Masterman Ready; Or, The Wreck of the Pacific

by Frederick Marryat

  CHAPTER FIFTY TWO.

  The next morning Tommy's face presented a very woeful appearance. Hischeek and lips were swelled and black, and the loss of his two frontteeth made him look much worse.

  Tommy looked very glum when he came to breakfast. There was the pig'sfry for breakfast, and the smell of it had been very inviting to Tommy;but when his father scolded him, and told him that he was not to haveone bit of the pig, he began to cry and roar so loud, that he was sentaway from the tents till he had left off.

  After breakfast, Ready proposed that he and William should take theboat, and begin their labour of carrying the articles round from thecove to the bay where the house was, pointing out that there was not aday to be lost. Juno had, at his request, already baked a large pieceof the pig for them to take with them, and boiled a piece of salt pork,so that they were all ready to start.

  "But, Ready," said Mrs Seagrave, "how long do you intend to remainabsent with William?"

  "Why, madam, this is Wednesday; of course we shall be back on Saturdaynight."

  "My dear William, I cannot bear the idea of your being absent so long,and as you will be on the water every day, I shall be in a continualfright until I see you again."

  "Well, mamma, I suppose I must write by the penny post, to let you knowhow I am."

  "Don't laugh at me, William. I do wish there was a penny post, and thatyou could write every day."

  Ready and William made every preparation for a continued absence. Theytook their blankets with them, and a small pot for cooking, and when allwas prepared they bade Mr and Mrs Seagrave farewell. They were now topull to the bay, and leave their luggage, and then go round to the cove.As they shoved off, William took the dog Remus into the boat.

  "Why do you take the dog, William? he will be of use here in keeping thepigs away, but of no use to us."

  "Yes, he will, Ready; I must take him; for I have an idea come into myhead, so let me have my own way."

  "Well, William, you can always have your own way, as far as I'mconcerned; if you wish to take the dog, there is an end of the matter."

  They hoisted the sail, and as the breeze was fresh, were round to thebay in a very short time. They took their provisions and stores up tothe house, and made fast the door, called the fowls, and gave them somedamaged rice which Ready had brought from the cove, and found, to theirgreat delight, that they had now upwards of forty chickens; some,indeed, quite grown, and large enough to kill.

  They then got into the boat again, and pulled away for the cove; thewind was fresh, and against them, so they had a long pull; but, as Readyobserved, it was much better that it should be so, as, when the boat wasloaded, they could very quickly sail back again to the bay.

  As soon as they arrived at the cove, they lost no time in loading theboat; the nails, and iron work of every description, with the twine andtools, composed the major part of the first cargo; and calling Remus,who was lying on the sandy beach, they shoved off, hoisted their sail,and in an hour had regained the bay, and passed through the reef.

  "I am glad that this cargo has arrived safe, William, for it is veryvaluable to us. Now we will take them all up, and that will besufficient for to-day; to-morrow, if we can, we will make two trips."

  "We can, if we start early," replied William; "but now let us have ourdinner, and carry the remainder of the things up afterwards."

  As they were eating their dinner, and William was giving the bones tothe dog, Ready said, "Pray, William, what was the idea in your headwhich made you bring Remus with you?"

  "I will tell you, Ready; I mean him to carry a letter to mamma; you knowthat he always goes back when he is ordered, and now I wish to see if hewill not go back to the tents, if he is told. I have brought a piece ofpaper and pencil with me."

  William then wrote on the paper:

  "Dear Mamma:--We are quite well, and just returned with the first cargoquite safe. Your affectionate son, WILLIAM."

  William tied the paper round the dog's neck with a piece of twine, andthen calling him out of the house, said to him, "Remus, go back, sir--goback, sir;" the dog looked wistfully at William, as if not sure of whathe was to do, but William took up a stone, and pretended to throw it atthe dog, who ran away a little distance, and then stopped.

  "_Go back_, Remus--_go back_, sir." William again pretended to throwthe stone, repeating the order, and then the dog set off as fast as hislegs could carry him through the cocoa-nut grove.

  "He is gone at all events," said William; "I think he will go home."

  "We shall see, sir," replied Ready; "and now that we have finished ourdinner, we will bring up the things, and put them in the storehouse."