masterman ready-第46部分

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That　evening　the　prayers　were　more　than　usually　solemn；　and　the　thanksgivings　more　heartfelt　and　sincere。　Exhausted　with　the　exciting　scene　of　the　day；　they　all　retired　early　to　bed。



Chapter　LIX

When　Tommy　was　questioned　on　the　following　morning　as　to　his　inducement　to　get　into　the　boat；　to　their　great　surprise　he　replied；　that　he　wanted　to　go　round　to　the　tents　again；　to　see　if　the　bananas　were　ripe；　that　he　intended　to　eat　some　of　them　and　be　back　before　dinner…time；　that　he　might　not　be　found　out。

〃I　suspect；　Tommy；　you　would　have　been　very　hungry　before　you　ate　any　bananas　if　we　had　not　perceived　you；〃　said　Ready。

〃I　won't　go　into　the　boat　any　more；〃　said　Tommy。

〃I　rather　think　you　will　keep　to　that　resolution；　Tommy；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃however；　I　must　leave　your　mother　to　point　out　to　you　the　danger　you　were　in　yourself；　and　in　which　you　placed　others　by　your　folly。〃

The　stockade　was　now　almost　finished；　the　door　was　the　occasion　of　a　good　deal　of　consultation；　at　last；　it　was　agreed　that　it　would　be　better　to　have　a　door　of　stout　oak　plank；　but　with　second　door…posts　inside；　about　a　foot　apart　from　the　door；　between　which　could　be　inserted　short　poles　one　above　the　other；　so　as　to　barricade　it　within　when　required。　This　would　make　the　door　as　strong　as　any　other　portion　of　the　stockade。　As　soon　as　this　was　all　complete；　the　storehouse　was　to　be　altered　for　a　dwelling…house；　by　taking　away　the　wattles　of　cocoa…nut　boughs　on　the　sides；　and　filling　them　up　with　logs　of　cocoa…nut　trees。

Before　the　week　was　ended　the　stockade　and　door　were　complete；　and　they　now　began　to　fell　trees；　to　form　the　sides　of　the　house。　This　was　rapid　work；　and　while　Mr。　Seagrave；　William；　and　Juno　felled　the　trees；　and　brought　them　on　the　wheels　to　the　side　of　the　stockade；　all　ready　cut　to　their　proper　lengths；　Ready　was　employed　in　flooring　the　house　with　a　part　of　the　deal　planks　which　they　had　brought　round　from　the　cove。　But　this　week　they　were　obliged　to　break　off　for　two　days；　to　collect　all　their　crops　from　the　garden。

A　fortnight　more　passed　away　in　continual　hard　work；　but　the　house　was　at　last　finished；　and　very　complete；　compared　to　the　one　they　were　residing　in。　It　was　much　larger；　and　divided　into　three　rooms　by　the　deal　planking：　the　middle　room　which　the　door　opened　into　was　the　sitting　and　eating　room；　with　a　window　behind；　the　two　side　rooms　were　sleeping…rooms；　one　for　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　the　children；　and　the　other　for　the　male　portion　of　the　family。

〃See；　William；〃　said　Ready；　when　they　were　alone；　〃what　we　have　been　able　to　do　by　means　of　those　deal　planks；　why；　to　have　floored　this　house；　and　run　up　the　partitions；　would　have　taken　us　half　a　year　if　we　had　had　to　saw　the　wood。〃

〃Yes；　and　what　a　comfort　it　is　to　have　so　many　shelves　about。　When　shall　we　shift　into　this　house？〃

〃The　sooner　the　better。　We　have　plenty　of　work　still　to　do；　but　we　can　work　outside　of　the　stockade。〃

〃And　what　do　you　propose　to　do　with　the　old　house？〃　said　William。

〃We　had　better　put　some　of　our　stores　of　least　value　in　it　for　the　present；　until　we　can　fit　up　another　storehouse　inside　the　stockade。〃

〃Then　we'll　put　those　casks　in；　for　they　take　up　a　great　deal　of　room。〃

〃All　but　that　large　one；　William；　we　shall　want　that。　I　shall　fix　it　up　in　a　corner。〃

〃What　for；　Ready？〃

〃To　put　water　in。〃

〃But　we　are　closer　to　the　spring　than　we　were　at　the　other　house。〃

〃I　know　that；　but；　perhaps；　we　may　not　be　able　to　go　out　of　the　stockade；　and　then　we　shall　want　water。〃

〃I　understand；　Ready；　how　thoughtful　you　are！〃

〃If　at　my　age　I　did　not　think　a　little；　William；　it　would　be　very　odd。　You　don't　know　how　anxious　I　am　to　see　them　all　inside　of　this　defence。〃

〃But　why　should　we　not　come　in；　Ready？〃

〃Why；　sir；　as　there　is　still　plenty　of　work；　I　do　not　like　to　press　the　matter；　lest　your　mamma　should　be　fidgeted；　and　think　there　was　danger；　but　danger　there　is；　I　have　a　kind　of　forewarning　of　it。　I　wish　you　would　propose　that　they　should　come　in　at　once；　the　standing…bed　places　are　all　ready；　except　the　canvas；　and　I　shall　nail　on　new　by　to…night。〃

In　consequence　of　this　conversation；　William　proposed　at　dinnertime　that　the　next　day　they　should　go　into　the　new　house；　as　it　was　so　much　more　handy　to　work　there　and　live　there　at　the　same　time。　Mr。　Seagrave　was　of　the　same　opinion；　but　Mrs。　Seagrave　thought　it　better　that　everything　should　be　tidy　first。

〃Why；　ma'am；〃　said　Ready；　〃the　only　way　to　get　things　tidy　is　to　go　yourself　and　make　them　so。　Nothing　will　ever　be　in　its　place　unless　you　are　there　to　put　it　in。〃

〃Well；　Ready；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave；　〃since　you　are　against　me　as　well　as　all　the　rest；　I　give　it　up。　and　if　you　please　we　will　shift　over　to…morrow。〃

〃Indeed；　ma'am；　I　think　it　will　be　better；　this　is　the　last　month　of　fine　weather；　and　we　shall　have　plenty　to　do。〃

〃Be　it　so；　Ready；　you　are　the　best　judge；　to…morrow　we　will　take　up　our　quarters　in　the　stockade。〃

〃Thank　God！〃　muttered　Ready　very　softly。

The　next　day　was　fully　employed　in　changing　their　residence；　and　shifting　over　the　bedding　and　utensils；　and　that　night　they　slept　within　the　stockade。　Ready　had　run　up　a　very　neat　little　outhouse　of　plank；　as　a　kitchen　for　Juno；　and　another　week　was　fully　employed　as　follows：　the　stores　were　divided；　those　of　least　consequence；　and　the　salt　provisions；　flour；　and　the　garden　produce；　&c。；　were　put　into　the　old　house；　the　casks　of　powder　and　most　of　the　cartridges　were　also　put　there　for　security；　but　a　cask　of　beef；　of　pork；　and　flour；　all　the　iron…work　and　nails；　canvas；　&c。；　were　stowed　away　for　the　present　under　the　new　house；　which　had；　when　built　as　a　storehouse；　been　raised　four　feet　from　the　ground　to　make　a　shelter　for　the　stock。　This　was　very　spacious；　and；　of　course；　quite　dry；　and　contained　all　they　wished　to　put　in。　Ready　also　took　care；　by　degrees；　to　fill　the　large　water…butt　full　of　water；　and　had　fixed　into　the　bottom　a　spigot　for　drawing　the　water　off。

〃Well；　Mr。　Seagrave；〃　said　Ready　on　the　Saturday；　〃we　have　done　a　good　many　hard　weeks'　work　lately；　but　this　is　the　last　of　them。　We　are　now　comfortably　settled　in　our　new　house：　our　stores　are　all　under　cover；　and　safe　from　the　weather；　and　so　we　may　now　take　things　a　little　easier。　William　and　I　must　repair　the　boat；　so　that　we　may　take　a　trip　round　to　examine　how　the　stock　and　yams　get　on。〃

〃And　the　bananas　and　the　guavas；〃　said　Tommy。

〃Why；　we　have　quite　forgotten　all　about　them；〃　observed　Mrs。　Seagrave。

〃Yes；　ma　am；　we　have　been　so　busy；　that　it　is　no　wonder；　however；　there　may　be　some　left　yet；　and　I　will　go　round　as　soon　as　the　boat　is　able　to　swim；　and　bring　all　I　can　find。〃

〃We　must　put　our　seeds　and　potatoes　in　before　the　rainy　season；　Ready。〃

〃It　will　be　better；　sir；　if　we　can　find　time；　as　we　shall　not　have　much　more　fine　weather　now；　at　all　events；　we　can　get　them　in　at　intervals　when　the　weather　is　fine。　Now　I　shall　go　my　rounds　for　turtle。　Good…night；　ma'am；　…　good…night；　sir。　Come；　William。〃

William　and　Ready　succeeded　in　turning　six　more　turtles　to　add　to　their　stock；　and　having　taken　a　careful　survey　with　the　telescope；　they　came　back；　fastened　the　door　of　the　stockade；　and　went　to　bed。



Chapter　LX

Another　week　passed　away；　during　which　Ready　repaired　the　boat；　and　William　and　Mr。　Seagrave　were　employed　in　digging　up　the　garden。　It　was　also　a　very　busy　week　at　the　house；　as　they　had　not　washed　linen　for　some　time。　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　Juno；　and　even　little　Caroline　were　hard　at　work；　and　Tommy　was　more　useful　than　ever　he　had　been；　going　for　the　water　as　they　required　it；　and　watching　little　Albert。　Indeed；　he　was　so　active；　that　Mrs。　Seagrave　praised　him　before　his　papa；　and　Tommy　was　quite　proud。

On　the　Monday　William　and　Ready　set　off　in　the　boat　to　the　little　harbour；　and　found　all　the　stock　doing　well。　Many　of　the　bananas　and　guavas　had　ripened　and　withered；　but　there　were　enough　left　to　fill　the　boat　half　full。

〃We　cannot　do　better　than　to　leave　the　stock　where　it　is　at　present；　William；　they　can　run　into　the　cocoa…nut　grove　for　shelter　if　there　is　a　storm；　and　there　is　feed　enough　for　ten　times　as　many。〃

〃Yes；　but　will　you　not　dig　up　a　few　yams　first？〃

〃I　had　quite　forgotten　it；　William。　I　will　go　for　the　spade。〃

Having　procured　the　yams；　they　set　off　on　their　return。　Before　they　arrived　at　the　bay；　the　sky　clouded　over　and　threatened　a　storm。　It　did　not；　however；　rain　till　after　they　had　landed；　when　a　small　shower　announced　the　commencement　of　the　rainy　season。　The　fruit　was　very　welcome　to　all　of　them；　it　was　so　long　since　they　had　tasted　any。

The　following　day　was　beautifully　fine；　and　everything　appeared　refreshed　by　the　rain　which　had　fallen。　It　was；　however；　agreed；　that　Ready　and　William　should　go　round　the　next　morning；　bring　home　the　tents；　and　as　many　yams　as　the　boat　could　carry。　William　and　Ready　went　out　at　night　as　usual；　when　Ready　observed　that　the　wind　had　chopped　round　to　the　eastward。

〃That　will　be　bad　for　us　to…morrow；　Ready；〃　replied　William。　〃We　may　sail　to　the　harbour；　but　we　shall　have　to　pull　back　with　the　loaded　boat。〃

〃I　trust　it　will　be　no　worse　than　that；　at　all　events；〃　replied　Ready；　〃but　we　must　now　return；　and　go　to　bed。　I　shall　be　up　by　daylight；　so　you　need　not　wake　without　you　like。〃

〃I　can't　help　waking；〃　replied　William；　〃and　I　shall；　therefore；　be　up　with　you。〃

〃Very　well；　I　am　always　glad　of　your　company。〃

The　next　morning；　just　before　the　day　dawned；　Ready　and　William　unfastened　the　door　of　the　stockade；　and　went　down　to　the　beach。　The　wind　was　still　to　the　eastward；　and　blowing　rather　fresh；　and　the　sky　was　cloudy。　As　the　sun　rose；　Ready；　as　usual；　had　his　telescope　with　him；　and　looked　through　it　at　the　offing　to　the　eastward。　As　he　kept　the　spy…glass　to　his　eye　for　some　time　without　speaking；　William　said：

〃Do　you　see　anything；　Ready；　that　you　look　so　long　in　that　direction？〃

〃Either　my　old　eyes　deceive　me；　or　I　fear　that　I　do；〃　replied　Ready；　〃but　a　few　minutes　more　will　decide。〃

There　was　a　bank　of　clouds　on　the　horizon　to　the　eastward；　but　as　soon　as　the　sun　had　risen　above　them；　Ready；　who　had　the　telescope　fixed　in　the　same　direction；　said：

〃Yes；　William；　I　am　righ