Chapter 1

The Deadly Dungeon

死亡地牢

Chapter 1 Dink squirmed in his seat. He, Josh, and Ruth Rose had been riding the bus since seven that morning. They were on their way to Maine to visit their friend Wallis Wallace, a famous mystery writer. The three of them had met her when she came to

丁克在座位上局促不安。 那天早上7点起，他、乔希和露丝·罗斯就一直在坐公交车。 他们正要去缅因州拜访他们的朋友沃利斯·华莱士，一位著名的推理小说作家。 当她醒来时，他们三个人已经见过她了

Green Lawn. Dink smiled when he remembered how they had rescued Wallis from a "kidnapper." Dink glanced over at Josh, asleep in his seat. His sketch pad was open on his lap. Behind Josh, Ruth Rose was looking at a map. She liked to dress in one color. Today it was green, from her T-shirt to her high-tops. Dink moved into the seat next to Ruth Rose. "Where are we?" he asked. "Almost there." She pointed to Belfast, Maine, on her map. "We just passed a Welcome to Belfast sign." Dink nodded. That was where Wallis was picking them up. Ruth Rose tucked her map into her pack. "I'm so excited!" she said. "Do you think her castle has a moat and a dungeon?" "I just hope it has food," Dink said. "I'm starving!" Josh's head popped up in front of them. "Me too! Are we there yet?" Just then the bus driver called out, "Belfast!" "All right!" Josh said, leaping into the aisle. The bus stopped in front of a small grayshingled building. Through the window, Dink

绿色的草坪。当丁克想起他们如何从“绑架者”手中救出沃利斯时，他笑了。 丁克瞥了一眼在座位上睡着的乔希。 他的速写本摊开在腿上。 在乔希身后，露丝·罗斯正在看地图。 她喜欢穿一种颜色的衣服。 今天从t恤到高帮鞋都是绿色的。 丁克坐到露丝·罗斯旁边的座位上。 “我们在哪儿?”他问。“差不多了。” 她指着地图上缅因州的贝尔法斯特。 “我们刚经过一个欢迎来到贝尔法斯特的牌子。” 丁克点点头。沃利斯就是在那里接他们的。 露丝·罗斯把地图塞进背包里。 “我太兴奋了!”她说。 “你觉得她的城堡有护城河和地牢吗?”“我只希望它有食物，”丁克说。 “我饿死了!”乔希的头突然出现在他们面前。 “我也是!我们到了吗?”就在这时，公交车司机喊道:“贝尔法斯特!”“好吧!”乔希说着跳进了过道。 公共汽车在一座灰色的小楼前停了下来。 透过窗户，丁克

could see the water. "Do you see Wallis?" Ruth Rose asked. Dink grabbed his pack. "No, but let's get off. I think I'm allergic to buses!" The kids headed for the front. They followed an elderly couple down the steps. They were squinting into the blinding sunlight when they heard someone say, "Hi, kids!" A tall man with curly blond hair was walking toward them. His face was tanned and smiling. "I remember you. You're Wallis's brother!" Ruth Rose said. "Call me Walker, okay?" said the man. "Wallis is buying groceries, so she asked me to get you." Walker Wallace picked up Dink's pack. It clunked heavily against his leg. "What's in here, your rock collection?" he asked. Dink grinned. "Books. My mom said it rains a lot in Maine, so I came prepared." Walker laughed. "We've planned perfect weather for you guys. Sun every day! Come on, that's my Jeep over there." Walker's dusty brown Jeep had no top. The leather seats were worn and split in places.

可以看到水。“你看见沃利斯了吗?”露丝·罗斯问。 丁克抓起他的背包。“不，不过我们下车吧。 我想我对公共汽车过敏!”孩子们朝前面走去。 他们跟着一对老夫妇走下台阶。 他们正眯着眼睛望着刺眼的阳光，这时他们听到有人说:“嗨，孩子们!”一个长着金色卷发的高个子男人向他们走来。 他的脸晒得黝黑，面带微笑。 “我记得你。你是沃利斯的弟弟!”露丝·罗斯说。 “叫我沃克好吗?”那人说。 “沃利斯在买杂货，所以她让我帮你买。” 沃克·华莱士拿起丁克的背包。 它重重地撞在他的腿上。 “这里面是什么，你的岩石收藏吗?” 丁克咧嘴一笑。”书。我妈妈说缅因州经常下雨，所以我有备而来。” 沃克笑了。“我们为你们准备了完美的天气。 天天阳光!来吧，那边是我的吉普车。” 沃克那辆满是灰尘的棕色吉普车没有车顶。 真皮座椅磨损了，有些地方裂开了。

He swept a pair of boots and a tool belt onto the floor, making room in the backseat. "Pile in!" The boys climbed into the back. Ruth Rose sat next to Walker. "How far is the castle?" she asked. "Not far." Walker pointed. "About a mile past those trees." He drove up the coast. "You guys hungry? Sis is buying everything in the store for you." "I'm always hungry," Josh said, leaning back and crossing his legs. He took a deep breath of the ocean air. "What a smell!" "I'll say," Dink said. "Get your smelly foot out of my face!" "It's not smelly," Josh said, wiggling his sneaker under Dink's nose. "What's this?" Dink plucked a bright green feather off the sole of Josh's sneaker. Josh shrugged. "I must've picked it up on the bus." Dink slipped the feather into his pocket. "There's Moose Manor!" Walker called. He pointed through the trees.

他把一双靴子和一条工具带扫到地板上，在后座腾出地方来。 “桩在!”男孩们爬到后面。 露丝·罗斯坐在沃克旁边。 “城堡还有多远?”她问。 “不远”。沃克指出。 “过了那些树大约一英里。” 他沿着海岸驶去。“你们饿了吗?” 姐姐在店里帮你买东西。” “我总是很饿。”乔希说着，向后靠了靠，跷起二郎腿。 他深深地吸了一口海洋的空气。 “好难闻的味道!”“我会说的，”丁克说。 “把你的臭脚从我脸上拿开!”“不臭，”乔希说着，在丁克的鼻子底下晃了晃他的运动鞋。 “这是什么?”丁克从乔希的运动鞋鞋底上拔下一根亮绿色的羽毛。 杰克耸耸肩。“我一定是在公共汽车上捡到的。” 丁克把羽毛塞进口袋。 “那里有驼鹿庄园!”沃克。 他指着树林里。

Dink stared at the tall castle. It was built of huge gray stones. Its small dark windows looked like watching eyes. An iron fence surrounded the building. "Cool," Dink said softly. "Look, guys, a moat!" Ruth Rose said. "And a drawbridge!" cried Josh. Walker pulled up in front of the gate. The kids hopped out with their packs. "I have to get back to my boat," Walker said. "Sis should be here soon. Have fun!" He waved and sped back through the trees. Up close, the castle towered over the kids. The battlements on top reminded Dink of giant's teeth. Josh pushed the gate, and it creaked open. They peered down into the moat. Ruth Rose let out a

丁克凝视着那座高大的城堡。 它是用巨大的灰色石头建造的。 它那又小又黑的窗户看起来像一双窥视的眼睛。 那座建筑物周围有一道铁栅栏。 “酷，”丁克轻声说。“看，伙计们，一条护城河!”露丝·罗斯说。 “还有吊桥!”乔希叫道。 沃克把车停在大门前。 孩子们拿着书包跳了出来。 “我得回到我的船上，”沃克说。 “姐姐应该很快就到了。玩得开心!”他挥了挥手，飞快地穿过树林往回跑。 近看，城堡耸立在孩子们的头顶上。 上面的城垛让丁克想起了巨人的牙齿。 乔希推开门，门嘎吱一声开了。 他们向下凝视着护城河。 露丝·罗斯叫了一声