Part 14 (2/2)
”Yes, sir, they do; they fry it with pepper and salt; they call it bringal I think it ht,” replied Mr Seagrave ”Why, Williarape-vine”
”Yes, and it is so; it is the wild grape; we shall eat them by and bye”
”I have only one more, papa: what is this?”
”You don't know it, because it has sprung up so high, Willialand, and is sold as mustard and cress I think you have now made a famous day's work of it; and we have much to thank God for”
As soon as they had returned to the house, a consultation was held as to their future proceedings; and, after soreed that it would be advisable that they should take the boat out of the sand; and, as soon as it was ready, examine the reef on the southward, to see if they could find a passage through it, as it would take a long while to go round it; and, as soon as that was accoo through the wood, carrying with theround: and that they should set up a flag-staff at the little harbour, to point out its position Of course, that would be a hard day's work; but that they would, nevertheless, return the sarave alone with the children Having accomplished this, Ready and William would then put the wheels and axle in the boat, and other articles required, such as saw, hatchets, and spades, and row round to the south side of the island, to find the little harbour As soon as they had landed them, and secured the boat, they would then return by the path through the wood
The next job would be to rail in the yas, and, at the sah the wood, that they round Ready and William were then to cut down cocoa-nut trees sufficient for the paling, fix up the posts, and when that was done, Mr Seagrave was to co the timber This they expected would be all done in about a rave and Juno would be, for the greatest part of it, left at the house, they were to e preparation for fencing it in
As soon as this important work had been completed, the boat would return to the bay with a load of prickly pears for the garden fence, and then they were to direct their attention to the stores which had been saved fro in the cove where they had first landed When they had exaht round ere required, and secured theular survey of the island by land and by water But man proposes and God disposes, as will be shown by the interruption of their intended projects which we shall have to narrate in the ensuing chapter
Chapter XLIII
As usual, Ready was the first up on the following reeted Juno, who followed him out of the house, he set off on his accustomed rounds, to examine into the stock and their other possessions He was standing in the garden at the point First he thought that it would be necessary to get ready soht inches out of the ground; he had proceeded a little farther, to where the calivances, or French haricot beans, had been sown, and had decided upon the propriety of hoeing up the earth round them, as they were a very valuable article of food, that would keep, and afford one on to ascertain if the cucuround, and was pleased to find that they were doing well He said to hiar, that I know of, but we can preserve thee, at all events;” and then he raised his eyes and looked out to the offing, and, as usual, scanned the horizon He thought he saw a shi+p to the north-east, and he applied his telescope to his eye He was not mistaken - it was a vessel
The old man's heart beat quick; he dropped his telescope on his arm, and fetched some heavy breaths before he could recover froain put his telescope to his eye, and then allant sails, steering directly for the island
Ready walked to the rocky point, from which they fished, and sat down to reflect Could it be that the vessel had been sent after the the islands? He decided after a short time that it must be chance, for none could know that they were saved,towards the islandelse; perhaps she would alter her course and pass by theht the old man, ”we are in the hands of God, ill, at his own time and in his oay, do with us as he thinks fit I will not at present say anything to Mr and Mrs Seagrave It would be cruel to raise hopes which ht end in disappointment A few hours will decide And yet I cannot do without help - I must trust William”
Ready rose, examined the vessel with his telescope, and then walked towards the house Willia
”William,” said Ready to him, as they walked away from the house, ”I have a secret to tell you, which you will at once see the necessity of not telling to anyone at present A few hours will decide the question” Williaave his promise ”There is a vessel off the island; sheus, or sheus It would be too cruel a disappointment to your father and mother, if the latter were the case”
William stared at Ready, and for a reat
”Oh, Ready, how grateful I am! I trust that we may he taken away, for you have no idea how my poor father suffers in silence - and so does my mother”
”I know it, William, I know it, and it is natural; they do their best to control their yearnings, and they can do no more But noe must be quick, and at work before breakfast But stop, I will show you the vessel”
Ready caught the vessel in the field of the telescope, which he leant against the trunk of a cocoa-nut, and Willialass
”Do you see her?”
”Oh yes, Ready, and she is coht for the island I will put the telescope down here, and ill go about our work”
William and Ready went to the storehouse for the axe Ready selected a very slight cocoa-nut tree nearest to the beach, which he cut down, and as soon as the top was taken off with the assistance of Williao for a shovel and dig a hole here, that we o for a ss as soon as the vessel is likely to see theet the boat out of the sand and exarave sos, Ready; they are round et them?”
”Suppose I say that it is time that the house should be well cleaned, and that the canvas hangings of the beds should he taken out to be aired this fine day Ask your father to take the direction of the hile we dig out the boat; that will employ them all inside the house”
”Yes, that will do, Ready”
During breakfast-tiet the boat out of the sand, and that William should assist hirave
”Why, sir, I think, now that the rains are over, it would not be a bad thing if ere to air bedding, as they say at sea; it is a fine, war was taken out of the house and well shaken, and then left out to air, it would be a very good job over; for you see, sir, I have thought more than once that the house does s, Ready,” observed Mrs Seagrave; ”and, at the sa and sweeping”
”Had we not better have the canvas screens down, and air them too?”
”Yes,” replied Ready; ”we had better air everything We will assist in taking down the screens and flags, and spread therave has no objection, ill leave him to superintend and assist Madarave ”We have done breakfast, and will begin as soon as you please”
Ready and Willias, and went out of the cottage with them; they spread out the canvas at some distance from the house, and then Willias, while Ready procured the block and se perceived by those in the cottage, the flag-staff was raised, and fixed in the ground, and the flags all ready for hoisting; then Ready and William returned to the fuel-stack, and each carried down as ht make a smoke to attract the notice of those on board of the vessel All this did not occupycontinued her course steadily towards the island When Ready first saw her the as light, but latterly the breeze had increased very allant sails The horizon behind the vessel, which had been quite clear, was now banked up with clouds, and the waves curled in white foa fro, Williahtened at the reefs, which she can see plainer now the water is rough, than she could before”
”I trust she will not be afraid,” replied William ”How far do you think she is off now?”
”About five miles; not more The wind has hauled roundup fast, I see I fear that we shall have another s Cos; we s will blow nice and clear for then first, and below it the flag, with the shi+p's nae letters upon it ”Now then,” said Ready, as he ht and make a smoke; that will attract their notice”
As soon as the cocoa-nut leaves were lighted, Ready and William threater upon them, so as to damp them and procure a heavy column of s her in silent suspense, when they perceived Mr and Mrs Seagrave, Juno carrying Albert, with To down as fast as they could to the beach The fact was, that Toone out of the house and walked towards the beach; there he perceived, first, the flags hoisted, and then he detected the vessel off the island He i out, ”Papa! Ma shi+p” At this announcerave ran out of the house, perceived the vessel and the flags flying, and ran as fast as they could down to where Willia-staff
”Oh! Ready, why did you not tell us this before?” exclairave
”I wish you had not known it now, sir,” replied Ready; ”but, however, it can't be helped; it was done out of kindness, Mr Seagrave”
”Yes, indeed it was, papa”
Mrs Seagrave dropped down on the rock, and burst into tears Mr Seagrave was equally excited
”Does she see us, Ready?” exclaimed he at last
”No, sir, not yet, and I waited till she did, before Iher course, Ready,” said William
”Yes, sir, she has hauled to the wind; she is afraid of co too near to the reefs”