masterman ready-第12章

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As　soon　as　the　breakfast　was　over；　Ready　said；　〃Now　we　must　go　down　and　explore　the　other　point；　for　you　see；　William；　I　have　not　yet　found　a　passage　through　the　reef；　and　as　our　little　boat　must　come　round　this　side　of　the　island；　it　is　at　the　point　on　this　side　that　I　must　try　to　find　an　entrance。　When　I　was　on　the　opposite　point　it　did　appear　to　me　that　the　water　was　not　broken　close　to　this　point；　and　should　there　be　a　passage　we　shall　be　very　fortunate。〃

They　soon　arrived　at　the　end　of　the　point　of　land；　and　found　that　Ready　was　not　wrong　in　his　supposition；　the　water　was　deep；　and　there　was　a　passage　many　yards　wide。　The　sea　was　so　smooth；　and　the　water　so　clear；　that　they　could　see　down　to　the　rocky　bottom；　and　watched　the　fish　as　they　darted　along。　〃Look　there！〃　said　Willy；　pointing　out　about　fifty　yards　from　the　beach；　〃a　great　shark；　Ready！〃

〃Yes；　I　see　him；　sir；〃　replied　Ready：　〃there's　plenty　of　them　here；　depend　upon　it；　and　you　must　be　very　careful　how　you　get　into　the　water：　the　sharks　always　keep　to　the　leeward　of　the　island；　and　for　one　where　Juno　bathed　your　little　brother；　you　will　find　fifty　here。　I'm　quite　satisfied　now；　William；　we　shall　do　very　well；　and　all　we　have　now　to　think　of　is　moving　away　from　the　other　side　of　the　island　as　fast　as　possible。〃

〃Shall　we　go　back　to…day？〃

〃Yes；　I　think　so；　for　we　shall　only　be　idle　here。　It　is　not　twelve　o'clock；　I　should　think；　and　we　shall　have　plenty　of　time。　I　think　we　had　better　start　at　once；　we　will　leave　the　spade　and　axe　here；　for　it　is　no　use　taking　them　back　again。　The　musket　I　will　take　along。　But　first　let　us　go　back　and　look　at　the　spring；　and　see　how　the　water　flows。〃

As　they　walked　along　the　edge　of　the　sandy　beach　they　found　the　sea…birds　hovering　close　to　them：　all　of　a　sudden　a　large　shoal　of　fish　threw　themselves　high　and　dry　on　the　sand；　and　they　were　followed　by　several　of　a　larger　size；　which　also　lay　flapping　on　the　beach；　while　the　sea…birds；　darting　down　close　to　the　feet　of　William　and　Ready；　and　seizing　up　the　fish；　flew　away　with　them。

〃How　very　strange！〃　said　William；　surprised。

〃Yes；　sir；　but　you　see　how　it　is　…　the　small　fish　were　chased　by　the　larger　ones；　which　are　bonettas；　and　in　their　fright　ran　upon　the　beach。　These　bonettas　were　so　anxious　to　catch　them；　that　they　came　on　shore　also；　and　then　the　gannets　picked　them　all　up。〃

They　found　the　hole　which　Ready　had　dug　quite　full　of　water；　and；　tasting　it；　it　proved　very　sweet　and　good。　Overjoyed　at　this　discovery；　they　covered　up　the　articles　they　agreed　to　leave　behind　them　with　some　boughs　under　the　notched　cocoa…nut　trees；　and；　calling　the　dogs；　set　off　on　their　journey　back　again　to　the　cove。



Chapter　XVII

Guided　by　the　marks　made　on　the　trees；　William　and　Ready　made　rapid　progress　in　their　return；　and　in　less　than　two　hours　found　themselves　almost　clear　of　the　wood　which　had　taken　them　nearly　eight　hours　to　force　their　way　through　the　day　before。

〃I　feel　the　wind　now；　Ready；〃　observed　William；　〃and　we　must　be　nearly　through　the　wood；　but　it　appears　to　me　to　be　very　dark。〃

〃I　was　just　thinking　the　same；〃　replied　Ready。　〃I　should　not　wonder　if　there　is　a　storm　brewing　up；　and　if　so；　the　sooner　we　are　back　again　the　better。〃

As　they　proceeded；　the　rustling　and　waving　of　the　boughs　of　the　trees；　and　ever　and　anon　a　gust　of　wind；　followed　by　a　moaning　and　creaking　sound；　proved　that　such　was　the　fact；　and　as　they　emerged　from　the　grove；　they　perceived　that　the　sky；　as　it　became　visible　to　them；　was　of　one　dark　leaden　hue；　and　no　longer　of　the　brilliant　blue　which　it　usually　had　presented　to　their　sight。

〃There　is　indeed　a　gale　coming　on；〃　said　Ready；　as　they　cleared　the　wood：　〃let　us　go　on　to　the　tents　as　fast　as　possible；　for　we　must　see　that　all　is　as　secure　as　we　can　make　it。〃

The　dogs　now　bounded　forward；　and　at　their　appearance　at　the　tents　Mr。　Seagrave　and　Juno　came　out；　and　seeing　Ready　and　William　advancing；　made　known　the　welcome　tidings　to　Mrs。　Seagrave；　who；　with　the　children；　had　remained　within。　In　a　moment　more　William　was　pressed　in　his　mother's　arms。

〃I　am　glad　that　you　are　come　back；　Ready；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　shaking　him　by　the　hand　after　he　had　embraced　William；　〃for　I　fear　that　bad　weather　is　coming　on。〃

〃I　am　sure　of　it；〃　replied　Ready；　〃and　we　must　expect　a　blusterous　night。　This　will　be　one　of　the　storms　which　are　forerunners　of　the　rainy　season。　However；　we　have　good　news　for　you；　and　must　only　take　this　as　a　warning　to　hasten　our　departure　as　soon　as　possible。　We　shall　have　fine　weather　after　this　for　a　month　or　so；　although　we　must　expect　a　breeze　now　and　then。　But　we　must　work　hard　and　do　our　best；　and　now；　if　you　please；　you　and　Juno；　William　and　I；　will　go　and　haul　up　the　boat　as　far　from　the　beach　as　we　possibly　can；　for　the　waves　will　be　high　and　run　a　long　way　up；　and　our　boat　will　be　our　main　dependence　soon。〃

The　four　went　down　as　soon　as　Ready　had　sawed　the　ends　of　the　spars　which　had　been　cut　off；　into　three　rollers；　to　fix　under　the　keel；　with　the　help　afforded　by　them；　the　boat　was　soon　hauled　up　high　into　the　brushwood；　where　it　was　considered　by　Ready　to　be　perfectly　safe。

〃I　meant　to　have　worked　upon　her　immediately；〃　observed　Ready；　〃but　I　must　wait　now　till　the　gale　is　over；　and　I　did　hope　to　have　got　on　board　once　more；　and　looked　after　some　things　which　I　have　since　remembered　would　have　been　useful；　but　I　strongly　suspect；〃　continued　he；　looking　at　the　weather；　〃that　we　shall　never　go　on　board　of　the　poor　vessel　again。　Hear　the　moaning　of　the　coming　storm；　sir；　look　how　the　sea…birds　wheel　about　and　scream；　as　if　to　proclaim　her　doom；　but　we　must　not　wait　here　…　the　tents　must　be　made　more　secure；　for　they　will　have　to　hold　up　against　no　small　force　of　wind；　if　I　mistake　not。〃

Ready；　assisted　by　Mr。　Seagrave；　now　got　out　some　heavy　canvas　and　lines；　and　commenced　putting　it　as　a　double　cover　over　the　tents；　to　keep　out　the　rain；　they　also　secured　the　tents　with　guys　and　stays　of　rope；　so　as　to　prevent　them　being　blown　down；　while　Juno　with　a　shovel　deepened　the　trench　which　had　been　made　round　the　tents；　so　that　the　water　might　run　off　more　easily。　During　the　time　they　were　at　work；　Ready　had　made　Mr。　Seagrave　acquainted　with　what　they　had　discovered　and　done　during　the　exploring　expedition；　and　the　adventure　with　the　pigs　made　them　all　laugh　heartily。

As　the　sun　went　down；　the　weather　threatened　still　more；　the　wind　blew　strong；　and　the　rocky　beach　was　lashed　by　the　waves　and　white　with　spray；　while　the　surf　roared　as　it　poured　in　and　broke　upon　the　sand　in　the　cove。　The　whole　family　had　retired　to　bed　except　Ready；　who　said　that　he　would　watch　the　weather　a　little　before　he　turned　in。　The　old　man　walked　towards　the　beach；　and　leaned　against　the　gunnel　of　the　boat；　and　there　he　remained　with　his　keen　gray　eye　fixed　upon　the　distance；　which　was　now　one　opaque　mass；　except　where　the　white　foam　of　the　waters　gleamed　through　the　darkness　of　the　night！　〃Yes！〃　thought　he；　〃the　winds　and　the　waves　are　summoned　to　do　his　bidding；　and　evenly　do　they　work　together　…　as　one　rises；　so　does　the　other；　when　one　howls；　the　other　roars　in　concert　…　hand　in　hand　they　go　in　their　fury　and　their　force。　Had　they　been　called　up　but　one　week　since；　where　would　have　been　those　who　have　now　been；　as　it　were；　intrusted　to　my　weak　help？　The　father；　the　mother；　the　children；　the　infant　at　the　breast；　and　I；　the　gray…headed　old　man；　…　all　buried　fathoms　deep；　awaiting　our　summons；　but　they　were　restrained　by　his　will；　and　by　his　will　we　were　saved。　Will　those　timbers　which　bore　us　here　so　miraculously　hold　together　till　morning？　I　should　think　not。　What　are　the　iron　bolts　and　fastenings　of　weak　man；　compared　with　the　force　of　God's　elements：　they　will　snap　as　yarns；　and　by　to…morrow's　dawn；　the　fragments　of　the　stout　ship　will　be　washing　and　tossing　on　the　wild　surf。　Well；　it　will　be　a　kindness　to　us；　for　the　waters　will　perform　the　labour　which　we　could　not；　they　will　break　up　the　timbers　for　our　use；　and　throw　on　shore　from　the　hold　those　articles　which　we　could　not　reach　with　our　little　strength。〃

A　sharp　flash　of　lightning　struck　upon　the　old　man's　eyes；　and　obstructed　his　vision　for　the　moment。　〃The　storm　will　soon　be　at　its　height；〃　thought　he；　〃I　will　watch　the　tents；　and　see　how　they　stand　up　against　its　force。〃　Then　the　rain　came　pattering　down；　and　the　wind　howled　louder　than　before。　In　a　minute　or　two　the　darkness　became　so　intense　that　he　could　hardly　find　his　way　back　to　the　tents。　He　turned　round；　but　could　not　see；　for　he　was　blinded　by　the　heavy　rain。　As　nothing　could　be　done；　he　went　into　the　tent　and　sheltered　himself　from　the　storm；　although　he　would　not　lie　down；　lest　his　services　might　be　required。　The　others　had　retired　to　bed；　but　with　the　exception　of　Tommy　and　the　children；　they　had　not　taken　off　their　clothes。



Chapter　XVIII

The　storm　now　raged　furiously；　the　lightning　was　accompanied　by　loud　peals　of　thunder；　and　the　children　awoke　and　cried　with　fright；　till　they　were　hushed　to　sleep　again。　The　wind　howled　as　it　pressed　with　all　its　violence　against　the　tents；　while　the　rain　poured　off　in　torrents。　One　moment　the　canvas　of　the　tents　would　bulge　in；　and　the　cords　which　held　it　strain　and　crack；　at　another；　an　eddy　of　wind　would　force　out　the　canvas；　which　would　flap　and　flap；　while　the　rain　found　many　an　entrance。　The　tent　in　which　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　the　children　reposed　was　on　the　outside　of　the　others；　and　therefore　the　most　exposed。　About　midnight　the　wind　burst　on　them　with　greater　violence　than　before。　A　loud　crash　was　heard　by　Ready　and　Mr。　Seagrave；　followed　by　the　shrieks　of　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　Juno；　the　pegs　of　the　tent　had　given　way；　and　the　inmates　were　exposed　to　the　fury　of　the　elements。　Ready　rushed　out；　followed　by　Mr。　Seagrave　and　William。　So　strong　was　the　wind　and　beating　rain；　and　such　was　the　darkness；　that　it　was　with　some　difficulty　that　by　their　united　efforts　the　women　and　children　could　be　extricated。　Tommy　was　the　first　taken　up　by　Ready：　his　courage　had　all　gone；　and　he　was　bellowing　furiously。　William　took　Albert　in　charge　and　carried　him　into　the　other　tent；　where　Tommy　sat　in　his　wet　shirt　roaring　most　melodiously。　Juno；　Mrs。　Seagrave；　and　the　little　girl　were　at　last　carried　away　and　taken　into　the　other　tent：　fortunately　no　one　was　hurt；　although　the　frightened　children　could　not　be　pacified；　and　joined　in　chorus　with　Tommy。　Nothing　more　could　be　done　except　to　put　the　children　into　bed；　and　then　the　whole　party　sat　up　the　remainder　of　the　night　listening　to　the　noise　of　the　wind；　the　roaring　of　the　sea；　and　the　loud　patter　of　the　rain　against　the　canvas。　At　dawn　of　day；　Ready　went　out；　and　found　that　the　gale　had　spent　its　force；　and　had　already　much　abated；　but　it　was　not　one　of　those　bright　glorious　mornings　to　which　they　had　been　accustomed　since　their　arrival　at　the　island：　the　sky　was　still　dark；　and　the　clouds　were　chasing　each　other　wildly；　there　was　neither　sun　nor　blue　sky　to　be　seen：　it　still　rained；　but　only　at　intervals；　and　the　earth　was　soft　and　spongy；　the　little　cove；　but　the　day　before　so　beautiful；　was　now　a　mass　of　foaming　and　tumultuous　waves；　and　the　surf　was　thrown　many　yards　upon　the　beach：　the　horizon　was　confused　…　you　c