masterman ready-第30节

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〃Many　thanks　for　your　advice；　Ready；　I　hope　William　will　not　forget　it；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。

〃Well；　sir；　such　was　our　reason　for　not　giving　up　our　mad　scheme；　and　having　so　decided；　the　next　point　of　consultation　between　us　was；　how　we　were　to　procure　arms　and　ammunition；　which　we　could　not　do　without。　As　we　were　talking　this　over；　I　peeped　from　behind　the　rock　to　see　where　the　Hottentot　might　be；　I　perceived　that　he　had　laid　himself　down；　and　wrapped　himself　up　in　his　kross；　a　mantle　of　sheep…skins　which　they　always　wear。　Now　we　had　observed　that　he　carried　his　musket　in　his　hand；　when　we　first　saw　him；　as　the　Hottentots　always　go　out　armed；　and　I　pointed　out　to　Hastings　and　Romer　that　if　he　was　asleep；　we　might　get　possession　of　his　musket　without　his　perceiving　it。　This　was　a　good　idea；　and　Hastings　said　he　would　crawl　to　him　on　his　hands　and　knees；　while　we　remained　behind　the　rock。　He　did　so　very　cautiously；　and　found　the　man's　head　covered　up　in　his　kross　and　fast　asleep；　so　there　was　no　fear；　for　the　Hottentots　are　very　hard　to　wake　at　any　time；　that　we　knew　well。　Hastings　first　took　the　musket　and　carried　it　away　out　of　the　reach　of　the　Hottentot；　and　then　he　returned　to　him；　cut　the　leather　thong　which　slung　his　powder…horn　and　ammunition；　and　retreated　with　all　of　them　without　disturbing　the　man　from　his　sleep。　We　were　quite　overjoyed　at　this　piece　of　good　luck；　and　determined　to　walk　very　cautiously　some　distance　from　where　the　Hottentot　lay；　that　in　case　he　awoke　he　should　not　see　us。　Keeping　our　eyes　about　in　every　direction；　lest　we　should　meet　with　anybody　else；　we　proceeded　nearly　a　mile　towards　Table　Bay；　when　we　fell　in　with　a　stream　of　water。　This　was　another　happy　discovery；　for　we　were　very　thirsty；　so　we　concealed　ourselves　near　the　stream　after　we　had　quenched　our　thirst；　and　made　a　dinner　off　the　provisions　we　had　brought　with　us。〃

〃But；　Ready；　did　you　not　do　wrong　to　steal　the　Hottentot's　musket？〃

〃No；　William；　in　that　instance　it　could　not　be　considered　as　a　theft。　We　were　in　an　enemy's　country；　trying　to　escape；　we　were　therefore　just　as　much　at　war　with　the　country　as　we　were　when　they　took　us　prisoners；　and　we　no　more　stole　the　musket　than　they　could　be　said　to　have　stolen　our　ship。　Am　I　not　right；　Mr。　Seagrave？〃

〃I　believe　you　are　justified　in　what　may　seem　extreme　acts　for　the　recovery　of　your　liberty；　after　you　have　been　made　prisoners。　It　has　always　been　so　considered。〃

〃Well；　sir；　to　go　on：　we　waited　till　dusk；　and　then　we　continued　our　march　towards　False　Bay　as　fast　as　we　could。　We　knew　that　there　were　farmers　down　in　the　valley；　or　rather　on　the　sides　of　the　hills；　and　we　hoped　to　obtain；　by　some　means　or　other；　two　more　muskets。　It　was　near　twelve　o'clock　at　night；　with　a　bright　moon；　when　we　had　a　sight　of　the　water　in　False　Bay；　and　soon　afterwards　we　heard　the　baying　of　a　large　dog；　and　not　far　from　us　we　distinguished　two　or　three　farmhouses；　with　their　cattle…folds　and　orchards。　We　then　looked　for　a　hiding…place；　where　we　might　remain　till　the　morning；　we　found　one　between　some　large　pieces　of　rock。　We　agreed　that　one　should　watch　while　the　other　two　slept；　this　Hastings　undertook　to　do；　as　he　was　not　inclined　to　sleep。　At　daylight　he　woke　Romer　and　me；　and　we　made　our　breakfast。　From　the　place　we　were　concealed　in；　we　had　a　bird's…eye　view　of　the　farmhouse；　and　of　what　was　going　on。

〃The　farmhouse　and　buildings　just　below　us　were　much　smaller　than　the　other　two；　which　were　more　distant。　We　watched　the　people　as　they　went　about。　In　about　an　hour　the　Hottentots　came　out；　and　we　perceived　that　they　were　yoking　the　oxen　to　the　waggon；　they　yoked　twelve　pair；　and　then　the　Hottentot　driver　got　in　and　drove　off　towards　Cape　Town。　Soon　after　that；　another　Hottentot　drove　the　cows　up　the　valley　to　feed；　and　then　a　Dutch　woman　came　out　of　the　house　with　two　children；　and　fed　the　poultry。

〃We　watched　for　another　hour；　and　then　the　farmer　himself　made　his　appearance；　with　a　pipe　in　his　mouth；　and　sat　down　on　a　bench。　When　his　pipe　was　out；　he　called　to　the　house；　and　a　Hottentot　woman　came　to　him　with　more　tobacco　and　a　light。　During　the　whole　of　the　day　we　did　not　see　any　other　people　about　the　house；　so　we　concluded　that　there　were　no　more　than　the　farmer；　his　wife；　the　Hottentot　woman；　and　two　children。　About　two　hours　after　noon　the　farmer　went　to　the　stable　and　led　out　his　horse；　mounted；　mid　rode　away；　we　saw　him　speak　to　the　Hottentot　woman　when　he　rode　off；　and　she　soon　after　went　down　the　valley　with　a　basket　on　her　head；　and　a　long　knife　in　her　hand。　Then　Hastings　said　it　was　time　that　we　moved；　for　there　was　but　one　woman　in　the　house；　and　we　could　easily　overpower　her　and　get　what　we　wanted；　still　there　was　a　great　risk；　as　she　might　give　the　alarm；　and　we　should　have　to　escape　in　the　day…time；　and　might　be　seen　and　taken　prisoners　again。　However；　as　it　was　our　only　chance；　we　resolved　to　go　down　to　the　farmhouse　very　cautiously；　and　be　all　ready　to　seize　any　opportunity。　We　crept　down　the　hill；　and　gained　the　fence；　which　was　at　the　back　of　the　farmhouse；　without　being　discovered：　we　remained　there　for　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　when；　to　our　great　joy；　we　observed　the　farmer's　wife　go　out　of　the　house；　leading　a　child　in　each　hand；　apparently　she　was　going　to　visit　one　of　her　neighbours；　for　she　went　in　the　direction　of　one　of　the　other　farms。　As　soon　as　she　was　a　hundred　yards　off；　Hastings　crept　softly　through　the　fence；　and　entered　the　farmhouse　by　the　back…door；　he　came　out　again；　and　made　a　sign　for　us　to　come　in。　We　found　him　already　in　possession　of　a　rifle　and　a　musket；　which　had　been　hanging　over　the　fire…place；　and　we　soon　handed　down　the　powder…horns　and　ammunition　pouches；　which　were　hung　up　at　a　different　part　of　the　room；　away　from　the　fire…place。

〃Having　gained　these；　Hastings　set　me　to　watch　at　the　front　door；　lest　anybody　should　return；　while　Romer　and　he　looked　out　for　something　else　in　the　way　of　provisions。　We　got　possession　of　three　hams；　and　a　large　loaf　of　bread　as　big　as　a　small　washing…tub。　With　these　articles　we　made　our　way　safe　back　to　our　retreat。　We　then　looked　round；　and　could　see　nobody　in　any　direction；　so　we　presumed　that　we　were　not　discovered。　As　there　was　a　sort　of　ravine　full　of　rocks　dividing　the　hill；　which　we　were　obliged　to　pass　before　we　could　get　into　the　valley；　unless　we　went　down　close　to　the　farmhouse；　we　agreed　that　it　would　be　better　at　once　to　cross　it　during　the　day…time；　so　that　we　should　get　that　difficulty　over；　and；　at　the　same　time；　be　further　from　the　farmhouse。　We　did　so；　and　found　a　very　secure　hiding…place；　where　we　lay　down；　waiting　for　the　sun　to　set　before　we　started　on　our　journey　into　the　interior。　I　think　I　had　better　leave　off　now；　William；　as　it　is　getting　late。〃



Chapter　XXXVII

The　fishpond　was　commenced　the　next　morning。　Ready；　Mr。　Seagrave；　and　William　went　down　together　to　the　beach；　and；　after　much　examination；　chose　a　spot　about　one　hundred　yards　from　the　turtle…pond　as　most　eligible　for　the　purpose；　the　water　being　shallow；　so　that　at　the　part　farthest　from　the　shore　there　would　not　be　more　than　three　feet。

〃Now；　sir；〃　said　Ready；　〃this　is　a　very　simple　job；　all　we　have　to　do　is　to　collect　small　rocks　and　stones；　pile　them　up　wall…fashion　inside；　and　with　a　slope　outside；　so　as　to　break　the　force　of　the　waves　when　the　water　is　a　little　rough；　of　course；　the　water　will　find　its　way　through　the　stones；　and　will　be　constantly　changed。　It's　very　true；　that　we　can　at　most　times　catch　fish　when　we　want　them；　but　it　is　not　always　that　we　can　spare　the　time；　so　it's　just　as　well　to　have　always　a　certain　quantity　at　hand；　to　take　out　at　a　moment's　warning；　and　we　can；　of　course；　catch　them　and　put　them　in　here　when　we　have　nothing　else　to　do。　Juno　will　be　able　to　come　down　and　take　them　out　with　a　spear；　when　we　are　away　and　she　wants　something　for　dinner。〃

〃But　there　are　few　stones　about　here；　Ready；　we　shall　have　to　fetch　them　a　long　way；〃　said　William。

〃Well；　then；　William；　let　us　get　the　wheels　down　here；　and　then　we　can　carry　a　quantity　at　a　time。〃

〃But　how　shall　we　carry　them；　Ready？〃

〃We　will　sling　a　tub　on　the　axle；　I　will　go　up　and　get　that　ready　and　bring　it　down；　in　the　meantime；　you　and　Mr。　Seagrave　can　collect　all　the　stones　which　are　near　at　hand。〃

Ready　soon　returned　with　the　wheels；　and　the　tub　slung　with　rope　on　the　axle；　and　by　that　means　they　found　that　they　could　collect　the　stones　very　fast；　Mr。　Seagrave　and　William　bringing　them；　and　Ready　in　the　water；　building　up　the　wall。

〃We　have　quite　forgot　another　job　which　we　must　put　in　hand；　sir；〃　observed　Ready；　〃but　the　fish…pond　reminds　me　of　it。〃

〃What　is　that；　Ready？〃

〃A　bathing…place　for　the　children；　and　indeed　for　us　all；　we　shall　want　it　when　the　hot　weather　comes　on；　but　we　will　put　it　off　till　then。　I　can　tell　you；　sir；　that　although　I　don't　mind　building　this　wall　in　the　shallow　water；　I　shall　be　very　careful　when　the　water　is　up　to　my　knees；　for　you　don't　know　how　bold　the　sharks　are　in　these　latitudes。　When　I　was　at　St。　Helena；　not　very　long　ago；　we　had　a　melancholy　proof　of　it。〃

〃Tell　us　the　story；　Ready。〃

〃Well；　two　soldiers　were　standing　on　the　rocks　at　St。　Helena；　the　rocks　were