11. Enemies Turned to Be Friends

I was 14 when Mr. Ingram hired me as a farmhand. It was the first time I was 1) ____ paid for work.

One day Mr. Ingram 2）____ an old truck that was 3）____ in the soft, sandy soil of our field, It was full of melons that someone had tried to steal before his truck got bogged down.

Mr. Ingram 4）_____ that the truck’s owner would be returning soon, and he wanted me to 5）____ and learn. It wasn’t long before a local guy with a terrible 6）_____ for fighting and stealing showed up with his two 7）_____ sons. They looked really angry.

Calmly Mr. Ingram said, “Well, I see you want to buy some watermelons from us.”

8“_____”

“Twenty-five cents each.”

9“_____”.

It turned out to be our biggest sale of the summer, and a nasty, perhaps violent, incident had been avoided. After they left, Mr. Ingram smiled and said to me, 10）“____.”

Notes:

bog down：be stuck fast, unable to make progress （陷入泥淖）

nasty：dirty, disgusting （脏的，令人厌恶的）