masterman ready-第23部分

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off　the　rope；　without　saying　a　word；　I　jumped　into　the　boat。

〃‘What　do　you　want；　youngster？'　said　the　seaman。

〃‘I　want　to　go　to　sea；'　said　I；　breathless；　‘take　me　on　board　…　pray　do。'

〃‘Well；'　said　he；　‘I　heard　the　captain　say　he　wanted　an　apprentice；　and　so　you　may　come。'

〃He　sculled　the　boat　back　again　to　the　vessel；　and　I　climbed　up　her　side。

〃‘Who　are　you？'　said　the　captain。

〃I　told　him　that　I　wanted　to　go　to　sea。

〃‘You　are　too　little　and　too　young。'

〃‘No；　I　am　not；'　replied　I。

〃‘Why；　do　you　think　that　you　dare　go　aloft？'

〃‘I'll　show　you；'　replied　I；　and　I　ran　up　the　rigging　like　a　cat；　and　went　out　at　the　topgallant　yard…arm。

〃When　I　came　down；　the　captain　said；　‘Well；　I　think　you'll　make　a　sharp　seaman　by　and　by；　so　I'll　take　you；　and；　as　soon　as　I　get　to　London；　I'll　bind　you　apprentice。'

〃The　ship；　which　was　a　collier；　was　soon　out　of　port；　and　before　the　day　had　dawned　I　found　myself　on　the　wide　ocean；　which　was　hereafter　to　be　my　home。

〃As　soon　as　the　hurry　and　confusion　were　over；　I　was　examined　by　the　captain；　who　appeared　to　me　to　be　a　very　rough；　harsh　man；　indeed；　before　the　day　was　over　I　almost　repented　of　the　step　which　I　had　taken；　and　when　I　sat　down　cold　and　wet　upon　some　old　sail　at　night；　the　thoughts　of　my　mother；　and　what　distress　I　should　occasion　her；　for　the　first　time　rushed　into　my　mind；　and　I　wept　bitterly；　but　it　was　too　late　then。　I　have　often　thought；　Mr。　Seagrave；　that　the　life　of　hardship　which　I　have　since　gone　through　has　been　a　judgment　on　me　for　my　cruelty　to　my　mother；　in　leaving　her　the　way　I　did。　It　broke　her　heart；　a　poor　return；　William；　for　all　her　care　and　kindness！　God　forgive　me！〃

Old　Ready　left　off　for　some　little　time；　and　the　remainder　of　the　party　kept　silence。　Then　he　said　…　〃I'll　leave　off　now；　if　you　please：　I　don't　feel　inclined　to　go　on；　my　heart　is　full　when　I　recall　that　foolish　and　wicked　deed　of　mine。〃



Chapter　XXXIII

The　next　morning　was　fine；　and　as　soon　as　breakfast　was　over；　they　took　the　wheels　down　to　the　turtle…pond；　and　Ready　having　speared　one　of　the　largest　by　means　of　a　pike　with　a　barb　to　it；　which　he　had　made　on　purpose；　they　hauled　it　on　shore；　slung　it　under　the　wheels；　and　took　it　up　to　the　house。　Having　killed　the　turtle；　and　cut　it　up；　Juno；　under　the　directions　of　Ready；　chose　such　portions　as　were　required　for　the　soup；　and　when　the　pot　was　on　the　fire；　Ready；　Mr。　Seagrave；　and　William　set　off　with　the　cross…cut　saw　and　hatchets；　to　commence　felling　the　cocoa…nut　trees　for　the　building　of　the　outhouse；　which　was　to　hold　their　stores；　as　soon　as　they　could　be　brought　round　from　the　other　side　of　the　island。

〃I　mean　this　to　be　our　place　of　refuge　in　case　of　danger；　sir；〃　observed　Ready；　〃and　therefore　I　have　selected　this　thick　part　of　the　wood；　as　it　is　not　very　far　from　the　house；　and　by　cutting　the　path　to　it　in　a　zigzag；　it　will　be　quite　hidden　from　sight；　and　we　must　make　the　path　just　wide　enough　to　allow　the　wheels　to　pass；　and　stump　up　the　roots　of　the　trees　which　we　are　obliged　to　cut　down；　otherwise　the　stumps　would　attract　attention。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；　Ready；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃there　is　no　saying　what　may　happen。〃

〃You　see；　sir；　it　is　often　the　custom　for　the　natives；　in　this　part　of　the　world；　to　come　in　their　canoes　from　one　island　to　another；　merely　to　get　cocoa…nuts。　I　can't　say　that　the　other　islands　near　us　are　inhabited；　but　still　it　is　probable；　and　we　cannot　tell　what　the　character　of　the　people　may　be。　I　tell　you　this；　but　we　had　better　not　say　a　word　to　Mrs。　Seagrave；　as　it　may　distress　her。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　agreed；　and　Ready　continued：

〃We　are　now　near　the　spot；　sir。　You　see；　when　we　have　got　over　this　hill；　where　the　trees　are　so　very　thick；　the　fall　in　the　ground　will　assist　in　the　concealment　of　the　building。　I　should　say　we　are　very　near　right　where　we　now　stand。〃

〃How　far　are　we　now　from　the　house？　We　must　not　be　too　distant。〃

〃I　reckon　we　are　not　150　yards　in　a　straight　line；　although　the　road　will；　by　its　turning；　make　it　double　the　distance。〃

〃Then　I　think　this　spot　will　do　very　well。〃

〃I'll　just　mark　out　the　trees　which　are　to　stand；　Mr。　Seagrave；　and　those　which　are　to　be　cut　down；　so　as　to　leave　about　four　feet　of　stump　standing。〃

As　soon　as　they　had　planned　the　building；　the　axes　and　saw　were　in　full　use；　and　tree　after　tree　fell　one　upon　the　other。　They　worked　hard　till　dinner…time；　and　were　not　sorry　at　the　prospect　of　sitting　down　to　a　rich　mess　of　turtle…soup。

〃My　dear　William；　and　you　too；　Mr。　Seagrave；　how　very　warm　you　are！〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave；　〃you　must　not　work　so　hard。〃

〃Cutting　down　trees　is　very　warm　work；　mother；〃　replied　William；　〃and　hard　work　will　never　hurt　any　one；　especially　when　he　dines　off　turtle…soup。　Why；　Tommy；　what's　the　matter　with　you？〃

〃Tommy　and　I　are　at　variance；〃　replied　Mrs。　Seagrave。　〃I　had　my　thimble　this　morning；　and　had　commenced　my　sewing；　when　I　was　called　out　by　Juno；　and　Caroline　went　with　me；　and　Tommy　was　left　in　the　house。　When　I　came　back　I　found　him　outside；　and　on　going　back　to　my　work；　there　was　no　thimble　to　be　found；　I　asked　him　if　he　had　touched　it；　and　his　answer　was　that　he　would　look　for　it。　He　did　look；　and　said　he　could　not　find　it；　I　have　asked　him　several　times　if　he　took　it　away；　and　his　only　answer　is　that　he　will　find　it　by　and　by。〃

〃Tommy；　did　you　take　the　thimble？〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　gravely。

〃I'll　find　it　by　and　by；　papa。〃

〃That's　not　an　answer。　Did　you　take　the　thimble？〃

〃I'll　find　it　by　and　by；　papa；〃　said　Tommy；　whimpering。

〃That's　all　the　answer　he　will　give　me；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave。

〃Well；　then；　he　shall　have　no　dinner　till　the　thimble　makes　its　appearance；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave。

Master　Tommy　began　to　cry　at　this　intelligence。　Juno　appeared　with　the　turtle…soup；　and　Tommy　cried　louder　when　they　had　said　grace　and　commenced　their　dinner。　They　were　all　very　hungry；　and　William　sent　his　plate　for　another　portion；　which　he　had　not　commenced　long　before　he　put　his　finger　in　his　mouth　and　pulled　out　something。

〃Why；　mother；　here's　the　thimble　in　my　soup；〃　cried　William。

〃No　wonder　he　said　he　would　find　it　by　and　by；〃　said　Ready；　smiling；　〃he　meant　to　have　fished　it　up；　I　suppose；　from　what　was　left　of　the　soup　after　dinner。　Well；　Mrs。　Seagrave；　I　don't　mean　to　say　that　Tommy　is　a　good　boy；　but　still；　although　be　would　not　tell　where　the　thimble　was；　he　has　not　told　a　falsehood　about　it。〃

〃No；　he　has　not；〃　replied　William。　〃I　think；　now　that　the　thimble　is　found；　if　he　begs　pardon；　papa　will　forgive　him。〃

〃Tommy；　come　here；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃Tell　me　why　you　put　that　thimble　into　the　soup？〃

〃I　wanted　to　taste　the　soup。　I　wanted　to　fill　the　thimble；　the　soup　burnt　my　fingers；　and　I　let　the　thimble　drop　in。〃

〃Well；　a　thimbleful　wasn't　much；　at　all　events；〃　observed　Ready。　〃And　why　didn't　you　tell　your　mamma　where　the　thimble　was？〃

〃I　was　afraid　mamma　throw　all　the　soup　away；　and　then　I　get　none　for　dinner。〃

〃Oh！　that　was　it；　was　it？　Well；　sir；　I　said　you　should　have　no　dinner　till　the　thimble　was　found；　so；　as　it　is　found；　you　may　have　your　dinner；　but　if　you　ever　refuse　to　answer　a　question　again；　I　shall　punish　you　more　severely。〃

Tommy　was　glad　the　lecture　was　over；　and　more　glad　to　get　his　turtle…soup；　he　finished　one　plate；　and；　as　he　asked　for　another；　he　said；　〃Tommy　won't　put　thimble　in　again；　put　tin　pot　in　next　time。〃

After　dinner　they　went　to　their　work　again；　and　did　not　come　in　again　till　sunset。

〃The　clouds　are　gathering　fast；　sir；〃　observed　Ready；　〃we　shall　have　rain　to…night。〃

〃I　fear　we　shall；　but　we　must　expect　it　now；　Ready。〃

〃Yes；　sir；　and　by　and　by　we　shall　have　it　for　days　together。〃

〃Ready；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave；　〃if　you　are　not　too　tired；　perhaps　you　will　go　on　with　your　history。〃

〃Certainly；　ma'am；　if　you　wish　it；〃　replied　Ready。　〃When　I　left　off；　I　was　on　board　of　the　collier；　bound　to　London。　We　had　a　very　fair　wind；　and　a　quick　passage。　I　was　very　sick　until　we　arrived　in　the　Nore；　and　then　I　recovered；　and；　as　you　may　suppose；　was　astonished　at　the　busy　scene；　and　the　quantity　of　vessels　which　were　going　up　and　down　the　river。　But　I　did　not　like　my　captain；　he　was　very　severe　and　brutal　to　the　men；　and　the　apprentice　who　was　on　board　told　me　to　run　away；　and　get　into　another　vessel；　and　not　to　bind　myself　apprentice　to　this　captain；　or　I　should　be　beat　all　day　long；　and　be　treated　as　bad　as　he　was。　I　knew　this　was　the　case；　as　the　captain　kicked　and　cuffed　him　twenty　times　a　day。　The　men　said　that　he　did　not　do　so　to　me；　for　fear　I　should　refuse　to　be　his　apprentice；　but　that；　as　soon　as　my　indentures　were　signed；　he　would　treat　me　in　the　same　way。

〃Well；　I　made　up　my　mind　that　I　would　not　remain　in　the　collier；　and；　as　the　captain　had　gone　on　shore；　I　had　plenty　of　time　to　look　about　me。　There　was　a　large　ship；　which　was　ready　to　sail；　lying　in　the　stream；　I　spoke　to　two　boys　who　were　at　the　stairs　in　her　boat；　and　they　told　me　that　they　were　very　comfortable　on　board；　and　that　the　captain　wanted　two　or　three　apprentices。　I　went　on　board　with　them；　and　offered　myself。　The　captain　asked　me　a　great　many　questions；　and　I　told　him　the　truth；　and　why　I　did　not　like　to　remain　in　the　collier。　He　agreed　to　take　me；　and　I　went　on　shore　with　him；　signed　my　indentures；　and　received　from　him　a　sufficient　supply　of　clothes；　and；　two　days　afterwards；　we　sailed　for　Bombay　and　China。〃

〃But　you　wrote　to　your　mother；　Ready；　did　you　not？〃　said　William。

〃Yes；　I　did；　for　the　captain　desired　me　to　do　so；　and　he　put　a　few　lines　at　the　bottom　to　comfort　her；　but；　unfortunately；　the　letter；　which　was　sent　on　shore　by　the　cook；　never　arrived。　Whether　he　dropped　it；　or　forgot　it　till　after　the　ship　sailed；　and　then　tore　it　up；　I　do　not　know；　but；　as　I　found　out　afterwards；　it　never　did　get　to　her　hands。〃

〃It　was　not　your　fault　that　the　letter　did　not　arrive　safe；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave。

〃No；　madam；　that　was　not　my　fault；　the　fault　had　been　committed　before。〃

〃Don't　dwell　any　more　upon　that　portion　of　your　history；　Ready；　but　tell　us　what　took　place　after　you　sailed　for　the　East　Indies。〃

〃Be　it　so；　if　you　please。　I　certainly　was　very　smart　and　active　for　my　age；　and　soon　became　a　great　favourite