The fishing boat was a scabby old tub，but when you，re only paying 15 dollars a person for three hours of fishing，you don，t complain. There were several people on board，sitting on benches on each side of the deck. A few were in the cabin.
The captain，s mate gave each of us a rod and reel and a bucket of bait before we cast off.
“We，re making up a jackpot for whoever catches the biggest fish，”the mate said，“If you guys want in on it，it will cost you a buck a piece.”
Dad gave him three dollars. I figured paying for Benny was wasted money. He probably wouldn，t even bait his hook.
I was right. The kid stared suspiciously into the bucket and made a face.
“This stuff stinks！ What is it？”
“Dead fish.”I told him.
“Do I have to touch it？”
“If you want to bait your hook，you do.”
“Here，Benny，”Dad said，“take my rod. The hook，s baited and in the water. I，ll use yours.”
“OK！”said Benny. He gripped the handle of the rod as if his life depended on it.
A breeze had sprung up，and the waves were choppy. Some clouds slid over the sun. Nobody caught anything.
Then Benny said，“Something，s jerking my line. What should I do？”
“Jerk back！”I told him. I reached for his rod，“I，ll get it for you！”
“Let him do it，Joe.”Dad said，“Pull，Benny，and hang on tight！”
Wouldn，t you know it？ Benny caught the first fish-a little snapper -and he acted as if it were a prize marlin.
Meanwhile the sky had grown dark，and the breeze had turned into a stiff wind，the waves rose higher. Drops of rain slapped our faces，the temperature dropped，and thunder rumbled in the distance. The boat rocked like a runaway cradle.
Dad，s face turned green.
“I think I，ll go below.”he said as he handed me his rod，“Look after Benny.”
He staggered across the deck and bent over the rail.
I had expected Benny to get seasick，but not Dad. Well，the kid would probably be next.
The waves were really high now. One second the boat seemed to be standing on a hilltop，and the next it would plunge into a valley. I clung to the rail and watched the waves rise and fall.
My stomach suddenly heaved，and a bitter taste rose into my throat. I leaned over the rail and lost my lunch. I，d never been so sick in all my life-and I was freezing！ Goosebumps stood out on my arms like grapefruits. Why hadn，t I worn a jacket？ Why had I even come？ Who needed to go deep-sea fishing anyway？ I suddenly realized I hated fish-especially the dead ones in the bait buckets. The stink of them filled my nose，my head-my stomach！ Breakfast followed lunch.
“Maybe you，d better go inside the cabin，Joe.”said Benny，“I，ll help you.”
“I don，t need any help！”
But I did. I was so weak my legs trembled. I could never have crossed that squirming deck if Benny hadn，t supported me. The kid was stronger than he looked. He helped me down the steps and steered me to the bench where Dad was sitting with his head drooping on his chest.
Dad briefly stared at us with bleary eyes before closing them again. I knew just how he felt.
It was warmer in the cabin，but I kept shivering while I tried to keep my stomach from crawling into my mouth.
Benny took off his windbreaker and draped it over my shoulders.“You，d better lie down on the bench and put your head on my lap.”he said.
I lay there for the rest of that miserable voyage. When I finally tottered off the boat，I said I，d never step off solid ground again. Dad said he felt the same way.
I thanked Benny for his jacket-and for his skinny thighs，which had made a pillow for my woozy head.
“No problem！”Benny grinned，“What are brothers for？”
“To make money！”I pointed at the bundle of dollar bills he was carrying. Because of the storm， nobody else had caught a fish，so Benny had won the jackpot.
He deserved it.
“他跟我们一起吗？”我发着牢骚。
我反感地盯着同父异母的新弟弟本尼，他正坐在爸爸的车的后座上。本尼八岁了，个子瘦小，长着明亮的小眼 睛和大大的耳朵。如今爸爸和妈妈离婚了，我每隔一个周末才能见到爸爸一次，但本尼总是插进来毁了一切。
那次我们去远足，他身上起了水泡。动物园使他打喷嚏。看棒球比赛时，一颗花生落到他鼻子上。如果爸爸一 定要再婚，我不明白为什么他要选本尼的妈妈。我的意思是，她还不错。在这场婚姻中，糟糕的只是本尼也包 括在内。
今天，我和爸爸将第一次去深海钓鱼。现在计划泡汤了。
“乔，”爸爸用耐心的口吻说，“本尼是你弟弟……”
“所谓的弟弟！”
“我们会玩得很开心的，”爸爸向我允诺道，“你最好带件夹克。”
“为什么？”我朝着佛罗里达州青灰色的天空瞟了一眼。“今天很热。”
渔船像个结痂的旧澡盆，但是一想到每人只花十五美元就可以钓三个小时，你就不会埋怨了。有几个人正坐在 船上甲板两侧的长椅上，另外几个人待在船舱里。
在我们抛下钓鱼线之前，大副给我们每人一个鱼竿和鱼线，还有一桶饵料。
“我们设了头奖，奖给那个能钓到最大鱼的人，”大副说，“如果你们想将这个奖收入囊中，一个人得花一美 元。”
爸爸给了他三美元。我估计给本尼付钱完全是浪费钱。他可能连给鱼钩穿饵都不会。
我的猜测是对的。这个小孩疑惑地盯着桶里，挤眉弄眼。
“这些东西发臭了！是什么啊？”
“死鱼。”我告诉他。
“我必须碰它吗？”
“如果你想给鱼钩穿饵，你就必须碰。”
“来这儿，本尼，”爸爸说道，“拿着我的钓竿。这个鱼钩已经穿好饵并投入水中了。我用你的钓竿。”
“好的！”本尼说。他抓紧钓竿的手柄，似乎他的生命都依附在那儿。
微风乍起，海浪起伏，朵朵云彩从太阳身边飘过。大家都一无收获。
然后，本尼说道：“有什么东西在拉我的线。我该怎么做？”
“拉回来！”我告诉他，并伸手去拉他的竿，“让我来帮你拉！”
“让他自己来，乔。”爸爸说，“快拉，本尼，紧紧抓住！”
你不知道吗？本尼钓了第一条鱼——一条小鲷鱼——他高兴得像拿到了一条大青枪鱼一样。
此时，天色已晚，原本的微风变成了狂风，波浪更猛。雨点拍打着我们的脸，气温骤降，远处雷声隆隆作响。船像个失控的摇篮一样摇晃着。
爸爸的脸色变得铁青。
“我想我得去下面。”他说着，并把他的钓竿递给我，“看好本尼。”
他摇摇晃晃地穿过甲板，屈身伏在围栏上。
我本以为本尼会晕船的，而不是爸爸。好吧，这个小孩可能会是下一个。
现在，浪已经很高了。这一秒船好像是立在山顶，下一秒就像陷入了山谷。我抓紧围栏，看着海浪起伏不断。
我突然反胃，一股苦涩的味道涌入喉咙。于是我靠着围栏，将午餐全都吐了出来。我一生中从没这么难受过——而且我还冷得发抖！我的手臂上满是葡萄籽般的鸡皮疙瘩。为什么我没穿件夹克呢？为什么我要来呢？谁非 要去深海钓鱼呢？突然，我意识到自己讨厌鱼——尤其是鱼饵桶里的死鱼。它们的臭味充斥着我的鼻子，我的 脑袋，我的胃！我吐完午餐后把早餐也吐了出来。
“乔，也许你去船舱里面会好点。”本尼说，“我会帮你的。”
“我不需要任何帮助！”
但是我确实需要帮助。我全身无力，两腿发抖。如果本尼没有扶着我，我根本没法穿过摇晃的甲板。这个小孩 比他看上去的样子要强壮得多。他搀扶着我走下台阶，把我带到长凳那儿，爸爸正坐在长凳上，头垂在胸前。
爸爸用迷糊的眼睛稍稍盯着我们看了一下，然后又闭上了双眼。我知道他的感受。
船舱里面暖和些，但当我试着不让自己呕吐时，却还在一直发抖。
本尼脱下他的风衣，披在我的肩上。“你最好躺在长椅上，然后把头枕在我的膝盖上。”他说道。
在接下来的那段痛苦旅程中，我一直躺在那儿。最后，当我蹒跚着走下船时，我对自己说再也不离开陆地了。爸爸说他也是这么想的。
我为本尼的夹克而感激他——还有他那瘦瘦的大腿，给我眩晕的头做了枕头。
“没什么！”本尼笑着说道，“兄弟是用来干吗的呢？”
“用来赚钱的！”我指向他拿着的一沓美元钞票。由于风暴，其他人都没钓到鱼，所以本尼赢得了头奖。
那是他应得的。
grip
【释义】n. 紧握；柄；支配 vt. 紧握；夹紧 vi. 抓住
【短语】 get a grip on 控制、支配
stiff
【释义】adj. 呆板的 adv. 僵硬地；彻底地 n. 死尸 vt. 诈骗；失信
【短语】stiff as a board (人或身体)非常僵硬
thunder
【释义】n. 雷；轰隆声；恐吓 vt. 轰隆地发出；大声喊出 vi. 打雷；怒喝
cling
【释义】vi. 坚持，紧贴；附着
【短语】cling to 坚持，依附
squirm
【释义】vi. 蠕动，扭动；羞愧，不舒服 n. 蠕动
groan
【释义】vi. 呻吟；抱怨；发吱嘎声 vt. 呻吟；抱怨 n. 呻吟；叹息
【短语】groan for 渴望；groan with 由于……而呻吟
beady
【释义】adj. 起泡的；饰有珠子的；晶亮如小珠的
horn
【短语】horn in 闯入；侵入
Guard/ 守 护
“We，re leaving！ We can，t stand it here！ Your rules are unfair！”thirteen-year-old Julie shouted at her father while her younger sister Jill stood by her side staring at the ground. Grabbing Jill，s hand，Julie yanked her from the porch，and the two started running down their neighborhood block.
Their father watched them disappear around the corner，sighed，and stepped back into the house.
“Do any of you know where your sisters are going？”he asked his other three daughters who were standing by the living room window from which they had witnessed the spectacle. His question was met with silence.