4. Weirder and Weirder

Chapter 4 Weirder and Weirder "An ax!" Brian said. "What's that for?" "And it's real sharp!" Nate said. "I watched the salesman show Mr. Sargent. He shaved some hair off his own arm!" Bradley studied the receipt. "And what's with the rope ladder?" he asked. "I don't get it." "They're coming back!" Lucy said. Mr. and Mrs. Sargent walked past the kids' hiding spot. Now they weren't carrying anything except the clipboard.

第4章越来越奇怪“一把斧头！”布莱恩说。 “那是干什么用的？”“而且真的很锋利！”内特说。 我看着销售员给萨金特先生看。 他刮掉了自己手臂上的一些毛！”布拉德利仔细看了看收据。 “绳梯是怎么回事？”他问。 “我不明白。”“他们回来了！”露西说。 萨金特夫妇走过孩子们的藏身之处。 现在除了剪贴板，他们什么也没带。

"They must have put the stuff in their car," Bradley said. "Where are they going now?" Nate asked. "Let's follow them," Brian said. The four kids fell in behind Mr. and Mrs. Sargent. The couple walked into the gas station, and the kids hid behind some bushes. They had a perfect view of their neighbors as they chatted with Mr. Holly, the owner. They watched Mr. Holly pull something off a shelf and hand it to Mr. Sargent. "What is it?" Brian whispered. "I don't know," Lucy said. "I'll find out!" Nate said. He dashed up to a window. Nate was only six feet away from the Sargents and Mr. Holly. A minute later, he came racing back. "It's some kind of motor," he said. "He's telling them how it runs." "An ax and a rope ladder and a motor?" Bradley said. "Very weird!" "Watch out. Here they come!" Lucy said. The four spies ducked as the Sargents strolled past them. Mr. Sargent carried a box.

“他们一定是把东西放在车里了，”布拉德利说。 “他们现在要去哪儿？”内特问道。 “我们跟着他们吧，”布莱恩说。 四个孩子落在萨金特夫妇后面。 这对夫妇走进加油站，孩子们躲在灌木丛后面。 他们一边和房主霍利先生聊天，一边把邻居们的景色尽收眼底。 他们看着霍利先生从架子上取下一样东西递给萨金特先生。 “什么事？”布莱恩低声说。 “我不知道。”露茜说。 “我会查清楚的！”内特说。 他冲到窗前。内特离萨金斯夫妇和霍利先生只有六英尺远。 一分钟后，他跑了回来。 “这是一种马达，”他说。 “他在告诉他们它是如何运行的。” “斧头、绳梯和马达？”布拉德利说。 “很奇怪!”“小心。他们来了！”露西说。 侦察员们从他们身边走过时，四个密探躲了起来。 萨金特先生拿着一个盒子。

The kids followed, tiptoeing and silent. Bradley tried to figure out what the Sargents could be building that needed a motor. A submarine? A car? An airplane? The Sargents left the motor in their car, then walked up Bridge Lane to Bill's Bikes. The kids heard a little bell jingle as the neighbors stepped inside Bill's door. "Maybe they're buying a bike," Nate said. "They have a plan," Bradley said. "We just don't know what it is. But do you think they bought the ax to cut down that tree?"

孩子们踮着脚尖跟在后面，一言不发。 布拉德利试图弄清楚萨金斯可能在制造什么需要发动机的东西。 潜艇?一辆小汽车吗?一架飞机吗? 萨金斯夫妇把马达留在车里，然后沿着桥巷走到比尔自行车店。 邻居们走进比尔家的门时，孩子们听到铃铛叮当作响。 “也许他们在买一辆自行车，”内特说。 “他们有一个计划，”布拉德利说。 “我们只是不知道它是什么。 但你认为他们买斧头是为了砍倒那棵树吗？”

"I don't think they can cut down that huge tree with an ax," Lucy said. "It would take them a year!" "I hope you're right," Bradley said. Then the door of Bill's Bikes opened with another jingle. Mr. and Mrs. Sargent came out, carrying two large bags. Once again, they headed for their car. "I wonder what's in those bags," Brian whispered.

“我认为他们不能用斧头砍倒那棵大树。”露茜说。 “那要花他们一年的时间！”“我希望你是对的，”布拉德利说。 接着，比尔自行车店的门又叮当作响地开了。 萨金特夫妇提着两个大袋子走了出来。 他们又一次朝自己的车走去。 “我想知道那些袋子里是什么，”布莱恩低声说。

"I'll find out!" Bradley said. He ran up to Bill's and entered the shop. The jingling bell sounded again. Bill smiled at Bradley. "Hey, what's up?" he asked. Bradley went over to the counter. Bill was squirting oil onto a bike chain. "You know that couple who were just in here?" he asked. "Yep, Mr. and Mrs. Sargent. Real nice people," Bill said. "They told me they just moved up here from Florida." "They bought the house next to ours," Bradley informed Bill. "And they're building something in the backyard. My friends and my brother and I are trying to figure out what it is." Bill raised his eyebrows. "Why do you want to know?" he asked. "We're playing detectives," Bradley said. "It's kind of a mystery and we're looking for clues." Bill grinned. "They bought a bunch of bike parts: couple of seats, some chains, and half a dozen pedals," he said. "Do you think they're building bikes?" Bradley asked.

“我会查清楚的！”布拉德利说。 他跑到比尔家，走进店里。 丁当的铃声又响了。 比尔对布拉德利笑了笑。“嘿，怎么了？”他问。 布拉德利走到柜台前。 比尔正在往自行车链条上喷油。 “你知道刚才进来的那对夫妇吗？”他问。 “是的，萨金特先生和夫人。 他们都是很好的人。”比尔说。 “他们告诉我他们刚从佛罗里达搬来这里。” “他们买下了我们隔壁的房子，”布拉德利告诉比尔。 “他们正在后院建造一些东西。 我的朋友、哥哥和我正试图弄清楚这是怎么回事。” 比尔扬起眉毛。“你为什么想知道？”他问。 “我们在玩侦探游戏，”布拉德利说。 “这是一个谜，我们正在寻找线索。” 比尔咧嘴一笑。“他们买了一堆自行车零件：几个座椅、一些链条和六个踏板，”他说。 “你觉得他们在造自行车吗？”布拉德利问。

Bill laughed. "That's what I asked them," he said. "They told me they were working on a secret project." Bradley thanked Bill and hurried out the door. He ran back to the other kids. "They bought bike parts," he said. "For a secret project!" "Weirder and weirder," Brian said. "There they go," Nate said. They all watched the green car pull out of the parking lot.

比尔笑了。“我就是这么问他们的，”他说。 “他们告诉我他们在做一个秘密项目。” 布拉德利谢过比尔，匆匆出门。 他跑回其他孩子身边。 “他们买了自行车零件，”他说。 “为了一个秘密项目！”“越来越奇怪了，”布莱恩说。 “他们走了，”内特说。 他们都看着那辆绿色的汽车驶出停车场。