3级2-04牙齿和爪子Tooth And Claw3-5

GabrielErnestCunninghamhadspentanagreeableweekinthecountrywithhisfriendVanCheele．NowVanCheelewasdrivinghisguestbacktothestation．Cunninghamwasunusuallyquietonthejourney，butVanCheeletalkedallthetime，sohedidnotnoticehisfriend'ssilence．SuddenlyCunninghamspoke．'Thereisawildanimalinyourwoods，'hesaid．'Awildanimal？Afewrabbits，perhaps．Nothingveryterrible，surely，'saidVanCheele．Cunninghamsaidnothing．'Whatdidyoumeanaboutawildanimal？'askedVanCheelelater，atthestation．'Nothing．Itwasmyimagination．Hereisthetrain，'saidCunningham．ThatafternoonVanCheelewentforawalkthroughhiswoods．Heknewalittleaboutplantsandanimals，andheenjoyedwalkingthroughthewoodsaroundhishouseandlookingatthebirdsandflowersthere．Healsoenjoyedtellingeveryoneaboutthemaftefwards．Ofcourse，heneversawanythingverysurprising——untilthatafternoon．DuringhiswalkVanCheelecametoadeeppoolundersometalltrees．Heknewitwell：afterall，itwashispool．Buttoday，hesawaboyofaboutsixteenlyingonalargerockbesidethepool．Theboywasdryinghiswet，nakedbrownbodyinthesun．Hishairwaswettoo，andhehadlong，golden，wolfisheyes．HeturnedthoseeyestowardsVanCheelewithalookoflazywatchfulness．VanCheelewassurprisedtoseetheboy．Wheredoesthiswild－lookingboycomefrom？hethought．Canhebethemiller'sson？Hedisappearedtwomonthsago．Peoplesayhefellintotheriver．It'safast-runningriver，andnobodyeverfoundhisbody．Iwonder？Butthemiller'sboywasonlyayoungchild…'Whatareyoudoinghere？askedVanCheele．'Enjoyingthesunshine，ofcourse，'saidtheboy．'Wheredoyoulive？''Here，inthesewoods．''Youcan'tliveinthesewoods．'saidVanCheele．'Theyareverynicewoods，'saidtheboypolitely．'Butwheredoyousleepatnight？''Idon'tsleepatnight．That'smybusiesttime．'VanCheelebegantofeelcross．Whatdidtheboymean？'Whatdoyoueat？heasked．'Meat，'saidtheboy．Heopenedhismouth，showingverywhiteteeth．'Meat？Whatkindofmeat？'Well，ifyoumustknow，Ieatrabbits，wildbirds，chickensfromthefarmandyoungsheepfromthehills．IlikechildrenwhenIcanfindthem．Butthey'reusuallytoowelllockedinatnight．It'stwomonthssinceItastedchildmeat．'Theboyisjokingaboutthechildren，thoughtVanCheele．Butperhapshereallyisstealinganimalsfromthewoodsandfarms．Imustfindoutmoreaboutthis．Aloudhesaid，'Youcatchrabbits？Youmustbejoking．Ourrabbitsaremuchtoofastforyou．''AtnightIhuntonfourfeet，'wastheboy'ssurprisingreplp．'Youmeanthatyouhuntwithadog？'guessedVanCheele．Theboysatupsuddenlyandlaughedastrange，lowlaugh．ToVanCheelethatlaughsoundedhorrlblylikeagrowl．'Idon'tthinkanydogwouldliketohuntwithme，'theboysaid．'Notatnight…'Thereissomethinghorribleaboutthisboy，thoughtVanCheele．Idon'tlikethewayhelooksandIdon'tlikethewayhetalks．'Ican'tletyoustayinmywoods，'hesaidaloud．'Verywellthen—shallIcomeandliveinyourhouse？'repliedteboy．VanCheelethoughtabouthisquiet，tidyhouse．No，hedidnotwantthisstrange，wildboyatall．Ofcourse，theboywasjoking…butVanCheelewasnotamused．'Ifyoudon'tgoaway，'hesaid，'Ishallhavetocallthepolice．'Atoncetheboyturnedandjumpedhead-firstintothepool．Amomentlater，hisshining，wetbodylandedhalf－wayupthegrassybankwhereVanCheelewasstanding．VanCheelesteppedbackwards．Hisfootslippedonthewetgrassandhefell．Hefoundhimselflyingonthegrasswiththosewolfishyelloweyesuncomfortablyneartohis．Hefeltamomentofhorriblefear．Theboylaughedagain，alaughthatwaslikethegrowlofawildanimal，thendisaggearedamongthebushes．'Whatanextraordinarilywildanimal！'saidVanCheeleashepickedhimselfup．AndthenherememberedCunningham'swordsaboutawildanimalinhiswoods．Ashewalkedslowlyhome，VanCheelethoughtaboutseveralthingswhichhadhappenedinandaroundthevillagerecently．Perhapsthisboyknowssomethingaboutthem，hethought…Somethinghasbeenkillingrabbitsandbirdsinthewoodslately．Somethinghasbeenstealingthefarmer'schickensandcarryingofftheyoungsheepfromthehills．Isitpossiblethatthiswildboyishuntingatnightwithafast，intelligentdog？Theboytalkedofhuntingonfourfeetatnight…Buthealsosaidthatdogsdidnotliketohuntwithhimatnight…Verystrangeindeed．AsVanCheelewalkedalong，heturnedthequestionsoverandoverinhishead．Suddenlyhestopped．Themiller'sson！hesaidtohimself．Thechilddisappearedtwomonthsago．Everyonethoughtthathehadfallenintotheriverandbeencarriedaway．Butthechild'smotherdidnotbelievethis．Shesaidshehadheardascream——andthescreamcamefromthehill，alongwayawayfromthewater．It'simpossible，ofcourse，saidVanCheeletohimself．Butthechilddisappearedtwomonthsago，andtheboytalkedaboutchildmeat．Hewasjoking，ofcourse…butwhatahorriblejoke！VanCheeleusuallytalkedtohisauntaboutthebirds，plantsandanimalshesawonhiswalks．Buttodayhesaidnothing．Hewasanimportantmaninhisvillage．Iftherewasathieflivinginhiswoods，hedidnotwantanyonetoknow．Ifpeoplehearabouttheboy，hethought，perhapstheywillwantmetopayfortheirlostchickensandtheirdisappearingsheep．Hewasunusuallyquietatdinner．'What'sthematterwithyou？'jokedhisaunt．'Didyouseeawolfonyourwalk？'AtbreakfastthenextmorningVanCheelerealizedthathestillfeltuncomfortableaboutyesterday'sadventure．IknowwhatI'11do，hesaidtohimself．I'11takethetraintoLondonandI'11goandseeCunningham．I'11askhimIfhewasjokingwhenhesaidtherewasawildanimalinmywoods．Afterhehaddecidedthis，VanCheelefeltbetter．Hesangahappylittlesongashewalkedtothesitting-roomforhismornin