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a palisade or stockade； which could not be climbed over； and would protect them from any attack of the savages。
As soon as the line of trees had been marked out； they set to work cutting down all the trees within the line； and then outside to a distance of ten yards； so as to give them room for their work。 Ready cut out cross…pieces； to nail from tree to tree； and now they found the advantage of having saved so many of the large spike nails； without which they never could have made so good or so quick a job of it。 Mr。 Seagrave cut down trees； William and Juno sawed them off at a proper length with one of the cross…cut saws； and then carried them to Ready。 They soon had more cut out than be could use； and then they dragged away the tops and branches； and piled them at a distance on the ground； to use as winter fuel； while Mr。 Seagrave helped Ready in fixing up the palisades。 They worked very hard that day； and were not sorry to go to bed。 Ready； however； took an opportunity to speak to William。
〃I think；〃 said he； 〃that now we are here again； it will be necessary to keep a sort of night…watch； in case of accident。 I shall not go to bed till it is quite dark； which it will be by nine o'clock； and shall have my glass to examine the offing the last thing。 You see； there is little fear of the savages coming here in the night…time； but they may just before night or very early in the morning； so one of us must be up again before daybreak； that is between two and three o'clock in the morning； to see if there is anything to be seen of them； if there is not； of course we may go to bed again； as they cannot arrive till many hours afterwards； and we must watch the wind and weather； if it is favourable for them to come to us； which； indeed； the wind will not be except at the commencement of the rainy season but it may be very light； and then they would not care for its being against them。 I've been thinking of it； William； a great deal； and my idea is； that it will be at the beginning of the rainy season that we shall have a visit； if we have one at all； for you see that the wind don't blow regular from one quarter； as it does now； but is variable； and then they can make sail in their canoes； and come here easily； instead of pulling between thirty and forty miles； which is hard work against wind and current。 Still； we must not be careless and we must keep a good look…out even now。 I don't want to fret your father and Mrs。 Seagrave with my fears on the subject； but I tell you what I really think； and what we ought to do。〃
〃I agree with you； Ready； and I will take care to be up before daybreak； and examine very carefully with the spy…glass as soon as the day dawns。 You take the night part； and I will do the morning part of the watching。〃
Chapter LVIII
For nearly a fortnight； the work upon the stockade continued without any intermission； when a circumstance occurred which created the greatest alarm and excitement。 One day； as the party returned to dinner； Mrs。 Seagrave said with surprise； 〃Why； was not Tommy with you？〃
〃No；〃 replied Mr。 Seagrave； 〃he has not been near us all day； he went with us after breakfast； but did not remain a quarter of an hour。〃
〃No； Missy； I tell Massa Tommy to help carry cocoa…nut leaves； and then he go away directly。〃
〃Goodness！ where can he be？〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Seagrave； alarmed。
〃I dare say he is picking up shells on the beach； ma'am；〃 replied Ready； 〃or perhaps he is in the garden。 I will go and see。〃
〃I see him … oh； mercy！ … I see him；〃 said Juno； pointing with her finger； 〃he in the boat； and boat go to sea！〃
It was but too true： there was Tommy in the boat； and the boat had drifted from the beach； and was now a cable's length away from it； among the breakers。
William ran off like the wind； followed close by Mr。 Seagrave and Ready； and at a distance by Mrs。 Seagrave and Juno； indeed； there was no time to be lost； for the wind was off the shore； and in a short time the boat would have been out to sea。
William； as soon as he arrived at the beach； threw off his hat and jacket and dashed into the water。 He was already up to his middle； when old Ready； who had followed him； caught him by the arm and said：
〃William； go back immediately。 I insist upon it。 Your going can do no good； as you do not understand the thing so well as I do； and go I will； so there will be double risk for nothing。 Mr。 Seagrave； order him back。 He will obey you。 I insist upon it； sir。〃
〃William；〃 said Mr。 Seagrave； 〃come back immediately； I command you。〃
William obeyed； but before he was clear of the water Ready had swam across to the first rocks on the reef； and was now dashing through the pools between the rocks； towards the boat。
〃Oh； father！〃 said William； 〃if that good old man is lost； I shall never forgive myself。 Look； father； one … two … three sharks； here； close to us。 He has no chance。 See； he is again in deep water。 God protect him！〃
In the meantime； Mr。 Seagrave； whose wife was now by his side； after glancing his eye a moment at the sharks； which were within a few feet of the beach； had kept his gaze steadily upon Ready's movements。 If he passed through the passage of deep water between the rocks he might be considered safe； as the boat was now beating on a reef on the other side； where the water was shallow。 It was a moment of intense anxiety。 At last Ready had gained the reef； and had his hands upon the rocks； and was climbing on them。
〃He is safe； is he not？〃 whispered Mrs。 Seagrave faintly。
〃Yes； now I think he is；〃 replied Mr。 Seagrave； as Ready had gained a footing on the rocks； where the water was but a little above his ankles。 〃I think there is no deep water between him and the boat。〃
In another minute Ready was over the rocks； and had seized the gunnel of the boat。
〃He is in the boat；〃 cried William。 〃Thank God！〃
〃Yes； we must thank God； and that fervently；〃 replied Mr。 Seagrave。 〃Look at those monsters；〃 continued he； pointing to the sharks； 〃how quick they swim to and fro； they have scented their prey on the water。 It is fortunate they are here。〃
〃See； he has the boat…hook； and is pushing the boat off the reef into the deep water。 Oh！ he is quite safe now。〃
Such； however； was not the case。 The boat had been beating on the rocks of the reef； and had knocked a hole in her bottom； and as soon as Ready had forced the boat into deep water； she began to fill immediately。 Ready pushed as hard as he could with the boat…hook； and tearing off his neck…cloth； forced as much as he could of it into the hole。 This saved them； but the boat was up to the thwarts with water； and the least motion on the part of Ready； or even Tommy； would have upset her immediately； and they had still to pass the deep water between the reef and the beach； where the sharks were swimming。 Ready； who perceived his danger； called out to them to throw large stones at the sharks as fast as they could； to drive them away。 This was immediately done by Mr。 Seagrave and William； aided by Juno and Mrs。 Seagrave。
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