Ready arrived at the cove, and proceeded to the tents, where he found
the whole party listening to William, who was detailing what had been
done. The arrangements for the next day were made as soon as Ready
joined them. They then separated for the night, but Ready and William
remained until it was dark, to catch the fowls and tie their legs, ready
for their being put in the boat the next morning. At daylight all were
summoned to dress themselves as soon as possible, as Ready wanted to
take down the tent in which Mrs Seagrave and the children had slept.
For, with the exception of Tommy, the others had slept upon some canvas,
which they had spread out under the cocoa-nut trees. As soon as Mrs
Seagrave was dressed, the tent was taken down, and, with all the
bedding, put into the boat. Then, when they had breakfasted, the
plates, knives and forks, and some other necessaries, were also put in;
Ready laid the fowls on the top of all, and set off by himself for their
new location.
After he was gone, the rest of the party prepared for their journey
through the cocoa-nut grove. William led the way, with the three dogs
close to his heels, Mr Seagrave with the baby in his arms, Juno with
little Caroline, and Mrs Seagrave with Master Tommy holding her hand.
They cast a last look round at the cove, and the fragments of the wreck
and cargo, strewed about in every direction, and then turned into the
wood. Ready arrived at the point, and was again on shore in less than
two hours after he had set off. As soon as the boat was safe in, he did
not wait to land his cargo, but going up to the turtle which he had
turned the day before, he killed it, and cleaned it on the beach. He
then went to where they had built up the fireplace with stones, made a
fire, filled the iron saucepan full of water, and set it on to boil; he
then cut up a portion of the turtle, and put it into the pot, with some
slices of salt pork, covered it up, and left it to boil; and having hung
up the rest of the turtle in the shade, he went back to the beach to
unload the boat. He released the poor fowls, and they were soon busy
seeking for food.
It was two or three hours before he had carried everything up, for it
was a good distance, and some of the articles were heavy, and the old
man was not sorry when he had finished his task, and could sit down to
rest himself.
"It's almost time they arrived," thought Ready; "they must have started
nearly four hours ago." Ready remained a quarter of an hour more
watching the fire, and occasionally skimming the top of the pot, when
the three dogs came bounding towards him.
"Well, they are not far off now," observed Old Ready.
In six or seven minutes afterwards the party made their appearance, very
hot and very fatigued. It appeared that poor little Caroline had been
tired out, and Juno had to carry her; then Mrs Seagrave complained of
fatigue, and they had to rest a quarter of an hour; then Tommy, who
refused to remain with his mamma, and had been running backwards and
forwards from one to the other, had declared that he was tired, and that
someone must carry him; but there was no one to carry him, so he began
to cry until they stopped for another quarter of an hour till he was
rested; then as soon as they went on again he again complained of being
tired. William then carried him pickaback for some time, and in so
doing he missed the blaze-cut on the trees, and it was a long while
before he could find it again; then baby became hungry, and he cried,
and little Caroline was frightened at being so long in the wood, and she
cried. But finally they got on better, and arrived at last so warm and
exhausted, that Mrs Seagrave went into the tent with the children to
repose a little, before she could even look at the place which was to be
their future residence.
"I think," said Mr Seagrave, "that this little journey of to-day has
been a pretty good proof of how helpless we should have been without
you, Ready."
"I am glad that you are here, sir," replied Ready, "it is a weight off
my mind; now you will get on better. I think that after a while you may
live very comfortably here; but still we have much to do. As soon as
Madam has rested, we will have our dinner and then fix up our own tent,
which will be quite enough after such a hard day's work."
"Do you go back to the cove to-morrow, Ready?"
"Yes, sir, we want our stores here; it will take about three trips to
empty our storehouses; and as to the other things, we can examine them
and bring them down at our leisure. As soon as I have made those three
trips in the boat, we can then work here altogether."
"But I can do something in the meantime."
"Oh yes, there is plenty for you to do."
Mr Seagrave went into the tent, and found his wife much refreshed; but
the children had all fallen fast asleep on the beds. They waited
another half-hour, and then woke Tommy and Caroline, that they might all
sit down to dinner.
"Dear me," exclaimed William, as Ready took the cover off the saucepan,
"what is it that you have so good there?"
"It's a treat I have prepared for you all," replied Ready. "I know that
you are tired of salt meat, so now you are going to feed like aldermen."
"Why, what is it, Ready?" said Mrs Seagrave; "it smells very good."
"It is turtle-soup, ma'am; and I hope you will like it; for, if you do,
you may often have it, now that you are on this side of the island."
"Indeed, it really is excellent; but it wants a little salt. Have you
any salt, Juno?"
"Got a little, ma'am. Very little left," replied Juno.
"What shall we do when all our salt is gone?" said Mrs Seagrave.
"Juno must get some more," replied Ready.
"How I get salt?--hab none left," replied Juno, looking at Ready.
"There's plenty out there, Juno," said Mr Seagrave, pointing to the
sea.
"I don't know where," said Juno, looking in that direction.
"What do you mean, my dear?" inquired Mrs Seagrave.
"I only mean if we want salt we can have as much as we please by boiling
down salt-water in the kettle, or else making a salt-pan in the rocks,
and obtaining it by the sun drying up the water and leaving the salt.
Salt is always procured in that way, either by evaporation, or boiling."
"I'll soon arrange that for you, ma'am," said Ready, "and show Juno how
to get it when she wants it."
"I am very glad to hear you say so; for I should feel the want of salt
very much," replied Mrs Seagrave, "I really never enjoyed a dinner so
much as I have to-day."
The soup was pronounced excellent by everybody. As soon as they had
finished, Mrs Seagrave remained with the children; and Ready and Mr
Seagrave, assisted by Juno and William, got the second tent up, and
everything ready for the night. They then all assembled, and returned
thanks to God for their having gained their new abode; and, tired out
with the fatigue of the day, were soon fast asleep.