masterman ready-第46章

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They　complied　with　Ready's　request；　went　up　to　the　planks；　and　examined　carefully　all　round　the　stockade；　at　last　they　stopped。

〃This　is　a　sad　business；　William；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。

William　shook　his　head。　〃He　would　not　let　me　go；〃　replied　he；　〃I　wish　he　had。　I　fear　that　he　is　much　hurt。〃

〃I　should　say　that　he　cannot　recover；　William。　We　shall　miss　him　to…morrow　if　they　attack　us。〃

〃I　hardly　know　what　to　say；　papa；　but　I　feel　that　since　we　have　been　relieved；　I　am　able　to　do　twice　as　much　as　I　could　have　done　before。〃

〃I　feel　the　same；　but　still　with　such　a　force　against　us；　two　people　cannot　do　much。〃

〃If　my　mother　and　Juno　load　the　muskets　for　us；〃　replied　William；　〃we　shall　at　all　events　do　as　much　now　as　we　should　have　been　able　to　do　if　there　were　three；　so　exhausted　as　we　should　have　been。〃

〃Perhaps　so；　at　all　events　we　will　do　our　best；　for　we　fight　for　our　lives　and　for　those　most　dear　to　us。〃

William　went　softly　up　to　Ready；　and　found　that　he　was　dozing；　he　therefore　did　not　disturb　him；　but　returned　to　his　father。　Now　that　their　thirst　had　been　appeased；　they　all　felt　the　calls　of　hunger。　Juno　and　William　went　and　cut　off　steaks　from　the　turtle；　and　fried　them；　they　all　made　a　hearty　meal；　and　perhaps　never　had　they　taken　one　with　so　much　relish　in　their　lives。

It　was　nearly　daylight；　when　William；　who　had　several　times　been　softly　up　to　Ready；　found　him　with　his　eyes　open。

〃How　do　you　find　yourself；　Ready？〃　said　William。

〃I　am　quiet　and　easy；　William；　and　without　much　pain；　but　I　think　I　am　sinking；　and　shall　not　last　long。　Recollect　that　if　you　are　obliged　to　escape　from　the　stockade；　you　take　no　heed　of　me；　but　leave　me　where　I　am。　I　cannot　live；　and　were　you　to　move　me；　I　should　only　die　the　sooner。〃

〃I　had　rather　die　with　you；　than　leave　you；　Ready。〃

〃No；　that　is　wrong；　you　must　save　your　mother；　and　your　brothers　and　sister；　promise　me　that　you　will　do　as　I　wish。〃

William　hesitated。

〃I　point　out　to　you　your　duty；　William。　I　know　what　your　feelings　are；　but　you　must　not　give　way　to　them；　promise　me　this；　or　you　will　make　me　very　miserable。〃

William　squeezed　Ready's　hand；　his　heart　was　too　full　to　speak。

〃They　will　come　at　daylight；　William；　you　have　not　much　time　to　spare；　climb　to　the　look…out；　and　wait　there　till　day　dawns；　watch　them　as　long　as　you　can；　and　then　come　and　tell　me　what　you　have　seen。〃

Ready's　voice　became　faint　after　this　exertion　of　speaking　so　much。

William　immediately　climbed　up　the　cocoa…nut　tree；　and　waited　there　till　daylight。　At　the　dawn　of　day；　he　perceived　that　the　savages　were　at　work；　that　they　had　collected　all　the　faggots　together　opposite　to　where　the　old　house　had　stood；　and　were　very　busy　in　making　arrangements　for　the　attack。　At　last；　every　one　shouldered　a　faggot；　and　commenced　their　advance　towards　the　stockade；　William　immediately　descended　and　called　his　father；　who　was　talking　with　Mrs。　Seagrave。　The　muskets　were　all　loaded；　and　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　Juno　took　their　posts　below　the　planking；　to　reload　them　as　fast　as　they　were　fired。

〃We　must　fire　upon　them　as　soon　as　we　are　sure　of　not　missing；　William；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃for　the　more　we　check　their　advance；　the　better。〃

When　the　first　savages　were　within　fifty　yards；　they　both　fired；　and　two　of　the　men　dropped；　they　continued　to　fire　as　their　assailants　came　up；　with　great　success　for　the　first　ten　minutes；　after　which　the　savages　advanced　in　a　larger　body；　and　took　the　precaution　to　hold　the　faggots　in　front　of　them；　for　some　protection　as　they　approached。　By　these　means　they　gained　the　stockade　in　safety；　and　commenced　laying　their　faggots。　Mr。　Seagrave　and　William　still　kept　up　an　incessant　fire　upon　them；　but　not　with　so　much　success　as　before。

Although　many　fell；　the　faggots　were　gradually　heaped　up；　till　they　almost　reached　to　the　holes　between　the　palisades；　through　which　they　pointed　their　muskets；　and　as　the　savages　contrived　to　slope　them　down　from　the　stockade　to　the　ground；　it　was　evident　that　they　meant　to　mount　up　and　take　them　by　escalade。　At　last；　it　appeared　as　if　all　the　faggots　had　been　placed；　and　the　savages　retired　farther　back；　to　where　the　cocoa…nut　trees　were　still　standing。

〃They　have　gone　away；　father；〃　said　William；　〃but　they　will　come　again；　and　I　fear　it　is　all　over　with　us。〃

〃I　fear　so　too；　my　boy；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃they　are　only　retreating　to　arrange　for　a　general　assault；　and　they　now　will　be　able　to　gain　an　entrance。　I　almost　wish　that　they　had　fired　the　faggots；　we　might　have　escaped　as　Ready　pointed　out　to　us；　but　now　I　fear　we　have　no　chance。〃

〃Don't　say　a　word　to　my　mother；〃　said　William；　〃let　us　defend　ourselves　to　the　last；　and　if　we　are　overpowered　it　is　the　will　of　God。〃

〃I　should　like　to　take　a　farewell　embrace　of　your　dear　mother；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃but；　no；　it　will　be　weakness　just　now。　Here　they　come；　William；　in　a　swarm。　Well；　God　bless　you；　my　boy；　we　shall　all；　I　trust；　meet　in　Heaven！〃

The　whole　body　of　savages　were　now　advancing　from　the　cocoa…nut　wood　in　a　solid　mass；　they　raised　a　yell；　which　struck　terror　into　the　hearts　of　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　Juno；　yet　they　flinched　not。　The　savages　were　again　within　fifty　yards　of　them；　when　the　fire　was　opened　upon　them；　the　fire　was　answered　by　loud　yells；　and　the　savages　had　already　reached　to　the　bottom　of　the　sloping　pile　of　faggots；　when　the　yells　and　the　reports　of　the　muskets　were　drowned　by　a　much　louder　report；　followed　by　the　crackling　and　breaking　of　the　cocoa…nut　trees；　which　made　both　parties　start　with　surprise；　another　and　another　followed；　the　ground　was　ploughed　up；　and　the　savages　fell　in　numbers。

〃It　must　be　the　cannon　of　a　ship；　father；〃　said　William；　〃we　are　saved　…　we　are　saved！〃

〃It　can　be　nothing　else；　we　are　saved；　and　by　a　miracle！〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave　in　utter　astonishment。

The　savages　paused　in　the　advance；　quite　stupefied；　again；　again；　again；　the　report　of　the　loud　guns　boomed　through　the　air；　and　the　round…shot　and　grape　came　whizzing　and　tearing　through　the　cocoa…nut　grove；　at　this　last　broadside；　the　savages　turned；　and　fled　towards　their　canoes：　not　one　was　left　to　be　seen。

〃We　are　saved！〃　cried　Mr。　Seagrave；　leaping　off　the　plank　and　embracing　his　wife；　who　sank　down　on　her　knees；　and　held　up　her　clasped　hands　in　thankfulness　to　Heaven。

William　had　hastened　up　to　the　look…out　on　the　cocoa…nut　tree；　and　now　cried　out　to　them　below；　as　the　guns　were　again　discharged：

〃A　large　schooner；　father；　she　is　firing　at　the　savages；　who　are　at　the　canoes；　they　are　falling　in　every　direction：　some　have　plunged　into　the　water；　there　is　a　boat　full　of　armed　men　coming　on　shore；　they　are　close　to　the　beach；　by　the　garden…point。　Three　of　the　canoes　have　got　off　full　of　men；　there　go　the　guns　again；　two　of　the　canoes　are　sunk；　father；　the　boat　has　landed；　and　the　people　are　coming　up　this　way。〃　William　then　descended　from　the　look…out　as　fast　as　he　could。

As　soon　as　he　was　down；　he　commenced　unbarring　the　door　of　the　stockade。　He　pulled　out　the　last　pole　just　as　he　heard　the　feet　of　their　deliverers　outside。　He　threw　open　the　door；　and；　a　second　after；　found　himself　in　the　arms　of　Captain　Osborn。



Chapter　LXVI

Before　we　wind　up　this　history；　it　will　be　as　well　to　state　to　my　young　readers　how　it　was　that　Captain　Osborn　made　his　appearance　at　so　fortunate　a　moment。　It　will　be　recollected　how　a　brig　came　off　the　island　some　months　before　this；　and　the　great　disappointment　that　the　party　on　the　island　experienced　in　her　not　making　her　appearance　again。　The　fact　was；　that　those　on　board　of　the　brig　had　not　only　seen　their　signals；　but　had　read　the　name　of　the　〃Pacific〃　upon　the　flag　hoisted；　but　the　heavy　gale　which　came　on　drove　them　so　far　to　the　southward；　that　the　master　of　the　brig　did　not　consider　that　he　should　do　his　duty　to　his　owners；　if　he　lost　so　much　time　in　beating　up　for　the　island　again。　He　therefore　decided　upon　making　all　sail　for　Sydney；　to　which　port　he　was　bound。

When　Captain　Osborn　was　put　into　the　boat　by　Mackintosh　and　the　seamen　of　the　Pacific；　he　was　still　insensible；　but　he　gradually　recovered；　and　after　a　stormy　night；　Captain　Osborn　was　so　far　recovered　as　to　hear　from　Mackintosh　what　had　taken　place；　and　why　it　was　that　he　found　himself　in　an　open　boat　at　sea。　The　next　morning　the　wind　moderated；　and　they　were　fortunate　enough　to　fall　in　with　a　vessel　bound　to　Van　Diemen's　Land；　which　took　them　all　on　board。

From　the　account　given　by　Mackintosh；　Captain　Osborn　had　no　doubt　in　his　mind　but　that　the　Seagrave　family　had　perished；　and　the　loss　of　the　vessel；　with　them　on　board；　was　duly　reported　to　the　owners。　When　at　Van　Diemen's　Land；　Captain　Osborn　was　so　much　taken　with　the　beauty　and　fertility　of　the　country；　and　perhaps　not　so　well　inclined　to　go　to　sea　again　after　such　danger　as　he　had　incurred　in　the　last　voyage；　that　he　resolved　to　purchase　land　and　settle　there。　He　did　so；　and　had　already　stocked　his　farm　with　cattle；　and　had　gone　round　to　Sydney　in　a　schooner　to　await　the　arrival　of　a　large　order　from　England　which　he　had　sent　for；　when　the　brig　arrived　and　reported　the　existence　of　some　white　people　on　the　small　island；　and　also　that　they　had　hoisted　a　flag　with　the　name　Pacific　worked　on　it。

Captain　Osborn；　hearing　this；　went　to　the　master　of　the　brig；　and　questioned　him。　He　found　the　latitude　and　longitude　of　the　island　to　be　not　far　from　that　of　the　ship　when　she　was　deserted；　and　he　was　now　convinced　that；　by　some　miracle；　the　Seagrave　family　had　been　preserved。　He　therefore　went　to　the　Governor　of　New　South　Wales；　and　made　him　acquainted　with　the　facts　which　had　been　established；　and　the　Governor　instantly　replied；　that　the　government　armed　schooner　was　at　his　service；　if　he　would　himself　go　in　quest　of　his　former　shipmates。　Inconvenient　as　the　absence　at　that　time　was　to　Captain　Osborn；　he　at　once　acquiesced；　and　in　a　few　days　the　schooner　sailed　for　her　destination。　She　arrived　off　the　island　on　the　same　morning　that　the　fleet　of　canoes　with　the　savages　effected　their　landing；　and　when　William　made　the　remark　to　Ready　as　they　were　hastening　into　the　stockade；　that　there　was　another　vessel　under　sail　off　the　garden…point；　had　Ready　had　time　to　put　his　eye　to　the　telescope；　he　would　have　discovered　that　it　was　the　schooner。

The　schooner　stood　in　to　the　reefs；　and　then　hauled　off　again；　that　she　might　send　her　boat　in　to　sound　for　an　anchorage。　The　boat；　when　sounding；　perceived　the　canoes　and　the　savages；　and　afterwards　heard　the　report　of　firearms　on　the　first　attack。　On　her　return　on　board　the　schooner；　they　stated　what　they　had　seen　and　heard；　and　their　idea　that　the　white　people　on　the　island　were　being　attacked　by　the　savages。　As　the　boat　did　not　return　on　board　till　near　dusk；　they　had　not　time　to　canvas；　the　question　when　the　night　attack　was　made；　and　they　again　heard　the　firing　of　the　muskets。　This　made　Captain　Osborn　most　anxious　to　land　as　soon　as　possible；　but　as　the　savages　were　in　such　numbers；　and　the　crew　of　the　schooner　did　not　consist　of　more　than　twenty…five　men；　the　commander　considered　it　was　rash　to　make　the　attempt。　He　did；　however；　show　the　utmost　anxiety　to　bring　his　schooner　to　an　anchor；　so　as　to　protect　his　men；　and　then　agreed　that　they　sho