第 46 节
作者:月寒      更新:2024-04-14 09:15      字数:9322
  action; Jimmie preferred action。 But; he did not climb the hill nearest the
  car; he climbed the hill that overlooked that hill。
  Flat on the ground; hidden in the golden…rod he lay motionless。 Before
  him; for fifteen miles stretched hills and tiny valleys。 Six miles away to his
  right   rose   the   stone   steeple;   and   the   red   roofs   of   Greenwich。   Directly
  before him  were   no   signs   of habitation; only  green   forests;  green   fields;
  gray   stone   walls;   and;   where   a   road   ran   up…hill;   a   splash   of   white;   that
  quivered   in   the   heat。   The   storm   of   the   night   before   had   washed   the   air。
  Each leaf stood by itself。 Nothing stirred; and in the glare of the August
  sun   every   detail   of   the   landscape   was   as   distinct   as   those   in   a   colored
  photograph; and as still。
  In his excitement the scout was trembling。
  〃If he moves;〃 he sighed happily; 〃I've got him!〃
  Opposite; across a little valley was the hill at the base of which he had
  found the car。 The slope toward him  was bare; but the top was crowned
  with a thick wood; and along its crest; as though establishing an ancient
  boundary; ran a stone wall; moss…covered and wrapped in poison…ivy。  In
  places;   the   branches   of   the   trees;   reaching   out   to   the   sun;   overhung   the
  wall and hid it in black shadows。 Jimmie divided the hill into sectors。 He
  began at the right; and slowly followed the wall。 With his eyes he took it
  apart; stone by stone。 Had a chipmunk raised his head; Jimmie would have
  seen him。 So; when from the stone wall; like the reflection of the sun upon
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  a window…pane; something flashed; Jimmie knew he had found his spy。 A
  pair of binoculars had betrayed him。 Jimmie now saw him clearly。 He sat
  on the ground at the top of the hill opposite; in the deep shadow of an oak;
  his   back   against   the   stone   wall。   With   the   binoculars   to   his   eyes   he   had
  leaned too far forward; and upon the glass the sun had flashed a warning。
  Jimmie      appreciated     that  his   attack   must    be  made     from    the  rear。
  Backward; like a crab he wriggled free of the golden…rod; and hidden by
  the   contour   of   the   hill;   raced   down   it   and   into   the   woods   on   the   hill
  opposite。 When he came to within twenty feet of the oak beneath which he
  had seen the stranger; he stood erect; and as though avoiding a live wire;
  stepped     on   tip…toe   to  the   wall。  The    stranger    still  sat  against   it。  The
  binoculars hung from a cord around his neck。 Across his knees was spread
  a map。 He was marking it with a pencil; and as he worked; he hummed a
  tune。
  Jimmie knelt; and resting the gun on the top of the wall; covered him。
  〃Throw up your hands!〃 he commanded。
  The stranger did not start。 Except that he raised his eyes he gave no
  sign that he had heard。 His eyes stared across the little sun…filled valley。
  They were   half closed as though   in study;  as though   perplexed by  some
  deep   and   intricate   problem。   They   appeared   to   see   beyond   the   sun…filled
  valley some place of greater moment; some place far distant。
  Then the eyes   smiled; and slowly;   as though his   neck were stiff;   but
  still smiling; the stranger turned his head。 When he saw the boy; his smile
  was   swept   away   in   waves   of   surprise;   amazement;   and   disbelief。   These
  were followed instantly by an expression of the most acute alarm。 〃Don't
  point that thing at me!〃 shouted the stranger。 〃Is it loaded?〃 With his cheek
  pressed   to the stock   and his   eye   squinted down   the length of   the   brown
  barrel;    Jimmie    nodded。     The    stranger   flung    up  his   open    palms。   They
  accented      his   expression      of   amazed     incredulity。     He    seemed     to   be
  exclaiming; 〃Can such things be?〃
  〃Get up!〃 commanded Jimmie。
  With alacrity the stranger rose。
  〃Walk over there;〃 ordered the scout。 〃Walk backward。 Stop! Take off
  those   field…glasses   and   throw   them   to   me。〃   Without   removing   his   eyes
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  from the gun the stranger lifted the binoculars from his neck and tossed
  them to the stone wall。 〃See here!〃 he pleaded; 〃if you'll only point that
  damned   blunderbuss   the   other   way;   you   can   have   the   glasses;   and   my
  watch; and clothes; and all my money; only don't〃
  Jimmie flushed crimson。 〃You can't bribe me;〃 he growled。 At least; he
  tried   to   growl;   but   because   his   voice   was   changing;   or   because   he   was
  excited   the   growl   ended   in   a   high   squeak。   With   mortification;   Jimmie
  flushed a deeper crimson。 But the stranger was not amused。 At Jimmie's
  words he seemed rather the more amazed。
  〃I'm not trying to bribe you;〃 he protested。 〃If you don't want anything;
  why are you holding me up?〃
  〃I'm not;〃 returned Jimmie; 〃I'm arresting you!〃
  The stranger laughed with relief。 Again his eyes smiled。 〃Oh;〃 he cried;
  〃I see! Have I been trespassing?〃
  With a glance Jimmie measured the distance between himself and the
  stranger。 Reassured; he lifted one leg after the other over the wall。 〃If you
  try to rush me;〃 he warned; 〃I'll shoot you full of buckshot。〃
  The    stranger   took   a  hasty   step  BACKWARD。           〃Don't   worry   about
  that;〃 he exclaimed。 〃I'll not rush you。 Why am I arrested?〃
  Hugging the shotgun with his left arm; Jimmie stopped and lifted the
  binoculars。 He gave them a swift glance; slung them over his shoulder; and
  again clutched his weapon。 His expression was now stern and menacing。
  〃The    name    on   them〃    he  accused;    〃is  'Weiss;   Berlin。'  Is  that  your
  name?〃   The   stranger   smiled;   but   corrected   himself;   and   replied   gravely;
  〃That's the name of the firm that makes them。〃
  Jimmie exclaimed in triumph。 〃Hah!〃 he cried; 〃made in Germany!〃
  The stranger shook his head。
  〃I   don't  understand;〃     he   said。  〃Where     WOULD        a  Weiss   glass   be
  made?〃 With   polite   insistence   he   repeated;  〃Would   you   mind   telling   me
  why I am arrested; and who you might happen to be?〃
  Jimmie did not answer。 Again he stooped and picked up the map; and
  as he did so; for the first time the face of the stranger showed that he was
  annoyed。 Jimmie was not at home with maps。 They told him nothing。 But
  the penciled   notes on   this   one  made   easy  reading。 At his   first   glance he
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  saw; 〃Correct range; 1;800 yards〃; 〃this stream not fordable〃; 〃slope of hill
  15 degrees inaccessible for artillery。〃 〃Wire entanglements here〃; 〃forage
  for five squadrons。〃
  Jimmie's eyes flashed。 He shoved the map inside his shirt; and with the
  gun motioned toward the base of the hill。 〃Keep forty feet ahead of me;〃
  he commanded; 〃and walk to your car。〃 The stranger did not seem to hear
  him。 He spoke with irritation。
  〃I suppose;〃 he said; 〃I'll have to explain to you about that map。〃
  〃Not   to   me;   you   won't;〃   declared   his   captor。   〃You're   going   to   drive
  straight to Judge Van Vorst's; and explain to HIM!〃
  The stranger tossed his arms even higher。 〃Thank God!〃 he exclaimed
  gratefully。
  With his prisoner Jimmie encountered no further trouble。 He made a
  willing captive。 And if in covering the five miles to Judge Van Vorst's he
  exceeded the speed limit; the fact that from the rear seat Jimmie held the
  shotgun against the base of his skull was an extenuating circumstance。
  They arrived in the nick of time。 In his own car young Van Vorst and a
  bag of golf clubs were just drawing away from the house。 Seeing the car
  climbing the steep driveway that for a half…mile led from his lodge to his
  front door; and seeing Jimmie standing in the tonneau brandishing a gun;
  the Judge hastily descended。 The sight of the spy hunter filled him with
  misgiving;      but  the   sight  of  him    gave   Jimmie     sweet   relief。  Arresting
  German spies for a small boy is no easy task。 For Jimmie the strain was
  great。 And now that he knew he had successfully delivered him into the
  hands of the law; Jimmie's heart rose with happiness。 The added presence
  of   a   butler   of   magnificent   bearing   and   of   an   athletic   looking   chauffeur
  increased his sense of security。 Their presence seemed to afford a feeling
  of security to the prisoner also。 As he broug