masterman ready-第57章

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The　pelting　of　the　stones　had　the　desired　effect。　The　sharks　swam　away；　and　Ready　passed　through　to　the　beach；　and　the　boat　grounded　just　as　she　was　up　to　the　gunnel　in　water；　and　about　to　turn　over。　He　handed　out　Tommy；　who　was　so　dreadfully　frightened　that　he　could　not　cry。

As　soon　as　Ready　landed；　William　sprang　into　his　arms；　crying；　〃Thank　God；　you　are　safe；　Ready！〃　Mrs。　Seagrave；　overpowered　by　her　feelings；　sank　her　head　upon　William's　shoulder；　and　burst　into　tears。

〃It　was　touch　and　go；　William；〃　observed　Ready；　as　they　walked　up　to　the　house；　preceded　by　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Seagrave。　〃How　much　mischief　may　be　created　by　a　thoughtless　boy！　However；　one　can't　put　old　heads　on　young　shoulders；　and　so　Tommy　must　be　forgiven。〃

〃He　has　been　punished　enough；　as　far　as　fright　goes；〃　replied　William；　〃I'll　answer　for　it；　he'll　never　get　into　the　boat　again　by　himself。〃

〃No；　I　think　not。　But　now；　William；　you　saw　how　nearly　I　was　swamped　in　the　boat；　indeed；　it　was　only　by　his　mercy　that　I　was　preserved；　but　taking　the　question　merely　as　far　as　our　endeavours　could　help　us；　do　you　think　that　if　you　had　gained　the　boat　instead　of　me；　you　would　have　brought　her　to　the　beach　as　I　did？〃

〃No；　Ready；　I　never　could　have　managed　her　so　skilfully　as　you　did；　and　therefore　I　must　have　been　swamped　before　I　got　on　shore。〃

〃Well；　William；　as　I　am　an　old　sailor　and　you　are　not；　therefore　it　is　not　vanity　which　makes　me　say　that　you　could　not　have　managed　the　boat　so　well　as　I　did。　Now；　as　I　had　not　three　or　four　seconds　to　spare；　you；　as　you　say；　must　have　been　swamped。　I　mention　this　to　prove　to　you　that　I　was　right　in　desiring　your　father　to　order　you　back。〃

〃Certainly；　Ready；　but　Tommy　is　my　brother；　and　I　felt　that　it　was　more　my　duty　than　yours　to　risk　my　life　for　him。〃

〃A　very　proper　feeling；　William；　but　you　have　other　duties；　which　are；　to　look　after　your　father　and　mother；　and　be　a　comfort　and　solace　to　them。　Your　life　is　more　valuable　than　mine。　I　am　an　old　man　on　the　brink　of　the　grave；　and　a　year　or　two　makes　no　difference；　but　your　life　is；　I　hope；　of　more　consequence。〃

That　evening　the　prayers　were　more　than　usually　solemn；　and　the　thanksgivings　more　heartfelt　and　sincere。　Exhausted　with　the　exciting　scene　of　the　day；　they　all　retired　early　to　bed。



Chapter　LIX

When　Tommy　was　questioned　on　the　following　morning　as　to　his　inducement　to　get　into　the　boat；　to　their　great　surprise　he　replied；　that　he　wanted　to　go　round　to　the　tents　again；　to　see　if　the　bananas　were　ripe；　that　he　intended　to　eat　some　of　them　and　be　back　before　dinner…time；　that　he　might　not　be　found　out。

〃I　suspect；　Tommy；　you　would　have　been　very　hungry　before　you　ate　any　bananas　if　we　had　not　perceived　you；〃　said　Ready。

〃I　won't　go　into　the　boat　any　more；〃　said　Tommy。

〃I　rather　think　you　will　keep　to　that　resolution；　Tommy；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃however；　I　must　leave　your　mother　to　point　out　to　you　the　danger　you　were　in　yourself；　and　in　which　you　placed　others　by　your　folly。〃

The　stockade　was　now　almost　finished；　the　door　was　the　occasion　of　a　good　deal　of　consultation；　at　last；　it　was　agreed　that　it　would　be　better　to　have　a　door　of　stout　oak　plank；　but　with　second　door…posts　inside；　about　a　foot　apart　from　the　door；　between　which　could　be　inserted　short　poles　one　above　the　other；　so　as　to　barricade　it　within　when　required。　This　would　make　the　door　as　strong　as　any　other　portion　of　the　stockade。　As　soon　as　this　was　all　complete；　the　storehouse　was　to　be　altered　for　a　dwelling…house；　by　taking　away　the　wattles　of　cocoa…nut　boughs　on　the　sides；　and　filling　them　up　with　logs　of　cocoa…nut　trees。

Before　the　week　was　ended　the　stockade　and　door　were　complete；　and　they　now　began　to　fell　trees；　to　form　the　sides　of　the　house。　This　was　rapid　work；　and　while　Mr。　Seagrave；　William；　and　Juno　felled　the　trees；　and　brought　them　on　the　wheels　to　the　side　of　the　stockade；　all　ready　cut　to　their　proper　lengths；　Ready　was　employed　in　flooring　the　house　with　a　part　of　the　deal　planks　which　they　had　brought　round　from　the　cove。　But　this　week　they　were　obliged　to　break　off　for　two　days；　to　collect　all　their　crops　from　the　garden。

A　fortnight　more　passed　away　in　continual　hard　work；　but　the　house　was　at　last　finished；　and　very　complete；　compared　to　the　one　they　were　residing　in。　It　was　much　larger；　and　divided　into　three　rooms　by　the　deal　planking：　the　middle　room　which　the　door　opened　into　was　the　sitting　and　eating　room；　with　a　window　behind；　the　two　side　rooms　were　sleeping…rooms；　one　for　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　the　children；　and　the　other　for　the　male　portion　of　the　family。

〃See；　William；〃　said　Ready；　when　they　were　alone；　〃what　we　have　been　able　to　do　by　means　of　those　deal　planks；　why；　to　have　floored　this　house；　and　run　up　the　partitions；　would　have　taken　us　half　a　year　if　we　had　had　to　saw　the　wood。〃

〃Yes；　and　what　a　comfort　it　is　to　have　so　many　shelves　about。　When　shall　we　shift　into　this　house？〃

〃The　sooner　the　better。　We　have　plenty　of　work　still　to　do；　but　we　can　work　outside　of　the　stockade。〃

〃And　what　do　you　propose　to　do　with　the　old　house？〃　said　William。

〃We　had　better　put　some　of　our　stores　of　least　value　in　it　for　the　present；　until　we　can　fit　up　another　storehouse　inside　the　stockade。〃

〃Then　we'll　put　those　casks　in；　for　they　take　up　a　great　deal　of　room。〃

〃All　but　that　large　one；　William；　we　shall　want　that。　I　shall　fix　it　up　in　a　corner。〃

〃What　for；　Ready？〃

〃To　put　water　in。〃

〃But　we　are　closer　to　the　spring　than　we　were　at　the　other　house。〃

〃I　know　that；　but；　perhaps；　we　may　not　be　able　to　go　out　of　the　stockade；　and　then　we　shall　want　water。〃

〃I　understand；　Ready；　how　thoughtful　you　are！〃

〃If　at　my　age　I　did　not　think　a　little；　William；　it　would　be　very　odd。　You　don't　know　how　anxious　I　am　to　see　them　all　inside　of　this　defence。〃

〃But　why　should　we　not　come　in；　Ready？〃

〃Why；　sir；　as　there　is　still　plenty　of　work；　I　do　not　like　to　press　the　matter；　lest　your　mamma　should　be　fidgeted；　and　think　there　was　danger；　but　danger　there　is；　I　have　a　kind　of　forewarning　of　it。　I　wish　you　would　propose　that　they　should　come　in　at　once；　the　standing…bed　places　are　all　ready；　except　the　canvas；　and　I　shall　nail　on　new　by　to…night。〃

In　consequence　of　this　conversation；　William　proposed　at　dinnertime　that　the　next　day　they　should　go　into　the　new　house；　as　it　was　so　much　more　handy　to　work　there　and　live　there　at　the　same　time。　Mr。　Seagrave　was　of　the　same　opinion；　but　Mrs。　Seagrave　thought　it　better　that　everything　should　be　tidy　first。

〃Why；　ma'am；〃　said　Ready；　〃the　only　way　to　get　things　tidy　is　to　go　yourself　and　make　them　so。　Nothing　will　ever　be　in　its　place　unless　you　are　there　to　put　it　in。〃

〃Well；　Ready；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave；　〃since　you　are　against　me　as　well　as　all　the　rest；　I　give　it　up。　and　if　you　please　we　will　shift　over　to…morrow。〃

〃Indeed；　ma'am；　I　think　it　will　be　better；　this　is　the　last　month　of　fine　weather；　and　we　shall　have　plenty　to　do。〃

〃Be　it　so；　Ready；　you　are　the　best　judge；　to…morrow　we　will　take　up　our　quarters　in　the　stockade。〃

〃Thank　God！〃　muttered　Ready　very　softly。

The　next　day　was　fully　employed　in　changing　their　residence；　and　shifting　over　the　bedding　and　utensils；　and　that　night　they　slept　within　the　stockade。　Ready　had　run　up　a　very　neat　little　outhouse　of　plank；　as　a　kitchen　for　Juno；　and　another　week　was　fully　employed　as　follows：　the　stores　were　divided；　those　of　least　consequence；　and　the　salt　provisions；　flour；　and　the　garden　produce；　&c。；　were　put　into　the　old　house；　the　casks　of　powder　and　most　of　the　cartridges　were　also　put　there　for　security；　but　a　cask　of　beef；　of　pork；　and　flour；　all　the　iron…work　and　nails；　canvas；　&c。；　were　stowed　away　for　the　present　under　the　new　house；　which　had；　when　built　as　a　storehouse；　been　raised　four　feet　from　the　ground　to　make　a　shelter　for　the　stock。　This　was　very　spacious；　and；　of　course；　quite　dry；　and　contained　all　they　wished　to　put　in。　Ready　also　took　care；　by　degrees；　to　fill　the　large　water…butt　full　of　water；　and　had　fixed　into　the　bottom　a　spigot　for　drawing　the　water　off。

〃Well；　Mr。　Seagrave；〃　said　Ready　on　the　Saturday；　〃we　have　done　a　good　many　hard　weeks'　work　lately；　but　this　i