masterman ready-第9章

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bottom　is　stove　in；　it　is　true；　but　I　am　carpenter　enough　for　that；　and　with　some　well…tarred　canvas　I　can　make　her　sufficiently　water…tight　to　land　us　all　in　safety。　We　must　set　to　at　daylight。〃

〃And　when　we　get　on　shore？〃

〃Why；　Mr。　Seagrave；　where　there　are　cocoa…nut　trees　in　such　plenty　as　there　are　on　that　island；　there　is　no　fear　of　starvation；　even　if　we　had　not　the　ship's　provisions。　I　expect　a　little　difficulty　with　regard　to　water；　for　the　island　is　low　and　small；　but　we　cannot　expect　to　find　everything　exactly　as　we　wish。〃

〃I　am　thankful　to　the　Almighty　for　our　preservation；　Ready；　but　still　there　are　feelings　which　I　cannot　get　over。　Here　we　are　cast　away　upon　a　desolate　island；　which　perhaps　no　ship　may　ever　come　near；　so　that　there　is　little　chance　of　our　being　taken　off。　It　is　a　melancholy　and　cruel　fate；　Ready；　and　that　you　must　acknowledge。〃

〃Mr。　Seagrave；　as　an　old　man　compared　to　you；　I　may　venture　to　say　that　you　are　ungrateful　to　Heaven　to　give　way　to　these　repinings。　What　is　said　in　the　book　of　Job？　‘Shall　we　receive　good　of　the　Lord；　and　shall　we　not　receive　evil？'　Besides；　who　knows　whether　good　may　not　proceed　from　what　appears　evil？　I　beg　your　pardon；　Mr。　Seagrave；　I　hope　I　have　not　offended　you；　but；　indeed；　sir；　I　felt　that　it　was　my　duty　to　speak　as　I　have　done。〃

〃You　have　reproved　me　very　just＇y；　Ready；　and　I　thank　you　for　it；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃I　will　repine　no　more；　but　make　the　best　of　it。〃

〃And　trust　in　God；　sir；　who；　if　he　thinks　fit；　will　restore　you　once　more　to　your　friends；　and　increase　tenfold　your　flocks　and　herds。〃

〃That　quotation　becomes　very　apt；　Ready；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　smiling；　〃considering　that　all　my　prospects　are　in　flocks　and　herds　upon　my　land　in　New　South　Wales。　I　must　put　myself　under　your　orders；　for；　in　our　present　position；　you　are　my　superior　…　knowledge　is　power。　Can　we　do　anything　to…night？〃

〃I　can　do　a　little；　Mr。　Seagrave；　but　you　cannot　assist　me　till　tomorrow　morning；　except　indeed　to　help　me　to　drag　these　two　spars　aft；　and　then　I　can　rig　a　pair　of　sheers；　and　have　them　all　ready　for　hoisting　up　to…morrow　morning　to　get　the　boat　in。　You　see；　with　so　little　strength　on　board；　and　no　masts；　we　shall　be　obliged　to　contrive。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　assisted　Ready　in　getting　the　two　spars　aft；　and　laid　on　the　spot　which　was　required。　〃There　now；　Mr。　Seagrave；　you　may　go　down　below。　William　had　better　let　loose　the　two　dogs；　and　give　them　a　little　victuals；　for　we　have　quite　forgot　them；　poor　things。　I　shall　keep　watch　to…night；　for　I　have　plenty　to　do；　and　plenty　to　think　of；　so；　good…night；　sir。〃

Ready　remained　on　deck；　lashing　the　heads　of　the　spars；　and　fixing　his　tackles　ready　for　the　morrow。　When　all　was　done；　he　sat　down　upon　one　of　the　hen…coops　aft；　and　remained　in　deep　thought。　At　last；　tired　with　watching　and　exertion；　the　old　man　fell　asleep。　He　was　awakened　at　daylight　by　the　dogs；　who　had　been　set　at　liberty；　and　who；　after　walking　about　the　ship　and　finding　nobody；　had　then　gone　to　sleep　at　the　cabin　door。　At　daybreak　they　had　roused　up；　and　going　on　deck　had　found　old　Ready　asleep　on　the　hen…coop；　and　were　licking　his　face　in　their　joy　at　having　discovered　him。　〃Ay；〃　said　the　old　man；　as　he　got　off　the　hen…coop；　〃you'll　all　three　be　useful；　if　I　mistake　not；　by　and　by。　Down；　Vixen；　down　…　poor　creature；　you've　lost　a　good　master；　I'm　afraid。〃

〃Stop　…　now　let　me　see；〃　said　Ready；　talking　to　himself；　〃first　…　but　I'll　get　the　log　board　and　a　bit　of　chalk；　and　write　them　down；　for　my　memory　is　not　quite　so　good　as　it　was。〃

Ready　placed　the　logboard　on　the　hen…coop；　and　then　wrote　on　it　with　the　chalk：　〃Three　dogs；　two　goats；　and　Billy　the　kid　（I　think　there's　five　pigs）；　fowls　（quite　enough）；　three　or　four　pigeons　（I'm　sure）；　the　cow　（she　has　lain　down　and　won't　get　up　again；　I'm　afraid；　so　we　must　kill　her）；　and　there's　the　merino　ram　and　sheep　belonging　to　Mr。　Seagrave　…　plenty　of　live　stock。　Now；　what's　the　first　things　we　must　get　on　shore　after　we　are　all　landed　…　a　spar　and　topgallant　sail　for　a　tent；　a　coil　or　two　of　rope；　a　mattress　or　two　for　Madam　and　the　children；　two　axes；　hammer　and　nails；　something　to　eat　…　yes；　and　something　to　cut　it　with。　There；　that　will　do　for　the　present；〃　said　old　Ready；　getting　up。　〃Now；　I'll　just　light　the　fire；　get　the　water　on；　and；　while　I　think　of　it；　boil　two　or　three　pieces　of　beef　and　pork　to　go　on　shore　with　them；　and　then　I'll　call　up　Mr。　Seagrave；　for　I　reckon　it　will　be　a　hard　day's　work。〃



Chapter　IX

As　soon　as　Ready　had　executed　his　intentions；　and　had　fed　the　animals；　he　went　to　the　cabin　and　called　Mr。　Seagrave　and　William。　With　their　assistance　the　sheers　were　raised；　and　secured　in　their　place；　the　boat　was　then　hooked　on；　but；　as　one　person　was　required　to　bear　it　clear　of　the　davits　and　taffrail；　they　could　not　hoist　it　in。

〃Master　William；　will　you　run　down　to　Juno；　and　tell　her　to　come　on　deck　to　assist　us　…　we　must　all　work　now？〃

William　soon　returned　with　Juno；　who　was　a　strong　girl；　and；　with　her　assistance；　they　succeeded　in　getting　the　boat　in。

The　boat　was　turned　over；　and　Ready　commenced　his　work；　while　Mr。　Seagrave；　at　his　request；　put　the　pitch…pot　on　the　galley　fire；　all　ready　for　pitching　the　canvas　when　it　was　nailed　on。　It　was　not　till　dinner…time　that　Ready；　who　had　worked　hard；　could　patch　up　the　boat；　he　then　payed　the　canvas　and　the　seams　which　he　had　caulked　with　pitch　both　inside　and　out。

〃I　think　we　shall　do　now；　sir；〃　said　Ready；　〃we'll　drag　her　to　the　gangway　and　launch　her。　It's　fortunate　for　us　that　they　did　clear　away　the　gunnel；　as　we　shall　have　no　trouble。〃

A　rope　was　made　fast　to　the　boat；　to　hold　her　to　the　ship：　she　was　then　launched　over　the　gunnel　by　the　united　exertions　of　Mr。　Seagrave　and　Ready；　and　to　their　great　satisfaction　she　appeared　to　leak　very　little。

〃Now；　sir；〃　said　Ready；　〃what　shall　we　do　first　…　take　some　things　on　shore；　or　some　of　the　children？〃

〃What　do　you　say；　Ready？〃

〃I　think　as　the　water　is　as　smooth　as　glass；　and　we　can　land　anywhere；　you　and　I　had　better　go　first　to　reconnoitre；　…　it　is　not　two　hundred　yards　to　the　beach；　and　we　shall　lose　but　little　time。〃

〃Very　well；　Ready；　I　will　first　run　down　and　tell　my　wife。〃

〃And；　in　the　meanwhile；　I'll　put　the　sail　into　the　boat；　and　one　or　two　other　things。〃

Ready　put　the　sail　in；　an　axe；　a　musket；　and　some　cord；　then　they　both　got　into　the　boat　and　pulled　on　shore。

When　they　landed；　they　found　that　they　could　see　nothing　of　the　interior　of　the　island；　the　cocoa…nut　groves　were　so　thick；　but　to　their　right　they　perceived；　at　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　off；　a　small　sandy　cove；　with　brushwood　growing　in　front　of　the　cocoa…nut　trees。

〃That；〃　said　Ready；　pointing　to　it；　〃must　be　our　location。　Let　us　get　into　the　boat　again　and　pull　to　it。〃

In　a　few　minutes　they　arrived　at　the　cove；　the　water　was　shallow；　and　as　clear　as　crystal。　Beneath　the　boat's　bottom　they　could　see　beautiful　shells；　and　the　fish　darting　about　in　every　direction。

The　sand　extended　about　forty　yards　from　the　water；　and　then　commenced　the　brushwood；　which　ran　back　about　forty　yards　further；　intermingled　with　single　cocoa…nut　trees；　until　it　joined　the　cocoa…nut　grove。　They　pulled　the　boat　in　and　landed。

〃What　a　lovely　spot　this　is！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃and　perhaps　mortal　man　has　never　yet　visited　it　till　now：　those　cocoa…nuts　have　borne　their　fruit　year　after　year；　have　died；　and　others　have　sprung　up　in　their　stead；　and　here　has　this　spot　remained；　perhaps　for　centuries；　all　ready　for　man　to　live　in；　and　to　enjoy　whenever　he　should　come　to　it。〃

〃Providence　is　bountiful；　Mr。　Seagrave；〃　replied　Ready；　〃and　supplies　our　wants　when　we　least　expect　it。　If　you　please　we　will　walk　a　little　way　into　the　wood：　take　the　gun　as　a　precaution；　sir；　not　that　there　appears　to　be　much　occasion　for　it　…　there　is　seldom　anything　wild　on　these　small　islands；　except　a　pig　or　two　has　been　put　on　shore　by　considerate　Christians。〃

〃Well；　now　that　we　are　in　the　grove；　Ready；　what　do　you　think？〃

〃I　was　looking　for　a　place　to　fix　a　tent　up　for　the　present；　sir；　and　I　think　that　on　that　little　rise　would　be　a　very　good　place　till　we　can　look　about　us　and　do　better；