Part 6 (2/2)
”Massa Tooats,” said Juno
”Yes, To after Juno
”Youbut salt meat and biscuit, ma'am,” said Ready, as they sat down to their meal; ”but e are all safe on the other side of the island we hope to feed you better At present it is hard work and hard fare”
”As long as the children are well, I care very little about it; but I ale, I am as anxious as you to be on the other side of the island, especially after the account Williaiven me of it It must be a paradise! When do we set off?”
”Not till the day after to-morrow, ma'am, I should think; for you see Iutensils and the bundles which you have h the ith William to-morroill then have the tent ready for you and the children”
Chapter XXI
Old Ready had his boat loaded and hadbefore the family were up; indeed, before they were dressed he had landed his whole cargo on the beach, and was sitting down quietly taking his breakfast As soon as he had eaten the beef and biscuit which he had taken with hiht, and co to await the arrival of Willia up the spars and canvas over it
About ten o'clock Willia, followed by the others Juno ca one with a cord; the rest had very quietly joined the procession ”Here we are at last!” said Willia; ”we have had terrible work in the woods, for Nanny would run on one side of a tree when I went on the other, and then I had to let go the string We fell in with the pigs again, and Juno gave such a squall!”
”I tink 'em wild beast,” said Juno ”Ah! what a nice place! Missis will like to live here”
”Yes, it is a very nice place, Juno; and you'll be able to wash here, and never ,” said Williaet the fowls here; they are not very wild, but still we cannot catch the them with me to-morrow, William”
”But hoill you catch theone to roost, and then you eons and the pigswe can do with them”
”Then we shall have to shoot theeons also, when they have beco We shall soon be well stocked and live in plenty But now youin order, so that your s comfortable on her arrival, for she will be very tired, I dare say, walking through the wood”
”Mamma is much better than she was,” replied Williaain, especially when she coreat deal of work to do, h before the rainy season; which is a pity, but it can't helped; by this time next year we shall be more co up the tents and shi+fting over here?”
”In the first place we have to build a house, and that will take a long while Then we ought to arden, and sow the seeds which your father brought froland with him”
”0h! that will be nice; where shall we make it, Ready?”
”Weup all the brushwood; the ood”
”Then what next?”
”Then we shall want a storehouse for all the things we have got, and all that are in the wood and on the beach: and consider what athem all round”
”Yes, that is very true, Ready Have we anything more to do?”
”Plenty; we have to build a turtle-pond and a fish-pond, and a bathing-place for Juno to wash the children in But first we , so as to have plenty of fresh water: now there's enough for a year's hard work at least”
”Well, let us once get mamma and the children here, and ork hard”
”I should wish very much to see it all done, William,” said Ready ”I hope my life will be spared till it is done, at all events”
”But why do you say that, Ready? you are an oldand healthy”
”I am so now; but what does the Book say? - `In theand healthy, and pro life; but who knows but you may be summoned away tomorrow Can I, then, an old ? No - no, Willia as I can be useful, and then I trust I may depart in peace I never wish to leave this island; and I have a kind of feeling that my bones will remain on it God's will be done!”
For some time after Ready had finished, neither of the out the canvas of the tent, and fastening it down to the ground with pegs At last William broke the silence
”Ready, did you not say your Christian name was Masterman?”
”So it is, William”
”It is a very odd Christian name! You were called after some other person?”
”Yes, I was, William; he was a very rich man”
”Do you know, Ready, I should like very much if you will one day tell me your history - I mean your whole life, from the time you were a boy”
”Well, perhaps I may, William; for there are many parts of my life which would prove a lesson to others: but that h our work”
”How old are you, Ready?”
”I ae for a seaman I could not obtain employment on board of a vessel if it were not that I am well known to several captains”