Masterman Ready; Or, The Wreck of the Pacific

by Frederick Marryat

  CHAPTER SIXTY FOUR.

  The second day was passed in keeping a look-out upon the savages, andawaiting a fresh attack. They could perceive from the top of thecocoa-nut tree that the savages held a council of war in the forenoon,sitting round in a large circle, while one got up in the centre and madea speech, flourishing his club and spear while he spoke. In theafternoon the council broke up, and the savages were observed to be verybusy in all directions, cutting down the cocoa-nut trees, and collectingall the brushwood.

  Ready watched them for a long while, and at last came down a littlebefore sunset. "Mr Seagrave," said he, "we shall have, in my opinion,no attack this night, but to-morrow we must expect something veryserious; the savages are cutting down the trees, and making largefaggots; they do not get on very fast, because their hatchets are madeof stone and don't cut very well, but perseverance and numbers willeffect everything, and I dare say that they will work all night tillthey have obtained as many faggots as they want."

  "But what do you imagine to be their object, Ready, in cutting downtrees, and making the faggots?"

  "Either, sir, to pile them up outside the palisades, so large as to beable 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 may best them off, but it willbe a hard fight; harder than any we have had yet. We must have thewomen to load the muskets, so that we may fire as fast as we can. Ishould not think much of their attempt to burn us, if it were not forthe smoke. Cocoa-nut wood, especially with the bark on, as ourpalisades have, will char a long while, but not burn easily whenstanding upright; and the fire, when the faggots are kindled, althoughit will be fierce, will not last long."

  "But suffering as we are now, Ready, for want of water, how can wepossibly keep up our strength to meet them in a suffocating smoke andflame? we must drop with sheer exhaustion."

  "We must hope for the best, and do our best, Mr Seagrave," repliedReady; "and recollect that should anything happen to me during theconflict, and if there is any chance of your being overpowered, you musttake advantage of the smoke to escape into the woods, and find your wayto the tents. I have no doubt that you will be able to do that; ofcourse the attack will be to windward if they use fire, and you must tryand escape to leeward; I have shown William how to force a palisade ifnecessary. The savages, if they get possession, will not think oflooking for you at first, and, perhaps, when they have obtained all thatthe house contains, not even afterwards."

  "Why do you say if any accident happens to you, Ready?" said William.

  "Because, William, if they place the faggots so as to be able to walk tothe top of the palisades, I may be wounded or killed, and so may you."

  "Of course," replied William; "but they are not in yet, and they shallhave a hard fight for it."

  Ready then told Mr Seagrave that he would keep the watch, and call himat twelve o'clock. During these two days, they had eaten very little; aturtle had been killed, and pieces fried, but eating only added to theirthirst, and even the children refused the meat. The sufferings were nowreally dreadful, and poor Mrs Seagrave was almost frantic.

  As soon as Mr Seagrave had gone into the house, Ready called William,and said, "William, water we must have. I cannot bear to see the agonyof the poor children, and the state of mind which your poor mother isin; and more, without water we never shall be able to beat off thesavages to-morrow. We shall literally die of choking in the smoke, ifthey use fire. Now, William, I intend to take one of the seven-gallonbarricos, and go down to the well for water. I may succeed, and I maynot, but attempt it I must, and if I fall it cannot be helped."

  "Why not let me go, Ready?" replied William.

  "For many reasons, William," said Ready; "and the chief one is that I donot think you would succeed so well as I shall. I shall put on thewar-cloak and feathers of the savage who fell dead inside of thestockade, and that will be a disguise, but I shall take no arms excepthis spear, as they would only be in my way, and increase the weight Ihave to carry. Now observe, you must let me out of the door, and when Iam out, in case of accident put one of the poles across it inside; thatwill keep the door fast, if they attack it, until you can secure it withthe others. Watch my return, and be all ready to let me in. Do youunderstand me?"

  "Yes, perfectly, Ready; but I am now, I must confess, really frightened;if anything was to happen to you, what a misery it would be!"

  "There is no help for it, William. Water must, if possible, beprocured, and now is a better time to make the attempt than later, whenthey may be more on the watch; they have left off their work, and arebusy eating; if I meet any one, it will only be a woman."

  Ready went for the barrico, a little cask, which held six or sevengallons of water. He put on the head-dress and war-cloak of the savage;and, taking the barrico on his shoulder, and the spear in his hand, thepoles which barred the door were softly removed by William, and afterascertaining that no one was concealed beneath the palisades, Readypressed William's hand, and set off across the cleared space outside ofthe stockade, and gained the cocoa-nut trees. William, as directed,closed the door, passed one pole through the inner door-posts forsecurity, and remained on the watch. He was in an awful state ofsuspense, listening to the slightest noise, even the slight rustling bythe wind of the cocoa-nut boughs above him made him start; there hecontinued for some minutes, his gun ready cocked by his side.

  It is time that he returned, thought William; the distance is not 100yards, and yet I have heard no noise. At last he thought he heardfootsteps coming very softly. Yes, it was so. Ready was returning, andwithout any accident. William had his hand upon the pole, to slip it onone side and open the door, when he heard a scuffle and a fall close tothe door. He immediately threw down the pole, and opened it just asReady called him by name. William seized his musket and sprang out; hefound Ready struggling with a savage, who was uppermost, and with hisspear at Ready's breast. In a second William levelled and fired, andthe savage fell dead.

  "Take the water in quick, William," said Ready in a faint voice. "Iwill contrive to crawl in if I can."

  William caught up the barrico of water, and took it in; he then hastenedto Ready, who was on his knees. Mr Seagrave, hearing the musket fired,had run out, and finding the stockade door open, followed William, andseeing him endeavouring to support Ready, caught hold of his other arm,and they led him tottering into the stockade; the door was thenimmediately secured, and they went to his assistance.

  "Are you hurt, Ready?" said William.

  "Yes, dear boy, yes; hurt to death, I fear: his spear went through mybreast. Water, quick, water!"

  "Alas! that we had some," said Mr Seagrave.

  "We have, papa," replied William; "but it has cost us dearly."

  William ran for a pannikin, and taking out the bung, poured some waterout of the barrico and gave it to Ready, who drank it with eagerness.

  "Now, William, lay me down on these cocoa-nut boughs; go and give somewater to the others, and when you have all drunk, then come to me again.Don't tell Mrs Seagrave that I'm hurt. Do as I beg of you."

  "Papa, take the water--do pray," replied William; "I cannot leaveReady."

  "I will, my boy," replied Mr Seagrave; "but first drink yourself."

  William, who was very faint, drank off the pannikin of water, whichimmediately revived him, and then, while Mr Seagrave hastened with somewater to the children and women, occupied himself with old Ready, whobreathed heavily, but did not speak.