Masterman Ready; Or, The Wreck of the Pacific

by Frederick Marryat

  CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

  The next day, when Mr Seagrave, William, Juno, and Ready were all atwork at their allotted tasks, Mrs Seagrave was sitting down at thefront of the tent, the little baby, Albert, crawling close to her,Caroline trying to work with her needle, and Tommy was making holes inthe ground, and putting a small stone into each hole.

  "What are you doing, Tommy?" said Mrs Seagrave.

  "I'm making a garden," replied Tommy.

  "Making a garden! Then you ought to plant some trees in it."

  "No; I'm sowing seeds: look here," replied Tommy, pointing to thestones.

  "But these are stones, not seeds."

  "Well, but I pretend, and that's the same thing," replied Tommy.

  "Not exactly, Tommy; suppose, instead of eating those beans yesterday,you had only pretended to eat them, wouldn't it have been better?"

  "I won't eat any more," replied Tommy.

  "No, not of those beans; but if you saw anything else which you thoughtyou would like, I am afraid you would eat it, and be as ill and evenworse than you were."

  "I like cocoa-nuts; why don't we have some? there's plenty upon thetrees."

  "But who is to climb up so high, Tommy? Can you?"

  "No; but why don't Ready climb, or papa, or William?"

  "I suppose they will get some by and by, when they are not so busy, butthey have no time now."

  "I like turtle-soup," replied Tommy.

  "William and Juno are making a pond to put turtle in, and then we shallhave it oftener; but we cannot have everything we like when we wish forit."

  "I like fried fish," said Tommy; "why don't we have fried fish?"

  "Because every one is too busy to catch them just now. Tommy, go andbring your brother Albert back; he has crawled too near to Billy, and hebutts sometimes."

  Tommy went after the baby, who was crawling towards the kid, which hadnow grown pretty large, and as he took up his brother he kicked at thegoat's head.

  "Don't do that, Tommy; he'll butt at you, and hurt you."

  "I don't care," replied Tommy, holding the baby by one hand while hecontinued to kick at Billy. Billy, however, would not stand it; helowered his head, made a butt at Tommy, and he and Albert rolled on theground one over the other. The baby roared, and Tommy began to whimper.Mrs Seagrave ran up to them and caught up the baby; and Tommy,alarmed, caught hold of his mother's dress for protection, lookingbehind him at Billy, who appeared inclined to renew the attack.

  "Why don't you mind what is said to you, Tommy? I told you that hewould butt you," said Mrs Seagrave, pacifying the child.

  "I don't care for him," replied Tommy, who perceived that the goat waswalking away.

  "No, you are very brave now that he has gone; but you're a very naughtyboy not to mind what is said to you."

  "Billy never butts at me, mamma," said Caroline.

  "No, my dear, because you do not tease him; but your brother is veryfond of teasing animals, and so he gets punished and frightened. It isvery wrong of him to do so, especially as he is told by his father andme that he ought not."

  "You said I was a good boy when I learnt my lesson this morning,"replied Tommy.

  "Yes, but you should always be good," replied his mother.

  "I can't be always good," said Tommy; "I want my dinner."

  "It is dinner-time, Tommy, that is certain, but you must wait until theyall come home from their work."

  "There's Ready coming, with a bag on his shoulder," replied Tommy.

  Ready soon came up to where Mrs Seagrave was sitting, and laid down thebag. "I've brought you some young cocoa-nuts, and some old ones also,from the trees that I have been cutting down."

  "Oh! cocoa-nuts--I like cocoa-nuts!" cried Tommy.

  "I told you, Tommy, that we should have some by and by, and they havecome sooner than we thought. You are very warm, Ready."

  "Yes, ma'am," replied Ready, wiping his face; "it is rather warm work,for there is no breeze in the grove to cool one. Is there anything youwant from the other side of the island, for I shall go there directlyafter dinner?"

  "What for?"

  "I must bring the wheels to get the timber out; for I must clear it awayas I go, until the path is finished. I must have William to help me."

  "William will like the trip, I do not doubt. I do not recollectanything in particular that we want, Ready," replied Mrs Seagrave."There he comes with Juno, and I see Mr Seagrave has laid down hisspade; so Caroline, dear, take care of Albert, while I get the dinnerfor them."

  Ready assisted Mrs Seagrave, and the dinner was spread out on theground, for they had not brought the chairs and tables with them totheir new residence, as they thought that they could do without themtill the house was built. William reported that Juno and he would havethe turtle-pond complete by the next day. Mr Seagrave had clearedsufficient ground to plant the half-sack of potatoes that they hadsaved, so that in a day or two they would be able to put all theirstrength upon the cutting and drawing of the timber.

  After dinner, William and Ready set off in the boat, and, before it wasdark, returned with the wheels and axle of the carriage, and severalother articles to make up their load.