Part 3 (1/2)
In a few minutes they arrived at the cove; the water was shallow, and as clear as crystal Beneath the boat's botto about in every direction
The sand extended about forty yards from the water, and then commenced the brushwood, which ran back about forty yards further, interle cocoa-nut trees, until it joined the cocoa-nut grove They pulled the boat in and landed
”What a lovely spot this is!” exclairave; ”and perhaps mortal man has never yet visited it till now: those cocoa-nuts have borne their fruit year after year, have died, and others have sprung up in their stead; and here has this spot remained, perhaps for centuries, all ready for man to live in, and to enjoy whenever he should corave,” replied Ready, ”and supplies our wants e least expect it If you please alk a little way into the wood: take the gun as a precaution, sir; not that there appears to bewild on these s or two has been put on shore by considerate Christians”
”Well, now that we are in the grove, Ready, what do you think?”
”I was looking for a place to fix a tent up for the present, sir, and I think that on that little rise would be a very good place till we can look about us and do better; but we have no tihtfall If you please, we'll haul the sail and other articles on to the beach, and then return on board”
As they were pulling the boat back, Ready said, ”I've been thinking about what is best, Mr Seagrave Would Mrs Seagraveher? - if not, I should say we should have Juno and William on shore first, as they can be of use”
”I do not think that she willleft on board with William and the children, provided that I return for her when she is to come on shore herself with the baby”
”Well then, let William remain on board, if you please, sir I'll land you and Juno, Tos, this time, for they will be a protection in case of accidents You and Juno can be doing so while I return by myself for the other articles we shall require”
As soon as they arrived on board, Mr Seagrave went down to cheer his ith the account of what they had seen While he was down below, Ready had cast off the lashi+ngs of the two spars which had for theunnel, with lines fast to the on shore In a few minutes Juno and Tommy made their appearance on deck; Ready put some tools into the boat, and a couple of shovels, which he brought up when he went for the dogs, and once reat deal, but did not speak, until he saw the shells lying on the beach, when he screaan to pick thealloped about, overjoyed at being once more on shore; and Juno s to Ready, ”What a nice place!”
”Now, Mr Seagrave, I'll remain on shore with you a little First, we'll load the musket in case of need, and then you can put it out of the way of To, I observe We will take up the sail between us Juno, you can carry the tools; and then we can cos Come, Tommy, you can carry a shovel at all events, and that will s to the little knoll which Ready had pointed out before, they returned for the spars; and in two trips they had carried everything there, Tommy with the second shovel on his shoulder, and very proud to be employed
”Here are two trees which will answer our purpose pretty well,” said Ready, ”as they are far enough apart: we must lash the spars up to theround at both ends; that will be a beginning, at all events; and I will bring some more canvas on shore, to set up the other tent between these other trees, and also to shut up the two ends of both of them; then we shall have a shelter for Madaer children, and another for William, Tommy, and ourselves Now, sir, I'll just help you to lash the spars, and then I'll leave you to finish while I go on board again”
”But how can we reach so high, Ready?”
”Why, sir, we can h as we can conveniently reach, and then standing on that while we lash the other in its proper place I shall bring another spar on shore, that weby this plan succeeded in lashi+ng the spar high enough, and throwing the sail over the spar, Ready and Mr Seagrave spread it out, and found that it ood-sized tent
”Now, sir, I'll return on board; in the s froround, and then with the shovel cover the bottoh when it is all finished”
”I shall do very well,” replied Mr Seagrave; ”Juno can help ht when I am ready”
”Yes; and in the meantime, Juno, take a shovel, and level the inside of the tent nice and smooth, and throw out all those old cocoa-nut leaves, and look if you see any ver them Master Tommy, you must not run away; and you must not touch the axes, they will cut you if you do Ithappen, and you require un, and I will come on shore to you immediately”
Chapter X
When Ready returned on board, he first went down into the cabin to acquaint Mrs Seagrave and Williarave naturally felt anxious about her husband being on shore alone, and Ready infor should occur Mr Seagrave would fire the et soallant sail which was there, and a palot them out, and at the foot of the ladder, when the report of the rave rushed out of the cabin in the greatest alarm; Ready seized another musket, jumped into the boat, and pulled on shore as fast as he could On his arrival, quite out of breath, for as he pulled on shore he had his back towards it, and could see nothing, he found Mr Seagrave and Juno busy with the tent, and To very lustily It appeared that, while Mr Seagrave and Juno were employed, Toainst a cocoa-nut tree, and, after pulling it about soer The musket went off; and, as the ht doo large cocoa-nuts Mr Seagrave, are what an alar hi, to prove how very penitent he was
”I had better return on board irave,” said Ready
”Do, pray,” replir Seagrave
Ready then returned to the shi+p, and explainedput into the boat the sail, with palm and needles, two mattresses, and blankets from the captain's state room, the saucepan with the beef and pork, and a spar which he towed astern, Ready found that he had as much as he could carry; but, as there was nobody but hi, with the assistance of Mr Seagrave and Juno, got all the things up to the knoll, Ready lashed the spar up for the second tent, and then leaving theain on board Hewith hi of shi+p's biscuits, another of potatoes, plates, knives and forks, spoons, frying-pans and other cooking utensils, and a variety of other articles He then showed Juno how to fill up the ends of the first tent with the canvas and sails he had brought on shore, so as to inclose it all round; Juno took the needle and twine, and worked very well Ready, satisfied that she would be able to get on without theht, and it is right that Mrs Seagrave should coo off and fetch her and the children I think we shall be able to do very well for the first night; and if it pleases God to give us fine weather, we reat deal more to-rave went down to his wife to propose her going on shore She was itated, and very weak fro, and, supported by her husband, gained the deck, Willia with the baby, and his little sister Caroline carried by Ready With some difficulty they were all at last placed in the boat and shoved off; but Mrs Seagrave was so ill, that her husband was obliged to support her in his arms, and Williarave up to the tent, and laid her down on one of the mattresses She asked for a little water
”And I have forgotten to bring any with o on board directly,” said Ready: ”to think that I should be so busy in bringing other things on shore and forget the greatest necessary in life! The fact is, I intended to look for it on the island as soon as I could, as it would save a great deal of trouble”
Ready returned on board as fast as he could, and brought on shore two kegs of fresh water, which he and William rolled up to the tent
Juno had co drank some water, declared that she was much better
”I shall not return on board any ht,” said Ready, ”I feel tired - very tired indeed”
”Youany more”
”And I haven't touched food this day, or even quencheddown
”You are ill, are you not, Ready?” said Willia as I was Could you give me a little water?”
”Stop, Willia up a tin can which had been filled for his wife: ”here, Ready, drink this”
”I shall be better soon, sir; I'll just lie down a little, and then I'll have a biscuit and a little meat”
Poor old Ready was indeed quite tired out; but he ate soiven the children some of the salt meat and biscuit to eat The baby, and Tommy, and Caroline had been put to bed, and the second tent was nearly ready
”It will do very well for to-night, Juno,” said Mr Seagrave; ”we have done work enough for this day”
”Yes, sir,” replied Ready, ”and I think we ought to thank God for his o to sleep”
”You reoodness, and pray to hirave then offered up a prayer of thankfulness; and they all retired to rest
Chapter XI
Mr Seagrave was the first oke and rose fro He stepped out of the tent, and looked around hiht breeze ruffled o'er the surface of the water, and the tiny waves rippled one after another upon the white sand of the cove To the left of the cove the land rose, for small hills, behind which appeared the continuation of the cocoa-nut groves To the right, a low ridge of coral rocks rose ale and brushwood at about a hundred paces, while the wreck of the Pacific, lying like soe stranded monster, formed the prominent feature in the landscape The sun was powerful where its bearave stood, the cocoa-nuts waved their feathery leaves to the wind, and offered an i of the extreme beauty of the scene, subdued by the ht of the wrecked vessel, pervaded the rave as he ht he, ”if, tired with the world and its anxieties, I had sought an abode of peace and beauty, it would have been on a spot like this How lovely is the scene! - what calm - what content - what a sweet sadness does it create! How mercifully have we been preserved when all hope appeared to be gone; and how bountifully have we been provided for, now that we have been saved, - and yet I have dared to repine, when I ought to be full of gratitude! May God forgive ret but a feorldly goods and a seclusion fro a time - What! rebellious still! - for the time that it shall please God in his wisdorave turned back to his tent William, Tommy, and old Ready still rerave ”What a heart of oak is hid under that rugged bark! - Had it not been for his devotion where ht I and all those dear helpless creatures have been now?”
The dogs, who had crept into the tent and laid themselves down upon the mattresses by the side of Williarave Willia received a caution from his father not to wake Ready, he dressed himself and came out