masterman ready-第42节

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ish　a　speck　on　the　water　at　a　great　distance。　As　he　was　thus　occupied；　William　came　down　to　him。

〃William；〃　said　Ready；　〃I　fear　those　island　women　have　escaped　in　their　canoe。　Run　up；　and　see　if　they　are　in　the　outhouse；　or　anywhere　else；　and　let　me　know　as　soon　as　you　can。〃

William　in　a　few　minutes　returned；　breathless；　stating　that　the　women　were　not　to　be　found；　and　that　they　had　evidently　carried　away　with　them　a　quantity　of　the　large　nails　and　other　pieces　of　iron　which　were　in　the　small　kegs　in　the　storehouse。

〃This　is　bad；　William；　this　is　worse　than　the　vessel　not　coming　back。〃

〃Why；　we　can　do　without　them；　Ready。〃

〃Yes；　but　when　they　get　back　to　their　own　people；　and　show　them　the　iron　they　have　brought　with　them；　and　describe　how　much　more　there　is　to　be　had；　depend　upon　it；　we　shall　have　a　visit　from　them　in　numbers；　that　they　may　obtain　more。　I　ought　to　have　known　better　than　to　leave　the　canoe　here。　We　must　go　and　consult　with　Mr。　Seagrave；　for　the　sooner　we　begin　to　work　now；　the　better。〃

They　communicated　the　intelligence　to　Mr。　Seagrave　when　they　were　outside。　He　at　once　perceived　their　danger；　so　they　held　a　council；　and　came　to　the　following　resolutions：

That　it　would　be　necessary　that　they　should　immediately　stockade　the　storehouse；　so　as　to　render　it　impossible　for　any　one　to　get　in；　and　that；　as　soon　as　the　fortification　was　complete；　the　storehouse　should　be　turned　into　their　dwelling…house；　and　such　stores　as　could　not　be　put　within　the　stockade　should　be　removed　to　their　present　house；　or　concealed　in　the　cocoa…nut　grove。

It　was　decided　that　nothing　should　be　begun　on　that　day；　Saturday；　that　Sunday　should　be　spent　in　devout　prayer　for　help　and　encouragement　from　the　Almighty；　who　would　do　towards　them　as　his　wisdom　should　ordain；　and　that　on　Monday；　with　the　blessing　of　God；　they　would　recommence　their　labour。

〃I　don't　know　why；　but　I　feel　more　courage　now　that　there　is　a　prospect　of　danger；　than　I　felt　when　there　was　little　or　none；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave。

〃How　little　do　we　know　what　the　day　may　bring　forth！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃How　joyful　were　our　anticipations　when　the　vessel　hoisted　her　colours！　we　felt　sure　that　we　were　to　be　taken　off　the　island。　The　same　gale　that　drove　the　vessel　away　brought　down　to　us　the　island　women。　The　fair　weather　after　the　gale；　which　we　hoped　would　have　brought　back　the　vessel　to　our　succour；　on　the　contrary　enabled　the　women　to　escape　in　the　canoe；　and　make　known　our　existence　to　those　who　may　come　to　destroy　us。　How　true　it　is　that　man　plans　in　vain；　and　that　it　is　only　by　the　Almighty　will　and　pleasure　that　he　can　obtain　his　ends！〃



Chapter　XLV

But　although　they　resolved　as　stated　in　the　last　chapter；　nothing　was　done。　Finally；　one　morning　at　sunrise；　as　they　were　looking　round　with　the　telescope；　close　to　the　turtle…pond；　Masterman　Ready　said　to　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃Indeed；　sir；　we　must　no　longer　remain　in　this　state　of　idleness；　I　have　been　thinking　a　great　deal　of　our　present　position　and　prospects；　as　to　the　vessel　coming　back；　we　must；　at　present；　give　up　all　hopes　of　it。　I　only　wish　that　we　were　quite　as　sure　that　we　shall　not　have　a　visit　from　the　savages：　that　is　my　great　fear；　and　it　really　haunts　me；　the　idea　of　our　being　surprised　some　night；　and　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　the　dear　children；　perhaps；　murdered　in　their　beds；　is　awful　to　reflect　upon。〃

〃God　help　us！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Seagrave；　covering　up　his　face。

〃God　will　help　us；　Mr。　Seagrave；　but　at　the　same　time　it　is　necessary　that　we　should　help　ourselves；　he　will　give　his　blessing　to　our　exertions；　but　we　cannot　expect　that　miracles　will　be　performed　for　us；　and　if　we　remain　as　we　now　are；　inactive；　and　taking　no　steps　to　meet　the　danger　which　threatens　us；　we　cannot　expect　the　divine　assistance。　We　have　had　a　heavy　shock；　but　it　is　now　time　that　we　recover　from　it；　and　put　our　own　shoulders　to　the　wheel。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；　Ready；〃　replied　William；　〃indeed　I　have　been　thinking　the　same　thing　for　many　days　past。〃

〃We　have　all　been　thinking　of　it；　I　believe；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃I'm　sure　I　have　lain　awake　night　after　night；　considering　our　position　and　what　we　ought　to　do；　but　I　have　never　been　able　to　come　to　any　satisfactory　resolution。〃

〃No　more　have　I　till　last　night；　Mr。　Seagrave；　but　I　think　that　I　have　now　something　to　propose　which；　perhaps；　will　meet　with　your　approval；〃　replied　Ready；　〃so　now；　sir；　suppose　we　hold　another　council；　and　come　to　a　decision。〃

〃I　am　most　willing；　Ready；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　sitting　down　upon　a　rock；　〃and　as　you　are　the　oldest；　and　moreover　the　best　adviser　of　the　three；　we　will　first　hear　what　you　have　to　propose。〃

〃Well　then；　Mr。　Seagrave；　it　appears　to　me　that　it　will　not　do　to　remain　in　the　house；　for　we　may；　as　I　have　said；　be　surprised　by　the　savages　at　any　hour　in　the　night；　and　we　have　no　means　of　defence　against　numbers。〃

〃I　feel　that；　and　have　felt　it　for　some　time；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃What　shall　we　do；　then；　shall　we　return　to　the　cove？〃

〃I　should　think　not；　sir；〃　said　Ready；　〃what　I　propose　is　this：　we　have　made　a　discovery　on　the　south　of　the　island；　which　is　of　great　importance　to　us；　not　that　I　consider　the　fruit　and　other　plants　of　any　great　value；　as　they　will　only　serve　to　increase　our　luxuries；　if　I　may　so　call　them；　during　the　summer　season。　One　great　advantage　to　us；　is　the　feed　which　we　have　found　for　our　live　stock；　and　the　fodder　for　them　during　the　rainy　season；　but　principally；　the　patch　of　yams；　which　will　afford　us　food　during　the　winter。　They　are　of　great　importance　to　us；　and　we　cannot　too　soon　protect　them　from　the　pigs；　which　will　certainly　root　them　all　up；　if　we　do　not　prevent　them。　Now；　sir；　you　know　what　we　had　arranged　to　do；　but　which　we　have　not　done；　I　think　the　cocoa…nut　rails　will　take　too　much　time；　and　it　will　be　sufficient　to　make　a　ditch　and　hedge　round　the　yams；　but　it　will　be　very　tedious　if　we　are　to　go　backwards　and　forwards　to　do　the　work；　and　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　the　children　will　be　left　alone。　I　therefore　propose；　as　the　weather　is　now　set　in　fair；　and　will　remain　so　for　months；　that　we　pitch　our　tents　on　that　part　of　the　island；　and　remove　the　whole　family　there；　we　shall　soon　be　very　comfortable；　and　at　all　events　much　safer　there　than　if　we　remain　here；　without　any　defence；〃

〃It　is　an　excellent　plan；　Ready；　we　shall；　as　you　say；　be　removed　from　danger　for　the　time；　and　when　there；　we　may　consider　what　we　had　best　do　by　and　by。〃

〃Yes；　sir。　Those　women　may　not　have　gained　the　other　island；　it　is　true；　for　they　had　the　wind　right　against　them　for　several　days　after　they　went　away　in　the　canoe；　and；　moreover；　the　current　sets　strong　this　way；　but　if　they　have；　we　must　expect　that　the　savages　will　pay　us　a　visit；　they　will；　of　course；　come　direct　to　the　house；　if　they　do　come。〃

〃But；　Ready；　you　don't　mean　to　say　that　we　are　to　leave　this　side　of　the　island　altogether；　and　all　our　comfortable　arrangements？〃　said　William。

〃No；　William；　not　altogether；　for　now　I　come　to　the　second　part　of　my　proposition。　As　soon　as　we　have　done　our　work　at　the　yam　plantation；　and　made　everything　as　comfortable　there　as　we　can；　I　think　we　may　then　leave　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　the　children　in　the　tents；　and　work　here；　As　we　before　agreed；　let　us　abandon　the　house　in　which　we　live　at　present；　and　fit　out　the　outhouse　which　is　concealed　in　the　cocoa…nut　grove；　as　a　dwelling…house；　and　fortify　it　so　as　to　be　secure　against　any　sudden　attack　of　the　savages：　for；　return　here　we　must；　to　live；　as　we　cannot　remain　in　the　tents　after　the　rainy　season　sets　in。〃

〃How　do　you　propose　to　fortify　it；　Ready？〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃I　hardly　know。〃

〃That　I　will　explain　to　you　by　and　by；　sir。　Then；　if　the　savages　come　here；　at　all　events　we　should　be　able　to　defend　ourselves　with　fire…arms；　one　man　behind　a　stockade　is　better　than　twenty　who　have　no　other　arms　but　spears　and　clubs；　and　we　may；　with　the　help　of　God；　beat　them　off。〃

〃I　think　your　plan　is　excellent；　Ready；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃and　that　the　sooner　we　begin；　the　better。〃

〃That　there　is　no　doubt　of；　sir。　Now；　the　first　job　is　for　William　and　me　to　try　for　the　passage　through　this　side　of　the　reef　with　the　boat；　and　then　we　will　look　for　the　little　harbour　which　we　discovered；　as　soon　as　that　is　done；　we　will　return　and　take　the　tents　and　all　we　require　round　in　the　boat；　and　when　we　have　pitched　the　tents　and　all　is　arranged；　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　the　children　can　walk　through　the　wood　with　us；　and　take　possession。〃

〃Let　us　not　lose　an　hour；　Ready；　we　have　lost　too　much　time　already；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃What　shall　we　do　to…day？〃

〃After　breakfast；　William　and　I　will　take　the　boat；　and　try　for　the　passage。　You　can　remain　here；　packing　up　the　tents　and　such　articles　as　must　first　be　carried　round。　We　shall　be　back；　I　hope；　by　dinner…time。〃

They　then　rose；　and　walked　towards　the　house；　all　felt　relieved　in　their　minds；　after　they　had　made　this　arrangement；　satisfied　that　they　would　be　using　all　human　endeavours　to　ward　off　the　danger　which　threatened　them；　and　might　then　put　their　confidence　in　that　Providence　who　would；　if　he　thought　fit；　protect　them　in　their　need。



Chapter　XLVI

The　subject　was　introduced　to　Mrs。　Seagra