masterman ready-第17部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


long　settled；　and　as　if　we　had　come　here　by　choice。〃

〃I　trust　that　feeling　will　be　stronger　every　day；　sir；　for　it's　no　use；　and　indeed　sinful；　to　repine。〃

〃I　acknowledge　it；　and　with　all　humility。　What　is　the　first　thing　which　you　wish　we　should　set　about？〃

〃I　think；　sir；　the　first　object　is　to　have　a　good　supply　of　fresh　water；　and　I　therefore　wish　you　and　William　…　Here　he　is。　Good…morning；　William　…　I　was　saying　that　I　thought　it　better　that　Mr。　Seagrave　and　you　should　clear　out　the　spring　while　I　am　away　in　the　boat。　I　brought　another　shovel　with　me　yesterday；　and　you　both　can　work；　perhaps　we　had　better　go　there；　as　Juno；　I　see；　is　getting　the　breakfast　ready。　You　observe；　Mr。　Seagrave；　we　must　follow　up　the　spring　till　we　get　among　the　cocoa…nut　trees；　where　it　will　be　shaded　from　the　sun；　that　is　easily　done　by　digging　towards　them；　and　watching　how　the　water　flows。　Then；　if　you　will　dig　out　a　hole　large　enough　to　sink　down　in　the　earth　one　of　the　water…casks　which　lie　on　the　beach；　I　will　bring　it　down　with　me　this　afternoon；　and　then；　when　it　is　fixed　in　the　earth　in　that　way；　we　shall　always　have　the　cask　full　of　water　for　use；　and　the　spring　filling　it　as　fast　as　we　empty　it。〃

〃I　understand；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃that　shall　be　our　task　while　you　are　absent。〃

〃Now；　I　have　nothing　more　to　do　than　to　speak　to　Juno　about　dinner；〃　replied　Ready；　〃and　then　I'll　just　take　a　mouthful；　and　be　off。〃

Ready　directed　Juno　to　fry　some　pork　in　the　frying…pan；　and　then　to　cut　off　some　slices　from　the　turtle；　and　cook　turtle…steaks　for　dinner；　as　well　as　to　warm　up　the　soup　which　was　left；　and　then；　with　a　biscuit　and　a　piece　of　beef　in　his　hand；　he　went　down　to　the　boat　and　set　off　for　the　cove。　Mr。　Seagrave　and　William　worked　hard；　and；　by　twelve　o'clock；　the　hole　was　quite　large　and　deep　enough；　according　to　the　directions　Ready　had　given。　They　then　left　their　work　and　went　to　the　tent。

〃You　don't　know　how　much　happier　I　am　now　that　I　am　here；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave；　taking　her　husband's　hand；　as　he　seated　himself　by　her。

〃I　trust　it　is　a　presentiment　of　future　happiness；　my　dear；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃I　assure　you　that　I　feel　the　same；　and　was　saying　so　to　Ready　this　morning。〃

〃I　feel　that　I　could　live　here　for　ever；　it　is　so　calm　and　beautiful；　but　I　miss　one　thing　…　there　are　no　birds　singing　here　as　at　home。〃

〃I　have　seen　no　birds　except　sea…birds；　and　of　them　there　is　plenty。　Have　you；　William？〃

〃Only　once；　father。　I　saw　a　flight　a　long　way　off。　Ready　was　not　with　me；　and　I　could　not　tell　what　they　were；　but　they　were　large　birds；　as　big　as　pigeons；　I　should　think。　There　is　Ready　coming　round　the　point；〃　continued　William。　〃How　fast　that　little　boat　sails！　It　is　a　long　pull；　though；　for　the　old　man　when　he　goes　to　the　cove。〃

〃Let　us　go　down　and　help　Ready　carry　up　some　of　the　things　before　dinner；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave。

They　did　so；　and　William　rolled　up　the　empty　water…cask　which　Ready　had　brought　with　him。

The　turtle…steaks　were　as　much　approved　of　as　the　turtle…soup；　indeed；　after　having　been　so　long　on　salt　meat；　a　return　to　fresh　provisions　was　delightful。

〃And　now　to　finish　our　well；〃　said　William；　as　soon　as　dinner　was　over。

〃How　hard　you　do　work；　William！〃　said　his　mother。

〃So　I　ought；　mother。　I　must　learn　to　do　everything　now。〃

〃And　that　you　will　very　soon；〃　said　Ready。

They　rolled　the　cask　to　the　spring；　and；　to　their　astonishment；　found　the　great　hole　which　they　had　dug　not　two　hours　before　quite　full　of　water。

〃Oh　dear；〃　said　William；　〃we　shall　have　to　throw　all　the　water　out　to　get　the　cask　down。〃

〃Think　a　little；　William；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃for　the　spring　runs　so　fast　that　it　will　not　be　an　easy　task。　Cannot　we　do　something　else？〃

〃Why；　father；　the　cask　will　float；　you　know；〃　replied　William。

〃To　be　sure　it　will　as　it　is；　but　is　there　no　way　of　making　it　sink？〃

〃Oh　yes。　I　know　…　we　must　bore　some　holes　in　the　bottom；　and　then　it　will　fill　and　sink　down　of　itself。〃

〃Exactly；〃　replied　Ready。　〃I　expected　that　we　should　have　to　do　that；　and　have　the　big　gimlet　with　me。〃

Ready　bored　three　or　four　holes　in　the　bottom　of　the　cask；　and　as　it　floated　the　water　ran　into　it；　and　by　degrees　it　gradually　sank　down。　As　soon　as　the　top　of　the　cask　was　level　with　the　surface　they　filled　in　all　round　with　the　spade　and　shovel；　and　the　well　was　completed。



Chapter　XXIV

The　next　morning；　as　soon　as　breakfast　was　over；　Mr。　Seagrave　observed：　〃Now　that　we　have　so　many　things　to　do；　I　think；　Ready；　we　ought　to　lay　down　a　plan　of　operations；　method　is　everything　when　work　is　to　be　done：　now　tell　me　what　you　propose　shall　be　our　several　occupations　for　the　next　week；　for　to…morrow　is　Sunday；　and　although　we　have　not　yet　been　able　to　honour　the　day　as　we　should；　I　think　that　now　we　must　and　ought　to　keep　it　holy。〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　Ready。　〃To…morrow　we　will　rest　from　our　labour；　and　ask　God's　blessing　upon　our　endeavours　during　the　six　days　of　the　week；　and　now；　as　to　your　proposition；　Mr。　Seagrave；　shall　we　begin　first　with　the　lady？〃

〃You　must　not　consider　that　you　have　ladies　with　you　now；　Ready；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave；　〃at　least；　not　fine　ladies。　My　health　and　strength　are　recovering　fast；　and　I　mean　to　be　very　useful。　I　propose　to　assist　Juno　in　all　the　domestic　duties；　such　as　the　cookery　and　washing；　to　look　after　and　teach　the　children；　mend　all　the　clothes；　and　make　all　that　is　required；　to　the　best　of　my　ability。　If　I　can　do　more　I　will。〃

〃I　think　we　may　be　satisfied　with　that；　Mr。　Seagrave；〃　replied　Ready。　〃Now；　sir；　the　two　most　pressing　points；　with　the　exception　of　building　the　house；　are　to　dig　up　a　piece　of　ground；　and　plant　our　potatoes　and　seeds；　and　to　make　a　turtle…pond；　so　as　to　catch　the　turtle　and　put　them　in　before　the　season　is　over。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃but　which　ought　to　be　done　first？〃

〃I　should　say　the　turtle…pond；　as　it　will　be　only　a　few　days'　work　for　you；　Juno；　and　William。　I　shall　not　want　your　assistance　for　this　next　week。　I　shall　fix　upon　some　spot；　not　far　from　here；　where　the　trees　are　thickest　in　the　grove；　and　cut　them　down　so　as　to　clear　out　a　space　in　which　we　will；　by　and　by；　build　our　storerooms；　and；　as　soon　as　the　rainy　season　has　gone　by；　we　can　remove　all　our　stores　from　the　other　side　of　the　island。　It　will　occupy　me　the　whole　of　the　week；　cutting　down　the　trees　and　sawing　them　into　proper　lengths；　ready　for　building　the　house；　and　then　we　must　all　join　our　strength　and　get　it　up　without　delay。〃

〃Can　you　really　manage　to　get　it　up　in　time？　How　soon　do　you　expect　the　rains　will　come　on？〃

〃In　three　or　four　weeks。　After　next　week；　I　shall　probably　have　the　assistance　of　two　of　you；　if　not　of　all。　Now　I　think　of　it；　I　must　return　to　the　cove。〃

〃What　for？〃

〃Don't　you　recollect；　sir；　your　two…wheeled　carriage；　packed　up　in　matting；　which　was　thrown　on　shore　in　the　gale？　You　laughed　when　you　saw　it；　and　said　it　would　be　of　little　use　now；　but　the　wheels　and　axle　will　he　very　useful；　as　we　can　make　a　wide　path　to　the　place　when　I　cut　down　the　trees；　and　wheel　out　the　logs　much　more　easily　than　we　can　drag　or　carry　them。〃

〃That　is　an　excellent　idea。　It　will　save　a　great　deal　of　labour。〃

〃I　expect　that　it　will；　sir。　William　and　I　will　go　away　early　on　Monday　morning；　and　be　back　before　breakfast。　To…day　we　will　fix　upon　the　spots　where　our　garden　is　to　be；　our　turtle…pond　to　be　made；　and　the　trees　to　be　cut　down。　That　shall　be　our　business；　Mr。　Seagrave；　and　William　and　Juno　may　put　things　a　little　more　to　rights　here。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　and　Ready　then　walked　down　to　the　beach；　and；　after　surveying　the　reefs　for　some　time；　Ready　said；　〃You　see；　Mr。　Seagrave；　we　do　not　want　too　much　water　for　a　turtle…pond；　as；　if　it　is　too　deep；　there　is　a　difficulty　in　catching　them　when　we　want　them：　what　we　want　is　a　space　of　water　surrounded　by　a　low　wall　of　stones；　so　that　the　animals　cannot　escape；　for　they　cannot　climb　up；　although　they　can　walk　on　the　shelving　sand　with　their　flippers。　Now　the　reef　here　is　high　out　of　the　water；　and　the　space　within　the　reef　and　the　beach　is　deep　enough；　and　the　rocks　on　the　beach　nearly　fill　up　that　side　and　prevent　them　crawling　away　by　the　shore。　We　have；　therefore；　little　more　to　do　than　to　fill　up　the　two　other　sides；　and　then　our　pond　will　be　complete。〃

〃I　see　it　will　not　be　a　long　job　either；　if　we　can　find　loose　rocks　enough；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave。

〃Almost　all　those　which　are　on　the　beach　are　loose；〃　replied　Ready；　〃and　there　are　plenty　close　to　us：　some　of　them　will　be　too　heavy　to　carry；　but　they　can　be　brought　here　by　the　aid　of　handspikes　and　crowbars。　Suppose　we　make　a　signal　for　William　and　Juno；　and　set　them　to　work。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　called　and　waved　his　hat；　and　Juno　and　William　came　down　to　them。　Juno　was　ordered　to　go　back　for　two　handspikes；　while　Ready　explained　to　William　what　was　to　be　done。　Having　stayed　with　them　and　assisted　them　for　some　time　after　Juno　had　returned　with　the　implements；　Mr。　Seagrave　and　Ready　proceeded　to　the　point；　to　fix　upon　a　spot　for　a　garden；　leaving　William　and　Juno　to　continue　their　labour。



Chapter　XXV

Mr。　Seagrave　and　Ready　then　continued　their　way　along　the　beach；　until　they　arrived　at　the　point　which　the　latter　had　considered　as　a　convenient　place　to　make　the　garden。　They　found　a　sufficiency　of　mould；　and　as　the　point　was　narrow　at　its　joining　on　to　the　mainland；　no　great　length　of　enclosure　would　be　required。

〃You　see；　sir；〃　said　Ready；　〃we　can　wait　till　after　the　rainy　season　is　over　before　we　put　up　the　fence；　and　we　can　prepare　it　in　the　meantime；　when　the　weather　will　permit　us　to　work。　The　seeds　and　potatoes　will　not　come　up　until　after　the　rains　are　finished；　so　all　we　have　to　do　is　to　dig　up　the　ground；　and　put　them　in　as　fast　as　we　can。　We　cannot　make　a　large　garden　this　year；　but　our　potatoes　we　must　contrive　to　get　in；　if　we　cannot　manage　anything　else。〃

〃If　we　have　no　fence　to　make；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃I　think　we　shall　be　able　to　clear　away　quite　enough　ground　in　a　week　to　put　in　all　that　we　require。〃

〃The　first　job　will　be　to　pull　up　the　small　brushwood；〃　said　Ready；　〃and　turn　up　the　ground；　the　larger　plants　we　must　leave；　if　we　have　not　time。　Tommy　might　be