masterman ready-第55节

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ts　as　they　want。〃

〃But　what　do　you　imagine　to　be　their　object；　Ready；　in　cutting　down　trees；　and　making　the　faggots？〃

〃Either；　sir；　to　pile　them　up　outside　the　palisades；　so　large　as　to　be　able　to　walk　up　upon　them；　or　else　to　pile　them　up　to　set　fire　to　them；　and　burn　us　out。〃

〃Do　you　think　they　will　succeed？〃

〃Not　without　very　heavy　loss；　perhaps　we　may　best　them　off；　but　it　will　be　a　hard　fight；　harder　than　any　we　have　had　yet。　We　must　have　the　women　to　load　the　muskets；　so　that　we　may　fire　as　fast　as　we　can。　I　should　not　think　much　of　their　attempt　to　burn　us；　if　it　were　not　for　the　smoke。　Cocoa…nut　wood；　especially　with　the　bark　on；　as　our　palisades　have；　will　char　a　long　while；　but　not　burn　easily　when　standing　upright；　and　the　fire；　when　the　faggots　are　kindled；　although　it　will　be　fierce；　will　not　last　long。〃

〃But　suffering　as　we　are　now；　Ready；　for　want　of　water；　how　can　we　possibly　keep　up　our　strength　to　meet　them　in　a　suffocating　smoke　and　flame？　we　must　drop　with　sheer　exhaustion。〃

〃We　must　hope　for　the　best；　and　do　our　best；　Mr。　Seagrave；〃　replied　Ready；　〃and　recollect　that　should　anything　happen　to　me　during　the　conflict；　and　if　there　is　any　chance　of　your　being　overpowered；　you　must　take　advantage　of　the　smoke　to　escape　into　the　woods；　and　find　your　way　to　the　tents。　I　have　no　doubt　that　you　will　be　able　to　do　that；　of　course　the　attack　will　be　to　windward　if　they　use　fire；　and　you　must　try　and　escape　to　leeward；　I　have　shown　William　how　to　force　a　palisade　if　necessary。　The　savages；　if　they　get　possession；　will　not　think　of　looking　for　you　at　first；　and；　perhaps；　when　they　have　obtained　all　that　the　house　contains；　not　even　afterwards。〃

〃Why　do　you　say　if　any　accident　happens　to　you；　Ready？〃　said　William。

〃Because；　William；　if　they　place　the　faggots　so　as　to　be　able　to　walk　to　the　top　of　the　palisades；　I　may　be　wounded　or　killed；　and　so　may　you。〃

〃Of　course；〃　replied　William；　〃but　they　are　not　in　yet；　and　they　shall　have　a　hard　fight　for　it。〃

Ready　then　told　Mr。　Seagrave　that　he　would　keep　the　watch；　and　call　him　at　twelve　o'clock。　During　these　two　days；　they　had　eaten　very　little；　a　turtle　had　been　killed；　and　pieces　fried；　but　eating　only　added　to　their　thirst；　and　even　the　children　refused　the　meat。　The　sufferings　were　now　really　dreadful；　and　poor　Mrs。　Seagrave　was　almost　frantic。

As　soon　as　Mr。　Seagrave　had　gone　into　the　house；　Ready　called　William；　and　said；　〃William；　water　we　must　have。　I　cannot　bear　to　see　the　agony　of　the　poor　children；　and　the　state　of　mind　which　your　poor　mother　is　in；　and　more；　without　water　we　never　shall　be　able　to　beat　off　the　savages　to…morrow。　We　shall　literally　die　of　choking　in　the　smoke；　if　they　use　fire。　Now；　William；　I　intend　to　take　one　of　the　seven…gallon　barricos；　and　go　down　to　the　well　for　water。　I　may　succeed；　and　I　may　not；　but　attempt　it　I　must；　and　if　I　fall　it　cannot　be　helped。〃

〃Why　not　let　me　go；　Ready？〃　replied　William。

〃For　many　reasons；　William；〃　said　Ready；　〃and　the　chief　one　is　that　I　do　not　think　you　would　succeed　so　well　as　I　shall。　I　shall　put　on　the　war…cloak　and　feathers　of　the　savage　who　fell　dead　inside　of　the　stockade；　and　that　will　be　a　disguise；　but　I　shall　take　no　arms　except　his　spear；　as　they　would　only　be　in　my　way；　and　increase　the　weight　I　have　to　carry。　Now　observe；　you　must　let　me　out　of　the　door；　and　when　I　am　out；　in　case　of　accident　put　one　of　the　poles　across　it　inside；　that　will　keep　the　door　fast；　if　they　attack　it；　until　you　can　secure　it　with　the　others。　Watch　my　return；　and　be　all　ready　to　let　me　in。　Do　you　understand　me？〃

〃Yes；　perfectly；　Ready；　but　I　am　now；　I　must　confess；　really　frightened；　if　anything　was　to　happen　to　you；　what　a　misery　it　would　be！〃

〃There　is　no　help　for　it；　William。　Water　must；　if　possible；　be　procured；　and　now　is　a　better　time　to　make　the　attempt　than　later；　when　they　may　be　more　on　the　watch；　they　have　left　off　their　work；　and　are　busy　eating；　if　I　meet　any　one；　it　will　only　be　a　woman。〃

Ready　went　for　the　barrico；　a　little　cask；　which　held　six　or　seven　gallons　of　water。　He　put　on　the　head…dress　and　war…cloak　of　the　savage；　and；　taking　the　barrico　on　his　shoulder；　and　the　spear　in　his　hand；　the　poles　which　barred　the　door　were　softly　removed　by　William；　and　after　ascertaining　that　no　one　was　concealed　beneath　the　palisades；　Ready　pressed　William's　hand；　and　set　off　across　the　cleared　space　outside　of　the　stockade；　and　gained　the　cocoa…nut　trees。　William；　as　directed；　closed　the　door；　passed　one　pole　through　the　inner　door…posts　for　security；　and　remained　on　the　watch。　He　was　in　an　awful　state　of　suspense；　listening　to　the　slightest　noise；　even　the　slight　rustling　by　the　wind　of　the　cocoa…nut　boughs　above　him　made　him　start；　there　he　continued　for　some　minutes；　his　gun　ready　cocked　by　his　side。

It　is　time　that　he　returned；　thought　William；　the　distance　is　not　100　yards；　and　yet　I　have　heard　no　noise。　At　last　he　thought　he　heard　footsteps　coming　very　softly。　Yes；　it　was　so。　Ready　was　returning；　and　without　any　accident。　William　had　his　hand　upon　the　pole；　to　slip　it　on　one　side　and　open　the　door；　when　he　beard　a　scuffle　and　a　fall　close　to　the　door。　He　immediately　threw　down　the　pole；　and　opened　it　just　as　Ready　called　him　by　name。　William　seized　his　musket　and　sprang　out；　he　found　Ready　struggling　with　a　savage；　who　was　uppermost；　and　with　his　spear　at　Ready's　breast。　In　a　second　William　levelled　and　fired；　and　the　savage　fell　dead。

〃Take　the　water　in　quick；　William；〃　said　Ready　in　a　faint　voice。　〃I　will　contrive　to　crawl　in　if　I　can。〃

William　caught　up　the　barrico　of　water；　and　took　it　in；　he　then　hastened　to　Ready；　who　was　on　his　knees。　Mr。　Seagrave；　hearing　the　musket　fired；　had　run　out；　and　finding　the　stockade　door　open；　followed　William；　and　seeing　him　endeavouring　to　support　Ready；　caught　hold　of　his　other　arm；　and　they　led　him　tottering　into　the　stockade；　the　door　was　then　immediately　secured；　and　they　went　to　his　assistance。

〃Are　you　hurt；　Ready？〃　said　William。

〃Yes；　dear　boy；　yes；　hurt　to　death；　I　fear：　his　spear　went　through　my　breast。　Water；　quick；　water！〃

〃Alas！　that　we　had　some；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。

〃We　have；　papa；〃　replied　William；　〃but　it　has　cost　us　dearly。〃

William　ran　for　a　pannikin；　and　taking　out　the　bung；　poured　some　water　out　of　the　barrico　and　gave　it　to　Ready；　who　drank　it　with　eagerness。

〃Now；　William；　lay　me　down　on　these　cocoa…nut　boughs；　go　and　give　some　water　to　the　others；　and　when　you　have　all　drunk；　then　come　to　me　again。　Don't　tell　Mrs。　Seagrave　that　I'm　hurt。　Do　as　I　beg　of　you。〃

〃Papa；　take　the　water　…　do　pray；〃　replied　William；　〃I　cannot　leave　Ready。〃

〃I　will；　my　boy；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃but　first　drink　yourself。〃

William；　who　was　very　faint；　drank　off　the　pannikin　of　water；　which　immediately　revived　him；　and　then；　while　Mr。　Seagrave　hastened　with　some　water　to　the　children　and　women；　occupied　himself　with　old　Ready；　who　breathed　heavily；　but　did　not　speak。



Chapter　LXV

After　returning　twice　for　water；　to　satisfy　those　in　the　house；　Mr。　Seagrave　came　to　the　assistance　of　William；　who　had　been　removing　Ready's　clothes　to　ascertain　the　nature　of　the　wound　he　had　received。

〃We　had　better　move　him　to　where　the　other　cocoa…nut　boughs　lie；　he　will　be　more　comfortable　there；〃　said　William。

Ready　whispered；　〃More　water。〃　William　gave　him　some　more　and　then；　with　the　assistance　of　his　father；　Ready　was　removed　to　a　more　comfortable　place。　As　soon　as　they　laid　him　there；　Ready　turned　on　his　side；　and　threw　up　a　quantity　of　blood。

〃I　am　better　now；〃　said　he　in　a　low　voice；　〃bind　up　the　wound；　William；　an　old　man　like　me　has　not　much　blood　to　spare。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　and　William　then　examined　the　wound；　the　spear　had　gone　deep　into　the　lungs。　William　threw　off　his　shirt；　tore　it　up　into　strips；　and　then　bound　up　the　wound　so　as　to　stop　the　effusion　of　blood。

Ready；　who　at　first　appeared　much　exhausted　with　being　moved　about；　gradually　recovered　so　as　to　be　able　to　speak　in　a　low　voice；　when　Mrs。　Seagrave　came　out　of　the　house。

〃Where　is　that　brave；　kind　man？〃　cried　she；　〃that　I　may　bless　him　and　thank　him。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　went　to　her；　and　caught　her　by　the　arm。　〃He　is　hurt；　my　dear；　and　very　much　hurt。　I　did　not　tell　you　at　the　time。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　related　what　had　occurred；　and　then　led　her　to　where　Ready　was　lying。　Mrs。　Seagrave　knelt　by　his　side；　took　his　hand；　and　burst　into　tears。

〃Don't　weep　for　me；〃　said　Ready；　〃my　days　have　been　numbered；　I'm　only　sorry　that　I　cannot　any　more　be　useful　to　you。〃

〃Dear　good　man；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave；　〃whatever　may　be　our　fates；　and　that　is　for　the　Almighty　to　decide　for　us；　as　long　as　I　have　life；　what　you　have　done　for　me　and　mine　shall　never　be　forgotten。〃

Mrs。　Seagrave　then　bent　over　him；　and　kissing　his　forehead；　rose　and　retired　weeping　into　the　house。

〃William；〃　said　Ready；　〃I　can't　talk　now；　raise　my　head　a　little；　and　then　leave　me。　You　have　not　looked　round　lately。　Come　again　in　about　half　an　hour。　Leave　me　now；　Mr。　Seagrave；　I　shall　be　better　if　I　doze　a　little。〃

They　complied　with　Ready's　request；　went　up　to　the　planks；　and　examined　carefully　all　round　the　stockade；　at　last　they　stopped。

〃This　is　a　sad　business；　W