masterman ready-第17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！


The　boat　was　soon　unloaded；　but　they　had　some　way　to　carry　up　the　things。　〃We　shall　not　mind　such　a　gale　as　we　had　the　other　day　when　our　tents　are　pitched　here；　William；〃　said　Ready；　〃for　we　shall　be　protected　by　the　whole　width　of　the　cocoa…nut　grove。　We　shall　hardly　feel　the　wind；　although　we　shall　the　rain；　for　that　will　come　down　in　torrents。〃

〃I　must　go　and　see　how　our　spring　gets　on；〃　said　William；　〃and　get　a　drink　from　it。〃

Willy　reported　the　spring　to　be　up　to　the　brim　with　water；　and　that　he　had　never　drunk　water　so　excellent。　They　then　pushed　off　the　boat；　and；　after　rowing　for　about　two　hours　or　more；　found　themselves　at　the　entrance　of　the　cove；　and　Mrs。　Seagrave；　with　Tommy　by　her　side；　waving　her　handkerchief　to　them。

They　very　soon　pulled　in　to　the　beach；　and；　landing；　received　the　congratulations　of　the　whole　party　at　their　first　successful　voyage；　and　all　expressed　their　delight　at　its　having　proved　so　much　shorter　than　had　been　anticipated。

〃Tommy　will　go　next　time；〃　said　Master　Tommy。

〃By　and　by；　when　Tommy　grows　a　little　taller；〃　replied　Ready。

〃Massa　Tommy；　you　come　help　me　to　milk　the　goats；〃　said　Juno。

〃Yes；　Tommy　milk　the　goats；〃　said　the　little　urchin；　running　after　Juno。

〃You　must　be　almost　tired　of　eating　nothing　but　salt　meat　and　biscuit；　ma'am；〃　said　Ready；　as　they　sat　down　to　their　meal；　〃but　when　we　are　all　safe　on　the　other　side　of　the　island　we　hope　to　feed　you　better。　At　present　it　is　hard　work　and　hard　fare。〃

〃As　long　as　the　children　are　well；　I　care　very　little　about　it；　but　I　must　say　that；　after　the　last　gale；　I　am　as　anxious　as　you　to　be　on　the　other　side　of　the　island；　especially　after　the　account　William　has　given　me　of　it。　It　must　be　a　paradise！　When　do　we　set　off？〃

〃Not　till　the　day　after　to…morrow；　ma'am；　I　should　think；　for　you　see　I　must　have　another　trip　for　the　cooking　utensils　and　the　bundles　which　you　have　made　up。　If　you　will　spare　Juno　to　walk　through　the　wood　with　William　to…morrow；　we　will　then　have　the　tent　ready　for　you　and　the　children。〃



Chapter　XXI

Old　Ready　had　his　boat　loaded　and　had　made　sail　for　the　other　side　of　the　island　long　before　the　family　were　up；　indeed；　before　they　were　dressed　he　had　landed　his　whole　cargo　on　the　beach；　and　was　sitting　down　quietly　taking　his　breakfast。　As　soon　as　he　had　eaten　the　beef　and　biscuit　which　he　had　taken　with　him；　he　carried　up　the　things　which　he　had　brought；　and　commenced　arrangements　for　setting　up　the　tent；　intending　to　await　the　arrival　of　William　and　Juno；　that　they　might　assist　him　in　getting　up　the　spars　and　canvas　over　it。

About　ten　o'clock　William　made　his　appearance；　leading　one　of　the　goats　by　a　string；　followed　by　the　others。　Juno　came　after　with　the　sheep；　also　holding　one　with　a　cord；　the　rest　had　very　quietly　joined　the　procession。　〃Here　we　are　at　last！〃　said　William　laughing；　〃we　have　had　terrible　work　in　the　woods；　for　Nanny　would　run　on　one　side　of　a　tree　when　I　went　on　the　other；　and　then　I　had　to　let　go　the　string。　We　fell　in　with　the　pigs　again；　and　Juno　gave　such　a　squall！〃

〃I　tink　'em　wild　beast；〃　said　Juno。　〃Ah！　what　a　nice　place！　Missis　will　like　to　live　here。〃

〃Yes；　it　is　a　very　nice　place；　Juno；　and　you'll　be　able　to　wash　here；　and　never　mind　about　saving　the　water。〃

〃I　am　thinking；〃　said　William；　〃how　we　are　to　get　the　fowls　here；　they　are　not　very　wild；　but　still　we　cannot　catch　them。〃

〃I'll　bring　them　with　me　to…morrow；　William。〃

〃But　how　will　you　catch　them？〃

〃Wait　till　they　are　gone　to　roost；　and　then　you　may　catch　them　when　you　please。〃

〃And　I　suppose　the　pigeons　and　the　pigs　must　run　wild？〃

〃The　best　thing　we　can　do　with　them。〃

〃Then　we　shall　have　to　shoot　them；　I　suppose？〃

〃Well；　William；　so　we　shall；　and　the　pigeons　also；　when　they　have　become　plentiful；　if　we　remain　here　so　long。　We　shall　soon　be　well　stocked　and　live　in　plenty。　But　now　you　must　help　me　to　get　the　tent　up　and　everything　in　order；　so　that　your　mamma　may　find　things　comfortable　on　her　arrival；　for　she　will　be　very　tired；　I　dare　say；　walking　through　the　wood。〃

〃Mamma　is　much　better　than　she　was；〃　replied　William。　〃I　think　she　will　soon　be　quite　strong　again；　especially　when　she　comes　to　live　at　this　beautiful　place。〃

〃We　have　a　great　deal　of　work　to　do；　more　than　we　can　get　through　before　the　rainy　season；　which　is　a　pity；　but　it　can't　helped；　by　this　time　next　year　we　shall　be　more　comfortable。〃

〃Why；　what　have　we　to　do　besides　putting　up　the　tents　and　shifting　over　here？〃

〃In　the　first　place　we　have　to　build　a　house；　and　that　will　take　a　long　while。　Then　we　ought　to　make　a　little　garden；　and　sow　the　seeds　which　your　father　brought　from　England　with　him。〃

〃0h！　that　will　be　nice；　where　shall　we　make　it；　Ready？〃

〃We　must　put　a　fence　across　that　point　of　land；　and　dig　up　all　the　brushwood；　the　mould　is　very　good。〃

〃Then　what　next？〃

〃Then　we　shall　want　a　storehouse　for　all　the　things　we　have　got；　and　all　that　are　in　the　wood　and　on　the　beach：　and　consider　what　a　many　trips　we　shall　have　to　make　with　the　little　boat　to　bring　them　all　round。〃

〃Yes；　that　is　very　true；　Ready。　Have　we　anything　more　to　do？〃

〃Plenty；　we　have　to　build　a　turtle…pond　and　a　fish…pond；　and　a　bathing…place　for　Juno　to　wash　the　children　in。　But　first　we　must　make　a　proper　well　at　the　spring；　so　as　to　have　plenty　of　fresh　water：　now　there's　enough　for　a　year's　hard　work　at　least。〃

〃Well；　let　us　once　get　mamma　and　the　children　here；　and　we　will　work　hard。〃

〃I　should　wish　very　much　to　see　it　all　done；　William；〃　said　Ready。　〃I　hope　my　life　will　be　spared　till　it　is　done；　at　all　events。〃

〃But　why　do　you　say　that；　Ready？　you　are　an　old　man；　but　you　are　strong　and　healthy。〃

〃I　am　so　now；　but　what　does　the　Book　say？　…　‘In　the　midst　of　life　we　are　in　death'。　You　are　young　and　healthy；　and　promise　a　long　life；　but　who　knows　but　you　may　be　summoned　away　tomorrow。　Can　I；　then；　an　old　man；　worn　out　with　hardships；　expect　to　live　long？　No　…　no；　William！　Still　I　should　like　to　remain　here　as　long　as　I　can　be　useful；　and　then　I　trust　I　may　depart　in　peace。　I　never　wish　to　leave　this　island；　and　I　have　a　kind　of　feeling　that　my　bones　will　remain　on　it。　God's　will　be　done！〃

For　some　time　after　Ready　had　finished；　neither　of　them　said　a　word；　but　continued　their　employment；　stretching　out　the　canvas　of　the　tent；　and　fastening　it　down　to　the　ground　with　pegs。　At　last　William　broke　the　silence。

〃Ready；　did　you　not　say　your　Christian　name　was　Masterman？〃

〃So　it　is；　William。〃

〃It　is　a　very　odd　Christian　name！　You　were　called　after　some　other　person？〃

〃Yes；　I　was；　William；　he　was　a　very　rich　man。〃

〃Do　you　know；　Ready；　I　should　like　very　much　if　you　will　one　day　tell　me　your　history　…　I　mean　your　whole　life；　from　the　time　you　were　a　boy。〃

〃Well；　perhaps　I　may；　William；　for　there　are　many　parts　of　my　life　which　would　prove　a　lesson　to　others：　but　that　must　be　after　we　have　got　through　our　work。〃

〃How　old　are　you；　Ready？〃

〃I　am　turned　of　sixty…four；　a　very　old　age　for　a　seaman。　I　could　not　obtain　employment　on　board　of　a　vessel　if　it　were　not　that　I　am　well　known　to　several　captains。〃

〃But　why　do　you　say　‘old　for　a　seaman'？〃

〃Because　sailors　live　faster　than　other　people；　partly　from　the　hardships　which　they　undergo；　and　partly　from　their　own　fault　in　drinking　so　much　spirits；　and　then　they　are　too　often　reckless　and　care　nothing　for　their　healths。〃

〃But　you　never　drink　spirits　now？〃

〃No；　never；　William；　but　in　my　early　days　I　was　as　foolish　as　others。　Now；　Juno；　you　may　bring　in　the　bedding。　We　have　two　or　three　hours　yet；　William；　what　shall　we　do　next？〃

〃Had　we　not　better　make　the　fireplace　all　ready　for　cooking？〃

〃It　was　what　I　was　going　to　propose；　if　you　had　not。　I　shall　be　here　to…morrow　long　before　any　of　you；　and　I　will　take　care　that　supper　is　ready　on　your　arrival。〃

〃I　brought　a　bottle　of　water　in　my　knapsack；〃　replied　William；　〃not　so　much　for　the　water；　as　because　I　want　to　milk　the　goats　and　take　back　the　milk　for　baby。〃

〃You　proved　yourself　not　only　thoughtful　but　kind；　William：　now　while　you　and　Juno　fetch　the　stones　for　the　fireplace；　I　will　stow　away　under　the　trees　the　things　I　have　brought　in　the　boat。〃

〃Shall　we　let　the　goats　and　sheep　loose；　Ready？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　…　there　is　no　fear　of　their　straying；　the　herbage　here　is　better　than　on　the　other　side；　and　there　is　plenty　of　it。〃

〃Well；　I　will　let　Nanny　go　as　soon　as　Juno　has　milked　her。　Now；　Juno；　let　us　see　how　many　stones　we　can　carry　at　once。〃

In　an　hour　the　fireplace　was　made；　Ready　had　done　all　that　he　could；　the　goats　were　milked　and　let　loose；　and　then　William　and　Juno　set　off　on　their　journey　back。

Ready　went　down　to　the　beach。　On　his　arrival　there；　he　observed　a　small　turtle：　creeping　up　softly　he　got　between　it　and　the　water；　and　succeeded　in　turning　it　over。　〃That　will　do　for　to…morrow；〃　said　he；　as　he　stepped　into　the　boat；　and　laying　hold　of　the　oars；　he　pulled　out　of　the　bay　to　return　to　the　cove。



Chapter　XXII

Ready　arrived　at　the　cove；　and　proceeded　to　the　tents；　where　he　found　the　whole　party　listening　to　William；　who　was　detailing　what　had　been　done。　The　arrangements　for　the　next　day　were　made　as　soon　as　Ready　joined　them。