the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第44节
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Chester； the hills； the roads； the woods； and the cow…paths； caves； streams；
and springs hidden in the woods were as familiar as his own kitchen
garden；
Nor explain why； when you could not see a Pease and Elliman 〃For
Sale〃 sign nailed to a tree； Jimmie could see in the highest branches a last
year's bird's nest。
Or why； when he was out alone playing Indians and had sunk his
scout's axe into a fallen log and then scalped the log； he felt that once
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before in those same woods he had trailed that same Indian； and with his
own tomahawk split open his skull。 Sometimes when he knelt to drink at a
secret spring in the forest； the autumn leaves would crackle and he would
raise his eyes fearing to see a panther facing him。
But there ain't no panthers in Westchester；〃 Jimmie would reassure
himself。 And in the distance the roar of an automobile climbing a hill with
the muffler open would seem to suggest he was right。 But still Jimmie
remembered once before he had knelt at that same spring； and that when
he raised his eyes he had faced a crouching panther。 〃Mebbe dad told me it
happened to grandpop；〃 Jimmie would explain； 〃or I dreamed it； or； mebbe；
I read it in a story book。〃
The 〃German spy〃 mania attacked Round Hill after the visit to the boy
scouts of Clavering Gould； the war correspondent。 He was spending the
week end with 〃Squire〃 Harry Van Vorst； and as young Van Vorst； besides
being a justice of the peace and a Master of Beagles and President of the
Country Club； was also a local 〃councilman〃 for the Round Hill Scouts； he
brought his guest to a camp…fire meeting to talk to them。 In deference to
his audience； Gould told them of the boy scouts he had seen in Belgium
and of the part they were playing in the great war。 It was his peroration
that made trouble。
〃And any day；〃 he assured his audience； 〃this country may be at war
with Germany； and every one of you boys will be expected to do his bit。
You can begin now。 When the Germans land it will be near New Haven； or
New Bedford。 They will first capture the munition works at Springfield；
Hartford； and Watervliet so as to make sure of their ammunition； and then
they will start for New York City。 They will follow the New Haven and
New York Central railroads； and march straight through this village。 I
haven't the least doubt；〃 exclaimed the enthusiastic war prophet； 〃that at
this moment German spies are as thick in Westchester as blackberries。
They are here to select camp sites and gun positions； to find out which of
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 Kensic
