masterman ready-第39节

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　morning。　One　hour　before　sunset　they　arrived　at　the　house；　where　they　found　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Seagrave　sitting　outside；　and　Juno　standing　on　the　beach　with　the　two　children；　who　were　amusing　themselves　with　picking　up　the　shells　which　were　strewed　about。　William　gave　a　very　clear　account　of　all　they　had　seen；　and　showed　his　father　the　specimens　of　the　plants　which　he　had　collected。

〃This；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃is　a　well…known　plant；　and　I　wonder　Ready　did　not　recognize　it；　it　is　hemp。〃

〃I　never　saw　it　except　in　the　shape　of　rope；〃　replied　Ready。　〃I　know　the　seed　well　enough。〃

〃Well；　if　we　require　it；　I　can　tell　you　how　to　dress　it；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃Now；　William；　what　is　the　next？〃

〃This　odd…looking；　rough　thing。〃

〃That's　the　egg…plant：　it　bears　fruit　of　a　blue　colour。　I　am　told　they　eat　it　in　the　hot　countries。〃

〃Yes；　sir；　they　do；　they　fry　it　with　pepper　and　salt；　they　call　it　bringal。　I　think　it　must　be　that。〃

〃I　do　not　doubt　but　you　are　right；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃Why；　William；　you　should　know　this。〃

〃It　is　like　the　grape…vine。〃

〃Yes；　and　it　is　so；　it　is　the　wild　grape；　we　shall　eat　them　by　and　bye。〃

〃I　have　only　one　more；　papa：　what　is　this？〃

〃You　don't　know　it；　because　it　has　sprung　up　so　high；　William；　but　it　is　the　common　mustard　plant；　…　what　we　use　in　England；　and　is　sold　as　mustard　and　cress。　I　think　you　have　now　made　a　famous　day's　work　of　it；　and　we　have　much　to　thank　God　for。〃

As　soon　as　they　had　returned　to　the　house；　a　consultation　was　held　as　to　their　future　proceedings；　and；　after　some　debate；　it　was　agreed　that　it　would　be　advisable　that　they　should　take　the　boat　out　of　the　sand；　and；　as　soon　as　it　was　ready；　examine　the　reef　on　the　southward；　to　see　if　they　could　find　a　passage　through　it；　as　it　would　take　a　long　while　to　go　round　it；　and；　as　soon　as　that　was　accomplished；　Mr。　Seagrave；　Ready；　William；　and　Juno　should　all　go　through　the　wood；　carrying　with　them　a　tent　to　pitch　on　the　newly…discovered　piece　of　ground：　and　that　they　should　set　up　a　flag…staff　at　the　little　harbour；　to　point　out　its　position。　Of　course；　that　would　be　a　hard　day's　work；　but　that　they　would；　nevertheless；　return　the　same　night；　and　not　leave　Mrs。　Seagrave　alone　with　the　children。　Having　accomplished　this；　Ready　and　William　would　then　put　the　wheels　and　axle　in　the　boat；　and　other　articles　required；　such　as　saw；　hatchets；　and　spades；　and　row　round　to　the　south　side　of　the　island；　to　find　the　little　harbour。　As　soon　as　they　had　landed　them；　and　secured　the　boat；　they　would　then　return　by　the　path　through　the　wood。

The　next　job　would　be　to　rail　in　the　yam　plantation　to　keep　off　the　pigs；　and；　at　the　same　time；　to　drive　the　sheep　and　goats　through　the　wood；　that　they　might　feed　on　the　new　pasture　ground。　Ready　and　William　were　then　to　cut　down　cocoa…nut　trees　sufficient　for　the　paling；　fix　up　the　posts；　and　when　that　was　done；　Mr。　Seagrave　was　to　come　to　them　and　assist　them　in　railing　it　in；　and　drawing　the　timber。　This　they　expected　would　be　all　done　in　about　a　month；　and　during　that　time；　as　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　Juno　would　be；　for　the　greatest　part　of　it；　left　at　the　house；　they　were　to　employ　themselves　in　clearing　the　garden　of　weeds；　and　making　preparation　for　fencing　it　in。

As　soon　as　this　important　work　had　been　completed；　the　boat　would　return　to　the　bay　with　a　load　of　prickly　pears　for　the　garden　fence；　and　then　they　were　to　direct　their　attention　to　the　stores　which　had　been　saved　from　the　wreck；　and　were　lying　in　the　cove　where　they　had　first　landed。　When　they　had　examined　them；　and　brought　round　what　were　required；　and　secured　them　in　the　storehouse；　they　would　then　have　a　regular　survey　of　the　island　by　land　and　by　water。　But　man　proposes　and　God　disposes；　as　will　be　shown　by　the　interruption　of　their　intended　projects　which　we　shall　have　to　narrate　in　the　ensuing　chapter。



Chapter　XLIII

As　usual；　Ready　was　the　first　up　on　the　following　morning；　and　having　greeted　Juno；　who　followed　him　out　of　the　house；　he　set　off　on　his　accustomed　rounds；　to　examine　into　the　stock　and　their　other　possessions。　He　was　standing　in　the　garden　at　the　point。　First　he　thought　that　it　would　be　necessary　to　get　ready　some　sticks　for　the　peas；　which　were　now　seven　or　eight　inches　out　of　the　ground；　he　had　proceeded　a　little　farther；　to　where　the　calivances；　or　French　haricot　beans；　had　been　sown；　and　had　decided　upon　the　propriety　of　hoeing　up　the　earth　round　them；　as　they　were　a　very　valuable　article　of　food；　that　would　keep；　and　afford　many　a　good　dish　during　the　rainy　or　winter　season。　He　had　gone　on　to　ascertain　if　the　cucumber　seeds　had　shown　themselves　above…ground；　and　was　pleased　to　find　that　they　were　doing　well。　He　said　to　himself；　〃We　have　no　vinegar；　that　I　know　of；　but　we　can　preserve　them　in　salt　and　water；　as　they　do　in　Russia；　it　will　be　a　change；　at　all　events；〃　and　then　he　raised　his　eyes　and　looked　out　to　the　offing；　and；　as　usual；　scanned　the　horizon。　He　thought　he　saw　a　ship　to　the　north…east；　and　he　applied　his　telescope　to　his　eye。　He　was　not　mistaken　…　it　was　a　vessel。

The　old　man's　heart　beat　quick；　he　dropped　his　telescope　on　his　arm；　and　fetched　some　heavy　breaths　before　he　could　recover　from　the　effect　of　this　unexpected　sight。　After　a　minute；　he　again　put　his　telescope　to　his　eye；　and　then　made　her　out　to　be　a　brig；　under　top…sails　and　top…gallant　sails；　steering　directly　for　the　island。

Ready　walked　to　the　rocky　point；　from　which　they　fished；　and　sat　down　to　reflect。　Could　it　be　that　the　vessel　had　been　sent　after　them；　or　that　she　had　by　mere　chance　come　among　the　islands？　He　decided　after　a　short　time　that　it　must　be　chance；　for　none　could　know　that　they　were　saved；　much　less　that　they　were　on　the　island。　Her　steering　towards　the　island　must　then　be　either　that　she　required　water　or　something　else；　perhaps　she　would　alter　her　course　and　pass　by　them。　〃At　all　events；〃　thought　the　old　man；　〃we　are　in　the　hands　of　God；　who　will；　at　his　own　time　and　in　his　own　way；　do　with　us　as　he　thinks　fit。　I　will　not　at　present　say　anything　to　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Seagrave。　It　would　be　cruel　to　raise　hopes　which　might　end　in　disappointment。　A　few　hours　will　decide。　And　yet　I　cannot　do　without　help　…　I　must　trust　William。〃

Ready　rose；　examined　the　vessel　with　his　telescope；　and　then　walked　towards　the　house。　William　was　up；　and　the　remainder　of　the　family　were　stirring。

〃William；〃　said　Ready　to　him；　as　they　walked　away　from　the　house；　〃I　have　a　secret　to　tell　you；　which　you　will　at　once　see　the　necessity　of　not　telling　to　anyone　at　present。　A　few　hours　will　decide　the　question。〃　William　readily　gave　his　promise。　〃There　is　a　vessel　off　the　island；　she　may　be　the　means　of　rescuing　us；　or　she　may　pass　without　seeing　us。　It　would　be　too　cruel　a　disappointment　to　your　father　and　mother；　if　the　latter　were　the　case。〃

William　stared　at　Ready；　and　for　a　moment　could　not　speak；　his　excitement　was　so　great。

〃Oh；　Ready；　how　grateful　I　am！　I　trust　that　we　may　he　taken　away；　for　you　have　no　idea　how　my　poor　father　suffers　in　silence　…　and　so　does　my　mother。〃

〃I　know　it；　William；　I　know　it；　and　it　is　natural；　they　do　their　best　to　control　their　yearnings；　and　they　can　do　no　more。　But　now　we　must　be　quick；　and　at　work　before　breakfast。　But　stop；　I　will　show　you　the　vessel。〃

Ready　caught　the　vessel　in　the　field　of　the　telescope；　which　he　leant　against　the　trunk　of　a　cocoa…nut；　and　William　put　his　eye　to　the　glass。

〃Do　you　see　her？〃

〃Oh　yes；　Ready；　and　she　is　coming　this　way。〃

〃Yes；　she　is　steering　right　for　the　island。　I　will　put　the　telescope　down　here；　and　we　will　go　about　our　work。〃

William　and　Ready　went　to　the　storehouse　for　the　axe。　Ready　selected　a　very　slight　cocoa…nut　tree　nearest　to　the　beach；　which　he　cut　down；　and　as　soon　as　the　top　was　taken　off　with　the　assistance　of　William　he　carried　it　down　to　the　point。

〃Now；　William；　go　for　a　shovel　and　dig　a　hole　here；　that　we　may　fix　it　up　as　a　flag…staff。　When　all　is　ready；　I　will　go　for　a　small　block　and　some　rope　for　halyards　to　hoist　up　the　flags　as　soon　as　the　vessel　is　likely　to　see　them。　At　breakfast…time；　I　shall　propose　that　you　and　I　get　the　boat　out　of　the　sand　and　examine　her；　and　give　Mr。　Seagrave　some　work　indoors。〃

〃But　the　flags；　Ready；　they　are　round　my　mother's　bed。　How　shall　we　get　them？〃

〃Suppose　I　say　that　it　is　time　that　the　house　should　be　well　cleaned；　and　that　the　canvas　hangings　of　the　beds　should　he　taken　out　to　be　aired　this　fine　day。　Ask　your　father　to　take　the　direction　of　the　work　while　we　dig　out　the　boat；　that　will　employ　them　all　inside　the　house。〃

〃Yes；　that　will　do；　Ready。〃

During　breakfast…time；　Ready　observed　that　he　intended　to　get　the　boat　out　of　the　sand；　and　that　William　should　assist　him。

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

〃Why；　sir；　I　think；　now　that　the　rains　are　over；　it　would　not　be　a　bad　thing　if　we　were　to　air　bedding；　as　they　say　at　sea；　it　is　a　fine；　warm　day；　and　if　all　the　bedding　was　taken　out　of　the　house　and　well　shaken；　and　then　left　out　to　air；　it　would　be　a　very　good　job　over；　for　you　see；　sir；　I　have　thought　more　than　once　that　the　house　does　smell　a　little　close。〃

〃It　will　be　a　very　good　thing；　Ready；〃　observed　Mrs。　Seagrave；　〃