the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第22节
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you can forget that you're a cross between a snail and a mud turtle！〃 cried
the colonel excitedly。
〃Yes； sah！〃
Shag moved on nimble feet； and presently stood down on the shore；
near the edge of the stream； while the colonel； on the bank above the eddy；
played the fish that had taken his bait and sought to depart with it to some
watery fastness to devour it at his leisure。 But the hook and tackle held
him。
Up and down in the pool rushed the fish； and the colonel's rod bent to
the strain； but it did not break。 It had been tested in other piscatorial
battles and was tried and true。
The battle progressed； not so unequal as it might seem； considering the
frail means used to ensnare the big fish。 And the prize was gradually
being brought within reach of the landing net。
〃Get ready now； Shag！〃 ordered the colonel。
〃Yes； sah； I'se all ready！〃
There was a final rush and swirl in the water。 Shag leaned over； his
eyes shining in delight； for the fish was an extraordinarily large one。 He
was about to scoop it up in the net； to take the strain off the rod which was
curved like a bow； when there came a streak of something white sailing
through the air。 It fell with a splash into the water so close to the fish that
it must have bruised its scaly side； and then； in some manner； the denizen
of the stream； either in a desperate flurry； or because the blow of the white
object broke its hold on the hook； was free； and with a dart scurried back
into the element that was life itself。
For a moment there was portentous silence on the part of Colonel
Ashley。 He gazed at his dangling line and at the straightened pole。 Then
he solemnly said：
〃Shag！〃
〃Yes； sah； Colonel！〃
〃What happened？〃
〃By golly； Colonel！ dat's whut I'd laik t' know。 Must hab been a
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shootin' star； or suffin laik dat！ I never done see … 〃
At that moment a drawling voice from somewhere back of the fringe
of trees and bushes broke in with：
〃I fancy I made that water hazard all right； though it was a close call。
Which reminds me of the perhaps interesting fact that forty…five and sixty…
four hundredths cylindrical feet of water will weigh twenty…two hundred
and forty pounds； figuring one cubic foot of salt water at sixty…four and
three…tenths pounds； if you get my meaning！〃 and there was a genial
laugh。
〃Well； I don't get it； and I don't care to；〃 was the rejoinder。 〃But I'm
ready to bet you a cold bottle that you've gone into instead of over that
water hazard。〃
〃Done！ Come on； we'll take a look！〃
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THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
CHAPTER XI
POISONOUS PLANTS
Colonel Ashley still stood； holding his now useless rod and line；
gazing first at that； then at Shag and； anon； at the little swirl of the waters；
marking where the big fish had disappeared from view。
〃Shag！〃 exclaimed the colonel in an ominously； quiet voice。
〃Yes； sah！〃
〃Do you know what that was？〃
〃No； sab； Colonel； I don't。〃
〃Well； that was a spirit manifestation of Izaak Walton。 It was jealous
of my success and took that revenge。 It was the spirit of the old
fisherman himself。〃
〃Good land ob massy！〃 gasped Shag。 〃Does yo' … does yo' mean a …
ghost？〃
〃You might call it that； Shag。 Yes； a ghost。〃
The colored man looked frightened for a moment； and then a broad
grin spread over his face。
〃Well； sah； Colonel；〃 he began； deferentially；〃maybe yo' kin call it dat；
but hit looks t' me mo' laik one ob dem li'l white balls de gen'mens an'
ladies done knock aroun' wif iron…headed clubs。 Dat's whut it looks laik
t' me； sah； Colonel；〃 and Shag picked up a golf ball from the water； where
it floated。
〃By Jove！〃 exclaimed the fisherman。 〃If it was that … 〃
His indignant protest was interrupted by the appearance； breaking
through the underbrush on the edge of the stream； of two men； each one
carrying a bag of golf clubs。
〃Did you … 〃 began one； and then； as he caught sight of Shag holding
up in his black fingers the white ball； there was added：
〃I see you did！ Thank you。 You were right； Tom。 I did go into the
water。 I sliced worse than I thought。〃
Then the two men seemed； for the first time； to have caught sight of
Colonel Ashley。 They noticed his attitude； the dangling line and his
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disappointed look。
〃I beg pardon；〃 said the one who had already spoken； 〃but did we
interfere with your fishing？〃
〃Did you interfere with it？〃 stormed the colonel。 〃You just naturally
knocked it all to the devil； sir！ That's what you did！〃 And then； as he
saw a curious look on the faces of the two men； he added：
〃I beg your pardon。 I shouldn't have said that。 I'm an interloper； I
realize … a trespasser。 It's my own fault for fishing so near the golf course。
But 1 … 〃
〃Excuse me；〃 broke in the other man。 〃But you are Colonel Ashley；
aren't you？〃
〃I am。〃
〃My name is Sharwell … Tom Sharwell； and this is Bruce Garrigan。 I
thought I had seen you at the club。 Pray excuse our interruption of your
sport。 We had no idea any one was fishing here。〃
〃It's entirely my fault；〃 declared the colonel； as he removed his cap
and bowed； a courtesy the two golfers； after a moment of hesitation；
returned。 〃I was taking chances when I threw in here。〃
〃And did we scare the fish？〃 asked Garrigan。 〃I suppose so。 Never
was much of a fisherman myself。 All I know about them is seventeen
million； four hundred and eighty…eight thousand nine hundred and twenty
one boxes of sardines were imported into the United States last year。 I
read it in the paper so it must be true。 I know I ate the one box。〃
〃Be quiet； Bruce；〃 said Sharwell in a low voice； but the colonel smiled。
There was no affront to his dignity； as the golfer had feared。
〃I had on a most beautiful catch；〃 said the colonel； 〃and then what I
thought； at first； was the embodied spirit of Izaak Walton suddenly came
zipping into the water just as Shag was about to land the beauty； and
knocked it off the hook。 Since then I have been informed by my servant
that it was no spirit； but a golf ball。〃
〃It was mine；〃 confessed Garrigan。 〃I'm all kinds of sorry about it。
Never had the least notion any one was here。 Never saw any one fish
here before； did we；Tom ？〃
〃Well； I thought there were fish here； and events proved I was right；〃
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said the colonel。 〃I hope the water isn't posted？〃 he inquired anxiously；
for he was a stickler for the rights of others。
〃Oh； no； nothing like that！〃 Garrigan hastened to add。 〃You're
welcome to fish here as long and as often as you like。 Only； as this water
hazard is often played from the fifth hole； it would be advisable to post a
sign just outside the trees； or station your man there to give notice。〃
〃I'll do it after this；〃 said the colonel； as he reeled in。
〃You're not going to quit just because I was so unfortunate as to spoil
your first catch； are you？〃 asked Garrigan。
〃I think I'd better；〃 the colonel said。 〃I don't believe I could land
anything after what happened。 The fish must have thought it was a
thunderbolt； from the way that ball landed。〃
〃I did drive rather hard；〃 admitted Garrigan。 〃But we can cut this out
of our game； take a stroke apiece and go on with the play。 That is； I'm
willing。 I don't feel very keen for the game to…day。 How about you；
Tom？〃
〃I'm ready t
