典范英语 9 sing for your supper精编版.docx

典范英语 9 sing for your supper精编版.docx

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典范英语9singforyoursupper精编版

典范英语9

SingforyourSupper

NickWarburton

CHAPTER1

RedBeard

ThesmellofmuttonpieswokeJamieup.Hisnosetwitchedbeforehiseyesopened.

Jamie’smotherwasdead.Hisfatherhadgonetoseaandnotcomeback.HerememberedthebigroundsailsasthelittlegalleonmovedoutofPlymouthharbour,buthe’dforgottenwhathisfatherlookedlike.Fortwoyearshe’dlivedonthestreetsandbeggedforhisfood,sohegotusedtosniffingoutpies.

He’dbeendozingonapileofstrawbesidethehorsetroughwhenthemanwalkedbywithhistray.

Pies,Jamiethoughtatonce.Fatwarmpies.

Hedidn’thaveacointohisname,buthejumpedupandfollowedtheman.HewasheadingforTheBoar’sHead.

Jamiesawhimpushhistrayintothecrowdatthedooranddisappear.

‘Afterhim,’Jamiesaidtohimself.

Hedroppedtohiskneesandcrawledthroughaforestofsturdylegs.Jamiecouldtellbyasniffthatthepiemanhadstoppedbyatableinthecorner.Keepinganeyeopenfortheinnkeeper,hecrawledon.Thepiemanhadsettwosteamingpiesonthetable.Hewascountingahandfulofcoinsintohispurse.

Hiscustomersweren’tordinarysailors.Theyworestiffruffsandalineoffancybuttonsdownthefrontoftheirtunics.JamiehadseenoneofthemaroundPlymouthbefore–theonewiththeredcurlyhairandthepointedbeard.

Hemustbeimportant,Jamiethought.Wheneverhegoesthere’sbustleandtalk.Buthelookslikeamanwhomightsharehispiewithahungryboy.

Jamiesawhimpushhistrayintothecrowdatthedooranddisappear．

‘Afterhim。

’Jamiesaidtohimself．

Hedroppedtohiskneesandcrawledthroughaforestofsturdylegs．Jamiecouldtellbyasniffthatthepiemanhadstoppedbyatableinthecorner．Keepinganeyeopenfortheinnkeeper,hecrawledon．Thepiemanhadsettwosteamingpiesonthetable．Hewascountingahandfulofcoinsintohispurse．

Hiscustomersweren’tordinarysailors．Theyworestiffruffsandalineoffancybuttonsdownthefrontoftheirtunics．JamiehadseenoneofthemaroundPlymouthbefore--theonewiththeredcurlyhairandthepointedbeard．

Hemustbeimportant，Jamiethought.Whereverhegoesthere’sbustleandtalk.Buthelookslikeamanwhomightsharehispiewithahungryboy.

‘Nomuttonpiesafterwesetsai1,'themanwiththeredbeadwassayingtohisfriend.'Ship'sbiscuitsandhardcheeseandnotmuchelse.'

‘ButmaybesomeSpanishgoldtospendwhenwegetback,eh,Francis?

'hisfriendsaid.

Francis.Sothatwashisname.AndSpanishgold.Thatmeantsea-fights,didn'tit?

Maybetheywerepirates.

'Well,MasterFrancis,'Jamiesaidtohimself,'Ican'twaitforyourgoldbutI'dliketoshareabitofyourpie.'

Andhepoppedupfrombehindthetableastheredheadedmanwasabouttoeat.

'CanIsingyouasong,MasterFrancis?

'Jamieaskedhim.Francisblinkedathimwithhismouthstil1open.

'Please,Master,'Jamiesaid.'Asongforamouthfulofpie.'

Themanlaughedandaskedhimifhehadagoodvoice.

'Awonderfulvoice,sir.Sweetasthebirds,Ipromise.'

‘IfyouwanttoearnthePriceofaPie,'saidFrancis'sfriend,'youcangodowntotheharbourandhelploadourShip.'

whatshipisthat,sir?

'Jamieasked.

'ThePelican.Andit'sbeingloadedforavoyageto…'

Butbeforehecouldsayanotherword,Francisheldupahandtostophim.

'Quiet,Wi11,'hesaid.'Abusyinnisnottheplacetotalkaboutourplans.'

Willshuthismouthandlookedroundthenoisyroom.Jamielookedround,too.Andsureenough-orsohethought-therewasathinmanatthenexttable,leaningtowardsthemasiftocatcheveryword.ForasecondJamie'seyemethis,andthemanscowled.

Afacetosourthemilk,Jamiethought.Andfulloftrouble,too.Aftertwoyearsonthestreets,Jamieknewtroublewhenhesawit.

Ashiveroffearranuphisspine.ButFranciswasspeakingtohimagain.

'Comeonthen,lad,'hesaid.'Singup.'

JamieopenedhismouthtoSing,butabroadhandtookholdofhisneckandhefelthimselfjerkedtohisfeet.

'I'vetoldyoubefore,'boomedavoice.'Youleavemygentlemeninpeace.'

Itwastheinnkeeper.HecrookedanarmroundJamie'sthroatandcrushedhimagainsthisgreasyapron.

Jamiekickedoutandflailedhisarmsbutitwasnouse.Theinnkeeperhauledhimbackwardstothedoorandswunghimoutintothenight.

Hetwistedthroughtheairandlandedwithathudinthestreet.Insteadofthesmellofmutton,hisnosewasfi1ledwiththestenchofstrawandhorsedung.ItwasthesecondtimehehadbeenthrownoutofTheBoar'sHeadthatnight.

Hestoodupandshookhimself.Acrossthestreethesawtheg1owofcandle-lightfromTheSwan.Thehumofvoicesinsidetemptedhimtotryhisluckthere,buthe'dbeenthrownoutofTheSwan,too.Hedidn'tfeellikebeingdumpedinhorsemuckafourthtime.

'Ohwell,'hemumbledashewipedhimselfdown,'maybeIshouldgodowntotheharbour.Ifthey'reloadingforavoyage,maybeIcanpickupsomescraps.'

Soonheheardthelapofwateragainstwoodenhullsandropesslappinginthebreeze.Hesawmastsswayingagainsttheblue-blacksky.TheshipinfrontofhimwasThePelican.Therewereothers,too,linedupbehindit.

Theharbourwasbusyforthetimeofnight.Darkfigureswithsacksontheirshouldershurriedbackwardsand

forwards.Somedumpedtheirloadsontheharbourwallandotherstotteredupplanksontotheships.

Hestoppedoneofthesailorsandaskedifhecouldhelp.

'Clearoff,little'un,'thesailorgrowled.You'llonlygetunderourfeet.'

Jamiesighedandsatdownintheshadowofawall.Hisstomachgrumbledwithhungerinthedark.Hisheadhurt.Hewatchedthemenloadingtheirstores.He'dseenshipsbeingloadedmanytimes.Oncehe'dseenasackdropandsplitopen,sendingcheesesrollingoverthecobbles.

Agoodroundcheesewoulddonicelynow,hethought.Maybesomeone'lldropafewsackstonight.Sackaftersackhesawcarriedontotheships.Butnoonestumbled.Nothingspilled.Atlastthemenstoppedworkandwentofftogether,laughingandjoking.

ForawhileJamiewatchedthemoonclimbs1owlyinthesky.Thenhestoodupandstretched.

'Nothingdoinghere,'hesaidsoftlytohimself.HewasabouttowanderbackintoPlymouthTownwhensomethingcaughthiseye.

Twoofthemencameback.〇rweretheythesamemen?

Itwastoodarktoseeproperlyandtheywerewrappedinlongcloaks.

Theymovedlikethemenwho'dloadedtheships,trottingalongwiththeirheadsbowed,buttherewassomethingdifferentaboutthem.

AtfirstJamiecouldn'tthinkwhatitwas.Thenitcametohim.Theyhadnosacksontheirbacks.TheywererunninguptheplankontoThePelicanbuttheycarriednostores.Hesawthemdropintotheshipanddisappearinshadow.Jamiesatdownagainandwaited.

Amanwithalanternonapolecamewanderingalong-thewatchman,keepinghiseyeontheshipswiththeirloadoffreshstores.Hewalkedsteadilya1ongtheharbourwa1luntilhereachedtheshipfurthestfromThePelican.Thenhepausedforamomentbeforeturninground.Itwasthenthatthetwomencamescuttlingdowntheplankagain.

Onewastallwithpalehandswhichflutteredinthedark.Jamieknewhim.Itwasthesour-facedmanfromTheBoar'sHead.Theothermanwasshortandthick-set.

Theymovednimblyandsilently,andthistimetheywerecarryingsome-thing,Atleast,theshortonewas.Itwasmorelikeablackbagthanasackandtheshortmancarrieditonhisshoulderlikeabarrel.

JamieShrankbackintotheshadowofawa11.HesawthemenlookroundandspottheWatchman.Thetallmanstoopedandpickedupastoneinhispalehands.

HehurledithighoverthemastsofmePelicanandJamiehearditdropintotheseawithadeepsplash.

Alongtheharbourwallthewatchmanheardittoo.Hespunroundandheldhimselfstill.Thenheliftedhislanternandpeeredbetweentheships,tryingtoseewherethesoundhadcomefrom.

Whilehewasstillstaringatthesea,themenhurriedawayintheoppositedirection,theircloaksflappingbehindthemastheyran.

CHAPTER2

Palehands

Jamie'smindwasracing.Heknewthatsomethingoddwasgoingon.Hewaiteduntilthemenwerealmostoutofsight,thensetoffafterthem.Whentheyturnedintoasidestreet,heforcedhimselftorunfaster.Mustn'tlosethemnow,hethoughtashepoundedalong.They'lldisappeardownsomedarkalley.Imustkeepup.

Jamiehadseenplentyofthievesonthestreets,butthesetwoweredifferent-andhewassuretheyweredangerous

Commonsensetoldhimtostayoutofit.Buthewascurious.AndmaybetherewasthechanceofpleasingRedBeardandearningsomepie.Maybeevensomethingbetterthanpie.

'Mustn'tlosethem,'hesaidtohimselfoverandover.'Mustn'tlosethem.'

Assoonasthemenreachedthesafetyofasidestreet,theystoppedrunningtocatchtheirbreath.

Theywerebendingdowntoexaminethethingintheblackbag,whenJamiehurtledroundthecornerandranstraightintothem.

Hefelloveroneandro1ledontotheother.Therewereroughshouts,therustleofcloaksandawavingofarms.

Jamie'sstruggledidn'tlastlong.

Soonhefeltakneeonhischestandlongfingerstighteningonhisarm.Hetwistedhisheadandsawthesamepalehandthathadthrownthestone。

Therewasasilverringonthemiddlefinger.Afacecamecloseandspoketohiminaharshvoice.

Andwheredoyouthinkyou'regoing?

'

Itwasthebroadman,theonewhowaskneelingonhim,andtheStenchofhisbreathmadeJamieflinch.

'I'msorry,master,'hesaid.'I'mSorry.'

Thenthetallmanspokeandhisvoicewasathinwhisper.

'He'sfollowingus,Tom.IsawhimtalkingtoRedBeardinTheBoar'sHead.'

No,sir,'saidJamie.Tmnotfollowingyou