Masterman Ready; Or, The Wreck of the Pacific

by Frederick Marryat

  CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

  The bleating of the kids woke them the next morning earlier than usual.The weather was again fine, and the sun shining brightly, and Readyturned out Nanny and her progeny. They had an excellent breakfast offried fish, and then Mr Seagrave, Ready, and William went out to theirwork: the two first took down the tents, and spread the canvas on theground, that it might be well dried, while William went in pursuit ofthe fowls, which had not been seen for a day or two. Afterhalf-an-hour's search in the cocoa-nut grove, he heard the cock crow,and soon afterwards found them all. He threw them some split peas,which he had brought with him. They were hungry enough and followed himhome to the house, where he left them and went to join Ready and hisfather.

  "William," said Ready, "I think, now that we have spread out the tents,we will, if Mr Seagrave approves, all set to at once and knock up afowl-house; it won't be more than a day's job, and then the creatureswill have a home. There are four very thick cocoa-nut trees close tothe house; we will build it under them; it will be a good job over."Mr Seagrave assented, and they set immediately to work. There weremany thin poles left, the tops of the cocoa-nut trees which had been cutdown to build the house; these they nailed to the trunks of the fourtrees, so as to make a square, and then they ran up rafters for apitched roof.

  "Now, sir, this is only rough work; we will first put up a perch or twofor them, and then close in the side, and thatch the roof with cocoa-nutbranches; but there's Juno taking in the dinner, so we'll finish itafterwards."

  After their meal the work was renewed; Mr Seagrave collected thebranches while William and Ready worked upon the sides and roof, andbefore the evening closed in, the fowl-house was complete. Williamenticed the fowls down to it with some more split peas, and then walkedaway.

  "Now, sir, the creatures will soon find their way in; and by and by,when I have time, I'll make a door to the entrance."

  "And now," said William, "I think we had better roll up the canvas ofthe tents; we have had a splendid day, and may not be so fortunateto-morrow."

  "Very true; we will get them housed, and stow them away under thebed-places; there is plenty of room." By the time that they had foldedup the canvas, and William had brought in Nanny and the kids, the sunhad set, and they went into the house. Ready was requested to go onwith his history, which he did as follows:--

  "I said last night that I determined to run away from school and go tosea, but I did not tell you how I managed it. I had no chance ofgetting out of the school unperceived, except after the boys were allput to bed. The room that I slept in was at the top of the house--thedoors I knew were all locked; but there was a trap-door which led out onthe roof, fastened by a bolt inside, and a ladder leading up to it; andI determined that I would make my escape by that way. As soon as allthe other boys were fast asleep, I arose and dressed myself veryquietly, and then left the room.

  "The moon shone bright, which was lucky for me, and I gained thetrap-door without any noise. I had some difficulty in forcing it up, asit was heavy for a boy of my age; but I contrived to do so at last, andgained the roof of the house. I then began looking about me, to see howI was to get to the ground, and after walking to and fro several times,I decided that I could slip down by a large water-pipe; it was so fardetached from the bricks, that I could get my small fingers round it. Iclimbed over the parapet, and, clinging to the pipe firmly with my handsand knees, I slid down, and arrived at the bottom in safety."

  "It's a wonder you did not break your neck, Ready," observed MrsSeagrave.

  "It was, indeed, ma'am. As soon as I was landed in the flowerbed, whichwas below, I hastened to the iron gates at the entrance, and soonclimbed up and got to the other side into the road. I started as fastas I could towards the port, and when I arrived at the wharf, Iperceived that a vessel had her topsails loose, and meant to takeadvantage of the ebb-tide which had just made; the men were singing `Yoheave yo,' getting the anchor up; and as I stood watching, almost makingup my mind that I would swim off to her, I perceived that a man pushedoff in her jolly-boat, and was sculling to a post a little higher up,where a hawser had been made fast; I ran round, and arrived there beforehe had cast off the rope; without saying a word, I jumped into the boat.

  "`What do you want, youngster?' said the seaman.

  "`I want to go to sea,' said I, breathless; `take me on board--pray do.'

  "`Well,' said he, `I heard the captain say he wanted an apprentice, andso you may come.'

  "He sculled the boat back again to the vessel, and I climbed up herside.

  "`Who are you?' said the captain.

  "I told him that I wanted to go to sea.

  "`You are too little and too young.'

  "`No, I am not,' replied I.

  "`Why, do you think that you dare go aloft?'

  "`I'll show you,' replied I; and I ran up the rigging like a cat, andwent out at the topgallant yard-arm.

  "When I came down, the captain said, `Well, I think you'll make a sharpseaman by and by; so I'll take you, and, as soon as I get to London,I'll bind you apprentice.'

  "The ship, which was a collier, was soon out of port, and before the dayhad dawned I found myself on the wide ocean, which was hereafter to bemy home.

  "As soon as the hurry and confusion were over, I was examined by thecaptain, who appeared to me to be a very rough, harsh man; indeed,before the day was over I almost repented of the step which I had taken,and when I sat down cold and wet upon some old sail at night, thethoughts of my mother, and what distress I should occasion her, for thefirst time rushed into my mind, and I wept bitterly; but it was too latethen. I have often thought, Mr Seagrave, that the life of hardshipwhich I have since gone through has been a judgment on me for my crueltyto my mother, in leaving her the way I did. It broke her heart; a poorreturn, William, for all her care and kindness! God forgive me!"

  Old Ready left off for some little time, and the remainder of the partykept silence. Then he said--"I'll leave off now, if you please: I don'tfeel inclined to go on; my heart is full when I recall that foolish andwicked deed of mine."