masterman ready-第23章

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　stand　it；　he　lowered　his　head；　made　a　butt　at　Tommy；　and　he　and　Albert　rolled　on　the　ground　one　over　the　other。　The　baby　roared；　and　Tommy　began　to　whimper。　Mrs。　Seagrave　ran　up　to　them　and　caught　up　the　baby；　and　Tommy；　alarmed；　caught　hold　of　his　mother's　dress　for　protection；　looking　behind　him　at　Billy；　who　appeared　inclined　to　renew　the　attack。

〃Why　don't　you　mind　what　is　said　to　you；　Tommy？　I　told　you　that　he　would　butt　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave；　pacifying　the　child。

〃I　don't　care　for　him；〃　replied　Tommy；　who　perceived　that　the　goat　was　walking　away。

〃No；　you　are　very　brave　now　that　he　has　gone；　but　you're　a　very　naughty　boy　not　to　mind　what　is　said　to　you。〃

〃Billy　never　butts　at　me；　mamma；〃　said　Caroline。

〃No；　my　dear；　because　you　do　not　tease　him；　but　your　brother　is　very　fond　of　teasing　animals；　and　so　he　gets　punished　and　frightened。　It　is　very　wrong　of　him　to　do　so；　especially　as　he　is　told　by　his　father　and　me　that　he　ought　not。〃

〃You　said　I　was　a　good　boy　when　I　learnt　my　lesson　this　morning；〃　replied　Tommy。

〃Yes；　but　you　should　always　be　good；〃　replied　his　mother。

〃I　can't　be　always　good；〃　said　Tommy；　〃I　want　my　dinner。〃

〃It　is　dinner…time；　Tommy；　that　is　certain；　but　you　must　wait　until　they　all　come　home　from　their　work。〃

〃There's　Ready　coming；　with　a　bag　on　his　shoulder；〃　replied　Tommy。

Ready　soon　came　up　to　where　Mrs。　Seagrave　was　sitting；　and　laid　down　the　bag。　〃I've　brought　you　some　young　cocoa…nuts；　and　some　old　ones　also；　from　the　trees　that　I　have　been　cutting　down。〃

〃Oh！　cocoa…nuts　…　I　like　cocoa…nuts！〃　cried　Tommy。

〃I　told　you；　Tommy；　that　we　should　have　some　by　and　by；　and　they　have　come　sooner　than　we　thought。　You　are　very　warm；　Ready。〃

〃Yes；　ma'am；〃　replied　Ready；　wiping　his　face；　〃it　is　rather　warm　work；　for　there　is　no　breeze　in　the　grove　to　cool　one。　Is　there　anything　you　want　from　the　other　side　of　the　island；　for　I　shall　go　there　directly　after　dinner？〃

〃What　for？〃

〃I　must　bring　the　wheels　to　get　the　timber　out；　for　I　must　clear　it　away　as　I　go；　until　the　path　is　finished。　I　must　have　William　to　help　me。〃

〃William　will　like　the　trip；　I　do　not　doubt。　I　do　not　recollect　anything　in　particular　that　we　want；　Ready；〃　replied　Mrs。　Seagrave。　〃There　he　comes　with　Juno；　and　I　see　Mr。　Seagrave　has　laid　down　his　spade；　so　Caroline；　dear；　take　care　of　Albert；　while　I　get　the　dinner　for　them。〃

Ready　assisted　Mrs。　Seagrave；　and　the　dinner　was　spread　out　on　the　ground；　for　they　had　not　brought　the　chairs　and　tables　with　them　to　their　new　residence；　as　they　thought　that　they　could　do　without　them　till　the　house　was　built。　William　reported　that　Juno　and　he　would　have　the　turtle…pond　complete　by　the　next　day。　Mr。　Seagrave　had　cleared　sufficient　ground　to　plant　the　half…sack　of　potatoes　that　they　had　saved；　so　that　in　a　day　or　two　they　would　be　able　to　put　all　their　strength　upon　the　cutting　and　drawing　of　the　timber。

After　dinner；　William　and　Ready　set　off　in　the　boat；　and；　before　it　was　dark；　returned　with　the　wheels　and　axle　of　the　carriage；　and　several　other　articles　to　make　up　their　load。



Chapter　XXVII

〃Now；　William；〃　said　Ready；　〃if　you　are　not　very　sleepy；　perhaps　you　would　like　to　come　with　me　to…night；　and　see　if　we　cannot　turn　some　of　the　turtle；　for　the　season　is　going　away　fast；　and　they　will　leave　the　island　very　soon。〃

As　soon　as　the　sun　had　disappeared；　William　and　Ready　went　down　to　the　beach；　and　sat　quietly　on　a　rock。　In　a　short　time；　Ready　perceived　a　turtle　crawling　on　the　sand；　and；　desiring　William　to　follow　him　without　speaking；　walked　softly　down　by　the　water's　edge；　so　as　to　get　between　the　animal　and　the　sea。

As　soon　as　the　turtle　perceived　them；　it　made　for　the　water；　but　they　met　it；　and　Ready；　seizing　hold　of　one　of　its　fore…flippers；　turned　it　over　on　its　back。

〃You　see；　William；　that　is　the　way　to　turn　a　turtle：　take　care　that　he　does　not　catch　you　with　his　mouth；　for；　if　he　did；　he　would　bite　the　piece　out。　Now　the　animal　cannot　get　away；　for　he　can't　turn　over　again；　and　we　shall　find　him　here　to…morrow　morning；　so　we　will　now　walk　along　the　beach；　and　see　if　we　cannot　find　some　more。〃

Ready　and　William　remained　till　past　midnight；　and　turned　sixteen　turtle。

〃I　think　that　will　do；　William；　for　once：　we　have　made　a　good　night's　work　of　it；　for　we　have　provided　food　for　many　days。　Tomorrow　we　must　put　them　all　into　the　pond。〃

〃How　shall　we　carry　such　large　animals？〃

〃We　need　not　carry　them；　we　must　put　some　old　canvas　under　them；　and　haul　them　along　by　that　means；　we　can　easily　do　that　on　the　smooth　sand。〃

〃Why　don't　we　catch　some　fish；　Ready？　We　might　put　them　into　the　turtle…pond。〃

〃They　would　not　stay　there　long；　William；　nor　could　we　easily　get　them　out　if　they　did。　I　have　often　thought　of　getting　some　lines　ready；　and　yet　the　time　has　never　come；　for　I　feel　sleepy　after　our　day's　work；　but　as　soon　as　the　house　is　built；　we　will　have　them；　and　you　shall　be　fisherman…in…chief。〃

〃But　the　fish　will　bite　at　night；　will　they　not？〃

〃Oh　yes；　and　better　than　they　do　in　the　daytime。〃

〃Well；　then；　if　you　will　get　me　a　line　and　show　me　how；　I　will　fish　for　an　hour　or　so　after　the　work　is　done；　I　know　mamma　is　getting　tired　of　salt　meat；　and　does　not　think　it　good　for　Caroline。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　will　get　a　bit　of　candle　to…morrow　night；　and　fit　up　two　fishing…lines。　But　I　must　go　with　you；　William。　We　don't　use　much　candle；　at　all　events。〃

〃No；　we　are　too　glad　to　go　to　bed：　but　there　are　two　or　three　boxes　of　one　sort　or　another　up　in　the　cove。〃

The　next　morning　before　breakfast　all　hands　were　employed　in　getting　the　turtle　into　the　pond。　After　breakfast；　William　and　Juno　finished　the　pond　where　the　walls　had　not　been　raised　high　enough；　and；　when　they　returned　to　dinner；　reported　that　their　task　was　completed。　Mr。　Seagrave　also　said　that　he　had；　he　thought；　cleared　quite　ground　enough　for　the　present；　and　as　Mrs。　Seagrave　wanted　Juno　to　help　her　to　wash　the　linen　that　afternoon；　it　was　agreed　that　William；　Ready；　and　Mr。　Seagrave　should　all　go　down　to　the　garden；　and　put　in　the　potatoes。

Ready　worked　with　the　spade；　while　Mr。　Seagrave　and　William　cut　the　potatoes　in　pieces；　so　as　to　have　an　eye　in　each　piece。　When　they　had　finished　this　work；　Mr。　Seagrave　said　…　〃Now　that　we　have　finished　cutting　the　potatoes；　let　us　go　and　assist　Ready　in　planting　them　and　the　seeds　which　we　have　brought　down　with　us。〃



Chapter　XXVIII

That　night　Ready　sat　up　for　two　or　three　hours　working　by　candle…light　（William　keeping　him　company）；　very　busily　engaged　fitting　up　the　fishing…lines　with　leads　and　hooks。　At　last　two　were　complete。

〃What　bait　must　we　use；　Ready？〃

〃I　should　think　that　the　best　would　be　one　of　the　fish　out　of　the　shells　which　are　in　the　sand；　but　a　piece　of　pork　fat　will；　I　dare　say；　do　as　well。〃

〃And　whereabouts　would　you　fish；　Ready？〃

〃The　best　place；　I　should　think；　would　be　at　the　farthermost　end　of　the　point；　where　I　got　the　boat　through　the　reef　…　the　water　is　deep　there　close　to　the　rocks。〃

〃I　was　thinking；　Ready；　if　those　gannets　and　men…of…war　birds　would　be　good　eating。〃

〃Not　very；　William；　they　are　very　tough　and　very　fishy：　we　must　try　for　those　when　we　can　get　nothing　better。　Now　that　we　have　got　in　the　seeds　and　potatoes；　we　must　all　set　to　to…morrow　morning　to　fell　and　carry　the　timber。　I　think　Mr。　Seagrave　had　better　use　the　axe　with　me；　and　you　and　Juno　can；　when　I　have　shown　you　how；　hang　the　timber　to　the　axle；　and　wheel　it　out　to　the　place　where　we　have　decided　upon　building　the　house。　And　now　we　had　better　go　to　bed。〃

William；　however；　had　made　up　his　mind　to　do　otherwise：　he　knew　that　his　mother　would　be　very　glad　to　have　some　fish；　and　he　determined；　as　the　moon　shone　bright；　to　try　if　he　could　not　catch　some　before　he　went　to　bed；　so　he　waited　very　quietly　till　he　thought　Ready　was　asleep　as　well　as　the　others；　and　then　went　out　with　the　lines；　and　went　down　to　the　beach；　where　he　picked　up　three　or　four　shells；　and；　breaking　them　between　two　pieces　of　rock；　took　out　the　fish　and　baited　his　hooks。　He　then　walked　to　the　point。　It　was　a　beautiful　night；　the　water　was　very　smooth；　and　the　moonbeams　pierced　deep　below　the　surface。　William