masterman ready-第57部分

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at　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　together　in　their　now　half…dismantled　room；　when　Juno　entered；　the　poor　girl　had　evidently　been　weeping。

〃Well；　Juno；〃　observed　Mr。　Seagrave；　with　a　view　to　break　the　silence　which　had　continued　for　some　time　previous　to　her　entrance；　〃are　you　not　glad　to　leave　the　island？〃

〃One　time　I　think　I　would　be　very　glad；　but　now　I　not　care　much；〃　replied　Juno。　〃Island　very　nice　place；　all　very　happy　till　savage　come。　Suppose　they　not　kill　old　Ready；　I　not　care。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave；　〃it　is　a　sad　blow　to　us　all；　I　did　hope　to　have　fostered　the　good　old　man；　and　to　have　been　able　to　have　shown　him　our　gratitude；　but〃

〃It　is　the　will　of　Heaven　that　it　should　be　otherwise；〃　continued　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃I　would　give　half　that　I　am　possessed　of；　that　he　had　not　perished。〃

〃Oh；　Massa！〃　said　Juno；　〃I　sit　by　him　just　now；　I　take　off　the　flag　and　look　at　his　face；　so　calm；　look　so　happy；　so　good；　I　almost　tink　he　smile　at　me；　and　then　I　cry。　Oh！　Massa　Tommy；　all　because　you　idle　boy。〃

〃It　adds　much　to　my　regret；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃that　his　life　should　have　been　sacrificed　through　the　thoughtlessness　of　one　of　my　own　children；　what　a　lesson　it　will　be　to　Tommy　when　he　is　old　enough　to　comprehend　the　consequences　of　his　conduct。〃

〃That　he　must　not　know；　papa；〃　said　William；　who　had　been　leaning　mournfully　over　the　table；　〃one　of　Ready's　last　injunctions　was　that　Tommy　was　never　to　be　told　of　it。〃

〃His　last　wishes　shall　be　religiously　attended　to；　my　dear　boy；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃for　what　do　we　not　owe　to　that　good　old　man？　When　others　deserted　us　and　left　us　to　perish；　he　remained　with　us　to　share　our　fate。　By　his　skill　we　were　saved　and　landed　in　safety。　He　provided　for　our　wants；　added　to　our　comforts；　instructed　us　how　to　make　the　best　use　of　our　means。　Without　his　precautions　we　should　have　perished　by　the　spears　of　the　savages。　What　an　example　of　Christian　fortitude　and　humility　did　he　ever　show　us！　and　indeed；　I　may　truly　say；　that　by　his　example；　sinful　as　I　must　ever　be；　I　have　become；　I　trust；　a　better　man。　Would　that　he　were　now　sitting　by　us；　…　but　the　Lord's　will　be　done！〃

〃I　feel　as　if　I　had　lost　a　stay　or　prop；〃　replied　Mrs。　Seagrave。　〃So　accustomed　have　I　been　to　look　to　him　for　advice　since　we　have　been　on　this　island。　Had　he　not　been　thus　snatched　from　us　…　had　he　been　spared　to　us　a　few　years；　and　had　we　been　permitted　to　surround　his　death…bed；　and　close　his　eyes　in　peace〃　and　Mrs。　Seagrave　wept　upon　the　shoulder　of　her　husband。

After　a　time；　Mrs。　Seagrave　recovered　herself；　but　silence　ensued；　only　broken　by　an　occasional　sob　from　poor　Juno。　William's　heart　was　too　full；　he　could　not　for　a　long　while　utter　a　word；　at　last　he　said　in　a　low　voice：

〃I　feel　that；　next　to　my　dear　father　and　mother；　I　have　lost　my　best　friend。　I　cannot　forgive　myself　for　allowing　him　to　go　for　the　water；　it　was　my　duty　to　go；　and　I　ought　to　have　gone。〃

〃And　yet　we　could　have　ill　spared　you；　my　dear　boy；　you　might　have　perished；〃　replied　Mrs。　Seagrave。

〃It　would　have　been　as　God　willed；〃