masterman ready-第12部分

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〃Not　more　than　eight？〃

〃No；　I　do　not　think　that　we　have　made　more　than　two　miles　an　hour：　it's　slow　work；　travelling　by　compass　and　marking　the　trees；　but　I　think　the　wood　looks　lighter　before　us；　now　that　we　are　at　the　top　of　this　hill。〃

〃It　does；　Ready；　I　fancy　I　can　see　the　blue　sky　again。〃

〃Your　eyes　are　younger　than　mine；　William；　and　perhaps　you　may　…　however；　we　shall　soon　find　out。〃

They　now　descended　into　a　small　hollow；　and　then　went　up　hill　again。　As　soon　as　they　arrived　at　the　top；　William　cried　out；　〃The　sea；　Ready！　there's　the　sea！〃

〃Very　true；　William；　and　I'm　not　sorry　for　it。〃

〃I　thought　we　never　should　get　out　of　that　nasty　wood　again；〃　said　William；　as　he　impatiently　pushed　on；　and　at　last　stood　clear　of　the　cocoa…nut　grove。　Ready　soon　joined　him；　and　they　surveyed　the　scene　before　them　in　silence。



Chapter　XV

〃Oh！　how　beautiful！〃　exclaimed　William；　at　last；　〃I'm　sure　mamma　would　like　to　live　here。　I　thought　the　other　side　of　the　island　very　pretty；　but　it's　nothing　compared　to　this。〃

〃It　is　very　beautiful；〃　replied　Ready；　thoughtfully。

A　more　lovely　scene　could　scarcely　be　imagined。　The　cocoa…nut　grove　terminated　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　beach；　very　abruptly；　for　there　was　a　rapid　descent　for　about　thirty　feet　from　where　they　stood　to　the　land　below；　on　which　was　a　mixture　of　little　grass　knolls　and　brushwood；　to　about　fifty　yards　from　the　water's　edge；　where　it　was　met　with　dazzling　white　sand；　occasionally　divided　by　narrow　ridges　of　rock　which　ran　inland。　The　water　was　a　deep　blue；　except　where　it　was　broken　into　white　foam　on　the　reefs；　which　extended　for　miles　from　the　beach；　and　the　rocks　of　which　now　and　then　showed　themselves　above　water。　On　the　rocks　were　perched　crowds　of　gannets　and　men…of…war　birds；　while　others　wheeled　in　the　air；　every　now　and　then　darting　down　into　the　blue　sea；　and　bringing　up　in　their　bills　a　fish　out　of　the　shoals　which　rippled　the　water；　or　bounded　clear　of　it　in　their　gambols。　The　form　of　the　coast　was　that　of　a　horse…shoe　bay　…　two　points　of　land　covered　with　shrubs　extending　far　out　on　each　side。　The　line　of　the　horizon；　far　out　at　sea；　was　clear　and　unbroken。

Ready　remained　for　some　time　without　speaking；　he　scanned　the　horizon　right　and　left；　and　then　he　turned　his　eyes　along　the　land。　At　last　William　said：

〃What　are　you　thinking　of；　Ready？〃

〃Why；　I　am　thinking　that　we　must　look　for　water　as　fast　as　we　can。〃

〃But　why　are　you　so　anxious？〃

〃Because　I　can　see　no　island　to　leeward　of　us　as　I　expected；　and　therefore　there　is　less　chance　of　getting　off　this　island；　and　this　bay；　although　very　beautiful；　is　full　of　reefs；　and　I　see　no　inlet；　which　makes　it　awkward　for　many　reasons。　But　we　cannot　judge　at　first　sight。　Let　us　now　sit　down　and　take　our　dinner；　and　after　that　we　will　explore　a　little。〃

Ready　cut　two　wide　marks　in　the　stems　of　the　cocoa…nut　trees；　and　then　descended　with　William　to　the　low　ground；　where　they　sat　down　to　eat　their　dinner。　As　soon　as　their　meal　was　finished　they　first　walked　down　to　the　water's　edge；　and　Ready　turned　his　eyes　inland　to　see　if　he　could　discover　any　little　ravine　or　hollow　which　might　be　likely　to　contain　fresh　water。　〃There　are　one　or　two　places　there；〃　observed　Ready；　pointing　to　them　with　his　finger；　〃where　the　water　has　run　down　in　the　rainy　season：　we　must　examine　them　carefully；　but　not　now。　I　want　to　find　out　whether　there　is　any　means　of　getting　our　little　boat　through　this　reef　of　rocks；　or　otherwise　we　shall　have　very　hard　work　（if　we　change　our　abode　to　this　spot）　to　bring　all　our　stores　through　that　wood；　so　we　will　pass　the　rest　of　this　day　in　examining　the　coast；　and　to…morrow　we　will　try　for　fresh　water。〃

〃Look　at　the　dogs；　Ready；　they　are　drinking　the　sea…water；　poor　things！〃

〃They　won't　drink　much　of　that；　I　expect；　you　see　they　don't　like　it　already。〃

〃How　beautiful　the　corals　are　…　look　here；　they　grow　like　little　trees　under　the　water；　…　and　look　here；　here　is　really　a　flower　in　bloom　growing　on　that　rock　just　below　the　water。〃

〃Put　your　finger　to　it；　Master　William；〃　said　Ready。

William　did　so；　and　the　flower；　as　he　called　it；　immediately　shut　up。

〃Why；　it's　flesh；　and　alive！〃

〃Yes；　it　is；　I　have　often　seen　them　before：　they　call　them　sea…anemones　…　they　are　animals；　but　I　don't　know　whether　they　are　shell…fish　or　not。　Now；　let　us　walk　out　to　the　end　of　this　point　of　land；　and　see　if　we　can　discover　any　opening　in　the　reef。　The　sun　is　going　down；　and　we　shall　not　have　more　than　an　hour's　daylight；　and　then　we　must　look　out　for　a　place　to　sleep　in。〃

〃But　what　is　that？〃　cried　William；　pointing　to　the　sand　…　〃that　round　dark　thing？〃

〃That's　what　I'm　very　glad　to　see；　William：　it's　a　turtle。　They　come　up　about　this　time　in　the　evening　to　drop　their　eggs；　and　then　they　bury　them　in　the　sand。〃

〃Can't　we　catch　them？〃

〃Yes；　we　can　catch　them　if　we　go　about　it　quietly；　but　you　must　take　care　not　to　go　behind　them；　or　they　will　throw　such　a　shower　of　sand　upon　you；　with　their　hind　flappers　or　fins；　that　they　would　blind　you　and　escape　at　the　same　time。　The　way　to　catch　them　is　to　get　at　their　heads　and　turn　them　over　on　their　backs　by　one　of　the　fore…fins；　and　then　they　cannot　turn　back　again。〃

〃Let　us　go　and　catch　that　one。〃

〃I　should　think　it　very　foolish　to　do　so；　as　we　could　not　take　it　away；　and　it　would　die　to…morrow　from　the　heat　of　the　sun。〃

〃I　did　not　think　of　that；　Ready；　if　we　come　to　live　here；　I　suppose　we　shall　catch　them　whenever　we　want　them。〃

〃No；　we　shall　not；　for　they　only　come　on　shore　in　the　breeding…season；　but　we　will　make　a　turtle　pond　somewhere　which　they　cannot　get　out　of；　but　which　the　sea　flows　into；　and　then　when　we　catch　them　we　will　put　them　into　it；　and　have　them　ready　for　use　as　we　require　them。〃

〃That　will　be　a　very　good　plan；〃　replied　William。

They　now　continued　their　walk；　and；　forcing　their　way　through　the　brushwood　which　grew　thick　upon　the　point　of　land；　soon　arrived　at　the　end　of　it。

〃What　is　that　out　there？〃　said　William；　pointing　to　the　right　of　where　they　stood。

〃That　is　another　island；　which　I　am　very　glad　to　see　even　in　that　direction；　although　it　will　not　be　so　easy　to　gain　it；　if　we　are　obliged　to　leave　this　for　want　of　water。　It　is　a　much　larger　island　than　this；　at　all　events；〃　continued　Ready；　scanning　the　length　of　the　horizon；　along　which　he　could　see　the　tops　of　the　trees。　…　〃Well；　we　have　done　very　well　for　our　first　day；　so　we　will　go　and　look　for　a　place　to　lie　down　and　pass　the　night。〃

They　returned　to　the　high　ground　where　the　cocoa…nut　grove　ended；　and　collecting　together　several　branches　and　piles　of　leaves；　made　a　good　soft　bed　under　the　trees。

〃And　now　we'll　go　to　bed。　Look；　William；　at　the　long　shadow　of　the　trees　the　sun　has　nearly　set。〃

〃Shall　I　give　the　dogs　some　water　now；　Ready？　See；　poor　Remus　is　licking　the　sides　of　the　bottles。〃

〃No；　do　not　give　them　any：　it　appears　to　be　cruel；　but　I　want　the　intelligence　of　the　poor　animals　to…morrow；　and　the　want　of　water　will　make　them　very　keen；　and　we　shall　turn　it　to　good　account。　So　now；　William；　we　must　not　forget　to　return　thanks　to　a　merciful　God；　and　to　beg　his　care　over　us　for　this　night。　We　little　know　what　the　day　may　bring　forth。　Good…night！〃



Chapter　XVI

William　slept　as　sound　as　if　he　had　been　on　shore　in　England　upon　a　soft　bed　in　a　warm　room　…　so　did　old　Ready；　and　when　they　awoke　the　next　morning　it　was　broad　daylight。　The　poor　dogs　were　suffering　for　want　of　water；　and　it　pained　William　to　see　them　with　their　tongues　out；　panting　and　whining　as　they　looked　up　to　him。　〃Now；　William；〃　said　Ready；　〃shall　we　take　our　breakfast　before　we　start；　or　have　a　walk　first？〃

〃Ready；　I　cannot　really　drink　a　drop　of　water　myself；　and　I　am　thirsty；　unless　you　give　a　little　to　these　poor　dogs。〃

〃I　pity　the　poor　dumb　creatures　as　much　as　you　do；　Master　Willy；　it　is　kindness　to　ourselves　and　them　too；　which　makes　me　refuse　it　to　them。　However；　if　you　like；　we　will　take　a　walk　first；　and　see　if　we　can　find　any　water。　Let　us　first　go　to　the　little　dell　to　the　right；　and　if　we　do　not　succeed；　we　will　try　farther　on　where　the　water　has　run　down　during　the　rainy　season。〃　William　was　very　glad　to　go；　and　away　they　went；　followed　by　the　dogs；　Ready　having　taken　up　the　spade；　which　he　carried　on　his　shoulder。　They　soon　came　to　the　dell；　and　the　dogs　put　their　noses　to　the　ground；　and　snuffed　about。　Ready　watched　them；　at　last　they　lay　down　panting。

〃Let　us　go　on；〃　said　Ready；　thoughtfully；　they　went　on　to　where　the　run　of　water　appeared　to　have　been　…　the　dogs　snuffed　about　more　eagerly　than　before。

〃You　see；　William；　these　poor　dogs　are　now　so　eager　for　water；　that　if　there　is　any；　they　will　find　it　out　where　we　never　could。　I　don't　expect　water　above…ground；　but　there　may　be　some　below　it。　This　beach　is　hardly　far　enough　from　the　water's　edge；　or　I　should　try　in　the　sand　for　it。〃

〃In　the　sand　…　but　would　it　not　be　salt？〃　replied　William。

〃No；　not　if　at　a　good　distance　from　the　sea…beach；　for　you　see；　William；　the　sand　by　degrees　filters　the　sea…water　fresh；　and　very　often　when　the　sand　runs　in　a　long　way　from　the　high…water　mark；　if　you　dig　down；　you　will　find　good　fresh　water；　at　other　times　it　is　a　little　brackish；　but　still　fit　for　use。〃

〃Look；　Ready；　at　Romulus　and　Remus　…　how　hard　they　are　digging　with　their　paws　there　in　the　hollow。〃

〃Thanks　to　Heaven　that　they　are！　You　don't　know　how　happy　you　have　made　me　feel：　for；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　I　was　beginning　to　be　alarmed。〃

〃But　why　do　they　dig？〃

〃Because　there　is　water　there；　poor　animals。　Now　you　see　the　advantage　of　having　kept　them　in　pain　for　a　few　hours；　it　is　in　all　probability　the　saving　of　all　of　us；　for　we　must　either　have　found　water　or　quitted　this　island。　Now　let　us　help　the　poor　dogs　with　the　spade；　and　they　shall　soon　be　rewarded　for　their　sufferings。〃

Ready　walked　quickly　to　where　the　dogs　continued　digging：　they　had　already　got　down　to　the　moist　earth；　and　were　so　eagerly　at　work；　that　it　was　with　difficulty　he　could　get　them　out　of　his　way　to　use　his　spade。　He　had　not　dug　two　feet　before　the　water　trickled　down；　and　in　four　or　five　minutes　the　dogs　had　sufficient　to　plunge　their　noses　in；　and　to