兒童英語讀物《神奇樹屋》 第十冊 Ghost Town at Sundown 08

8 Who Am I?

A fly buzzed by Jack’s ear.He slapped it away.He opened his eyes.

The sun was high above the canyon walls. He had slept a long time.

Slim and Annie were sitting by a fire， drinking from tin cups.

“Coffee?Biscuit?” Annie asked Jack.

“Where did you get them?” said Jack.

“A cowboy always carries biscuits and a canteen of coffee，” said Slim.

He walked over and gave Jack a biscuit and a cup of coffee.

“It’s hard as a rock，” Slim said. “And bitter as muddy river water. But a cowboy takes what he can get.”

Jack took a bite and a sip.

The biscuit was very hard and the coffee was very bitter. But that was okay with Jack. Since cowboys didn’t mind， he didn’t mind， either.

“I’ll saddle up Dusty，” Slim said， “and take you back to town to catch your stage.”

“Then what will you do?” said Annie.

“Head south with my herd，” said Slim. “Sell’em. Then ride across the plains and round up more mustangs.”

While Slim saddled Dusty， Jack took out his notebook and pencil. He wrote：

Cowboy breakfast

bitter coffee

hard biscuits

“Hey， Shorty，” called Slim. “What are you doing?”

“Taking notes，” said Jack.

“What for?”

“He likes writing things down，” said Annie.

“Oh， yeah?” said Slim. “Me too. In fact， I first came out west to write a book. But one thing led to another.The next thing I know， I’m a mustang herder.”

“Slim， you should write your book，” said Annie. “And let the mustangs go free.”

“Think so?” said Slim.

They looked at the grazing wild horse.

“I know so，” said Annie.

“Yup，” said Jack. “Your book should be about the Wild West， Slim.”

Slim kept staring at his herd. “Maybe you’re right，” he said. “I could settle in Laramie and write there. Wouldn’t have to chase after rustlers anymore.”

Slim turned back to Jack and Annie. “Yup， I think I’ll be a writer.

Let’s go. Before I change my mind，” he said.

“Yay!” said Annie. “I’ll go tell them.” She jumped up and ran to the mustangs.

Jack packed his backpack，while Slim packed his saddlebags.

Then Slim and Jack climbed onto Dusty. They rode over to Annie， who was stroking Sunset’s neck.

“I told him he’s as free as the wind now，” said Annie.

“Sounds good，” said Slim.“Give me your hand， Smiley.”

Slim pulled Annie onto Dusty. She sat in front of Jack.

Slim snapped his reins. Dusty started off.

The sun was hot as Dusty climbed out of the canyon.When they reached the top， they peered down at the canyon floor.

The mustangs pranced playfully， their coats shining in the hazy light.

“They’ll find their way out soon，” Slim said.“Then cut across the prairie.Yell goodbye to your pal， Smiley.”

“Stay with your mother， Sunset!” shouted Annie.“Good-bye!”

Out of the blue， a voice called， “Bye!”

Annie gasped.“Who said that?” she asked.“The ghost?”

“Nope，” said Jack.“It’s just an echo.It’s caused by sound bouncing off the canyon walls.”

Slim cupped his hands around his mouth.“Who am I?” he shouted.

“Am I?” came the distant voice.

“Oh， man，” Jack said softly. “That’s the answer…”

“To Morgan’s riddle!” said Annie.

“Echo!” she and Jack said together.

Jack looked at Slim.“You knew the answer last night，” he said.

Slim just smiled and snapped his reins. “Let’s go， pardners，” he said.

8　我是誰?

一只蒼蠅在杰克耳朵邊嗡嗡地飛。他趕開它，睜開了眼睛。

太陽已經高懸在空中，照耀著峽谷的巖壁。杰克這一覺睡了很久。

瘦子和安妮正坐在火邊，拿錫杯子喝著水。

“要咖啡嗎?餅干呢?”安妮問杰克。

“你從哪里弄來的?”杰克問。

“牛仔總是隨身帶著餅干和罐裝咖啡的。”瘦子說。

他走過來遞給杰克一塊餅干和一杯咖啡。

“這東西和石頭一樣硬。”瘦子說，“這個呢，就像泥濘的河水一樣苦呢。但是牛仔總是有什么就吃什么。”

杰克吃了一口餅干，喝了一口咖啡。

餅干非常硬，咖啡也很苦。但杰克覺得挺好。既然牛仔不介意，他也就不介意。

“我要給灰塵裝上鞍。”瘦子說，“然后把你們送回鎮(zhèn)上去，好趕馬車。”

“然后你做什么呢?”安妮問。

“和我的馬群一起往南走。”瘦子說，“把它們賣掉。然后再在大草原上轉轉多捉一些野馬。”

瘦子給灰塵上鞍的時候，杰克拿出他的筆記本和鉛筆，這樣寫道：

牛仔的早餐：

苦咖啡

硬餅干

“嘿，小矮子。”瘦子喊道，“你在干什么?”

“在做筆記呢。”杰克說。

“為什么?”

“他喜歡把事情記下來。”安妮回答說。

“哦，是嗎?”瘦子說，“我也是啊。實際上，我第一次來西部就是為了寫一本書。但是一樁事總是引向另一樁，而這另一樁就是我成了個賣野馬的了。”

“瘦子，你應該去寫你的書。”安妮說，“放那些野馬自由吧。”

“你這么認為?”瘦子說。

他們看著那群正在吃草的野馬。

“我認為應該這樣。”安妮說。

“是啊。”杰克說，“你應該寫本關于狂野西部的書，瘦子。”

瘦子繼續(xù)盯著他的馬群。“也許你們是對的。”他說，“我可以在勒拉密定居下來，在那里寫書。那樣我就再不用追趕盜馬賊了。”

瘦子轉過身來面對杰克和安妮，說：“是，我想我還是應該做個作家。咱們走吧，趁我還沒改變主意。”他說。

“耶!”安妮叫道，“我去告訴它們。”他一蹦一跳地跑到野馬群中去了。

瘦子和杰克跨上灰塵，來到了安妮身旁，她正撫摩著日落的脖子。

“我跟日落說它現在和風一樣自由了。”安妮說。

“聽起來不錯哦。”瘦子說，“把你的手給我，愛笑的丫頭。”

瘦子把安妮拽上了灰塵，讓她坐在杰克前面。

瘦子揮動韁繩，灰塵飛跑起來。

在火辣辣的陽光下，灰塵一路跑出了峽谷。當他們到達峽谷頂時，不禁俯視著下面的峽谷：

野馬正歡快地跳躍著，它們的毛皮在晃眼的日光下閃著光。

“它們很快就能找到出去的路。”瘦子說，“然后再穿過大草原。和你的伙計說再見吧，愛笑的丫頭。”

“日落，和你媽媽待在一起吧。”安妮喊道。“再見!”

從藍色峽谷中傳來一個聲音：“再見。”

安妮愣住了。“那是誰在說話?”她問，“是幽靈嗎?”

“不。”杰克回答，“只是回聲而已。是聲音碰到峽谷的巖壁引起的。”

瘦子把手握成杯狀，攏在嘴邊。“我是誰?”他喊道。

“是誰?”遠方傳來一個聲音。

“哦，天啊。”杰克輕聲地說，“這就是答案。”

“摩根謎語的答案!”安妮說。

“回聲!”她和杰克異口同聲地說。

杰克看著瘦子，說：“你昨天晚上就知道答案了。”

瘦子微笑著揮動著韁繩。“咱們走吧，伙計們。”他說。