Chapter 18

ChAPTER EiGhTEEN Slowly the Swindlers began to detangle themselves from the pile of filthy laundry. Rupert's white fur was all green and sludgy and Bertie's windmill had been sliced clean off by the spinning pieces of oar. Kate felt sick to her stomach. So General Hornbill was C.A. Bloom. And with the map- the map she had corrected- he would reach their lair in no time.

第十八章 两个骗子慢慢从那堆脏兮兮的衣物里挣脱出来。 鲁珀特雪白的毛沾了满是黏糊糊的绿色污泥，伯蒂的风车也被旋转的船桨碎片齐齐削断了。 凯特觉得胃里一阵难受。 原来犀鸟将军就是C.A.布鲁姆。 有了地图——那张她亲手修改过的地图——他很快就能找到他们的巢穴了。

The birds had trusted them, and look what had happened. They were clever and daring, but would they be able to hold their own against C.A. Bloom? Especially a C. A. Bloom brimming with rage and vengeance. Rupert came and slumped next to her. Usually he would sneak under doors and unlock them from the outside, but boat doors were trickier than other doors. "Bertie, why aren't you slumping?" asked Kate. But Bertie wasn't listening. "Now's not the time for sharpening pencils, Bertie!" "Oh, ISN'T IT?" Bertie turned around.

鸟儿们那么信任他们，结果却成了这样。 他们既聪明又勇敢，可真的能对抗C.A.布鲁姆吗？ 更何况是满心愤怒、一心要报仇的C.A.布鲁姆。 鲁珀特走过来，垂头丧气地蹲在她身边。 平时他总能悄悄钻到门底下，从外面把门打开，可船的门比普通的门难对付多了。 “伯蒂，你怎么还没蔫头耷脑的？”凯特问道。 可伯蒂根本没在听她说话。 “伯蒂，现在可不是削铅笔的时候啊！” “哦，是吗？” 伯蒂转过身来。

Kate gasped. He was holding an exemplary sharpened pencil. The point was long and thin- perfect for lock- picking. "I knew my Pencil Sharpening skills would come in handy one day!" "Incredible!" said Kate and Rupert together. And it was. With a wiggle and a click they all burst out of the laundry cupboard and onto the empty deck. Parping music was drifting down from the deck above. There was no time to lose! Now he had the map, the General would be off the boat and

凯特倒抽了一口气。 他手里举着一支削得特别好的铅笔。 笔尖又长又细——最适合撬锁了。 “我就知道我的削铅笔手艺总有一天能派上用场！” “太厉害了！”凯特和鲁珀特异口同声地说。 还真的很厉害。 咔嗒一声扭了扭，他们就从洗衣柜里冲了出来，跑到了空荡荡的甲板上。 噗噗响的音乐从上层甲板飘了下来。 没时间可以浪费了！ 将军已经拿到了地图，他肯定要下船

making his way to the birds" secret lair immediately. "He's headed for the poop deck!" cried Kate. "Let's get that map!"

立刻往鸟儿们的秘密巢穴去了。 “他往艉楼甲板去了！”凯特大喊。 “我们去把地图抢回来！”