儿童英语读物 小木屋之谜 The Woodshed Mystery Chapter 9 盒子里是什么？

CHAPTER 9

What Was in the Box



Aunt Jane was not in the house. No dog came to meet them. Aunt Jane’s dog, Lady, always stayed with her. Benny called out, “Aunt Jane!” When nobody answered, Henry called, “Lady! Lady!”



A bark came from the yard behind the house. There sat Aunt Jane reading Violet 1’s big book. She looked up.



“Well, how did you get along?” she asked.



Benny could hardly wait to tell her about the hole under the woodshed. Then Jessie gave her the old candlestick.



“What an old candlestick!” cried Aunt Jane. “This is the kind they used at the time of the Revolutionary War!”



“That’s what Jessie thought, Aunt Jane,” said Violet. “And we found an old iron 2 box, too.”



“Open it right away!” said Aunt Jane. “It looks like a candle box. The kind they used to pack candles in.”



“Somebody sat there in the dark with a candle,” said Henry. “Why would they do that, Aunt Jane?”



“I have an idea, Henry! I got it from this old book. You just open that box and we’ll see.”



“I’ll have to break the top off, I’m afraid,” said Henry. “See how rusty 3 it is.”



“All right. Break it!” cried Aunt Jane.



“I’ll get a hammer and chisel,” shouted Benny. “I’ll be right back.”



Off he went to the house. He soon came back and Henry started to work. Little by little the cover opened. At last it fell off.



“Well, what is it?” cried Benny. “Just a lot of old black powder.”



“Gunpowder 4!” said Aunt Jane with shining eyes. “I read about gunpowder in Violet’s book. Somebody dug 5 that hole to keep ammunition 6 in!”



“You’re right,” said Henry quietly. “I think we have found one of the places where they hid ammunition!”



“Then they took it to Concord,” said Jessie.



“In a load of hay 7!” said Violet.



They all looked at each other.



Henry said, “Aunt Jane, we decided 8 not to go into the tunnel 9. We may find a lot more things later.”



“We thought somebody might shut the cover down,” said Benny. “And there we’d all be. Next time we’ll leave somebody outside to keep watch. Where’s Sam?”



But Sam had gone back to work.



Aunt Jane said, “Sam must go with you every time. Remember that.”



“I think so, too,” said Jessie. “That dirt looked as if it had been moved only yesterday. Some stranger is around here.”



“He’s stealing eggs from the Beans,” said Benny. Everyone laughed.



Benny went on slowly. Talking about the Beans had made him think of something. He said, “Aunt Jane, why didn’t you marry this Andy Bean?”



“All right, I’ll tell you, Benny. Nobody ever asked me before.”



“I wasn’t very polite to ask you, was I?” said Benny.



“No,” said Aunt Jane. “But I don’t mind. I was quite silly. Andy Bean did ask me to marry him and I said no. My reasons were very silly. I know that now. The first reason was that he was two years younger than I was, but he was big and he looked older. What do you guess the second reason was?”



“What?” asked four voices.



“I didn’t want to be called Mrs. Bean!”



Violet patted 10 Aunt Jane’s hand. “I don’t think that was too silly.”



“Well, I do,” said Aunt Jane. “I have been sorry a thousand times. Andy was a fine looking, clever boy. He had a nice crooked 11 smile. His younger brother owns the Bean farm now. His wife is the Mrs. Bean who told you about the eggs, Benny.”



“Don’t we have the most exciting adventures!” cried Benny. “Something new is always happening.”



“Yes, Benny,” said Aunt Jane laughing. “Ever since I met you something nice has happened every day. Before that nothing happened.”



“Well, tomorrow we’ll explore that cellar 12 again,” said Henry. “I’ll read that old book myself. I’d like to know what to look for.”



“We might find an old gun,” said Benny. “Maybe an old flintlock.”



“Benny Alden!” cried Violet. Her eyes were like stars. “Do you know what you just said? Maybe that cellar is where Andy Bean found his old flintlock!”



Everyone was excited until Jessie said, “No, I don’t think so. Don’t you remember that somebody gave it to Andy?”



“That’s right, Jessie,” said Benny. “They said it was somebody hiding in this house! And that’s why the stories have been told and nobody will live here.”



“Well!” said Henry. “We’ll find out if it takes all summer.”



“Don’t forget,” said Aunt Jane softly 13, “it may.”



Henry smiled at his aunt. Maybe it would take all summer, but the mystery would be solved. And it would be solved quickly if some of his and Benny’s ideas proved to be right.