儿童英语读物 The Spy Game CHAPTER 5 The Rings of Time

For the next few hours, the Aldens weaved their way through the trees, trudged¹ through brush, and climbed over rocks. They weren’t sure what kind of clue they were looking for, but they kept an eye out for anything unusual. When they came to a creek², Benny pointed³ to a fallen tree that made a perfect bridge across the water.

“I bet that’s the spot Amanda was talking about,” he said.

Violet looked over. “You mean, where she’d sit with her grandfather?”

Benny nodded. “And they’d dangle⁴ their feet in the water.”

“That doesn’t sound like a bad idea,” said Henry. “Why don’t we have our picnic right here?”

With that, the children pulled off their socks and shoes, then made their way to the middle of the log. As they sat side by side, Jessie passed out the sandwiches, while Henry opened the thermos⁵ and poured the lemonade.

“We’ve been all over Fudge Hollow,” Benny said, as he dipped his toes into the cool water. “What’s next?”

“I haven’t the slightest idea,” Jessie admitted.

“Maybe we missed something,” said Violet. She tore a piece of crust from her bread and tossed it in the water for the ducks.

“Maybe,” said Henry. But he didn’t sound as if he believed it.

Nobody said anything for a while. They were each thinking the same thing. Had Steve been right? Was this a mystery they couldn’t solve? Finally, Benny spoke⁶ up.

“I wonder how Amanda knew,” he said thoughtfully

Jessie looked over at him. “Knew what, Benny?”

“That this tree was over a hundred years old,” said Benny.

Henry had an answer. “Amanda probably counted the tree rings.”

“Tree rings?” Violet gave her older brother a puzzled look.

“I read somewhere—in school, maybe—that there’s a ring around the trunk for every year a tree’s been alive,” said Henry. “I’ll show you.”

He scrambled⁷ off the log with Benny close behind, then pointed to the bottom of the fallen tree where it had been cut down long ago.

Violet hurried over to take a look for herself. So did Jessie.

“See how the rings go round and round?” Henry said. “If you count each ring, you can figure out how much time—” He suddenly drew in his breath, surprised by his own words.

“What’s wrong, Henry?” Benny asked.

“That’s … that’s it!” Henry cried. “‘The rings of time.’”

Violet’s eyes widened. “Then the riddle⁸ must mean—”

“A tree!” finished Henry. “We should be looking for a tree in Fudge Hollow!”

Jessie couldn’t help laughing. “Finding the right tree around here is like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

Just then, the children whirled around when they heard a familiar voice. It was coming from the path behind the trees.

“Of course I know what a treasure I’ll be getting,” the voice was saying. It was Steve Kooner. He was talking on a cell phone.

The Aldens didn’t mean to eavesdrop⁹. But from where they were standing¹⁰, they couldn’t help overhearing bits and pieces of the conversation.

“No, no, no!” Steve was saying on the phone.

“I have to find the ring first.”

“Did you hear that?” Benny whispered.

Jessie nodded. None of them liked the sound of this.

“What?” Steve went on. “Of course, I know there’s a deadline … Don’t worry … I’m telling you, we have it all plotted out.”

As Steve’s voice faded away, the children looked at each other in disbelief.

“Can you believe that?” Violet said, keeping her voice low. “Steve must be looking for the rings of time, too.”

Benny looked around to make sure no one could hear him. Then he whispered, “He’s supposed to be Amanda’s friend!”

Jessie frowned. “Well, he’s not much of a friend if he’s trying to steal her gold.”

“Oh, Jessie!” Violet’s eyes widened. “You don’t really think that’s true, do you?”

Jessie frowned. “I don’t know what to think. But that would explain why Steve was trying to stop us from solving the mystery.”

“He’s afraid we’ll beat him to the gold,” guessed Benny. “Do you think we should warn Amanda?”

“Maybe we shouldn’t be too hasty,” said Henry. “Amanda would never believe her friend was a thief—not unless we had evidence.”

Everyone agreed Henry had a point. It was one thing to suspect someone; it was another thing to have proof.

“Let’s just keep a close eye on him for now,” Henry went on. “If Steve is up to no good, we’ll have to—”

“Solve the mystery,” Benny cut in. “And fast!”

1 trudged   

vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He trudged the last two miles to the town. 他步履艰难地走完最后两英里到了城里。
• He trudged wearily along the path. 他沿着小路疲惫地走去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

3 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。

4 dangle   

v.(使)悬荡，(使)悬垂

参考例句：

• At Christmas,we dangle colored lights around the room.圣诞节时，我们在房间里挂上彩灯。
• He sits on the edge of the table and dangles his legs.他坐在桌子边上，摆动著双腿。

5 thermos   

n.保湿瓶，热水瓶

参考例句：

• Can I borrow your thermos?我可以借用你的暖水瓶吗？
• It's handy to have the thermos here.暖瓶放在这儿好拿。

6 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：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 scrambled   

v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞

参考例句：

• Each scrambled for the football at the football ground. 足球场上你争我夺。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He scrambled awkwardly to his feet. 他笨拙地爬起身来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 riddle   

n.谜，谜语，粗筛；vt.解谜，给…出谜，筛，检查，鉴定，非难，充满于；vi.出谜

参考例句：

• The riddle couldn't be solved by the child.这个谜语孩子猜不出来。
• Her disappearance is a complete riddle.她的失踪完全是一个谜。

9 eavesdrop   

v.偷听，倾听

参考例句：

• He ensconced himself in the closet in order to eavesdrop.他藏在壁橱里，以便偷听。
• It is not polite to eavesdrop on the conversation of other people.偷听他人说话是很不礼貌的。

10 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。