masterman ready-第24章

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


autiful　night；　the　water　was　very　smooth；　and　the　moonbeams　pierced　deep　below　the　surface。　William　threw　in　his　line；　and　as　soon　as　the　lead　touched　the　bottom　he　pulled　it　up　about　a　foot；　as　Ready　had　instructed　him；　and　he　had　not　held　his　line　more　than　half　a　minute；　when　it　was　jerked　so　forcibly；　that　not　expecting　it　he　was　nearly　hauled　into　the　water；　as　it　was；　the　fish　was　so　strong　that　the　line　slipped　through　his　hand　and　scored　his　fingers；　but　after　a　time　he　was　able　to　pull　it　in；　and　he　landed　on　the　beach　a　large　silver…scaled　fish；　weighing　nine　or　ten　pounds。　As　soon　as　he　had　dragged　it　so　far　away　from　the　edge　of　the　rocks　as　to　prevent　its　flapping　into　the　water　again；　William　took　out　the　hook　and　determined　to　try　for　another。　His　line　was　down　as　short　a　time　as　before；　when　it　was　again　jerked　with　violence；　but　William　was　this　time　prepared；　and　he　let　out　the　line　and　played　the　fish　till　it　was　tired；　and　then　pulled　it　up；　and　found　that　the　second　fish　was　even　larger　than　the　first。　Satisfied　with　his　success；　he　wound　up　his　lines；　and；　running　a　piece　of　string　through　the　gills　of　the　fish；　dragged　them　back　to　the　tents；　and　hanged　them　to　the　pole；　for　fear　of　the　dogs　eating　them；　he　then　went　in；　and　was　soon　fast　asleep。　The　next　morning　William　was　the　first　up；　and　showed　his　prizes　with　much　glee；　but　Ready　was　very　much　displeased　with　him。

〃You　did　very　wrong；　William；　to　run　the　risk　which　you　did。　If　you　were　resolved　to　catch　fish；　why　did　you　not　tell　me；　and　I　would　have　gone　with　you？　You　say；　yourself；　that　the　fish　nearly　hauled　you　into　the　water；　suppose　it　had　done　so；　or　suppose　a　small　shark　instead　of　one　of　these　gropers　（as　we　call　them）　had　taken　the　bait；　you　must　have　been　jerked　in；　and　the　rocks　are　so　steep　there；　that　you　would　not　have　been　able　to　get　out　again　before　a　shark　had　hold　of　you。　Think　a　moment　what　would　have　been　the　distress　of　your　father　and　the　agony　and　despair　of　your　poor　mother；　when　this　news　should　have　arrived。〃

〃I　was　very　wrong；　Ready；〃　replied　William；　〃now　that　I　think　of　it；　but　I　wanted　to　surprise　and　please　my　mother。〃

〃That　reason　is　almost　sufficient　to　plead　your　pardon；　my　dear　boy；〃　replied　Ready；　〃but　don't　do　so　again。　And　now　let　us　say　no　more　about　it；　nobody　will　know　that　you　have　been　in　danger；　and　there's　no　harm　done；　and　you　mustn't　mind　an　old　man　scolding　you　a　little。〃

〃No；　indeed；　Ready；　I　do　not；　for　I　was　very　thoughtless；　but　I　had　no　idea　that　there　was　danger。〃

〃There's　your　mother　coming　out　of　her　tent；〃　replied　Ready。　〃Good…morning；　madam。　Do　you　know　what　William　has　done　for　you　last　night？　Look；　here　are　two　beautiful　fish；　and　very　excellent　eating　they　are；　I　can　tell　you。〃

〃I　am　quite　delighted；〃　replied　Mrs。　Seagrave。

Tommy　clapped　his　hands　and　danced　about；　crying；　〃Fried　fish　for　dinner；〃　and　Juno　said；　〃Have　very　fine　dinner　to…day；　Missy　Caroline。〃

After　breakfast　they　all　set　out　for　the　grove；　where　Ready　had　been　cutting　down　the　trees；　taking　with　them　the　wheels　and　axle；　and　a　couple　of　stout　ropes。　Mr。　Seagrave　and　Ready　cut　down　the　trees　and　slung　them　to　the　axle；　and　Juno　and　William　dragged　them　to　the　spot　where　the　house　was　to　be　built。

They　were　not　sorry　when　dinner　was　ready；　for　it　was　very　hard　work。

That　night；　tired　as　they　were；　Ready　and　William　went　out；　and　turned　eight　more　turtle。　They　continued　felling　the　cocoa…nut　trees　and　dragging　the　timber　for　the　remainder　of　the　week；　when　they　considered　that　they　had　nearly　enough；　and　on　Tuesday　morning　they　commenced　building　the　house。



Chapter　XXIX

Ready　had　cut　out　and　prepared　the　door…posts　and　window…frames　from　timber　which　he　had　towed　round　from　the　cove。　He　now　fixed　four　poles　in　the　earth　upright　at　each　corner；　and　then；　with　the　assistance　of　Mr。　Seagrave；　notched　every　log　of　cocoa…nut　wood　on　both　sides；　where　it　was　to　meet　with　the　one　crossing　it；　so　that；　by　laying　log　upon　log　alternately；　they　fitted　pretty　close；　and　had　only　to　have　the　chinks　between　them　filled　in　with　cocoa…nut　leaves　twisted　very　tight；　and　forced　between　them：　this　was　the　work　of　William　and　Juno　when　no　more　logs　were　ready　for　carrying；　and；　by　degrees；　the　house　rose　up　from　its　foundation。　The　fireplace　could　not　be　made　at　once；　as　they　had　either　to　find　clay；　or　to　burn　shells　into　lime　and　build　it　up　with　rocks　and　mortar；　but　a　space　was　left　for　it。　For　three　weeks　they　worked　very　hard：　as　soon　as　the　sides　were　up；　they　got　on　the　whole　of　the　roof　and　rafters；　and　then；　with　the　broad　leaves　of　the　cocoa…nut　trees　which　had　been　cut　down；　Ready　thatched　it　very　strong　and　securely。　At　the　end　of　the　three　weeks　the　house　was　secure　from　the　weather；　and　it　was　quite　time；　for　the　weather　had　begun　to　change；　the　clouds　now　gathered　thick；　and　the　rainy　season　was　commencing。

〃We　have　no　time　to　lose；　sir；〃　said　Ready　to　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃We　have　worked　hard；　but　we　must　for　a　few　days　work　harder　still。　We　must　fit　up　the　inside　of　the　house；　so　as　to　enable　Madam　to　get　into　it　as　soon　as　possible。〃

The　earth　in　the　inside　of　the　house　was　then　beaten　down　hard；　so　as　to　make　a　floor；　and　a　sort　of　bedstead；　about　two　feet　from　the　ground；　running　the　whole　length　of　the　house；　was　raised　on　each　side　of　the　interior：　these　were　fitted　with　canvas　screens　to　let　down　by　night。　And　then　Ready　and　William　took　the　last　trip　in　the　boat　to　fetch　the　chairs　and　tables；　which　they　did　just　before　the　coming　on　of　the　first　storm　of　the　season。　The　bedding　and　all　the　utensils　were　now　taken　into　the　house；　and　a　little　outhouse　was　built　up　to　cook　in；　until　the　fireplace　could　be　made。

It　was　late　on　the　Saturday　night　that　the　family　shifted　into　the　new　house；　and　fortunate　it　was　that　they　had　no　further　occasion　for　delay；　for　on　the　Sunday　the　first　storm　burst　upon　them；　the　wind　blew　with　great　force；　and；　although　they　were　shielded　from　it；　still　the　cocoa…nut　trees　ground　and　sawed　each　other's　stems　as　they　bent　their　heads　to　its　force。　The　lightning　was　vivid；　and　the　thunder　appalling；　while　the　rain　descended　in　a　continual　torrent。　The　animals　left　the　pastures；　and　sheltered　themselves　in　the　grove；　and；　although　noonday；　it　was　so　dark　that　they　could　not　see　to　read。

〃This；　then；　is　the　rainy　season　which　you　talked　about；　Ready；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave。　〃Is　it　always　like　this？　If　so；　what　shall　we　do？〃

〃No；　madam；　the　sun　will　shine　sometimes；　but　not　for　long　at　a　time。　We　shall　be　able　to　get　out　and　do　something　every　now　and　then　almost　every　day；　but　still　we　shall　have　rain；　perhaps；　for　many　days　without　intermission；　and　we　must　work　indoors。〃

〃How　thankful　we　ought　to　be　that　we　have　a　house　over　our　heads；　we　should　have　been　drowned　in　the　tents。〃

〃That　I　knew；　madam；　and　therefore　I　was　anxious　to　get　a　house　over　your　head；　let　us　thank　God　for　it。〃

〃Indeed　we　ought；〃　observed　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃and　it　is；　indeed；　time　for　us　to　read　the　service。〃

The　morning　service　was　then　performed　in　the　new　house。　Violent　as　the　rain　was；　it　did　not　penetrate　through　the　thatch　which　had　been　put　on。　Ready　and　William　went　out　to　secure　the　boat；　which　they　were　afraid　would　be　injured；　and　returned　wet　to　the　skin。　The　storm　continued　without　intermission　the　whole　of　the　night；　but　they　slept　dry　and　safe；　and；　when　awakened　by　the　noise　of　the　thunder　and　the　pelting　of　the　rain；　they　thanked　God　that　they　had　found　a　dwelling　in　the　wilderness　upon　which　they　had　been　cast。



Chapter　XXX

When　they　all　rose　up　the　next　morning；　the　clouds　had　cleared　off；　and　the　sun　was　shining　bright。　Ready　and　Juno　were　the　first　out　of　the　house　…　Ready　with　the　telescope　under　his　arm；　which　he　always　took　with　him　when　he　went　his　rounds；　as　he　termed　it；　in　the　morning。

〃Well；　Juno；〃　said　Ready；　〃this　is　a　fine　morning　after　the　rain。〃

〃Yes；　Massa　Ready；　very　fine　morning；　but　how　I　get　fire　light；　and　make　kittle　boil　for　breakfast；　I　really　don't　know　…　stick　and　cocoa…nut　trash　all　so　wet。〃

〃Before　I　went　to　bed　last　night；　Juno；　I　covered　up　the　embers　with　ashes；　put　some　stones　over　them；　and　then　some　cocoa…nu