masterman ready-第50部分

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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　on　his　shoulder；　and　the　spear　in　his　hand；　the　poles　which　barred　the　door　were　softly　removed　by　William；　and　after　ascertaining　that　no　one　was　concealed　beneath　the　palisades；　Ready　pressed　William's　hand；　and　set　off　across　the　cleared　space　outside　of　the　stockade；　and　gained　the　cocoa…nut　trees。　William；　as　directed；　closed　the　door；　passed　one　pole　through　the　inner　door…posts　for　security；　and　remained　on　the　watch。　He　was　in　an　awful　state　of　suspense；　listening　to　the　slightest　noise；　even　the　slight　rustling　by　the　wind　of　the　cocoa…nut　boughs　above　him　made　him　start；　there　he　continued　for　some　minutes；　his　gun　ready　cocked　by　his　side。

It　is　time　that　he　returned；　thought　William；　the　distance　is　not　100　yards；　and　yet　I　have　heard　no　noise。　At　last　he　thought　he　heard　footsteps　coming　very　softly。　Yes；　it　was　so。　Ready　was　returning；　and　without　any　accident。　William　had　his　hand　upon　the　pole；　to　slip　it　on　one　side　and　open　the　door；　when　he　beard　a　scuffle　and　a　fall　close　to　the　door。　He　immediately　threw　down　the　pole；　and　opened　it　just　as　Ready　called　him　by　name。　William　seized　his　musket　and　sprang　out；　he　found　Ready　struggling　with　a　savage；　who　was　uppermost；　and　with　his　spear　at　Ready's　breast。　In　a　second　William　levelled　and　fired；　and　the　savage　fell　dead。

〃Take　the　water　in　quick；　William；〃　said　Ready　in　a　faint　voice。　〃I　will　contrive　to　crawl　in　if　I　can。〃

William　caught　up　the　barrico　of　water；　and　took　it　in；　he　then　hastened　to　Ready；　who　was　on　his　knees。　Mr。　Seagrave；　hearing　the　musket　fired；　had　run　out；　and　finding　the　stockade　door　open；　followed　William；　and　seeing　him　endeavouring　to　support　Ready；　caught　hold　of　his　other　arm；　and　they　led　him　tottering　into　the　stockade；　the　door　was　then　immediately　secured；　and　they　went　to　his　assistance。

〃Are　you　hurt；　Ready？〃　said　William。

〃Yes；　dear　boy；　yes；　hurt　to　death；　I　fear：　his　spear　went　through　my　breast。　Water；　quick；　water！〃

〃Alas！　that　we　had　some；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。

〃We　have；　papa；〃　replied　William；　〃but　it　has　cost　us　dearly。〃

William　ran　for　a　pannikin；　and　taking　out　the　bung；　poured　some　water　out　of　the　barrico　and　gave　it　to　Ready；　who　drank　it　with　eagerness。

〃Now；　William；　lay　me　down　on　these　cocoa…nut　boughs；　go　and　give　some　water　to　the　others；　and　when　you　have　all　drunk；　then　come　to　me　again。　Don't　tell　Mrs。　Seagrave　that　I'm　hurt。　Do　as　I　beg　of　you。〃

〃Papa；　take　the　water　…　do　pray；〃　replied　William；　〃I　cannot　leave　Ready。〃

〃I　will；　my　boy；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃but　first　drink　yourself。〃

William；　who　was　very　faint；　drank　off　the　pannikin　of　water；　which　immediately　revived　him；　and　then；　while　Mr。　Seagrave　hastened　with　some　water　to　the　children　and　women；　occupied　himself　with　old　Ready；　who　breathed　heavily；　but　did　not　speak。



Chapter　LXV

After　returning　twice　for　water；　to　satisfy　those　in　the　house；　Mr。　Seagrave　came　to　the　assistance　of　William；　who　had　been　removing　Ready's　clothes　to　ascertain　the　nature　of　the　wound　he　had　received。

〃We　had　better　move　him　to　where　the　other　cocoa…nut　boughs　lie；　he　will　be　more　comfortable　there；〃　said　William。

Ready　whispered；　〃More　water。〃　William　gave　him　some　more　and　then；　with　the　assistance　of　his　father；　Ready　was　removed　to　a　more　comfortable　place。　As　soon　as　they　laid　him　there；　Ready　turned　on　his　side；　and　threw　up　a　quantity　of　blood。

〃I　am　better　now；〃　said　he　in　a　low　voice；　〃bind　up　the　wound；　William；　an　old　man　like　me　has　not　much　blood　to　spare。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　and　William　then　examined　the　wound；　the　spear　had　gone　deep　into　the　lungs。　William　threw　off　his　shirt；　tore　it　up　into　strips；　and　then　bound　up　the　wound　so　as　to　stop　the　effusion　of　blood。

Ready；　who　at　first　appeared　much　exhausted　with　being　moved　about；　gradually　recovered　so　as　to　be　able　to　speak　in　a　low　voice；　when　Mrs。　Seagrave　came　out　of　the　house。

〃Where　is　that　brave；　kind　man？〃　cried　she；　〃that　I　may　bless　him　and　thank　him。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　went　to　her；　and　caught　her　by　the　arm。　〃He　is　hurt；　my　dear；　and　very　much　hurt。　I　did　not　tell　you　at　the　time。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　related　what　had　occurred；　and　then　led　her　to　where　Ready　was　lying。　Mrs。　Seagrave　knelt　by　his　side；　took　his　hand；　and　burst　into　tears。

〃Don't　weep　for　me；〃　said　Ready；　〃my　days　have　been　numbered；　I'm　only　sorry　that　I　cannot　any　more　be　useful　to　you。〃

〃Dear　good　man；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave；　〃whatever　may　be　our　fates；　and　that　is　for　the　Almighty　to　decide　for　us；　as　long　as　I　have　life；　what　you　have　done　for　me　and　mine　shall　never　be　forgotten。〃

Mrs。　Seagrave　then　bent　over　him；　and　kissing　his　forehead；　rose　and　retired　weeping　into　the　house。

〃William；〃　said　Ready；　〃I　can't　talk　now；　raise　my　head　a　little；　and　then　leave　me。　You　have　not　looked　round　lately。　Come　again　in　about　half　an　hour。　Leave　me　now；　Mr。　Seagrave；　I　shall　be　better　if　I　doze　a　little。〃

They　complied　with　Ready's　request；　went　up　to　the　planks；　and　examined　carefully　all　round　the　stockade；　at　last　they　stopped。

〃This　is　a　sad　business；　William；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。

William　shook　his　head。　〃He　would　not　let　me　go；〃　replied　he；　〃I　wish　he　had。　I　fear　that　he　is　much　hurt。〃

〃I　should　say　that　he　cannot　recover；　William。　We　shall　miss　him　to…morrow　if　they　attack　us。〃

〃I　hardly　know　what　to　say；　papa；　but　I　feel　that　since　we　have　been　relieved；　I　am　able　to　do　twice　as　much　as　I　could　have　done　before。〃

〃I　feel　the　same；　but　still　with　such　a　force　against　us；　two　people　cannot　do　much。〃

〃If　my　mother　and　Juno　load　the　muskets　for　us；〃　replied　William；　〃we　shall　at　all　events　do　as　much　now　as　we　should　have　been　able　to　do　if　there　were　three；　so　exhausted　as　we　should　have　been。〃

〃Perhaps　so；　at　all　events　we　will　do　our　best；　for　we　fight　for　our　lives　and　for　those　most　dear　to　us。〃

William　went　softly　up　to　Ready；　and　found　that　he　was　dozing；　he　therefore　did　not　disturb　him；　but　returned　to　his　father。　Now　that　their　thirst　had　been　appeased；　they　all　felt　the　calls　of　hunger。　Juno　and　William　went　and　cut　off　steaks　from　the　turtle；　and　fried　them；　they　all　made　a　hearty　meal；　and　perhaps　never　had　they　taken　one　with　so　much　relish　in　their　lives。

It　was　nearly　daylight；　when　William；　who　had　several　times　been　softly　up　to　Ready；　found　him　with　his　eyes　open。

〃How　do　you　find　yourself；　Ready？〃　said　William。

〃I　am　quiet　and　easy；　William；　and　without　much　pain；　but　I　think　I　am　sinking；　and　shall　not　last　long。　Recollect　that　if　you　are　obliged　to　escape　from　the　stockade；　you　take　no　heed　of　me；　but　leave　me　where　I　am。　I　cannot　live；　and　were　you　to　move　me；　I　should　only　die　the　sooner。〃

〃I　had　rather　die　with　you；　than　leave　you；　Ready。〃

〃No；　that　is　wrong；　you　must　save　your　mother；　and　your　brothers　and　sister；　promise　me　that　you　will　do　as　I　wish。〃

William　hesitated。

〃I　point　out　to　you　your　duty；　William。　I　know　what　your　feelings　are；　but　you　must　not　give　way　to　them；　promise　me　this；　or　you　will　make　me　very　miserable。〃

William　squeezed　Ready's　hand；　his　heart　was　too　full　to　speak。

〃They　will　come　at　daylight；　William；　you　have　not　much　time　to　spare；　climb　to　the　look…out；　and　wait　there　till　day　dawns；　watch　them　as　long　as　you　can；　and　then　come　and　tell　me　what　you　have　seen。〃

Ready's　voice　became　faint　after　this　exertion　of　speaking　so　much。

William　immediately　climbed　up　the　cocoa…nut　tree；　and　waited　there　till　daylight。　At　the　dawn　of　day；　he　perceived　that　the　savages　were　at　work；　that　they　had　collected　all　the　faggots　together　opposite　to　where　the　old　house　had　stood；　and　were　very　busy　in　making　arrangements　for　the　attack。　At　last；　every　one　shouldered　a　faggot；　and　commenced　their　advance　towards　the　stockade；　William　immediately　descended　and　called　his　father；　who　was　talking　with　Mrs。　Seagrave。　The　muskets　were　all　loaded；　and　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　Juno　took　their　posts　below　the　planking；　to　reload　them　as　fast　as　they　were　fired。

〃We　must　fire　upon　them　as　soon　as　we　are　sure　of　not　missing；　William；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃for　the　more　we　check　their　advance；　the　better。〃

When　the　first　savages　were　within　fifty　yards；　they　both　fired；　and　two　of　the　men　dropped；　they　continued　to　fire　as　their　assailants　came　up；　with　great　success　for　the　first　ten　minutes；　after　which　the　savages　advanced　in　a　larger　body；　and　took　the　precaution　to　hold　the　faggots　in　front　of　them；　for　some　protection　as　they　approached。　By　these　means　they　gained　the　stockade　in　safety；　and　commenced　laying　their　faggots。　Mr。　Seagrave　and　William　still　kept　up　an　incessant　fire　upon　them；　but　not　with　so　much　success　as　before。

Although　many　fell；　the　faggots　were　gradually　heaped　up；　till　they　almost　reached　to　the　holes　between　the　palisades；　through　which　they　pointed　their　muskets；　and　as　the　savages　contrived　to　slope　them　down　from　the　stockade　to　the　ground；　it　was　evident　that　they　meant　to　mount　up　and　take　them　by　escalade。　At　last；　it　appeared　as　if　all　the　faggots　had　been　placed；　and　the　savages　retired　farther　back；　to　where　the　cocoa…nut　trees　were　still　standing。

〃They　have　gone　away；　father；〃　said　William；　〃but　they　will　come　again；　and　I　fear　it　is　all　over　with　us。〃

〃I　fear　so　too；　my　boy；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃they　are　only　retreating　to　arrange　for　a　general　assault；　and　they　now　will　be　able　to　gain　an　entrance。　I　almost　wish　that　they　had　fired　the　faggots；　we　might　have　escaped　as　Ready　pointed　out　to　us；　but　now　I　fear　we　have　no　chance。〃

〃Don't　say　a　word　to　my　mother；〃　said　William；　〃let　us　defend　ourselves　to　the　last；　and　if　we　are　overpowered　it　is　the　will　of　God。〃

〃I　should　like　to　take　a　farewell　embrace　of　your　dear　mother；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃but；　no；　it　will　be　weakness　just　now。　Here　they　come；　William；　in　a　swarm。　Well；　God　bless　you；　my　boy；　we　shall　all；　I　trust；　meet　in　Heaven！〃

The　whole　body　of　savages　were　now　advancing　from　the　cocoa…nut　wood　in　a　solid　mass；　they　raised　a　yell；　which　struck　terror　into　the　hearts　of　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　Juno；　yet　they　flinched　not。