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儿童英语读物 The Ghost Town Mystery CHAPTER 4 The Mysterious Letter

时间:2017-09-20 05:51来源:互联网 提供网友:qing   字体: [ ]
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    (单词翻译:双击或拖选)

“A ghost!” Benny breathed.

“Cool,” said Corey in his loud voice. “A real, live ghost in a ghost town. Get it?” he asked Marianne as she poured water into his glass.

The pretty waitress simply ignored him. By now her mother had returned from the kitchen with a large tray. Mrs. Harrington and Marianne began setting plates in front of the diners.

“There’s no such thing as ghosts, Benny,” Grandfather said. “You know that.”

“But we saw this lady!” he insisted.

“You children saw a person,” Mr. Williams said, speaking for the first time. “It couldn’t have been a ghost.”

Deep inside, Henry knew his grandfather and Mr. Williams were right. But he, too, had seen the Lady in Gray. She had moved as if she were floating on air. And when they called Grandfather to come out of the dry goods store, she had vanished.

“If the lady was a real person, why didn’t she talk to us?” asked Jessie.

Mrs. Harrington nodded in agreement. “The children definitely saw the ghost of Rose Payne. That’s what she did during her last years — went down to the town and walked into the sunset. She never stopped waiting for her husband.”

“Romantic hogwash!” Mr. Williams said gruffly. “Mrs. Harrington, you’re filling these children’s heads with a ridiculous story.”

“It’s not a story!” Mrs. Harrington said, bristling1. “I’ve lived on this mountain nearly all my life. I’ve seen the ghost of Rose Payne. I know it’s true.” She set Mr. Williams’s plate in front of him with a thump2.

He poked3 at the sauce-covered lump on his plate. “What is this supposed to be?”

“Fried chicken with gravy,” the owner replied. “An old family recipe.” Then she and Marianne left to bring out the bread and a pitcher4 of water.

Victor Lacey stabbed tentatively at his dinner. “If this is chicken, I’ll eat my hat.”

Benny giggled5 at the thought of Mr. Lacey chewing his fishing hat. But after tasting the chicken, he gave up on the meat. The rest of dinner was just as awful. Mushy Brussels sprouts6, burned rolls, salty mashed7 potatoes, and limp, watery8 spinach9. It was the worst meal he had ever eaten.

“If there aren’t any ghosts, then who did we see?” Violet asked her grandfather.

James Alden shook his head. “I didn’t see your lady, so I can’t answer that. But we’ll visit Tincup more while we’re here. Maybe I’ll see her, too.”

The guests finished their dinners in silence.

“Not too many hearty10 appetites,” Mrs. Harrington remarked as she poured coffee for the men, and Marianne cleared away the dishes. “After a night of sleeping in this fresh country air, you’ll be ready for a big rancher’s breakfast.”

Jessie hoped it would be better than supper.

Marianne brought in dessert.

“Brownies!” Benny exclaimed. “I love brownies.” But not these. His was so hard, he couldn’t bite into it.

As Marianne took her plate, Jessie asked the young woman, “Do you believe in the ghost?”

Marianne looked around quickly. Several people were staring at her — Corey, Victor Lacey, and her mother. It was as if they were waiting for her answer.

“Yes,” Marianne whispered finally. “I do.”

Jessie didn’t know if she believed Marianne or not. Was the young woman simply saying she did because her mother was watching her? Mrs. Harrington certainly believed in the ghost, or at least she gave that impression.

Corey fiddled12 nervously13 with his fork. Then he asked Marianne, “Would you like to go on a walk with me after supper?”

“I can’t,” Marianne said briskly, not even glancing in his direction. “I have too much work to do.”

“How about when you’re finished?” Corey pressed. Jessie could tell he really liked the pretty girl.

But Marianne just shook her head and hustled14 away with the tray of dirty dishes.

Dinner over, the Aldens retired15 to their cabins. Before settling in for the night, the children met in Henry and Benny’s cabin to discuss the day’s events.

“I’m still hungry,” Benny moaned, sitting on his bunk16.

“So am I,” Henry agreed. “That dinner was terrible.”

Violet nodded. “Mrs. Harrington doesn’t seem to be a very good cook. But she’s been running Eagles Nest a long time. She should be.”

“Maybe that’s why there aren’t very many people staying here,” Jessie concluded. “When people go on vacation, they expect nice, clean rooms and good food.”

“Don’t talk about food anymore,” Benny begged. “It makes my stomach growl17. Let’s talk about the ghost.”

Always the voice of reason, Henry told him gently, “We know ghosts don’t really exist.”

“But if it wasn’t a ghost, then who was it?” Benny demanded.

“I don’t know,” Henry replied. “But we saw ... somebody.”

“Who? And why was she in Tincup?” asked Violet. “There’s absolutely nothing in that town except dust and tumbleweeds.”

Benny bunched his flat pillow so he could rest his head. “I like Tincup. I think it’s neat.”

“It is neat. But there’s no way anybody could live there.” Violet looked at her older sister. “What did you ask Marianne?”

“I wanted to know if she believed in the ghost,” Jessie replied. “Before she answered me, she kind of glanced around to see who was listening.”

“Who was listening?” asked Benny.

“Her mother was watching us,” Jessie replied. “And Mr. Lacey and Corey.”

“Corey likes Marianne,” Violet put in. She could see why. Marianne was so beautiful, with her jet-black hair and sky-blue eyes.

“I don’t think she likes him,” Jessie said. “Corey’s so loud. And his jokes are bad. But Marianne acted strange when I asked her about the ghost. Like she was afraid.”

“What would she have to be afraid of?” Henry wondered.

At that moment, a loud clang caused them all to jump.

“What was that!” Benny exclaimed.

“It came from the bathroom.” Henry went to investigate. He returned with a U-shaped pipe. “Don’t plan on using our sink tonight, Benny.”

Jessie recognized the pipe as the part that curved under the sink. She shook her head. “This place is a disaster! You guys can use our sink till Mrs. Harrington gets yours fixed18.”

“If she gets it fixed,” Henry said.

The next morning, the boys met Victor Lacey on their way to the dining hall. Benny carried the curved pipe.

“Did that fall out of your sink?” asked Mr. Lacey.

Henry nodded. “We’re going to tell Mrs. Harrington to call a plumber19.”

“I can fix that in a jiffy. All I need is a wrench20.” He left to fetch Mrs. Harrington’s toolbox. Then Mr. Lacey quickly fitted the pipe back under the sink. As he tested the water so it drained properly, he said, “Mrs. H needs a handyman. Repairmen in Beaverton are too far away.”

Benny was admiring the tools in the metal box. “I could be her handyman.” It sounded like a neat job, along with mayor, police chief, and fire chief of Tincup. Benny liked to be busy.

Henry noted21 the tools were caked with grease. No one had used them in a long time. Maybe not since Mr. Harrington had died. “Thanks,” he told Mr. Lacey. He also wondered how Mr. Lacey knew where to find the toolbox. How long had the man been staying here?

“No problem.” The sandy-haired man smiled. “Let’s go have that hearty rancher’s breakfast!”

“I’m starving!” Benny declared. He hoped there would be stacks of pancakes dripping with maple22 syrup23, crispy bacon, eggs, and buttered toast with strawberry jam.

But when he and the other Aldens sat down at the big table, they saw only bowls of runny oatmeal. The tiny glasses of orange juice had seeds floating in them.

“This is a hearty rancher’s breakfast?” Violet whispered to Grandfather, who sat on the other side of her.

Grandfather never complained, but he smiled as he ate the soupy oatmeal. “If I lived on this ranch11, I don’t know if I’d have enough strength to climb on my horse, much less ride the range!”

The children giggled. Grandfather could always make them laugh.

But Mr. Williams wasn’t amused. He tossed his spoon down in disgust and demanded more coffee.

Victor Lacey ate his cereal gamely. “I have something for you, Mr. Alden,” he said. “I hope you don’t mind a little business at breakfast.”

“Well, it was a little breakfast so a little business should go along with it just fine,” Grandfather joked as he took the envelope Victor handed him across the table.

The children waited anxiously as Grandfather slit24 the flap and pulled out a single sheet of paper.

James Alden’s eyebrows25 shot upward and he gave a low whistle.

“What is it?” Benny asked.

“Mr. Lacey is offering to buy my property,” Grandfather replied. To Victor he said, “This is a very generous offer. Much more than I paid for the land.”

Victor shrugged26. “Since I’ve been out here, I’ve taken a fancy to the place. The land is worthless commercially, but I’d like to have it.”

Grandfather put the paper back in its envelope and slipped the envelope into his jacket pocket. “Let me think about it. I’m quite surprised.”

After breakfast, the children walked out with Grandfather.

“What was that all about?” Henry asked.

“I’m not sure,” said Grandfather.

“What did Mr. Lacey mean when he said the land is worthless?” asked Violet.

“He meant it’s not suitable for development,” Grandfather replied.

“Like for shopping centers and apartments,” Jessie added.

“Not only that, but he offered me a lot of money for it!” Grandfather shook his head in amazement27.

“If the land is so worthless,” Violet wanted to know, “then why does Victor Lacey want it?”

“Good question,” said Grandfather. “Children, I think you have a new mystery to solve!”


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 bristling tSqyl     
a.竖立的
参考例句:
  • "Don't you question Miz Wilkes' word,'said Archie, his beard bristling. "威尔克斯太太的话,你就不必怀疑了。 "阿尔奇说。他的胡子也翘了起来。
  • You were bristling just now. 你刚才在发毛。
2 thump sq2yM     
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。
3 poked 87f534f05a838d18eb50660766da4122     
v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 );戳出;拨弄;与(某人)性交
参考例句:
  • She poked him in the ribs with her elbow. 她用胳膊肘顶他的肋部。
  • His elbow poked out through his torn shirt sleeve. 他的胳膊从衬衫的破袖子中露了出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
4 pitcher S2Gz7     
n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐;(棒球)投手
参考例句:
  • He poured the milk out of the pitcher.他从大罐中倒出牛奶。
  • Any pitcher is liable to crack during a tight game.任何投手在紧张的比赛中都可能会失常。
5 giggled 72ecd6e6dbf913b285d28ec3ba1edb12     
v.咯咯地笑( giggle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The girls giggled at the joke. 女孩子们让这笑话逗得咯咯笑。
  • The children giggled hysterically. 孩子们歇斯底里地傻笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 sprouts 7250d0f3accee8359a172a38c37bd325     
n.新芽,嫩枝( sprout的名词复数 )v.发芽( sprout的第三人称单数 );抽芽;出现;(使)涌现出
参考例句:
  • The wheat sprouts grew perceptibly after the rain. 下了一场雨,麦苗立刻见长。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • The sprouts have pushed up the earth. 嫩芽把土顶起来了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
7 mashed Jotz5Y     
a.捣烂的
参考例句:
  • two scoops of mashed potato 两勺土豆泥
  • Just one scoop of mashed potato for me, please. 请给我盛一勺土豆泥。
8 watery bU5zW     
adj.有水的,水汪汪的;湿的,湿润的
参考例句:
  • In his watery eyes there is an expression of distrust.他那含泪的眼睛流露出惊惶失措的神情。
  • Her eyes became watery because of the smoke.因为烟熏,她的双眼变得泪汪汪的。
9 spinach Dhuzr5     
n.菠菜
参考例句:
  • Eating spinach is supposed to make you strong.据说吃菠菜能使人强壮。
  • You should eat such vegetables as carrot,celery and spinach.你应该吃胡萝卜、芹菜和菠菜这类的蔬菜。
10 hearty Od1zn     
adj.热情友好的;衷心的;尽情的,纵情的
参考例句:
  • After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了,他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。
  • We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。
11 ranch dAUzk     
n.大牧场,大农场
参考例句:
  • He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。
  • The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。
12 fiddled 3b8aadb28aaea237f1028f5d7f64c9ea     
v.伪造( fiddle的过去式和过去分词 );篡改;骗取;修理或稍作改动
参考例句:
  • He fiddled the company's accounts. 他篡改了公司的账目。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He began with Palestrina, and fiddled all the way through Bartok. 他从帕勒斯春纳的作品一直演奏到巴塔克的作品。 来自辞典例句
13 nervously tn6zFp     
adv.神情激动地,不安地
参考例句:
  • He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇,努力忍着不哭出来。
  • He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。
14 hustled 463e6eb3bbb1480ba4bfbe23c0484460     
催促(hustle的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • He grabbed her arm and hustled her out of the room. 他抓住她的胳膊把她推出房间。
  • The secret service agents hustled the speaker out of the amphitheater. 特务机关的代理人把演讲者驱逐出竞技场。
15 retired Njhzyv     
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的
参考例句:
  • The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
  • Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
16 bunk zWyzS     
n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位;废话
参考例句:
  • He left his bunk and went up on deck again.他离开自己的铺位再次走到甲板上。
  • Most economists think his theories are sheer bunk.大多数经济学家认为他的理论纯属胡说。
17 growl VeHzE     
v.(狗等)嗥叫,(炮等)轰鸣;n.嗥叫,轰鸣
参考例句:
  • The dog was biting,growling and wagging its tail.那条狗在一边撕咬一边低声吼叫,尾巴也跟着摇摆。
  • The car growls along rutted streets.汽车在车辙纵横的街上一路轰鸣。
18 fixed JsKzzj     
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的
参考例句:
  • Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗?
  • Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定,我们就不应该随意改变。
19 plumber f2qzM     
n.(装修水管的)管子工
参考例句:
  • Have you asked the plumber to come and look at the leaking pipe?你叫管道工来检查漏水的管子了吗?
  • The plumber screwed up the tap by means of a spanner.管子工用板手把龙头旋紧。
20 wrench FMvzF     
v.猛拧;挣脱;使扭伤;n.扳手;痛苦,难受
参考例句:
  • He gave a wrench to his ankle when he jumped down.他跳下去的时候扭伤了足踝。
  • It was a wrench to leave the old home.离开这个老家非常痛苦。
21 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的,知名的
参考例句:
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
22 maple BBpxj     
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。
23 syrup hguzup     
n.糖浆,糖水
参考例句:
  • I skimmed the foam from the boiling syrup.我撇去了煮沸糖浆上的泡沫。
  • Tinned fruit usually has a lot of syrup with it.罐头水果通常都有许多糖浆。
24 slit tE0yW     
n.狭长的切口;裂缝;vt.切开,撕裂
参考例句:
  • The coat has been slit in two places.这件外衣有两处裂开了。
  • He began to slit open each envelope.他开始裁开每个信封。
25 eyebrows a0e6fb1330e9cfecfd1c7a4d00030ed5     
眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
  • His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。
26 shrugged 497904474a48f991a3d1961b0476ebce     
vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀,什么也没说。
  • She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩,装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
27 amazement 7zlzBK     
n.惊奇,惊讶
参考例句:
  • All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
  • He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。
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