masterman ready-第23节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


s　into　a　little　better　order。　We　have　done　well　up　to　the　present。〃

〃What　do　you　think　we　ought　to　do　first？〃

〃Well；　sir；　our　first　job　will　be　to　haul　up　the　boat　and　secure　her　from　harm；　we　will　half…dock　her　in　the　sand；　and　cover　her　over；　for　I　do　not　think　it　will　be　safe　to　go　in　her　now　to　the　other　side　of　the　island；　where　the　sea　will　always　be　rough。〃

〃There　I　perfectly　agree　with　you。　Now　what　is　the　next？〃

〃Why；　sir；　we　must　not　leave　the　tents　where　they　are；　but　take　them　down；　and　as　soon　as　they　are　dry；　stow　them　away；　for　we　may　want　them　by　and　by；　then；　sir；　we　must　build　a　large　outhouse　for　our　stores　and　provisions；　with　a　thatched　roof；　and　a　floor　raised　about　four　feet　from　the　ground；　and　then；　under　the　floor；　the　sheep　and　goats　will　have　a　protection　from　the　weather。　Then　there　is　the　fish…pond　to　make；　and　also　a　salt…pan　to　cut　out　of　the　rock。　Then　we　have　two　more　long　jobs。　One　is；　to　go　through　the　woods　and　examine　the　stores　we　have　left　on　the　other　side　of　the　island；　sort　and　arrange　them　all　ready　for　bringing　here　after　the　rains　are　over；　and　we　must　also　explore　the　island　a　little；　and　find　out　what　it　produces；　for　at　present　we　know　nothing　of　it：　we　may　find　a　great　many　things　useful　to　us；　a　great　many　trees　and　fruits；　and　I　hope　and　trust　we　may　be　able　to　find　some　more　grass　for　our　live　stock。〃

〃I　agree　with　you　in　all　you　say；　Ready；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃now　how　shall　we　divide　our　strength？〃

〃We　will　not　divide　at　present；　sir；　if　you　please。　Juno　has　plenty　to　do　indoors　with　Mrs。　Seagrave；　William；　and　you；　and　I；　will　first　secure　the　boat　and　stow　away　the　tents　and　gear；　after　that；　we　will　set　about　the　outbuilding；　and　work　at　it　when　we　can。　If　Juno　has　any　time　to　spare；　she　had　better　collect　the　cocoa…nut　leaves；　and　pile　them　up　for　fuel；　and　Tommy　will；　I　dare　say；　go　with　her；　and　show　her　how　to　draw　them　along。〃

〃Yes；　I'll　show　her；〃　said　Tommy；　getting　on　his　feet。

〃Not　just　now；　Tommy；〃　said　Ready；　〃but　as　soon　as　your　mamma　can　spare　her　to　go　with　you。　Come；　sir；　a　few　hours　of　weather　like　this　is　not　to　be　lost；〃　continued　Ready；　〃we　shall　have　more　rain　before　the　day　is　over；　I　expect。　I　will　first　go　to　the　tent　for　the　shovels；　then　I　will　haul　the　boat　round　to　the　beach　and　meet　you　there。　You　and　William　can　take　some　cord；　tie　up　a　large　bundle　of　cocoa…nut　boughs；　sling　it　to　the　wheels；　and　draw　it　down　to　the　beach　and　meet　me。〃



Chapter　XXXI

As　so　many　cocoa…nut　trees　had　been　cut　down　to　build　the　house；　there　were　plenty　of　boughs　lying　in　every　direction；　and　William　and　Mr。　Seagrave　had　soon　procured　sufficient。　In　a　very　short　time　the　boat　was　drawn　up　about　ten　yards　from　the　water's　edge；　which　Ready　said　was　quite　sufficient；　they　then　dug　from　under　with　their　shovels　until　the　boat　was　sunk　about　half　down　in　the　sand。

Having　filled　in　the　sand　all　round　her　up　to　her　gunnel；　the　boat　was　then　carefully　covered　over　with　the　boughs；　which　were　weighed　down　with　sand　that　they　might　not　be　blown　away。

〃I　don't　see　why　you　should　cover　the　boat　up　in　this　way；　Ready；　the　rain　won't　hurt　her；〃　observed　William。

〃No；　sir；　the　rain　won't　do　her　any　harm；　but　the　sun　will；　when　it　bursts　out　occasionally；　for　it's　very　powerful　when　it　does　shine；　and　it　would　split　her　all　to　pieces。〃

〃I　forgot　that；〃　replied　William。　〃What　shall　we　do　now？〃

〃Suppose；　as　we　have　two　hours　to　dinner…time；　you　run　for　the　lines；　William；　and　we'll　try　for　some　fish。〃

〃We　cannot　all　three　of　us　fish　with　only　two　lines；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。

〃No；　sir；　and　as　William　knows　how　to　catch　them；　suppose　you　remain　with　him；　and　I　will　go　up　and　collect　wood　and　chips　for　Juno's　fire。　She　was　hard　pressed　for　it　this　morning；　it　was　so　wet；　but；　if　once　piled　up；　it　will　soon　be　dry。　Be　careful；　Mr。　Seagrave；　not　to　hold　the　lines　tight　in　your　hands；　or　you　may　be　jerked　into　the　water。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　and　William　were　very　fortunate；　before　the　two　hours　were　expired　they　had　caught　eight　large　fish；　which　they　brought　up　to　the　house　slung　on　the　boat…hook。　Tommy　hallooed　loudly　for　fish　for　dinner；　and　as　they　had　caught　so　many；　it　was　agreed　that　the　dinner　should　be　put　off　until　some　could　be　got　ready；　and　they　were　not　sorry　to　eat　them　instead　of　salt　pork。

They　had　hardly　sat　down　to　table；　when　the　rain　came　pattering　down　on　the　roof；　and　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour　the　storm　was　as　violent；　and　the　thunder　and　lightning　as　terrific　as　on　the　day　before。　All　outdoor　labour　was　again　suspended。　Mrs。　Seagrave；　Juno；　and　Caroline　took　their　work；　for　there　was　plenty　to　do　with　the　needle　and　thread；　and　Ready　soon　found　employment　for　the　rest。　William　and　Mr。　Seagrave　unlaid　some　thick　rope；　that　Ready　might　make　smaller　and　more　useful　rope　with　the　yarns。　Ready　took　up　his　sailing　needles；　and　worked　eyelet…holes　in　the　canvas　screens　（which　they　had　put　up　in　a　hurry）；　so　that　they　might　be　drawn　to　and　fro　as　required。

As　soon　as　Ready　had　hung　up　the　curtains；　he　looked　under　the　bedsteads　for　a　large　bundle；　and　said；　as　he　opened　it；　〃I　shall　now　decorate　Madam　Seagrave's　sleeping…place。　It　ought　to　be　handsomer　than　the　others。〃　The　bundle　was　composed　of　the　ship's　ensign；　which　was　red；　and　a　large；　square；　yellow　flag　with　the　name　of　the　ship　Pacific　in　large　black　letters　upon　it。　These　two　flags　Ready　festooned　and　tied　up　round　the　bed…place；　so　as　to　give　it　a　very　gay　appearance；　and　also　to　hide　the　rough　walls　of　the　cottage。

〃Indeed；　Ready；　I　am　much　obliged　to　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave；　when　he　had　finished；　〃it　is　really　quite　grand　for　this　place。〃

〃It's　the　best　use　we　can　put　them　to　now；　madam；〃　said　Ready。

〃I　am　afraid　so；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　thoughtfully。

〃Ready；〃　said　William；　after　the　candles　were　lighted；　〃you　once　half…promised　me　that　you　would　tell　me　your　history；　I　wish　you　would　tell　us　some　of　it　now；　as　it　will　pass　away　the　evening。〃

〃Well；　William；　I　did　say　so；　and　I　shall　keep　my　word。　When　you　have　heard　my　story；　you　will　say　that　I　have　been　very　foolish　in　my　time；　and　so　I　have；　but　if　it　proves　a　warning　to　you；　it　will；　at　all　events；　be　of　some　use。〃

Ready　then　commenced　his　history　as　follows：

History　of　Old　Ready。

〃Of　course；　you　wish　to　know　who　my　father　and　mother　were：　that　is　soon　told。　My　father　was　the　captain　of　a　merchant　vessel；　which　traded　from　South　Shields　to　Hamburg；　and　my　poor　mother；　God　bless　her；　was　the　daughter　of　a　half…pay　militia　captain；　who　died　about　two　months　after　their　marriage。　The　property　which　the　old　gentleman　had　bequeathed　to　my　mother　was　added　to　that　which　my　father　had　already　vested　in　the　brig；　and　he　then　owned　one…third　of　the　vessel；　the　other　two…thirds　were　the　property　of　a　very　rich　ship…builder　and　owner；　of　the　name　of　Masterman。　What　with　the　profits　of　the　share　he　held　of　the　vessel　and　his　pay　as　captain；　my　father　was　well　to　do。　Mr。　Masterman；　who　had　a　very　high　opinion　of　my　father；　and　gained　much　money　by　his　exertions　and　good　management；　was　present　at　the　marriage；　and　when　I　was　born；　about　a　year　afterwards；　he　stood　for　me　as　godfather。　Every　one　considered　that　this　was　a　most　advantageous　circumstance　for　me；　and　congratulated　my　father　and　mother；　for　Mr。　Masterman　was　a　bachelor；　of　nearly　sixty　years；　without　any　near　relations。　It　is　true；　that　he　was　very　fond　of　money；　but　that；　they　said；　was　all　the　better；　as　he　could　not　take　it　away　with　him　when　he　died。　An　end；　however；　was　soon　put　to　all　their　worldly　ideas；　for　a　year　after　I　was　born；　my　father　was　drowned　at　sea；　his　vessel　and　the　whole　of　her　crew　being　lost　on　the　Texel　sands；　and　my　mother　found　herself　a　widow；　with　a　child　scarcely　weaned；　when　she　was　but　twenty…two　years　of　age。

〃It　was　supposed　that　my　mother　would　still　have　sufficient　to　live　upon；　as　the　ship　had　been　insured　at　two…thirds　of　her　value；　but；　to　the　astonishment　of　everybody；　Mr。　Masterman　contrived　to　make　it　appear　that　it　was　his　two…thirds　of　the　vessel　which　had　been　insured。〃

〃What　is　insurance？〃　inquired　William。

〃Insurance；　my　dear　boy；　is　paying　a　certain　sum　to　people　who　are　called　underwriters；　that　in　case　the　vessel　or　cargo　is　lost　or　damaged；　the　loss　or　damage　is　made　good　to　the　owners　of　the　vessel　or　cargo。　You　pay　in　proportion　to　the　risk　incurred。　Supposing　you　wished　to　insure　one　thousand　pounds　on　a　vessel　or　cargo；　and　ten　per　cent　was　required；　you　would；　if　the　vessel　came　home　safe；　pay　the　underwriters　one　hundred　pounds；　if；　on　the　contrary；　the　vessel　was　lost；　the　underwriters　would　have　to　pay　you　one　thousand　pounds；　the　sum　which　you　had　insured。　I　beg　your　pardon　for　the　interruption；　Ready。〃

〃No　need；　Mr。　Seagrave；　we　never　should　lose　an　opportunity　of　teaching　the　young。　Well；　how　far　the　assertion　of　Mr。　Masterman　was　correct　or　not；　it　was　impossible　at　the　time　to　say；　but　I　do　know　that　everybody　cried　out　‘shame'；　and　that　if　he　did　deprive　the　widow；　he　had　much　to　answer　for；　for　the　Bible　says；　‘Pure　religion　is　to　visit　the　fatherless　and　the　widows　in　their　affliction；　and　to　keep　yourself　unspotted　in　the　world'。　The　consequence　was；　tha