the bobbsey twins at school(读书的鲍勃西双胞胎)-第24部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
evenings during Summer。
〃You found those cigarettes in the living room of the boathouse？〃
asked Mr。 Bobbsey。
〃I did； and the question is who was smoking？〃 went on the chief。 〃In
my opinion the end of a cigarette thrown aside； or perhaps a lighted
match dropped in some corner； started this fire。 Who was smoking？〃
102
… Page 103…
The Bobbsey Twins at School
CHAPTER XX A CONFESSION
THE chief handed Mr。 Bobbsey the half…emptied cigarette box。 Mr。
Bobbsey turned it over and over in his hand； as though trying to learn to
whom it belonged。
〃They are something I never use；〃 he said。 〃I don't suppose we could
tell； from this； who had it？〃
〃No；〃 and the chief shook his head。 〃It's a common kind； and a good
many of the stores sell 'em。 A good many of the boys smoke 'em； too …
that's the worst of it；〃 and he looked at Bert a bit sharply。
〃Oh； you needn't be afraid for my boy！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Bobbsey
hastily。 〃I have Bert's promise that he won't smoke until he's man； and
perhaps he won't want to then。〃
〃Good！〃 exclaimed the chief heartily； 〃That's what I like to hear。 But
it's as certain as guns is； and nothing more certain than them； that some
one was smoking in your boathouse； and set fire to it。 And I wish we
could find out who it was。〃
〃So do I！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Bobbsey。 〃If only to teach them a lesson on
how dangerous it is to be careless。 Well； I suppose we can't do
anything more；〃 and he sighed； for half the beautiful boathouse was in
ruins。
Mr。 Bobbsey and Bert were soon at home； telling the news to the folks。
Freddie's eyes opened wide in surprise as he listened to the account of
how the firemen had put out the fire。
〃Oh； I wish I could have been there！〃 he cried。 〃I could have
helped。〃
〃What caused the fire？〃 asked Mrs。 Bobbsey of her husband； when the
children had gone to bed again。
〃Some boys … or some one else smoking cigarettes； the chief thinks。
We found a half…emptied box。〃
In her room Nan heard the word 〃cigarettes〃 and she wondered if her
brother could be at fault； for she remembered he had told her how once
some boys had asked him to go off in secret and smoke。
Mr。 Bobbsey was up early； for he wanted to see by daylight what
103
… Page 104…
The Bobbsey Twins at School
damage the fire had done； and he also wanted to see the insurance
company about the loss。 The beautiful boathouse looked worse in the
daylight than it had at night； and the neat living room； where some of the
Bobbseys had spent many happy hours； while others of them were out in
the boats； was in ruins。
The fire chief came down while Mr。 Bobbsey was there； and they
talked matters over。 The chief said he would send one of his men
around to the different stores that sold cigarettes； to try and learn if boys
had purchased any that afternoon； for it was against the law to sell
cigarettes to anyone under sixteen years of age。
One afternoon Danny's father； Mr。 Rugg； came home unexpectedly；
and； wanting something that was out in his barn went to get it。 As he
entered the place he heard a scramble of feet； some excited whispers；
and then silence。 He was sure that some one was in the place and had
run to hide。
〃Who's there？〃 called Mr。 Rugg sharply。 There was no answer； but
he listened and was sure he heard some one in the little room where the
harness was kept。
He walked over to the door； and tried to open it。 Some one on the
inside was holding it； but Mr。 Rugg gave a strong pull； and the door flew
open。 To the surprise of Mr。 Rugg he saw his son Danny； and a number
of boys； hiding there； and the smell of cigarette smoke was very strong。
〃Danny！〃 exclaimed his father sternly； 〃what does this mean？〃
〃We … were … playing！〃 stammered Danny。 〃Playing hide and seek。〃
〃And to play that is it necessary to smoke？〃 Mr。 Rugg asked sharply。
〃We … we aren't smoking；〃 answered Danny。
〃Not now； but you have been。 I can smell it plainly。 Go into the
house； Danny； and these other boys must go home。 If I find them
smoking in my barn again I shall punish them。 You might have set it
on fire。〃
Danny had nothing to say； indeed； there was little he could say。 He
had been caught in the act。
The other boys slunk off； and Danny went into the house； his father
following。
104
… Page 105…
The Bobbsey Twins at School
〃Danny； I am very sorry to learn this；〃 said Mr。 Rugg。 〃I did not
know that you smoked … a boy of your age！〃
〃Well； I never smoked much。 Lots of the fellows smoke more than I
do。〃
〃That is no excuse。 It is a bad habit for a boy。 You may go to your
room。 I will consider your case later。〃
From then on Mr。 Rugg did some hard thinking。 He began 〃putting
two and two together〃 as the old saying has it。 He remembered the
Bobbsey boathouse fire。 On that occasion Danny had come in late； and
there had been the smell of smoke on his clothes。
Mr。 Rugg went to his son's room。 A search showed a number of
empty cigarette boxes； and cigarette pictures； and the boxes were all of
the same kind … the kind that had been found in the halfburned
boathouse。
Danny was accused by his father of having been smoking in the
boathouse just before the fire； and Danny was so miserable； and so
surprised at being caught in the barn； that he made a full confession。
Tearfully he told the story； how he and some other boys； finding the boat
house unlocked； for some unknown reason； had gone in； and smoked to
their heart's content。
They did not mean to cause the fire； and had no idea that they were to
blame。 One of the boys was made ill by too much smoking； and they all
hurried away。
But they must have left a smouldering stump of cigarette in some
corner； or a carelessly thrown match； that started the blaze。 Then； when
the fire bells sounded； and they learned what had happened； Danny and
all the boys promised each other that they would keep the secret。
〃Well； Danny； I can't tell you how sorry I am；〃 said Mr。 Rugg； when
the confession was over。 〃Sorry not only that Mr。 Bobbsey's boathouse
was burned； but because you have deceived me； and your good mother；
and smoked in secret。 I feel very badly about it。〃
Danny did； too； for though he was not a very good boy； his heart was
in the right place； and with a little more care he might have been a
different character。 There was； however； hope for him。
105
… Page 106…
The Bobbsey Twins at School
〃You must be punished for this；〃 went on Mr。 Rugg； 〃and this
punishment will be that you are not to have the motor boat I promised
you for next Summer。 Perhaps it will be a lesson to you。
Danny wept bitterly； for he had counted very much on having this boat。
But it was a good lesson to him。 Mr。 Rugg also told the fathers of the
other boys whom he caught with his son； and these boys were punished in
different ways。
Mr。 Rugg also informed Mr。 Bobbsey how the boathouse had been set
afire； and expressed his sorrow。 And so the mystery was cleared up。
106
… Page 107…
The Bobbsey Twins at School
CHAPIER XXI THE FAT LADY'S
LETTER
〃WELL；〃 remarked Nan Bobbsey； a few days after it had become
known that Danny Rugg was to blame for the fire in the boathouse； 〃I
wish we could find out； as easily as we found out about Danny； who has
our cat Snoop。〃
〃So do I；〃 added Flossie。 〃Poor Snoop！ I do miss him so much。〃
〃So do I！〃 exclaimed Freddie。 〃But Snap is a nice dog； and I guess I
like dogs better than cats； anyhow。〃
〃Why； Freddie Bobbsey！〃 cried Nan。
〃Don't you love Snoop any more？〃
〃Oh； yes； 'course I do； but then he isn't here to be loved； and Snap
is。〃
〃Yes； I guess that does make a difference；〃 admitted Nan。 〃I wonder
if papa wouldn't let us go down to the railroad office and inquire once
more about him？ Maybe； as it's getting cold weather now； Snoop will
come in from the fields where he may have been staying ever since the
railroad wreck。〃
