儿童英语读物《神奇树屋》 第十册 Ghost Town at Sundown 09

9 Lonesome Luke

The sun was low in the sky when they reached Rattlesnake Flats.

“Just let us off in front of the hotel，” said Annie.

“You sure the stage is coming through here?” said Slim.

“Yup，” said Jack and Annie together.

In front of the hotel， Slim got down from Dusty. Then he helped Jack and Annie down.

“I hope you’ll come to Laramie and visit me，” said Slim. He winked. “I might be needing some help on my book.”

“Sure，” said Annie.

Slim climbed back on Dusty. He looked down at Jack.

“You know， Shorty，” he said， “you might be short， but you’re mighty tall in the brains.”

“Thanks，” said Jack.

“And， Smiley，” Slim said. “Your great courage is nothing to smile about.”

“Thanks，” said Annie.

“Good luck with your writing， Slim，” said Jack.

“I’m grateful to you both for steering me straight，” said Slim. “I promise I’ll thank you someday.”

“Really?” said Annie.

“A cowboy never goes back on his word，” said Slim. Then he snapped his reins， and Dusty loped down the street.

“Bye， Slim!” yelled Annie.

Slim Cooley turned one last time. He waved his hat. “So long， pardners!” he called.

Then he rode off into the sunset.

Jack let out a deep sigh. “Okay. I’m ready to take my boots off now，” he said.

“Me too，” said Annie.

They sat down on the porch of the hotel. They started pulling off their boots.

“There!” Jack got them both off.

He wiggled his toes. He took his sneakers out of his pack and put them on. Annie put hers on， too.

“Man， sneakers never felt so good，” said Jack.

Suddenly the sound of a piano drifted through the air.

“Lonesome Luke!” said Annie.

Jack grabbed his pack.He and Annie crept across the porch.They pushed open the swinging door.

The piano was playing“Red River Valley.” Sitting on the piano stool was the dim but shimmering shape of a cowboy.

Just then the ghost of Lonesome Luke looked at Jack and Annie. He waved a shimmering hand.

Jack and Annie waved back.

Then the ghost of Lonesome Luke faded away.Cold air wafted past Jack and Annie.They both shivered.

“Oh， man， let’s go，” breathed Jack.

They leaped and dashed up the dusty road.They ran across the cracked ground and past the graveyard. They ran until they reached the tree with the Magic Tree House in it.

Annie grabbed the rope ladder.

She hurried up and Jack followed. They were out of breath when they got inside the tree house.

Annie grabbed the ancient scroll. She unrolled it.

“Yay!” she said.

The scroll had one glowing word on it：

ECHO

“We got it right!” said Annie.

Jack grabbed the Pennsylvania book. He pointed to a picture of the Frog Creek woods.

“I wish we could go there!” he said.

The wind started to blow.

The tree house started to spin.

It spun faster and faster.

Then everything was still.

Absolutely still.

9孤独卢克

他们到达响尾蛇浅滩时，太阳已经低低地挂在天边了。

“就把我们放在旅馆前面吧。”安妮说。

“你肯定马车会从这里经过吗?”瘦子问。

“是。”安妮和杰克一起答道。

瘦子在旅馆前下了马，又帮着杰克和安妮下了马。

“希望你们能到勒拉密来看我。”瘦子说着眨了眨眼睛，“也许我写书时还需要帮手呢。”

“一定。”安妮说。

瘦子重又骑上灰尘。他看着杰克，说：

“要知道，小矮子，你虽然个子矮，脑子里却有着大智慧呢。”

“谢谢。”杰克说。

“还有，爱笑的丫头。”瘦子又说，“你的勇气可是不能小看的。”

“谢谢。”安妮说。

“祝你的书好运，瘦子!”杰克说。

“我很感激你们为我找到了正确的方向。”瘦子说，“我保证有一天会酬谢你们的。”

“真的?”安妮问。

“牛仔可是从不食言的。”瘦子说着，挥动了缰绳，灰尘跳跃着沿街跑去。

“再见，瘦子!”安妮喊道。

瘦子库里最后回头看了一眼。他挥挥帽子，喊道：“再见，伙计们!”

然后，瘦子就骑着马消失在夕阳里。

杰克深深地叹了口气，说：“好了，现在我可以把靴子脱掉了。”

“我也是。”安妮说。

他们坐在旅馆的门廊上，开始脱靴子。

“哎呀!”杰克把两只靴子都脱掉了。

他使劲揉了揉脚指头。从背包里拿出球鞋穿上了。安妮也穿上了她的球鞋。

“啊，从来没觉得球鞋这么舒服。”杰克说。

突然，空中飘来一阵钢琴的声音。

“是孤独卢克!”安妮喊道。

杰克一把抓起背包，和安妮一起爬过门廊，推开了那扇摇摇晃晃的门。

钢琴正弹奏着“红河谷”。琴凳上坐着一个模糊却又闪着光芒的牛仔身型。

正在这时，孤独卢克的幽灵看到了杰克和安妮。他用那闪着光的手朝他们挥了挥。

杰克和安妮也冲他挥了挥手。

然后孤独卢克的幽灵就消失了。冷冷的空气拂过杰克和安妮。他们不禁打了个寒战。

“哦，天啊，咱们走吧。”杰克吸了口气。

他们跳了起来，冲向灰蒙蒙的街道，跑过了吱吱作响的地面，穿过墓地，一直跑到神奇树屋所在的那棵树下。

安妮抓住了绳梯。

她赶紧往上爬，杰克紧跟在后面。他们爬进树屋的时候都有些喘不过气来了。

安妮拿起那个卷轴，展开了。

“耶!”她叫道。

卷轴上只有一个闪光的词：

回声。

“我们猜对了!”安妮喊着。

杰克抓起那本宾夕法尼亚书。他指着一幅蛙溪树林的图片说：

“希望我们能去到那里!”

风吹了起来。

树屋开始打转。

转得越来越快。

然后一切都平静了。

绝对的平静。