masterman ready-第28章

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had　not　been　seen　for　a　day　or　two。　After　half…an…hour's　search　in　the　cocoa…nut　grove；　he　heard　the　cock　crow；　and　soon　afterwards　found　them　all。　He　threw　them　some　split　peas；　which　he　had　brought　with　him。　They　were　hungry　enough　and　followed　him　home　to　the　house；　where　he　left　them　and　went　to　join　Ready　and　his　father。

〃William；〃　said　Ready；　〃I　think；　now　that　we　have　spread　out　the　tents；　we　will；　if　Mr。　Seagrave　approves；　all　set　to　at　once　and　knock　up　a　fowl…house；　it　won't　be　more　than　a　day's　job；　and　then　the　creatures　will　have　a　home。　There　are　four　very　thick　cocoa…nut　trees　close　to　the　house；　we　will　build　it　under　them；　it　will　be　a　good　job　over。〃　Mr。　Seagrave　assented；　and　they　set　immediately　to　work。　There　were　many　thin　poles　left；　the　tops　of　the　cocoa…nut　trees　which　had　been　cut　down　to　build　the　house；　these　they　nailed　to　the　trunks　of　the　four　trees；　so　as　to　make　a　square；　and　then　they　ran　up　rafters　for　a　pitched　roof。

〃Now；　sir；　this　is　only　rough　work；　we　will　first　put　up　a　perch　or　two　for　them；　and　then　close　in　the　side；　and　thatch　the　roof　with　cocoa…nut　branches；　but　there's　Juno　taking　in　the　dinner；　so　we'll　finish　it　afterwards。〃

After　their　meal　the　work　was　renewed；　Mr。　Seagrave　collected　the　branches　while　William　and　Ready　worked　upon　the　sides　and　roof；　and　before　the　evening　closed　in；　the　fowl…house　was　complete。　William　enticed　the　fowls　down　to　it　with　some　more　split　peas；　and　then　walked　away。

〃Now；　sir；　the　creatures　will　soon　find　their　way　in；　and　by　and　by；　when　I　have　time；　I'll　make　a　door　to　the　entrance。〃

〃And　now；〃　said　William；　〃I　think　we　had　better　roll　up　the　canvas　of　the　tents；　we　have　had　a　splendid　day；　and　may　not　be　so　fortunate　to…morrow。〃

〃Very　true；　we　will　get　them　housed；　and　stow　them　away　under　the　bed…places；　there　is　plenty　of　room。〃　By　the　time　that　they　had　folded　up　the　canvas；　and　William　had　brought　in　Nanny　and　the　kids；　the　sun　had　set；　and　they　went　into　the　house。　Ready　was　requested　to　go　on　with　his　history；　which　he　did　as　follows：

〃I　said　last　night　that　I　determined　to　run　away　from　school　and　go　to　sea；　but　I　did　not　tell　you　how　I　managed　it。　I　had　no　chance　of　getting　out　of　the　school　unperceived；　except　after　the　boys　were　all　put　to　bed。　The　room　that　I　slept　in　was　at　the　top　of　the　house　…　the　doors　I　knew　were　all　locked；　but　there　was　a　trap…door　which　led　out　on　the　roof；　fastened　by　a　bolt　inside；　and　a　ladder　leading　up　to　it；　and　I　determined　that　I　would　make　my　escape　by　that　way。　As　soon　as　all　the　other　boys　were　fast　asleep；　I　arose　and　dressed　myself　very　quietly；　and　then　left　the　room。

〃The　moon　shone　bright；　which　was　lucky　for　me；　and　I　gained　the　trap…door　without　any　noise。　I　had　some　difficulty　in　forcing　it　up；　as　it　was　heavy　for　a　boy　of　my　age；　but　I　contrived　to　do　so　at　last；　and　gained　the　roof　of　the　house。　I　then　began　looking　about　me；　to　see　how　I　was　to　get　to　the　ground；　and　after　walking　to　and　fro　several　times；　I　decided　that　I　could　slip　down　by　a　large　water…pipe；　it　was　so　far　detached　from　the　bricks；　that　I　could　get　my　small　fingers　round　it。　I　climbed　over　the　parapet；　and；　clinging　to　the　pipe　firmly　with　my　hands　and　knees；　I　slid　down；　and　arrived　at　the　bottom　in　safety。〃

〃It's　a　wonder　you　did　not　break　your　neck；　Ready；〃　observed　Mrs。　Seagrave。

〃It　was；　indeed；　ma'am。　As　soon　as　I　was　landed　in　the　flowerbed；　which　was　below；　I　hastened　to　the　iron　gates　at　the　entrance；　and　soon　climbed　up　and　got　to　the　other　side　into　the　road。　I　started　as　fast　as　I　could　towards　the　port；　and　when　I　arrived　at　the　wharf；　I　perceived　that　a　vessel　had　her　topsails　loose；　and　meant　to　take　advantage　of　the　ebb…tide　which　had　just　made；　the　men　were　singing　‘Yo　heave　yo'；　getting　the　anchor　up；　and　as　I　stood　watching；　almost　making　up　my　mind　that　I　would　swim　off　to　her；　I　perceived　that　a　man　pushed　off　in　her　jolly…boat；　and　was　sculling　to　a　post　a　little　higher　up；　where　a　hawser　had　been　made　fast；　I　ran　round；　and　arrived　there　before　he　had　cast　off　the　rope；　without　saying　a　word；　I　jumped　into　the　boat。

〃‘What　do　you　want；　youngster？'　said　the　seaman。

〃‘I　want　to　go　to　sea；'　said　I；　breathless；　‘take　me　on　board　…　pray　do。'

〃‘Well；'　said　he；　‘I　heard　the　captain　say　he　wanted　an　apprentice；　and　so　you　may　come。'

〃He　sculled　the　boat　back　again　to　the　vessel；　and　I　climbed　up　her　side。

〃‘Who　are　you？'　said　the　captain。

〃I　told　him　that　I　wanted　to　go　to　sea。

〃‘You　are　too　little　and　too　young。'

〃‘No；　I　am　not；'　replied　I。

〃‘Why；　do　you　think　that　you　dare　go　aloft？'

〃‘I'll　show　you；'　replied　I；　and　I　ran　up　the　rigging　like　a　cat；　and　went　out　at　the　topgallant　yard…arm。

〃When　I　came　down；　the　captain　said；　‘Well；　I　think　you'll　make　a　sharp　seaman　by　and　by；　so　I'll　take　you；　and；　as　soon　as　I　get　to　London；　I'll　bind　you　apprentice。'

〃The　ship；　which　was　a　collier；　was　soon　out　of　port；　and　before　the　day　had　dawned　I　found　myself　on　the　wide　ocean；　which　was　hereafter　to　be　my　home。

〃As　soon　as　the　hurry　and　confusion　were　over；　I　was　examined　by　the　captain；　who　appeared　to　me　to　be　a　very　rough；　harsh　man；　indeed；　before　the　day　was　over　I　almost　repented　of　the　step　which　I　had　taken；　and　when　I　sat　down　cold　and　wet　upon　some　old　sail　at　night；　the　thoughts　of　my　mother；　and　what　distress　I　should　occasion　her；　for　the　first　time　rushed　into　my　mind；　and　I　wept　bitterly；　but　it　was　too　late　then。　I　have　often　thought；　Mr。　Seagrave；　that　the　life　of　hardship　which　I　have　since　gone　through　has　been　a　judgment　on　me　for　my　cruelty　to　my　mother；　in　leaving　her　the　way　I　did。　It　broke　her　heart；　a　poor　return；　William；　for　all　her　care　and　kindness！　God　forgive　me！〃

Old　Ready　left　off　for　some　little　time；　and　the　remainder　of　the　party　kept　silence。　Then　he　said　…　〃I'll　leave　off　now；　if　you　please：　I　don't　feel　inclined　to　go　on；　my　heart　is　full　when　I　recall　that　foolish　and　wicked　deed　of　mine。〃



Chapter　XXXIII

The　next　morning　was　fine；　and　as　soon　as　breakfast　was　over；　they　took　the　wheels　down　to　the　turtle…pond；　and　Ready　having　speared　one　of　the　largest　by　means　of　a　pike　with　a　barb　to　it；　which　he　had　made　on　purpose；　they　hauled　it　on　shore；　slung　it　under　the　wheels；　and　took　it　up　to　the　house。　Having　killed　the　turtle；　and　cut　it　up；　Juno；　under　the　directions　of　Ready；　chose　such　portions　as　were　required　for　the　soup；　and　when　the　pot　was　on　the　fire；　Ready；　Mr。　Seagrave；　and　William　set　off　with　the　cross…cut　saw　and　hatchets；　to　commence　felling　the　cocoa…nut　trees　for　the　building　of　the　outhouse；　which　was　to　hold　their　stores；　as　soon　as　they　could　be　brought　round　from　the　other　side　of　the　island。

〃I　mean　this　to　be　our　place　of　refuge　in　case　of　danger；　sir；〃　observed　Ready；　〃and　therefore　I　have　selected　this　thick　part　of　the　wood；　as　it　is　not　very　far　from　the　house；　and　by　cutting　the　path　to　it　in　a　zigzag；　it　will　be　quite　hidden　from　sight；　and　we　must　make　the　path　just　wide　enough　to　allow　the　wheels　to　pass；　and　stump　up　the　roots　of　the　trees　which　we　are　obliged　to　cut　down；　otherwise　the　stumps　would　attract　attention。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；　Ready；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃there　is　no　saying　what　may　happen。〃

〃You　see；　sir；　it　is　often　the　custom　for　the　natives；　in　this　part　of　the　world；　to　come　in　their　canoes　from　one　island　to　another；　merely　to　get　cocoa…nuts。　I　can't　say　that　the　other　islands　near　us　are　inhabited；　but　still　it　is　probable；　and　we　cannot　tell　what　the　character　of　the　people　may　be。　I　tell　you　this；　but　we　had　better　not　say　a　word　to　Mrs。　Seagrave；　as　it　may　distress　her。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　agreed；　and　Ready　continued：

〃We　are　now　near　the　spot；　sir。　You　see；　when　we　have　got　over　this　hill；　where　the　trees　are　so　very　thick；　the　fall　in　the　ground　will　assist　in　the　concealment　of　the　building。　I　should　say　we　are　very　near　right　where　we　now　stand。〃

〃How　far　are　we　now　from　the　house？　We　must　not　be　too　distant。〃

〃I　reckon　we　are　not　150　yards　in　a　straight　line；　although　the　road　will；　by　its　turning；　make　it　double　the　distance。〃

〃Then　I　think　this　spot　will　do　very　well。〃

〃I'll　just　mark　out　the　trees　which　are　to　st