masterman ready-第43章

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〃Be　it　so；　if　you　wish；〃　replied　Ready。

〃Why；　Ready；　what　noise　is　that？　Hark！　such　a　chattering；　it　must　be　monkeys。〃

〃No；　they　are　not　monkeys；　but　I'll　tell　you　what　they　are；　although　I　cannot　see　them；　they　are　parrots　…　I　know　their　noise　well。　You　see；　William；　it's　not　very　likely　that　monkeys　should　get　here；　but　birds　can；　and　it　is　the　birds　that　we　have　to　thank　for　the　bananas　and　guavas；　and　other　fruits　we　may　find　here。〃

As　soon　as　they　came　under　the　trees；　there　was　a　great　rioting　and　fluttering；　and　then　away　flew；　screaming　as　loud　as　they　could；　a　flock　of　about　three　hundred　parrots；　their　beautiful　green　and　blue　feathers　glistening　in　the　beams　of　the　sun。

〃I　told　you　so；　well；　we'll　have　some　capital　pies　out　of　them；　William。〃

〃Pies！　do　they　make　good　pies；　Ready？〃

〃Yes；　excellent；　and　very　often　have　I　had　a　good　dinner　from　one　in　the　West　Indies；　and　in　South　America。　Stop；　let　us　come　a　little　this　way；　I　see　a　leaf　which　I　should　like　to　examine。〃

〃The　ground　is　very　swampy　just　here；　Ready；　is　it　not？〃

〃Yes；　there's　plenty　of　water　below；　I　don't　doubt。　So　much　the　better　for　the　animals；　we　must　dig　some　pools　when　they　come　here。

〃Oh！　I　thought　I　was　not　wrong。　Look！　this　is　the　best　thing　I　have　found　yet　…　we　now　need　not　care　so　much　about　potatoes。〃

〃Why；　what　are　they；　Ready？〃

〃Yams；　which　they　use　instead　of　potatoes　in　the　West　Indies。　Indeed；　potatoes　do　not　remain　potatoes　long；　when　planted　in　hot　climates。〃

〃How　do　you　mean；　Ready？〃

〃They　turn　into　what　they　call　sweet…potatoes；　after　one　or　two　crops：　yams　are　better　things；　in　my　opinion。〃

At　this　moment　the　dogs　dashed　among　the　broad　yam　leaves；　and　commenced　baying；　there　was　a　great　rustling　and　snorting。

〃What's　that？〃　cried　William；　who　had　been　stooping　down　to　examine　the　yam　plant；　and　who　was　startled　at　the　noise。

Ready　laughed　heartily。　〃It　isn't　the　first　time　that　they've　made　you　jump；　William。〃

〃Why；　it's　our　pigs；　isn't　it？〃　replied　William。

〃To　be　sure；　they're　in　the　yam　patch；　very　busy　feeding　on　them；　I'll　be　bound。〃

Ready　gave　a　shout；　and　a　grunting　and　rushing　were　heard　among　the　broad　leaves；　and；　very　soon；　out　rushed；　instead　of　the　six；　about　thirty　pigs　large　and　small；　who；　snorting　and　twisting　their　tails；　galloped　away　at　a　great　rate；　until　they　gained　the　cocoa…nut　grove。

〃How　wild　they　are；　Ready！〃　said　William。

〃Yes；　and　they'll　be　wilder　every　day；　but　we　must　fence　these　yams　from　them；　or　we　shall　get　none　ourselves。〃

〃But　they'll　beat　down　the　fence　before　it　grows　up。〃

〃We　must　pale　it　with　cocoa…nut　palings；　and　plant　the　prickly　pears　outside。　Now；　we'll　go　down　to　the　sea…side。〃

As　they　neared　the　rocks；　which　were　bare　for　about　fifty　yards　from　the　water's　edge；　Ready　said；　〃I　can　tell　you　now　what　those　white　patches　on　the　rocks　are；　William；　they　are　the　places　where　the　sea…birds　come　to　every　year　to　make　their　nests；　and　bring　up　their　young。　They　always　come　to　the　same　place　every　year；　if　they　are　not　disturbed。〃　They　soon　arrived　at　the　spot；　and　found　it　white　with　the　feathers　of　birds；　mixed　up　with　dirt。

〃I　see　no　nests；　Ready；　nor　the　remains　of　any。〃

〃No；　they　do　not　make　any　nests；　further　than　scratching　a　round　hole；　about　half　an　inch　deep；　in　the　soil；　and　there　they　lay　their　eggs；　sitting　quite　close　to　one　another；　they　will　soon　be　here；　and　begin　to　lay；　and　then　we　will　come　and　take　the　eggs；　if　we　want　any；　for　they　are　not　bad　eating。〃

〃Why；　Ready；　what　a　quantity　of　good　things　we　have　found　out　already！　This　has　been　a　very　fortunate　expedition　of　ours。〃

〃Yes；　it　has；　and　we　may　thank　God　for　his　goodness；　who　thus　provides　for　us　so　plentifully　in　the　wilderness。〃

〃Do　you　know；　Ready；　I　cannot　help　thinking　that　we　ought　to　have　built　our　house　here。〃

〃Not　so；　William；　we　have　not　the　pure　water；　recollect；　and　we　have　not　the　advantages　of　the　sandy　beach；　where　we　have　our　turtle…　and　fish…pond。　No；　we　may　feed　our　stock　here；　we　may　gather　the　fruit；　taking　our　share　of　it　with　the　poor　birds；　we　may　get　our　yams；　and　every　other　good　provided　for　us；　but　our　house　and　home　must　be　where　it　is　now。〃

〃You　are　right；　Ready；　but　it　will　be　a　long　walk。〃

〃Not　when　we　are　accustomed　to　it；　and　have　made　a　beaten　path；　besides；　we　may　bring　the　boat　round；　perhaps。〃

Then　they　walked　along　the　sea…side　for　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　until　they　came　to　where　the　rocks　were　not　so　high；　and　there　they　discovered　a　little　basin；　completely　formed　in　the　rocks；　with　a　narrow　entrance。

〃See；　William；　what　a　nice　little　harbour　for　our　boat！　we　may　here　load　it　with　yams　and　take　it　round　to　the　bay；　provided　we　can　find　an　entrance　through　the　reefs　on　the　southern　side　of　it；　which　we　have　not　looked　for　yet；　because　we　have　not　required　it。〃

〃Yes；　Ready　…　it　is；　indeed；　a　nice；　smooth　little　place　for　the　boat。　What　is　that　thing　on　the　bottom；　there？〃　said　William；　pointing　in　the　direction。

〃That　is　a　sea　crawfish；　quite　as　good　eating　as　a　lobster。　I　wonder　if　I　could　make　a　lobster…pot；　we　should　catch　plenty；　and　very　good　they　are。〃

〃And　what　are　those　little　rough　things　on　the　rock？〃

〃They　are　a　very　nice　little　sort　of　oyster；　not　like　those　we　have　in　England；　but　much　better　…　they　are　so　delicate。〃

〃Why；　Ready；　we　have　two　more　good　things　for　our　table；　again；〃　replied　William；　〃how　rich　we　shall　be！〃

〃Yes；　but　we　have　to　catch　them；　recollect：　there　is　nothing　to　be　had　in　this　world　without　labour。〃

〃Ready；〃　said　William；　〃we　have　good　three　hours'　daylight；　suppose　we　go　back　and　tell　what　we　have　seen：　my　mother　will　be　so　glad　to　see　us。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；　William。　We　have　done　well　for　one　day；　and　may　safely　go　back　again；　and　remain　for　another　week。　There　are　no　fruits　at　present；　and　all　I　care　about　are　the　yams；　I　should　like　to　protect　them　from　the　pigs。　But　let　us　go　home　and　talk　the　matter　over　with　Mr。　Seagrave。〃

They　found　out　the　spot　where　they　had　left　their　knapsacks　and　hatchets；　and　again　took　their　path　through　the　cocoa…nut　trees；　following　the　blaze　which　they　had　made　in　the　morning。　One　hour　before　sunset　they　arrived　at　the　house；　where　they　found　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Seagrave　sitting　outside；　and　Juno　standing　on　the　beach　with　the　two　children；　who　were　amusing　themselves　with　picking　up　the　shells　which　were　strewed　about。　William　gave　a　very　clear　account　of　all　they　had　seen；　and　showed　his　father　the　specimens　of　the　plants　which　he　had　collected。

〃This；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃is　a　well…known　plant；　and　I　wonder　Ready　did　not　recognize　it；　it　is　hemp。〃

〃I　never　saw　it　except　in　the　shape　of　rope；〃　replied　Ready。　〃I　know　the　seed　well　enough。〃

〃Well；　if　we　require　it；　I　can　tell　you　how　to　dress　it；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃Now；　William；　what　is　the　next？〃

〃This　odd…looking；　rough　thing。〃

〃That's　the　egg…plant：　it　bears　fruit　of　a　blue　colour。　I　am　told　they　eat　it　in　the　hot　countries。〃

〃Yes；　sir；　they　do；　they　fry　it　with　pepper　and　salt；　they　call　it　bringal。　I　think　it　must　be　that。〃

〃I　do　not　doubt　but　you　are　right；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃Why；　William；　you　should　know　this。〃

〃It　is　like　the　grape…vine。〃

〃Yes；　and　it　is　so；　it　is　the　wild　grape；　we　shall　eat　them　by　and　bye。〃

〃I　have　only　one　more；　papa：　what　is　this？〃

〃You　don't　know　it；　because　it　has　sprung　up　so　high；　William；　but　it　is　the　common　mustard　plant；　…　what　we　use　in　England；　and　is　sold　as　mustard　and　cress。　I　think　you　have　now　made　a　famous　day's　work　of　it；　and　we　have　much　to　thank　God　for。〃

As　soon　as　they　had　returned　to　the　house；　a　consultation　was　held　as　to　their　future　proceedings；　and；　after　some　debate；　it　was　agreed　that　it　would　be　advisable　that　they　should　take　the　boat　out　of　the　sand；　and；　as　soon　as　it　was　ready；　examine　the　reef　on　the　southward；　to　see　if　they　could　find　a　passage　through　it；　as　it　would　take　a　long　while　to　go　round　it；　and；　as　soon　as　that　was　accomplished；　Mr。　Seagrave；　Ready；　William；　and　Juno　should　all　go　through　the　wood；　carrying　with　them　a　tent　to　pitch　on　the　newly…discovered　piece　of　ground：　and　that　they　should　set　up　a　flag…staff　at　the