Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11 John clutched Franny's hand tight as they walked along the old wagon trail. It was a cold and dreary October morning and they were finally heading back to school. John's mind swirled with nervous thoughts. What if the guys had forgotten all about him? What if they ignored him like before?

约翰紧紧地抓着弗兰妮的手，沿着旧马车道走着。 这是一个寒冷而沉闷的十月早晨，他们终于要回学校了。 约翰的脑子里充满了紧张的念头。 如果大家都忘了他呢？ 如果他们像以前一样无视他呢？

But just as the school came into view, John heard voices. "There he is!" "He's back!" Rex, Peter, and Sven came barreling over to him. They grabbed his arm and slapped his back so hard he almost fell to the dirt. But of course John didn't mind. For the first time since he left Chicago, John actually looked forward to going to school. At lunchtime he and the guys would squeeze together around one desk. They'd divvy up whatever food they'd brought from home. Sven's mother baked the best bread, the dark Swedish kind that tasted smoky and sweet. Peter's made the most delicious pies. John's favorite was made from the sour chokecherries that grew wild on the prairie. Rex got the same lunch every day: two potatoes, roasted in their skins. He didn't complain, though. He said that on cold days he

但就在学校进入视野时，约翰听到了说话声。 “他在那儿！”“他回来了!”雷克斯、彼得和斯文飞快地跑到他跟前。 他们抓住他的胳膊，狠狠地拍打他的背，使他差点倒在地上。 当然，约翰并不介意。 自从离开芝加哥以来，约翰第一次真正盼望着去上学。 午餐时，他和同事们会挤在一张桌子旁。 他们会分享从家里带来的食物。 斯文的母亲烤的面包是最好的，那种深色的瑞典面包，尝起来烟熏的，甜甜的。 彼得做了最好吃的馅饼。 约翰的最爱是用草原上野生的酸樱桃做的。 雷克斯每天都吃同样的午餐：两个带皮的烤土豆。 不过，他并没有抱怨。 他说在寒冷的日子里他

carried one hot potato in each pocket, to keep his hands warm. John learned more about the guys and how their families had come to Dakota. Rex's family came from Texas, and traveled to Dakota before their town, Prairie Creek, even had a name. Rex didn't remember the monthlong journey in a covered wagon. But he knew the whole family almost drowned when they were bringing their wagon across the Colorado River.

每个口袋里都装了一个热土豆，让他的手保持温暖。 约翰更多地了解了这些人，以及他们的家人是如何来到达科塔的。 雷克斯的家人来自德克萨斯州，在他们的小镇“草原溪”还没有名字的时候就搬到了达科他。 雷克斯不记得在有篷马车上长达一个月的旅程。 但他知道全家在拉着马车渡过科罗拉多河的时候差点淹死。

Sven came from the farthest away — Sweden. The trip took almost six months by ship, train, and wagon. The worst part was the two-month voyage across the Atlantic in a leaky steamship crawling with mice. Sven spent most of the trip puking over the side. But it was Peter's story that hit John the hardest. His family came five years ago, from Minnesota. Crossing into Dakota, they ran into a

斯文来自最远的地方——瑞典。 这次旅行乘轮船、火车和马车差不多花了六个月的时间。 最糟糕的是在一艘漏水的轮船上度过了两个月横跨大西洋的旅程，轮船上爬满了老鼠。 斯文一路上大部分时间都在呕吐。 但彼得的故事对约翰的打击最大。 他的家人五年前从明尼苏达州来到这里。 进入达科他时，他们遇到了

thunderstorm. The mules pulling their wagon got spooked and took off. The wagon nearly flipped over. And Peter's little brother, William, flew out. He landed on some rocks and died within the hour. "My ma didn't talk for six months after that," Peter said softly. John swallowed hard, and he noticed Rex and Sven did, too. None of them said anything more, but they all inched a little closer to Peter. John didn't think he had any important stories to share. He'd never crossed a stormy ocean or a raging river. But one bright day at recess, the guys started asking John about Chicago. It turned out none of them had ever been to a big city. And they were dying to hear all about skyscrapers and restaurants and the electric lights that lit up the streets at night. "Lots of murderers live there, right?" Peter asked.

雷雨。拉着马车的骡子吓得跑掉了。 马车几乎翻了。 彼得的弟弟威廉飞了出来。 他落在一些岩石上，不到一小时就死了。 “在那之后的六个月里，我妈妈没有说话。”彼得轻声说。 约翰使劲咽了口气，他注意到雷克斯和斯文也咽了口气。 他们谁也没再说什么，但他们都向彼得靠近了一点。 约翰认为他没有什么重要的故事可以分享。 他从来没有横渡过狂风暴雨的海洋或汹涌的河流。 但是在一个阳光明媚的休息日，同学们开始问约翰芝加哥的情况。 原来他们没有一个人去过大城市。 他们渴望听到关于摩天大楼、餐馆和夜晚照亮街道的电灯的一切。 “那里住着很多杀人犯，对吧？”彼得问。

"Maybe," John said. "I never met one, though." The guys seemed a little disappointed. "I heard there are rats as big as cats," Sven said. "There are," John said, and he told how once he woke up and found one sitting right on his bed. "What did you do?" Rex asked. John shrugged. "Just shooed it away." The guys fell over in laughing horror. You'd have thought John had fought off a dragon. "I hate rats," Rex said with a shudder. John found it amazing — this was a kid who'd stared down a monster snake, and a plain old rat gave him the willies! But John understood. To the guys, Chicago was a strange land, one filled with danger and mystery. Like Dakota was to John. "What's the weather like there?" Sven asked. John shrugged. "It gets hot in the summer, and cold in the winter." He said. "But nothing like here."

“也许吧，”约翰说。“不过我从来没见过。” 伙计们似乎有点失望。 “我听说有猫那么大的老鼠，”斯文说。 “有，”约翰说。他告诉我，有一次他醒来时，发现一只正坐在他的床上。 “你做了什么？”雷克斯问道。 约翰耸了耸肩。“只是把它赶走了。” 那些家伙吓得笑倒在地。 你会以为约翰击退了一条龙。 “我讨厌老鼠，”雷克斯颤抖着说。 约翰觉得很不可思议——这是一个盯着一条巨蛇的孩子，而一只普通的老老鼠却把他吓了一跳！但是约翰明白了。 对他们来说，芝加哥是一片陌生的土地，充满了危险和神秘。 就像达科塔之于约翰。“那里的天气怎么样？”斯文问道。 约翰耸了耸肩。“夏天热，冬天冷。” 他说。“但不像这里。”