It wasn’t until it got dark that I really beganto worry about Mama and Lisbeth. I knew in myown mind why they hadn’t come home. It had beenlate when they left. They’d had quite a long way togo. And even with wood that near it took some timeto drag up enough for a fire as big as they needed.
直到天黑以后，我才真正开始为妈妈和丽丝贝担心起来。我心里明白她们为什么还没有回来。她们离家的时候就已经很晚了。她们要走相当长的一段路。尽管离开木柴那么近，她们也还得花一些时间才能捡到足够的木柴架起她们所需要的那样大的一堆火。
And I couldn’t think of any real danger. Jumperknew the way home. Also，they had Old Yellerwith them. He was still weak，but héd keep themsafe from just about anything.
我想不出有什么真正的危险。
“跳高能手”认识回家的路，而且阿黄也和她们在一起。阿黄虽然仍很虚弱，但它能够保护她们，几乎没有什么动物能伤害她们。
Still ，I was worried. I couldn’t help feeling thatsomething was wrong. I’d have gone to look forthem if it hadn’t been for Little Arliss. It was pasthis supper - time and he was getting hungry，sleepy，and fussy.
可 是，我还是担心。我不禁想到也许出了什么事。要不是因为有小阿里斯在，我早就去找她们了。
他的吃饭时间已经过了，他感到饿了，困了，开始吵闹了。
I took him and the spotted pup into the kitchenand lit a candle. I put them both on the floor and
我把他和小花狗带到厨房里，点上一支蜡烛。我让他们俩都坐在
gave them each a bowl of sweet milk with a littlecold cornbread. After a bit ，they were both eatingout of the same bowl. Little Arliss knew better thanthat ，and I should have stopped him. But I didn’t. Ididn’t say a word. I was too worried.
地上，给他们每人一碗甜奶和一点儿冷玉米面包。不一会儿，他们俩就从同一只碗里喝奶了。小阿里斯应该懂得不能这样做，我也应该阻止他，可是我并没有去阻止。我一句话也没说。我心事重重。
I’d just made up my mind to put Little Arlissand the pup to bed and then go and look for Mamaand Lisbeth，when I heard a sound that took mestraight to the door. It was the sound of dogs fighting.
The sound came from far off in the dark，but assoon as I stepped outside I could tell that the fightwas moving towards the cabin. Also，I heard thevoice of Old Yeller.
我刚刚下定决心把小阿里斯和小狗安顿上床，然后去找妈妈和丽丝贝，突然听到一阵响声，我不由得一下子冲到了门口，那是狗打架的声音。声音从黑咕隆冬的远处传来，但是我一走到门外就听出这场搏斗正在朝木屋逼近。而且，我听到了阿黄的声音。
It was the sort of wild yell he gave when he wasin a fight to the finish. It was the same savage barkinghe’d done the day he fought the killer hogsoff me.
这是一种它在决一死战时所发出来的狂叫。就象那天它拼着命把那些充满杀机的猪群从我身边赶走时所发出的那种叫声。
I stood rooted to the ground，trying to thinkwhat was happening and what I ought to do.
我 的脚象生了根似的站在那儿，力图弄明白究竟发生了什么事，以及我该怎么办。
Then I heard Mama calling in a frightenedvoice，“Tra vis ！Tra vis ！Ma ke a light，S on ，a nd ge tyour gun.And hurry！”
接着我听到妈妈惊恐万状地呼叫：“特拉维斯！特拉维斯！点个火，孩子！快把枪拿来，快，快！”
I came alive then. I shouted back to her so thatshe knew I’d heard.
我这才清醒过来。我大声应了一下，这样她就可以知道我已经听到了。
I ran back into the cabin and got my gun. Icouldn’t think at first what would make the sort oflight I needed，then I thought of some bear grass.
Bear grass has an oil that makes it burn bright for along time. A pile of bear grass burning would makea big light.
我 跑回木屋，拿起枪。开始我不知道用什么东西才能点燃我所需要的那种火，后来我想起了一种熊草。这种草里含有一种油，能够熊熊燃烧很长的一段时间。一堆燃烧着的熊草将会是一堆大火。
I ran and grabbed four bunches. The sharpends cut me，but I didn”t bother about that. Idropped the bunches in a pile on the clear groundoutside the yard fence，and then hurried to bring acoal from the fireplace to start them burning.
我跑去抱了四捆草。它那尖利的叶尖刺得我好痛，但我也顾不上了。我把这几捆草堆成一堆，放在院子围墙外的空地上，然后又飞快地从壁炉里取出一块煤炭把它们点燃了。
I used my hat to help get the fire going. Thebear grass started to smoke，and gave off a nastysmell. A little flame started and then quickly wentup high with a roar.
我用帽子煽着使它快点燃烧起来。熊草开始冒烟了，发出一股刺鼻的气味。一点火星冒出来了，接着呼的一声火焰一下子窜得老高。
I jumped back，my gun held ready，and I hadmy first look at the screaming，howling battle thatcame thrashing into the circle of light. It was OldYeller，all right，fighting with some animal as bigand savage as he was.
我向后一跳，握好了枪，开始看到了一场伴随着尖叫和狂嚎的恶斗，它们扭打到了火光圈内。一点不错，那正是阿黄，它在与一只象它一样大小、一样凶猛的野兽搏斗着。
Mama called from outside the light’s circle.
“Ca re ful，s on. An d ta ke clos e a im. It’s a big gre ywolf，gone ma d.”
妈妈在火光圈外叫道：“小心点儿，孩子。近距离瞄准。那是只大灰狼，它已经疯了。”
My heart nearly stopped. There weren”t manygrey wolves in our part of the country，but I knew aboutthem. They were big and savage enough to
我的心几乎停止了跳动。我们这一带灰狼并不多，但我对它们知道得很清楚。它们又大又野，能够
drag down a horse or a fully grown cow. And herewas Old Yeller，weak and with only three goodlegs，trying to fight a mad one！
拖倒一匹马或一头完全成年的奶牛。而现在的阿黄呢，它身体虚弱，况且只有三条好腿，却要与一只疯狼决斗。
I brought up my gun，and then waited while Iyelled at Mama.“Ge t in the Ca bin a ll of you ，”Ishouted.“I’m s c a re d to shoot till I know you”re outof the line of fire ！”
我端起了枪，然后，一面等在那里，一面朝妈妈大声喊叫。“你们都快进木屋去！”我喊道，“我要等到你们都离开了我的射击线后才敢开枪！”
I heard Mama hitting Jumper with a stick tomake him go. I heard Jumper gallop round to theback of the cabin. But even after Mama called fromthe door behind me，I still couldn’t fire. There wasstill a chance that I might kill Old Yeller.
我听到妈妈用树枝抽打“跳高能手”，赶它快跑。我听到“跳高能手”飞快地转到屋子后面去了。但是，即使妈妈从我身后的房门那里给我打了招呼，我仍然不敢开枪，因为我还有可能打中阿黄。
I waited，on edge，while Old Yeller and the bigwolf fought there in the firelight，their bared teethflashing white，their eyes burning green in the half- light.
我 等待着，心中焦虑不安。阿黄和那只大灰狼在火光中搏斗，它们龇着的牙齿闪耀着白光，它们的眼睛在暗淡的光线下放射出绿色的光芒。
Then they went down in a roll that ended withthe big wolf on top，his teeth shut tight on Yeller’sthroat.This was my chance. I’d better make a goodshot. Old Yeller being as weak as he was，he’dnever break that throathold.