masterman ready-第14部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

　for　this　night。　We　little　know　what　the　day　may　bring　forth。　Good…night！〃



Chapter　XVI

William　slept　as　sound　as　if　he　had　been　on　shore　in　England　upon　a　soft　bed　in　a　warm　room　…　so　did　old　Ready；　and　when　they　awoke　the　next　morning　it　was　broad　daylight。　The　poor　dogs　were　suffering　for　want　of　water；　and　it　pained　William　to　see　them　with　their　tongues　out；　panting　and　whining　as　they　looked　up　to　him。　〃Now；　William；〃　said　Ready；　〃shall　we　take　our　breakfast　before　we　start；　or　have　a　walk　first？〃

〃Ready；　I　cannot　really　drink　a　drop　of　water　myself；　and　I　am　thirsty；　unless　you　give　a　little　to　these　poor　dogs。〃

〃I　pity　the　poor　dumb　creatures　as　much　as　you　do；　Master　Willy；　it　is　kindness　to　ourselves　and　them　too；　which　makes　me　refuse　it　to　them。　However；　if　you　like；　we　will　take　a　walk　first；　and　see　if　we　can　find　any　water。　Let　us　first　go　to　the　little　dell　to　the　right；　and　if　we　do　not　succeed；　we　will　try　farther　on　where　the　water　has　run　down　during　the　rainy　season。〃　William　was　very　glad　to　go；　and　away　they　went；　followed　by　the　dogs；　Ready　having　taken　up　the　spade；　which　he　carried　on　his　shoulder。　They　soon　came　to　the　dell；　and　the　dogs　put　their　noses　to　the　ground；　and　snuffed　about。　Ready　watched　them；　at　last　they　lay　down　panting。

〃Let　us　go　on；〃　said　Ready；　thoughtfully；　they　went　on　to　where　the　run　of　water　appeared　to　have　been　…　the　dogs　snuffed　about　more　eagerly　than　before。

〃You　see；　William；　these　poor　dogs　are　now　so　eager　for　water；　that　if　there　is　any；　they　will　find　it　out　where　we　never　could。　I　don't　expect　water　above…ground；　but　there　may　be　some　below　it。　This　beach　is　hardly　far　enough　from　the　water's　edge；　or　I　should　try　in　the　sand　for　it。〃

〃In　the　sand　…　but　would　it　not　be　salt？〃　replied　William。

〃No；　not　if　at　a　good　distance　from　the　sea…beach；　for　you　see；　William；　the　sand　by　degrees　filters　the　sea…water　fresh；　and　very　often　when　the　sand　runs　in　a　long　way　from　the　high…water　mark；　if　you　dig　down；　you　will　find　good　fresh　water；　at　other　times　it　is　a　little　brackish；　but　still　fit　for　use。〃

〃Look；　Ready；　at　Romulus　and　Remus　…　how　hard　they　are　digging　with　their　paws　there　in　the　hollow。〃

〃Thanks　to　Heaven　that　they　are！　You　don't　know　how　happy　you　have　made　me　feel：　for；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　I　was　beginning　to　be　alarmed。〃

〃But　why　do　they　dig？〃

〃Because　there　is　water　there；　poor　animals。　Now　you　see　the　advantage　of　having　kept　them　in　pain　for　a　few　hours；　it　is　in　all　probability　the　saving　of　all　of　us；　for　we　must　either　have　found　water　or　quitted　this　island。　Now　let　us　help　the　poor　dogs　with　the　spade；　and　they　shall　soon　be　rewarded　for　their　sufferings。〃

Ready　walked　quickly　to　where　the　dogs　continued　digging：　they　had　already　got　down　to　the　moist　earth；　and　were　so　eagerly　at　work；　that　it　was　with　difficulty　he　could　get　them　out　of　his　way　to　use　his　spade。　He　had　not　dug　two　feet　before　the　water　trickled　down；　and　in　four　or　five　minutes　the　dogs　had　sufficient　to　plunge　their　noses　in；　and　to　drink　copiously。

〃Look　at　them！　how　they　enjoy　it！　I　don't　think　any　Israelite　felt　more　grateful　when　Moses　struck　the　rock　than　I　do　now；　William。　This　was　the　one　thing　wanting；　but　it　was　the　one　thing　indispensable。　Now　we　have　everything　we　can　wish　for　on　this　island；　and　if　we　are　only　content；　we　may　be　happy　…　ay；　much　happier　than　are　those　who　are　worrying　themselves　to　heap　up　riches；　not　knowing　who　shall　gather　them。　See；　the　poor　animals　have　had　enough　at　last。　Now；　shall　we　go　back　to　breakfast？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　William：　〃I　shall　enjoy　it　now；　and　have　a　good　drink　of　water　myself。〃

〃That　is　a　plenteous　spring；　depend　upon　it；〃　said　Ready；　as　they　walked　back　to　where　they　had　slept　and　left　their　knapsacks；　〃but　we　must　clear　it　out　further　up　among　the　trees；　where　the　sun　cannot　reach　it；　and　then　it　will　be　cool；　and　not　be　dried　up。　We　shall　have　plenty　of　work　for　the　next　year　at　least；　if　we　remain　here。　Where　we　are　now　will　be　a　capital　spot　to　build　our　house　on。〃

As　soon　as　the　breakfast　was　over；　Ready　said；　〃Now　we　must　go　down　and　explore　the　other　point；　for　you　see；　William；　I　have　not　yet　found　a　passage　through　the　reef；　and　as　our　little　boat　must　come　round　this　side　of　the　island；　it　is　at　the　point　on　this　side　that　I　must　try　to　find　an　entrance。　When　I　was　on　the　opposite　point　it　did　appear　to　me　that　the　water　was　not　broken　close　to　this　point；　and　should　there　be　a　passage　we　shall　be　very　fortunate。〃

They　soon　arrived　at　the　end　of　the　point　of　land；　and　found　that　Ready　was　not　wrong　in　his　supposition；　the　water　was　deep；　and　there　was　a　passage　many　yards　wide。　The　sea　was　so　smooth；　and　the　water　so　clear；　that　they　could　see　down　to　the　rocky　bottom；　and　watched　the　fish　as　they　darted　along。　〃Look　there！〃　said　Willy；　pointing　out　about　fifty　yards　from　the　beach；　〃a　great　shark；　Ready！〃

〃Yes；　I　see　him；　sir；〃　replied　Ready：　〃there's　plenty　of　them　here；　depend　upon　it；　and　you　must　be　very　careful　how　you　get　into　the　water：　the　sharks　always　keep　to　the　leeward　of　the　island；　and　for　one　where　Juno　bathed　your　little　brother；　you　will　find　fifty　here。　I'm　quite　satisfied　now；　William；　we　shall　do　very　well；　and　all　we　have　now　to　think　of　is　moving　away　from　the　other　side　of　the　island　as　fast　as　possible。〃

〃Shall　we　go　back　to…day？〃

〃Yes；　I　think　so；　for　we　shall　only　be　idle　here。　It　is　not　twelve　o'clock；　I　should　think；　and　we　shall　have　plenty　of　time。　I　think　we　had　better　start　at　once；　we　will　leave　the　spade　and　axe　here；　for　it　is　no　use　taking　them　back　again。　The　musket　I　will　take　along。　But　first　let　us　go　back　and　look　at　the　spring；　and　see　how　the　water　flows。〃

As　they　walked　along　the　edge　of　the　sandy　beach　they　found　the　sea…birds　hovering　close　to　them：　all　of　a　sudden　a　large　shoal　of　fish　threw　themselves　high　and　dry　on　the　sand；　and　they　were　followed　by　several　of　a　larger　size；　which　also　lay　flapping　on　the　beach；　while　the　sea…birds；　darting　down　close　to　the　feet　of　William　and　Ready；　and　seizing　up　the　fish；　flew　away　with　them。

〃How　very　strange！〃　said　William；　surprised。

〃Yes；　sir；　but　you　see　how　it　is　…　the　small　fish　were　chased　by　the　larger　ones；　which　are　bonettas；　and　in　their　fright　ran　upon　the　beach。　These　bonettas　were　so　anxious　to　catch　them；　that　they　came　on　shore　also；　and　then　the　gannets　picked　them　all　up。〃

They　found　the　hole　which　Ready　had　dug　quite　full　of　water；　and；　tasting　it；　it　proved　very　sweet　and　good。　Overjoyed　at　this　discovery；　they　covered　up　the　articles　they　agreed　to　leave　behind　them　with　some　boughs　under　the　notched　cocoa…nut　trees；　and；　calling　the　dogs；　set　off　on　their　journey　back　again　to　the　cove。



Chapter　XVII

Guided　by　the　marks　made　on　the　trees；　William　and　Ready　made　rapid　progress　in　their　return；　and　in　less　than　two　hours　found　themselves　almost　clear　of　the　wood　which　had　taken　them　nearly　eight　hours　to　force　their　way　through　the　day　before。

〃I　feel　the　wind　now；　Ready；〃　observed　William；　〃and　we　must　be　nearly　through　the　wood；　but　it　appears　to　me　to　be　very　dark。〃

〃I　was　just　thinking　the　same；〃　replied　Ready。　〃I　should　not　wonder　if　there　is　a　storm　brewing　up；　and　if　so；　the　sooner　we　are　back　again　the　better。〃

As　they　proceeded；　the　rustling　and　waving　of　the　boughs　of　the　trees；　and　ever　and　anon　a　gust　of　wind；　followed　by　a　moaning　and　creaking　sound；　proved　that　such　was　the　fact；　and　as　they　emerged　from　the　grove；　they　perceived　that　the　sky；　as　it　became　visible　to　them；　was　of　one　dark　leaden　hue；　and　no　longer　of　the　brilliant　blue　which　it　usually　had　presented　to　their　sight。

〃There　is　indeed　a　gale　coming　on；〃　said　Ready；　as　they　cleared　the　wood：　〃let　us　go　on　to　the　tents　as　fast　as　possible；　for　we　must　see　that　all　is　as　secure　as　we　can　make　it。〃

The　dogs　now　bounded　forward；　and　at　their　appearance　at　the　tents　Mr。　Seagrave　and　Juno　came　out；　and　seeing　Ready　and　William　advancing；　made　known　the　welcome　tidings　to　Mrs。　Seagrave；　who；　with　the　children；　had　remained　within。　In　a　moment　more　William　was　pressed　in　his　mother's　arms。

〃I　am　glad　that　you　are　come　back；　Ready；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　shaking　him　by　the　hand　after　he　had　embraced　William；　〃for　I　fear　that　bad　weather　is　coming　on。〃

〃I　am　sure　of　it；〃　replied　Ready；　〃and　we　must　expect　a　blusterous　night。　This　will　be　one　of　the　storms　which　are　forerunners　of　the　rainy　season。　However；　we　have　good　news　for　you；　and　must　only　take　this　as　a　warning　to　hasten　our　departure　as　soon　as　possible。　We　shall　have　fine　weather　after　this　for　a　month　or　so；　although　we　must　expect　a　breeze　now　and　then。　But　we　must　work　hard　and　do　our　best；　and　now；　if　you　please；　you　and　Juno；　William　and　I；　will　go　and　haul　up　the　boat　as　far　from　the　beach　as　we　possibly　can；　for　the　waves　will　be　high　and　run　a　long　way　up；　and　our　boat　will　be　our　main　dependence　soon。〃

The　four　went　down　as　soon　as　Ready　had　sawed　the　ends　of　the　spars　which　had　been　cut　off；　into　three　rollers；　to　fix　under　the　keel；　with　the　help　afforded　by　them；　the　boat　was　soon　hauled　up　high　into　the　brushwood；　where　it　was　considered　by　Ready　to　be　perfectly　safe。

〃