Part 21 (2/2)
”No, sir; for you see the cocoa-nut trees are cut down clear of the palisades to such a distance, that no savage could co seen by anyone on the look-out, and giving us sufficient tiain before he could use his spear”
”I believe that you are right there, Ready; but at all events I would not atteht, as thereunderneath the stockade”
”Certainly there in”
Mr Seagrave then went into the house; Ready desired William to lie down and sleep for two or three hours, as he would watch In the rave came out, he would have a little sleep himself
”I can't sleep, Ready I'm mad with thirst,” replied William
”Yes, sir; it's very painful - I feel it myself very much, but what must those poor children feel? I pity them most”
”I pity ony to her to witness their sufferings, and not be able to relieve them”
”Yes, indeed, it s; but perhaps these savages will be off to-et our privations”
”I trust in God that they may, Ready, but they seeold to theold?”
In the one into the house He found the children still crying for water, notwithstanding the coaxing and soothing of Mrs Seagrave, as shedding tears as she hung over poor little Albert Little Caroline only drooped, and said nothing Mr Seagrave re her in pacifying the children, and soothing her to the utmost of his power; at last he went out and found old Ready on the watch
”Ready, I had rather a hundred ties and have to defend this place, than be in that house for even five s of my wife and children”
”I do not doubt it, sir,” replied Ready; ”but cheer up, and let us hope for the best; I think it very probable that the savages after this second defeat will leave the island”
”I wish I could think so, Ready; it would make me very happy; but I have come out to take the watch, Ready Will you not sleep for a while?”
”I will, sir, if you please, take a little sleep Call o to work, and you can get some repose yourself”
”I am too anxious to sleep; I think so, at least”
”William said he was too thirsty to sleep, sir, but, poor fellow, he is now fast enough”
”I trust that boy will be spared, Ready”
”I hope so too; but we are all in the hands of the Alrave took his station on the plank, and was left to his own reflections; that they were not of the ined He prayed earnestly and fervently that they s which threatened them, and became calm and tranquil; prepared for the worst, if the worst was to happen, and confidently placing himself and his family under the care of hiht Ready woke up and relieved Mr Seagrave, who did not return to the house, but lay down on the cocoa-nut boughs, where Ready had been lying by the side of Williaot out the spike-nails and hammer, he su the out in case of the savages approaching, while the other was at work In less than an hour they had gained the top of the tree close to the boughs, and had a very co view of the bay, as well as inland Willia the last dozen spikes, took a survey, and then ca, Ready: they have pulled down the old house altogether, and aredown outside, covered up with their war-cloaks; so to and fro fro on the beach where they first landed”
”They have pulled down the house to obtain the iron nails, I have no doubt,” replied Ready ”Did you see any of their dead?”
”No; I did not look about very ain directly I ca, and the hao up light enough My lips are burning, Ready, and swelled; the skin is peeling off I had no idea that want of water would have been so dreadful I was in hopes of finding a cocoa-nut or two on the tree, but there was not one”
”And if you had found one, it would not have had any milk in it at this season of the year However, Willia ain, and see if they are not stirring”
Williaain mounted to the top of the tree, and remained up for some minutes; when he ca like bees I counted 260 of the men in their war-cloaks and feather head-dresses; the wo to and fro from the ater; there is nobody at the canoes except eight or ten wo of the kind I could not ”
”I knohat they are about, Willia themselves with knives or other sharp instruments It is the custom of these people The dead are all put into the canoes, and these wo away, since the dead are in the canoes but there is no saying”
Chapter LXIV
The second day was passed in keeping a look-out upon the savages, and awaiting a fresh attack They could perceive froes held a council of war in the forenoon, sitting round in a large circle, while one got up in the centre andhis club and spear while he spoke In the afternoon the council broke up, and the savages were observed to be very busy in all directions, cutting down the cocoa-nut trees, and collecting all the brushwood
Ready watched the while, and at last carave,” said he, ”we shall have, in ht, but to-es are cutting down the trees, and et on very fast, because their hatchets are made of stone and don't cut very well, but perseverance and nu, and I dare say that they ork all night till they have obtained as ine to be their object, Ready, in cutting down trees, and ots?”
”Either, sir, to pile thee as to be able to walk up upon them, or else to pile them up to set fire to them, and burn us out”
”Do you think they will succeed?”
”Not without very heavy loss; perhaps we ht; harder than any we have had yet We must have the women to load the muskets, so that we may fire as fast as we can I should not think much of their attempt to burn us, if it were not for the smoke Cocoa-nut wood, especially with the bark on, as our palisades have, will char a long while, but not burn easily when standing upright; and the fire, when the faggots are kindled, although it will be fierce, will not last long”
”But suffering as we are now, Ready, for want of water, how can we possibly keep up our strength tosmoke and flame? we must drop with sheer exhaustion”
”We rave,” replied Ready; ”and recollect that should anything happen tothe conflict, and if there is any chance of your being overpowered, you e of the smoke to escape into the woods, and find your way to the tents I have no doubt that you will be able to do that; of course the attack will be to ard if they use fire, and you must try and escape to leeward; I have shown Williaet possession, will not think of looking for you at first, and, perhaps, when they have obtained all that the house contains, not even afterwards”
”Why do you say if any accident happens to you, Ready?” said Williaots so as to be able to walk to the top of the palisades, I may be wounded or killed, and so may you”
”Of course,” replied Williaht for it”
Ready then told Mr Seagrave that he would keep the watch, and call hi these two days, they had eaten very little; a turtle had been killed, and pieces fried, but eating only added to their thirst, and even the children refused the s were now really dreadful, and poor Mrs Seagrave was alone into the house, Ready called William, and said, ”Williaony of the poor children, and the state of mind which your poor mother is in; and more, without water we never shall be able to beat off the savages to- in the smoke, if they use fire Now, Williao down to the well for water I may succeed, and I may not, but attempt it I must, and if I fall it cannot be helped”
”Why not let o, Ready?” replied William
”For many reasons, William,” said Ready; ”and the chief one is that I do not think you would succeed so well as I shall I shall put on the war-cloak and feathers of the savage who fell dead inside of the stockade, and that will be a disguise, but I shall take no arms except his spear, as they would only be in ht I have to carry Now observe, you must let me out of the door, and when I am out, in case of accident put one of the poles across it inside; that will keep the door fast, if they attack it, until you can secure it with the others Watch my return, and be all ready to let me in Do you understand me?”
”Yes, perfectly, Ready; but I a was to happen to you, what a misery it would be!”
”There is no help for it, William Water must, if possible, be procured, and now is a better time to make the attempt than later, when they may be more on the watch; they have left off their work, and are busy eating; if I meet any one, it will only be a woman”