儿童英语读物 The Camp-Out Mystery CHAPTER 15 The Prisoner

Henry stepped back from Andy’s cabin. “The way it’s all boarded up, it looks like he’s left for good,” he observed.

They trooped around the side of the cabin. In back, they saw the wheelbarrow leaning against the wall.

“What’s that over there?” Benny asked.

“It’s a bale of hay with something on it,” Violet observed.

A square white card was pinned to the bale. Painted on it were several circles, one inside the next.

“It’s a target,” Henry said. “The kind archers¹ use to practice.”

“Bow and arrow practice?” Benny asked.

Jessie knew what he was thinking. “Just because Mr. Watts² likes archery doesn’t mean he’s the one who put that arrow in the maple³ tree,” she said.

“That’s right,” Henry agreed. “Someone could have taken the arrows from him.”

“Maybe Andy and Hildy are in this together,” Benny said. “Maybe that’s why they’re both missing.”

Watch pricked⁴ up his ears. He stood listening, and then he loped off toward the cabin.

The children followed him.

“He heard something,” Jessie said.

Whining⁵ softly, Watch scratched at the door.

Henry knocked loudly. “Mr. Watts!” he called. “Are you in there?”

When no one answered, Benny put his ear to the door.

“There’s someone in there,” he whispered. “I can hear something.”

The door opened a crack. Andy Watts peeked⁶ out.

“Oh, children,” he said. “I’m sorry I didn’t hear you.” He yawned. “I was napping.”

“We’re looking for Hildy,” Henry told him. “Have you seen her?”

“No, no, can’t say that I have,” he answered.

A muffled⁷ thump⁸ sounded from inside.

Mr. Watts cleared his throat loudly and began coughing.

“I—uh—can’t talk to you right now,” Andy said. “You run along and I’ll see you later.”

He closed the door but not before they heard someone yell, “Help! Help! Help me!”

“That’s Hildy’s voice,” Jessie said.

Henry knocked furiously. “Mr. Watts! What’s the matter?! What’s going on in there?!”

Henry started away from the cabin. “Come on!” he said. “We’ll get the ranger⁹!”

Just then they heard a car approaching.

“It’s coming from over there!” Benny ran toward a thick stand of trees. He dashed through them, the others close at his heels.

Beyond was a dirt road. The children waved frantically¹⁰ at the oncoming truck. It pulled up beside them and stopped.

Doris hopped¹¹ out. “What’s the matter?” she asked.

“Hildy,” the children said at once. “She’s locked in Andy’s cabin!”

Doris leaped out of the truck.

They all ran back the way they’d come.

Doris pounded on the cabin door. “Andy Watts, come out here this instant!” she demanded. “Or we’re going to break this door down!”

The door flew open. “All right! All right!” Andy said. He came outside, trembling.

Doris dashed into the cabin.

The children waited at the door.

Andy Watts paced back and forth¹². “Oh my, oh my,” he kept mumbling¹³ to himself.

Finally, Doris came out with Hildy at her side. Hildy looked furious.

“Now, Andy Watts, let’s hear your explanation for all of this!” Doris demanded.
 

1 archers   

n.弓箭手，射箭运动员( archer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The next evening old Mr. Sillerton Jackson came to dine with the Archers. 第二天晚上，西勒顿？杰克逊老先生来和阿切尔家人一起吃饭。 来自辞典例句
• Week of Archer: Double growth for Archers and Marksmen. 射手周：弓箭手与弩手（人类）产量加倍。 来自互联网

2 watts   

（电力计量单位）瓦，瓦特( watt的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• My lamp uses 60 watts; my toaster uses 600 watts. 我的灯用60瓦，我的烤面包器用600瓦。
• My lamp uses 40 watts. 我的灯40瓦。

3 maple   

n.槭树，枫树，槭木

参考例句：

• Maple sugar is made from the sap of maple trees.枫糖是由枫树的树液制成的。
• The maple leaves are tinge with autumn red.枫叶染上了秋天的红色。

4 pricked   

刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛

参考例句：

• The cook pricked a few holes in the pastry. 厨师在馅饼上戳了几个洞。
• He was pricked by his conscience. 他受到良心的谴责。

5 whining   

n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚

参考例句：

• That's the way with you whining, puny, pitiful players. 你们这种又爱哭、又软弱、又可怜的赌棍就是这样。
• The dog sat outside the door whining (to be let in). 那条狗坐在门外狺狺叫着（要进来）。

6 peeked   

v.很快地看( peek的过去式和过去分词 )；偷看；窥视；微露出

参考例句：

• She peeked over the top of her menu. 她从菜单上往外偷看。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• On two occasions she had peeked at him through a crack in the wall. 她曾两次透过墙缝窥视他。 来自辞典例句

7 muffled   

adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己）

参考例句：

• muffled voices from the next room 从隔壁房间里传来的沉闷声音
• There was a muffled explosion somewhere on their right. 在他们的右面什么地方有一声沉闷的爆炸声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 thump   

v.重击，砰然地响；n.重击，重击声

参考例句：

• The thief hit him a thump on the head.贼在他的头上重击一下。
• The excitement made her heart thump.她兴奋得心怦怦地跳。

9 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。

10 frantically   

ad.发狂地, 发疯地

参考例句：

• He dashed frantically across the road. 他疯狂地跑过马路。
• She bid frantically for the old chair. 她发狂地喊出高价要买那把古老的椅子。

11 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。

12 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

13 mumbling   

含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I could hear him mumbling to himself. 我听到他在喃喃自语。
• He was still mumbling something about hospitals at the end of the party when he slipped on a piece of ice and broke his left leg. 宴会结束时，他仍在咕哝着医院里的事。说着说着，他在一块冰上滑倒，跌断了左腿。