美国小学英语教材5:第24课 邮件必须送达(6)

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　　Any one of a hundred things might hinder its progress from the coast. 一百件事里就有一件可能会阻止邮件到达海岸。

　　But from the earliest possible moment when it might arrive, William was on the watch for it. 但从邮件可能到达的最早时刻起，威廉就守望着它。

　　Night or day, it made no difference, he was on hand to greet the rider, to awaken¹ the clerk if need be, 无论白天黑夜，他都在旁边迎接骑手，如果需要的话，他会叫醒执事，

　　or to poke² his head through the door of Mr. Majors's office and sing out, “The mail has come through, sir.” 或者把头伸进梅杰斯先生办公室的门，大声喊道：“邮件来了，先生。”

　　Then he took the pony³ in charge, cooled him down, blanketed him if the weather was severe, fed and watered him, and examined him for any wound or injury that needed attention. 然后，他照看小马，给它降温，如果天气恶劣就给它盖毯子，喂它吃东西，给它喝水，检查它是否有任何需要注意的伤口。

　　The riders, depending for their very lives upon those ponies⁴, repaid him with the stories of their adventures. 骑手们依靠着马的生命，所以用他们的冒险故事回报了威廉。

　　They passed on to him what they knew of the plains and Indians and woodcraft until the boy became wise in the ways of the plains country. 他们把他们对平原、印第安人和木匠活的了解传授给他，直到威廉都了解了平原国家的知识。

　　Carrying Supplies to a Reply Station 把补给送到回收站

　　In time, William went to his employer with the thing closest to his heart. 不久，威廉最贴身的东西去找雇主。

　　“I want to be a Pony Express rider, sir,” he said. “我想当“快马邮递”骑士，先生，”他说。

　　Mr. Majors did not laugh, as William had half feared he would. Instead, he patted the boy on the shoulder. 梅杰斯先生没有笑，威廉担心他会笑。相反，他拍了拍威廉的肩膀。

　　“You're a bit young yet, lad,” he said kindly⁵. “你太小了，小伙子，”他和蔼地说。

　　“You gave a job as rider to Willy Cody” (the famous Buffalo⁶ Bill), pointed⁷ out the boy. “你给了威利·科迪一个骑手的工作（著名的水牛比尔）”，威廉指着一个小伙子。

　　“He's only a year older than I am.” “他只比我大一岁。”

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