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masterman ready-第12章

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in in the greatest alarm; Ready seized another musket; jumped into the boat; and pulled on shore as fast as he could。 On his arrival; quite out of breath; for as he pulled on shore he had his back towards it; and could see nothing; he found Mr。 Seagrave and Juno busy with the tent; and Tommy sitting on the ground crying very lustily。 It appeared that; while Mr Seagrave and Juno were employed; Tommy had crept away to where the musket was placed up on end against a cocoa…nut tree; and; after pulling it about some little while; had touched the trigger。 The musket went off; and; as the muzzle was pointed upwards; the charge had brought down two large cocoa…nuts。 Mr。 Seagrave; who was aware what an alarm this would produce on board the vessel; had been scolding him soundly; and now Master Tommy was crying; to prove how very penitent he was。

〃I had better return on board immediately; sir; and tell Mrs。 Seagrave;〃 said Ready。

〃Do; pray;〃 replir。 Seagrave。

Ready then returned to the ship; and explained matters; and then recommenced his labour。

Having put into the boat the sailmaker's bag; with palm and needles; two mattresses; and blankets from the captain's state room; the saucepan with the beef and pork; and a spar which he towed astern; Ready found that he had as much as he could carry; but; as there was nobody but himself in it; he came on shore very well。 Having; with the assistance of Mr。 Seagrave and Juno; got all the things up to the knoll; Ready lashed the spar up for the second tent; and then leaving them to fix it up like the other; he returned again on board。 He made two other trips to the ship; bringing with him more bedding; a bag of ship's biscuits; another of potatoes; plates; knives and forks; spoons; frying…pans and other cooking utensils; and a variety of other articles。 He then showed Juno how to fill up the ends of the first tent with the canvas and sails he had brought on shore; so as to inclose it all round; Juno took the needle and twine; and worked very well。 Ready; satisfied that she would be able to get on without them; now said: 〃Mr。 Seagrave; we have but two hours more daylight; and it is right that Mrs。 Seagrave should come on shore now; so; if you please; we'll go off and fetch her and the children。 I think we shall be able to do very well for the first night; and if it pleases God to give us fine weather; we may do a great deal more to…morrow。〃

As soon as they arrived on board; Mr。 Seagrave went down to his wife to propose her going on shore。 She was much agitated; and very weak from her illness; but she behaved courageously notwithstanding; and; supported by her husband; gained the deck; William following with the baby; and his little sister Caroline carried by Ready。 With some difficulty they were all at last placed in the boat and shoved off; but Mrs。 Seagrave was so ill; that her husband was obliged to support her in his arms; and William took an oar。 They landed very safely; and carried Mrs。 Seagrave up to the tent; and laid her down on one of the mattresses。 She asked for a little water。

〃And I have forgotten to bring any with me: well; I am a stupid old man; but I'll go on board directly;〃 said Ready: 〃to think that I should be so busy in bringing other things on shore and forget the greatest necessary in life! The fact is; I intended to look for it on the island as soon as I could; as it would save a great deal of trouble。〃

Ready returned on board as fast as he could; and brought on shore two kegs of fresh water; which he and William rolled up to the tent。

Juno had completely finished her task; and Mrs。 Seagrave having drank some water; declared that she was much better。

〃I shall not return on board any more to…night;〃 said Ready; 〃I feel tired … very tired indeed。〃

〃You must be;〃 replied Mr。 Seagrave; 〃do not think of doing any more。〃

〃And I haven't touched food this day; or even quenched my thirst;〃 replied Ready; sitting down。

〃You are ill; are you not; Ready?〃 said William。

〃A little faint; William; I'm not so young as I was。 Could you give me a little water?〃

〃Stop; William; I will;〃 said Mr。 Seagrave; taking up a tin can which had been filled for his wife: 〃here; Ready; drink this。〃

〃I shall be better soon; sir; I'll just lie down a little; and then I'll have a biscuit and a little meat。〃

Poor old Ready was indeed quite tired out; but he ate something; and felt much revived。 Juno was very busy; she had given the children some of the salt meat and biscuit to eat。 The baby; and Tommy; and Caroline had been put to bed; and the second tent was nearly ready。

〃It will do very well for to…night; Juno;〃 said Mr。 Seagrave; 〃we have done work enough for this day。〃

〃Yes; sir;〃 replied Ready; 〃and I think we ought to thank God for his mercies to us before we go to sleep。〃

〃You remind me of my duty; Ready; let us thank him for his goodness; and pray to him for his protection before we go to sleep。〃

Mr。 Seagrave then offered up a prayer of thankfulness; and they all retired to rest。



Chapter XI

Mr。 Seagrave was the first who awoke and rose from his bed on the ensuing morning。 He stepped out of the tent; and looked around him。 The sky was clear and brilliant。 A light breeze ruffled o'er the surface of the water; and the tiny waves rippled one after another upon the white sand of the cove。 To the left of the cove the land rose; forming small hills; behind which appeared the continuation of the cocoa…nut groves。 To the right; a low ridge of coral rocks rose almost as a wall from the sea; and joined the herbage and brushwood at about a hundred paces; while the wreck of the Pacific; lying like some huge stranded monster; formed the prominent feature in the landscape。 The sun was powerful where its beams could penetrate; but where Mr。 Seagrave stood; the cocoa…nuts waved their feathery leaves to the wind; and offered an impervious shade。 A feeling of the extreme beauty of the scene; subdued by the melancholy created by the sight of the wrecked vessel; pervaded the mind of Mr。 Seagrave as he meditated over it。

〃Yes;〃 thought he; 〃if; tired with the world and its anxieties; I had sought an abode of peace and beauty; it would have been on a spot like this。 How lovely is the scene! … what calm … what content … what a sweet sadness does it create! How mercifully have we been preserved when all hope appeared to be gone; and how bountifully have we been provided for; now that we have been saved; … and yet I have dared to repine; when I ought to be full of gratitude! May God forgive me! Wife; children; all safe; nothing to regret but a few worldly goods and a seclusion from the world for a time … yes; but for how long a time … What! rebellious still! … for the time that it shall please God in his wisdom to ordain。〃 Mr。 Seagrave turned back to his tent。 William; Tommy; and old Ready still remained fast asleep。 〃Excellent old man!〃 thought Mr。 Seagrave。 〃What a heart of oak is hid under that rugged bark! … Had it not been for his devotion where might I and all those dear helpless creatures have been now?〃

The dogs; who had crept into the tent and laid themselves down upon the mattresses by the side of William and Tommy; now fawned upon Mr。 Seagrave
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