masterman ready-第15部分

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　soon　hauled　up　high　into　the　brushwood；　where　it　was　considered　by　Ready　to　be　perfectly　safe。

〃I　meant　to　have　worked　upon　her　immediately；〃　observed　Ready；　〃but　I　must　wait　now　till　the　gale　is　over；　and　I　did　hope　to　have　got　on　board　once　more；　and　looked　after　some　things　which　I　have　since　remembered　would　have　been　useful；　but　I　strongly　suspect；〃　continued　he；　looking　at　the　weather；　〃that　we　shall　never　go　on　board　of　the　poor　vessel　again。　Hear　the　moaning　of　the　coming　storm；　sir；　look　how　the　sea…birds　wheel　about　and　scream；　as　if　to　proclaim　her　doom；　but　we　must　not　wait　here　…　the　tents　must　be　made　more　secure；　for　they　will　have　to　hold　up　against　no　small　force　of　wind；　if　I　mistake　not。〃

Ready；　assisted　by　Mr。　Seagrave；　now　got　out　some　heavy　canvas　and　lines；　and　commenced　putting　it　as　a　double　cover　over　the　tents；　to　keep　out　the　rain；　they　also　secured　the　tents　with　guys　and　stays　of　rope；　so　as　to　prevent　them　being　blown　down；　while　Juno　with　a　shovel　deepened　the　trench　which　had　been　made　round　the　tents；　so　that　the　water　might　run　off　more　easily。　During　the　time　they　were　at　work；　Ready　had　made　Mr。　Seagrave　acquainted　with　what　they　had　discovered　and　done　during　the　exploring　expedition；　and　the　adventure　with　the　pigs　made　them　all　laugh　heartily。

As　the　sun　went　down；　the　weather　threatened　still　more；　the　wind　blew　strong；　and　the　rocky　beach　was　lashed　by　the　waves　and　white　with　spray；　while　the　surf　roared　as　it　poured　in　and　broke　upon　the　sand　in　the　cove。　The　whole　family　had　retired　to　bed　except　Ready；　who　said　that　he　would　watch　the　weather　a　little　before　he　turned　in。　The　old　man　walked　towards　the　beach；　and　leaned　against　the　gunnel　of　the　boat；　and　there　he　remained　with　his　keen　gray　eye　fixed　upon　the　distance；　which　was　now　one　opaque　mass；　except　where　the　white　foam　of　the　waters　gleamed　through　the　darkness　of　the　night！　〃Yes！〃　thought　he；　〃the　winds　and　the　waves　are　summoned　to　do　his　bidding；　and　evenly　do　they　work　together　…　as　one　rises；　so　does　the　other；　when　one　howls；　the　other　roars　in　concert　…　hand　in　hand　they　go　in　their　fury　and　their　force。　Had　they　been　called　up　but　one　week　since；　where　would　have　been　those　who　have　now　been；　as　it　were；　intrusted　to　my　weak　help？　The　father；　the　mother；　the　children；　the　infant　at　the　breast；　and　I；　the　gray…headed　old　man；　…　all　buried　fathoms　deep；　awaiting　our　summons；　but　they　were　restrained　by　his　will；　and　by　his　will　we　were　saved。　Will　those　timbers　which　bore　us　here　so　miraculously　hold　together　till　morning？　I　should　think　not。　What　are　the　iron　bolts　and　fastenings　of　weak　man；　compared　with　the　force　of　God's　elements：　they　will　snap　as　yarns；　and　by　to…morrow's　dawn；　the　fragments　of　the　stout　ship　will　be　washing　and　tossing　on　the　wild　surf。　Well；　it　will　be　a　kindness　to　us；　for　the　waters　will　perform　the　labour　which　we　could　not；　they　will　break　up　the　timbers　for　our　use；　and　throw　on　shore　from　the　hold　those　articles　which　we　could　not　reach　with　our　little　strength。〃

A　sharp　flash　of　lightning　struck　upon　the　old　man's　eyes；　and　obstructed　his　vision　for　the　moment。　〃The　storm　will　soon　be　at　its　height；〃　thought　he；　〃I　will　watch　the　tents；　and　see　how　they　stand　up　against　its　force。〃　Then　the　rain　came　pattering　down；　and　the　wind　howled　louder　than　before。　In　a　minute　or　two　the　darkness　became　so　intense　that　he　could　hardly　find　his　way　back　to　the　tents。　He　turned　round；　but　could　not　see；　for　he　was　blinded　by　the　heavy　rain。　As　nothing　could　be　done；　he　went　into　the　tent　and　sheltered　himself　from　the　storm；　although　he　would　not　lie　down；　lest　his　services　might　be　required。　The　others　had　retired　to　bed；　but　with　the　exception　of　Tommy　and　the　children；　they　had　not　taken　off　their　clothes。



Chapter　XVIII

The　storm　now　raged　furiously；　the　lightning　was　accompanied　by　loud　peals　of　thunder；　and　the　children　awoke　and　cried　with　fright；　till　they　were　hushed　to　sleep　again。　The　wind　howled　as　it　pressed　with　all　its　violence　against　the　tents；　while　the　rain　poured　off　in　torrents。　One　moment　the　canvas　of　the　tents　would　bulge　in；　and　the　cords　which　held　it　strain　and　crack；　at　another；　an　eddy　of　wind　would　force　out　the　canvas；　which　would　flap　and　flap；　while　the　rain　found　many　an　entrance。　The　tent　in　which　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　the　children　reposed　was　on　the　outside　of　the　others；　and　therefore　the　most　exposed。　About　midnight　the　wind　burst　on　them　with　greater　violence　than　before。　A　loud　crash　was　heard　by　Ready　and　Mr。　Seagrave；　followed　by　the　shrieks　of　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　Juno；　the　pegs　of　the　tent　had　given　way；　and　the　inmates　were　exposed　to　the　fury　of　the　elements。　Ready　rushed　out；　followed　by　Mr。　Seagrave　and　William。　So　strong　was　the　wind　and　beating　rain；　and　such　was　the　darkness；　that　it　was　with　some　difficulty　that　by　their　united　efforts　the　women　and　children　could　be　extricated。　Tommy　was　the　first　taken　up　by　Ready：　his　courage　had　all　gone；　and　he　was　bellowing　furiously。　William　took　Albert　in　charge　and　carried　him　into　the　other　tent；　where　Tommy　sat　in　his　wet　shirt　roaring　most　melodiously。　Juno；　Mrs。　Seagrave；　and　the　little　girl　were　at　last　carried　away　and　taken　into　the　other　tent：　fortunately　no　one　was　hurt；　although　the　frightened　children　could　not　be　pacified；　and　joined　in　chorus　with　Tommy。　Nothing　more　could　be　done　except　to　put　the　children　into　bed；　and　then　the　whole　party　sat　up　the　remainder　of　the　night　listening　to　the　noise　of　the　wind；　the　roaring　of　the　sea；　and　the　loud　patter　of　the　rain　against　the　canvas。　At　dawn　of　day；　Ready　went　out；　and　found　that　the　gale　had　spent　its　force；　and　had　already　much　abated；　but　it　was　not　one　of　those　bright　glorious　mornings　to　which　they　had　been　accustomed　since　their　arrival　at　the　island：　the　sky　was　still　dark；　and　the　clouds　were　chasing　each　other　wildly；　there　was　neither　sun　nor　blue　sky　to　be　seen：　it　still　rained；　but　only　at　intervals；　and　the　earth　was　soft　and　spongy；　the　little　cove；　but　the　day　before　so　beautiful；　was　now　a　mass　of　foaming　and　tumultuous　waves；　and　the　surf　was　thrown　many　yards　upon　the　beach：　the　horizon　was　confused　…　you　could　not　distinguish　the　line　between　the　water　and　the　sky；　and　the　whole　shore　of　the　island　was　lined　with　a　white　foam。　Ready　turned　his　eyes　to　where　the　ship　had　been　fixed　on　the　rocks：　it　was　no　longer　there　…　the　whole　frame　had　disappeared；　but　the　fragments　of　it；　and　the　contents　of　the　holds；　were　floating　about　in　every　direction；　or　tossing　amongst　the　surf　on　the　beach。

〃I　thought　as　much；〃　said　Ready；　pointing　to　where　the　ship　had　lain；　as　he　turned　round　and　found　that　Mr。　Seagrave　had　followed　him；　〃look；　sir；　this　gale　has　broken　her　up　entirely。　This　is　a　warning　to　us　not　to　remain　here　any　longer：　we　must　make　the　most　of　the　fine　weather　which　we　may　have　before　the　rainy　season　sets　in。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；　Ready；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　…　〃and　there　is　another　proof　of　it；〃　pointing　to　the　tent　which　had　been　blown　down。　〃It　was　a　mercy　that　none　of　them　were　hurt。〃

〃Very　true；　sir；　but　the　gale　is　breaking；　and　we　shall　have　fine　weather　to…morrow。　Let　us　now　see　what　we　can　do　with　the　tent；　while　William　and　Juno　try　if　they　can　get　any　breakfast。〃

They　set　to　work。　Ready　and　Mr。　Seagrave　made　it　fast　with　fresh　cords　and　pegs；　and　very　soon　had　it　all　ready；　but　the　beds　and　bedding　were　wet　through。　They　hauled　over　the　wet　canvas；　and　then　left　it　to　go　to　their　breakfast；　to　which　Juno　had　summoned　them。

〃We　need　do　no　more　at　present；〃　said　Ready；　〃by　night…time　it　will　not　be　so　wet；　and　we　can　handle　it　easier。　I　see　a　break　in　the　sky　now　which　promises　fine　weather　soon。　And　now　we　had　better　work　hard　to…day；　for　we　may　save　a　great　many　things；　which　may　be　dashed　to　pieces　on　the　rocks；　if　we　do　not　haul　them　on　the　beach。〃



Chapter　XIX

They　went　down　to　the　beach。　Ready　first　procured　from　the　stores　a　good　stout　rope；　and　as　the　waves　threw　up　casks　and　timbers　of　the　vessel；　they　stopped　them　from　being　washed　back　again；　and　either　rolled　or　hauled　them　up　with　the　rope　until　they　were　safely　landed。　This　occupied　them　for　the　major　part　of　the　day；　and　yet　they　had　not　collected　a　quarter　of　the　articles　that　were　in　their　reach；　independent　of　the　quantity　which　floated　about　out　at　sea　and　at　the　entrance　of　the　cove。

〃I　think；〃　said　Ready；　〃we　have　done　a　good　day's　work；　tomorrow　we　shall　be　able　to　do　much　more；　for　the　sea　is　going　down；　and　the　sun　is　showing　himself　from　the　corner　of　that　cloud。　Now　we　will　go　to　supper；　and　then　see　if　we　can　make　ourselves　more　comfortable　for　the　night。〃

The　tent　which　had　not　been　blown　down　was　given　to　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　the　children；　and　the　other　was　fitted　up　as　well　as　it　could　be。　The　bedding　being　all　wet；　they　procured　some　sails　from　the　stores；　which；　being　stowed　away　farther　in　the　grove；　had　not　suffered　much　from　the　tempest；　and；　spreading　the　canvas；　they　lay　down；　and　the　night　passed　without　any　disaster；　for　the　wind　was　now　lulled　to　a　pleasant　breeze。

The　next　morning　the　sun　shone　bright　…　the　air　was　fresh　and　bracing；　but　a　slight　breeze　rippled　the　waters；　and　there　was