儿童英语读物 Schoolhouse Mystery CHAPTER 9 The Disappearing Stranger
时间:2018-12-06 作者:英语课 分类:10 Schoolhouse Mystery
Henry backed the car into the woods a little way. Nobody could see it from the road. The Aldens all got out and took out every car rug 1 that they could find for bedclothes. It was so warm that they didn’t really need any covers.
Henry and Benny let down the seats that made beds for four people. By nine o’clock all was ready. Benny climbed up on top of the car.
“I won’t fall down,” he called. “There’s a railing 2 all around the edge 3. I’m going to put this blanket 4 under me instead of over me.” He folded the car blanket and lay down. “A very soft bed,” he said.
“I should think Freddy would be along soon—if he’s coming,” said Jessie. “I wonder what he will do.”
In about an hour they heard a car coming. It did not make much noise, but everyone was awake. Benny sat up and looked through the trees. “Yes, it’s a car,” he whispered 5.
But the car stopped. Everyone was watching it now. Mr. Freddy must have seen that the tide 6 was in, because he quietly turned his car around and went back.
“Now what?” Benny whispered down. “I don’t think he is going to give up like that. He would just love to be on the island when we are away. He knows we are watching him, I bet 7.”
They all lay down again. But nobody went to sleep. It was not too long before they heard another very soft sound. It sounded like water, and it was ahead 8 of them. They all looked hard through the darkness 9.
“He’s got a boat!” whispered Henry. They all watched. Then they all saw it. It was a rowboat with Mr. Willet’s head showing against the dark sky.
“Come down now, Benny,” whispered Grandfather. “We’ll get a boat, too!”
“Oh, can we really?” whispered Benny. “Where can we get a boat?”
“Where Mr. Willet got his, I think,” said Grandfather.
They all sat up in the car, and Henry drove 10 back over the road very carefully.
“There’s a light!” said Violet 11. “It’s in a fisherman’s hut 12.”
Henry stopped the car in front of the house.
“Somebody is awake,” said Jessie. “And do I see the end of that red car sticking out behind the house?”
“You do,” said Mr. Alden. “I do, anyway. I think this is the place where Freddy got his boat. You do the talking, Henry.”
Henry went to the door and knocked. At once a fisherman came to the door. He wore an old coat.
“I’m sorry to come so late,” began Henry, “but we need a boat. It’s high tide, and we’re stuck.”
“Yep, I know that,” said the man. “Seems as if everybody is stuck tonight on the wrong side.”
“Can we rent a boat from you?” asked Henry.
“Sure! I’ve got three. I just rented two.”
“Two!” said Henry in surprise.
“Yep, two. One man came, and then another man came. You can have the last one.”
“Where is it?” asked Henry.
“It’s tied down near the road, when there is a road. You’ll see it on the bank on the left, tied to a post. Can’t miss it.”
“How much will it be?” asked Henry. He couldn’t help wondering about two men. He had been thinking 13 only of Freddy Willet.
“A dollar,” said the man. “Be sure and tie her up on the island side. My boys can row ’em back tomorrow. It ain’t far.”
Henry quickly gave the man a dollar and thanked him. Then he went back to the family. He said, “Do you suppose five of us can get into one boat?”
“We’ll see,” said Grandfather. “I think so.”
Benny had heard about the two men. He could hardly wait to speak. “Who do you suppose that other man was? A mystery 14, for sure.”
Mr. Alden was thinking, too. “I wonder,” he said.
Henry drove back to the water. Sure enough, a boat was tied up on the bank.
“Good! It’s a big one,” said Grandfather. “I wonder why we didn’t see it. Back the car off the road again, Henry. I guess this night’s sleep is over.”
Everybody got out of the car and went carefully down to the boat. When Henry came, they all pushed the boat into the water. Henry helped Violet and Jessie into the front of the boat, and Benny stepped into the other end. When Grandfather was sitting down on the middle seat, Henry pushed off. He and his grandfather began to row.
“We’ll tie up just below the schoolhouse,” said Henry. “I suppose we will see the other two boats there.”
It was not very far to the island, but it was dark, and the tide was very high. They could see a little through the darkness. But there were no boats to be seen!
“What do you know!” said Benny. “Where would Freddy go? Do you think he has a partner, Grandfather?”
“Well,” said Mr. Alden, “I don’t know. If the man is a partner of Willet’s, why would he come by himself?”
“That’s so,” Jessie said.
Benny added 15, “But I’m almost sure the first man must have crossed over to the island before we came. We were watching and listening all the time.”
Henry ran the boat up on the beach. He tied it to a tree.
Suddenly Violet looked around and asked, “Where do you suppose Freddy has gone?” She shivered 16 a little.
“Not to the hotel,” Jessie said. “And I don’t think he would stay with any of the island people.”
“I wonder,” said Henry. “I just wonder—”
“I know,” said Benny. “The schoolhouse!”
Benny would have run to peek 17 in the windows, but Grandfather said, “How do you know that Freddy isn’t going back to the other side after getting something? The best thing we can do now is to get some sleep.”
“And there’s school tomorrow,” said Violet.
- The rug can double up.这条地毯能卷起来。
- It will be more beautiful if you work some blue into the rug.如果你再织些蓝色的图案,这毯子会更好看。
- He leant against the railing, his breath coming in short gasps. 他倚着栏杆,急促地喘气。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He's always railing against his wife about her extravagance. 他总是责怪妻子奢侈浪费。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Sight along the edge to see if it's straight.顺着边目测,看看直不直。
- She lived on the extreme edge of the forest.她住在森林的最边缘。
- A blanket keeps us warm because it is woollen and thick.毯子给我们保暖,因为它用羊毛制成而且很厚。
- He covered the child up with a blanket.他用一条毯子把孩子盖严。
- She sidled up to me and whispered something in my ear. 她悄悄走上前来,对我耳语了几句。
- His ill luck has been whispered about the neighborhood. 他的不幸遭遇已在邻居中传开。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The bright moon over the sea rises with the tide.海上明月共潮生。
- They were cut off by the tide.他们被潮水所阻隔。
- I bet you can't do this puzzle.我敢说,你解决不了这个难题。
- I offered to bet with him.我提出与他打赌。
- We have to go ahead to find a garage.我们得到前边找个修车厂。
- Youth looks ahead and age backward.青年人向前看,老年人向后看。
- Darkness closed down on the city.黑夜降临于该城。
- Darkness was falling fast.天很快黑了下来。
- He drove at a speed of sixty miles per hour.他以每小时60英里的速度开车。
- They drove foreign goods out of the market.他们把外国货驱逐出市场。
- She likes to wear violet dresses.他喜欢穿紫色的衣服。
- Violet is the color of wisdom,peace and strength.紫色是智慧的,和平的和力量的颜色。
- The hut is in the midst of the forest.小屋在森林深处。
- The poor old man lived in a little wooden hut.那个贫穷的老人住在一间小木屋内。
- All thinking men will protest against it.凡是有思想的人都会抗议这件事。
- Thinking is mainly performed with words and other symbols.思想主要是用言语和其他符号来表达的。
- He often tells stories full of mystery.他常讲些充满神秘色彩的故事。
- The mystery was never solved.这个奥秘始终未得到解释。
- They have added a new scene at the beginning.在开头他们又增加了一场戏。
- The pop music added to our enjoyment of the film.片中的流行音乐使我们对这部电影更加喜爱。