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Chapter Nineteen A MEETING WITH MARTIN
TIMMY ran round the house and made for the moor behind. It was most extraordinary.
Wherever was he going?
'This is awfully1 queer,' said Julian. 'I'm sure George can't be anywhere in this direction.'
Timmy went on swiftly, occasionally turning his head to make sure everyone was following him.
He led the way to the quarry2!
'The quarry! Did George come here then?' said Dick. 'But why?'
The dog disappeared down into the middle of the quarry, slipping and sliding down the steep sides as he went. The others followed as best they could. Luckily it was not as slippery as before, and they reached the bottom without accident.
Timmy went straight to the shelf of rock and disappeared underneath3 it. They heard him give a short sharp bark as if to say 'Come on! This is the way! Hurry up!'
'He's gone into the tunnel under there,' said Dick. 'Where we thought we might explore and didn't. There must be a passage or something there, then. But is George there?'
'I'll go first,' said Julian, and wriggled4 through the hole. He was soon in the wider bit and then came out into the part where he could almost stand. He walked a little way in the dark, hearing Timmy bark impatiently now and then. But in a moment or two Julian stopped.
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'It's no good trying to follow you in the dark, Timmy!' he called. 'We'll have to go back and get torches. I can't see a foot in front of me!'
Dick was just struggling through the first part of the hole. Julian called to him to go back.
'It's too dark,' he said. 'We must go and get torches. If George for some reason is up this passage, she must have had an accident, and we'd better get a rope, and some brandy.'
Anne began to cry. She didn't like the idea of George lying hurt in that dark passage. Julian put his arm round her as soon as he was in the open air again. He helped her up the sides of the quarry, followed by Dick.
'Now don't worry. We'll get her all right. But it beats me why she went there and I still can't imagine how Tim and she came from the island, if they are here, instead of on the beach!'
'Look there's Martin!' suddenly said Dick in surprise. So there was! He was standing5 at the top of the quarry, and seemed just as surprised to see them as they were to see him! 'You're up early,'
called Dick. 'And goodness me -- are you going gardening or something? Why the spades?'
Martin looked sheepish and didn't seem to know what to say. Julian suddenly walked up to him and caught hold of his shoulder. 'Look here, Martin! There's some funny business going on here!
What are you going to do with those spades? Have you seen George? Do you know where she is, or anything about her? Come on, tell me!'
Martin shook his shoulder away from Julian's grip, looking extremely surprised. 'George? No!
What's happened to him?'
'George isn't a him - she's a her,' said Anne, still crying. 'She's disappeared. We thought she'd gone to the island to find her dog -- and Timmy suddenly appeared at Kirrin Cottage, and brought us here!'
'So it looks as if George might be somewhere near here,' said Julian. 'And I want to know if you've seen her or know anything of her whereabouts?'
'No, Julian. I swear I don't!' said Martin.
'Well, tell me what you're doing here so early in the morning, with spades,' said Julian, roughly.
'Who are you waiting for? Your father?'
'Yes,' said Martin.
'And what are you going to do?' asked Dick. 'Going exploring up the hole there?'
'Yes,' said Martin again, sullen6 and worried. 'No harm in that, is there?'
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'It's all - very - queer,' said Julian, eyeing him and speaking slowly and loudly. 'But - let me tell you this - we're going exploring -- not you! If there's anything queer up that hole, we'll 'find it!
We shall not allow you or your father to get through the hole. So go and find him and tell him that!'
Martin didn't move. He went very white, and stared at Julian miserably7. Anne went up to him, tears still on her face and put her hand on his arm.
'Martin, what is it? Why do you look like that? What's the mystery?' And then, to the dismay and horror of everyone, Martin turned away with a noise that sounded very like a sob8! He stood with his back to them, his shoulders shaking.
'Good gracious! What is up?' said Julian, in exasperation9. 'Pull yourself together, Martin! Tell us what's worrying you.'
'Everything, everything!' said Martin, in a muffled voice. Then he swung round to face them.
'You don't know what it is to have no mother and no father - nobody who cares about you – and then...'
'But you have got a father!' said Dick at once.
'I haven't. He's not my father, that man. He's only my guardian10, but he makes me call him father whenever we're on a job together.'
'A job? What sort of job?' said Julian.
'Oh any kind -- all beastly,' said Martin. 'Snooping round and finding things out about people, and then getting money from them if we promise to say nothing - and receiving stolen goods and selling them - and helping11 people like the men who are after your uncle's secret...'
'Oho!' said Dick at once. Now we're coming to it. I thought you and Mr. Curton were both suspiciously interested in Kirrin Island. What's this present job, then?'
'My guardian will half-kill me for telling all this,' said Martin. 'But, you see, they're planning to blow up the island -- and it's about the worst thing I've ever been mixed up in - and I know your uncle is there - and perhaps George too now, you say. I can't go on with it!'
A few more tears ran down his cheeks. It was awful to see a boy crying like that, and the three felt sorry for Martin now. They were also full of horror when they heard him say that the island was to be blown up!
'How do you know this?' asked Julian.
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'Well, Mr. Curton's got a wireless12 receiver and transmitter as you know,' explained Martin, 'and so have the fellows on the island -- the ones who are after your uncle's secret -- so they can easily keep in touch with one another. They mean to get the secret if they can - if not they are going to blow the whole place sky-high so that nobody can get the secret. But they can't get away by boat, because they don't know the way through those rocks....'
'Well, how will they get away then?' demanded Julian.
'We feel sure this hole that Timmy found the other day, leads down to the sea, and under the sea-bed to Kirrin Island,' said Martin. 'Yes, I know it sounds too mad to be true - but Mr. Curton's got an old map which clearly shows there was once a passage under the sea-bed. If there is - well, the fellows across on the island can escape down it, after making all preparations for the island to be blown up. See?'
'Yes,' said Julian, taking a long breath. 'I do see. I see it all very clearly now. .1 see something else too! Timmy has found his way from the island, using that same passage you have just told us about - and that's why he's led us back here -- to take us to the island and rescue Uncle Quentin and George.'
There was a deep silence. Martin stared at the ground. Dick and Julian thought hard. Anne sobbed13 a little. It all seemed quite unbelievable to her. Then Julian put his hand on Martin's arm.
'Martin! You did right to tell us. We may be able to prevent something dreadful. But you must help. We may need those spades of yours - and I expect you've got torches too. We haven't. We don't want to waste time going back and getting them - so will you come with us and help us?
Will you lend us those spades and torches?'
'Would you trust me?' said Martin, in a low voice. 'Yes, I want to come and help you. And if we get in now, my guardian won't be able to follow, because he won't have a torch. We can get to the island and bring your uncle and George safely back.'
'Good for you!' said Dick. 'Well, come on then. We've been talking far too long. Come on down again, Ju. Hand him a spade and torch, Martin.'
'Anne, you're not to come,' said Julian, to his little sister. 'You're to go back and tell Aunt Fanny what's happened. Will you do that?'
'Yes. I don't want to come,' said Anne. 'I'll go back now. Do be careful, Julian!' She climbed down with the boys and then stood and watched till all three had disappeared, into the hole.
Timmy, who had been waiting impatiently during the talking, barking now and again, was glad 84
to find that at last they were going to make a move. He ran ahead in the tunnel, his eyes gleaming green every time he turned to see if they were following.
Anne began to climb up the steep side of the quarry again. Then, thinking she heard a cough, she stopped and crouched14 under a bush. She peered through the leaves and saw Mr. Curton. Then she heard his voice.
'Martin! Where on earth are you?' So he had come to look for Martin and go up the tunnel with him! Anne hardly dared to breathe. Mr. Curton called again and again, then made an impatient noise and began to climb down the side of the quarry.
Suddenly he slipped! He clutched at a bush as he passed, but it gave way. He rolled quite near Anne, and caught sight of her.' He looked astonished, but then his look became one of fear as he rolled more and more quickly to the bottom of the deep quarry. Anne heard him give a deep groan15 as at last he came to a stop.
Anne peered down in fright. Mr. Curton was sitting up, holding one of his legs and groaning16. He looked up to see if he could spy Anne.
'Anne!' he called. 'I've broken my leg, I think. Can you fetch help? What are you doing here so early? Have you seen Martin?'
Anne did not answer. If he had broken his leg, then he couldn't go after the others! And Anne could get away quickly. She climbed carefully, afraid of rolling down to the bottom and having to lie beside the horrid17 Mr. Curton.
'Anne! Have you seen Martin? Look for him and get help for me, will you?' shouted Mr.' Curton, and then groaned18 again.
Anne climbed to the top of the quarry and looked down. She cupped her hands round her mouth and shouted loudly: 'You're a very wicked man. I shan't fetch help for you. I simply can't bear you!'
Arid19, having got, all that off her chest, the little girl shot off at top speed over the moor.
'I must tell Aunt Fanny. She'll know what to do! Oh, I hope the others are safe. What shall we do if the island blows up? I'm glad, glad, glad I told Mr. Curton he was very wicked man.' And on she ran, panting. Aunt Fanny would know what to do!
收听单词发音 |
1
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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quarry
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| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
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underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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wriggled
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的过去式和过去分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等） | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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exasperation
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| n.愤慨 | |
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10
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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12
wireless
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| adj.无线的；n.无线电 | |
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13
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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groaning
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| adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式 | |
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horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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arid
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| adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的 | |
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