《神奇树屋》 第二十册 Dingoes at Dinnertime 05 Wildfire!

　　"Wildfire?" said Annie.

"The woods are so dry, everything's starting toburn!" said Jack¹. "We have to get out of here.""We can't leave Joey," said Annie.

"We'll take him with us!" said Jack.

"But what if his mom comes back for him and he'snot here?" said Annie.

"We don't have a choice," said Jack.

Just then, the kookaburra flew through the sky,cackling.

The emus raced by at top speed.

The air was getting smokier and smokier. The firewas spreading quickly!

"Come on!" said Jack. "We have to get back to thetree house before it burns down!""Which way's the tree house?" said Annie.

"I'm not sure," said Jack.

Smoke hid the treetops. Jack's eyes stung.

"Forget it," he said. "Let's just get away from thissmoke. Come on!"Jack and Teddy turned to go. The baby kangaroohid his head inside Jack's pack.

"I'll catch up!" said Annie. "I have to getsomething!""What?" cried Jack.

But Annie had dashed off in the other direction"Come back!" Jack shouted "Annie!"Branches cracked and fell from the trees. Smokebillowed everywhereArf.' Arf!

"Annie!" Jack cried.

Jack choked on the smoke. He coughed and rubbedhis eyes. The air was getting hotter.

He had no choice. He had to run.

Arf! Arf! Teddy barked from somewhere ahead.

"Hurry, Annie!" Jack called helplessly. Then he tookoff after Teddy.

He stumbled blindly through the brush. All hecould do was follow the sound of Teddy's barking.

His pack felt heavier and heavier. He held it up withhis arms and kept going.

Suddenly, Jack heard Annie calling him. Jackstopped.

"Here! Here! Here! We're here!" he shouted. "Comeon! Follow us!"Annie appeared through the haze² of the hot smoke.

She was coughing. Tears streamed from her eyes.

She was carrying the koala!

"Come on!" Jack cried. "Follow Teddy!"Arf! Arf!

Jack and Annie carried Joey and the koala. Theyfollowed Teddy's barking through the smoky, fire-filled forest.

Finally, they came to a giant rock.

Arf! Arf!

Teddy was standing³ on a ledge⁴. Behind him wasthe mouth of a cave.

Through the smoke, Jack could barely see the littledog.

Teddy barked again, then vanished inside the cave.

"Follow him!" said Annie.

1 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

2 haze   

n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊

参考例句：

• I couldn't see her through the haze of smoke.在烟雾弥漫中，我看不见她。
• He often lives in a haze of whisky.他常常是在威士忌的懵懂醉意中度过的。

3 standing   

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。

4 ledge   

n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁

参考例句：

• They paid out the line to lower him to the ledge.他们放出绳子使他降到那块岩石的突出部分。
• Suddenly he struck his toe on a rocky ledge and fell.突然他的脚趾绊在一块突出的岩石上，摔倒了。