the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第40部分
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these hills enfilade the others and to learn to what extent their armies can
live on the country。 They are counting the cows； the horses； the barns
where fodder is stored； and they are marking down on their maps the wells
and streams。〃
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As though at that moment a German spy might be crouching behind
the door； Mr。 Gould spoke in a whisper。 〃Keep your eyes open！〃 he
commanded。 〃Watch every stranger。 If he acts suspiciously； get word
quick to your sheriff； or to Judge Van Vorst here。 Remember the scouts'
motto； 'Be prepared！'〃
That night as the scouts walked home； behind each wall and hayrick
they saw spiked helmets。
Young Van Vorst was extremely annoyed。
〃Next time you talk to my scouts；〃 he declared； you'll talk on 'Votes for
Women。' After what you said to…night every real estate agent who dares
open a map will be arrested。 We're not trying to drive people away from
Westchester； we're trying to sell them building sites。〃
〃YOU are not！〃 retorted his friend； 〃you own half the county now； and
you're trying to buy the other half。〃
〃I'm a justice of the peace；〃 explained Van Vorst。 〃I don't know WHY I
am； except that they wished it on me。 All I get out of it is trouble。 The
Italians make charges against my best friends for overspeeding and I have
to fine them； and my best friends bring charges against the Italians for
poaching； and when I fine the Italians； they send me Black Hand letters。
And now every day I'll be asked to issue a warrant for a German spy who
is selecting gun sites。 And he will turn out to be a millionaire who is tired
of living at the Ritz…Carlton and wants to 'own his own home' and his own
golf…links。 And he'll be so hot at being arrested that he'll take his millions
to Long Island and try to break into the Piping Rock Club。 And； it will be
your fault！〃
The young justice of the peace was right。 At least so far as Jimmie
Sniffen was concerned； the words of the war prophet had filled one mind
with unrest。 In the past Jimmie's idea of a holiday had been to spend it
scouting in the woods。 In this pleasure he was selfish。 He did not want
companions who talked； and trampled upon the dead leaves so that they
frightened the wild animals and gave the Indians warning。 Jimmie liked to
pretend。 He liked to fill the woods with wary and hostile adversaries。 It
was a game of his own inventing。 If he crept to the top of a hill and on
peering over it； surprised a fat woodchuck； he pretended the woodchuck
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was a bear； weighing two hundred pounds； if； himself unobserved； he
could lie and watch； off its guard； a rabbit； squirrel； or； most difficult of all；
a crow； it became a deer and that night at supper Jimmie made believe he
was eating venison。 Sometimes he was a scout of the Continental Army
and carried despatches to General Washington。 The rules of that game
were that if any man ploughing in the fields； or cutting trees in the woods；
or even approaching along the same road； saw Jimmie before Jimmie saw
him； Jimmie was taken prisoner； and before sunrise was shot as a spy。 He
was seldom shot。 Or else why on his sleeve was the badge for 〃stalking。〃
But always to have to make believe became monotonous。 Even 〃dry
shopping〃 along the Rue de la Paix when you pretend you can have
anything you see in any window； leaves one just as rich； but unsatisfied。
So the advice of the war correspondent to seek out German spies came to
Jimmie like a day at the circus； like a week at the Danbury Fair。 It not only
was a call to arms； to protect his flag and home； but a chance to play in
earnest the game in which he most delighted。 No longer need he pretend。
No longer need he waste his energies in watching； unobserved； a greedy
rabbit rob a carrot field。 The game now was his fellow…man and his enemy；
not only his enemy； but the enemy of his country。
In his first effort Jimmie was not entirely successful。 The man looked
the part perfectly； he wore an auburn beard； disguising spectacles； and he
carried a suspicious knapsack。 But he turned out to be a professor from the
Museum of Natural History； who wanted to dig for Indian arrow…heads。
And when Jimmie threatened to arrest him； the indignant gentleman
arrested Jimmie。 Jimmie escaped only by leading the professor to a secret
cave of his own； though on some one else's property； where one not only
could dig for arrow…heads； but find them。 The professor was delighted； but
for Jimmie it was a great disappointment。 The week following Jimmie was
again disappointed。
On the bank of the Kensico Reservoir； he came upon a man who was
acting in a mysterious and suspicious manner。 He was making notes in a
book； and his runabout which he had concealed in a wood road was
stuffed with blue…prints。 It did not take Jimmie long to guess his purpose。
He was planning to blow up the Kensico dam； and cut off the water supply
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of New York City。 Seven millions of people without water！ With out firing
a shot； New York must surrender！ At the thought Jimmie shuddered； and at
the risk of his life by clinging to the tail of a motor truck； he followed the
runabout into White Plains。 But there it developed the mysterious stranger；
so far from wishing to destroy the Kensico dam； was the State Engineer
who had built it； and； also； a large part of the Panama Canal。 Nor in his
third effort was Jimmie more successful。 From the heights of Pound Ridge
he discovered on a hilltop below him a man working alone upon a basin of
concrete。 The man was a German…American； and already on Jimmie's list
of 〃suspects。〃 That for the use of the German artillery he was preparing a
concrete bed for a siege gun was only too evident。 But closer investigation
proved that the concrete was only two inches thick。 And the hyphenated
one explained that the basin was built over a spring； in the waters of which
he planned to erect a fountain and raise gold fish。 It was a bitter blow。
Jimmie became discouraged。 Meeting Judge Van Vorst one day in the road
he told him his troubles。 The young judge proved unsympathetic。 〃My
advice to you； Jimmie；〃 he said； 〃is to go slow。 Accusing everybody of
espionage is a very serious matter。 If you call a man a spy； it's sometimes
hard for him to disprove it； and the name sticks。 So； go slowvery slow。
Before you arrest any more people； come to me first for a warrant。〃
So； the next time Jimmie proceeded with caution。
Besides being a farmer in a small way； Jimmie's father was a handy
man with tools。 He had no union card； but； in laying shingles along a blue
chalk line； few were as expert。 It was August； there was no school； and
Jimmie was carrying a dinner…pail to where his father was at work on a
new barn。 He made a cross…cut through the woods； and came upon the
young man in the golf…cap。 The stranger nodded； and his eyes； which
seemed to be always laughing； smiled pleasantly。 But he was deeply
tanned； and； from the waist up； held himself like a soldier； so； at once；
Jimmie mistrusted him。 Early the next morning Jimmie met him again。 It
had not been raining； but the clothes of the young man were damp。 Jimmie
guessed that while the dew was still on the leaves the young man had been
forcing his way through underbrush。 The stranger must have remembered
Jimmie； for he laughed and exclaimed：
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〃Ah； my friend with the dinner…pail！ It's luck you haven't got it now； or
I'd hold you up。 I'm starving！〃
Jimmie smiled in sympathy。 〃It's early to be hungry；〃 said Jimmie；
〃when did you have your breakfast？〃
〃I didn't；〃 laughed the young man。 〃I went out to walk up an appetite；
and I lost myself。 But； I haven't lost my appetite。 Which is the shortest
way back to Bedford？〃
〃The first road to your right；〃 said Jimmie。
〃Is it far？〃 asked the stranger anxiously。 That he was very hungry was
evident。
〃It's a half…hour's walk；〃 said Jimmie
〃If I live that long；〃 corrected the young man； and stepped out briskly。
Jimmie knew that within a hundred yards a turn in the road would shut
him from sight。 So； he gave the stranger time to walk that distance； and；
then； diving into the wood that lined the road； 〃stalked〃 him。 From behind
a tree he saw the stranger turn and look back； and seeing no one in the
road behind him； also leave it and plunge into the woods。
He had not turned toward Bedford； he had turned to the left。 Like a
runner stealing bases； Jimmie slipped from tree to tree。 Ahead of him he
heard the stranger trampling upon dead twigs； moving rapidly as one who
knew his way。 At times through the branches Jimmie could see the broad
shoulders of the stranger； and again cou
