【英文读物】The Motor Boys on Thunder Mountain.docx

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1、【英文读物】The Motor Boys on Thunder MountainChapter 1 GOLD MINE TALK “What do you think of it, fellows?” asked Jerry Hopkins. The tall lad ruffled in his hand some sheets of paper covered with typewriting. He looked closely at his two chums.“You mean Tinny Mallisons gold mine proposition?” inquired Ned

2、Slade, flicking a bit of dust from the trousers of his new suit.“Thats what I mean,” replied Jerry. “He didnt say anything else in his letter worth considering, did he?” and the tall lad again referred to the screed.“Except about chicken,” put in the third member of the trio, a stout, good-natured l

3、ooking lad with a beaming face.“Chicken? What do you meanchicken?” demanded Ned Slade, with just a slight note of impatience in his voice. Jerry, looking hastily through the letter, added:2“Tinny didnt say anything about going into the chicken business, did he? Not that I remember. Anyhow, he isnt i

4、n a chicken-raising country. Hes out in the tall timber where the only things they raise are Rocky Mountain goats. Chickens! How do you get that way, Chunky?”The fat lad flushed, having drawn this much attention to himself, and, to justify his remark, he said:“I didnt mean it that way. You know, as

5、well as I do, he didnt propose to us to go out there to raise chickens. We could do that here at home a lot better.”“Just what do you mean by harping on fowls?” asked Ned.“I mean Tinny said in his letter that he was in a restaurant where they served him roast chicken and mushrooms, and he got to thi

6、nking of us and”“You mean he got to thinking of you!” and Ned exploded into a laugh, at which Bob Baker blushed a deeper pink.“Oh, I see what Chunky means!” chuckled Jerry. “Tinny did speak of being in a restaurant eating chicken when he found himself remembering us and the measly feeds we sometimes

7、 got in the mustering-out camp. Thats what caused him to write us about the gold mine.”“And you can make up your mind that Bob3 would pick out that part of the letter first!” exclaimed Ned. “That part about chicken! Did it make you hungry, Chunky?” he demanded, giving the stout youth a poke in his w

8、ell-covered ribs.“Oh, cut it out!” snapped Bob, with a trace of annoyance on his face. “I was up early and I didnt have much breakfast. Its nearly noon now, and if you want me to give any serious consideration to this gold mine proposition Ive got to eatthats all!”There was such a tone of resolve in

9、 the stout lads voice, and such an air of bravado about him, that Ned and Jerry looked at each other in surprise.“Well, Bob, if thats the way you feel about it,” began Ned, “we might as well”“Thats how I feel about it!” cracked out Bob. “Im hungryI dont care who knows it! Ever since Jerry read that

10、in the letter about Tinny having such a glorious feed of roast chicken and mushroomsoh, boy!”Bob did not go on, but Jerry, looking at his watch, remarked:“It is almost noon, and I happen to know Bob was up early, for I telephoned over just before I ate breakfast and they said hed gone out in a hurry

11、.”“I did. And I had nothing for breakfast but some slices of toast, bacon and eggs, and coffee,”4 broke in Bob. “No breakfast at all! Had to go down on an errand in a hurry for dad in the new car, and I stepped on the gas, let me tell you. Now, what about eating?” he asked eagerly.“Well, dont go to

12、sleep, and Ill go on with my speech of acceptance,” chuckled Jerry. “I was going to say, why not come to lunch at my house? Then we can talk over this gold mine dope.”“Suits me,” said Ned briefly.“It more than hits me in the right spot,” sighed fat Bob Baker.“But its queer,” murmured Jerry, as he an

13、d his chums arose from a bench where they had been sitting on the edge of Cresvilles only parkthe place designated as a meeting place when Jerry had received a letter which was destined to play a momentous part in the lives of the Motor Boys.“Whats queer?” Ned Slade wanted to know.“How Bob happened

14、to pick out the three lines in Tinnys letter that had to do with eating,” Jerry resumed. “The most unimportant part of the whole business, and yet Bob spots it likelike”“Like a hawk after a chicken,” supplied Ned, when he saw his tall chum at a loss for a simile.“Thanks,” murmured Jerry.“Think youre

15、 a regular moving-picture-art-title writer, dont you?” mumbled Bob. “All rightgo5 onpoke all the fun you want. But if you fellows get out to Thunder Mountainor whatever the place isand starve to death, dont blame me.”“We arent likely tonot if we die of hunger,” said Ned. “But if we go, wont you come

16、 with us?”“I dont knowmaybe.” Bob was not quite restored to his usual good-natured self after the bantering to which he had been subjected.“Well, lets go!” cried Jerry, and the words recalled vividly to the minds of his chums how often those same words were used when they were in France during the W

17、orld War.“Is that you, Jerry?” called Mrs. Hopkins, when a little later she heard the tramp of feet in her hallfeet that unconsciously fell into the swing of a military march.“Yes, Mother. Ive brought Ned and Bob home to lunch.”“Thats nice. Ill tell Katie to get things ready for you out in the sun p

18、arlor. John is polishing the dining room floor.”“Anywhere as long as theres something to eat,” murmured Bob.And then, a little later, when the Motor Boys were sitting about a well laden table in the pleasant sun parlor of the Hopkins home, their discussion turned upon the letter Jerry had received6

19、that morning from Tinnith Mallison, a Westerner, whom they had first met as a congenial officer in the training camp where the lads were mustered out of Uncle Sams service.“Just what is his proposition?” asked Bob, who, having the first sharp edge taken from his appetite, could now give more conside

20、ration to other matters. “I didnt listen very closely when you first read it, Jerry.”“No, I reckon notchicken and mushrooms,” murmured Ned.“Shut up!” ordered Bob, but the words were accompanied by a smile which took all malice from them.“Well, briefly, Tinnys proposition is this,” said Jerry, as he

21、took out the letter again. They had become sufficiently acquainted with Mr. Mallison to call him by his nickname. “He wants to interest us in an undeveloped gold mine out West near a place called Thunder Mountain. Why it has that name, I dont know. Maybe the Indians called it that.”“If we go out the

22、re we can find out why,” put in Ned.“Say, are you fellows really seriously considering taking up this game?” demanded Bob, pausing with a bite of pie half way to his mouth. And when Bob did any pausing in the process of eating7 one might safely conclude that he was vitally interested in the subject

23、under discussion.“Well, Im about as green at the gold-mining business as I would be trying to cut ice with a pair of manicure scissors,” remarked Jerry. “But, fellows, weve just got to do something strenuous! After the exciting life we lived in France, I just cant settle down to any business that we

24、 can tackle in this town. And as for going back to Boxwood Hall”“Whew! Dont speak of it!” cried Ned. “Jerry, Im with you on that gold mine proposition,” he continued. “I dont just sense what it is all about, but Ill leave that to you. Anyhow, I cant stay around this town much longer. Its all right i

25、n its own way, but it doesnt weigh much after what weve gone through. Dad wants me to come in the department store and learn the business from the ground up. But Im not ready for that yet. Thats why I want to go West.”“And I cant see dads proposition to become office boy in the bank and work my way

26、up to be a cashier,” said Bob. “Of course Ill go in the bank some daybut not just yet. Im for the West.”“Well, we seem to be pretty much of the same mind about it, and that sounds good to me,” commented Jerry. “Tinny says he will write us more8 particulars if we are interested, and suggests that we

27、let him know at once.”“Tell him we are!” exclaimed Ned. “Weve just got to get into something that will keep us out in the open air. This gold mine would do it.”“Whether it had any gold in it or not,” commented Jerry.“Sure! Say, why dont you send Tinny a wire, telling him were hot on his trail and as

28、k him to send on more dope.”“Ill do it!” decided Jerry.“Write out the message,” suggested Bob. “Then well go down to the telegraph office to send it. Ill get dads new car and well try it out. He told me to run it for a while and remove the kinks.”“Hurray!” yelled Ned.“Sounds good to me,” commented J

29、erry. In fact, ever since he had heard that Mr. Baker had a new car his hands had been itching to grip the wheel. Now he might have an opportunity.“Come on, well get the car,” cried Chunky. “After we leave the message well go for a ride.”“It will be like old times,” remarked Ned, for the lads had ga

30、ined more than a local reputation by their journeys about the country in motors.Finishing their lunch, putting away Tinnys enthralling letter, and writing the telegram to the Westerner did not take long. A little later the9 three youths were walking about and admiring Mr. Bakers new car. It was a be

31、autyno mistake about that.“How do you think the new four-wheel brakes will work?” asked Jerry, who knew something about cars. He had one, but not of a late model.“Youll soon find out,” remarked Bob. “Ill let you fellows have a shot at it. Only remember one thingdont shove the brakes on too suddenly,

32、 for they grip twice as quickly as the old kind. Hop inIll be out in a minute.”He disappeared into the house on the run, while Ned and Jerry took their places on the front seat. Did any one ever see three lads ride anywhere but on the front seat of an auto, no matter how small?“Itll be a tight fit w

33、ith Chunky in,” remarked Ned, looking at the space behind the wheel.“Do him good to squeeze him,” chuckled Jerry. “Here he comes.”Bob did not complain of the small space left for him at the wheel, but climbed in and the three lads were soon riding down the main street of Cresville, their home town.T

34、he message was sent, and then Bob headed the car for the open country. They were bowling along, the fat lad having given several demonstrations of how to apply the new brakes, when he10 took one hand from the steering wheel and began fishing in his pocket.“Whats the matter?” asked Jerry.Bob did not

35、answer, but pulled out a doughnut and began munching on it.“Well, for the love of pepsin!” cried Ned. “If you arent”He never finished the sentence, for just then the car rounded a curve in the road and Jerry, pointing ahead, cried:“Look! Theres a house on fire!”In pointing he jarred Bobs hand just a

36、s the latter was raising the doughnut for another bite.“It sure is a fire!” shouted Ned.“Ug! Ow! Huh! Huh! Heck!” coughed and spluttered Bob.“Whats the matter?” cried Jerry.“Youergukmade me swallow thatdoughnut theheckwrong way!” gasped Bob. “Ugh!”He pushed suddenly on the brake pedal and the car ca

37、me to such an abrupt stop that he and his companions nearly went through the windshield as the auto halted within a short distance of the blazing farmhouse from which came frantic cries for help.CHAPTER II THE END OF EVERYTHING “Come on, fellows!” cried Jerry.He was struggling to get out of the seat

38、 where three of them were rather a tight fit, considering Chunkys plumpness. But Jerry managed it, at the same time thumping Bob on the back to dislodge the bit of doughnut that had gone down the hungry lads “wrong throat.”The boys had arrived at a most critical time. The blaze had quite a start at

39、the rear of the farmhouse, the flames flickering out of a first story windowevidently the kitchenand eating their way up to the second story.“I wonder if theyve telephoned in an alarm?” cried Ned, for though there were no “pull boxes” on the country road that far out of Cresville, nearly every farme

40、r had a telephone.“Sounds like the new motor engine coming,” said Bob, with a cough, to dislodge the last remaining particles of the doughnut, which, by this time, he had managed to swallow.“Yes, there she is!” added Ned, as they caught12 the sound of the siren horn on the new motor apparatus, recen

41、tly purchased by the town.“But it wont get here in time to save them! Look!” shouted Jerry.He pointed to a window about eight feet above the one-story extension of the house where could be seen a woman and two children. From another window on the left of these frantic and screaming ones smoke was po

42、uring, showing that the fire was close to them.“Weve got to save them!” cried Ned.“Thats right!” added Bob. “We can do it from that low roof. They can drop down and we can help them get to the ground. Or if we could find a short ladder”“Theres one!” yelled Ned, pointing to one leaning against a frui

43、t tree at the side of the house. “Come on!”“Were just in time!” added Jerry. “Its a good thing we drove out this way!”The boys dashed to the rescue of the fire-trapped ones, while they could hear the motor engine approaching; and as they watched neighbors came running across the fields to aid, havin

44、g seen the pall of smoke.While the Motor Boys are hastening on their errand of mercy I shall take just a moment to introduce my new readers more formally to the youths who are to be the heroes of this story.13In the first volume of this series, entitled “The Motor Boys,” the reason for this name bei

45、ng given Jerry Hopkins, Ned Slade and Bob Baker was very fully set forth. Ned Slades father was a wealthy department store owner in Cresville, and Bob Bakers father was president of the richest bank in that section. Jerry Hopkins father was dead, but had left his widow, Mrs. Julia Hopkins, very well

46、 off, and Jerry managed to keep up his end with his two chums.Jerry, the tallest of the three lads, was a rather quiet and thoughtful youth, destined to be a leader. Ned was the best dresser of the three, if that is any compliment, and Bob Bakerwell, when it is said that his nickname was “Chunky,” m

47、ore has been told than could be divulged in several pages. Of his appetite, sufficient testimony has been given.The home of the Motor Boys was in Cresville, in one of the New England states, but from there the boys had traveled to many other parts of their own country and foreign lands. As you know,

48、 they had recently come back from the great war.But before this, when they were not circumventing tricks of the notorious Noddy Nixon and his crony, Jack Pender, the boys had traveled overland, to Mexico, and across the great plains in a motor car. They had been afloat on the Atlantic14 and in strange waters, voyaging at times in a motor boat, and the various volumes tell of their activities.As if the earth was not wide enough for them, the lads had even ventured into the clouds in aeroplanes and balloons, and when they had a chance to