masterman ready-第24部分

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〃Be　it　so；　if　you　please。　I　certainly　was　very　smart　and　active　for　my　age；　and　soon　became　a　great　favourite　on　board；　especially　with　the　lady　passengers；　because　I　was　such　a　little　fellow。　We　arrived　safely　at　Bombay；　where　our　passengers　went　on　shore；　and　in　three　weeks　afterwards　we　sailed　down　the　straits　for　China。　It　was　war　time；　and　we　were　very　often　chased　by　French　privateers；　but　as　we　had　a　good　crew　and　plenty　of　guns；　none　of　them　ventured　to　attack　us；　and　we　got　safe　to　Macao；　where　we　unloaded　our　cargo　and　took　in　teas。　We　had　to　wait　some　time　for　a　convoy；　and　then　sailed　for　England。　When　we　were　off　the　Isle　of　France；　the　convoy　was　dispersed　in　a　gale；　and　three　days　afterwards；　a　French　frigate　bore　down　upon　us；　and　after　exchanging　a　few　broadsides；　we　were　compelled　to　haul　down　our　colours。　A　lieutenant　was　sent　on　board　with　forty　men　to　take　charge　of　us；　for　we　were　a　very　rich　prize　to　them。　The　captain　and　most　of　the　crew　were　taken　on　board　of　the　frigate；　but　ten　Lascars　and　the　boys　were　left　in　the　Indiaman；　to　assist　in　taking　her　into　the　Isle　of　France；　which　was　at　that　time　in　the　hands　of　the　French。　I　thought　it　hard　that　I　was　to　go　to　prison　at　twelve　years　old；　but　I　did　not　care　much　about　it；　and　very　soon　I　was　as　gay　and　merry　as　ever。　We　had　made　the　island；　and　were　on　a　wind　beating　up　to　the　port；　when　a　vessel　was　seen　to　windward；　and　although　I　could　not　understand　what　the　Frenchmen　said；　I　perceived　that　they　were　in　a　great　fluster　and　very　busy　with　their　spy…glasses；　and　Jack　Romer；　one　of　my　brother　'prentices　who　had　been　three　years　at　sea；　said　to　me；　‘I　don't　think　we'll　go　to　prison　after　all；　Ready；　for　that　vessel　is　an　English　man…of…war；　if　I'm　not　mistaken。'　At　last　she　came　down　within　three　miles　of　us；　and　hoisted　English　colours　and　fired　a　gun。　The　Frenchmen　put　the　ship　before　the　wind；　but　it　was　of　no　use；　the　man…of…war　came　up　with　us　very　fast；　and　then　the　Frenchmen　began　to　pack　up　their　clothes；　together　with　all　the　other　things　which　they　had　collected　out　of　the　property　of　our　captain　and　crew；　a　shot　was　fired　which　went　clean　over　our　heads；　and　then　they　left　the　helm；　and　Jack　Romer　went　to　it；　and；　with　my　help；　hove　the　ship　up　in　the　wind；　a　boat　came　on　board　and　took　possession；　and　so　there　was　one　escape；　at　all　events。

〃They　sent　a　midshipman　as　prize…master　on　board　of　the　vessel；　and　left　all　us；　who　had　been　taken　prisoners　by　the　French；　in　the　vessel；　to　help　to　work　her　into　port；　as　the　captain　did　not　wish　to　part　with　any　more　men　of　his　own　than　was　necessary。　We　soon　made　sail　for　England；　quite　delighted　at　having　escaped　a　French　prison；　but；　after　all；　we　only　exchanged　it　for　a　Dutch　one。〃

〃How　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　mean　that；　two　days　afterwards；　as　we　were　rounding　the　Cape；　another　French　vessel　bore　down　upon　us；　and　captured　us。　This　time　we　did　not　find　any　friend　in　need；　and　were　taken　into　Table　Bay；　for　at　that　time　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope　was　in　the　possession　of　the　Dutch；　who；　as　well　as　the　French；　were　at　war　with　England。〃

〃How　very　unfortunate　you　were；　Ready！〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave。

〃Yes；　madam；　we　were；　and　I　can't　say　much　in　favour　of　a　Dutch　prison。　However；　I　was　very　young　at　that　time；　and　did　not　care　much　…　I　had　a　light　heart。〃



Chapter　XXXIV

A　heavy　storm　came　on　soon　after　they　had　retired　to　rest；　the　lightning　was　so　vivid　that　its　flashes　penetrated　through　the　chinks　of　the　door　and　windows；　and　the　thunder　burst　upon　them　with　a　noise　which　prevented　them　obtaining　any　sleep。　The　children　cried　and　trembled　as　they　lay　in　the　arms　of　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　Juno；　who　were　almost　as　much　alarmed　themselves。

〃This　is　very　awful；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave　to　Ready；　for　they　had　both　risen　from　their　beds。

〃It　is　indeed；　sir；　I　never　knew　a　more　terrible　storm　than　this。〃

〃Merciful　Heaven！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Seagrave。

As　he　spoke；　they　were　both　thrown　back　half…stunned；　a　crash　of　thunder　burst　over　the　house；　which　shook　everything　in　it；　a　sulphurous　smell　pervaded　the　building；　and　soon　afterwards；　when　they　recovered　their　feet；　they　perceived　that　the　house　was　full　of　smoke；　and　they　heard　the　wailing　of　the　women　and　the　shrieks　of　the　children　in　the　bed…places　on　the　other　side。

〃God　have　mercy　on　us！〃　exclaimed　Ready；　who　was　the　first　to　recover　himself；　and　who　now　attempted　to　ascertain　the　injury　which　had　been　done：　〃the　lightning　has　struck　us；　and　I　fear　that　the　house　is　on　fire　somewhere。〃

〃My　wife　…　my　children！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃are　they　all　safe？〃

〃Yes；　yes！〃　cried　Mrs。　Seagrave；　〃all　safe；　Tommy　has　come　to　me；　but　where　is　Juno？　Juno！〃

Juno　answered　not。　William　darted　to　the　other　side　of　the　house；　and　found　Juno　lying　on　her　side；　motionless。

〃She　is　dead；　father；〃　cried　William。

〃Help　me　to　carry　her　out　of　the　house；　Mr。　Seagrave；〃　said　Ready；　who　had　lifted　up　the　poor　girl；　〃she　may　be　only　stunned。〃

They　carried　Juno　out　of　the　house；　and　laid　her　on　the　ground；　the　rain　poured　down　in　torrents。

Ready　left　them　for　a　minute；　to　ascertain　if　the　house　was　on　fire；　he　found　that　it　had　been　in　flames　at　the　further　corner；　but　the　rain　had　extinguished　it。　He　then　went　back　to　Mr。　Seagrave　and　William；　who　were　with　Juno。

〃I　will　attend　to　the　girl；　sir；〃　said　Ready；　〃go　you　and　Master　William　into　the　house；　Mrs。　Seagrave　will　be　too　much　frightened　if　she　is　left　alone　at　such　an　awful　time。　See；　sir！　Juno　is　not　dead　…　her　chest　heaves　…　she　will　come　to　very　soon；　thank　God　for　it！〃

William　and　Mr。　Seagrave　returned　to　the　house；　they　found　Mrs。　Seagrave　fainting　with　anxiety　and　fear。　The　information　they　brought；　that　Juno　was　not　killed　by　the　lightning；　did　much　to　restore　her。　William　soothed　little　Albert；　and　Tommy　in　a　few　minutes　was　fast　asleep　again　in　his　father's　arms。　The　storm　now　abated；　and　as　the　day　began　to　break；　Ready　appeared　with　Juno；　who　was　sufficiently　recovered　to　he　able　to　walk　in　with　his　support；　she　was　put　into　her　bed；　and　then　Ready　and　Mr。　Seagrave　went　to　examine　if　further　mischief　had　been　done。　The　lightning　had　come　in　at　the　further　end　of　the　house；　at　the　part　where　the　fireplace　was　intended　to　have　been　made。

〃We　have　been　most　mercifully　preserved；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。

〃Yes；　sir；　thanks　be　to　God　for　all　his　goodness；〃　replied　Ready。

〃I　think　we　have　a　large　roll　of　copper　wire；　Ready；　have　we　not？〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。

〃Yes；　sir；　I　was　just　thinking　of　it　myself；　we　will　have　a　lightning…conductor　up　the　first　thing。〃

It　was　now　broad　daylight。　Mrs。　Seagrave　dressed　herself　and　the　children；　and　as　soon　as　she　was　ready；　Mr。　Seagrave　read　such　portions　of　the　Psalms　as　were　appropriate；　and　they　earnestly　joined　in　a　prayer　of　thankfulness　and　humility。　William　went　out　to　prepare　the　breakfast；　and　Ready　procured　the　coil　of　copper　wire　from　those　stores　which　were　stowed　under　the　bed…places。　This　he　unrolled；　and　stretched　it　out　straight；　and　then　went　for　the　ladder；　which　was　at　the　outhouse　they　had　commenced　building。　As　soon　as　breakfast　was　over；　Ready　and　Mr。　Seagrave　went　out　again　to　fix　up　the　lightning…conductor；　leaving　William　to　do　the　work　of　Juno；　who　still　remained　fast　asleep　in　her　bed。

〃I　think；〃　said　Ready；　〃that　one　of　those　two　trees　which　are　close　together　will　suit　the　best；　they　are　not　too　near　the　house；　and　yet　quite　near　enough　for　the　wire　to　attract　the　lightning。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；　Ready；　but　we　must　not　leave　both　standing。〃

〃No；　sir；　but　we　shall　require　them　both　to　get　up　and　fix　the　wire；　after　that　we　will　cut　down　the　other。〃

Ready　put　his　ladder　against　one　of　the　trees；　and；　taking　with　him　the　hammer　and　a　bag　of　large　spike…nails；　drove　one　of　the　nails　into　the　trunk　of　the　tree　till　it　was　deep　enough　in　to　bear　his　weight；　he　then　drove　in　another　above　it；　and　so　he　continued　to　do；　standing　upon　one　of　them　while　he　drove　in　another　above；　till　he　had　reached　the　top　of　the　tree；　close　to　the　boughs；　he　then　descended；　and；　leaving　the　hammer　behind　him；　took　up　a　saw　and　small　axe；　and　in　about　ten　minutes　he　had　cut　off　the　head　of　the　cocoa…nut　tree；　which　remained　a　tall；　bare　pole。

〃Take　care；　Ready；　how　you　come　down；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave　anxiously。

〃Never　fear；　sir；〃　replied　Ready；　〃I'm　not　so　young　as　I　was；　but　I　have　been　too　often　at　the　mast…head；　much　higher　than　this。〃

Ready　came　down　again；　and　then　cut　down　a　small　pole；　to　fix　with　a　thick　piece　of　pointed　wire　at　the　top　of　it；　on　the　head　of　the　cocoa…nut　tree。　He　then　went　up；　lashed　the　small　pole　to　the　head　of　the　tree；　made　the　end　of　the　copper　wire　fast　to　the　pointed　wire；　and　then　he　descended。　The　other　tree　near　to　it　was　then　cut　down；　and　the　lower　end　of　the　wire　buried　in　the　ground　at　the　bottom　of　the　tree　on　which　the　lightning…conductor　had　been　fixed。

〃That's　a　good　job　done；　sir；〃　said　Ready；　wiping　his　face；　for　he　was　warm　with　the　work。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃and　we　must　put　up　another　near　the　outhouse；　or　we　may　lose　our　stores。〃

〃Very　true；　sir。〃

〃You　understand　this；　William；　don't　you？〃　said　his　father。

〃O　yes；　papa；　lightning　is　attracted　by　metal；　and　will　now　strike　the　point　instead　of　the　house；　run　down　the　wire；　and　only　tear　up　the　ground　below。〃

〃It's　coming　on　again；　sir；　as　thick　as　ever；〃　observed　the　old　man；　〃we　shall　do　no　work　to…day；　I'm　afraid。　I'll　just　go　and　see　where　the　stock　are。〃

Juno　was　now　up　again；　and　said　that　she　was　quite　well；　with　the　exception　of　a　headache。　As　Ready　had　predicted；　the　rain　now　came　on　again　with　great　violence；　and　it　was　impossible　to　do　any　work　out　of　doors。　At　the　request　of　William　he　continued　his　narrative。

Narrative　of　Old　Ready。

〃Well；　William；　as　soon　as　they　had　let　go　their　anchor　in　Table　Bay；　we　were　all　ordered　on　shore；　and　sent　up　to　a　prison　close　to　the　Government　Gardens。　We　were　not　very　carefully　watched；　as　it　appeared　impossible　for　us　to　get　away；　and　I　must　say　we　were　well　treated　in　every　respect；　but　we　were　told　that　we　should　be　sent　to　Holland　in　the　first　man…of…war　which　came　into　the　bay；　and　we　did　not　much　like　the　idea。

〃There　were；　as　I　told　you；　s