masterman ready-第11章

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　a　little　water。

〃And　I　have　forgotten　to　bring　any　with　me：　well；　I　am　a　stupid　old　man；　but　I'll　go　on　board　directly；〃　said　Ready：　〃to　think　that　I　should　be　so　busy　in　bringing　other　things　on　shore　and　forget　the　greatest　necessary　in　life！　The　fact　is；　I　intended　to　look　for　it　on　the　island　as　soon　as　I　could；　as　it　would　save　a　great　deal　of　trouble。〃

Ready　returned　on　board　as　fast　as　he　could；　and　brought　on　shore　two　kegs　of　fresh　water；　which　he　and　William　rolled　up　to　the　tent。

Juno　had　completely　finished　her　task；　and　Mrs。　Seagrave　having　drank　some　water；　declared　that　she　was　much　better。

〃I　shall　not　return　on　board　any　more　to…night；〃　said　Ready；　〃I　feel　tired　…　very　tired　indeed。〃

〃You　must　be；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃do　not　think　of　doing　any　more。〃

〃And　I　haven't　touched　food　this　day；　or　even　quenched　my　thirst；〃　replied　Ready；　sitting　down。

〃You　are　ill；　are　you　not；　Ready？〃　said　William。

〃A　little　faint；　William；　I'm　not　so　young　as　I　was。　Could　you　give　me　a　little　water？〃

〃Stop；　William；　I　will；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　taking　up　a　tin　can　which　had　been　filled　for　his　wife：　〃here；　Ready；　drink　this。〃

〃I　shall　be　better　soon；　sir；　I'll　just　lie　down　a　little；　and　then　I'll　have　a　biscuit　and　a　little　meat。〃

Poor　old　Ready　was　indeed　quite　tired　out；　but　he　ate　something；　and　felt　much　revived。　Juno　was　very　busy；　she　had　given　the　children　some　of　the　salt　meat　and　biscuit　to　eat。　The　baby；　and　Tommy；　and　Caroline　had　been　put　to　bed；　and　the　second　tent　was　nearly　ready。

〃It　will　do　very　well　for　to…night；　Juno；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃we　have　done　work　enough　for　this　day。〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　Ready；　〃and　I　think　we　ought　to　thank　God　for　his　mercies　to　us　before　we　go　to　sleep。〃

〃You　remind　me　of　my　duty；　Ready；　let　us　thank　him　for　his　goodness；　and　pray　to　him　for　his　protection　before　we　go　to　sleep。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　then　offered　up　a　prayer　of　thankfulness；　and　they　all　retired　to　rest。



Chapter　XI

Mr。　Seagrave　was　the　first　who　awoke　and　rose　from　his　bed　on　the　ensuing　morning。　He　stepped　out　of　the　tent；　and　looked　around　him。　The　sky　was　clear　and　brilliant。　A　light　breeze　ruffled　o'er　the　surface　of　the　water；　and　the　tiny　waves　rippled　one　after　another　upon　the　white　sand　of　the　cove。　To　the　left　of　the　cove　the　land　rose；　forming　small　hills；　behind　which　appeared　the　continuation　of　the　cocoa…nut　groves。　To　the　right；　a　low　ridge　of　coral　rocks　rose　almost　as　a　wall　from　the　sea；　and　joined　the　herbage　and　brushwood　at　about　a　hundred　paces；　while　the　wreck　of　the　Pacific；　lying　like　some　huge　stranded　monster；　formed　the　prominent　feature　in　the　landscape。　The　sun　was　powerful　where　its　beams　could　penetrate；　but　where　Mr。　Seagrave　stood；　the　cocoa…nuts　waved　their　feathery　leaves　to　the　wind；　and　offered　an　impervious　shade。　A　feeling　of　the　extreme　beauty　of　the　scene；　subdued　by　the　melancholy　created　by　the　sight　of　the　wrecked　vessel；　pervaded　the　mind　of　Mr。　Seagrave　as　he　meditated　over　it。

〃Yes；〃　thought　he；　〃if；　tired　with　the　world　and　its　anxieties；　I　had　sought　an　abode　of　peace　and　beauty；　it　would　have　been　on　a　spot　like　this。　How　lovely　is　the　scene！　…　what　calm　…　what　content　…　what　a　sweet　sadness　does　it　create！　How　mercifully　have　we　been　preserved　when　all　hope　appeared　to　be　gone；　and　how　bountifully　have　we　been　provided　for；　now　that　we　have　been　saved；　…　and　yet　I　have　dared　to　repine；　when　I　ought　to　be　full　of　gratitude！　May　God　forgive　me！　Wife；　children；　all　safe；　nothing　to　regret　but　a　few　worldly　goods　and　a　seclusion　from　the　world　for　a　time　…　yes；　but　for　how　long　a　time　…　What！　rebellious　still！　…　for　the　time　that　it　shall　please　God　in　his　wisdom　to　ordain。〃　Mr。　Seagrave　turned　back　to　his　tent。　William；　Tommy；　and　old　Ready　still　remained　fast　asleep。　〃Excellent　old　man！〃　thought　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃What　a　heart　of　oak　is　hid　under　that　rugged　bark！　…　Had　it　not　been　for　his　devotion　where　might　I　and　all　those　dear　helpless　creatures　have　been　now？〃

The　dogs；　who　had　crept　into　the　tent　and　laid　themselves　down　upon　the　mattresses　by　the　side　of　William　and　Tommy；　now　fawned　upon　Mr。　Seagrave。　William　woke　up　with　their　whining；　and　having　received　a　caution　from　his　father　not　to　wake　Ready；　he　dressed　himself　and　came　out。

〃Had　I　not　better　call　Juno；　father？〃　said　William；　〃I　think　I　can；　without　waking　mamma；　if　she　is　asleep。〃

〃Then　do；　if　you　can；　my　boy；　and　I　will　see　what　cooking　utensils　Ready　has　brought　on　shore。〃

William　soon　returned　to　his　father；　stating　that　his　mother　was　in　a　sound　sleep；　and　that　Juno　had　got　up　without　waking　her　or　the　two　children。

〃Well；　we'll　see　if　we　cannot　get　some　breakfast　ready　for　them；　William。　Those　dry　cocoa…nut　leaves　will　make　an　excellent　fire。〃

〃But；　father；　how　are　we　to　light　the　fire？　we　have　no　tinder…box　or　matches。〃

〃No；　but　there　are　other　ways；　William；　although；　in　most　of　them；　tinder　is　necessary。　The　savages　can　produce　fire　by　rubbing　a　soft　piece　of　wood　against　a　hard　one。　But　we　have　gunpowder；　and　we　have　two　ways　of　igniting　gunpowder　…　one　is　by　a　flint　and　steel；　and　the　other　is　by　collecting　the　sun's　rays　into　one　focus　by　a　magnifying…glass。〃

〃But；　father；　when　we　have　lighted　the　fire；　what　have　we　to　cook？　we　have　no　tea　or　coffee。〃

〃No；　I　do　not　think　we　have；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave。

〃But　we　have　potatoes；　father。〃

〃Yes；　William；　but　don't　you　think　it　would　be　better　if　we　made　our　breakfast　off　the　cold　beef　and　pork　and　ship's　biscuit　for　once；　and　not　use　the　potatoes？　we　may　want　them　all　to　plant；　you　know。　But　why　should　we　not　go　on　board　of　the　ship　ourselves？　you　can　pull　an　oar　pretty　well；　and　we　must　all　learn　to　work　now；　and　not　leave　everything　for　poor　old　Ready　to　do。　Come；　William。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　then　went　down　to　the　cove；　the　little　boat　was　lying　on　the　beach；　just　lifted　by　the　rippling　waves；　they　pushed　her　off；　and　got　into　her。　〃I　know　where　the　steward　kept　the　tea　and　coffee；　father；〃　said　William；　as　they　pulled　on　board；　〃mamma　would　like　some　for　breakfast；　I'm　sure；　and　I'll　milk　the　goats　for　baby。〃

Although　they　were　neither　of　them　very　handy　at　the　oar；　they　were　soon　alongside　of　the　ship；　and；　having　made　the　boat　fast；　they　climbed　on　board。

William　first　went　down　to　the　cabin　for　the　tea　and　coffee；　and　then　left　his　father　to　collect　other　things　while　he　went　to　milk　the　goats；　which　he　did　in　a　tin　pan。　He　then　poured　the　milk　into　a　bottle；　which　he　had　washed　out；　that　it　might　not　be　spilt；　and　went　back　to　his　father。

〃I　have　filled　these　two　baskets　full　of　a　great　many　things；　William；　which　will　be　very　acceptable　to　your　mamma。　What　else　shall　we　take？〃

〃Let　us　take　the　telescope；　at　all　events；　father；　and　let　us　take　a　whole　quantity　of　clothes　…　they　will　please　mamma：　the　clean　ones　are　all　in　the　drawers　…　we　can　bring　them　up　in　a　sheet；　and　then；　father；　let　us　bring　some　of　the　books　on　shore；　and　I'm　sure　mamma　will　long　for　her　Bible　and　prayer…book；　…　here　they　are。〃

〃You　are　a　good　boy；　William；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃I　will　now　take　those　things　up　to　the　boat；　and　then　return　for　the　rest。〃

In　a　short　time　everything　was　put　into　the　boat；　and　they　pulled　on　shore　again。　They　found　Juno；　who　had　been　washing　herself；　waiting　for　them　at　the　cove；　to　assist　to　take　up　the　things。

〃Well；　Juno；　how　do　you　find　yourself　this　morning？〃

〃Quite　well；　massa；〃　said　Juno：　and　then　pointing　to　the　clear　water；　she　said；　〃Plenty　fish　here。〃

〃Yes；　if　we　only　had　lines；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃I　think　Ready　has　both　hooks　and　lines　somewhere。　Come；　Juno；　take　up　this　bundle　of　linen　to　your　tent：　we　can　manage　all　the　rest。〃

When　they　arrived　at　the　tent　they　found　that　every　one　was　awake　except　Ready；　who　appeared　still　to　sleep　very　sound。　Mrs。　Seagrave　had　passed　a　very　good　night；　and　felt　herself　much　refreshed。　William　made　some　touch…paper；　which　he　lighted　with　one　of　the　glasses　from　the　telescope；　and　they　soon　had　a　good　fire。　Mr。　Seagrave　went　to　the　beach；　and　procured　three　large　stones　to　rest　the　saucepan　on；　and　in　half　an　hour　the　water　was　boiling　and　the　tea　made。


Chapter　XII

Juno　had