masterman ready-第7节

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time；　and　the　ship　did　not　go　through　the　water　faster　than　three　miles　an　hour；　for　she　had　no　other　sail　upon　her　than　the　main…topgallant　sail　hoisted　up　on　the　stump　of　the　foremast。　Ready；　who　had　been　some　time　down　in　the　cabin；　proposed　to　Mr。　Seagrave　that　Juno　and　all　the　children　should　go　on　deck。　〃They　cannot　be　expected　to　be　quiet；　sir；　and；　now　that　Madam　is　in　such　a　sweet　sleep；　it　would　be　a　pity　to　wake　her。　After　so　much　fatigue　she　may　sheep　for　hours；　and　the　longer　the　better；　for　you　know　that　（in　a　short　time；　I　trust）　she　will　have　to　exert　herself。〃　Mr。　Seagrave　agreed　to　the　good　sense　of　this　proposal；　and　went　on　deck　with　Juno　and　the　children；　leaving　William　in　the　cabin　to　watch　his　mother。　Poor　Juno　was　very　much　astonished　when　she　came　up　the　ladder　and　perceived　the　condition　of　the　vessel；　and　the　absence　of　the　men；　but　Mr。　Seagrave　told　her　what　had　happened；　and　cautioned　her　against　saying　a　word　to　Mrs。　Seagrave。　Juno　promised　that　she　would　not；　but　the　poor　girl　perceived　the　danger　of　their　position；　and；　as　she　pressed　little　Albert　to　her　bosom；　a　tear　or　two　rolled　down　her　cheeks。　Even　Tommy　and　Caroline　could　not　help　asking　where　the　masts　and　sails　were；　and　what　had　become　of　Captain　Osborn。

〃Look　there；　sir；〃　said　Ready；　pointing　out　some　floating　sea…weed　to　Mr。　Seagrave。

〃I　perceive　it；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃but　what　then？〃

〃That　by　itself　would　not　be　quite　proof；〃　replied　Ready；　〃but　we　sailors　have　other　signs　and　tokens。　Do　you　see　those　birds　hovering　over　the　waves？〃

〃I　do。〃

〃Well；　sir；　those　birds　never　go　far　from　land；　that's　all：　and　now；　sir；　I'll　go　down　for　my　quadrant；　for；　although　I　cannot　tell　the　longitude　just　now；　at　all　events　I　can　find　out　the　latitude　we　are　in；　and　then　by　looking　at　the　chart　shall　be　able　to　give　some　kind　of　guess　whereabout　we　are；　if　we　see　land　soon。

〃It　is　nearly　noon　now；〃　observed　Ready；　reading　off　his　quadrant；　〃the　sun　rises　very　slowly。　What　a　happy　thing　a　child　is！　Look；　sir；　at　those　little　creatures　playing　about；　and　as　merry　now；　and　as　unaware　of　danger；　as　if　they　were　at　home　in　their　parlour。　I　often　think；　sir；　it　is　a　great　blessing　for　a　child　to　be　called　away　early；　and　that　it　is　selfish　in　parents　to　repine。〃

〃Perhaps　it　is；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　looking　mournfully　at　his　children。

〃It's　twelve　o'clock；　sir。　I'll　just　go　down　and　work　the　latitude；　and　then　I'll　bring　up　the　chart。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　remained　on　deck。　He　was　soon　in　deep　and　solemn　thought；　nor　was　it　to　be　wondered　at　…　the　ship　a　wreck　and　deserted　…　left　alone　on　the　wide　water　with　his　wife　and　helpless　family；　with　but　one　to　assist　him：　had　that　one　deserted　as　well　as　the　rest；　what　would　have　been　his　position　then？　Utter　helplessness！　And　now　what　had　they　to　expect？　Their　greatest　hopes　were　to　gain　some　island；　and；　if　they　succeeded；　perhaps　a　desert　island；　perhaps　an　island　inhabited　by　savages　…　to　be　murdered；　or　to　perish　miserably　of　hunger　and　thirst。　It　was　not　until　some　time　after　these　reflections　had　passed　through　his　mind；　that　Mr。　Seagrave　could　recall　himself　to　a　sense　of　thankfulness　to　the　Almighty　for　having　hitherto　preserved　them；　or　could　say　with　humility；　〃O　Lord！　thy　will；　not　mine；　be　done。〃　But；　having　once　succeeded　in　repressing　his　murmurs；　he　then　felt　that　he　had　courage　and　faith　to　undergo　every　trial　which　might　be　imposed　upon　him。

〃Here　is　the　chart；　sir；〃　said　Ready；　〃and　I　have　drawn　a　pencil　line　through　our　latitude：　you　perceive　that　it　passes　through　this　cluster　of　islands；　and　I　think　we　must　be　among　them；　or　very　near。　Now　I　must　put　something　on　for　dinner；　and　then　look　sharp　out　for　the　land。　Will　you　take　a　look　round；　Mr。　Seagrave；　especially　a…head　and　on　the　bows？〃

Ready　went　down　to　see　what　he　could　procure　for　dinner；　as　the　seamen；　when　they　left　the　ship；　had　collected　almost　all　which　came　first　to　hand。　He　soon　procured　a　piece　of　salt　beef　and　some　potatoes；　which　he　put　into　the　saucepan；　and　then　returned　on　deck。

Mr。　Seagrave　was　forward；　looking　over　the　bows；　and　Ready　went　there　to　him。

〃Ready；　I　think　I　see　something；　but　I　can　hardly　tell　what　it　is：　it　appears　to　be　in　the　air；　and　yet　it　is　not　clouds。　Look　there；　where　I　point　my　finger。〃

〃You're　right；　sir；〃　replied　Ready；　〃there　is　something；　it　is　not　the　land　which　you　see；　but　it　is　the　trees　upon　the　land　which　are　refracted；　as　they　call　it；　so　as　to　appear；　as　you　say；　as　if　they　were　in　the　air。　That　is　an　island；　sir；　depend　upon　it；　but　I　will　go　down　and　get　my　glass。

〃It　is　the　land；　Mr。　Seagrave；〃　said　Ready；　after　examining　it　with　his　glass　…　〃yes；　it　is　so；〃　continued　he；　musing；　〃I　wish　that　we　had　seen　it　earlier；　and　yet　we　must　be　thankful。〃

〃Why　so；　Ready？〃


〃Only；　sir；　as　the　ship　forges　so　slowly　through　the　water；　I　fear　that　we　shall　not　reach　it　before　dark；　and　I　should　have　wished　to　have　had　daylight　to　have　laid　her　nicely　on　it。〃

〃There　is　very　little　wind　now。〃

〃Well；　let　us　hope　that　there　will　be　more；〃　replied　Ready；　〃if　not；　we　must　do　our　best。　But　I　must　now　go　to　the　helm；　for　we　must　steer　right　for　the　island；　it　would　not　do　to　pass　it；　for；　Mr。　Seagrave；　although　the　ship　does　not　leak　so　much　as　she　did；　yet　I　must　now　tell　you　that　I　do　not　think　that　she　could　be　kept　more　than　twenty…four　hours　above　water。　I　thought　otherwise　this　morning　when　I　sounded　the　well；　but　when　I　went　down　in　the　hold　for　the　beef；　I　perceived　that　we　were　in　more　danger　than　I　had　any　idea　of；　however；　there　is　the　land；　and　every　chance　of　escape；　so　let　us　thank　the　Lord　for　all　his　mercies。〃

〃Amen！〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave。

Ready　went　to　the　helm　and　steered　a　course　for　the　land；　which　was　not　so　far　distant　as　he　had　imagined；　for　the　island　was　very　low：　by　degrees　the　wind　freshened　up；　and　they　went　faster　through　the　water；　and　now；　the　trees；　which　had　appeared　as　if　in　the　air；　joined　on　to　the　land；　and　they　could　make　out　that　it　was　a　low　coral　island　covered　with　groves　of　cocoa…nuts。　Occasionally　Ready　gave　the　helm　up　to　Mr。　Seagrave；　and　went　forward　to　examine。　When　they　were　within　three　or　four　miles　of　it；　Ready　came　back　from　the　forecastle　and　said；　〃I　think　I　see　my　way　pretty　clear；　sir：　you　see　we　are　to　the　windward　of　the　island；　and　there　is　always　deep　water　to　the　windward　of　these　sort　of　isles；　and　reefs　and　shoals　to　leeward；　we　must；　therefore；　find　some　little　cleft　in　the　coral　rock　to　dock　her　in；　as　it　were；　or　she　may　fall　back　into　deep　water　after　she　has　taken　the　ground；　for　sometimes　these　islands　run　up　like　a　wall；　with　forty　or　fifty　fathom　of　water　close　to　the　weather…sides　of　them；　but　I　see　a　spot　where　I　think　she　may　be　put　on　shore　with　safety。　You　see　those　three　cocoa…nut　trees　close　together　on　the　beach？　Now；　sir；　I　cannot　well　see　them　as　I　steer；　so　do　you　go　forward；　and　if　I　am　to　steer　more　to　the　right；　put　out　your　right　hand；　and　if　to　the　left；　the　same　with　your　left；　and　when　the　ship's　head　is　as　it　ought　to　be；　then　drop　the　hand　which　you　have　raised。〃

〃I　understand；　Ready；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　who　then　went　forward　and　directed　the　steering　of　the　vessel　as　they　neared　the　island。　When　they　were　within　half　a　mile　of　it；　the　colour　of　the　water　changed；　very　much　to　the　satisfaction　of　Ready；　who　knew　that　the　weather…side　of　the　island　would　not　be　so　steep　as　was　usually　the　case：　still　it　was　an　agitating　moment　as　they　ran　on　to　beach。　They　were　now　within　a　cable's　length；　and　still　the　ship　did　not　ground；　a　little　nearer；　and　there　was　a　grating　at　her　bottom　…　it　was　the　breaking　off　of　the　coral…trees　which　grew　below　like　forests　under　water　…　again　she　grated；　and　more　harshly；　then　struck；　and　then　again；　at　last　she　struck　violently；　as　the　swell　lifted　her　further　on；　and　then　remained　fast　amid　quiet。　Ready　let　go　the　helm　to　ascertain　the　position　of　the　ship。　He　looked　over　the　stern　and　around　the　ship；　and　found　that　she　was　firmly　fixed；　fore　and　aft；　upon　a　bed　of　coral　rocks。



Chapter　VIII

〃All's　well　so　far；　sir；〃　said　Ready　to　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃and　now　let　us　return　thanks　to　Heaven。〃

As　they　rose　to　their　feet　again；　after　giving　thanks　to　the　Almighty；　William　came　up　and　said；　〃Father；　my　mother　was　awakened　by　the　noise　under　the　ship's　bottom；　and　is　frightened　…　will　you　go　down　to　her？〃

〃What　is　the　matter；　my　dear；　…　and　where　have　you　all　been？〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Seagrave；　when　her　husband　went　down　below。　〃I　have　been　so　frightened　…　I　was　in　a　sound　sleep；　and　I　was　awakened　with　such　a　dreadful　noise。〃

〃Be　composed；　my　dear；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃we　have　been　in　great　danger；　and　are　now；　I　trust；　in　safety。　Tell　me；　are　you　not　better　for　your　long　sleep？〃

〃Yes；　much　better　…　much　stronger；　but　do　tell　me　what　has　happened。〃

〃Much　took　place；　dearest；　before　you　went　to　sleep；　which　was　concealed　from　you；　but　now；　as　I　expect　we　shall　all　go　on　shore　in　a　short　time〃

〃Go　on　shore；　my　dear？〃

〃Yes；　on　shore。　Now　be　calm；　and　hear　what　has　happened；　and　how　much　we　have　reason　to　be　grateful　to　Heaven。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　then　entered　into　a　detail　of　all　that　had　passed。　Mrs。　Seagrave　heard