儿童英语读物 迈克的谜案 Mike's Mystery Chapter 13 派对

CHAPTER 13
The Party

Mr. Carter¹ had said, “It won’t be long now.” But it was longer than he thought. Nobody saw the man. Benny and Mike were always watching, but they never saw him. There seemed to be no stranger in town.

The pie business was doing well. Every day Mrs. Wood and the girls made sixty pies. The boys sold them all.

“We are making money,” said Jessie. “People are very good to us. And the insurance helped.”

“Yes, my dear,” said Mrs. Wood. “I think I can earn a good living this way.”

“Yes,” said Violet². “We have so much practice, we can make them faster and faster!”

“It was a very good idea,” said Henry, “having Mike’s Mother’s Place. I never get tired of selling pies. The men are so glad to get them.”

Mrs. Wood said, “When you go back to school, I can hire two girls to help me. I know two nice girls.”

“Some day we ought to have a party,” said Jessie. “The people have been so kind.”

“A Pie Party!” cried Benny. “Give everybody a pie.”

Mrs. Wood laughed. “Not a whole pie, Benny,” she said. “We could give everybody a piece of pie, and some coffee.”

“And milk,” said Benny.

“Well, all right, milk,” agreed Mrs. Wood.

“Have it Saturday night, when all the men could come,” said Violet.

“Have it this Saturday night!” shouted Benny.

“We can ask Mr. Carter and Mr. Gardner,” said Henry.

“And we can make pies all day,” said Jessie, “and have the party in the evening.”

Everyone thought this was a fine idea. When they told Mr. Gardner he laughed. He said, “Go ahead. I’ll help you. It will surely³ be very lonesome here when you four Aldens go back to school in the Fall.”

Mrs. Wood and Jessie and Violet wore white. They made white caps.

They made white caps for the boys, too. They made big white aprons⁴. The boys got a printing set and printed MIKE’S MOTHER’S PLACE on the front of their big aprons. They had many cans of milk and hot coffee.

Then the people began to come to the party. The two dogs ran around having a wonderful time. They loved everybody, and they were good dogs.

There were plenty of chairs, because Mr. Carter had sent them. He sent movies too.

He said, “I have some beautiful pictures of the South Seas. The people will like to see the banana trees and the monkeys.”

When it was dark, the movies began. The people sat in rows and watched the show. They clapped and laughed at the monkeys. Watch had a chair between Jessie and Benny. He watched the picture with the rest. Next came Mike and then Spot. Mr. Carter sat on the end near the door. All the windows were open and the door was open. Benny whispered⁶ to Mike, “This would be a good time for somebody to blow up the mine.”

“No, the watchmen are there,” Mike whispered.

Mike put his arm around Spotty’s neck. Everyone looked at the picture except Mike. He never knew why he looked out the door, but he did and Spotty looked too. He saw a man walking slowly by. Then suddenly he felt the hair on Spotty’s neck move. Spotty looked at the door and growled⁸.

Mr. Carter heard Spotty growl⁷. He jumped up, and dashed⁹ out of the door. Mike and Spotty dashed after him.

They all saw a man running in the darkness. But Spotty could run faster than the man. Soon he caught the man’s leg. He held him, growling¹⁰, until Mr. Carter came. Mike never knew how strong Mr. Carter’s hands were.

The watchmen ran up and soon the man was taken away.

“The man in the blue hat!” cried Mike.

“Yes, Mike, I think it is,” said Mr. Carter. “Spotty knew him.”

“Spotty ran faster than he did in the race,” said Mike.

“I guess he did,” said Mr. Carter. “Now, Mike, don’t say a word. Just go back quietly.”

“Can’t I tell Ben?” asked Mike.

“Yes, if you whisper⁵. Don’t let anyone else know about this. It will spoil¹¹ the party.”

1 carter   

n.运货马车夫，赶大车的人；卡车司机

参考例句：

• Although fatigue shows readily on Carter, he bounces back quickly. 卡特虽然容易显出疲劳的样子，但他恢复得很快。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The carter flipped at the horse with his whip. 赶大车的人扬鞭朝着马轻轻地抽打。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 violet   

adj.紫色的；n.紫罗兰

参考例句：

• She likes to wear violet dresses.他喜欢穿紫色的衣服。
• Violet is the color of wisdom,peace and strength.紫色是智慧的，和平的和力量的颜色。

3 surely   

adv.确实地，无疑地；必定地，一定地

参考例句：

• It'should surely be possible for them to reach an agreement.想必他们可以达成协议。
• Surely we'll profit from your work.我们肯定会从你的工作中得到益处。

4 aprons   

围裙( apron的名词复数 )； 停机坪，台口（舞台幕前的部份）

参考例句：

• Many people like to wear aprons while they are cooking. 许多人做饭时喜欢系一条围裙。
• The chambermaid in our corridor wears blue checked gingham aprons. 给我们扫走廊的清洁女工围蓝格围裙。

5 whisper   

n.耳语，密谈，谣传，飒飒的声音；vi.耳语，密谈，飒飒地响；vt.低声说

参考例句：

• Their voices fell to a whisper.他们的话音低到成了耳语。
• I've heard a whisper that he's going to resign.我听到了一个传闻说他准备辞职。

6 whispered   

adj.耳语的，低语的v.低声说( whisper的过去式和过去分词 )；私语；小声说；私下说

参考例句：

• She sidled up to me and whispered something in my ear. 她悄悄走上前来，对我耳语了几句。
• His ill luck has been whispered about the neighborhood. 他的不幸遭遇已在邻居中传开。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 growl   

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。

8 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：

• \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道：“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 dashed   

n.虚线v.冲，猛冲( dash的过去式和过去分词 )；猛掷， （使）猛撞；匆匆地写或画；打碎

参考例句：

• The minister air-dashed to Delhi because of the parliamentary crisis. 部长因议会危机立刻起程飞往德里。
• We gave him covering fire as he dashed across the clearing. 我们用火掩护他冲过空地。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 growling   

n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼

参考例句：

• We heard thunder growling in the distance. 我们听见远处有隆隆雷声。
• The lay about the deck growling together in talk. 他们在甲板上到处游荡，聚集在一起发牢骚。

11 spoil   

n.战利品，赃物，奖品，掠夺，次品；vt.损坏，破坏，溺爱；vi.腐坏，掠夺

参考例句：

• Don't bunch the flowers up so tightly,you'll spoil them.别把花束得这么紧，会弄坏的。
• Overacting will only spoil the effect.表演过火，效果反而不好。