masterman ready-第15部分

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utside　shell　at　last　is　thrown　on　these　little　patches　…　it　takes　root；　and　becomes　a　tree；　every　year　shedding　its　large　branches；　which　are　turned　into　mould　as　soon　as　they　decay；　and　then　dropping　its　nuts；　which　again　take　root　and　grow　in　this　mould；　and　thus　they　continue；　season　after　season；　and　year　after　year；　until　the　island　becomes　as　large　and　as　thickly　covered　with　trees　as　the　one　we　are　now　standing　upon。　Is　not　this　wonderful；　my　dear　boy？　Is　not　he　a　great　and　good　God　who　can　make　such　minute　animals　as　these　work　his　pleasure；　and　at　the　time　he　thinks　fit　produce　such　a　beautiful　island　as　this？〃

〃Indeed　he　is！〃　exclaimed　William。

〃We　only　need　use　our　eyes；　William；　and　we　shall　love　as　well　as　adore。　Look　at　that　shell　…　is　it　not　beautifully　marked？　…　could　the　best　painter　in　the　world　equal　its　colouring？〃

〃No；　indeed；　…　I　should　think　not。〃

〃And　yet　there　are　thousands　of　them　in　sight；　and　perhaps　millions　more　in　the　water。　They　have　not　been　coloured　in　this　way　to　be　admired；　like　the　works　of　man；　for　this　island　has　been　till　now　probably　without　any　one　upon　it；　and　no　one　has　ever　seen　them。　It　makes　no　difference　to　Him；　who　has　but　to　wish；　and　all　is　complete。〃

For　a　few　minutes　after　this　conversation；　Mr。　Seagrave　and　William　were　both　silent。　Mr。　Seagrave　then　rose　from　where　he　was　sitting：　〃Come；　William；　let　us　now　find　our　way　back　again；　we　have　three　hours'　daylight　left；　and　shall　be　home　in　good　time。〃



Chapter　XX

Everything　was　now　preparing　for　their　removal　to　the　leeward　side　of　the　island。　Ready　had　nearly　completed　the　boat；　he　had　given　it　a　thorough　repair；　and　fitted　a　mast　and　sail。　William　and　Mr。　Seagrave　continued　to　collect　and　secure　the　various　articles　thrown　on　shore；　particularly　such　as　would　be　injured　by　their　exposure　to　the　weather：　these　they　rolled　or　carried　into　the　cocoa…nut　grove；　so　as　to　be　sheltered　from　the　sun；　but　there　were　so　many　things　thrown　on　shore　day　after　day；　that　they　hardly　knew　what　they　had：　but　they　secured　case　and　cask　one　after　another；　waiting　for　a　better　opportunity　to　examine　their　contents。　At　last　they　collected　a　great　many　articles　together；　and；　with　their　shovels；　covered　them　over　with　sand；　it　being　impossible　to　get　them　from　the　beach　without　more　time　than　they　could　spare。

Neither　was　Mrs。　Seagrave；　who　was　now　getting　quite　strong；　or　Juno；　idle。　They　had　made　up　everything　that　they　could　in　packages；　ready　for　moving。　On　the　eighth　day　after　the　gale；　they　were　ready；　and　it　was　arranged　that　Ready　should　put　into　the　boat　the　bedding　and　canvas　of　one　tent；　and　should　take　William　with　him　on　his　expedition。　Having　transported　this　safe；　he　should　return　for　a　load　of　the　most　necessary　articles；　and　then　the　family　should　walk　through　the　grove　to　the　other　side　of　the　island；　and　remain　there　with　Mr。　Seagrave　while　Ready　and　William　returned　for　the　other　tent；　and　after　that；　the　boat　should　make　as　many　trips　as　the　weather　would　permit；　till　they　had　brought　all　the　things　absolutely　required。　It　was　a　lovely　calm　morning　when　Ready　and　William　pushed　off　in　the　boat；　which　was　well　loaded；　and　as　soon　as　they　were　clear　of　the　cove　they　hoisted　the　sail；　and　went　away　before　the　wind　along　the　coast。　In　two　hours　they　had　run　to　the　eastern　end　of　the　island；　and　hauled　up　close　inshore：　the　point　which　ran　out；　and　at　the　end　of　which　there　was　an　inlet；　was　not　a　mile　from　them；　and　in　a　very　short　time　they　had　lowered　the　sail；　and　were　pulling　in　for　the　sandy　beach。

〃You　see；　William；　it　is　fortunate　for　us　that　we　shall　always　have　a　fair　wind　when　we　come　down　loaded；　and　only　have　to　pull　our　empty　boat　back　again。〃

〃Indeed　it　is。　How　many　miles　do　you　think　it　is　from　the　cove　to　this　part　of　the　island？〃

〃About　six　or　seven；　not　more：　the　island；　you　see；　is　long　and　narrow。　Now　let　us　get　the　things　out　and　carry　them　up；　and　then　we　will　be　back　to　the　cove　long　before　dark。〃

The　boat　was　soon　unloaded；　but　they　had　some　way　to　carry　up　the　things。　〃We　shall　not　mind　such　a　gale　as　we　had　the　other　day　when　our　tents　are　pitched　here；　William；〃　said　Ready；　〃for　we　shall　be　protected　by　the　whole　width　of　the　cocoa…nut　grove。　We　shall　hardly　feel　the　wind；　although　we　shall　the　rain；　for　that　will　come　down　in　torrents。〃

〃I　must　go　and　see　how　our　spring　gets　on；〃　said　William；　〃and　get　a　drink　from　it。〃

Willy　reported　the　spring　to　be　up　to　the　brim　with　water；　and　that　he　had　never　drunk　water　so　excellent。　They　then　pushed　off　the　boat；　and；　after　rowing　for　about　two　hours　or　more；　found　themselves　at　the　entrance　of　the　cove；　and　Mrs。　Seagrave；　with　Tommy　by　her　side；　waving　her　handkerchief　to　them。

They　very　soon　pulled　in　to　the　beach；　and；　landing；　received　the　congratulations　of　the　whole　party　at　their　first　successful　voyage；　and　all　expressed　their　delight　at　its　having　proved　so　much　shorter　than　had　been　anticipated。

〃Tommy　will　go　next　time；〃　said　Master　Tommy。

〃By　and　by；　when　Tommy　grows　a　little　taller；〃　replied　Ready。

〃Massa　Tommy；　you　come　help　me　to　milk　the　goats；〃　said　Juno。

〃Yes；　Tommy　milk　the　goats；〃　said　the　little　urchin；　running　after　Juno。

〃You　must　be　almost　tired　of　eating　nothing　but　salt　meat　and　biscuit；　ma'am；〃　said　Ready；　as　they　sat　down　to　their　meal；　〃but　when　we　are　all　safe　on　the　other　side　of　the　island　we　hope　to　feed　you　better。　At　present　it　is　hard　work　and　hard　fare。〃

〃As　long　as　the　children　are　well；　I　care　very　little　about　it；　but　I　must　say　that；　after　the　last　gale；　I　am　as　anxious　as　you　to　be　on　the　other　side　of　the　island；　especially　after　the　account　William　has　given　me　of　it。　It　must　be　a　paradise！　When　do　we　set　off？〃

〃Not　till　the　day　after　to…morrow；　ma'am；　I　should　think；　for　you　see　I　must　have　another　trip　for　the　cooking　utensils　and　the　bundles　which　you　have　made　up。　If　you　will　spare　Juno　to　walk　through　the　wood　with　William　to…morrow；　we　will　then　have　the　tent　ready　for　you　and　the　children。〃



Chapter　XXI

Old　Ready　had　his　boat　loaded　and　had　made　sail　for　the　other　side　of　the　island　long　before　the　family　were　up；　indeed；　before　they　were　dressed　he　had　landed　his　whole　cargo　on　the　beach；　and　was　sitting　down　quietly　taking　his　breakfast。　As　soon　as　he　had　eaten　the　beef　and　biscuit　which　he　had　taken　with　him；　he　carried　up　the　things　which　he　had　brought；　and　commenced　arrangements　for　setting　up　the　tent；　intending　to　await　the　arrival　of　William　and　Juno；　that　they　might　assist　him　in　getting　up　the　spars　and　canvas　over　it。

About　ten　o'clock　William　made　his　appearance；　leading　one　of　the　goats　by　a　string；　followed　by　the　others。　Juno　came　after　with　the　sheep；　also　holding　one　with　a　cord；　the　rest　had　very　quietly　joined　the　procession。　〃Here　we　are　at　last！〃　said　William　laughing；　〃we　have　had　terrible　work　in　the　woods；　for　Nanny　would　run　on　one　side　of　a　tree　when　I　went　on　the　other；　and　then　I　had　to　let　go　the　string。　We　fell　in　with　the　pigs　again；　and　Juno　gave　such　a　squall！〃

〃I　tink　'em　wild　beast；〃　said　Juno。　〃Ah！　what　a　nice　place！　Missis　will　like　to　live　here。〃

〃Yes；　it　is　a　very　nice　place；　Juno；　and　you'll　be　able　to　wash　here；　and　never　mind　about　saving　the　water。〃

〃I　am　thinking；〃　said　William；　〃how　we　are　to　get　the　fowls　here；　they　are　not　very　wild；　but　still　we　cannot　catch　them。〃

〃I'll　bring　them　with　me　to…morrow；　William。〃

〃But　how　will　you　catch　them？〃

〃Wait　till　they　are　gone　to　roost；　and　then　you　may　catch　them　when　you　please。〃

〃And　I　suppose　the　pigeons　and　the　pigs　must　run　wild？〃

〃The　best　thing　we　can　do　with　them。〃

〃Then　we　shall　have　to　shoot　them；　I　suppose？〃

〃Well；　William；　so　we　shall；　and　the　pigeons　also；　when　they　have　become　plentiful；　if　we　remain　here　so　long。　We　shall　soon　be　well　stocked　and　live　in　plenty。　But　now　you　must　help　me　to　get　the　tent　up　and　everything　in　order；　so　that　your　mamma　may　find　things　comfortable　on　her　arrival；　for　she　will　be　very　tired；　I　dare　say；　walking　through　the　wood。〃

〃Mamma　is　much　better　than　she　was；〃　replied　William。　〃I　think　she　will　soon　be　quite　strong　again；　especially　when　she　comes　to　live　at　this　beautiful　place。〃

〃We　have　a　great　deal　of　work　to　do；　more　than　we　can　get　through　before　the　rainy　season；　which　is　a　pity；　but　it　can't　helped；　by　this　time　next　year　we　shall　be　more　comfortable。〃

〃Why；　what　have　we　to　do　besides　putting　up　the　tents　and　shifting　over　here？〃

〃In　the　first　place　we　have　to　build　a　house；　and　that　will　take　a　long　while。　Then　we　ought　to　make　a　little　garden；　and　sow　the　seeds　which　your　father　brought　from　England　with　him。〃

〃0h！　that　will　be　nice；　where　shall　we　make　it；　Ready？〃

〃We　must　put　a　fence　across　that　point　of　land；　and　dig　up　all　the　brushwood；　the　mould　is　very　good。〃

〃Then　what　next？〃

〃Then　we　shall　want　a　storehouse　for　all　the　things　we　have　got；　and　all　that　are　in　the　wood　and　on　the　beach：　and　consider　what　a　many　trips　we　shall　have　to　make　with　the　little　boat　to　bring　them　all　round。〃

〃Yes；　that　is　very　true；　Ready。　Have　we　anything　more　to　do？〃

〃Plenty；　we　have　to　build　a　turtle…pond　and　a　fish…pond；　and　a　bathing…place　for　Juno　to　wash　the　children　in。　But　first　we　must　make　a　proper　well　at　the　spring；　so　as　to　have　plenty　of　fresh　water：　now　there's　enough　for　a　year's　hard　work　at　least。〃

〃Well；　let　us　once　get　mamma　and　the　children　here；　and　we　will　work　hard。〃

〃I　should　wish　very　much　to　see　it　all　done；　William；〃　said　Ready。　〃I　hope　my　life　will　be　spared　till　it　is　done；　at　all　events。〃

〃But　why　do　you　say　that；　Ready？　you　are　an　old　man；　but　you　are　strong　and　healthy。〃

〃I　am　so　now；　but　what　does　the　Book　say？　…　‘In　the　midst　of　life　we　are　in　death'。　You　are　young　and　healthy；　and　promise　a　long　life；　but　who　knows　but　you　may　be　summoned　away　tomorrow。　Can　I；　then；　an　old　man；　worn　out　with　hardships；　expect　to　live　long？　No　…　no；　William！　Still　I　should　like　to　remain　here　as　long　as　I　can　be　useful；　and　then　I　trust　I　may　depart　in　peace。　I　never　wish　to　leave　this　island；　and　I　have　a　kind　of　feeling　that　my　bones　will　remain　on　it。　God's　will　be　done！〃

For　some　time　after　Ready　had　finished；　neither