems have adorned his speeches. 贴切的引语和珠玑般的诗句为他的演说词增添文采。
- He took a screwdriver and teased out the remaining screws.他拿出螺丝刀把其余的螺丝卸了下来。
- The electric drill can also be used as a screwdriver.这把电钻也可用作螺丝刀。
- The mason flushed the joint with mortar.泥工用灰浆把接缝处嵌平。
- The sound of mortar fire seemed to be closing in.迫击炮的吼声似乎正在逼近。
- Ahead of them was a gaping abyss. 他们前面是一个巨大的深渊。
- The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。
- The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。
- She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
- People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》