masterman ready-第51部分

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e　and　Juno；　yet　they　flinched　not。　The　savages　were　again　within　fifty　yards　of　them；　when　the　fire　was　opened　upon　them；　the　fire　was　answered　by　loud　yells；　and　the　savages　had　already　reached　to　the　bottom　of　the　sloping　pile　of　faggots；　when　the　yells　and　the　reports　of　the　muskets　were　drowned　by　a　much　louder　report；　followed　by　the　crackling　and　breaking　of　the　cocoa…nut　trees；　which　made　both　parties　start　with　surprise；　another　and　another　followed；　the　ground　was　ploughed　up；　and　the　savages　fell　in　numbers。

〃It　must　be　the　cannon　of　a　ship；　father；〃　said　William；　〃we　are　saved　…　we　are　saved！〃

〃It　can　be　nothing　else；　we　are　saved；　and　by　a　miracle！〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave　in　utter　astonishment。

The　savages　paused　in　the　advance；　quite　stupefied；　again；　again；　again；　the　report　of　the　loud　guns　boomed　through　the　air；　and　the　round…shot　and　grape　came　whizzing　and　tearing　through　the　cocoa…nut　grove；　at　this　last　broadside；　the　savages　turned；　and　fled　towards　their　canoes：　not　one　was　left　to　be　seen。

〃We　are　saved！〃　cried　Mr。　Seagrave；　leaping　off　the　plank　and　embracing　his　wife；　who　sank　down　on　her　knees；　and　held　up　her　clasped　hands　in　thankfulness　to　Heaven。

William　had　hastened　up　to　the　look…out　on　the　cocoa…nut　tree；　and　now　cried　out　to　them　below；　as　the　guns　were　again　discharged：

〃A　large　schooner；　father；　she　is　firing　at　the　savages；　who　are　at　the　canoes；　they　are　falling　in　every　direction：　some　have　plunged　into　the　water；　there　is　a　boat　full　of　armed　men　coming　on　shore；　they　are　close　to　the　beach；　by　the　garden…point。　Three　of　the　canoes　have　got　off　full　of　men；　there　go　the　guns　again；　two　of　the　canoes　are　sunk；　father；　the　boat　has　landed；　and　the　people　are　coming　up　this　way。〃　William　then　descended　from　the　look…out　as　fast　as　he　could。

As　soon　as　he　was　down；　he　commenced　unbarring　the　door　of　the　stockade。　He　pulled　out　the　last　pole　just　as　he　heard　the　feet　of　their　deliverers　outside。　He　threw　open　the　door；　and；　a　second　after；　found　himself　in　the　arms　of　Captain　Osborn。



Chapter　LXVI

Before　we　wind　up　this　history；　it　will　be　as　well　to　state　to　my　young　readers　how　it　was　that　Captain　Osborn　made　his　appearance　at　so　fortunate　a　moment。　It　will　be　recollected　how　a　brig　came　off　the　island　some　months　before　this；　and　the　great　disappointment　that　the　party　on　the　island　experienced　in　her　not　making　her　appearance　again。　The　fact　was；　that　those　on　board　of　the　brig　had　not　only　seen　their　signals；　but　had　read　the　name　of　the　〃Pacific〃　upon　the　flag　hoisted；　but　the　heavy　gale　which　came　on　drove　them　so　far　to　the　southward；　that　the　master　of　the　brig　did　not　consider　that　he　should　do　his　duty　to　his　owners；　if　he　lost　so　much　time　in　beating　up　for　the　island　again。　He　therefore　decided　upon　making　all　sail　for　Sydney；　to　which　port　he　was　bound。

When　Captain　Osborn　was　put　into　the　boat　by　Mackintosh　and　the　seamen　of　the　Pacific；　he　was　still　insensible；　but　he　gradually　recovered；　and　after　a　stormy　night；　Captain　Osborn　was　so　far　recovered　as　to　hear　from　Mackintosh　what　had　taken　place；　and　why　it　was　that　he　found　himself　in　an　open　boat　at　sea。　The　next　morning　the　wind　moderated；　and　they　were　fortunate　enough　to　fall　in　with　a　vessel　bound　to　Van　Diemen's　Land；　which　took　them　all　on　board。

From　the　account　given　by　Mackintosh；　Captain　Osborn　had　no　doubt　in　his　mind　but　that　the　Seagrave　family　had　perished；　and　the　loss　of　the　vessel；　with　them　on　board；　was　duly　reported　to　the　owners。　When　at　Van　Diemen's　Land；　Captain　Osborn　was　so　much　taken　with　the　beauty　and　fertility　of　the　country；　and　perhaps　not　so　well　inclined　to　go　to　sea　again　after　such　danger　as　he　had　incurred　in　the　last　voyage；　that　he　resolved　to　purchase　land　and　settle　there。　He　did　so；　and　had　already　stocked　his　farm　with　cattle；　and　had　gone　round　to　Sydney　in　a　schooner　to　await　the　arrival　of　a　large　order　from　England　which　he　had　sent　for；　when　the　brig　arrived　and　reported　the　existence　of　some　white　people　on　the　small　island；　and　also　that　they　had　hoisted　a　flag　with　the　name　Pacific　worked　on　it。

Captain　Osborn；　hearing　this；　went　to　the　master　of　the　brig；　and　questioned　him。　He　found　the　latitude　and　longitude　of　the　island　to　be　not　far　from　that　of　the　ship　when　she　was　deserted；　and　he　was　now　convinced　that；　by　some　miracle；　the　Seagrave　family　had　been　preserved。　He　therefore　went　to　the　Governor　of　New　South　Wales；　and　made　him　acquainted　with　the　facts　which　had　been　established；　and　the　Governor　instantly　replied；　that　the　government　armed　schooner　was　at　his　service；　if　he　would　himself　go　in　quest　of　his　former　shipmates。　Inconvenient　as　the　absence　at　that　time　was　to　Captain　Osborn；　he　at　once　acquiesced；　and　in　a　few　days　the　schooner　sailed　for　her　destination。　She　arrived　off　the　island　on　the　same　morning　that　the　fleet　of　canoes　with　the　savages　effected　their　landing；　and　when　William　made　the　remark　to　Ready　as　they　were　hastening　into　the　stockade；　that　there　was　another　vessel　under　sail　off　the　garden…point；　had　Ready　had　time　to　put　his　eye　to　the　telescope；　he　would　have　discovered　that　it　was　the　schooner。

The　schooner　stood　in　to　the　reefs；　and　then　hauled　off　again；　that　she　might　send　her　boat　in　to　sound　for　an　anchorage。　The　boat；　when　sounding；　perceived　the　canoes　and　the　savages；　and　afterwards　heard　the　report　of　firearms　on　the　first　attack。　On　her　return　on　board　the　schooner；　they　stated　what　they　had　seen　and　heard；　and　their　idea　that　the　white　people　on　the　island　were　being　attacked　by　the　savages。　As　the　boat　did　not　return　on　board　till　near　dusk；　they　had　not　time　to　canvas；　the　question　when　the　night　attack　was　made；　and　they　again　heard　the　firing　of　the　muskets。　This　made　Captain　Osborn　most　anxious　to　land　as　soon　as　possible；　but　as　the　savages　were　in　such　numbers；　and　the　crew　of　the　schooner　did　not　consist　of　more　than　twenty…five　men；　the　commander　considered　it　was　rash　to　make　the　attempt。　He　did；　however；　show　the　utmost　anxiety　to　bring　his　schooner　to　an　anchor；　so　as　to　protect　his　men；　and　then　agreed　that　they　should　land。

The　boat　had　reported　deep　water　and　good　anchorage　close　to　the　garden…point；　and　every　preparation　was　made　for　running　at　daylight　on　the　following　morning；　but　unfortunately；　it　fell　calm　for　the　best　part　of　the　day；　and　it　was　not　until　the　morning　after；　just　as　the　savages　were　making　their　last　attack　upon　the　stockade；　that　she　could　get　in。　As　soon　as　she　did；　she　opened　the　fire　of　her　carronades；　and　the　result　is　already　known。

My　readers　must；　if　they　can；　imagine　the　joy　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Seagrave　when　they　beheld　their　old　friend　Captain　Osborn。　All　danger　was　now　over；　the　party　who　had　landed　with　him　went　out　under　the　command　of　the　mate；　to　ascertain　if　there　were　any　more　of　the　savages　to　be　found；　but；　except　the　dead　and　dying；　all　had　escaped　in　some　of　the　smaller　canoes。　Captain　Osborn　remained　with　the　Seagraves；　and　they　informed　him　of　the　state　of　poor　old　Ready；　whom　William　had　gone　to　attend　as　soon　as　Captain　Osborn　was　engaged　with　his　father　and　mother。　Captain　Osborn　hurried　out　to　see　him；　Ready　knew　his　voice；　for　his　eyes　were　already　so　dim　that　he　could　not　see。

〃That　is　Captain　Osborn；　I　know；〃　said　Ready　in　a　faint　voice。　〃You　have　come　in　good　time；　sir；　I　knew　you　would　come；　and　I　always　said　so：　you　have　the　thanks　of　a　dying　man。〃

〃I　hope　it　is　not　so　bad　as　that；　Ready；　we　have　a　surgeon　on　board；　and　I　will　send　for　him　at　once。〃

〃No　surgeon　can　help　me；　sir；〃　replied　Ready；　〃another　hour　of　time　will　not　pass　before　I　shall　be　in　Eternity。〃

The　old　man　then　joined　his　hands　across　his　breast；　and　remained　for　some　time　in　silent　prayer。　Then　he　bade　them　farewell　in　a　faint　voice；　which　at　last　was　changed　to　a　mere　whisper。　They　still　remained；　in　silence　and　in　tears；　standing　round　him；　William　only　kneeling　and　holding　his　hand；　when　the　old　man's　head　fell　back；　and　he　was　no　more！

〃It　is　all　over；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave　mournfully；　〃and　he　has；　I　have　no　doubt；　gone　to　receive　the　reward　of　a　good　and　just　man。　‘Happy　are　those　who　die　in　the　Lord。'〃

Mr。　Seagrave　then　led　away　his　wife　and　children；　leaving　Juno　and　William。　William　closed　his　eyes；　and　Juno　went　and　fetched　the　ship's　ensign；　which　they　laid　over　the　body；　after　which　they　joined　the　rest　of　the　party　in　the　house。

It　was　decided　that　the　following　day　should　be　passed　in　packing　up　and　getting　on　board　their　luggage；　and　that　the　day　after　the　family　should　embark。　William　then　mentioned　the　wish　of　poor　old　Ready　as　to　his　burial。　The　commander　of　the　schooner　immediately　gave　directions　for　a　coffin　to　be　made；　and　for　his　men　to　dig　the　grave　at　the　spot　that　William　should　point　out。



Chapter　LXVII

The　hurry　and　bustle　of　preparing　for　their　departure　from　the　island；　and　the　rapid　succession　of　events　which　had　been　crowded　together　within　so　very　few　days；　had　not　allowed　time　for　much　thought　or　reflection　to　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　William；　at　length；　however；　every　preparation　had　been　made；　and　they　were　no　longer　urged　by　the　commander　of　the　schooner　to　hasten　their　packing　up　and　arrangements；　for　everything　had　been　sent　on　board　during　the　afternoon；　and　it　was　proposed　that　they　should　sail　on　the　following　day。

Now　they　had　time　to　feel；　and　bitterly　did　they　lament　the　loss　of　their　old　friend；　and　deplore　that　he　had　not　survived　to　sail　with　them　to　Sydney。　They　had　always　indulged　the　hope　that　one　day　they　should　be　taken　off　the　island；　and　in　that　hope　they　had　ever　looked　forward　to　old　Ready　becoming　a　part　of　their　future　household。　Now　that　their　wishes　had　been　granted　…　so　much　was　the　feeling　of　joy　and　gratitude　mingled　with　regret　…　that　could　he　have　been　restored　to　them；　they　felt　as　if　they　would　have　gladly　remained　on　the　island。

Captain　Osborn；　the　commander；　and　the　crew　of　the　schooner　had　taken　leave　of　them　for　the　night；　and　had　gone　on　board；　having　made　arrangements　for　the　interment　of　Ready；　previous　to　their　sailing；　on　the　following　day。　The　children　had　been　put　to　bed；　and　Juno　had　quitted　the　house；　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　William　were　sitting　toge