masterman ready-第47部分

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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　right。　I　thought　that　those　dark　patches　I　saw　there　were　brown　grass　sails。〃

〃Sails　of　what；　Ready？〃　said　William；　hastily。

〃Of　the　Indian　canoes；　I　knew　that　they　would　come。　Take　the　glass　and　look　yourself；　my　eye　is　quite　dim　from　straining　it　so　long。〃

〃Yes；　I　have　them　now；〃　replied　William；　with　his　eye　to　the　glass。　At　last　he　said：

〃Why；　there　are　twenty　or　thirty　of　them；　Ready；　at　least。〃

〃And　with　twenty　or　thirty　men　in　each　too；　William。〃

〃What　must　we　do；　Ready？　How　frightened　my　poor　mother　will　be！　I'm　afraid　we　can　do　nothing　against　such　a　number。〃

〃Yes；　William；　we　can　do　a　great　deal；　and　we　must　do　a　great　deal。　That　there　are　hundreds　of　savages　there　is　no　doubt；　but　recollect　that　we　have　a　stockade；　which　they　cannot　easily　climb　over；　and　plenty　of　firearms　and　ammunition；　so　that　we　can　make　a　good　fight　of　it；　and　perhaps　beat　them　off；　for　they　have　nothing　but　clubs　and　spears。〃

〃How　fast　they　come　down；　Ready；　why；　they　will　be　here　in　an　hour。〃

〃No；　sir；　nor　in　two　hours　either；　those　are　very　large　canoes。　However；　there　is　no　time　to　be　lost。　While　I　watch　them　for　a　few　minutes　till　I　make　them　more　clearly　out；　do　you　run　up　to　the　house　and　beckon　your　father　to　come　down　to　me；　and　then；　William；　get　all　the　muskets　ready；　and　bring　the　casks　of　powder；　and　of　made…up　cartridges；　from　the　old　house　into　the　stockade。　Call　Juno；　and　she　will　help　you。　We　shall　have　time　enough　to　do　everything。　After　you　have　done　that；　you　had　better　come　down　and　join　us。〃

In　a　very　few　minutes　after　William　ran　up　to　the　house；　Mr。　Seagrave　made　his　appearance。

〃Ready；　there　is　danger；　I'm　sure；　William　would　not　tell　me；　I　presume；　because　he　was　afraid　of　alarming　his　mother。　What　is　it？〃

〃It　is；　Mr。　Seagrave；　that　the　savages　are　now　coming　down　upon　us　in　large　force；　perhaps　five　or　six　hundred　of　them；　and　that　we　shall　have　to　defend　ourselves　with　might　and　main。〃

〃Do　you　think　we　have　any　chance　against　such　a　force？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　with　God's　help　I　have　no　doubt　but　that　we　shall　beat　them　off；　but　we　must　fight　hard；　and　for　some　days；　I　fear。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　examined　the　fleet　of　canoes　with　the　glass。　〃It　is；　indeed；　dreadful　odds　to　contend　against。〃

〃Yes；　sir；　but　three　muskets　behind　a　stockade　are　almost　a　match　for　all　their　clubs　and　spears；　provided　none　of　us　are　wounded。〃

〃Well；　Ready；　we　must　put　our　trust　in　the　Lord；　and　do　our　best；　I　will　second　you　to　the　utmost　of　my　power；　and　William；　I'm　sure；　will　do　his　duty。〃

〃I　think；　sir；〃　said　Ready；　〃we　had　better　not　wait　here　any　more；　as　we　have　not　long　to　prepare　for　them。　We　have　only　to　fix　up　some　of　our　strong　deal　planks　on　the　inside　of　the　stockade　for　us　to　stand　upon　when　we　are　attacked；　that　we　may　see　what　the　enemy　is　about；　and　be　able　to　fire　upon　them。　But　first　we　had　better　go　to　the　old　house；　and　take　out　what　provisions　and　other　articles　we　shall　most　want；　and　roll　the　casks　into　the　stockade；　for　to　the　old　house　they　will　go　first；　and　perhaps　destroy　everything　in　it。　The　casks　they　certainly　will；　for　the　sake　of　the　iron　hoops。　An　hour's　work　will　do　a　great　deal。　I　believe　we　have　everything　we　want　in　the　stockade；　Juno　has　her　fuel；　the　large　butt　of　water　will　last　us　two　or　three　weeks　at　least；　and　if　we　have　time；　we　will　get　the　wheels　down；　and　spear　a　couple　of　turtles　for　fresh　provisions。〃

These　observations　were　made　as　they　walked　up　to　the　house。　As　soon　as　they　arrived；　they　found　William　and　Juno　had　just　brought　in　the　powder　and　cartridges。　Mr。　Seagrave　went　in　to　break　the　matter　to　his　wife。

〃I　was　told　that　I　had　to　expect　this；　my　dear；〃　replied　Mrs。　Seagrave；　〃so　that　it　has　not　come　upon　me　altogether　unawares；　and　anything　that　a　poor　weak　woman　can　do；　I　will。〃

〃I　am　indeed　greatly　relieved；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃by　finding　you　thus　prepared　and　supported。　I　shall　feel　no　anxiety　…　but　we　have　work　to　be　done。〃

Mr。　and　Mrs。　Seagrave　then　joined　William；　Beady；　and　Juno；　who　had　already　proceeded　to　the　old　house。　The　children　were　all　still　in　bed　and　asleep；　so　that　there　was　no　occasion　for　any　one　to　watch　them。



Chapter　LXI

As　they　could　have　a　very　good　view　of　the　canoes　from　where　the　old　house　stood；　Ready　examined　them　with　his　glass　every　time　that　he　returned　from　rolling　up　a　cask　to　the　stockade。　Every　one　worked　hard；　even　Mrs。　Seagrave　did　all　she　could；　either　assisting　in　rolling　the　casks；　or　carrying　up　what　she　was　able　to　lift。　In　an　hour　they　had　got　into　the　stockade　all　that　they　most　cared　for；　and　the　canoes　were　still　about　six　or　seven　miles　off。

〃We　have　a　good　hour　before　they　arrive；　sir；〃　said　Ready；　〃and　even　then　the　reefs　will　puzzle　them　not　a　little；　I　doubt　if　they　are　disembarked　under　two　hours。　We　have　plenty　of　time　for　all　we　wish　to　do。　Juno；　go　for　the　wheels；　and　William；　come　down　with　the　spear；　and　we　will　have　some　of　the　turtle　into　the　stockade。　Mr。　Seagrave；　I　do　not　require　your　assistance；　so　if　you　will　have　the　kindness　to　get　out　the　muskets；　and　examine　the　flints；　it　will　be　as　well。〃

〃Yes；　and　then　you　have　to　load　them；〃　replied　Mrs。　Seagrave。　〃Juno　and　I　can　do　that　at　all　events；　ready　for　you　to　fire　them。〃

〃An　excellent　idea；　madam；〃　replied　Ready。

In　half　an　hour　six　turtles　were　brought　up　by　Juno　and　William；　and　then　Ready　followed　them　into　the　stockade。

They　then　rolled　the　casks；　and　upheaded　them　by　the　sides　of　the　stockade；　and　fixed　up　deal　planks　to　stand　upon；　just　high　enough　to　enable　them　to　see　over　the　top　of　the　palisades；　and　to　fire　at　the　enemy。　Mrs。　Seagrave　had　been　shown　how　to　load　a　musket；　and　Juno　was　now　taught　the　same。

〃Now；　sir；　we　are　all　prepared；〃　said　Ready；　〃and　Madam　and　Juno　can　go　and　look　a　little　after　the　children；　and　get　breakfast。〃

As　soon　as　the　children　were　dressed；　Mr。　Seagrave　called　Ready；　who　was　outside；　watching　the　canoes；　and　they　went　to　their　morning　devotions；　and　prayed　heartily　for　succour　in　this　time　of　need。　They　then　breakfasted　in　haste；　for；　as　may　be　supposed；　they　were　almost　too　anxious　to　eat。

〃This　suspense　is　worse　than　all；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave。　〃I　wish　now　that　they　were　come。〃

〃Shall　I　go　to　Ready　and　hear　his　report；　my　dear？　…　I　will　not　be　away　three　minutes。〃

In　a　short　time　Mr。　Seagrave　returned；　saying　that　the　canoes　were　close　to　the　beach；　that　the　savages　evidently　had　a　knowledge　of　the　passages　through　the　reefs；　as　they　had　steered　right　in；　and　had　lowered　their　sails；　that　Ready　and　William　were　on　the　look…out；　but　concealed　behind　the　cocoa…nut　trees。

〃I　hope　they　will　not　stay　out　too　long。〃

〃No　fear　of　that；　my　dear　Selina；　but　they　had　better　watch　their　motions　to　the　last　minute。〃

During　this　conversation　between　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Seagrave　within　the　stockade；　William　and　Ready　were　watching　the　motions　of　the　savages；　a　large　portion　of　whom　had　landed　out　of　ten　of　the　canoes；　and　the　others　were　following　their　example　as　fast　as　they　could；　forcing　their　way　through　the　reefs。　The　savages　were　all　painted；　with　their　war…cloaks　and　feathers　on；　and　armed　with　spears　and　clubs；　evidently　having　come　with　no　peaceable　intentions。

William；　who　had　taken　the　telescope　to　examine　them　more　minutely；　said　to　Ready；　〃What　a　fierce；　cruel　set　of　wretches　they　appear　to　be；　if　they　overpower　us　they　will　certainly　kill　us！〃

〃Of　that　there　is　no　doubt；　William；　but　we　must　fight　hard；　and　not　let　them　overpower　us。　Kill　us　they　certainly　will；　and　I　am　not　sure　that　they　may　not　eat　us　afterwards；　but　that　is　of　little　consequence。〃

William　replied　in　a　determined　tone；　〃I'll　fight　as　long　as　I　have　breath　in　my　body；　but；　Ready；　they　are　coming　up　as　fast　as　they　can。〃

〃Yes；　we　must　wait　no　longer。　Come；　William。〃

〃I　thought　I　saw　another　vessel　under　sail；　out　away　by　the　garden　point；　Ready；　just　as　we　turned　away。〃

〃Very　likely；　sir；　a　canoe　which　has　separated　from　the　others　during　the　night。　Come；　quick；　William；　they　have　begun　to　yell。〃

Another　half…minute；　and　they　arrived　at　the　door　of　the　stockade；　they　entered；　shut　the　door；　and　then　barricaded　it　with　the　cocoa…nut　poles　which　they　had　fitted　to　the　inner　door…posts。



Chapter　LXII

The　loud　yells　of　the　savages　struck　terror　into　the　heart　of　Mrs。　Seagrave；　it　was　well　that　she　had　not　seen　their　painted　bodies　and　fierce　appearance；　or　she　would　have　been　much　more　alarmed。　Little　Albert　and　Caroline　clung　around　her　neck　with　terror　in　their　faces；　they　did　not　cry；　but　looked　round　and　round　to　see　from　whence　the　horrid　noise　proceeded；　and　then　clung　faster　to　their　mother。　Tommy　was　very　busy；　finishing　all　the　breakfast　which　had　been　left；　for　there　was　no　one　to　check　him　as　usual；　Juno　was　busy　outside；　and　was　very　active　and　courageous。　Mr。　Seagrave　had　been　employed　making　the　holes　between　the　palisades　large　enough　to　admit　the　barrels　of　the　muskets；　so　that　they　could　fire　at　the　savages　without　being　exposed；　while　William　and　Ready；　with。　their　muskets　loaded；　were　on　the　look…out　for　their　approach。

〃They　are　busy　with　the　old　house　just　now；　sir；〃　observed　Ready；　〃but　that　won't　detain　them　long。〃

〃Here　they　come；〃　replied　William；　〃and　look；　Ready；　is　not　that　one　of　the　women　who　escaped　from　us　in　the　canoe；　who　is　walking　along　with　the　first　two　men？　Yes；　it　is；　I　am　sure。〃

〃You　are　right；　William；　it　is　one　of　them。　Ah！　they　have　stopped；　they　did　not　expect　the　stockade；　that　is　clear；　and　it　has　puzzled　them；　see　how　they　are　all　crowding　together　and　talking；　they　are　holding　a　council　of　war　how　to　proceed；　that　tall　man　must　be　one　of　their　chiefs。　Now；　William；　although　I　intend　to　fight　as　hard　as　I　can；　yet　I　always　feel　a　dislike　to　begin　first；　I　shall　therefore　show　myself　over　the　palisades；　and　if　they　attack　me；　I　shall　then　fire　with　a　quiet　conscience。〃

〃But　take　care　they　don't　hit　you；　Ready。〃

〃No　great　fear　of　that；　William。　Here　they　come。〃

Ready　now　stood　upon　the　plank　within；　so　as