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儿童英语读物 The Ice Cream Mystery CHAPTER 10 The Mystery Ice Cream

时间:2017-11-02 05:11来源:互联网 提供网友:qing   字体: [ ]
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Brianna’s eyes widened in amazement1. “Help us? You call fake deliveries and ‘Out of Business’ signs helping2 us, Jean?”

“Don’t forget the suggestion box and the stolen posters,” said Jessie.

“And the stolen horse,” said Violet. She had gone over to Butterscotch. The big horse had heard voices and put her head over the stall door. Now she lowered it to let Violet scratch her silky ears.

Jean Johnston looked around as if she wanted to escape. But there was no way out. She took a step back, then sank down onto a bale of hay.

“Why don’t you tell us about it,” said Brianna in a more gentle tone of voice.

Jean looked up. “I wanted to be the manager of the Ice Cream Barn. I knew I could make it great. With a few changes and the right approach, you could have become a big chain.”

“Like the Sugar Shop?” asked Jessie.

“Yes. But Katy kept saying no. I had to do something to make her change her mind,” Jean went on. She looked at Brianna. “I thought if Katy started losing money, she would see that she needs me to help run things.”

“Is that when you started playing tricks on the Ice Cream Barn?” asked Violet.

“Yes,” admitted Jean. “But it wasn’t working. Then I heard the National Sugar Shop Corporation was interested in getting into the ice-cream business in Greenfield. I thought if I took Butterscotch, I could upset business enough so that Katy would want to sell the Ice Cream Barn. Then maybe the National Sugar Shop Corporation would hire me,” Jean said.

“You kept coming to the shop and eating ice cream,” said Benny.

“Sampling the new flavors, taking notes,” said Jean.

“Spying,” said Henry.

“Companies do that all the time. It’s how business works,” said Jean.

“Not at the Ice Cream Barn,” said Brianna.

“We saw you meeting with Mr. Smithers at the new Sugar Shop in Silver City,” said Jessie.

Brianna said, “To apply for the manager’s job there.”

“Yes. From that job, I could move up in the corporation— especially if I could put the Ice Cream Barn out of business,” Jean explained. “That’s when I thought up the plan to hide Butterscotch for a little while—right after the interview.”

“You know, you didn’t have to do all these awful things,” Brianna said. “Your business plan and your ideas were very good. I’m sure the Sugar Shop would have hired you just because of that.”

“I didn’t think good ideas were enough,” said Jean bitterly. “Sometimes you’ve got to be ruthless to get ahead.”

“I’m sorry,” said Brianna, “but I don’t think your terrible behavior got you anywhere.”

Then Jean said, “What are you going to do now? Are you going to call the police?”

Brianna shook her head slowly. “No. Not this time. But I am going to call Mr. Smithers to tell him what you did.”

“What you did was wrong,” said Violet.

“I know,” Jean said softly. She wouldn’t meet their eyes.

“Don’t come back to the Ice Cream Barn,” said Brianna.

Jean stood up. “All right,” she said, and walked slowly out of the barn. At the door, she stopped and turned. “I’m sorry,” she said.

“If you’re really sorry,” said Violet, “you’ll never do anything like this again.”

Without answering, Jean went out to her car. A minute later they heard it drive away.

Brianna let out a long breath. “Well,” she said. “That’s that.”

Shortly after that, the farmer came into the barn. “Well,” he said, “do you and the horse need a ride?”

Brianna smiled broadly. “Yes, thank you. Butterscotch is going home.”

The Aldens were sprawled3 in the grass in the shade outside their big old white house. Playing soccer had made them hot and tired. Watch had rolled over on his back with all four feet in the air and was panting in his sleep.

Suddenly Benny sat up. “Did you hear that?” he said.

“What?”

Watch woke up and rolled to his feet. He gave a quick bark.

“That!” said Benny, jumping to his feet, too. “The ice-cream wagon4.”

“It is!” said Violet.

“Oh, good,” said Jessie. “I could use some ice cream right now.”

“Me, too!” said Henry.

Butterscotch and the ice-cream wagon came into sight and all four Aldens waved enthusiastically.

Brianna waved back and guided the wagon into the driveway.

“Look who is with her! It’s Preston!” said Jessie.

Preston jumped down from the driver’s seat to tie up Butterscotch. He grabbed the bucket from the side of the wagon.

“You can fill it up from the hose over at the side of the house,” offered Henry.

“Thanks,” said Preston with a big grin.

“Who wants ice cream?” asked Brianna, flinging the window of the wagon open.

“I do!” said Benny, hopping5 up and down. He wasn’t hot and tired any longer.

Preston came back and set the bucket down. “I heard you were the ones who found Butterscotch,” he said admiringly. “That was great! How did you figure it out?”

“Jessie did, mostly,” said Violet.

“No, we all did,” said Jessie. “We’d eliminated all our suspects and I’d just about given up. Then I remembered a clue and it all came together.”

“The thief kept buying ice cream and not eating it,” said Benny disapprovingly6.

“But we set a trap and caught her,” Violet said.

“Found your horse, did you?” called a familiar voice.

Everyone looked up to see Mr. Bush standing7 on the sidewalk.

“We did,” said Brianna.

“So you’re detectives,” said Mr. Bush.

“We are,” said Jessie.

“Hmmm,” said Mr. Bush.

“Would you like some ice cream?” asked Brianna.

“Maybe I would,” said Mr. Bush.

“You would?” Benny’s eyes got round.

“I said I don’t like horses, not that I don’t like ice cream,” said Mr. Bush. He almost smiled. He walked around the wagon, staying well away from Butterscotch, and went up to the window. “I’d like a sundae, with raspberry ice cream and hot fudge, whipped cream, no nuts, and extra cherries,” he said.

“Wow,” said Violet softly.

“Good ice cream,” said Mr. Bush, after he’d tasted his sundae. Then, still giving Butterscotch plenty of room, he walked on.

“Double wow,” said Jessie.

“Who else wants ice cream?” asked Brianna.

“All of us,” said Henry.

“Good, because I’ve got just the flavor for you. And it’s on the house. Or the wagon,” said Brianna.

She made four enormous ice-cream cones8.

Each of them took a taste.

“Butterscotch,” said Violet.

“And fudge,” said Henry.

“And salted nuts,” said Benny.

“Cashews, right?” guessed Jessie. “And something else, too, but I don’t know what. It’s awfully9 good, though.”

“Mmm. What is it?” asked Violet.

“Our newest flavor,” said Brianna. “Mystery Ice Cream for the Ice Cream Mystery.”

“It’s great,” said Henry.

“What do you think, Benny?” asked Brianna.

Benny grinned. “I think that when I grow up I’m going to be a detective—and drive an ice-cream wagon!”


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 amazement 7zlzBK     
n.惊奇,惊讶
参考例句:
  • All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
  • He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。
2 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
3 sprawled 6cc8223777584147c0ae6b08b9304472     
v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的过去式和过去分词);蔓延;杂乱无序地拓展;四肢伸展坐着(或躺着)
参考例句:
  • He was sprawled full-length across the bed. 他手脚摊开横躺在床上。
  • He was lying sprawled in an armchair, watching TV. 他四肢伸开正懒散地靠在扶手椅上看电视。
4 wagon XhUwP     
n.四轮马车,手推车,面包车;无盖运货列车
参考例句:
  • We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
  • The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。
5 hopping hopping     
n. 跳跃 动词hop的现在分词形式
参考例句:
  • The clubs in town are really hopping. 城里的俱乐部真够热闹的。
  • I'm hopping over to Paris for the weekend. 我要去巴黎度周末。
6 disapprovingly 6500b8d388ebb4d1b87ab0bd19005179     
adv.不以为然地,不赞成地,非难地
参考例句:
  • When I suggested a drink, she coughed disapprovingly. 我提议喝一杯时,她咳了一下表示反对。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He shook his head disapprovingly. 他摇了摇头,表示不赞成。 来自《简明英汉词典》
7 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。
8 cones 1928ec03844308f65ae62221b11e81e3     
n.(人眼)圆锥细胞;圆锥体( cone的名词复数 );球果;圆锥形东西;(盛冰淇淋的)锥形蛋卷筒
参考例句:
  • In the pines squirrels commonly chew off and drop entire cones. 松树上的松鼠通常咬掉和弄落整个球果。 来自辞典例句
  • Many children would rather eat ice cream from cones than from dishes. 许多小孩喜欢吃蛋卷冰淇淋胜过盘装冰淇淋。 来自辞典例句
9 awfully MPkym     
adv.可怕地,非常地,极端地
参考例句:
  • Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
  • I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。
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