-
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Chapter Twenty EVERYTHING BOILS UP!
Meanwhile the three boys and Timmy were having a strange journey underground. Timmy led the way without faltering1, stopping every now and again for the others to catch up with him. The tunnel at first had a very low roof and the boys had to walk along in a stooping position, which was very tiring indeed. But after a bit the roof became higher and Julian, flashing his torch round, saw that the walls and floor, instead of being made of soil, were now made of rock. He tried to reckon out where they were.
'We've come practically straight towards the cliff,' he said to Dick. 'That's allowing for a few turns and twists. The tunnel has sloped down so steeply the last few hundred yards that I think we must be very far underground indeed.'
It was not until the boys heard the curious booming noise that George had heard in the caves, that they knew they must be under the rocky bed of the sea. They were walking under the sea to Kirrin Island. How strange, how unbelievably astonishing!
'It's like a peculiarly vivid dream,' said Julian. 'I'm not sure I like it very much! All right, Tim --
we're coming. Hallo - what's this?'
They all stopped. Julian flashed his torch ahead and saw a pile of fallen rocks. Timmy had managed to squeeze himself through a hole in them and go through to the other side, but the boys couldn't.
'This is where the spades come in, Martin!' said Dick, cheerfully. 'Take a hand!' By dint of pushing and shovelling2, the boys at last managed to move the pile of fallen rocks enough to make a way past.
'Thank goodness for the spades!' said Julian.
They went on, and were soon very glad of the spades again, to move another heap of rock.
Timmy barked impatiently when they kept him waiting. He was very anxious to get back to George.
Soon they came to where the tunnel forked into two. But Timmy took the right-hand passage without hesitation3, and when that one forked into three, he again chose one without stopping to think for one moment.
86
'Marvellous, isn't he?' said Julian. 'All done by smell! He's been this way once, so he knows it again. We should be completely lost under here if we came by ourselves.'
Martin was not enjoying this adventure at all. He said very little, but labored4 on after the others.
Dick guessed he was worrying about what was going to happen when the adventure was over.
Poor Martin. All he wanted to do was to draw -- and instead of that he had been dragged into one horrible job after another, and used as a cat's-paw by his evil guardian5.
'Do you think we're anywhere near the island?' said Dick, at last. 'I'm getting tired of this!'
'Yes, we must be,' said Julian. 'In fact I think we'd better be as quiet as we can, in case we come suddenly on the enemy!'
So, without speaking again, they went as quietly as they could -- and then suddenly they saw a faint light ahead of them. Julian put out his hand to stop the others. They were nearing the cave where George's father had his books and papers -- where George had found him the night before.
Timmy stood in front of them, listening too. He was not going 'to run headlong into danger!
They heard voices, and listened intently to see whose they were.
'George's -- and Uncle Quentin's,' said Julian at last. And, as if Timmy had also satisfied himself that those were indeed the two voices, the dog ran ahead and went into the lighted cave, barking joyfully6.
'Timmy!' came George's voice, and they heard something overturn as she sprang up. 'Where have you been?'
'Woof,' said Timmy, trying to explain. 'Woof!'
And then Julian and Dick ran into the cave followed by Martin! Uncle Quentin and George stared in the very greatest amazement7.
'Julian! Dick! And Martin! How did you get here?' cried George, whilst Timmy jumped and capered8 round her.
'I'll explain,' said Julian. 'It was Timmy that fetched us!' And he related the whole story of how Timmy had come into Kirrin Cottage in the early morning and had jumped on his bed, and all that had happened since. And then, in their turn, Uncle Quentin and George told all that had happened to them!
'Where are the two men?' asked Julian.
87
'Somewhere on the island,' said George. 'I went scouting9 after them some time ago, and followed them up to where they get out into the little stone room. I think they're there until half past ten, when they'll go up and signal, so that people will think everything is all right.'
'Well, what are our plans?' said Julian. 'Will you come back down the passage under the sea with us? Or what shall we do?'
'Better not do that,' said Martin, quickly. 'My guardian may be coming -- and he's in touch with other men. If he wonders where I am, and thinks something is up, he may call in two or three others, and we might meet them making their way up the passage.'
They did not know, of course, that Mr. Curton was even then lying with a broken leg at the bottom of the quarry10. Uncle Quentin considered.
'I've been given seven hours to say whether or not I will give the fellows my secret,' he said.
'That time will be up just after half past ten. Then the men will come down again to see me. I think between us we ought to be able to capture them -- especially as we've got Timmy with us!'
'Yes - that's a good idea,' said Julian. 'We could hide somewhere 'till they come -- and then set Timmy on them before they suspect anything!'
Almost before he had finished these words the light in the cave went out! Then a voice spoke11 out of the blackness. 'Keep still! One movement and I'll shoot.'
George gasped. What was happening? Had the men come back unexpectedly? Oh, why hadn't Timmy given them warning? She had been fondling his ears, so probably he had been unable to hear anything! She held Timmy's collar, afraid that he would fly at the man in the darkness and be shot. The voice spoke again.
'Will you or will you not give us your secret?'
'Not,' said Uncle Quentin, in a low voice.
'You will have this whole island, and all your work blown up then, and yourself too and the others?'
'Yes! You can do 'what you like!' suddenly yelled George. You'll be blown up yourself too.
You'll never be able' to get away in a boat - you'll go on the rocks!'
The man in the darkness laughed. 'We shall be safe,' he said. 'Now, keep at the back of the cave. I have you covered with my revolver.'
They all crouched12 at the back. Timmy growled13, but George made him stop at once. She did not know if the men knew he was free or not. Quiet footsteps passed across the cave in the darkness.
88
George listened, straining her ears. Two pairs of foot steps! Both men were passing through the cave. She knew where they were going! They were going to escape by the undersea passage -
and leave the island to be blown up behind them! As soon as the footsteps had died away, George switched on her torch.
'Father! Those men are escaping now, down the sea-tunnel. We must escape too - but not that way. My boat is on the shore. Let's get there quickly and get away before there's any explosion.'
'Yes, come along,' said her father. 'But if only I could get up into my tower, I could stop any wicked plan of theirs! They mean to use the power there, I know - but if I could get up to the glass room, I could undo14 all their 'plans!'
'Oh do be quick then, Father!' cried George, getting in quite a panic now. 'Save my island if you can!'
They all made their way through the cave, up to the passage that led to the stone flight of steps from the little stone room. And there they had a shock!
The stone could not be opened from the inside! The men had altered the mechanism so that it could now only be opened from the outside. In vain Uncle Quentin swung the lever to and fro.
Nothing happened. The stone would not move.
'It's only from outside it can be opened,' he said in despair. 'We're trapped!'
They sat down on the stone steps in a row, one above the other. They were cold, hungry and miserable15. What could they do now? Make their way back to the cave and then go on 'down the'
under-sea tunnel?
'I don't want to do that,' said Uncle Quentin. 'I'm so afraid that if there is an explosion, it may crack the rocky bed of the sea, which is the roof of the tunnel - and then water would pour in. It wouldn't be pleasant if we happened to be there at that moment.'
'Oh no. Don't let's be trapped like that,' said George, with a shudder16. 'I couldn't bear it.'
'Perhaps I could get something to explode this stone away,' said her father, after a while. 'I've got plenty of stuff if only I've time to put it together.'
'Listen!' said Julian, suddenly. 'I can hear something outside this wall. Sh!'
They all listened intently. Timmy whined17 and scratched at the stone that would not move.
'It's voices!' cried Dick. 'Lots of them. Who can it be?'
'Be quiet,' said Julian, fiercely. 'We must find out!'
89
'I know, I know!' said George, suddenly. 'It's the fishermen who have come over in their boats!
That's why the men didn't wait till half past ten! That's why they've gone in such a hurry! They saw the fisher-boats coming!'
'Then Anne must have brought them!' cried Dick. She must have run home to Aunt Fanny, told her everything and given the news to the fishermen - and they've come to rescue us! Anne!
ANNE! WE'RE HERE!'
Timmy began to bark deafeningly. The others encouraged him, because they felt certain that Timmy's bark was louder than their shouts! 'WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!'
Anne heard the barking and the shouting as soon as she ran into the little stone room. 'Where are you? Where are you?' she yelled.
'HERE! HERE! MOVE THE STONE!' yelled Julian, shouting so loudly that everyone near him jumped violently.
'Move aside, Miss - I can see which stone it is,' said a man's deep voice. It was one of the fishermen. He felt round and about the stone in the recess18, sure it was the right one because it was cleaner than the others through being used as an entrance.
Suddenly he touched the right place, and found a tiny iron spike. He pulled it down - and the lever swung back behind it, and pulled the stone aside! Everyone hurried out, one on top of the other! The six fishermen standing19 in the little room stared in astonishment20. Aunt Fanny was there too, and Anne. Aunt Fanny ran to her husband as soon as he appeared - but to her surprise he pushed her away quite roughly.
He ran out of the room, and hurried to the tower. Was he in time to save the island and everyone on it? Oh hurry, hurry!'
收听单词发音 |
1
faltering
|
|
| 犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
shovelling
|
|
| v.铲子( shovel的现在分词 )；锹；推土机、挖土机等的)铲；铲形部份 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
hesitation
|
|
| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
labored
|
|
| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
guardian
|
|
| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
joyfully
|
|
| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
amazement
|
|
| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
capered
|
|
| v.跳跃，雀跃( caper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
scouting
|
|
| 守候活动，童子军的活动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
quarry
|
|
| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
spoke
|
|
| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
crouched
|
|
| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
growled
|
|
| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
undo
|
|
| vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
miserable
|
|
| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
shudder
|
|
| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
whined
|
|
| v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
recess
|
|
| n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
astonishment
|
|
| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
购买
在百度中搜索