儿童英语读物 The Camp-Out Mystery CHAPTER 3 Checking In

Mr. Alden stopped the car just inside the park’s entrance. “We have to sign in,” he said.

Henry pointed¹ to a big wooden arrow on a post. The word Campers was carved into it. “The arrow says campers should go to the right,” Henry told him.

“I know,” Mr. Alden said, “but I’m sure the ranger²’s station was to the left last time I was here.”

“Maybe they moved it?” Benny asked.

Mr. Alden turned the car to the right. “There’s only one way to find out,” he said.

They drove along the unpaved road slowly. Half a mile in, the road ended.

“I guess we should have turned left,” Benny said.

“Right you are,” Mr. Alden agreed. He drove around the circle and headed the car back the way they had come.

When they came to the arrow, Henry said, “Stop the car, Grandfather. I’ll turn the sign around.”

Mr. Alden slowed to a stop.

Henry got out. He had to stretch to reach the arrow.

“Who do you suppose pointed the sign the wrong way?” Jessie asked when Henry was back in the car.

“The nail that attaches it to the post is loose,” Henry said. “Maybe it just slipped around the other way.”

“Could it slip that far by itself?” Violet asked.

“Violet’s right,” Jessie said. “If it slipped, it would point down.”

“Or up,” Benny put in.

“Maybe a strong wind blew it all the way around,” Henry offered.

“It was probably someone playing a joke,” Mr. Alden said.

Just ahead, they saw a freshly painted, green guard house. Avoiding a stack of old boards near it, Mr. Alden pulled up to the window.

The man inside the house wore a brown uniform with a state park insignia on the pocket. He smiled broadly. “Welcome to Blue Mound³ State Park,” he said.

“We’re the Aldens,” Grandfather said. “I called ahead to reserve a campsite.”

The man checked their name off his list. Then he handed Mr. Alden a map of the grounds. “You can have your pick of sites,” he said.

Mr. Alden gave the map to Jessie. “It’s your trip,” he said to the children. “You choose the place.”

Jessie turned in her seat so that her sister and brothers could see the map. It clearly showed the numbered campsites. Several were clustered⁴ in a clearing. Others stood alone in different parts of the woods. They quickly agreed on a location near a stand of pine with a brook⁵ running alongside⁶. It reminded them of the place where they had found their boxcar.

Jessie pointed to the spot on the map. “May we camp here?” she asked the ranger.

“It’s yours,” the man answered.

“We didn’t expect a choice,” Mr. Alden said to the ranger. “We thought the campgrounds would be crowded. This is usually a busy time, isn’t it?”

The ranger’s smile faded. He looked toward the woods. “It has been, yes,” he said. “In the past.”

“Maybe people are getting lost,” Benny said. He told the ranger about the sign.

“I’ll have to check that out,” the man said. He smiled again. “Well, you’re all set. I hope you enjoy your stay here.”

The Aldens thanked him and drove on to the parking lot beyond the guard house.

“I’m glad we’re finally here,” Benny said. “I’m hungry.”

Jessie laughed. “It’ll be a while before we eat,” she said.

“Yes,” Violet agreed. “We have to take everything to our campsite first.”

“And set it up,” Henry added.

Benny hopped⁷ out of the car. “Well, let’s hurry,” he said. Mr. Alden opened the back of the station wagon⁸ and Watch jumped out. His tail wagged⁹ wildly. He was obviously happy to be out of the car.

Each of the Aldens slipped on a backpack.

Jessie knelt beside Watch. She put his pack on his back and wound the straps¹⁰ under and over him. He stood very still. When she had buckled¹¹ the straps, he turned his head to look at the pack. Then, he glanced up at her.

She laughed. “If you’re going to go camping,” she told him, “you have to carry your own load.”

“There’s still a lot to carry,” Henry said. “We might have to make two trips.”

Mr. Alden studied the map. “It’s a long hike to our campsite,” he said. “If we have to make two trips, it might be dark before we’re settled.”

“We’ll each carry something,” Benny suggested.

“The groceries are heavy,” Henry said. “I don’t think it’ll work.”

“Come with me, Henry,” Jessie directed. “I have an idea.”

The others waited while the two oldest ran back to the ranger’s house. Shortly, they returned carrying a board.

“The ranger said we could use this,” Jessie said. “It’s an old board from one of the park buildings. They’ve been making repairs.”

Henry set a box near each end of the board. The tents and their other things went in between.

“That should work,” Jessie said. “The weight is even.”

“Who wants to help me carry the board?”Henry asked.

“I will,” Mr. Alden said.

“Violet and I will carry the cooler,” Jessie suggested.

“What about me?” Benny asked. “I can carry something.”

“Would you carry my violin?” Violet asked.

Benny beamed and took the case from her. “I’ll be very careful with it,” he said.

Violet smiled at him. “I know you will, Benny,” she said.

Single file, they started off down the path to their campsite. Watch took the lead. He ran ahead, his nose to the ground. Every so often, he would stop and look back to make sure the others were coming.

The air was clear and cool. High above them, birds sang. They passed through a stand of pine. The pine needles were soft underfoot. They could hear the murmur¹² of rushing water.

“We’re nearly there,” Henry announced.

And sure enough, on the other side of the pine grove¹³ was a small clearing. A perfect setting except for the cans and paper bags and plastic cups and tableware.

“Somebody must have been camping here recently,” Jessie said.

“And it looks like they left in a hurry,” Benny said.

1 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

2 ranger   

n.国家公园管理员，护林员；骑兵巡逻队员

参考例句：

• He was the head ranger of the national park.他曾是国家公园的首席看守员。
• He loved working as a ranger.他喜欢做护林人。

3 mound   

n.土墩，堤，小山；v.筑堤，用土堆防卫

参考例句：

• The explorers climbed a mound to survey the land around them.勘探者爬上土丘去勘测周围的土地。
• The mound can be used as our screen.这个土丘可做我们的掩蔽物。

4 clustered   

adj.集中的，成群的

参考例句：

• The students clustered around the old soldiers to hear the story. 学生们围着老战士听故事。
• People clustered around the notice board. 人们聚集在布告栏周围。

5 brook   

n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让

参考例句：

• In our room we could hear the murmur of a distant brook.在我们房间能听到远处小溪汩汩的流水声。
• The brook trickled through the valley.小溪涓涓流过峡谷。

6 alongside   

adv.在旁边；prep.和...在一起，在...旁边

参考例句：

• There was a butcher's shop alongside the theatre.剧院旁边有一家肉店。
• Alongside of him stood his uncle.他的身旁站着他叔叔。

7 hopped   

跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花

参考例句：

• He hopped onto a car and wanted to drive to town. 他跳上汽车想开向市区。
• He hopped into a car and drove to town. 他跳进汽车，向市区开去。

8 wagon   

n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车

参考例句：

• We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
• The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。

9 wagged   

v.（使）摇动，摇摆( wag的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The dog wagged its tail with pleasure. 那条狗高兴得直摇尾巴。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She wagged her finger with mock severity. 她故作严厉地摆了摆手指。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 straps   

n.带子( strap的名词复数 )；挎带；肩带；背带v.用皮带捆扎( strap的第三人称单数 )；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带

参考例句：

• the shoulder straps of her dress 她连衣裙上的肩带
• The straps can be adjusted to suit the wearer. 这些背带可进行调整以适合使用者。

11 buckled   

a. 有带扣的

参考例句：

• She buckled her belt. 她扣上了腰带。
• The accident buckled the wheel of my bicycle. 我自行车的轮子在事故中弄弯了。

12 murmur   

n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言

参考例句：

• They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。
• There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。

13 grove   

n.林子，小树林，园林

参考例句：

• On top of the hill was a grove of tall trees.山顶上一片高大的树林。
• The scent of lemons filled the grove.柠檬香味充满了小树林。