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儿童英语读物 The Copycat Mystery CHAPTER 2 A Trip Back in Time

时间:2017-10-12 04:54来源:互联网 提供网友:qing   字体: [ ]
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When they finally arrived at the Elmford station, Benny was the first to spot Aunt Jane. Bouncing from the bus, he threw his arms around her.

“We’re all set for that trip back in time!” he cried.

Aunt Jane laughed as she gave each of the Aldens a warm hug. “Well, let’s get your suitcases loaded into the car, and we’ll be on our way!”

As they turned onto the highway and left the small town of Elmford behind, Violet rolled down her window. “The country air smells wonderful!” she said.

“Yes,” agreed Jessie. “And the farms look so pretty.”

When they turned onto the dirt road that led to Aunt Jane’s, the car slowed to a stop beside a long gravel1 driveway lined with trees. Aunt Jane stared out the window, looking bewildered.

“Is anything wrong?” asked Henry, who was sitting up front.

Their aunt pointed2 to a post at the side of the road. “There’s supposed to be a sign hanging from those hooks.” After a moment’s thought, Aunt Jane shrugged3. “I’m sure there’s a good reason for it not being there. Now hold on to your seats,” she added. “You’re about to take that trip back in time!”

The Aldens weren’t quite sure what to expect when they drove slowly up the driveway. It wasn’t long, though, before a white farmhouse4 peeked5 out through the trees and they all drew in their breath.

“Hey!” Benny almost shouted. “That lady looks like she’s from that Victorian era.”

It was true. Standing6 on the front porch of the farmhouse was a fair-haired woman dressed in a high-necked blouse and a long skirt. The children could hardly believe their eyes!

“Good for you, Benny,” said Aunt Jane as she parked in front of an old barn. “The lady on the porch is supposed to look like someone from that era. As a matter of fact, that happens to be a Victorian farmhouse.”

Jessie looked around as they climbed out of the car. “But where in the world are we?”

“This is the old Wagner farm,” their aunt told her. “It was built in 1864 by Horace Wagner. His great-great-granddaughter, Elizabeth Pennink, couldn’t afford to keep it anymore. So she gave the farm to the town of Elmford to be used as an historic site. The farmhouse has been fixed7 up to look exactly the way it did when it was first built. And I must say, Carl Mason has done a wonderful job supervising everything.”

“Carl Mason?” echoed Henry. “Isn’t he the curator of the Elmford Museum?” The Aldens had met Mr. Mason when they were tracking down their grandmother’s stolen necklace.

Aunt Jane nodded. “That’s right. Now he’s in charge of the Historic Wagner Farmhouse as well.”

Benny had a worried look on his face. “Is the lady on the porch . . . a . . . a ghost?”

Aunt Jane gave Benny a hug. “Absolutely not, Benny. That’s Gwendolyn Corkum. Carl Mason hired her to keep things running smoothly8 out here. You see, the farmhouse is finally open to the public this week. Visitors can take guided tours through the house and find out what life was like during the Victorian era.”

“Oh!” cried Violet. “That’s what you meant about a trip back in time!”

Aunt Jane nodded and smiled. “Eventually, everything will be restored. Even this old pole barn.”

As they headed across the lawn toward the farmhouse, Jessie noticed a gray-haired man in overalls9 weeding the flower beds.

His face was tanned and leathery from the hot sun.

Aunt Jane stopped to introduce the children to Draper Mills, the custodian10 of the farm. When the Aldens said how do you do, Henry reached out to shake hands. But the elderly man turned away.

Henry and Jessie exchanged a look. Why was the custodian so unfriendly?

“Draper lives right here on the farm,” Aunt Jane went on. “He has his own cottage behind the orchard11. As you can see, he does a great job of keeping the Victorian gardens looking beautiful.”

Draper Mills frowned. “It won’t be long before everything’s trampled12. It’s just a matter of time, with so many people coming and going.”

Aunt Jane glanced around. “Actually, it looks very quiet and peaceful today. Almost too quiet. I’m surprised there aren’t more visitors.”

“Well, I wish there weren’t any visitors,” grumbled13 Draper. Then he turned and walked away.

“I don’t think he likes us very much,” said Benny in a small voice.

“Oh, I’m certain he likes you just fine,” Aunt Jane assured Benny. “Draper’s just shy around people, and that makes him seem a bit grumpy sometimes. He’s been running this farm for years, you know. It’ll take time for him to get used to all the changes, now that the farm’s open to the public.” Aunt Jane suddenly clicked her tongue. “Oh, dear!”

Violet asked, “What is it, Aunt Jane?”

“I made a picnic lunch for us, but—”

Benny broke in, “I love picnics!”

“Well, I’m afraid I left the picnic basket in the car, Benny,” said Aunt Jane. As she started to walk away, she said over her shoulder, “Why don’t you wait here? I’ll be right back.”

While the Aldens waited, Violet couldn’t help noticing that the young woman on the porch seemed rather worried. Gwendolyn Corkum kept running her fingers through her long blond hair and looking around as if she were expecting someone to step out of the house at any moment. And then a small, gray-haired man with a mustache did step out of the house.

“Isn’t that Carl Mason?” asked Jessie.

Henry nodded. “Yes, and he doesn’t look very happy.”

A younger man with a camera appeared seconds later. He had dark brown hair and was wearing sunglasses. The sleeves of his white shirt were rolled up above his elbows, and there was a notebook poking14 up from the back pocket of his pants.

From where they were standing, the Aldens couldn’t help overhearing the conversation on the porch.

“I asked Jake North to take some pictures for the Elmford newspaper, Miss Corkum,” Carl Mason was saying. “But there isn’t a single visitor in sight. I’m afraid we’ve wasted Mr. North’s time today.”

“But Mr. Mason, it’s—”

The museum curator broke in, “It’s not exactly a beehive of activity around here today, is it? I certainly don’t want pictures of an empty farmhouse to appear in the paper.” Mr. Mason sounded upset. “But what else can be expected without a sign at the entrance? How will anyone know where the farmhouse is located, Miss Corkum?”

“I have no idea what happened to that sign, Mr. Mason,” replied the young woman. “It was hanging out front when I arrived this morning.”

“You’re paid to keep an eye on things around here, Miss Corkum!” Mr. Mason shot back.

Jessie whispered to the others, “That must be the sign Aunt Jane was talking about.”

“What could have happened to it?” Violet wondered out loud.

“Maybe it blew away in the wind,” Benny said.

“Maybe, Benny,” said Jessie. “But I don’t think so.”

“No, there’s hardly any wind at all,” Henry pointed out.

Jessie felt uncomfortable listening to the conversation. “Maybe we should walk back to meet Aunt Jane,” she suggested in a low voice. “It isn’t polite to eavesdrop15.”

“Good idea,” said Violet.

As they headed back across the grass, Henry stopped to look around. “Where’s Benny?”

Jessie looked around, too. “He was here a minute ago.”

Violet thought for a moment. “Maybe he went to help Aunt Jane.”

But Aunt Jane hadn’t seen Benny. “He probably just wanted to stretch his legs,” she told them.

“Maybe,” said Jessie, but she didn’t sound so sure.

They decided16 to split up and look for Benny. Jessie went through the orchard with Aunt Jane, while Henry and Violet checked down by the creek17.

“No luck,” Henry told them a little later, when he and Violet walked back.

Aunt Jane frowned. “This really is getting rather odd.”

“Benny can take care of himself, Aunt Jane,” said Henry. “I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about.” But secretly Henry was worried. It wasn’t like Benny to wander away without telling them.

Jessie looked worried, too. “Benny couldn’t have disappeared into thin air.”

All of a sudden Violet cried out, “Look!”

When they turned, they spotted18 Benny coming out from behind the old pole barn. And he was dragging something behind him.

Jessie was the first to give him a hug. “We were looking everywhere for you.”

“How did you get burrs all over your socks?” Violet asked him.

Benny glanced down. “There’s lots of weeds behind the barn.”

“What in the world were you doing back there?” asked Aunt Jane.

“Looking for the missing sign,” replied Benny. “And guess what?” He held up the big sign he’d been dragging behind him. In bright yellow lettering were the words THE HISTORIC WAGNER FARMHOUSE.

“Oh, Benny!” Violet clasped her hands. “You found it!”

Mr. Mason looked surprised when Henry and Benny came up the porch steps a few minutes later carrying the sign between them. “Well, if it isn’t the Aldens!” he cried. “And Mrs. Bean!”

Gwendolyn Corkum’s face broke into a smile. “Oh, you solved the mystery of the missing sign!”

“I’m a very good detective,” Benny declared proudly.

The young woman smiled at the four children. “Indeed you are! It just so happens I’ve heard all about you from your aunt Jane. I’m Gwendolyn Corkum,” she added, holding out her hand. “But almost everybody around here calls me Gwen.”

The young man with the camera gave them a friendly smile. He took off his sunglasses and reached out to shake hands, too. “Jake North,” he said. “I’m a reporter.”

“Now, where did you find that sign, Benny?” Mr. Mason wanted to know.

“Hanging on a nail behind the barn,” said Benny.

Gwen looked puzzled. “The barn? How did it get there?”

“Must be somebody’s idea of a practical joke,” guessed Jake. “Trying to be a copycat, no doubt.”

“Why do you say that?” Gwen asked.

“Wasn’t Horace Wagner a practical joker?” asked Jake. “Maybe somebody’s trying to copy him by playing a joke.”

Just then a silver-haired lady dressed in Victorian costume stepped out of the house. “Did I hear someone mention practical jokes?” she asked. “You must be talking about Horace Wagner!”

Gwen introduced Elizabeth Pennink, Horace’s great-great-granddaughter. “Miss Pennink is one of the volunteers here at the farmhouse,” Gwen explained.

“My great-great-grandfather loved practical jokes,” Elizabeth Pennink told them. “Maybe it’s because he was born on April Fool’s Day—born with a twinkle in his eye, I might add! He even got married on April Fool’s Day. Of course, Horace’s jokes were never meant to hurt anyone,” she quickly added. “They were just for fun.”

Carl Mason cleared his throat. “Don’t let us keep you, Miss Pennink,” he said abruptly19. “I’m sure you have plenty to keep you busy inside.”

“Oh,” the older woman said in a quiet voice. “I . . . I didn’t mean to go on and on.” And with that, she slipped back inside the house.

Violet couldn’t understand why Mr. Mason had spoken so sharply. It was clear that Miss Pennink had been hurt by his rudeness.

The museum curator shut the door behind Miss Pennink. “We prefer not to mention Horace Wagner and his practical jokes,” he said. “This is a serious project! The important thing is for people to learn what life was like long ago.” Carl Mason smoothed his mustache. “Jokes simply do not belong in a museum.” Turning to Jake North, he added, “I trust the newspaper will not mention such silly matters.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” said Jake.

Mr. Mason nodded. “I’ll put the sign back where it belongs on my way out,” he said. “And please remember, Miss Corkum,” he added, “I’ll be out of town for a few days. I hope you’ll take your job more seriously while I’m gone.”

As Carl Mason went on his way, Jake remarked, “It really is strange, isn’t it?”

Henry looked over at him. “What is?”

“That somebody played a practical joke with that sign,” answered Jake. “Either there’s a copycat joker around here, or . . .”

“Or what?” asked Benny.

Jake said, “Well, let’s just say it’s enough to make a person believe in ghosts!”

“Ghosts?” cried Benny.

Violet shivered. Was the farm haunted by the ghost of Horace Wagner?


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 gravel s6hyT     
n.砂跞;砂砾层;结石
参考例句:
  • We bought six bags of gravel for the garden path.我们购买了六袋碎石用来铺花园的小路。
  • More gravel is needed to fill the hollow in the drive.需要更多的砾石来填平车道上的坑洼。
2 pointed Il8zB4     
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。
3 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》
4 farmhouse kt1zIk     
n.农场住宅(尤指主要住房)
参考例句:
  • We fell for the farmhouse as soon as we saw it.我们对那所农舍一见倾心。
  • We put up for the night at a farmhouse.我们在一间农舍投宿了一夜。
5 peeked c7b2fdc08abef3a4f4992d9023ed9bb8     
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
6 standing 2hCzgo     
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。
7 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。
8 smoothly iiUzLG     
adv.平滑地,顺利地,流利地,流畅地
参考例句:
  • The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作,所以工作进展顺利。
  • Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。
9 overalls 2mCz6w     
n.(复)工装裤;长罩衣
参考例句:
  • He is in overalls today.他今天穿的是工作裤。
  • He changed his overalls for a suit.他脱下工装裤,换上了一套西服。
10 custodian 7mRyw     
n.保管人,监护人;公共建筑看守
参考例句:
  • Benitez believes his custodian is among the top five in world football.贝尼特斯坚信他的门将是当今足坛最出色的五人之一。
  • When his father died his uncle became his legal custodian.他父亲死后,他叔叔成了他的法定监护人。
11 orchard UJzxu     
n.果园,果园里的全部果树,(美俚)棒球场
参考例句:
  • My orchard is bearing well this year.今年我的果园果实累累。
  • Each bamboo house was surrounded by a thriving orchard.每座竹楼周围都是茂密的果园。
12 trampled 8c4f546db10d3d9e64a5bba8494912e6     
踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 ); 践踏; 无视; 侵犯
参考例句:
  • He gripped his brother's arm lest he be trampled by the mob. 他紧抓着他兄弟的胳膊,怕他让暴民踩着。
  • People were trampled underfoot in the rush for the exit. 有人在拼命涌向出口时被踩在脚下。
13 grumbled ed735a7f7af37489d7db1a9ef3b64f91     
抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 ); 发牢骚; 咕哝; 发哼声
参考例句:
  • He grumbled at the low pay offered to him. 他抱怨给他的工资低。
  • The heat was sweltering, and the men grumbled fiercely over their work. 天热得让人发昏,水手们边干活边发着牢骚。
14 poking poking     
n. 刺,戳,袋 vt. 拨开,刺,戳 vi. 戳,刺,捅,搜索,伸出,行动散慢
参考例句:
  • He was poking at the rubbish with his stick. 他正用手杖拨动垃圾。
  • He spent his weekends poking around dusty old bookshops. 他周末都泡在布满尘埃的旧书店里。
15 eavesdrop lrPxS     
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。
16 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
17 creek 3orzL     
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。
18 spotted 7FEyj     
adj.有斑点的,斑纹的,弄污了的
参考例句:
  • The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
  • Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。
19 abruptly iINyJ     
adv.突然地,出其不意地
参考例句:
  • He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
  • I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。
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