Chapter 9

ChAPTER NINE After three evenings of secret scribbling, spirits were high among the trio. The map was looking as ready as it ever would, they had the trumpetberries, and C. A. Bloom was starting to feel more real to them all, even though he did seem a little old-fashioned at times. Day 156 In my watching & waiting I have lined up all my apparatus alphabetically, polished every boot to perfection. The wild around me threatens the very tenets of civilisation, and so I, Clarence Admarise Bloom, must remain its sole guardian.

第九章 三个晚上偷偷写写画画之后，三人组的士气格外高昂。 地图看起来已经完全准备妥当，他们也拿到了喇叭果，而C·A·布鲁姆这个人物在大家眼里也越来越真实了，尽管他有时确实显得有点老派。 第156天 观察和等待的间隙，我把所有装备都按字母顺序摆好了，每只靴子都擦得锃亮。 我周围的荒野时刻威胁着文明的根基，所以我，克拉伦斯·艾德迈瑞斯·布鲁姆，必须成为文明唯一的守护者。

I bet Clarence and General Hornbill would get on a treat!" commented Rupert. "They do both love a well-folded sleeping-bag, don't they?" agreed Kate. "Speaking of which, how are we doing with the list of things we need, Bertie?" "Well," said Bertie, scrambling to his feet, "we need a net, jars, a camera, pencils

“我赌克拉伦斯和犀鸟将军肯定合得来！”鲁珀特说道。 “他俩确实都喜欢叠得整整齐齐的睡袋，对吧？”凯特赞同道。 “说到这个，我们需要的物品清单列得怎么样了，伯蒂？” “唔，”伯蒂一边爬起来一边说，“我们需要一张网、几个罐子、一台相机、几支铅笔

and paper, a torch, the trumpetberries- we've got all those things already of course- then... night goggles, a few big sticks, some rope aaaand... a boat." A whole boat! Holy molluscs! How could she have missed such a gaping hole in their plan? But she needn't have worried. "I know!" chirped Rupert. "There's an old riverboat no one uses on the middle deck. It's covered in a big canvas sheet.

还有纸、一个手电筒、喇叭果——这些东西我们当然都已经有了——然后……夜视镜、几根粗棍子、一些绳子，还……还有一艘船。” 一整艘船？ 我的天呐！ 她怎么能漏掉他们计划里这么大的一个漏洞呢？ 不过她其实用不着担心。 “我知道有办法！”鲁珀特喳喳叫着说。 “中层甲板上有一艘没人用的旧内河船。 它被一块大帆布盖着呢。

It's called The Shrimp Swindler. I'm sure we can lower it down the side of Miss Custard." Kate scooped up Rupert and gave him a grateful squeeze. "You're making my hat all wonky!" he protested, but he was smiling nonetheless. Everything was coming together. All that was left to do was leave Miss Custard and venture out into the jungle. And what could possibly go wrong? They had advice from the best Special Correspondent in the world and from a very clever botanist, not to mention Bertie's drawing skills, Rupert's rousing speeches and Kate's direction.

它的名字叫《小虾骗徒号》。 我们肯定能把它从卡仕达小姐号的船侧放下去的。” 凯特一把抱起鲁珀特，感激地搂了搂他。 “你把我的帽子都弄歪啦！” 他抗议道，但脸上还是笑得乐呵呵的。 一切都步入了正轨。 剩下要做的就是离开卡仕达小姐号，踏入丛林探险了。 能出什么岔子呢？ 他们有世界上最棒的特派记者和一位绝顶聪明的植物学家给的建议，更别说还有伯蒂的绘画技术、鲁珀特振奋人心的演讲，还有凯特的指挥能力。

Here was their plan:

他们的计划是这样的：