The next day, when Mr Seagrave, William, Juno, and Ready were all at
work at their allotted tasks, Mrs Seagrave was sitting down at the
front of the tent, the little baby, Albert, crawling close to her,
Caroline trying to work with her needle, and Tommy was making holes in
the 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 the
stones.
"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 thought
you would like, I am afraid you would eat it, and be as ill and even
worse than you were."
"I like cocoa-nuts; why don't we have some? there's plenty upon the
trees."
"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, but
they have no time now."
"I like turtle-soup," replied Tommy.
"William and Juno are making a pond to put turtle in, and then we shall
have it oftener; but we cannot have everything we like when we wish for
it."
"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 and
bring your brother Albert back; he has crawled too near to Billy, and he
butts sometimes."
Tommy went after the baby, who was crawling towards the kid, which had
now grown pretty large, and as he took up his brother he kicked at the
goat'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 he
continued to kick at Billy. Billy, however, would not stand it; he
lowered his head, made a butt at Tommy, and he and Albert rolled on the
ground 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, looking
behind 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 he
would butt you," said Mrs Seagrave, pacifying the child.
"I don't care for him," replied Tommy, who perceived that the goat was
walking away.
"No, you are very brave now that he has gone; but you're a very naughty
boy 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 very
fond of teasing animals, and so he gets punished and frightened. It is
very wrong of him to do so, especially as he is told by his father and
me 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 they
all 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 the
bag. "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 have
come 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 you
want from the other side of the island, for I shall go there directly
after dinner?"
"What for?"
"I must bring the wheels to get the timber out; for I must clear it away
as 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 recollect
anything in particular that we want, Ready," replied Mrs Seagrave.
"There he comes with Juno, and I see Mr Seagrave has laid down his
spade; so Caroline, dear, take care of Albert, while I get the dinner
for them."
Ready assisted Mrs Seagrave, and the dinner was spread out on the
ground, for they had not brought the chairs and tables with them to
their new residence, as they thought that they could do without them
till the house was built. William reported that Juno and he would have
the turtle-pond complete by the next day. Mr Seagrave had cleared
sufficient ground to plant the half-sack of potatoes that they had
saved, so that in a day or two they would be able to put all their
strength upon the cutting and drawing of the timber.
After dinner, William and Ready set off in the boat, and, before it was
dark, returned with the wheels and axle of the carriage, and several
other articles to make up their load.