masterman ready-第36章

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〃No；　and　I　think　we　had　better　take　our　shovels　and　dig　the　pits　for　the　water；　and　then　we　shall　know　by　to…morrow　morning　whether　the　water　is　good　or　not。〃

〃Yes；　Ready；　we　can　do　that　before　we　get　our　supper。〃

They　walked　to　where　the　ground　between　the　bananas　and　yam　patch　was　wet　and　swampy；　and　dug　two　large　holes　about　a　yard　deep　and　square；　the　water　trickled　in　very　fast；　and　they　were　up　to　their　ankles　before　they　had　finished。

〃There'll　be　no　want　of　water；　Ready；　if　it　is　only　fit　to　drink。〃

〃I've　no　fear　of　that；〃　replied　Ready。

They　returned　to　the　tent　and　made　their　supper　off　the　salt　pork　and　flour…cakes；　and　then　lay　down　on　the　mattresses。　They　were　soon　fast　asleep；　for　they　were　tired　out　with　the　hard　work　which　they　had　gone　through。

The　next　morning；　at　sunrise；　they　were　up　again；　the　first　thing　they　did　was　to　go　and　examine　the　holes　they　had　dug　for　water；　they　found　them　full　and　running　over；　and　the　water　had　settled　quite　clear；　they　tasted　it；　and　pronounced　it　very　good。

As　soon　as　they　had　washed　themselves；　they　went　back　and　made　their　breakfast；　and　then　set　to　work　to　get　up　the　other　tent。　They　then　cleared　all　the　ground　near　the　tents　of　brushwood　and　high　grass；　and　levelled　it　nicely　with　their　shovels　inside。

〃Now；　William；　we　have　another　job；　which　is　to　prepare　a　fireplace　for　Juno：　we　must　go　down　to　the　beach　for　stones。〃

In　another　hour　the　fireplace　was　completed；　and　Ready　and　William　looked　at　their　work。

〃Well；　I　call　this　a　very　comfortable　lodging…house；〃　said　Ready。

〃And　I　am　sure；〃　replied　William；　〃it's　very　pretty。　Mamma　will　be　delighted　with　it。〃

〃We　shall　have　no　want　of　bananas　in　a　few　weeks；〃　said　Ready；　〃look；　they　are　all　in　blossom　already。　Well；　now　I　suppose　we　had　better　leave　everything　here；　and　go　back。　We　must　have　another　trip　this　afternoon；　and　sleep　here　to…night。〃

They　went　down　to　the　boat；　and　sailed　back　as　before；　by　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning　they　had　regained　the　house；　and　then　they　made　arrangements　for　their　work　during　the　remainder　of　the　day。　It　was　agreed　that　the　provisions　necessary　for　a　day　or　two；　the　table　and　chairs；　the　cooking　utensils；　and　a　portion　of　their　clothes；　should　be　taken　round　that　afternoon；　that　Ready　and　William　should　come　back　early　the　next　morning；　and　then　they　should　all　set　off　together　through　the　wood　to　the　new　location。　The　sheep　and　lambs　（for　they　had　four　lambs）；　the　goats　and　kids；　were　to　be　driven　through　the　wood　by　Mr。　Seagrave；　William　and　Ready　and　the　dogs　would　be　very　useful　in　driving　them。　As　for　the　fowls　and　chickens；　it　was　decided　they　should　be　left；　as　Ready　and　William　could　look　after　them　on　their　occasional　visits。



Chapter　XLVIII

The　boat　was　well　loaded　that　afternoon；　and　they　had　a　heavy　pull　round；　and　hard　work　afterwards　to　carry　all　the　articles　up。　William　and　Ready　were；　therefore；　not　sorry　when　their　work　was　done；　and　they　went　to　bed　as　soon　as　they　had　taken　their　supper。

At　sunrise；　they　went　back　to　the　bay　in　the　boat；　which　they　hauled　up；　and　then　proceeded　to　the　house；　where　they　found　that　everyone　was　ready　to　start。　Mr。　Seagrave　had　collected　all　the　animals；　and　they　set　off；　the　marks　on　the　trees　were　very　plain；　and　they　had　no　difficulty　in　finding　their　way；　but　they　had　a　good　deal　of　trouble　with　the　goats　and　sheep；　and　did　not　get　on　very　fast。　It　was　three　hours　before　they　got　clear　of　the　cocoa…nut　grove；　and　Mrs。　Seagrave　was　quite　tired　out。　At　last　they　arrived；　and　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Seagrave　could　not　help　exclaiming　〃How　beautiful！〃

When　they　came　to　where　the　tents　were　pitched　by　the　side　of　the　bananas；　they　were　equally　pleased：　it　was　quite　a　fairy　spot。　Mrs。　Seagrave　went　into　her　tent　to　repose　after　her　fatigue；　the　goats　and　sheep　were　allowed　to　stray　away　as　they　pleased；　the　dogs　lay　down；　panting　with　their　long　journey；　Juno　put　Albert　on　the　bed　while　she　went　with　William　to　collect　fuel　to　cook　the　dinner；　Ready　went　to　the　pits　to　get　some　water；　while　Mr。　Seagrave　walked　about；　examining　the　different　clumps　of　trees　with　which　the　meadow　was　studded。

When　Ready　returned　with　the　water；　he　called　the　dogs；　and　went　back　towards　the　yam　plantation。　Tommy　followed　them；　the　dogs　went　into　the　yams；　and　were　soon　barking　furiously；　which　pleased　Tommy　very　much；　when；　of　a　sudden；　out　burst　again　in　a　drove　all　the　pigs；　followed　by　the　dogs；　and　so　close　to　Tommy　that　he　screamed　with　fright；　and　tumbled　head　over　heels。

〃I　thought　you　were　there；　my　gentlemen；〃　said　Ready；　looking　after　the　pigs；　〃the　sooner　we　fence　you　out　the　better。〃

The　pigs　scampered　away；　and　went　into　the　cocoa…nut　grove　as　they　had　done　before。　The　dogs　followed　the　pigs；　and　did　not　return　for　a　long　while　afterwards。

It　was　late　before　the　dinner　was　ready；　and　they　were　all　very　glad　to　go　early　to　bed。

At　day　dawn；　William　and　Ready　had　again　started；　and　walked　through　the　cocoa…nut　grove　back　to　the　house；　to　bring　round　in　the　boat　the　articles　of　furniture　and　the　clothes　which　had　been　left。　Having　collected　everything　in　the　house；　and　procured　some　more　pork　and　flour　from　the　storehouse；　they　completed　the　load　by　spearing　one　of　the　turtles　which　remained；　and　putting　it　into　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　they　then　set　off　again　for　their　new　residence；　and　arrived　in　time　for　breakfast。

〃What　a　delightful　spot　this　is！〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave。　〃I　think　we　ought　always　to　make　it　our　summer　residence；　and　only　go　back　to　the　house　during　the　rainy　season。〃

〃It　is　much　cooler　here；　madam；　during　the　summer；　and　much　more　pleasant；　but　we　are　more　protected　in　the　house　by　the　cocoa…nut　grove。〃

〃Yes；　that　is　true；　and　it　is　very　valuable　during　the　rainy　season；　but　it　makes　it　warmer　in　the　summer　time。　I　like　the　change；　Ready；　and　shall　be　sorry　when　we　have　to　go　back　again。〃

〃Now　I　must　go；　and　help　Juno　to　cut　up　the　turtle；〃　said　Ready。　〃We　must　make　our　larder　among　the　banana　trees。〃

〃But　what　are　we　all　to　do；　Ready？〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃We　must　not　be　idle。〃

〃No；　sir；　but　I　think　we　must　give　up　this　day　to　putting　everything　to　rights；　and　making　everything　comfortable　inside　the　tents；　to…morrow　we　will　commence　the　ditch　and　hedge　round　the　yam　plantation。　We　need　not　work　very　hard　at　it；　for　I　don't　think　the　pigs　will　venture　here　again；　as　I　mean　to　tie　up　all　the　dogs　round　the　yam　patch　every　night；　and　their　barking　will　keep　them　off。〃

〃That　will　be　a　very　good　plan；　Ready。　What　beautiful　food　there　is　for　the　sheep　and　goats！〃

〃Yes；　this　must　be　their　future　residence　for　the　best　part　of　the　year。　I　think　to…morrow　we　will　begin　a　piece　of　the　ditch；　and　show　William　how　to　put　in　the　cuttings　of　prickly　pear　for　the　hedge；　and　then；　I　should　propose　that　you　and　I　go　to　the　cove　to　examine　the　stores　and　select　what　it　will　be　necessary　to　bring　round。　I　think　you　said　that　you　must　go　yourself？〃

〃Yes；　Ready；　I　wish　to　go。　When　we　have　made　our　selection；　I　will　return；　and　then　you　and　William；　who　is　more　used　to　the　boat　than　I　am；　can　bring　the　stores　round。　I　presume　we　shall　not　bring　them　here？〃

〃No；　sir；　we　will　take　them　round　to　the　storehouse。　When　we　have　done　that　job；　we　must　then　commence　our　alterations　and　our　stockade。〃



Chapter　XLIX

The　next　morning　they　went　with　their　shovels　to　the　yam　plantation；　and　commenced　their　work。　As　the　ground　was　soft　and　swampy；　the　labour　was　very　easy。　The　ditch　was　dug　nearly　a　yard　wide；　and　the　earth　thrown　up　on　a　bank　inside。　They　then　went　to　where　the　large　patch　of　prickly　pears　grew；　and　cut　a　quantity；　which　they　planted　on　the　top　of　the　bank。　Before　night；　they　had　finished　about　nine　or　ten　yards　of　the　hedge　and　ditch。

〃I　don't　think　that　the　pigs　will　get　over　that　when　it　is　finished；〃　said　Ready；　〃and　William　will　be　able　to　get　on　by　himself　when　we　are　gone；　as　well　as　if　we　were　with　him。〃

〃I'll　try　if　I　cannot　shoot　a　pig　or　two；〃　said　William。

〃Let　it　be　a　young　one；　then；　we　must　not　kill　the　old　ones。　Now　I　think　we　may　as　well　go　back。　Juno　is　carrying　in　the　supper。〃

Before　Mr。　Seagrave　and　Ready　started　on　the　following　morning；　the　latter　gave　William　directions　as　to　the　boat。　The　provisions　and　the　knapsack　having　been　already　prepared；　they　took　leave　of　Mrs。　Seagrave；　and　set　off；　each　armed　with　a　musket；　and　Ready　with　his　axe　slung　over　his　shoulder。　They　had　a　long　walk　before　them；　as　they　had　first　to　find　their　way　back　to　the　house；　and　from　thence　had　to　walk　through　the　wood　to　the　cove。

In　two　hours　after　leaving　the　house　they　reached　the　spot　where　they　had　first　landed。　The　rocks　near　to　it　were　strewed　with　timber　and　planks；　which　lay　bleaching　in　the　sun；　or　half…buried　in　the　sand。　Mr。　Seagrave　sat　down；　and　sighed　deeply　as　he　said；　〃Ready；　the　sight　of　these　timbers；　of　which　the　good　ship　Pacific　was　built；　recalls　feelings　which　I　had　hoped　to　have　dismissed　from　my　mind；　but　I　cannot　help　them　rising　up。　The　remains　of　this　vessel　appear　to　me　as　the　last　link　between　us　and　the　civilised　world；　which　we　have　been　torn　from；　and　all　my　thoughts　of　home　and　country；　and　I　may　say　all　my　longing　for　them；　are　revived　as　strong　as　ever。〃

〃And　very　natural　that　they　should；　Mr。　Seagrave；　I　feel　it　also。　I　am　content；　it　is　true；　because　I　have　nothing　to　wish　or　look　forward　to；　but　still　I　could　not　help　thinking　of　poor　Captain　Osborn　and　my　shipmates；　as　I　looked　upon　the　wreck；　and　wishing　that　I　might　take　them　by　the　hand　again。　It　is　very　natural　that　one　should　do　so。　Why；　sir；　do　you　know　that　I　feel　unhappy　even　about　the　poor　ship。　We　sailors　love　our　vessels；　especially　when　they　have　good　qualities；　and　the　Pacific　was　as　fine　a　vessel　as　ever　was　built。　Now；　sir；　I　feel　quite　melancholy　when　I　see　her　planks　and　timbers　lying　about　here。　But；　sir；　if　we　cannot　help　feeling　as　we　do；　it　is　our　duty　to　check　the　feeling；　so　that　it　does　not　get　the　mastery　over　us。　We　can　do　no　more。〃

〃Very　true；　Ready；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　rising　up；　〃it　is　not　only　useless；　but　even　sinful　to　indulge　in　them；　as　they　only　can　lead　to　our　repining　at　the　decrees　of　heaven。　Let　us　now　examine　the　rocks；　and　see　if　anything　has　been　thrown　up　that　may　be　of　use　to　us。〃

They　walked　round；　but；　with　the　exception　of　spars　and　a　barrel　or　two　of　tar；　they　could　find　nothing　of　value。　There　was　no　want　of　staves　and　iron　hoops　of　broken　casks；　and　these；　Ready　observed；　would　make　excellent　palings　for　the　garden　when　they　had　time　to　bring　them　round。

After　they　had　returned；　they　sat　down　to　rest　themselves；　and　then　they　went　to　the　tents　in　the　cocoa…nut　grove；　in　which　they　had　collected　the　articles　thrown　up　when　the　ship　went　to　pieces。

〃Why；　the　pigs　have　been　at　work　here！〃　said　Ready；　〃they　have　contrived　to　open　one　cask　of　flour　somehow　or　another；　look；　sir　…　I　suppose　it　must　have　been　shaky；　or　they　could　not　have　routed　into　it；　the　canvas　is　not　good　for　much；　I　fear；　fortunately；　we　have　several　bolts　of　new；　which　I　brought　on　shore。　Now；　sir；　we　will　see　what　condition　the　stores　are　in。　All　these　are　casks　of　flour；　and　we　run　no　risk　in　opening　them；　and　seeing　if　they　are　in　good　o