After a long sleep, the children were as good as new.
睡了长长的一觉后,孩子们又恢复了活力。
“I feel just like starting out again,” said Jessie.
“我觉得就像刚出发时一样精神饱满,”杰西说。
“So do I,” agreed Henry. “I wonder why Joe was so excited over the shell-pile. Let’s ask him.”
“我也是,”亨利赞同道,“我想知道乔为什么对那堆贝壳那么兴奋。我们去问问他吧。”
“Why did you say you must see that pile of shells?” began Henry when they had found Joe at the hut.
当他们在小屋找到乔时,亨利问道:“你为什么说你一定要看看那堆贝壳?”
“Because I’m interested in things like that,” answered Joe. “A shell-pile means that Indians must have been on this island.”
“因为我对这类东西很感兴趣,”乔回答说,“一堆贝壳意味着印第安人一定曾在这个岛上生活过。”
“Come right along, Joe,” said Benny. “I’ll show it to you.” He took hold of Joe’s hand and tried to pull him up. The children laughed as Joe got on his feet. In a little while the explorers arrived at the shell-pile.
“快跟我们走吧,乔,”本尼说,“我带你去看。”他拉住乔的手想把他拉起来。乔站起身时,孩子们都笑了。不一会儿,探险小队就到达了贝壳堆旁。
“What a wonderful thing to find!” shouted Joe.
“能发现这个真是太棒了!”乔大喊道。
“Why?” asked Jessie.
“为什么?”杰西问。
Joe was looking at some of the broken shells. “Well,” he said, “I’m sure the Indians made this pile. Do you remember from school that they made shell money called wampum? Sometimes they used these quahog shells for the purple part. Quahogs are clams!”
乔看着一些破碎的贝壳说道:“嗯,我确定这堆贝壳是印第安人留下的。你们在学校学过吗?他们制造一种叫做‘万帕姆’的贝壳货币。有时他们会用这些硬壳蛤蜊壳的紫色部分来做。硬壳蛤蜊就是蛤蜊的一种!”
“You think they sat here to make wampum?” asked Henry.
“你认为他们坐在这里是为了制作万帕姆吗?”亨利问。
“Yes, and I think they dried clams here, too,” replied Joe, looking at some unbroken quahog shells.
“是的,而且我认为他们也在这里晾晒蛤蜊肉,”乔看着一些完整的硬壳蛤蜊壳回答道。
“Why?” asked Jessie.
“为什么?”杰西问。
Joe laughed and said, “These are whole clam shells, so the Indians must have sat here to take the clams out of the shells. They used to dry the clams and then eat them later.”
乔笑着说:“这些都是完整的蛤蜊壳,所以印第安人一定是坐在这里把蛤蜊从壳里取出来的。他们过去会把蛤蜊晾干,留着以后吃。”
“Jessie knew that,” said Benny. “She said they sat here for years and years.”
“杰西知道这个,”本尼说,“她说他们在这里坐了好多年好多年。”
“But I didn’t know they were Indians,” said Jessie.
“但我当时不知道他们是印第安人,”杰西说。
“Do you think we could find any wampum here, Joe?” asked Henry.
“你觉得我们能在这里找到万帕姆吗,乔?”亨利问。
“No, I don’t really. They would save it because it was money, but we might find some old tools they used. The Indians used to smooth the shells on stones, and then make the holes with tools they got from white men.”
“不,我不这么认为。因为那是钱,他们会保存起来,但我们可能会找到他们用过的旧工具。印第安人过去在石头上打磨贝壳,然后用从白人那里得到的工具钻孔。”
“Let’s dig,” said Benny. “You can tell us if we find a tool.”
“我们挖挖看吧,”本尼说,“如果我们发现了工具,你可以告诉我们。”
“I’d like to dig,” said Joe. “But we ought to have something good to dig with. Let’s go back and get something from Captain Daniel.”
“我也想挖,”乔说,“但我们应该找些好用的挖掘工具。我们回去向丹尼尔船长借点东西吧。”
“I’m too tired,” said Benny. “And so is Watch.”
“我太累了,”本尼说,“‘守望’也累了。”
Henry laughed. “You sit right down with Watch and Violet,” he said, “and don’t go away from here, and don’t get into trouble. The rest of us will get the things and come right back. Remember now!”
亨利笑道:“你和‘守望’还有维奥莱特就坐在这儿,”他说,“别离开这里,也别惹麻烦。我们其他人去拿工具马上就回来。记住了!”
“All right,” said Benny, sitting down.
“好吧,”本尼说着坐了下来。
“While you are waiting, you could do some digging with a stick,” called Joe. “Save everything you aren’t sure about.”
“你们等的时候可以用树枝挖一挖,”乔喊道,“把你们拿不准的东西都留下来。”
Violet began at once to look over the broken shells. “Why don’t you look, Benny?” she said. “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you and I found something good while they are gone? Let’s try.”
维奥莱特立刻开始翻看那些碎贝壳。“你为什么不看看呢,本尼?”她说,“要是趁他们不在,咱俩能发现什么好东西,那该多好啊?试试吧。”
“You try,” said Benny. “I don’t care. All I can find is this big chicken leg.”
“你来试吧,”本尼说,“我不在乎。我能找到的只有这根大鸡腿骨头。”
“Chicken leg!” cried Violet. “That is too big for a chicken.”
“鸡腿!”维奥莱特叫道,“这对鸡来说太大了。”
“Well, maybe a horse then. It’s an old bone, anyway,” said Benny. “I’ll save it for Joe. He will know for sure.”
“嗯,那也许是马骨。反正这是根旧骨头,”本尼说,“我把它留给乔。他肯定知道是什么。”
Violet dug at the shells. “Benny, you know all these shells look as if someone broke them. And a lot of the purple part is gone. That means that Joe is right, and they did make wampum here.”
维奥莱特挖着贝壳说:“本尼,你看这些贝壳都像是被人敲碎的。而且很多紫色的部分都不见了。这说明乔是对的,他们确实在这里制作过万帕姆。”
“Of course Joe is right,” said Benny. “Joe is always right.”
“乔当然是对的,”本尼说,“乔总是对的。”
“It seems funny to me,” said Violet, “that Joe is just a handy man. I shouldn’t think he would be working here on this island if he knows so much.”
“我觉得很奇怪,”维奥莱特说,“乔只是个杂工。如果他懂这么多,我想他不会在这个岛上干这种活。”
“Maybe he does something else, too,” said Benny. “And maybe he came here to have a good time and learn things this summer, just like us.”
“也许他还做别的事情,”本尼说,“也许他今年夏天来这里也是为了玩得开心并学点东西,就像我们一样。”
Then the others came back. They had clam hooks and a shovel, and Joe had a camera.
这时其他人回来了。他们拿着捕蛤钩和一把铲子,乔还带了一台相机。
“A camera!” cried Benny. “You can take a picture of Watch digging up an Indian!”
“相机!”本尼叫道,“你可以拍一张‘守望’挖出印第安人的照片!”
“I wish I could,” said Joe, laughing. “I want to take a picture of the shell-pile. You and Watch sit right where you are. That will show how big the shell-pile is.”
“我也希望能拍到,”乔笑着说,“我想给这堆贝壳拍张照。你和‘守望’就坐在原地别动。这样就能显示出贝壳堆有多大。”
Violet scrambled out of the way.
维奥莱特赶紧爬开让出位置。
“No, no,” said Joe. “Don’t go. I want you in the picture, too. You stand beside Watch.”
“不,不,”乔说,“别走。我也想把你拍进照片里。你站在‘守望’旁边。”
So Violet stood where she was, and Joe took the picture. He took four pictures, one from each side.
于是维奥莱特站在原地,乔拍了照片。他从四个方向各拍了一张,一共四张。
“Why do you want all these pictures, Joe?” asked Henry.
“你为什么要拍这么多照片,乔?”亨利问。
“Maybe I’d better tell you something,” said Joe. “If the people on the mainland knew about this pile, they would be over here with cameras and shovels before we could stop them. You wouldn’t like that, would you?”
“也许我最好告诉你们一件事,”乔说,“如果大陆上的人知道了这堆贝壳,还没等我们阻止,他们就会带着相机和铲子涌到这里来。你们不会喜欢那样的,对吧?”
“Oh, no!” cried Benny. “We don’t want a lot of people over here.”
“哦,不要!”本尼叫道,“我们不希望一大群人跑到这里来。”
“You children had better not tell anyone about this shell-pile before your grandfather knows,” said Joe.
“在你们祖父知道之前,你们这些孩子最好不要把这堆贝壳的事告诉任何人,”乔说。
“All right, we won’t,” said Henry. “We’ll tell Grandfather when he comes to visit us. Now, let’s dig. I’d like to do this for a living, Joe—go to far-off places and dig up old bones and things.”
“好的,我们不说,”亨利说,“等祖父来看我们时再告诉他。现在,我们开挖吧。乔,我想以此为生——去遥远的地方挖掘古老的骨头之类的东西。”
“Good for you, Henry!” cried Joe. “It is very interesting work, but let me warn you, it isn’t all fun. You may work for a year and not find anything.”
“好样的,亨利!”乔叫道,“这是一项非常有趣的工作,但我得提醒你,这并不全是乐趣。你可能干了一年却什么都找不到。”
“Just like fishing,” said Benny.
“就像钓鱼一样,”本尼说。
“Exactly,” agreed Joe. “Maybe you’d like to work with Henry.”
“没错,”乔赞同道,“也许你想和亨利一起工作。”
“No, I wouldn’t,” said Benny. “I’d rather fish, because you can eat the fish.”
“不,我不想,”本尼说,“我宁愿钓鱼,因为钓到的鱼可以吃。”
“You will help us now, won’t you?” asked Henry. “We need every man we can get.”
“你现在会帮我们了,是吗?”亨利问,“我们需要所有能帮上忙的人。”
“Sure,” said Benny. “Watch, you can help, too.”
“当然,”本尼说,“‘守望’,你也可以帮忙。”
Watch obeyed, but he soon barked and held up his paw. There was a white bone sticking in it.
“守望”听话地挖了起来,但它很快叫了一声并举起了爪子。爪子上扎着一根白色的骨头。
“A fishhook!” cried Joe. “Right in your paw, Watch! Here, let me take it out. It’s a fishhook made from an animal bone.”
“是个鱼钩!”乔叫道,“正好扎在你的爪子里,‘守望’!来,让我把它拔出来。这是一个用动物骨头做的鱼钩。”
“That means Indians used to fish here, doesn’t it?” asked Henry.
“这意味着印第安人过去常在这里捕鱼,是吗?”亨利问。
“Yes, I think so,” said Joe. “Now, do you want to work just a little more? I’d like to dig under the pile before we go.”
“是的,我想是这样,”乔说,“现在,你们还想再挖一会儿吗?我想在我们离开前把这堆贝壳下面挖一挖。”
“Sure,” said Benny. “We’re not hungry, because we ate so much stew. What do you think we’ll find, Joe?”
“当然,”本尼说,“我们不饿,因为我们吃了那么多炖菜。你觉得我们会发现什么,乔?”
“I haven’t any idea,” said Joe. He took the shovel and soon dug quite a big hole. They all got down on their hands and knees to look in the hole.
“我也不知道,”乔说。他拿起铲子,很快就挖了一个相当大的坑。他们都趴在地上往坑里看。
“Is that anything?” asked Violet, pointing. “It looks like a piece of a dish.”
“那是什么东西吗?”维奥莱特指着问,“看起来像是一块陶片。”
“It’s a piece of a dish!” shouted Joe.
“确实是一块陶片!”乔喊道。
“Here is another piece!” said Jessie, handing it to Joe.
“这里还有一块!”杰西说着递给乔。
“I think that these are all pieces of a bowl,” cried Joe. The children found some more pieces and gave them to Joe. He wiped off the sand and put the pieces together. “Yes, this is a cooking bowl,” said Joe. “I’m sure now that Indians lived here. We know now that they used to get clams here, and that they made wampum here. We may find more things. This island is a wonderful place.”
“我觉得这些都是一个碗的碎片,”乔叫道。孩子们又找到了一些碎片交给乔。他擦掉沙子,把碎片拼在一起。“是的,这是一个烹饪用的碗,”乔说,“我现在确信印第安人曾在这里生活过。我们现在知道他们曾在这里采集蛤蜊,并在这里制作万帕姆。我们可能还会发现更多东西。这个岛真是个神奇的地方。”
Violet could see that Joe kept his eyes on the bowl every minute.
维奥莱特注意到乔的目光一刻也没有离开过那个碗。
“That dish tells us more than anything else we have found,” said Joe.
“这个陶碗比我们发现的任何其他东西都能说明更多问题,”乔说。
“I don’t think so,” said Benny, to everyone’s surprise. “I think my horse bone tells the most, because it tells that the Indians had horses. See!” Benny pointed to the bone sticking up out of the sand.
“我不这么认为,”本尼的话让大家吃了一惊,“我觉得我的马骨最能说明问题,因为它表明印第安人有马。看!”本尼指着从沙子里露出来的骨头。
“Benny Alden,” Joe almost shouted. “The Indians didn’t have horses before the white man came. Where did you find this?”
“本尼·奥尔登,”乔几乎喊了起来,“在白人来之前,印第安人是没有马的。你在哪里发现这个的?”
“On the back of the pile,” answered Benny. “We’re digging on the wrong side, I guess.”
“在贝壳堆的后面,”本尼回答,“看来我们挖错边了。”
“It’s a man’s bone, Benny!” cried Joe. “It’s part of a skeleton. Do you know what a skeleton is?”
“这是人的骨头,本尼!”乔叫道,“这是一具骨架的一部分。你知道什么是骨架吗?”
“Oh, yes,” said Benny. “All of us have a skeleton inside us. It’s made of bones.”
“哦,知道,”本尼说,“我们每个人体内都有骨架。它是由骨头组成的。”
“That’s right,” said Henry. “Show us exactly where you found the bone.”
“没错,”亨利说,“确切指给我们看你是在哪里发现这块骨头的。”
“Right here,” said Benny, going to the other side of the pile.
“就在这里,”本尼说着走到贝壳堆的另一边。
“Let’s dig!” cried Joe. “But be careful! Down, Watch! You’re a good dog, but this is no place for you to dig. Oh, children, look!”
“我们挖吧!”乔喊道,“但要小心!下去,‘守望’!你是只好狗,但这儿不是你能挖的地方。哦,孩子们,快看!”
Another bone came in sight.
另一块骨头显露了出来。
“If you don’t mind, please let me do the digging, will you? Just sit and watch me.”
“如果不介意的话,请让我来挖好吗?你们就坐着看我挖。”
The children sat back and watched Joe as he slowly dug the sand away. Even Benny was excited, as he saw twelve small bones side by side in the sand.
孩子们退后坐下,看着乔慢慢挖开沙子。就连本尼也很兴奋,因为他看到沙子里并排露出了十二块小骨头。
“There ought to be another set just like these,” said Joe.
“应该还有另一组和这一样的,”乔说。
“There they are!” shouted Henry. “And look, Joe! Look at the arrowhead sticking out!”
“在那儿!”亨利喊道,“看,乔!看那个露出来的箭头!”
“He was shot,” cried Joe. “Shot with an arrow. This is the skeleton of an Indian!”
“他是被射杀的,”乔叫道,“被箭射中的。这是一具印第安人的骨架!”
Before long the whole skeleton lay before the excited children.
没过多久,整具骨架就呈现在兴奋的孩子们面前。
“Well, well!” said Joe, sitting back to rest. “We can’t move this skeleton because we haven’t the right tools. It will be safe because nobody knows it is here. Let’s cover him up again.”
“哎呀,哎呀!”乔坐下来休息时说,“我们不能移动这具骨架,因为没有合适的工具。它会很安全的,因为没人知道它在这里。我们再把它埋起来吧。”
“Cover him up?” shouted Benny. “But we just found him, Joe! He is for our museum!”
“埋起来?”本尼大叫道,“但我们才刚发现他啊,乔!他是属于我们博物馆的!”
“I know, Benny,” answered Joe. “Will you leave him here, just to please me? We can dig some other day in the cave. Aren’t you getting hungry now?”
“我知道,本尼,”乔回答,“你就让他留在这里,就当是为了让我高兴好吗?改天我们可以去山洞里挖。你们现在不饿吗?”
“Yes, I am,” said Benny. “Let’s go home and get some bread and milk.”
“饿了,”本尼说,“我们回家吃点面包喝点牛奶吧。”
Jessie smiled at Joe. It was so easy to please Benny sometimes. “Shall we take the bowl, Joe?” she asked.
杰西对着乔微笑。有时候哄本尼开心真是太容易了。“我们要把这个碗带走吗,乔?”她问。
“Oh, yes! Take all the small things to put in your museum.”
“哦,是的!把所有小物件都带去放进你们的博物馆吧。”
So the explorers took their collection of clam hooks and Indian things and started home for supper.
于是,探险小队带着他们收集的捕蛤钩和印第安物品,启程回家吃晚饭了。
“Let’s call this end of the island ‘Indian Point,’” said Henry.
“我们就把这个岛的尽头叫做‘印第安角’吧,”亨利说。
And that is what it was always called after that.
从那以后,那里就一直被这样称呼了。
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