masterman ready-第51章

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lanking　and　deals；　which　William　and　I　buried　in　the　sand。〃

〃I　really　had　quite　forgotten　them；　Ready。　If　I　could　but　get　the　fear　of　the　savages　coming　over　out　of　my　head；　I　really　think　we　might　live　very　comfortably　even　on　this　island。〃

〃Do　you　know；　Mr。　Seagrave；　I　am　glad　to　hear　you　say　that；　for　it　proves　that　you　are　more　contented　and　resigned　than　you　were。〃

〃I　am　so；　Ready　…　at　least　I　think　so；　but　perhaps　it　is；　that　the　immediate　danger　from　the　savages　so　fills　my　thoughts；　that　I　no　longer　dwell　so　much　upon　our　being　taken　off　the　island。〃

〃I　dare　say　it　is　as　you　state；　sir；　but　now　let　us　go　on　with　our　search。　Here　are　the　ship's　compasses；　and　deep　sea　line　and　reel；　also　the　land　lead。　The　stuff　will　be　very　useful　for　our　little　boat。〃

〃And　I　am　very　glad　of　the　compasses；　Ready；　for　with　them　I　shall　be　able　to　make　a　sort　of　survey　of　the　island；　when　I　have　a　little　time。　Your　pocket　compass　is　too　small　for　surveying。　I　shall　take　some　bearings　now；　while　I　am　here；　as　I　may　not　be　back　again　very　soon。〃

〃Well；　sir；　I　think　if　we　open　this　other　case；　which　I　perceive　has　your　name　on　it；　it　will　be　as　much　as　we　need　do　to…day；　for　the　sun　is　going　down；　we　can　then　make　up　some　kind　of　bed；　eat　our　suppers；　and　go　to　sleep。〃

〃I　am　very　tired；　Ready；　and　shall　be　glad　to　do　as　you　propose。　That　case　contains　books；　but　what　portion　of　my　library　I　do　not　know。〃

〃But　you　soon　will；　sir；〃　replied　Ready；　wrenching　it　open　with　his　axe。　〃They　are　a　little　stained　on　the　outside；　but　they　are　jammed　so　tight　that　they　do　not　appear　to　have　suffered　much。　Here　are　one　or　two；　sir。〃

〃Plutarch's　Lives。　I　am　glad　I　have　them：　they　are　excellent　reading　for　young　or　old；　there　is　no　occasion　to　open　any　more；　as　I　know　all　the　other　books　in　the　case　are　‘History'；　perhaps　the　best　case　which　could　have　been　saved。〃



Chapter　LI

Mr。　Seagrave　and　Ready　then　set　to　work；　and　made　a　rough　sort　of　bed　of　cocoa…nut　branches；　and；　after　eating　their　supper；　committed　themselves　to　the　divine　protection；　and　went　to　sleep。　The　next　morning　they　resumed　their　labour；　and　opened　every　other　case　and　package　that　had　been　saved　from　the　wreck；　they　found　more　hooks；　four　boxes　of　candles；　three　casks　of　rice；　and　several　other　useful　articles；　besides　many　others　which　were　of　no　value　to　them。

A　chest　of　tea；　and　two　bags　of　coffee；　which　Ready　had　brought　on　shore；　were；　much　to　their　delight；　found　in　good　order；　but　there　was　no　sugar；　the　little　which　they　had　saved　having　been　melted　away。

〃That's　unfortunate；　sir。〃

〃We　cannot　expect　to　get　things　here；　as　though　we　were　a　hundred　yards　from　a　grocer's　shop。　Now　let　us　go　to　where　we　covered　up　the　other　articles　with　sand。〃

The　sand　was　shovelled　up；　and　the　barrels　of　beef　and　pork　and　the　deal　boards　found　in　good　order；　but　many　other　things　were　quite　spoilt。　About　noon　they　had　finished；　and　as　they　had　plenty　of　time；　Mr。　Seagrave　took　the　bearings　of　the　different　points　of　land　with　the　compasses。　They　then　shouldered　their　muskets；　and　set　off　on　their　return。

They　gained　the　house　in　the　bay；　and　having　rested　a　little　while　at　the　storehouse；　they　proceeded　on　their　way　to　the　tents　in　the　meadow。　They　had　about　half　a　mile　to　go；　when　Ready　heard　a　noise；　and　made　a　sign　to　Mr。　Seagrave　to　stop。　Ready；　whispering　to　Mr。　Seagrave　that　the　pigs　were　all　close　to　them；　loaded　his　musket；　Mr。　Seagrave　did　the　same；　and　they　walked　very　softly　to　where　they　now　heard　their　grunting；　they　did　not　see　them　till　they　were　within　twenty　yards；　and　then　they　came　upon　the　whole　herd；　the　pigs　raised　their　heads；　the　old　ones　gave　a　loud　grunt；　and　then；　just　as　Ready　fired　his　musket；　they　all　set　off　at　full　speed。　Mr。　Seagrave　had　no　opportunity　of　firing；　but　Ready　had　shot　one；　which　lay　kicking　and　struggling　under　a　cocoa…nut　tree。

〃A　piece　of　fresh　pork　will　be　quite　a　treat；　Mr。　Seagrave；〃　said　Ready；　as　they　walked　up　to　where　the　animal　was　lying。

〃It　will；　indeed；　Ready；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃we　must　contrive　to　carry　the　beast　home　between　us。〃

〃We　will　sling　it　on　the　musket；　sir；　and　it　will　not　be　very　heavy。　It　is　one　of　those　born　on　the　island；　and　a　very　fine　fellow　for　his　age。〃

The　pig　was　soon　slung；　and　they　carried　it　between　them。　As　they　cleared　the　wood；　they　perceived　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　William；　who　had　heard　the　report　of　the　musket；　and　had　come　out　to　meet　them。

William　took　the　load　from　his　father；　who　walked　on　with　Mrs。　Seagrave。

〃Well；　William；　what　news　have　you？〃　said　Ready。

〃Why；　very　good；　Ready。　Yesterday　evening；　when　I　was　tired　of　work；　I　thought　I　would　take　the　boat；　and　try　if　there　was　any　fish　to　he　caught　on　this　side　of　the　island　in　the　deep　water；　and　I　caught　three　large　ones；　quite　different　from　those　we　took　among　the　reefs。　We　had　one　for　breakfast　and　dinner　to…day；　and　it　was　excellent。〃

〃Did　you　go　out　in　the　boat　by　yourself？〃

〃No；　I　took　Juno　with　me。　She　pulls　very　well；　Ready。〃

〃She　is　a　handy　girl；　William。　Well；　we　have　had　our　survey；　and　there　will　be　plenty　of　work　for　you　and　me；　I　can　tell　you；　I　don't　think　we　can　bring　everything　round　in　a　week；　so　I　suppose　to…morrow　we　had　better　be　off。〃

〃Well；　I　like　boating　better　than　ditching；　I　can　tell　you；　Ready；〃　replied　William。　〃I　shan't　be　sorry　to　leave　that　work　to　my　father。〃

〃I　suppose　it　must　fall　to　him；　as　he　will；　of　course；　prefer　staying　with　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　the　children。〃

As　soon　as　they　were　at　the　tents；　Ready　hung　up　the　pig　to　the　cross　pole　of　the　tent　in　which　he　and　William　and　Mr。　Seagrave　slept；　and　having　propped　the　muskets　up　against　the　side　of　the　tent；　he　went　with　William　to　get　his　knife　and　some　stretchers　of　wood　to　open　the　pig　with。　While　he　and　William　were　away；　Caroline　and　Tommy　came　out　to　look　at　it；　and　Tommy；　after　telling　Caroline　how　glad　he　was　that　they　were　to　have　roast　pig　for　dinner；　took　up　one　of　the　muskets；　and　said；　〃Now；　Caroline；　I'll　shoot　the　pig。〃

〃Oh！　Tommy；　you　must　not　touch　the　gun；〃　cried　Caroline；　〃papa　will　be　very　angry。〃

〃I　don't　care；〃　replied　Tommy。　〃I'll　show　you　how　to　shoot　the　pig。〃

〃Don't；　Tommy；〃　cried　Caroline；　〃if　you　do；　I'll　go　and　tell　mamma。〃

〃Then　I'll　shoot　you；〃　replied　Tommy；　trying　to　point　the　musket　at　her。

Caroline　was　so　frightened；　that　she　ran　away　as　fast　as　she　could；　and　then　Tommy；　using　all　his　strength；　contrived　to　get　the　musket　up　to　his　shoulder；　and　pulled　the　trigger。

It　so　happened　that　Tommy　had　taken　up　Mr。　Seagrave's　musket；　which　had　not　been　fired；　and　when　he　pulled　the　trigger　it　went　off；　and　as　he　did　not　hold　it　tight　to　his　shoulder；　it　recoiled；　and　hit　him　with　the　butt　right　on　his　face；　knocking　out　two　of　his　teeth；　besides　making　his　nose　bleed　very　fast。

Tommy　was　so　astonished　and　frightened　at　the　musket　going　off；　and　the　blow　which　he　received；　that　he　gave　a　loud　yell；　dropped　the　musket；　and　ran　to　the　tent　where　his　father　and　mother　were；　just　as　they　had　started　up　and　had　rushed　out　at　hearing　the　report。

When　Mrs。　Seagrave　saw　Tommy　all　covered　with　blood；　and　screaming　so　loud；　she　was　so　alarmed　that　she　could　not　stand；　and　fell　fainting　in　Mr。　Seagrave's　arms。　Ready　and　William；　on　hearing　the　musket　go　off；　had　run　as　fast　as　they　could；　fearing　that　some　accident　had　happened；　and　while　Mr。　Seagrave　supported　his　wife；　Ready　went　to　Tommy；　and　wiping　the　blood　off　his　face　with　the　palm　of　his　hand；　perceived　that　there　was　no　wound　or　serious　mischief；　and　cried　out　to　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃He's　not　hurt；　sir；　it's　only　his　nose　bleeding。〃

〃Musket　knocked　me　down；〃　cried　Tommy；　sobbing　as　the　blood　ran　out　of　his　mouth。

〃Serve　you　right；　Tommy；　you'll　take　care　not　to　touch　the　musket　again。〃

〃I　won't　touch　it　again；〃　cried　Tommy；　blubbering。

Juno　now　came　up　with　some　water　to　wash　his　face；　Mrs。　Seagrave　had　recovered；　and　gone　back　into　the　tent；　on　Mr。　Seagrave　telling　her　that　it　was　only　Tommy's　nose　which　was　bleeding。

In　about　half…an…hour　Tommy　had　ceased　crying；　and　his　nose　had　left　off　bleeding；　his　face　was　washed；　and　then　it　was　discovered　that　he　had　lost　two　front　teet