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had　none；　for　there　was　nothing　but　salt　pork　and　beef　and　live　turtle；　and；　by　Ready's　advice；　they　did　not　eat；　as　it　would　only　increase　their　desire　to　drink。

The　poor　children　suffered　much；　and　little　Albert　wailed　and　cried　for　〃water；　water。〃　Ready　remained　on　the　look…out；　indeed；　everything　was　so　miserable　inside　of　the　house；　that　they　were　all　glad　to　go　out　of　it；　they　could　do　no　good；　and　poor　Mrs。　Seagrave　had　a　difficult　and　most　painful　task　to　keep　the　children　quiet　under　such　severe　privation；　for　the　weather　was　still　very　warm　and　sultry。



Chapter　LXIII

But　the　moaning　of　the　children　was　very　soon　after　dusk　drowned　by　the　yells　of　the　savages；　who；　as　Ready　had　prognosticated；　now　advanced　to　the　night　attack。

Every　part　of　the　stockade　was　at　once　assailed；　and　their　attempts　now　made　were　to　climb　into　it；　a　few　spears　were　occasionally　thrown；　but　it　was　evident　that　the　object　was　to　obtain　an　entrance　by　dint　of　numbers。　It　was　well　that　Ready　had　taken　the　precaution　of　nailing　the　deal　planks　above　the　original　stockade；　or　there　is　little　doubt　but　that　the　savages　would　have　gained　their　object；　as　it　was；　before　the　flames　of　the　fire；　which　Juno　had　lighted　by　Ready's　order；　gave　them　sufficient　light；　three　or　four　savages　had　climbed　up　and　had　been　shot　by　William　and　Mr。　Seagrave；　as　they　were　on　the　top　of　the　stockade。

When　the　fire　burnt　brightly；　the　savages　outside　were　more　easily　aimed　at；　and　a　great　many　fell　in　their　attempts　to　get　over。　The　attack　continued　more　than　an　hour；　when　at　last；　satisfied　that　they　could　not　succeed；　the　savages　once　more　withdrew；　carrying　with　them；　as　before；　their　dead　and　wounded。

〃I　trust　that　they　will　now　re…embark；　and　leave　the　island；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。

〃I　only　wish　they　may；　sir；　it　is　not　at　all　impossible；　but　there　is　no　saying。　I　have　been　thinking；　Mr。　Seagrave；　that　we　might　be　able　to　ascertain　their　movements　by　making　a　look…out。　You　see；　sir；　that　cocoa…nut　tree；〃　continued　Ready；　pointing　to　one　of　those　to　which　the　palisades　were　fastened；　〃is　much　taller　than　any　of　the　others：　now；　by　driving　spike…nails　into　the　trunk　at　about　a　foot　apart；　we　might　ascend　it　with　ease；　and　it　would　command　a　view　of　the　whole　bay；　we　then　could　know　what　the　enemy　were　about。〃

〃Yes；　that　is　very　true；　but　will　not　anyone　be　very　much　exposed　if　he　climbs　up？〃

〃No；　sir；　for　you　see　the　cocoa…nut　trees　are　cut　down　clear　of　the　palisades　to　such　a　distance；　that　no　savage　could　come　at　all　near　without　being　seen　by　anyone　on　the　look…out；　and　giving　us　sufficient　time　to　get　down　again　before　he　could　use　his　spear。〃

〃I　believe　that　you　are　right　there；　Ready；　but　at　all　events　I　would　not　attempt　to　do　it　before　daylight；　as　there　may　be　some　of　them　still　lurking　underneath　the　stockade。〃

〃Certainly　there　may　be；　sir；　and　therefore　until　daylight　we　will　not　begin。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　then　went　into　the　house；　Ready　desired　William　to　lie　down　and　sleep　for　two　or　three　hours；　as　he　would　watch。　In　the　morning；　when　Mr　Seagrave　came　out；　he　would　have　a　little　sleep　himself。

〃I　can't　sleep；　Ready。　I'm　mad　with　thirst；〃　replied　William。

〃Yes；　sir；　it's　very　painful　…　I　feel　it　myself　very　much；　but　what　must　those　poor　children　feel？　I　pity　them　most。〃

〃I　pity　my　mother　most；　Ready；〃　replied　William；　〃it　must　be　agony　to　her　to　witness　their　sufferings；　and　not　be　able　to　relieve　them。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　it　must　be　terrible；　William；　to　a　mother's　feelings；　but　perhaps　these　savages　will　be　off　to…morrow；　and　then　we　shall　forget　our　privations。〃

〃I　trust　in　God　that　they　may；　Ready；　but　they　seem　very　determined。〃

〃Yes；　sir；　iron　is　gold　to　them；　and　what　will　civilized　men　not　do　for　gold？〃

In　the　meantime；　Mr。　Seagrave　had　gone　into　the　house。　He　found　the　children　still　crying　for　water；　notwithstanding　the　coaxing　and　soothing　of　Mrs。　Seagrave；　who　was　shedding　tears　as　she　hung　over　poor　little　Albert。　Little　Caroline　only　drooped；　and　said　nothing。　Mr。　Seagrave　remained　for　two　or　three　hours　with　his　wife；　assisting　her　in　pacifying　the　children；　and　soothing　her　to　the　utmost　of　his　power；　at　last　he　went　out　and　found　old　Ready　on　the　watch。

〃Ready；　I　had　rather　a　hundred　times　be　attacked　by　these　savages　and　have　to　defend　this　place；　than　be　in　that　house　for　even　five　minutes；　and　witness　the　sufferings　of　my　wife　and　children。〃

〃I　do　not　doubt　it；　sir；〃　replied　Ready；　〃but　cheer　up；　and　let　us　hope　for　the　best；　I　think　it　very　probable　that　the　savages　after　this　second　defeat　will　leave　the　island。〃

〃I　wish　I　could　think　so；　Ready；　it　would　make　me　very　happy；　but　I　have　come　out　to　take　the　watch；　Ready。　Will　you　not　sleep　for　a　while？〃

〃I　will；　sir；　if　you　please；　take　a　little　sleep。　Call　me　in　two　hours；　it　will　then　be　daylight；　and　I　can　go　to　work；　and　you　can　get　some　repose　yourself。〃

〃I　am　too　anxious　to　sleep；　I　think　so；　at　least。〃

〃William　said　he　was　too　thirsty　to　sleep；　sir；　but；　poor　fellow；　he　is　now　fast　enough。〃

〃I　trust　that　boy　will　be　spared；　Ready。〃

〃I　hope　so　too；　but　we　are　all　in　the　hands　of　the　Almighty。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　took　his　station　on　the　plank；　and　was　left　to　his　own　reflections；　that　they　were　not　of　the　most　pleasant　kind　may　easily　be　imagined。　He　prayed　earnestly　and　fervently　that　they　might　be　delivered　from　the　danger　and　sufferings　which　threatened　them；　and　became　calm　and　tranquil；　prepared　for　the　worst；　if　the　worst　was　to　happen；　and　confidently　placing　himself　and　his　family　under　the　care　of　him　who　orders　all　as　he　thinks　best。

At　daylight　Ready　woke　up　and　relieved　Mr。　Seagrave；　who　did　not　return　to　the　house；　but　lay　down　on　the　cocoa…nut　boughs；　where　Ready　had　been　lying　by　the　side　of　William。　As　soon　as　Ready　had　got　out　the　spike…nails　and　hammer；　he　summoned　William　to　his　assistance；　and　they　commenced　driving　them　into　the　cocoa…nut　tree；　one　looking　out　in　case　of　the　savages　approaching；　while　the　other　was　at　work。　In　less　than　an　hour　they　had　gained　the　top　of　the　tree　close　to　the　boughs；　and　had　a　very　commanding　view　of　the　bay；　as　well　as　inland。　William；　who　was　driving　the　last　dozen　spikes；　took　a　survey；　and　then　came　down　to　Ready。

〃I　can　see　everything；　Ready：　they　have　pulled　down　the　old　house　altogether；　and　are　most　of　them　lying　down　outside；　covered　up　with　their　war…cloaks；　some　women　are　walking　to　and　fro　from　the　canoes；　which　are　lying　on　the　beach　where　they　first　landed。〃

〃They　have　pulled　down　the　house　to　obtain　the　iron　nails；　I　have　no　doubt；〃　replied　Ready。　〃Did　you　see　any　of　their　dead？〃

〃No；　I　did　not　look　about　very　much；　but　I　will　go　up　again　directly。　I　came　down　because　my　hands　were　jarred　with　hammering；　and　the　hammer　was　so　heavy　to　carry。　In　a　minute　or　two　I　shall　go　up　light　enough。　My　lips　are　burning；　Ready；　and　swelled；　the　skin　is　peeling　off。　I　had　no　idea　that　want　of　water　would　have　been　so　dreadful。　I　was　in　hopes　of　finding　a　cocoa…nut　or　two　on　the　tree；　but　there　was　not　one。〃

〃And　if　you　had　found　one；　it　would　not　have　had　any　milk　in　it　at　this　season　of　the　year。　However；　William；　if　the　savages　do　not　go　away　to…day；　something　must　be　done。　I　wish　now　that　you　would　go　up　again；　and　see　if　they　are　not　stirring。〃

William　again　mounted　to　the　top　of　the　tree；　and　remained　up　for　some　minutes；　when　he　came　down；　he　said；　〃They　are　all　up　now；　and　swarming　like　bees。　I　counted　260　of　the　men　in　their　war…cloaks　and　feather　head…dresses；　the　women　are　passing　to　and　fro　from　the　well　with　water；　there　is　nobody　at　the　canoes　except　eight　or　ten　women；　who　are　beating　their　heads；　I　think；　or　doing　something　of　the　kind。　I　could　not　make　it　out　well；　but　they　seem　all　doing　the　same　thing。〃

〃I　know　what　they　are　about；　William：　they　are　cutting　themselves　with　knives　or　other　sharp　instruments。　It　is　the　custom　of　these　people。　The　dead　are　all　put　into　the　canoes；　and　these　women　are　lamenting　over　them；　perhaps　they　are　going　away；　since　the　dead　are　in　the　canoes。　but　there　is　no　saying。〃



Chapter　LXIV

The　second　day　was　passed　in　keeping　a　look…out　upon　the　savages；　and　awaiting　a　fresh　attack。　They　could　perceive　from　the　top　of　the　cocoa…nut　tree　that　the　savages　held　a　council　of　war　in　the　forenoon；　sitting　round　in　a　large　circle；　while　one　got　up　in　the　centre　and　made　a　speech；　flourishing　his　club　and　spear　while　he　spoke。　In　the　afternoon　the　council　broke　up；　and　the　savages　were　observed　to　be　very　busy　in　all　directions；　cutting　down　the　cocoa…nut　trees；　and　collecting　all　the　brushwood。

Ready　watched　them　for　a　long　while；　and　at　last　came　down　a　little　before　sunset。　〃Mr。　Seagrave；〃　said　he；　〃we　shall　have；　in　my　opinion；　no　attack　this　night；　but　to…morrow　we　must　expect　something　very　serious；　the　savages　are　cutting　down　the　trees；　and　making　large　faggots；　they　do　not　get　on　very　fast；　because　their　hatchets　are　made　of　stone　and　don't　cut　very　well；　but　perseverance　and　numbers　will　effect　everything；　and　I　dare　say　that　they　will　work　all　night　till　they　have　obtained　as　many　faggots　as　they　want。〃

〃But　what　do　you　imagine　to　be　their　object；　Ready；　in　cutting　down　trees；　and