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儿童英语读物 Houseboat Mystery CHAPTER 4 The Auction

时间:2017-06-20 07:32来源:互联网 提供网友:qing   字体: [ ]
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The next morning Benny climbed up to the roof of the houseboat. He called down to Jessie, “Look here and see if I have the new name right.”

“Oh, this is my day!” Jessie said, as she read The Jessie Alden. “I like having a houseboat named for me.

Henry asked, “Do you need to buy food today? Benny and I can watch for a place to land.”

“No,” said Jessie, shaking her head. “I have plenty of food for another day. We can just enjoy houseboating.” She looked up at the trees. “See, the branches almost meet over our heads. Isn’t it beautiful?”

The Aldens sat in chairs on the deck1 and watched the river grow wider and then narrower. Suddenly Jessie said, “Look, Grandfather! See that sign on the bank of the river? It says there’s an auction2!”

The sign did indeed say:

     AUCTION, EVERY SATURDAY AT 10 A.M.

“Oh, you love auctions3, Grandfather!” said Violet4. “Let’s stop.”

Grandfather said, “You’re right, Violet. I do love auctions. But do you all want to go?”

Benny looked at his grandfather and said, “I never went to an auction in my whole life!”

“Neither did I,” said Violet.

Mr. Alden said, “I can’t believe it! I know it is so, but I can’t understand why I never took you to an auction.”

“You took me once,” said Henry. “And Jessie went, too. But that was years ago. Benny and Violet would love it, that’s for sure. It’s exciting, Ben.”

Jessie said, “Some auctions are better than others. This auction must have some good things, if they have one every week.”

Henry went on, “The auctioneer is very funny sometimes. He tries to keep everybody good-natured. You see, Ben, people call out what they will pay for a clock or a rug6. The one who pays the most gets it.”

“That would be fun,” said Benny. “Let’s go.”

“We’re always saying ’Let’s go!’” said Jessie, laughing.

Henry said, “Just give me time to lock the doors and shut the windows.” They never forgot.

Henry and Benny poled the boat to the dock7 and anchored8 it and tied it.

When the Aldens reached the main street, they saw crowds of people going into a low, brown building with an enormous9 door. The door was as wide as the front of the building. The Aldens went along with the crowd.

Inside, they saw rows of folding chairs on the wooden floor. There was a little platform in the front, and on it were all sorts of things to sell. Furniture of all kinds stood on the platform. There were radios, TV sets, and bicycles. There were silver teapots, pictures of all sizes, and even baseball gloves. On a table was a box of old clothes and boxes of tin dishes and china and glass. It was fascinating.

Grandfather had seen many auctions. He always went up to the front seat. But this time, nobody seemed to be sitting down. All the people were up at the front of the hall, pushing and looking over the things to be sold. Some of the people had come to buy a book or a clock or a table for themselves. But dealers11 were there, too. They were men who bought things at an auction to sell again at a higher price. Dealers often bought furniture or dishes for their customers who had ordered them.

“Let’s look around,” said Benny. “It isn’t ten o’clock yet.”

“Then start here at the left end of the platform,” said Mr. Alden, “and work toward12 the right. Then we’ll see everything.”

Grandfather looked at a few things. “There are some expensive things here,” he said. “I wonder if there is a policeman around to see that nothing is stolen?”

“There’s one over there,” said Henry, pointing to a man standing13 in a corner. “But there are so many people here he can’t watch everybody.”

The crowd was good-natured. A big man laughed and said to Henry, “Excuse me for pushing. I can’t help it because someone is pushing me.”

“That’s all right,” said Henry. “I’m pushing, too!”

There were children in the crowd. The boys were looking at the baseball suits and bats. Girls were looking at sweaters.

“That is a beautiful mirror,” said Mr. Alden to Jessie. “And that desk is a very fine one, but—”

Someone pushed between Jessie and Grandfather, and Mr. Alden could not finish his sentence. When Jessie could get near him again, she asked, “What were you going to say, Grandfather?”

“I was going to say that the little vase way back on the desk is worth more than the desk.”

Again Jessie was pushed a little way from Mr. Alden, but she called to him, “Let’s stay right through this auction, Grandfather! We can eat lunch afterward14. I’m sure we can find a restaurant.”

“Just as you like,” Mr. Alden called back.

Everyone nearby could hear all this. A lady turned to Mr. Alden and said, “There is a fine place right on Main Street called the Elm Tree Inn15. There is a large elm tree right by the doorstep.”

“Thank you!” said Mr. Alden. “We’ll certainly go there.”

Just then a bell rang. Everyone began to rush for seats. The Aldens found seats in the front row. Henry sat beside a man in a gray suit.

The auctioneer began. He held up a small painting.

“What am I offered?” he called out. “This is a hand-painted picture of the river.”

A very young voice answered, “One dollar!”

Grandfather looked back to see who was bidding. It was a young boy, younger than Benny. Mr. Alden whispered to Henry, “It’s a young boy in a red cap. He’s very young to bid at an auction. He seems to be all alone.”

The man in the gray suit called out, “Five dollars!”

“Six dollars!” called a woman’s voice.

“Seven dollars!” said the man in the gray suit.

Grandfather whispered again to Henry, “I think that man beside you is a dealer10. He knows what things are worth.”

“Ten dollars!” called the woman.

The dealer said to Henry, “Oh, let her have it! It isn’t worth more than ten dollars. They always start with the cheap things. I’m waiting for that little vase. It is out of sight now on the old desk.”

“Yes, I saw that vase,” said Henry.

The woman came forward and took the painting and gave the man ten dollars.

Then the auctioneer held up a box of old clothes. He took a boy’s shirt off the top and held it up. He said, “There are five shirts in this box, a boy’s jacket, a man’s heavy overcoat, and five women’s dresses. What am I offered?”

“One dollar!” called the boy in the red cap.

“Two dollars!” called a man.

“Three dollars!” called the boy.

“Four dollars!” shouted another man.

“Five dollars!” called the boy.

There was no answer. Nobody would bid higher than that.

“Going, going, gone!” said the auctioneer. “To the boy in the red cap!”

The boy came forward and took the box. He gave the man five one-dollar bills. Everyone smiled at the boy as he went out with the box of old clothes. He looked very much pleased with the things he had bought.

Benny whispered to Henry, “I saw that boy in the red cap looking over that box. I guess he is poor.”

“Well, he had five dollars, Ben,” said Henry. “And he got what he wanted. He’s gone, anyway.”

Benny half stood up. He looked through the window after the boy. He was surprised when he saw the boy begin to run. The boy was soon out of sight.

“That’s funny,” thought Benny. “I wonder why he was in such a hurry. Maybe he wants to show the things to his mother.”

At last the cheaper things were sold. The expensive things would be put up for sale now. The crowd began to talk and buzz16. They made a great noise in their excitement.

“Quiet!” said the auctioneer.

First the dealer in the gray suit bought an old table for $500. He laughed as he paid for it. He knew he could sell it for more. But when he came back to his seat, he said to Henry, “I’m really waiting for that vase.”

At last the auctioneer came to the vase. He said to the crowd, “The vase I am going to sell next is the best piece here. It is very old and made of gold. You see! A rhyme! Old and gold.”

The people laughed.

Then the auctioneer went on, “This vase has rubies17 and emeralds set in the gold. It came from Egypt. I am talking about this small vase on the desk.”

He turned to take the vase off the desk, but the vase was not there!

The dealer whispered, “Stolen! I bet5 it was stolen!”

It seemed that the dealer was right. The vase could not be found. Again the crowd began to buzz.

“I stood right here,” said the policeman. “But I didn’t see anyone take it.”

“Well, somebody took it,” said the auctioneer.

“Too bad,” said Grandfather. “Let’s go. This auction is no fun anymore. No one likes to think there is a thief in the room.”

“Yes, you can go,” said the policeman to Grandfather. “I’m sure you didn’t take the vase.”

“I should say not,” said Grandfather. “I know the police will take care of this.”

Indeed, as the Aldens went out of the building, they met two more policemen coming in. Henry thought, “Someone must have telephoned the police station.”

As he passed a policeman on the steps, Benny said to him, “I hope you will find that vase.”

“Oh, we’ll find it,” the policeman answered. “There are strange things going on around here. This is only one of them.”

The other policeman added, “Right up and down our own river! It always has been so peaceful here. Nothing like this ever happened before.”

The Aldens went along the street looking for the Elm Tree Inn. It was easy to find, for they soon saw the big tree.

Violet said, “I don’t feel very hungry. But we’d better eat just the same, I suppose.”

Jessie smiled and said, “We’ve got a chance now to eat without cooking a meal or washing the dishes. We’d better eat whether we’re hungry or not.”

“Well, I’m hungry,” said Benny.

“So am I, mate,” said Henry. “It will be no trouble at all for me.”

Benny held the door of the Elm Tree Inn open while the others went in. Just as he was going to follow them he looked toward the street. He was in time to see a big black car swing out to pass a small truck. The truck driver called out, “Hey! Look where you’re going!”

Benny had a fine chance to see the driver of the black car as it whizzed by. He thought to himself, “That is the very man I saw in the restaurant! He’s the one I didn’t like. He’s the one who said, ’What do you mean—find out? Nobody has found out yet.’ “

The driver’s left hand was on the small open window of the black car. He drove with his right hand. Benny saw that the man wore a big square black ring. Then the car was around the corner and out of sight. Benny went into the inn.

The family stayed a long time at the Elm Tree Inn. The restaurant was crowded with people. The waitress could not serve them for a long time. But as they waited for their lunch, Benny told them in a low voice about the man in the car.

Then Jessie said, “Those men don’t seem to do anything wrong. They just drive too fast.”

“Well, they almost ran into our car,” said Henry. “I won’t forget that in a hurry.”

By the time the food was served, every Alden was hungry. Even Violet ate an excellent meal.

After lunch, Violet said, “Let’s go, Grandfather. I’m tired.”

Everyone agreed. They all wanted to get back to the houseboat.

As the family walked along, Henry said, “I wonder what those policemen meant about strange things. Maybe that black car has something to do with all the trouble. It certainly looks strange in these small towns. It goes too fast.”

Violet said, “Maybe the police have seen those two men who almost ran into us.”

“I don’t like them,” said Benny. “I didn’t like them when I saw them in the restaurant.”

The Aldens walked down the path. They found the houseboat still safely anchored at the dock. Benny untied18 the rope, and Henry unlocked20 the door. They all went into the cabin21.

Everyone began to sniff22.

“Smoke!” said Benny. “I smell smoke! Where’s that sandbox? I want that sand ready if there’s a fire.”

“It’s cigarette smoke,” said Henry. “No fire.”

Grandfather looked very sober23. He said, “Henry, unlock19 the back door, too. You can use the same key.”

Grandfather looked at both doors. Then he tried the windows. They were all locked.

Jessie looked around the galley24. Not a dish had been moved. Violet looked at the beds and the curtains.

Henry went out and checked the motor. It seemed to be all right.

They looked in the icebox and even in the water tank. They could not find a thing.

“I don’t like it,” said Grandfather. “Both doors were locked, and there isn’t a mark on the keyholes.”

After a while they all agreed on one thing—someone had been in the cabin, smoking a cigarette.

Benny said, “You know, this was a fine time for someone to get into this houseboat. Everybody at that auction knew we were going to eat lunch on land. Remember, Jessie, how you called to Grandfather?”

Jessie nodded. “And a stranger even said, ’I know a place where you can eat—the Elm Tree Inn.’ Oh, yes, I guess we told everybody in that town that we wouldn’t be home for a while.”

Benny went out on the front deck and sat down to think. He was thinking about the boy in the red cap. It was strange how he ran away from the auction.

“Something funny here,” Benny said to himself. “But that boy is too young to be smoking cigarettes. Besides, he seemed like such a nice boy. I liked him the minute I saw him looking over the box of old clothes.”

Everyone came out on the front deck and sat down.

Henry said, “Whoever was in our houseboat wasn’t very smart. Anyone would know we would smell smoke. How do you think the person got in, Grandfather?”

Mr. Alden answered, “Well, I think someone has a key.”

Benny was safely in bed that night. Suddenly he felt that something was missing25. Then he knew what it was. He could not hear the clock tick26! He looked out in the dark and found the spot on the wall where the clock hung. The clock was gone!

“Now I know someone has been here,” Benny thought. “I know people often steal clocks and radios because they can sell them. But I wouldn’t think anyone would come aboard just for a little old clock.”

Benny did not want to wake everybody up to tell them, so he turned over and went to sleep.
 


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 deck bnIzQ     
n.甲板;公共汽车一层的车厢;纸牌;vt.装饰
参考例句:
  • Let's have a walk round the deck.我们去甲板上散步吧。
  • The sea wind swept over the deck.海风席卷过甲板。
2 auction 3uVzy     
n.拍卖;拍卖会;vt.拍卖
参考例句:
  • They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
  • They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。
3 auctions 1c44b3008dd1a89803d9b2f2bd58e57a     
n.拍卖,拍卖方式( auction的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • They picked up most of the furniture at auctions in country towns. 他们大部分的家具都是在乡村镇上的拍卖处买的。 来自辞典例句
  • Our dealers didn't want these cars, so we had to dump them at auctions. 我们的承销商都不要这些车子,因此我们只好贱价拍卖。 来自辞典例句
4 violet 8h3wm     
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。
5 bet ddZy8     
v.打赌,以(与)...打赌;n.赌注,赌金;打赌
参考例句:
  • I bet you can't do this puzzle.我敢说,你解决不了这个难题。
  • I offered to bet with him.我提出与他打赌。
6 rug nSfzY     
n.毯子,地毯,旅行毯
参考例句:
  • The rug can double up.这条地毯能卷起来。
  • It will be more beautiful if you work some blue into the rug.如果你再织些蓝色的图案,这毯子会更好看。
7 dock GsQx9     
n.码头;被告席;vt.使(船)进港;扣;vi.进港
参考例句:
  • We took the children to the dock to see the ships.我们带孩子们到码头去看轮船。
  • The corrupt official stood in the dock.那贪官站在被告席上。
8 anchored anchored     
adj. 抛锚的 动词anchor的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • We anchored in midstream 我们在河中心抛锚了。
  • They anchored their ship in the river in a foggy morning. 在一个迷雾的早晨他们把船停泊在河上。
9 enormous xoExz     
adj.巨大的;庞大的
参考例句:
  • An enormous sum of money is injected each year into teaching.每年都有大量资金投入到教学中。
  • They wield enormous political power.他们行使巨大的政治权力。
10 dealer GyNxT     
n.商人,贩子
参考例句:
  • The dealer spent hours bargaining for the painting.那个商人为购买那幅画花了几个小时讨价还价。
  • The dealer reduced the price for cash down.这家商店对付现金的人减价优惠。
11 dealers 95e592fc0f5dffc9b9616efd02201373     
n.商人( dealer的名词复数 );贩毒者;毒品贩子;发牌者
参考例句:
  • There was fast bidding between private collectors and dealers. 私人收藏家和交易商急速竞相喊价。
  • The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. 警察腐败,与那伙毒品贩子内外勾结。
12 toward on6we     
prep.对于,关于,接近,将近,向,朝
参考例句:
  • Suddenly I saw a tall figure approaching toward the policeman.突然间我看到一个高大的身影朝警察靠近。
  • Upon seeing her,I smiled and ran toward her. 看到她我笑了,并跑了过去。
13 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。
14 afterward fK6y3     
adv.后来;以后
参考例句:
  • Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏,然后吃饭。
  • Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来,这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。
15 inn t69xs     
n.小旅馆,客栈;小酒店,小饭店
参考例句:
  • I shall lodge at the inn for two nights.我要在这家小店住两个晚上。
  • We stayed in a small village inn,right off the map.我们住在一家偏僻的乡村小店里。
16 buzz aSiyO     
v.充满了激动或活动的声音,发出低沉的声音
参考例句:
  • My brain was in buzz.我的脑袋嗡嗡响。
  • A buzz went through the crowded courtroom.拥挤的法庭里响起了一片乱哄哄的说话声。
17 rubies 534be3a5d4dab7c1e30149143213b88f     
红宝石( ruby的名词复数 ); 红宝石色,深红色
参考例句:
  • a necklace of rubies intertwined with pearls 缠着珍珠的红宝石项链
  • The crown was set with precious jewels—diamonds, rubies and emeralds. 王冠上镶嵌着稀世珍宝—有钻石、红宝石、绿宝石。
18 untied d4a1dd1a28503840144e8098dbf9e40f     
松开,解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 ); 解除,使自由; 解决
参考例句:
  • Once untied, we common people are able to conquer nature, too. 只要团结起来,我们老百姓也能移山倒海。
  • He untied the ropes. 他解开了绳子。
19 unlock Ijlwx     
v.启示,揭示,开...的锁
参考例句:
  • The border police required the traveler to unlock his luggage.边防警察要求旅客打开行李。
  • We heard somebody unlock the door.我们听见有人开门锁。
20 unlocked d821dbe5ef2db3d805cd0f7eea0ec33f     
v.开锁( unlock的过去式和过去分词 );开启;揭开;开着,解开
参考例句:
  • Don't leave your desk unlocked. 请不要忘记锁好办公桌。
  • On no account should you leave the door unlocked. 你无论如何也不应该不锁门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
21 cabin dSNyS     
n.(结构简单的)小木屋;船舱,机舱
参考例句:
  • They threw up a new cabin in a couple of hours.在几小时之内他们就建起了一座新的小屋。
  • It's very hot in the cabin;let's go on deck.舱室内很热,我们到甲板上去吧。
22 sniff PF7zs     
vi.嗅…味道;抽鼻涕;对嗤之以鼻,蔑视
参考例句:
  • The police used dogs to sniff out the criminals in their hiding - place.警察使用警犬查出了罪犯的藏身地点。
  • When Munchie meets a dog on the beach, they sniff each other for a while.当麦奇在海滩上碰到另一条狗的时候,他们会彼此嗅一会儿。
23 sober 7Fhyy     
adj.清醒的,沉着冷静的,稳重的,颜色暗淡的;vt.使清醒,使沉着;vi.清醒,冷静下来
参考例句:
  • He talked to us in a sober friendly fashion.他以冷静而又友好的方式同我们交谈。
  • The man was still sober when he went home.那人回到家时头脑依然清醒。
24 galley rhwxE     
n.(飞机或船上的)厨房单层甲板大帆船;军舰舰长用的大划艇;
参考例句:
  • The stewardess will get you some water from the galley.空姐会从厨房给你拿些水来。
  • Visitors can also go through the large galley where crew members got their meals.游客还可以穿过船员们用餐的厨房。
25 missing 3nTzx7     
adj.遗失的,缺少的,失踪的
参考例句:
  • Check the tools and see if anything is missing.检点一下工具,看有无丢失。
  • All the others are here;he's the only one missing.别人都来了,就短他一个。
26 tick ZoWwC     
vi.(指钟表等)滴答滴答地响
参考例句:
  • The clock goes'tick-tock,tick-tock'.时钟发出滴答滴答的声音。
  • They could hear the regular tick of the clock.他们能听见时钟有规律的滴答声。
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