masterman ready-第12节

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〃William；　certainly；　ma'am；　if　you　will　let　him　go　with　me；　as　you　could　ill　spare　the　girl。〃

〃Indeed；　I　do　not　like　it；　I　would　rather　lose　Juno　for　a　time；〃　replied　Mrs。　Seagrave。

〃My　dear　wife；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃recollect　how　Providence　has　preserved　us　in　such　awful　dangers　…　how　we　are　landed　in　safety。　And　now；　will　you　not　put　trust　in　that　Providence；　when　the　dangers　are；　as　I　trust；　only　imaginary？〃

〃I　was　wrong；　my　dear　husband；　but　sickness　and　suffering　have　made　me；　I　fear；　not　only　nervous　and　frightened；　but　selfish：　I　must　and　will　shake　it　off。　Hitherto　I　have　only　been　a　clog　and　an　incumbrance　to　you；　but　I　trust　I　shall　soon　behave　better；　and　make　myself　useful。　If　you　think；　then；　that　it　would　be　better　that　you　should　go　instead　of　William；　I　am　quite　content。　Go；　then；　with　Ready；　and　may　Heaven　protect　you　both！〃

〃No；　ma'am；〃　replied　Ready；　〃William　will　do　just　as　well。　Indeed；　I　would　go　by　myself　with　pleasure；　but　we　know　not　what　the　day　may　bring　forth。　I　might　be　taken　ill　…　I　might　hurt　myself　…　I　am　an　old　man；　you　know；　and　then　I　was　thinking　that　if　any　accident　was　to　happen　to　me；　you　might　miss　me　…　that's　all。〃

〃Pardon　me；〃　replied　Mrs　Seagrave；　〃a　mother　is　foolish　at　times。〃

〃Over…anxious；　ma'am；　perhaps；　but　not　foolish；〃　replied　Ready。

〃Well；　then；　William　shall　go　with　you；　Ready；　…　that　point's　settled；〃　observed　Mr。　Seagrave：　〃what　is　the　next？〃

〃The　next　is　to　prepare　for　our　journey。　We　must　take　some　provisions　and　water　with　us；　a　gun　and　some　ammunition；　a　large　axe　for　me；　and　one　of　the　hatchets　for　William；　and；　if　you　please；　Romulus　and　Remus　had　better　come　with　us。　Juno；　put　a　piece　of　beef　and　a　piece　of　pork　into　the　pot。　William；　will　you　fill　four　quart　bottles　with　water；　while　I　sew　up　a　knapsack　out　of　canvas　for　each　of　us？〃

〃And　what　shall　I　do；　Ready？〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。

〃Why；　sir；　if　you　will　sharpen　the　axe　and　the　hatchet　on　the　grindstone；　it　would　be　of　great　service；　and　Tommy　can　turn　it；　he　is　so　fond　of　work。〃

Tommy　jumped　up　directly；　he　was　quite　strong　enough　to　turn　the　grindstone；　but　he　was　much　fonder　of　play　than　work；　but　as　Ready　had　said　that　he　was　fond　of　it；　he　wished　to　prove　that　such　was　the　case；　and　worked　very　hard。　Before　they　went　to　prayers　and　retired　for　the　night；　the　axe　was　sharpened；　the　knapsacks　made；　and　everything　else　ready。

〃When　do　you　intend　to　start；　Ready？〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。

〃Why；　sir；　I　should　like　to　get　off　at　the　dawn　of　day；　when　the　heat　is　not　so　great。〃

〃And　when　do　you　intend　to　come　back？〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave。

〃Why；　madam；　we　have　provisions　enough　for　three　days：　if　we　start　to…morrow　morning；　which　is　Wednesday；　I　hope　to　be　back　some　time　on　Friday　evening；　but　I　won't　be　later　than　Saturday　morning　if　I　can　help　it。〃

〃Good…night　…　and　good…bye；　mother；〃　said　William；　〃for　I　shall　not　see　you　to…morrow！〃

〃God　bless　and　protect　you；　my　dear　child！〃　replied　Mrs。　Seagrave。　〃Take　care　of　him；　Ready；　and　good…bye　to　you　till　we　meet。〃

Mrs。　Seagrave　went　into　the　tent　to　hide　the　tears　which　she　could　not　suppress。



Chapter　XIV

Ready　was　up　before　the　sun　had　appeared；　and　he　awakened　William。　The　knapsacks　had　been　already　packed；　with　two　bottles　of　water　in　each；　wrapped　round　with　cocoa…nut　leaves；　to　prevent　their　breaking；　and　the　beef　and　pork　divided　between　each　knapsack。　Ready's；　which　was　larger　than　William's；　held　the　biscuit　and　several　other　things　which　Ready　had　prepared　in　case　they　might　require　them。

As　soon　as　the　knapsacks　were　on；　Ready　took　the　axe　and　gun；　and　asked　William　if　he　thought　he　could　carry　a　small　spade　on　his　shoulder；　which　they　had　brought　on　shore　along　with　the　shovels。　William　replied　that　he　could；　and　the　dogs；　who　appeared　to　know　they　were　going；　were　all　ready　standing　by　them。　Then；　just　as　the　sun　rose；　they　turned　into　the　cocoa…nut　grove；　and　were　soon　out　of　sight　of　the　tents。

〃Now；　William；　do　you　know；〃　said　Ready；　stopping　after　they　had　walked　twenty　yards；　〃by　what　means　we　may　find　our　way　back　again；　for　you　see　this　forest　of　trees　is　rather　puzzling；　and　there　is　no　path　to　guide　us？〃

〃No；　I　am　sure　I　cannot　tell；　I　was　thinking　of　the　very　same　thing　when　you　spoke；　and　of　Tom　Thumb；　who　strewed　peas　to　find　his　way　back；　but　could　not　do　it；　because　the　birds　picked　them　all　up。〃

〃Well；　Tom　Thumb　did　not　manage　well；　and　we　must　try　to　do　better；　we　must　do　as　the　Americans　always　do　in　their　woods；　…　we　must　blaze　the　trees。〃

〃Blaze　them！　what；　set　fire　to　them？〃　replied　William。

〃No；　no；　William。　Blaze　is　a　term　they　use　when　they　cut　a　slice　of　the　bark　off　the　trunk　of　a　tree；　just　with　one　blow　of　a　sharp　axe；　as　a　mark　to　find　their　way　back　again。　They　do　not　blaze　every　tree；　but　about　every　tenth　tree　as　they　go　along；　first　one　to　the　right；　and　then　one　to　the　left；　which　is　quite　sufficient；　and　it　is　very　little　trouble；　…　they　do　it　as　they　walk　along；　without　stopping。　So　now　we'll　begin：　you　take　the　other　side；　it　will　be　more　handy　for　you　to　have　your　hatchet　in　your　right　hand；　I　can　use　my　left。　See　now　…　just　a　slice　off　the　bark　…　the　weight　of　the　axe　does　it　almost。〃

〃What　an　excellent　plan！〃　observed　William。

〃But　I　have　another　friend　in　my　pocket；〃　replied　Ready；　〃and　I　must　use　him　soon。〃

〃What　is　that？〃

〃Poor　Captain　Osborn's　pocket…compass。　You　see；　William；　the　blazing　will　direct　us　how　to　go　back　again；　but　it　will　not　tell　us　what　course　we　are　now　to　steer。　At　present；　I　know　we　are　going　right；　as　I　can　see　through　the　wood　behind　us；　but　by　and　by　we　shall　not　be　able；　and　then　I　must　make　use　of　the　compass。〃

〃I　understand　that　very　well；　but　tell　me；　Ready；　why　do　you　bring　the　spade　with　us　…　what　will　be　the　use　of　it？　You　did　not　say　yesterday　that　you　were　going　to　bring　me。〃

〃No；　William；　I　did　not；　as　I　did　not　like　to　make　your　mother　anxious；　but　the　fact　is；　I　am　very　anxious　myself　as　to　whether　there　is　any　water　on　this　island；　if　there　is　not；　we　shall　have　to　quit　it　sooner　or　later；　for　although　we　may　get　water　by　digging　in　the　sand；　it　would　be　too　brackish　to　use　for　any　time；　and　would　make　us　all　ill。　Very　often　there　will　be　water　if　you　dig　for　it；　although　it　does　not　show　above…ground；　and　therefore　I　brought　the　spade。〃

〃You　think　of　everything；　Ready。〃

〃No；　I　do　not；　William；　but；　in　our　present　situation；　I　think　of　more　things　than　perhaps　your　father　and　mother　would：　they　have　never　known　what　it　is　to　be　put　to　their　shifts；　but　a　man　like　me；　who　has　been　all　his　life　at　sea；　and　who　has　been　wrecked；　and　suffered　hardships　and　difficulties；　and　has　been　obliged　to　think　or　die；　has　a　greater　knowledge；　not　only　from　his　own　sufferings；　but　by　hearing　how　others　have　acted　when　they　were　in　distress。　Necessity　sharpens　a　man's　wits；　and　it　is　very　curious　what　people　do　contrive　when　they　are　compelled　to　do　so；　especially　seamen。〃

〃And　where　are　we　going　to　now；　Ready？〃

〃Right　to　the　leeward　side　of　the　island。〃

〃Why　do　you　call　it　the　leeward　side　of　the　island？〃

〃Because　among　these　islands　the　winds　almost　always　blow　one　way；　we　landed　on　the　windward　side；　the　wind　is　at　our　back；　now　put　up　your　finger；　and　you　will　feel　it　even　among　the　trees。〃

〃No；　I　cannot；〃　replied　William；　as　he　held　up　his　finger。

〃Then　wet　your　finger；　and　try　again。〃

William　wet　his　finger；　and　held　it　up　again。　〃Yes；　I　feel　it　now；〃　said　he；　〃but　why　is　that？〃

〃Because　the　wind　blows　against　the　wet；　and　you　feel　the　cold。〃

As　Ready　said　this　the　dogs　growled；　then　started　forward　and　barked。

〃What　can　be　there？〃　cried　William。

〃Stand　still；　William；〃　replied　Ready；　cocking　his　gun；　〃and　I　will　go　forward　to　see。〃　Ready　advanced　cautiously　with　the　gun　to　his　hip。　The　dogs　barked　more　furiously；　and　at　last；　out　of　a　heap　of　cocoa…nut　leaves　collected　together；　burst　all　the　pigs　which　had　been　brought　on　shore；　grunting　and　galloping　away　as　fast　as　they　could；　with　the　dogs　in　pursuit　of　them。

〃It's　only　the　pigs；〃　said　Ready；　smiling；　〃I　never　thought　I　should　be　half…frightened　by　a　tame　pig。　Here；　Romulus！　here；　Remus！　come　back！〃　continued　Ready；　calling　to　the　dogs。　〃Well；　William；　this　is　our　first　adventure。〃

〃I　hope　we　shall　not　meet　with　any　one　more　dangerous；〃　replied　William；　laughing；　〃but　I　must　say　that　I　was　alarmed。〃

〃No　wonder；　for；　although　not　likely；　it　is　possible　there　may　be　wild　animals　on　this　island；　or　even　savages；　but　being　alarmed　is　one　thing；　and　being　afraid　is　another：　a　man　may　be　alarmed；　and　stand　his　ground；　but　a　man　that　is　afraid　will　run　away。〃

〃I　do　not　think　I　shall　ever　run　away　and　leave　you；　Ready；　if　there　is　danger。〃

〃I'm　sure　you　will　not；　but　still　you　must　not　be　rash；　and　now　we　will　go　on　again；　as　soon　as　I　have　uncocked　my　gun。　I　have　seen　more　accidents　happen　from　people　cocking　their　guns；　and　forgetting　to　uncock　them　afterwards；　than　you　can　have　any　idea　of。　Recollect；　also；　until　you　want　to　fire；　never　cock　your　gun。〃

Ready　and　William　continued　their　way　through　the　cocoa…nut　grove　for　more　than　an　hour　longer；　marking　the　trees　as　they　went　along；　they　then　sat　down　to