masterman ready-第46节

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〃No；　I　took　Juno　with　me。　She　pulls　very　well；　Ready。〃

〃She　is　a　handy　girl；　William。　Well；　we　have　had　our　survey；　and　there　will　be　plenty　of　work　for　you　and　me；　I　can　tell　you；　I　don't　think　we　can　bring　everything　round　in　a　week；　so　I　suppose　to…morrow　we　had　better　be　off。〃

〃Well；　I　like　boating　better　than　ditching；　I　can　tell　you；　Ready；〃　replied　William。　〃I　shan't　be　sorry　to　leave　that　work　to　my　father。〃

〃I　suppose　it　must　fall　to　him；　as　he　will；　of　course；　prefer　staying　with　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　the　children。〃

As　soon　as　they　were　at　the　tents；　Ready　hung　up　the　pig　to　the　cross　pole　of　the　tent　in　which　he　and　William　and　Mr。　Seagrave　slept；　and　having　propped　the　muskets　up　against　the　side　of　the　tent；　he　went　with　William　to　get　his　knife　and　some　stretchers　of　wood　to　open　the　pig　with。　While　he　and　William　were　away；　Caroline　and　Tommy　came　out　to　look　at　it；　and　Tommy；　after　telling　Caroline　how　glad　he　was　that　they　were　to　have　roast　pig　for　dinner；　took　up　one　of　the　muskets；　and　said；　〃Now；　Caroline；　I'll　shoot　the　pig。〃

〃Oh！　Tommy；　you　must　not　touch　the　gun；〃　cried　Caroline；　〃papa　will　be　very　angry。〃

〃I　don't　care；〃　replied　Tommy。　〃I'll　show　you　how　to　shoot　the　pig。〃

〃Don't；　Tommy；〃　cried　Caroline；　〃if　you　do；　I'll　go　and　tell　mamma。〃

〃Then　I'll　shoot　you；〃　replied　Tommy；　trying　to　point　the　musket　at　her。

Caroline　was　so　frightened；　that　she　ran　away　as　fast　as　she　could；　and　then　Tommy；　using　all　his　strength；　contrived　to　get　the　musket　up　to　his　shoulder；　and　pulled　the　trigger。

It　so　happened　that　Tommy　had　taken　up　Mr。　Seagrave's　musket；　which　had　not　been　fired；　and　when　he　pulled　the　trigger　it　went　off；　and　as　he　did　not　hold　it　tight　to　his　shoulder；　it　recoiled；　and　hit　him　with　the　butt　right　on　his　face；　knocking　out　two　of　his　teeth；　besides　making　his　nose　bleed　very　fast。

Tommy　was　so　astonished　and　frightened　at　the　musket　going　off；　and　the　blow　which　he　received；　that　he　gave　a　loud　yell；　dropped　the　musket；　and　ran　to　the　tent　where　his　father　and　mother　were；　just　as　they　had　started　up　and　had　rushed　out　at　hearing　the　report。

When　Mrs。　Seagrave　saw　Tommy　all　covered　with　blood；　and　screaming　so　loud；　she　was　so　alarmed　that　she　could　not　stand；　and　fell　fainting　in　Mr。　Seagrave's　arms。　Ready　and　William；　on　hearing　the　musket　go　off；　had　run　as　fast　as　they　could；　fearing　that　some　accident　had　happened；　and　while　Mr。　Seagrave　supported　his　wife；　Ready　went　to　Tommy；　and　wiping　the　blood　off　his　face　with　the　palm　of　his　hand；　perceived　that　there　was　no　wound　or　serious　mischief；　and　cried　out　to　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃He's　not　hurt；　sir；　it's　only　his　nose　bleeding。〃

〃Musket　knocked　me　down；〃　cried　Tommy；　sobbing　as　the　blood　ran　out　of　his　mouth。

〃Serve　you　right；　Tommy；　you'll　take　care　not　to　touch　the　musket　again。〃

〃I　won't　touch　it　again；〃　cried　Tommy；　blubbering。

Juno　now　came　up　with　some　water　to　wash　his　face；　Mrs。　Seagrave　had　recovered；　and　gone　back　into　the　tent；　on　Mr。　Seagrave　telling　her　that　it　was　only　Tommy's　nose　which　was　bleeding。

In　about　half…an…hour　Tommy　had　ceased　crying；　and　his　nose　had　left　off　bleeding；　his　face　was　washed；　and　then　it　was　discovered　that　he　had　lost　two　front　teeth；　and　that　his　cheek　and　lips　were　very　much　bruised。　He　was　undressed；　and　put　to　bed；　and　was　soon　fast　asleep。

〃I　should　not　have　left　the　muskets；〃　said　Ready　to　William；　〃it　was　my　fault；　but　I　thought　Tommy　had　been　told　so　often　not　to　touch　fire…arms；　that　he　would　not　dare　to　do　so。〃

〃He　pointed　it　at　me；　and　tried　to　shoot　me；〃　said　Caroline；　〃but　I　ran　away。〃

〃Merciful　heavens！　what　an　escape！〃　cried　Mrs。　Seagrave。

〃He　has　been　well　punished　this　time；　madam；　and　I'll　venture　to　say　he　will　not　touch　a　musket　again　in　a　hurry。〃

〃Yes；　but　he　must　be　punished　more；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃he　must　remember　it。〃

〃Well；　sir；　if　he　is　to　be　punished　more；　I　think　you　cannot　punish　him　better　than　by　not　allowing　him　to　have　any　of　the　pig　when　it　is　cooked。〃

〃I　think　so　too；　Ready；　and　therefore　that　is　a　settled　thing　…　no　pig　for　Tommy。〃



Chapter　LII

The　next　morning　Tommy's　face　presented　a　very　woeful　appearance。　His　cheek　and　lips　were　swelled　and　black；　and　the　loss　of　his　two　front　teeth　made　him　look　much　worse。

Tommy　looked　very　glum　when　he　came　to　breakfast。　There　was　the　pig's　fry　for　breakfast；　and　the　smell　of　it　had　been　very　inviting　to　Tommy；　but　when　his　father　scolded　him；　and　told　him　that　he　was　not　to　have　one　bit　of　the　pig；　he　began　to　cry　and　roar　so　loud；　that　he　was　sent　away　from　the　tents　till　he　had　left　off。

After　breakfast；　Ready　proposed　that　he　and　William　should　take　the　boat；　and　begin　their　labour　of　carrying　the　articles　round　from　the　cove　to　the　bay　where　the　house　was；　pointing　out　that　there　was　not　a　day　to　be　lost。　Juno　had；　at　his　request；　already　baked　a　large　piece　of　the　pig　for　them　to　take　with　them；　and　boiled　a　piece　of　salt　pork；　so　that　they　were　all　ready　to　start。

〃But；　Ready；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave；　〃how　long　do　you　intend　to　remain　absent　with　William？〃

〃Why；　madam；　this　is　Wednesday；　of　course　we　shall　be　back　on　Saturday　night。〃

〃My　dear　William；　I　cannot　bear　the　idea　of　your　being　absent　so　long；　and　as　you　will　be　on　the　water　every　day；　I　shall　be　in　a　continual　fright　until　I　see　you　again。〃

〃Well；　mamma；　I　suppose　I　must　write　by　the　penny　post；　to　let　you　know　how　I　am。〃

〃Don't　laugh　at　me；　William。　I　do　wish　there　was　a　penny　post；　and　that　you　could　write　every　day。〃

Ready　and　William　made　every　preparation　for　a　continued　absence。　They　took　their　blankets　with　them；　and　a　small　pot　for　cooking；　and　when　all　was　prepared　they　bade　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Seagrave　farewell。　They　were　now　to　pull　to　the　bay；　and　leave　their　luggage；　and　then　go　round　to　the　cove。　As　they　shoved　off；　William　took　the　dog　Remus　into　the　boat。

〃Why　do　you　take　the　dog；　William？　he　will　be　of　use　here　in　keeping　the　pigs　away；　but　of　no　use　to　us。〃

〃Yes；　he　will；　Ready；　I　must　take　him；　for　I　have　an　idea　come　into　my　head；　so　let　me　have　my　own　way。〃

〃Well；　William；　you　can　always　have　your　own　way；　as　far　as　I'm　concerned；　if　you　wish　to　take　the　dog；　there　is　an　end　of　the　matter。〃

They　hoisted　the　sail；　and　as　the　breeze　was　fresh；　were　round　to　the　bay　in　a　very　short　time。　They　took　their　provisions　and　stores　up　to　the　house；　and　made　fast　the　door；　called　the　fowls；　and　gave　them　some　damaged　rice　which　Ready　had　brought　from　the　cove；　and　found；　to　their　great　delight；　that　they　had　now　upwards　of　forty　chickens；　some；　indeed；　quite　grown；　and　large　enough　to　kill。

They　then　got　into　the　boat　again；　and　pulled　away　for　the　cove；　the　wind　was　fresh；　and　against　them；　so　they　had　a　long　pull；　but；　as　Ready　observed；　it　was　much　better　that　it　should　be　so；　as；　when　the　boat　was　loaded；　they　could　very　quickly　sail　back　again　to　the　bay。

As　soon　as　they　arrived　at　the　cove；　they　lost　no　time　in　loading　the　boat；　the　nails；　and　iron　work　of　every　description；　with　the　twine　and　tools；　composed　the　major　part　of　the　first　cargo；　and　calling　Remus；　who　was　lying　on　the　sandy　beach；　they　shoved　off；　hoisted　their　sail；　and　in　an　hour　had　regained　the　bay；　and　passed　through　the　reef。

〃I　am　glad　that　this　cargo　has　arrived　safe；　William；　for　it　is　very　valuable　to　us。　Now　we　will　take　them　all　up；　and　that　will　be　sufficient　for　to…day；　to…morrow；　if　we　can；　we　will　make　two　trips。〃

〃We　can；　if　we　start　early；〃　replied　William；　〃but　now　let　us　have　our　dinner；　and　carry　the　remainder　of　the　things　up　afterwards。〃

As　they　were　eating　their　dinner；　and　William　was　giving　the　bones　to　the　dog；　Ready　said；　〃Pray；　William；　what　was　the　idea　in　your　head　which　made　you　bring　Remus　with　you？〃

〃I　will　tell　you；　Ready；　I　mean　him　to　carry　a　letter　to　mamma；　you　know　that　he　always　goes　back　when　he　is　ordered；　and　now　I　wish　to　see　if　he　will　not　go　back　to　the　tents；　if　he　is　told。　I　have　brought　a　piece　of　paper　and　pencil　with　me。〃

William　then　wrote　on　the　paper；

〃Dear　Mamma：We　are　quite　well；　and　just　returned　with　the　first　cargo　quite　safe。　Your　affectionate　son；　WILLIAM。〃

William　tied　the　paper　round　the　dog's　neck　with　a　piece　of　twine；　and　then　calling　him　out　of　the　house；　said　to　him；　〃Remus；　go　back；　sir　…　go　back；　sir；〃　the　dog　looked　wistfully　at　William；　as　if　not　sure　of　what　he　was　to　do；　but　William　took　up　a　stone；　and　pretended　to　throw　it　at　the　dog；　who　ran　away　a　little　distance；　and　then　stopped。

〃Go　back；　Remus　…　go　back；　sir。〃　William　again　pretended　to　throw　the　stone；　repeating　the　order；　and　then　the　dog　set　off　as　fast　as　his　legs　could　carry　him　through　the　cocoa…nut　grove。

〃He　is　gone　at　all　events；〃　said　William；　〃I　think　he　will　go　home。〃

〃We　shall　see；　sir；〃　replied　Ready；　〃and　now　that　we　have　finished　our　dinner；　we　will　bring　up　the　things；　and　put　them　in　the　storehouse。〃



Chapter　LIII

As　soon　as　they　had　carried　up　the　whole　of　the　cargo；　they　secured　the　boat；　and　went　up　to　the　house　to　sleep。　Just　as　they　went　in；　Remus　came　bounding　up　to　them　with　a　letter　round　his　neck。

〃Here's　the　dog；　William；〃　said　Ready；　〃he　won't　go　home　after　all。〃

〃How　prov