masterman ready-第49部分

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tch。　In　the　morning；　when　Mr　Seagrave　came　out；　he　would　have　a　little　sleep　himself。

〃I　can't　sleep；　Ready。　I'm　mad　with　thirst；〃　replied　William。

〃Yes；　sir；　it's　very　painful　…　I　feel　it　myself　very　much；　but　what　must　those　poor　children　feel？　I　pity　them　most。〃

〃I　pity　my　mother　most；　Ready；〃　replied　William；　〃it　must　be　agony　to　her　to　witness　their　sufferings；　and　not　be　able　to　relieve　them。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　it　must　be　terrible；　William；　to　a　mother's　feelings；　but　perhaps　these　savages　will　be　off　to…morrow；　and　then　we　shall　forget　our　privations。〃

〃I　trust　in　God　that　they　may；　Ready；　but　they　seem　very　determined。〃

〃Yes；　sir；　iron　is　gold　to　them；　and　what　will　civilized　men　not　do　for　gold？〃

In　the　meantime；　Mr。　Seagrave　had　gone　into　the　house。　He　found　the　children　still　crying　for　water；　notwithstanding　the　coaxing　and　soothing　of　Mrs。　Seagrave；　who　was　shedding　tears　as　she　hung　over　poor　little　Albert。　Little　Caroline　only　drooped；　and　said　nothing。　Mr。　Seagrave　remained　for　two　or　three　hours　with　his　wife；　assisting　her　in　pacifying　the　children；　and　soothing　her　to　the　utmost　of　his　power；　at　last　he　went　out　and　found　old　Ready　on　the　watch。

〃Ready；　I　had　rather　a　hundred　times　be　attacked　by　these　savages　and　have　to　defend　this　place；　than　be　in　that　house　for　even　five　minutes；　and　witness　the　sufferings　of　my　wife　and　children。〃

〃I　do　not　doubt　it；　sir；〃　replied　Ready；　〃but　cheer　up；　and　let　us　hope　for　the　best；　I　think　it　very　probable　that　the　savages　after　this　second　defeat　will　leave　the　island。〃

〃I　wish　I　could　think　so；　Ready；　it　would　make　me　very　happy；　but　I　have　come　out　to　take　the　watch；　Ready。　Will　you　not　sleep　for　a　while？〃

〃I　will；　sir；　if　you　please；　take　a　little　sleep。　Call　me　in　two　hours；　it　will　then　be　daylight；　and　I　can　go　to　work；　and　you　can　get　some　repose　yourself。〃

〃I　am　too　anxious　to　sleep；　I　think　so；　at　least。〃

〃William　said　he　was　too　thirsty　to　sleep；　sir；　but；　poor　fellow；　he　is　now　fast　enough。〃

〃I　trust　that　boy　will　be　spared；　Ready。〃

〃I　hope　so　too；　but　we　are　all　in　the　hands　of　the　Almighty。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　took　his　station　on　the　plank；　and　was　left　to　his　own　reflections；　that　they　were　not　of　the　most　pleasant　kind　may　easily　be　imagined。　He　prayed　earnestly　and　fervently　that　they　might　be　delivered　from　the　danger　and　sufferings　which　threatened　them；　and　became　calm　and　tranquil；　prepared　for　the　worst；　if　the　worst　was　to　happen；　and　confidently　placing　himself　and　his　family　under　the　care　of　him　who　orders　all　as　he　thinks　best。

At　daylight　Ready　woke　up　and　relieved　Mr。　Seagrave；　who　did　not　return　to　the　house；　but　lay　down　on　the　cocoa…nut　boughs；　where　Ready　had　been　lying　by　the　side　of　William。　As　soon　as　Ready　had　got　out　the　spike…nails　and　hammer；　he　summoned　William　to　his　assistance；　and　they　commenced　driving　them　into　the　cocoa…nut　tree；　one　looking　out　in　case　of　the　savages　approaching；　while　the　other　was　at　work。　In　less　than　an　hour　they　had　gained　the　top　of　the　tree　close　to　the　boughs；　and　had　a　very　commanding　view　of　the　bay；　as　well　as　inland。　William；　who　was　driving　the　last　dozen　spikes；　took　a　survey；　and　then　came　down　to　Ready。

〃I　can　see　everything；　Ready：　they　have　pulled　down　the　old　house　altogether；　and　are　most　of　them　lying　down　outside；　covered　up　with　their　war…cloaks；　some　women　are　walking　to　and　fro　from　the　canoes；　which　are　lying　on　the　beach　where　they　first　landed。〃

〃They　have　pulled　down　the　house　to　obtain　the　iron　nails；　I　have　no　doubt；〃　replied　Ready。　〃Did　you　see　any　of　their　dead？〃

〃No；　I　did　not　look　about　very　much；　but　I　will　go　up　again　directly。　I　came　down　because　my　hands　were　jarred　with　hammering；　and　the　hammer　was　so　heavy　to　carry。　In　a　minute　or　two　I　shall　go　up　light　enough。　My　lips　are　burning；　Ready；　and　swelled；　the　skin　is　peeling　off。　I　had　no　idea　that　want　of　water　would　have　been　so　dreadful。　I　was　in　hopes　of　finding　a　cocoa…nut　or　two　on　the　tree；　but　there　was　not　one。〃

〃And　if　you　had　found　one；　it　would　not　have　had　any　milk　in　it　at　this　season　of　the　year。　However；　William；　if　the　savages　do　not　go　away　to…day；　something　must　be　done。　I　wish　now　that　you　would　go　up　again；　and　see　if　they　are　not　stirring。〃

William　again　mounted　to　the　top　of　the　tree；　and　remained　up　for　some　minutes；　when　he　came　down；　he　said；　〃They　are　all　up　now；　and　swarming　like　bees。　I　counted　260　of　the　men　in　their　war…cloaks　and　feather　head…dresses；　the　women　are　passing　to　and　fro　from　the　well　with　water；　there　is　nobody　at　the　canoes　except　eight　or　ten　women；　who　are　beating　their　heads；　I　think；　or　doing　something　of　the　kind。　I　could　not　make　it　out　well；　but　they　seem　all　doing　the　same　thing。〃

〃I　know　what　they　are　about；　William：　they　are　cutting　themselves　with　knives　or　other　sharp　instruments。　It　is　the　custom　of　these　people。　The　dead　are　all　put　into　the　canoes；　and　these　women　are　lamenting　over　them；　perhaps　they　are　going　away；　since　the　dead　are　in　the　canoes。　but　there　is　no　saying。〃



Chapter　LXIV

The　second　day　was　passed　in　keeping　a　look…out　upon　the　savages；　and　awaiting　a　fresh　attack。　They　could　perceive　from　the　top　of　the　cocoa…nut　tree　that　the　savages　held　a　council　of　war　in　the　forenoon；　sitting　round　in　a　large　circle；　while　one　got　up　in　the　centre　and　made　a　speech；　flourishing　his　club　and　spear　while　he　spoke。　In　the　afternoon　the　council　broke　up；　and　the　savages　were　observed　to　be　very　busy　in　all　directions；　cutting　down　the　cocoa…nut　trees；　and　collecting　all　the　brushwood。

Ready　watched　them　for　a　long　while；　and　at　last　came　down　a　little　before　sunset。　〃Mr。　Seagrave；〃　said　he；　〃we　shall　have；　in　my　opinion；　no　attack　this　night；　but　to…morrow　we　must　expect　something　very　serious；　the　savages　are　cutting　down　the　trees；　and　making　large　faggots；　they　do　not　get　on　very　fast；　because　their　hatchets　are　made　of　stone　and　don't　cut　very　well；　but　perseverance　and　numbers　will　effect　everything；　and　I　dare　say　that　they　will　work　all　night　till　they　have　obtained　as　many　faggots　as　they　want。〃

〃But　what　do　you　imagine　to　be　their　object；　Ready；　in　cutting　down　trees；　and　making　the　faggots？〃

〃Either；　sir；　to　pile　them　up　outside　the　palisades；　so　large　as　to　be　able　to　walk　up　upon　them；　or　else　to　pile　them　up　to　set　fire　to　them；　and　burn　us　out。〃

〃Do　you　think　they　will　succeed？〃

〃Not　without　very　heavy　loss；　perhaps　we　may　best　them　off；　but　it　will　be　a　hard　fight；　harder　than　any　we　have　had　yet。　We　must　have　the　women　to　load　the　muskets；　so　that　we　may　fire　as　fast　as　we　can。　I　should　not　think　much　of　their　attempt　to　burn　us；　if　it　were　not　for　the　smoke。　Cocoa…nut　wood；　especially　with　the　bark　on；　as　our　palisades　have；　will　char　a　long　while；　but　not　burn　easily　when　standing　upright；　and　the　fire；　when　the　faggots　are　kindled；　although　it　will　be　fierce；　will　not　last　long。〃

〃But　suffering　as　we　are　now；　Ready；　for　want　of　water；　how　can　we　possibly　keep　up　our　strength　to　meet　them　in　a　suffocating　smoke　and　flame？　we　must　drop　with　sheer　exhaustion。〃

〃We　must　hope　for　the　best；　and　do　our　best；　Mr。　Seagrave；〃　replied　Ready；　〃and　recollect　that　should　anything　happen　to　me　during　the　conflict；　and　if　there　is　any　chance　of　your　being　overpowered；　you　must　take　advantage　of　the　smoke　to　escape　into　the　woods；　and　find　your　way　to　the　tents。　I　have　no　doubt　that　you　will　be　able　to　do　that；　of　course　the　attack　will　be　to　windward　if　they　use　fire；　and　you　must　try　and　escape　to　leeward；　I　have　shown　William　how　to　force　a　palisade　if　necessary。　The　savages；　if　they　get　possession；　will　not　think　of　looking　for　you　at　first；　and；　perhaps；　when　they　have　obtained　all　that　the　house　contains；　not　even　afterwards。〃

〃Why　do　you　say　if　any　accident　happens　to　you；　Ready？〃　said　William。

〃Because；　William；　if　they　place　the　faggots　so　as　to　be　able　to　walk　to　the　top　of　the　palisades；　I　may　be　wounded　or　killed；　and　so　may　you。〃

〃Of　course；〃　replied　William；　〃but　they　are　not　in　yet；　and　they　shall　have　a　hard　fight　for　it。〃

Ready　then　told　Mr。　Seagrave　that　he　would　keep　the　watch；　and　call　him　at　twelve　o'clock。　During　these　two　days；　they　had　eaten　very　little；　a　turtle　had　been　killed；　and　pieces　fried；　but　eating　only　added　to　their　thirst；　and　even　the　children　refused　the　meat。　The　sufferings　were　now　really　dreadful；　and　poor　Mrs。　Seagrave　was　almost　frantic。

As　soon　as　Mr。　Seagrave　had　gone　into　the　house；　Ready　called　William；　and　said；　〃William；　water　we　must　have。　I　cannot　bear　to　see　the　agony　of　the　poor　children；　and　the　state　of　mind　which　your　poor　mother　is　in；　and　more；　without　water　we　never　shall　be　able　to　beat　off　the　savages　to…morrow。　We　shall　literally　die　of　choking　in　the　smoke；　if　they　use　fire。　Now；　William；　I　intend　to　take　one　of　the　seven…gallon　barricos；　and　go　down　to　the　well　for　water。　I　may　succeed；　and　I　may　not；　but　attempt　it　I　must；　and　if　I　fall　it　cannot　be　helped。〃

〃Why　not　let　me　go；　Ready？〃　replied　William。

〃For　many　reasons；　William；〃　said　Ready；　〃and　the　chief　one　is　that　I　do　not　think　you　would　succeed　so　well　as　I　shall。　I　shall　put　on　the　war…cloak　and　feathers　of　the　savage　who　fell　dead　inside　of　the　stockade；　and　that　will　be　a　disguise；　but　I　shall　take　no　arms　except　his　spear；　as　they　would　only　be　in　my　way；　and　increase　the　weight　I　have　to　carry。　Now　observe；　you　must　let　me　out　of　the　door；　and　when　I　am　out；　in　case　of　accident　put　one　of　the　poles　across　it　inside；　that　will　keep　the　door　fast；　if　they　attack　it；　until　you　can　secure　it　with　the　others。　Watch　my　return；　and　be　all　ready　to　let　me　in。　Do　you　understand　me？〃

〃Yes；　perfectly；　Ready；　but　I　am　now；　I　must　confess；　really　frightened；　if　anything　was　to　happen　to　you；　what　a　misery　it　would　be！〃

〃There　is　no　help　for　it；　William。　Water　must；　if　possible；　be　procured；　and　now　is　a　better　time　to　make　the　attempt　than　later；　when　they　may　be　more　on　the　watch；　they　have　left　off　their　work；　and　are　busy　eating；　if　I　meet　any　one；　it　will　only　be　a　woman。〃

Ready　went　for　the　barrico；　a　little　cask；　which　held　six　or　seven　gallons　of　water。　He　put　on　the　head…dress　and　war…cloak　of　the　savage；　and；　taking　the　barrico