儿童英语读物 小木屋之谜 The Woodshed Mystery Chapter 1 农场待售

CHAPTER¹ 1
A Farm for Sale

The telephone gave a long, loud ring. Supper was over. Benny Alden was going through the hall. He answered it.

“Telephone, Grandfather!” shouted Benny. “It’s for you. Long distance.”

Mr. Alden came to the telephone and said, “Hello. Oh, yes.”

Then he said nothing for a long, long time. Benny and his sister Violet³ couldn’t help listening.

At last Grandfather said, “That’s just fine, Jane!”

“It’s Aunt Jane!” Violet whispered⁴ to Benny.

Benny nodded⁵, and a smile spread⁶ over his face.

“Just wonderful, Jane,” said Grandfather again. “Yes, I do. Yes, I think it is a fine idea. Yes, Jane. I’ll think it over and call you very soon. No, Jane, I won’t be long, maybe a day or two. Yes, I know you like to do things fast. You are like Benny.” Grandfather winked⁷ at Benny.

At last Grandfather said, “Good-by, Jane. See you soon.”

“See you soon?” said Benny. “Are we going out West to see Aunt Jane again?”

“No, she is coming here,” said Mr. Alden.

“Oh, my, my!” said Benny.

“Yes, that’s what I say too,” said Grandfather. “Oh, my, my, my! Now you four children get together and we’ll talk this over. Benny, you find Henry.”

“And I’ll get Jessie,” said Violet. “She is up in her room.”

The four Aldens—two girls and two boys—lived with their grandfather in a big house. Henry was in college. Jessie was a senior⁸ in high school, and Violet was just ready for high school, too. Benny still went to grade school. In a few minutes the four young Aldens were sitting with Mr. Alden in his den².

Grandfather looked around and smiled. “This is the big news,” he said, laughing. “Aunt Jane wants to come East to live in New England again. She wants me to buy a farm for her, right away quick.”

“Quick like a fox,” said Benny.

“Right,” said Grandfather. He laughed again.

“Why does she want to move?” asked Jessie. “She has such an exciting place to live on Mystery⁹ Ranch¹⁰.”

“Well, you see Jane and I were born in New England on a farm,” said Mr. Alden. “We all moved to the West. I should say Jane was about eighteen when we went. I was younger than Jane. After awhile I wanted to come back and go into business. But Jane wouldn’t. She said she would stay and run the ranch alone.”

“Stubborn,” said Benny.

“I remember,” said Jessie. “That is what made the trouble between you and Aunt Jane.”

“Yes, she was too proud to give in. She found she couldn’t run the ranch alone. So she almost starved¹¹ to death.”

“Wasn’t it lucky we went out there when she was sick?” said Violet. “We found such a lovely aunt.”

“Well, yes—she is lovely now,” said her grandfather, smiling. “Now I am going to surprise Jane. Maybe I can buy the very farm where we used¹² to live! She would like that.”

“Oh, wouldn’t that be wonderful!” cried Jessie. “We could go up to the farm and get everything ready. Do you suppose we’ll have to get chairs and tables and beds? We could get in food and make the beds. We’d love to do that.”

“What fun that would be!” said Violet. Her eyes were very bright.

“When are you going to try, Grandfather?” asked Benny.

“Well, my boy, I am going to surprise you, too. I’m going to start this very minute. It’s only just after supper.”

Benny hugged Watch, the dog, and jumped up and down with him. Watch did not like this very well. But he loved Benny, so he did not make any fuss¹³.

“Now just hand me that telephone, Henry,” said Mr. Alden.

“Whose number are you going to call?” asked Benny. “How do you know what to call?”

“I don’t,” said Mr. Alden. But he made a call just the same. He called the village store.

“Nobody will be in the store as late as this,” said Henry.

“Don’t be too sure,” said Mr. Alden. “In the old days the storekeeper lived in the store. Maybe he still does.”

Sure enough, a loud voice answered. The children could hear every word.

“Hello,” said Grandfather. “Are you the manager of the store?”

“Well, I guess so,” came the answer. “It’s my store.”

“Do you know anything about the old Alden farm up on the hill?”

“Do I? Of course I know the Alden farm up on the hill! I live right here in this town.”

“Yes, I know. Do you know if the farm is for sale?”

“Yes, ’tis. I must say ’tis. That farm is running down. Get it cheap. Furniture, too.”

“Who is selling it?” asked Grandfather.

“Well, I guess I am. It hasn’t brought me any luck. Who wants to buy it?”

“I do. I used to live there with my sister Jane when I was a boy. I am James Alden.”

“Don’t tell me!” said the man. “I remember Jane Alden well. And you too, I guess. Long time ago. And you want to buy that farm back?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Well, I’ll make you a fair price. All the land and the house and the barn¹⁴ and the hen-coops and the woodshed. Some furniture, too. Glad to get rid¹⁵ of it.”

“I’ll buy it,” said Grandfather.

“What?” cried the man.

“We can settle¹⁶ on the price when I see you,” said Grandfather again. “By the way, tell me your full name.”

“Well, my name is Elisha Morse. But I’m so surprised I don’t know my own name for sure. You coming here to live?”

“No, but my sister Jane is.”

“Well, well, well! This telephone call is costing you a lot of money. Better hang up.”

“All right,” said Grandfather. “We’ll be driving up soon to see my new farm.”

“It ain’t new. It’s old,” said the man.

“It’s new to me. I just bought it,” said Grandfather. “Good-by and thank you.”

Grandfather leaned¹⁷ back and laughed. He hung up the telephone. “Quick like a fox, Benny?” he said. “Is that what you wanted?”

“Grandfather, you are simply¹⁸ wonderful,” said Benny.

“Well, I had a bit of luck, I should say,” said Mr. Alden.

Everyone agreed. But it was Jessie, not Grandfather, who began to make plans right away.

1 chapter   

n.章，篇，重要章节

参考例句：

• I will skip the next chapter.我将略过下一章。
• Go and open a wonderful new chapter.去开启美好的新篇章。

2 den   

n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室

参考例句：

• There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
• The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。

3 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。

4 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》

5 nodded   

v.点头( nod的过去式和过去分词 )；打盹；打瞌睡；点头致意

参考例句：

• He nodded absently, his attention absorbed by the screen. 他专心注视着屏幕，只是心不在焉地点了点头。
• She nodded her head in agreement. 她点头表示同意。

6 spread   

n.传播，散布，伸展；adj.扩延的，伸展的；vt.展开，铺开；传播，推广；伸出；涂，敷

参考例句：

• The news spread very widely.这消息传播得很广。
• She spread a cloth on the table.她用一块布铺在餐桌上。

7 winked   

v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮

参考例句：

• He winked at her and she knew he was thinking the same thing that she was. 他冲她眨了眨眼，她便知道他的想法和她一样。
• He winked his eyes at her and left the classroom. 他向她眨巴一下眼睛走出了教室。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 senior   

adj.年长的；资格较老的，地位较高的；n.年长者，前辈；大学高年级学生

参考例句：

• My brother is senior to me by two years.我哥哥比我年长两岁。
• They are senior students.他们是高年级学生。

9 mystery   

n.神秘，奥秘，秘密，玄妙，不可思议的事

参考例句：

• He often tells stories full of mystery.他常讲些充满神秘色彩的故事。
• The mystery was never solved.这个奥秘始终未得到解释。

10 ranch   

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。

11 starved   

v.（使）挨饿，饥饿( starve的过去式和过去分词 )；缺乏，急需；缺胶

参考例句：

• The frontier station was starved for food and water. 边防站急需食物和水。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The refugees starved out. 难民因饥饿而人数大减。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 used   

adj.用旧了的，旧的；习惯于…；过去惯/经常

参考例句：

• I used to work until nearly 6:00 o'clock each day.我过去常常工作到6:00左右。
• He used to walk anywhere from two to five miles an hour.他过去经常一小时走二至五英里。

13 fuss   

n.过分关心，过分体贴，大惊小怪，小题大作

参考例句：

• My mother makes a fuss of me every time I come home.我每次回家，母亲总对我体贴备至。
• Stop all this fuss and do your homework.别大惊小怪了，去做你的家庭作业吧。

14 barn   

n.谷仓，饲料仓，牲口棚

参考例句：

• That big building is a barn for keeping the grain.那幢大房子是存放粮食的谷仓。
• The cows were driven into the barn.牛被赶进了牲口棚。

15 rid   

v.摆脱，除掉，克服，干掉，消灭；vt.使摆脱，使去掉

参考例句：

• She is rid of fever.她不发烧了。
• Try to get rid of your nasty cold.想法除去你那讨厌的感冒。

16 settle   

vi.安家；定居；停留；vt.使定居；安排；解决

参考例句：

• I have to settle my affairs before leaving here.离开这儿以前，我得把一些私人的事情安排妥当。
• She has decided how she should settle the matter.她已做出决定如何来了解这件事。

17 leaned   

v.（使）倾斜，屈身( lean的过去式和过去分词 )；倚；依赖；使斜靠

参考例句：

• He leaned forward, his hands clasped tightly together. 他俯身向前，双手十字交错地紧握着。
• He leaned back, exulting at the success of his plan. 他向后一靠，为自己计划成功而得意扬扬。

18 simply   

ad.仅仅,只是；简单地；朴素地；完全，简直

参考例句：

• The cake is made quite simply.这蛋糕做起来很简单。
• The teacher explained the text simply.老师简单地解释了一下课文。