儿童英文读物The BoxCar Children.docx

儿童英文读物The BoxCar Children.docx

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儿童英文读物TheBoxCarChildren

【儿童英文读物】TheBox-CarChildren

THEFLIGHT

Aboutseveno'clockonehotsummereveningastrangefamilymovedintothelittlevillageof

Middlesex.Nobodyknewwheretheycamefrom,orwhotheywere.Buttheneighborssoon

madeuptheirmindswhattheythoughtofthestrangers,forthefatherwasverydrunk.Hecould

hardlywalkupthericketyfrontstepsoftheoldtumble-downhouse,andhisthirteen-year-old

sonhadtohelphim.Towardeighto'clockapretty,capable-lookinggirloftwelvecameoutofthe

houseandboughtaloafofbreadatthebaker's.Andthatwasallthevillagerslearnedaboutthe

newcomersthatnight.

"Therearefourchildren,"saidthebakeshopwomantoherhusbandthenextday,"andtheir

motherisdead.Theymusthavesomemoney,forthegirlpaidforthebreadwithadollarbill."

"Makethempayforeverythingtheyget,"growledthebaker,whowasahardman."Thefatheris

nearlydeadwithdrinknow,andsoontheywillbeonlybeggars."

Thishappenedsoonerthanhethought.Thenextdaytheoldestboyandgirlcametoaskthe

bakeshopwomantocomeover.Theirfatherwasdead.

Shewentoverwillinglyenough,forsomeonehadtogo.Butitwasclearthatshedidnotexpect

tobebotheredwithfourstrangechildren,withthebakeryonherhandsandtwochildrenofher

own.

"Haven'tyouanyotherfolks?

"sheaskedthechildren.

"WehaveagrandfatherinGreenfield,"spokeuptheyoungestchildbeforehissistercouldclap

herhandoverhismouth.

"Hush,Benny,"shesaidanxiously.

Thismadethebakeshopwomansuspicious."What'sthematterwithyourgrandfather?

"she

asked.

"Hedoesn'tlikeus,"repliedtheoldestboyreluctantly."Hedidn'twantmyfathertomarrymy

mother,andifhefoundushewouldtreatuscruelly."

"Didyoueverseehim?

"

"Jesshas.Onceshesawhim.1'

"Well,didhetreatyoucruelly?

"askedthewoman,turninguponJess.

thentheyranheadlongthroughthethickunderbrushinJess'wake,seeingtheirwayonlytoo

wellbythesharpflashesoflightning.

"It'sbeginningtosprinkle!

"gaspedHenry.

"We'llgetthere,allright,"Jessshoutedback."It'snotfar.Beallreadytohelpmeopenthedoor

whenwegetthere!

"

Bysheergoodfortuneabigtreestumpstoodunderthedoorofthefreightcar,orthechildren

nevercouldhaveopenedit.Asitwas,JesssprangonthestumpandHenry,pausingtolayBenny

down,didlikewise.Togethertheyrolledbacktheheavydooraboutafoot.

"That'senough,"pantedJess."HIgetin,andyouhandBennyuptome."

"No,"saidHenryquietly."Imustseefirstifanyoneisinthere."

"Itwillrain!

"protestedJess."Nothingwillhurtme."

ButsheknewitwasuselesstoarguewithHenry,soshehastilygropedinthebagforthematches

andhandedthemtoherbrother.ItmustbeconfessedthatJessheldherbreathwhileHenry

struckoneandpeeredaboutinsidethecar.

"All'swell!

"hereported."Comein,everybody!

"

Violetpassedthehayuptoherbrother,andcrawledinherself.ThenJesshandedBennyuplikea

packageofgroceriesand,takingonelastlookattheangryskyandwavingtrees,sheclimbedin

afterhim.

Thetwochildrenmanagedtorollthedoorbacksothatthecrackwascompletelyclosedbefore

thestormbroke.Butatthatveryinstantitbrokewithavengeance.Itseemedtothechildrenthat

theskywouldsplit,sosharpwerethecracksofthunder.Butnotadropofrainreachedthemin

theirroomyretreat.Theycouldseenothingatall,forthefreightcarwastightlymade,andall

outsidewasnearlyasblackasnight.Throughitall,Bennyslepton.

Presentlythethundergrewfainter,andrumbledawaydownthevalley,andtherainspentitself.

Onlythedripfromthetreesonthetopofthecarcouldbeheard.ThenHenryventuredtoopen

thedoor.

Hekneltonhishandsandkneesandthrusthisheadout.

Thewarmsunlightwasfilteringthroughthetrees,makinggoldenpoolsoflighthereandthere.

Thebeautifultrees,pinesandwhitebirchesandoaks,grewthicklyaroundandthegroundwas

carpetedwithflowersandwonderfulfernsmorethanayardhigh.Butmostmiraculousofallwas

aminiaturewaterfall,smallbutperfect,wherethesamelittlebrownbrookfellgracefullyover

someledges,anddancedawaydowntheglen.

InaninstantJessandVioletwerelookingoverHenry'sshoulderattheprettysight.

"Howdifferenteverythinglookswiththesunshining!

"exclaimedJess."Thingswillsoonbedryat

thisrate."

"Itmustbeaboutnoon,"observedHenry,lookingatthesun.Andashespokethefaintechoof

millbellsinthedistancewasheard.

"Henry!

"saidJesssharply,"Let'slivehere!

"

"Livehere?

"repeatedHenrydully.

"Yes!

Whynot?

"repliedJess."Nobodyusesthiscar;andit'sdryandwarm.We'requitefaraway.

Andyetwearenearenoughtoatownsowecanbuythings."

"Andwe'renearwater,"addedViolet.

Jesshuggedhersister."Soweare,littlemouse,"shesaid一"themostimportantthingofall."

"But一"beganHenry.

"Please,Henry,"saidJessexcitedly."Icouldmakethisoldfreightcarintothedearestlittlehouse,

withbeds,andchairs,andatable一anddishes一"

'Tdliketolivehere,too,"saidadeterminedlittlevoicefromthecorner,"butIdon'twantto,

unless一"

"Unlesswhat?

"askedHenry,panic-stricken.

"UnlessIcanhavemydinner/Bennyfinishedanxiously.

"We'llhavesomethingtoeatrightaway,oldfellow,"saidHenry,thankfulitwasnoworse.Forhe

himselfwasbeginningtoseewhatacozyhomethecarreallywouldmake.

Jesscutthelastloafofbreadintofourpieces,butalas!

itwasverydry.Thechildrenwereso

hungrythattheytoreitwiththeirteethlikelittledogs,butBennywasnearlycrying.Hedidnot

actuallycry,however,forjustatthecrucialmomentVioletstartedafunnystoryaboutCinnamon

Beareatingbreadcrustsoutoftheashcan.

"Heoughttohavemilk/'saidJessquietlytoHenry.

"Heshallhavemilk,"repliedHenry."I'llgodowntherailroadtracktothetownandgetsome."

JesscountedoutadollarintendimesandhandedittoHenry."Bythetimeourfourdollarsare

gone,youwillhavesomeworktodo,"shesaid.

AllthesameHenrydidnotliketobeginhistrip."HowIhatetoleaveyoualone,Jess!

"hesaid

miserably.

"Oh,don'tyouworry,"beganJesslightly."Wellhaveasurpriseforyouwhenyoucomeback.You

justwaitandsee!

"AndshenoddedherheadwiselyasHenrywalkedslowlyoffthroughthe

woods.

ThemomenthewasoutofsightsheturnedtoBennyandViolet."Now,children,"shesaid,"what

doyouthinkwe'regoingtodo?

DoyouknowwhatIsawoverinthesunnypartofthewoods?

I

sawsomeblueberries!

"

"Oh,oh!

"criedBenny,whoknewwhatblueberrieswere."Can'twehavesomeblueberriesand

milk?

"

"Wecertainly一"beganJess.Butthesentenceneverwasfinished,forasharpcrackleofdry

leaveswasheard.Somethingwasmovinginthewoods.

ANEWHOME

"Keepstill!

"whisperedJess.

Bennyobeyed.Thethreechildrenwereasmotionlessasstoneimages,huddledinsidethefreight

car.Jessopenedhermouthinordertobreatheatall,herheartwasthumpingsowildly.She

watchedlikeacatthroughtheopendoor,inthedirectionoftherustlingnoise.Andinamoment

thetremblingbushesparted,andoutcrawledadog.HewasanAiredaleandwaspullinghimself

alongonthreelegs,whimperingsoftly.

Jessdrewalongbreathofrelief,andsaidtothechildren,"It'sallright.Onlyadog.Butheseems

tobehurt."

Atthesoundofhervoicethedogliftedhiseyesandwaggedhistailfeebly.Hehelduphisfront

foot.

"Poordoggie,"murmuredJesssoothingly,assheclamberedoutofthecar."LetJessseeyour

poorlamefoot."Sheapproachedthedogcarefully,forsherememberedthathermotherhad

alwaystoldhernevertotouchastrangedogunlesshewaggedhistail.

Butthisdog'stailwaswagging,certainly,soJessbentoverwithoutfeartolookatthepaw.An

exclamationofpityescapedherwhenshesawit,forastiff,sharpthornhadbeendriven

completelythroughoneofthecushionsofthedog'sfoot,andarounditthebloodhaddried.

"IguessIcanfixthat,"saidJessbriskly."Buttakingthethornoutisgoingtohurtyou,oldfellow."

Thedoglookedupatherasshelaidhispawdown,andlickedherhand.

"Comehere,VioletandBenny,"directedJess.

Shetooktheanimalgentlyinherlapandturnedhimonhisside.Shepattedhisheadandstroked

hisnosewithonefinger,andofferedhimtherestofherbreadcrust,whichshehadputinher

apronpocket.Thedogsnappeditupasifhewerenearlystarved.Thensheheldthesoftpaw

firmlywithherlefthand,andpulledsteadilyonthethornwithherrighthand.Thedogdidnot

utterasound.Helaymotionlessinherlap,untilthethornsuddenlyletgoandlayinJess'hand.

"Good,good!

"criedViolet.

"Wetmyhandkerchief,"Jessorderedbriskly.

Violetdidso,dippingitintherunningbrook.Jesswrappedthecool,wetfoldsaroundthehot

paw,andgentlysqueezeditagainstthewound,thedogmeanwhiletryingtolickherhands.

"We'lls'priseHenry,won'twe?

"laughedBennydelightedly."Nowwegotadog!

"

"Tobesure,"saidJess,struckwiththethought,"butthatisn'twhatIintendedforasurprise.You

knowIwasintendingtogetalotofblueberries,andmaybefindsomeolddishesinadumpor

something一"

"Can'twelookwhileyouholdthedog?

"askedVioletanxiously.

"Ofcourseyoucan,Pet!

"saidJess."Lookovertherebythoserocks."

BennyandVioletscrambledthroughtheunderbrushtotheplaceJesspointedout,and

investigated.Buttheydidnothuntlong,fortheblueberriesweresothickthatthebushesalmost

bentoverwiththeirweight.

"0Jessy,"screamedBenny,"youneversawsomanyinyourlife!

Wha