Part 20 (1/2)
”What for, Ready?”
”To put water in”
”But we are closer to the spring than ere at the other house”
”I know that; but, perhaps, we o out of the stockade, and then we shall ater”
”I understand, Ready; how thoughtful you are!”
”If at e I did not think a little, William, it would be very odd You don't kno anxious I am to see them all inside of this defence”
”But why should we not come in, Ready?”
”Why, sir, as there is still plenty of work, I do not like to press the eted, and think there was danger; but danger there is; I have a kind of forewarning of it I wish you would propose that they should co-bed places are all ready, except the canvas, and I shall nail on new by to-night”
In consequence of this conversation, Williao into the new house, as it was so much more handy to work there and live there at the sarave thought it better that everything should be tidy first
”Why, o yourself andwill ever be in its place unless you are there to put it in”
”Well, Ready,” said Mrs Seagrave, ”since you are against ive it up and if you please ill shi+ft over to-morrow”
”Indeed, ma'am, I think it will be better; this is the last month of fine weather, and we shall have plenty to do”
”Be it so, Ready; you are the best judge; to-morroill take up our quarters in the stockade”
”Thank God!” muttered Ready very softly
The next day was fully e over the bedding and utensils; and that night they slept within the stockade Ready had run up a very neat little outhouse of plank, as a kitchen for Juno, and another as fully employed as follows: the stores were divided; those of least consequence, and the salt provisions, flour, and the garden produce, &c, were put into the old house; the casks of powder and es were also put there for security; but a cask of beef, of pork, and flour, all the iron-work and nails, canvas, &c, were stoay for the present under the new house, which had, when built as a storehouse, been raised four feet froround to make a shelter for the stock This was very spacious, and, of course, quite dry, and contained all they wished to put in Ready also took care, by degrees, to fill the large water-butt full of water, and had fixed into the bottorave,” said Ready on the Saturday, ”we have done a good many hard weeks' work lately, but this is the last of them We are now comfortably settled in our new house: our stores are all under cover, and safe fros a little easier William and I must repair the boat, so that we et on”
”And the bananas and the guavas,” said Tootten all about therave
”Yes, ma am; we have been so busy, that it is no wonder; however, there o round as soon as the boat is able to swi all I can find”
”We must put our seeds and potatoes in before the rainy season, Ready”
”It will be better, sir, if we can find time, as we shall not have et theo ht, sir Co sixtaken a careful survey with the telescope, they came back, fastened the door of the stockade, and went to bed
Chapter LX
Another week passed away, during which Ready repaired the boat, and Williaarden It was also a very busy week at the house, as they had not washed linen for sorave and Juno, and even little Caroline were hard at work, and To for the water as they required it, and watching little Albert Indeed, he was so active, that Mrs Seagrave praised him before his papa, and Tommy was quite proud
On the Monday William and Ready set off in the boat to the little harbour, and found all the stock doing well Many of the bananas and guavas had ripened and withered, but there were enough left to fill the boat half full
”We cannot do better than to leave the stock where it is at present, Williarove for shelter if there is a storh for ten ti up a few yao for the spade”
Having procured the yams, they set off on their return Before they arrived at the bay, the sky clouded over and threatened a storm It did not, however, rain till after they had landed, when a small shower announced the commencement of the rainy season The fruit was very welco since they had tasted any
The following day was beautifully fine, and everything appeared refreshed by the rain which had fallen It was, however, agreed, that Ready and Willia home the tents, and as many yaht as usual, when Ready observed that the wind had chopped round to the eastward
”That will be bad for us to-morrow, Ready,” replied William ”We may sail to the harbour, but we shall have to pull back with the loaded boat”
”I trust it will be no worse than that, at all events,” replied Ready; ”but we ht, so you need not ithout you like”
”I can't help waking,” replied William, ”and I shall, therefore, be up with you”
”Very well, I a, just before the day dawned, Ready and William unfastened the door of the stockade, and went down to the beach The as still to the eastward, and blowing rather fresh, and the sky was cloudy As the sun rose, Ready, as usual, had his telescope with hi to the eastward As he kept the spy-glass to his eye for so, Ready, that you look so long in that direction?”
”Either my old eyes deceive me, or I fear that I do,” replied Ready; ”but a few minutes more will decide”
There was a bank of clouds on the horizon to the eastward, but as soon as the sun had risen above them, Ready, who had the telescope fixed in the saht that those dark patches I saw there were brown grass sails”
”Sails of what, Ready?” said William, hastily
”Of the Indian canoes; I knew that they would colass and look yourself; ”
”Yes, I have thelass At last he said: ”Why, there are twenty or thirty of them, Ready, at least”