Part 7 (2/2)
”I alad to hear you say so; for I should feel the want of salt very rave, ”I really never enjoyed a dinner so much as I have to-day”
The soup was pronounced excellent by everybody As soon as they had finished, Mrs Seagrave rerave, assisted by Juno and Williaht They then all asseained their new abode; and, tired out with the fatigue of the day, were soon fast asleep
Chapter XXIII
Mr Seagrave was the first up on the ensuing ; and when Ready came out of the tent, he said to him, ”Do you know, Ready, I feel much happier and my mind much more at ease since I findreminded me that we had been shi+pwrecked; and I could not help thinking of home andsettled, and as if we had coer every day, sir; for it's no use, and indeed sinful, to repine”
”I acknowledge it, and with all hu which you e should set about?”
”I think, sir, the first object is to have a good supply of fresh water; and I therefore wish you and Willia that I thought it better that Mr Seagrave and you should clear out the spring while I aht another shovel with o there, as Juno, I see, is getting the breakfast ready You observe, Mr Seagrave, wethe cocoa-nut trees, where it will be shaded fro towards the out a hole large enough to sink down in the earth one of the water-casks which lie on the beach, I will bring it doith me this afternoon; and then, when it is fixed in the earth in that e shall always have the cask full of water for use, and the spring filling it as fast as we erave; ”that shall be our task while you are absent”
”Now, I have nothing more to do than to speak to Juno about dinner,” replied Ready; ”and then I'll just take a mouthful, and be off”
Ready directed Juno to fry so-pan, and then to cut off some slices from the turtle, and cook turtle-steaks for dinner, as well as to warm up the soup which was left; and then, with a biscuit and a piece of beef in his hand, he went down to the boat and set off for the cove Mr Seagrave and Williae and deep enough, according to the directions Ready had given They then left their work and went to the tent
”You don't kno rave, taking her husband's hand, as he seated himself by her
”I trust it is a presentirave ”I assure you that I feel the sa”
”I feel that I could live here for ever, it is so cal - there are no birds singing here as at home”
”I have seen no birds except sea-birds, and of them there is plenty Have you, Willia way off Ready was not with e birds, as big as pigeons, I should think There is Ready co round the point,” continued Williah, for the old o down and help Ready carry up sorave
They did so; and Williaht with him
The turtle-steaks were asbeen so long on salt htful
”And now to finish our well,” said William, as soon as dinner was over
”How hard you do work, Williaht,now”
”And that you will very soon,” said Ready
They rolled the cask to the spring, and, to their astonish not two hours before quite full of water
”Oh dear,” said Williaet the cask down”
”Think a little, Willia runs so fast that it will not be an easy task Cannot we do so else?”
”Why, father, the cask will float, you know,” replied William
”To be sure it will as it is; but is there no way ofit sink?”
”Oh yes I knoe must bore some holes in the bottom, and then it will fill and sink down of itself”
”Exactly,” replied Ready ”I expected that we should have to do that, and have the big gimlet with me”
Ready bored three or four holes in the bottom of the cask, and as it floated the water ran into it, and by degrees it gradually sank down As soon as the top of the cask was level with the surface they filled in all round with the spade and shovel, and the as co, as soon as breakfast was over, Mr Seagrave observed: ”Now that we have so ht to lay down a plan of operations;ork is to be done: now tell me what you propose shall be our several occupations for the next week, for to-h we have not yet been able to honour the day as we should, I think that noe ht to keep it holy”
”Yes, sir,” replied Ready ”To- upon our endeavours during the six days of the week; and now, as to your proposition, Mr Seagrave, shall we begin first with the lady?”
”You must not consider that you have ladies with you now, Ready,” said Mrs Seagrave, ”at least, not fine ladies My health and strength are recovering fast, and I mean to be very useful I propose to assist Juno in all the do, to look after and teach the children, mend all the clothes, and make all that is required, to the best of my ability If I can do more I will”
”I think we rave,” replied Ready ”Now, sir, the twothe house, are to dig up a piece of ground, and plant our potatoes and seeds; and to make a turtle-pond, so as to catch the turtle and put theht,” replied Mr Seagrave; ”but which ought to be done first?”
”I should say the turtle-pond, as it will be only a few days' work for you, Juno, and William I shall not want your assistance for this next week I shall fix upon some spot, not far frorove, and cut them down so as to clear out a space in which ill, by and by, build our storerooone by, we can remove all our stores from the other side of the island It will occupythe the house, and then we et it up without delay”
”Can you really et it up in time? How soon do you expect the rains will come on?”
”In three or four weeks After next week, I shall probably have the assistance of two of you, if not of all Now I think of it, I must return to the cove”
”What for?”
”Don't you recollect, sir, your theeled carriage, packed up in hed when you saw it, and said it would be of little use now; but the wheels and axle will he very useful, as we can make a wide path to the place when I cut down the trees, and wheel out the logsor carry thereat deal of labour”
”I expect that it will, sir Willia, and be back before breakfast To-day ill fix upon the spots where our garden is to be, our turtle-pond to be made, and the trees to be cut down That shall be our business, Mr Seagrave; and Williahts here”
Mr Seagrave and Ready then walked down to the beach, and, after surveying the reefs for sorave, we do not want too much water for a turtle-pond, as, if it is too deep, there is a difficulty in catching them ant them: ant is a space of water surrounded by a loall of stones, so that the anih they can walk on the shelving sand with their flippers Now the reef here is high out of the water, and the space within the reef and the beach is deep enough, and the rocks on the beach nearly fill up that side and prevent the away by the shore We have, therefore, little more to do than to fill up the two other sides, and then our pond will be co job either, if we can find loose rocks enough,” replied Mr Seagrave
”Almost all those which are on the beach are loose,” replied Ready, ”and there are plenty close to us: soht here by the aid of handspikes and crowbars Suppose we nal for Williarave called and waved his hat, and Juno and Williao back for two handspikes, while Ready explained to Willia stayed with them and assisted them for sorave and Ready proceeded to the point, to fix upon a spot for a garden, leaving William and Juno to continue their labour