Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Here are the facts," announced Sugar. She pointed to the diagram on the chicken-coop wall. "Barbara was attacked by a wild animal and barely managed to escape. She somehow captured the dangerous beast and has secured it in a top-secret maximum-security box. We are all in imminent danger." "Those are not facts," said Dirt. "A fact is something you know for sure. All of what you just said is pure speculation." "Listen, pal," said Sugar. "You don't know what I know, and I don't know what you know. Agreed?"

这是事实，”休格宣布。 她指着鸡笼墙上的图表。 “芭芭拉被一只野生动物袭击，勉强逃脱。 她以某种方式抓住了这只危险的野兽，并把它锁在了一个最高安全级别的绝密箱子里。 我们都处于迫在眉睫的危险之中。” “那不是事实。”泥土说。 “事实是你确实知道的事情。 你刚才所说的一切纯粹是猜测。” “听着，伙计，”休格说。 “你不知道我知道什么，我也不知道你知道什么。 同意吗?”

"These are the actual facts", continued Dirt. She said them out loud as she listed them on the wall: 1. There is a new box in the yard. 2. Barbara built it herself out of wood and wire. 3. It has a latch on it. 4. We don't know what's in it.

“这些都是事实”，Dirt继续说道。 她一边把它们列在墙上，一边大声说出来：1。 院子里有一个新盒子。 2. 芭芭拉用木头和铁丝自己做的。 3. 上面有个门闩。4. 我们不知道里面有什么。

"Why don't we just go look?" suggested Sweetie. "Oh, kid," sighed Sugar. "You can't just walk up to a top-secret maximum-security box and peek in it! Something might jump out of it! You have to watch the creature—get a feel for how it lives and what it's thinking."

“我们为什么不去看看呢？”小甜心建议道。 “哦，孩子，”休格叹道。“你不能就这么走到一个最高安全级别的绝密盒子前偷看！”可能会有东西跳出来！你必须观察这个生物——感受它是如何生活的，它在想什么。”

"You mean spy on it?" asked Sweetie. "Of course not!" said Sugar. "I mean hide ourselves at a safe distance and watch everything it does while making sure it never sees us. The technical term is surveillance, otherwise known as a 'stakeout.' A dangerous mission, for sure, but—" "Sounds like spying," interrupted Sweetie. "I prefer observing," said Dirt. "AS I was saying," continued Sugar, "surveillance is dangerous work. You'll be tired; you'll be hungry; and you'll see things a chicken should never see." She turned to her sister. "Dirt, walk us through...." Dirt stepped up to the wall. "Sugar and I," she began, "will be up here in the maple tree. It will give us good cover, and we'll have a clear view of the box."

“你是说监视它？”甜心问。 “当然不会！”糖说。 “我的意思是我们躲在一个安全的距离，观察它的一举一动，同时确保它不会看到我们。 技术术语是监视，也被称为“监视”。一个危险的任务，当然，但是——”“听起来像间谍，”甜心插嘴说。 “我更喜欢观察。”泥土说。 “正如我所说的，”休格继续说，“监视是危险的工作。 你会很累；你会饿；你会看到鸡永远不会看到的东西。” 她转向妹妹。“泥土，带我们走过....” 泥土积到墙上。 “糖和我，”她开始说，“会在这棵枫树上。 它会给我们很好的掩护，我们可以清楚地看到盒子。”

"Got it," said Sugar. "Sweetie, you're next. You'll be observing from the gutter that runs along the back edge of the house. It's a different angle, so you might be able to see things that we can't see." "Got it," said Sweetie. "Poppy," said Sugar. "You stay with the shoe. If the creature spots us, it might get angry and agitated. If I whistle, you run and get Mom or J. J. for backup. Got it?" "Got it," said Poppy.

“明白了，”糖说。“亲爱的，下一个轮到你了。 你将从沿着房子后缘的排水沟观察。 这是一个不同的角度，所以你可能会看到我们看不到的东西。” “明白了，”甜心说。“波比，”糖说。 “你和鞋子呆在一起。如果那个生物发现了我们，它可能会生气和激动。 如果我吹口哨，你就跑去叫妈妈或J。 答案：j。明白了吗?”“明白了，”波比说。