the circus boys on the flying rings(飞指环上的马戏团男孩)-第4部分
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〃But I've got to do something。 I can't stay out here in this field all the
rest of my life。 And if I don't find something to eat I'll starve to death。
I'll go downtown and see if I can't earn my breakfast somehow。〃 Having
formed this resolution； Phil took up his belongings and started away
toward the village。 His course led him right past Abner Adams' house；
but； fortunately； Mr。 Adams was not in sight。 Phil would have felt a keen
humiliation had he been forced to meet the taunts of his uncle。 He
hurried on past the house without glancing toward it。 He had gone on for
some little way when he was halted by a familiar voice。 〃Hello； Phil！
Where are you going in such a hurry and so early in the morning？〃 Phil
started guiltily and looked up quickly at the speaker。 〃Good morning； Mrs。
Cahill。 What time is it？〃 〃It's just past four o'clock in the morning。〃
〃Gracious！ I had no idea it was so early as that；〃 exclaimed the lad。 〃If
you are not in such a great hurry； stop a bit；〃 urged the woman； her keen
eyes noting certain things that she did not give voice to。 She had known
Phil Forrest for many years； and his parents before him。 Furthermore；
she knew something of the life he had led since the death of his parents。
〃Had your breakfast？〃 〃Well〃 〃Of course you haven't。 Come right in
and eat with me；〃 urged the good…hearted widow。 〃If you will let me do
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some chores； or something to pay for it； I will；〃 agreed Phil hesitatingly。
〃Nothing of the kind！ You'll keep me company at breakfast； then you'll
be telling me all about it。〃 〃About what？〃 〃 'Bout your going away；〃
pointing significantly to the bag that Phil was carrying。 He was ravenously
hungry； though he did not realize it fully until the odor of the widow's
savory cooking smote his nostrils。 She watched him eat with keen
satisfaction。 〃Now tell me what's happened；〃 urged Mrs。 Cahill； after he
had finished the meal。 Phil did so。 He opened his heart to the woman
who had known his mother； while she listened in sympathetic silence； now
and then uttering an exclamation of angry disapproval when his uncle's
words were repeated to her。 〃And you're turned out of house and home？
Is that it； my boy？〃 〃Well； yes； that's about it；〃 grinned Phil。 〃It's a shame。〃
〃I'm not complaining； you know； Mrs。 Cahill。 Perhaps it's the best thing
that could have happened to me。 I've got to start out for myself sometime；
you know。 I'm glad of one thing； and that is that I didn't have to go until
school closed。 I get through the term today； you know？〃 〃And you're
going to school today？〃 〃Oh； yes。 I wouldn't want to miss the last day。〃
〃Then what？〃 〃I don't know。 I shall find something else to do； I guess。 I
want to earn enough money this summer so that I can go to school again in
the fall。〃 〃And you shall。 You shall stay right here with the Widow
Cahill until you've got through with your schooling； my lad。〃 〃I couldn't
think of that。 No； I am not going to be a burden to anyone。 Don't you
see how I feelthat I want to earn my own living now？〃 She nodded
understandingly。 〃You can do some chores and〃 〃I'll stay here until I find
something else to do；〃 agreed Phil slowly。 〃I shan't be able to look about
much today； because I'll be too busy at school； but tomorrow I'll begin
hunting for a job。 What can I do for you this morning？〃 〃Well； you might
chop some wood if you are aching to exercise your muscles；〃 answered
the widow； with a twinkle in her eyes。 She knew that there was plenty of
wood stored in the woodhouse； but she was too shrewd an observer to tell
Phil so； realizing； as she did； that the obligation he felt for her kindness
was too great to be lightly treated。 Phil got at his task at once； and in a few
moments she heard him whistling an accompaniment to the steady thud；
thud of the axe as he swung it with strong； resolute arms。 〃He's a fine
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boy；〃 was the Widow Cahill's muttered conclusion。 Phil continued at his
work without intermission until an hour had passed。 Mrs。 Cahill went
out； begging that he come in and rest。 〃Rest？ Why； haven't I been resting
all night？ I feel as if I could chop down the house and work it up into
kindling wood； all before school time。 What time is it？〃 〃Nigh on to
seven o'clock。 I've wanted to ask you something ever since you told me
you had left Abner Adams。 It's rather a personal question。〃 The lad
nodded。 〃Did your uncle send you away without any money？〃 〃Of course。
Why should he have given me anything so long as I was going to leave
him？〃 〃Did you ever hear him say that your mother had left a little money
with him before she diedmoney that was to be used for your education as
long as it lasted？〃 Phil straightened up slowly； his axe falling to the ground；
an expression of surprise appeared in his eyes。 〃My mother left money
for me； you say？〃 he wondered。 〃No； Phil； I haven't said so。 I asked you
if Abner had ever said anything of the sort？〃 〃No。 Do you think she
did？〃 〃I'm not saying what I think。 I wish I was a man； I'd read old
Abner Adams a lecture that he wouldn't forget as long as he lives。〃 Phil
smiled indulgently。 〃He's an old man； Mrs。 Cahill。 He's all crippled up
with rheumatism； and maybe he's got a right to be cranky〃 〃And to turn
his own sister's child outdoors； eh？ Not by a long shot。 Rheumatics don't
give anybody any call to do any such a thing as that。 He ought to have his
nose twisted； and it's me； a good church member； as says so。〃 The lad
picked up his axe and resumed his occupation； while Mrs。 Cahill turned up
a chunk of wood and sat down on it； keeping up a running fire of comment；
mostly directed at Abner Adams； and which must have made his ears burn。
Shortly after eight o'clock Phil gathered his books； strapped them and
announced that he would be off for school。 〃I'll finish the woodpile after
school；〃 he called back； as he was leaving the gate。 〃You'll do nothing of
the sort；〃 retorted the Widow Cahill。 Darting out of the yard； Phil ran
plump into someone； and halted sharply with an earnest apology。 〃Seems
to me you're in a terrible rush about something。 Where you going？〃 〃Hello；
Teddy； that you？〃 〃It's me；〃 answered Teddy ungrammatically。 〃I'm on my
way to school。〃 〃Never could understand why anybody should want to run
when he's going to school。 Now； I always run when I start off after
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school's out。 What you doing here？〃 demanded the boy； drawing his
eyelids down into a squint。 〃I've been chopping some wood for Mrs。
Cahill。〃 〃Huh！ What's the matter with the bear this morning？〃 〃The
bear？〃 Teddy jerked a significant thumb in the direction of Phil's former
home。 〃Bear's got a grouch on a rod wide this morning。〃 〃Oh； you mean
Uncle Abner；〃 answered Phil； his face clouding。 〃Yep。〃 〃Why？〃 〃I just
dropped in to see if you were ready to go to school。 He yelled at me like
he'd gone crazy。〃 〃That all？〃 grinned the other boy。 〃No。 He chased me
down the road till his game knee gave out； then he fell down。〃 Phil could
not repress a broad grin at this news。 〃Good thing for me that I could run。
He'd have given me a walloping for sure if he'd caught me。 I'll bet that
stick hurts when it comes down on a fellow。 Don't it； Phil？〃 〃I should
think it would。 I have never felt it； but I have had some pretty narrow
escapes。 What did the folks you are living with say when you got home
all mud last night？〃 Teddy grinned a sheepish sort of grin。 〃Told me I'd
better go out in the horse barnsaid my particular style of beauty was
better suited to the stable than to the kitchen。〃 〃Did you？〃 〃Well； no； not
so as you might notice it。 I went down to the creek and went in
swimming； clothes and all。 That was the easiest way。 You see； I could
wash the mud off my clothes and myself all at the same time。〃 〃It's a
wonder they let you in at all； then。〃 〃They didn't； at least not until I had
wrung the water out of my trousers and twisted my hair up into a regular
top…knot。 Then I crawled in behind the kitchen stove and got dried out
after a while。 But I got my supper。 I always do。〃 〃Yes； I never knew
you to go without meals。〃 〃Sorry you ain't going to the circus tomorrow；
Phil。〃 〃I am。 Teddy； I'm free。 I can do as I like now。 Yes； I'll go to the
circus with you； and maybe if I can earn some money tonight I'll treat you
to red lemonade and peanuts。〃 〃
