masterman ready-第25章

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〃Before　I　went　to　bed　last　night；　Juno；　I　covered　up　the　embers　with　ashes；　put　some　stones　over　them；　and　then　some　cocoa…nut　branches；　so　I　think　you　will　find　some　fire　there　yet。　I　was　going　my　morning's　round；　but　I　will　stay　a　little　and　help　you。〃

〃Tank　you；　Massa　Ready；　plenty　rain　fell　last　night。〃

〃Yes；　not　a　little；　Juno；　you　must　not　expect　to　find　the　water　at　the　well　very　clear　this　morning；　indeed；　I　doubt　if　you　will　see　the　well　at　all。　Here's　some　stuff　which　is　not　very　wet。〃

〃I　got　plenty　of　fire；　too；〃　replied　Juno；　who　had　removed　the　branches　and　stones；　and　was　now　on　her　knees　blowing　up　the　embers。

〃You'll　do　very　well　now；　Juno；〃　said　Ready；　〃besides；　William　will　be　out　directly　…　so　I'll　leave　you。〃

Ready　whistled　to　the　dogs；　who　came　bounding　out；　and　then　set　off　on　his　round　of　inspection。　He　first　directed　his　steps　to　the　well　in　the　ravine；　but；　instead　of　the　gushing　spring　and　the　limpid　clear　water；　with　which　the　cask　sunk　for　a　well　had　been　filled；　there　was　now　a　muddy　torrent；　rushing　down　the　ravine；　and　the　well　was　covered　with　it；　and　not　to　be　distinguished。

〃I　thought　as　much；〃　said　Ready；　musing　over　the　impetuous　stream；　〃well；　better　too　much　water　than　too　little。〃　Ready　waded　through；　as　he　wished　to　examine　the　turtle…pond；　which　was　on　the　other　side　of　the　stream。　Finding　all　right；　he　again　crossed　the　water；　where　it　was　now　spread　wide　over　the　sandy　beach；　until　he　came　to　the　other　point　where　he　had　moored　his　boat；　both　by　the　head　and　stern；　with　a　rope；　and　a　heavy　stone　made　fast　to　it；　as　an　anchor。

From　this　point；　as　usual；　he　surveyed　the　horizon　with　his　telescope；　not　that　he　thought　that　there　was　a　chance　of　a　vessel　arriving　among　these　islands；　but；　still；　as　it　was　possible；　he　took　the　trouble；　but　never　except　when　he　went　out　in　the　morning　alone；　as　he　was　aware　that　the　very　circumstance　of　his　so　doing　would　make　Mr。　Seagrave　melancholy　and　unsettled。　As　usual；　he　dropped　the　telescope　on　his　arm；　after　his　survey；　saying　to　himself；　〃Little　use　doing　that。〃

The　gale　having　blown　offshore；　the　boat　had　dragged　her　moorings；　and　was　so　far　out　that　Ready　could　not　get　at　her。

〃Here's　a　puzzle；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃how　foolish　of　me　not　to　have　made　a　line　fast　to　the　shore！　I'll　not　trust　myself　to　John　Shark　by　swimming　to　the　boat。〃

〃Let　me　see。〃　Ready　took　the　halyards　and　sheets　belonging　to　the　boat's　sails；　which　be　had　left　on　the　beach；　and　bent　one　on　to　the　other　until　he　had　sufficient　length　of　rope。　He　then　made　a　piece　of　wood；　about　two　feet　long；　fast　by　the　middle　to　the　end　of　the　rope；　and；　after　one　or　two　attempts；　contrived　to　throw　it　into　the　boat。　The　piece　of　wood　caught　under　one　of　the　thwarts；　and　this　enabled　him　to　draw　the　boat　to　the　shore。

Having　baled　out　the　water　which　had　fallen　into　her　during　the　storm；　he　then　landed　again　and　examined　the　garden。

〃Now　to　find　the　sheep　and　goats；〃　said　Ready；　〃and　then　my　morning's　walk　is　over。　Now；　Romulus；　now；　Remus；　boys；　find　them　out；〃　continued　he；　and　the　dogs；　who　appeared　to　know　what　he　was　in　search　of；　went　away　in　pursuit；　and　soon　found　the　sheep　and　two　of　the　goats；　but　the　third　goat　was　not　with　them。

〃Why；　where　can　Black　Nanny　be？〃　muttered　Ready；　stopping　a　little　while；　at　last　he　heard　a　bleat；　in　a　small　copse　of　brush　wood；　to　which　he　directed　his　steps；　followed　by　the　dogs。　〃I　thought　as　much；〃　said　he；　as　be　perceived　Nanny　lying　down　in　the　copse　with　two　new…born　kids　at　her　side。　〃Come；　my　little　fellows；　we　must　find　some　shelter　for　you；〃　said　he；　taking　one　up　under　each　arm。　〃Come；　Nanny。〃

Ready　walked　back　to　the　house；　and　brought　in　the　kids；　followed　by　Nanny。　He　found　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　the　children　all　dressed。　Caroline　and　Tommy　gave　a　scream　of　delight　when　they　saw　the　little　kids；　and　even　little　Albert　clapped　his　hands。　As　soon　as　Ready　put　them　down　on　the　ground；　Tommy　and　Caroline　had　each　their　arms　round　one。

〃I've　brought　an　addition　to　our　family；　Mrs。　Seagrave；〃　said　Ready：　〃we　must　allow　them　to　remain　in　the　house　until　I　can　knock　up　a　little　shelter　for　them。　This　is　only　a　beginning；　I　expect　we　shall　soon　have　more。〃

As　soon　as　the　children　could　be　persuaded　to　part　with　the　kids；　Nanny　was　tied　up　in　a　corner；　and　was　very　content　with　fondling　and　nursing　her　progeny。　Juno　and　William　brought　in　the　breakfast；　and　as　soon　as　it　was　over；　Mr。　Seagrave　said；　〃Now；　Ready；　I　think　we　must　hold　a　council；　and　make　arrangements　as　to　our　allotted　duties　and　employments　during　the　rainy　season。　We　have　a　great　deal　to　do；　and　must　not　be　idle。〃

〃Yes；　sir；　we　have　a　great　deal　to　do；　and；　to　get　through　our　work；　we　must　have　order　and　method　in　our　doings。　I've　lived　long　enough　to　know　how　much　can　be　done　by　regularity　and　discipline。　Why；　sir；　there　is　more　work　got　out　of　men　in　a　well…conducted　man…of…war　than　there　can　in　the　merchant　service　in　double　the　time。　And　why　so？　Because　everything　is　in　its　place；　and　there　is　a　place　for　everything。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave；　〃method　is　everything。　While　one　careless　little　girl　is　looking　for　her　thimble；　another　will　have　finished　her　work。〃

〃I　assure　you　I　never　should　have　known　what　can　be　done　by　order　and　arrangement；　if　I　had　not　been　pressed　on　board　of　a　man…of…war。　I　found　that　everything　was　done　in　silence。　Every　man　was　to　his　post；　everyone　had　a　rope　to　haul　upon；　or　a　rope　to　let　go；　the　boatswain　piped；　and　in　a　few　seconds　every　sail　was　set　or　taken　in　as　was　required。　It　seemed　to　me　at　first　like　magic。　And　you　observe；　Mr。　Seagrave；　that　when　there　is　order　and　discipline；　every　man　becomes　of　individual　importance。　If　I　learnt　nothing　else　on　board　of　a　man…of…war；　I　learnt　to　make　the　most　of　time；　and　the　most　of　the　strength　which　you　could　command。〃

〃You　are　very　right；　Ready；　you　must　teach　us　to　do　the　same；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave。

〃We　have　so　much　to　do；　that　I　hardly　know　where　to　begin；　yet；　sir；　we　must　work　at　present　how　we　can；　and　when　we　can；　until　we　have　got　things　into　a　little　better　order。　We　have　done　well　up　to　the　present。〃

〃What　do　you　think　we　ought　to　do　first？〃

〃Well；　sir；　our　first　job　will　be　to　haul　up　the　boat　and　secure　her　from　harm；　we　will　half…dock　her　in　the　sand；　and　cover　her　over；　for　I　do　not　think　it　will　be　safe　to　go　in　her　now　to　the　other　side　of　the　island；　where　the　sea　will　always　be　rough。〃

〃There　I　perfectly　agree　with　you。　Now　what　is　the　next？〃

〃Why；　sir；　we　must　not　leave　the　tents　where　they　are；　but　take　them　down；　and　as　soon　as　they　are　dry；　stow　them　away；　for　we　may　want　them　by　and　by；　then；　sir；　we　must　build　a　large　outhouse　for　our　stores　and　provisions；　with　a　thatched　roof；　and　a　floor　raised　about　four　feet　from　the　ground；　and　then；　under　the　floor；　the　sheep　and　goats　will　have　a　protection　from　the　weather。　Then　there　is　the　fish…pond　to　make；　and　also　a　salt…pan　to　cut　out　of　the　rock。　Then　we　have　two　more　long　jobs。　One　is；　to　go　through　the　woods　and　examine　the　stores　we　have　left　on　the　other　side　of　the　island；　sort　and　arrange　them　all　ready　for　bringing　here　after　the　rains　are　over；　and　we　must　also　explore　the　island　a　little；　and　find　out　what　it　produces；　for　at　present　we　know　nothing　of　it：　we　may　find　a　great　many　things　useful　to　us；　a　great　many　trees　and　fruits；　and　I　hope　and　trust　we　may　be　able　to　find　some　more　grass　for　our　live　stock。〃

〃I　agree　with　you　in　all　you　say；　Ready；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃now　how　shall　we　divide　our　strength？〃

〃We　will　not　divide　at　present；　sir；　if　you　please。　Juno　has　plenty　to　do　indoors　with　Mrs。　Seagrave；　William；　and　you；　and　I；　will　first　secure　the　boat　and　stow　away　the　tents　and　gear；　after　that；　we　will　set　about　the　outbuilding；　and　work　at　it　when　we　can。　If　Juno　has　any　time　to　spare；　she　had　better　collect　the　cocoa…nut　leaves；　and　pile　them　up　for　fuel；　and　Tommy　will；　I　dare　say；　go　with　her；　and　show　her　how　to　draw　them　along。〃

〃Yes；　I'll　show　her；〃　said　Tommy；　getting　on　his　feet。

〃Not　just　now；　Tommy；〃　said　Ready；　〃but　as　soon　as　your　mamma　can　spare　her　to　go　with　you。　Come；　sir；　a　few　hours　of