03-02-04-牙齿和爪子 [6]
． He also enjoyed telling everyone about them aftefwards．Of course，he never saw anything very surprising——until that afternoon．
During his walk Van Cheele came to a deep pool under some tall trees． He knew it well： after all， it was his pool．But today， he saw a boy of about sixteen lying on a large rock beside the pool． The boy was drying his wet， naked brown body in the sun． His hair was wet too， and he had long， golden，wolfish eyes． He turned those eyes towards Van Cheele with a look of lazy watchfulness．
Van Cheele was surprised to see the boy． Where does this wild－looking boy come from？ he thought． Can he be the miller's son？ He disappeared two months ago． People say he fell into the river． It's a fast-running river， and nobody ever found his body． I wonder？ But the miller's boy was only a young child…
'What are you doing here？asked Van Cheele．
'Enjoying the sunshine， of course，' said the boy．
'Where do you live？'
'Here， in these woods．'
'You can't live in these woods．' said Van Cheele．
'They are very nice woods，' said the boy politely．
'But where do you sleep at night？'
'I don't sleep at night． That's my busiest time．'
Van Cheele began to feel cross． What did the boy mean？
'What do you eat？ he asked．
'Meat，' said the boy． He opened his mouth， showing very white teeth．
'Meat？What kind of meat？
'Well， if you must know， I eat rabbits， wild birds，chickens from the farm and young sheep from the hills． I like children when I can find them． But they 're usually too well locked in at night． It's two months since I tasted child meat．'
The boy is joking about the children， thought Van Cheele． But perhaps he really is stealing animals from the woods and farms． I must find out more about this．
Aloud he said，'You catch rabbits？ You must be joking．Our rabbits are much too fast for you．'
'At night I hunt on four feet，' was the boy's surprising replp．
'You mean that you hunt with a dog？' guessed Van Cheele．
The boy sat up suddenly and laughed a strange， low laugh． To Van Cheele that laugh sounded horrlbly like a growl．
'I don't think any dog would like to hunt with me，' the boy said．'Not at night…'
There is something horrible about this boy， thought Van Cheele． I don't like the way he looks and I don't like the way he talks．
'I can't let you stay in my woods，' he said aloud．
'Very well then— shall I come and live in your house？'replied te boy．
Van Cheele thought about his quiet， tidy house． No， he did not want this strange， wild boy at all． Of course， the boy was joking…but Van Cheele was not amused．
'If you don't go away，' he said， 'I shall have to call the police．'
At once the boy turned and jumped head-first into the pool． A moment later， his shining， wet body landed half－way up the grassy bank where Van Cheele was standing． Van Cheele stepped backwards． His foot slipped on the wet grass and he fell． He found himself lying on the grass with those wolfish yellow eyes uncomfortably near to his． He felt a moment of horrible fear． The boy laughed again， a laugh that was like the growl of a wild animal， then disaggeared among the bushes．
'What an extraordinarily wild animal！' said Van Cheele as he picked himself up． And then he remembered Cunning ham's words about a wild animal in his woods．
As he walked slowly home， Van Cheele thought about several things which had happened in and around the village recently． Perhaps this boy knows something about them， he thought…Something has been killing rabbits and birds in the woods lately． Something has been stealing the farmer's chickens and carrying off the young sheep from the hills． Is it possible that this wild boy is hunting at night with a fast， intelligent dog？The boy talked of hunting on four feet at night…But he also said that dogs did not like to hunt with him at night…Very strange indeed．
As Van Cheele walked along， he turned the questions over and over in his head． Suddenly he stopped． The miller's son！ he said to himself． The child disappeared two months ago． Everyone thought that he had fallen into the river and been carried away
During his walk Van Cheele came to a deep pool under some tall trees． He knew it well： after all， it was his pool．But today， he saw a boy of about sixteen lying on a large rock beside the pool． The boy was drying his wet， naked brown body in the sun． His hair was wet too， and he had long， golden，wolfish eyes． He turned those eyes towards Van Cheele with a look of lazy watchfulness．
Van Cheele was surprised to see the boy． Where does this wild－looking boy come from？ he thought． Can he be the miller's son？ He disappeared two months ago． People say he fell into the river． It's a fast-running river， and nobody ever found his body． I wonder？ But the miller's boy was only a young child…
'What are you doing here？asked Van Cheele．
'Enjoying the sunshine， of course，' said the boy．
'Where do you live？'
'Here， in these woods．'
'You can't live in these woods．' said Van Cheele．
'They are very nice woods，' said the boy politely．
'But where do you sleep at night？'
'I don't sleep at night． That's my busiest time．'
Van Cheele began to feel cross． What did the boy mean？
'What do you eat？ he asked．
'Meat，' said the boy． He opened his mouth， showing very white teeth．
'Meat？What kind of meat？
'Well， if you must know， I eat rabbits， wild birds，chickens from the farm and young sheep from the hills． I like children when I can find them． But they 're usually too well locked in at night． It's two months since I tasted child meat．'
The boy is joking about the children， thought Van Cheele． But perhaps he really is stealing animals from the woods and farms． I must find out more about this．
Aloud he said，'You catch rabbits？ You must be joking．Our rabbits are much too fast for you．'
'At night I hunt on four feet，' was the boy's surprising replp．
'You mean that you hunt with a dog？' guessed Van Cheele．
The boy sat up suddenly and laughed a strange， low laugh． To Van Cheele that laugh sounded horrlbly like a growl．
'I don't think any dog would like to hunt with me，' the boy said．'Not at night…'
There is something horrible about this boy， thought Van Cheele． I don't like the way he looks and I don't like the way he talks．
'I can't let you stay in my woods，' he said aloud．
'Very well then— shall I come and live in your house？'replied te boy．
Van Cheele thought about his quiet， tidy house． No， he did not want this strange， wild boy at all． Of course， the boy was joking…but Van Cheele was not amused．
'If you don't go away，' he said， 'I shall have to call the police．'
At once the boy turned and jumped head-first into the pool． A moment later， his shining， wet body landed half－way up the grassy bank where Van Cheele was standing． Van Cheele stepped backwards． His foot slipped on the wet grass and he fell． He found himself lying on the grass with those wolfish yellow eyes uncomfortably near to his． He felt a moment of horrible fear． The boy laughed again， a laugh that was like the growl of a wild animal， then disaggeared among the bushes．
'What an extraordinarily wild animal！' said Van Cheele as he picked himself up． And then he remembered Cunning ham's words about a wild animal in his woods．
As he walked slowly home， Van Cheele thought about several things which had happened in and around the village recently． Perhaps this boy knows something about them， he thought…Something has been killing rabbits and birds in the woods lately． Something has been stealing the farmer's chickens and carrying off the young sheep from the hills． Is it possible that this wild boy is hunting at night with a fast， intelligent dog？The boy talked of hunting on four feet at night…But he also said that dogs did not like to hunt with him at night…Very strange indeed．
As Van Cheele walked along， he turned the questions over and over in his head． Suddenly he stopped． The miller's son！ he said to himself． The child disappeared two months ago． Everyone thought that he had fallen into the river and been carried away