As soon as the meal was over, Mr Seagrave and Juno assisted them in
carrying down the canvas and poles for the tent, with shovels to clear
away, and the pegs to fix the tents up properly. Before they started,
William observed, "I think it would be a good thing, if Ready and I were
to take our bedding with us, and then we could fix up one tent this
evening, and sleep there; to-morrow morning we might set up the other,
and get a good deal of work over before we come back."
"You are right, William," replied Ready; "let us see what Juno can give
us to eat, and then we will do as you say, for the sooner we are all
there the better."
As Mr Seagrave was of the same opinion, Juno packed up a piece of salt
pork and some flour-cakes, which, with three or four bottles of water,
they took down to the boat. Ready having thrown in a piece of rope to
moor the boat with, they shoved off and were soon through the reef, and,
after a smart pull, they arrived again at the small harbour.
As soon as they had landed all the things, they made the boat fast by
the rope, and then carried a portion of the canvas and tent-poles up to
the first copse of trees, which were the guavas; they then returned for
the remainder, and after three trips everything was up.
"Now, William, we must see where to pitch the tent; we must not be too
near the cocoa-nut grove, or we shall have too far to go for water."
"Don't you think that the best place will be close to the bananas? the
ground is higher there, and the water is, you know, between the bananas
and the yams."
"Very true, I think it will not be a bad place; let us walk there first,
and reconnoitre the ground."
They walked to where the bananas were now throwing out their beautiful
large green leaves, and decided that they would fix the tents upon the
north side of them.
"So here let it be," said Ready; "and now let us go and fetch all the
things; it is a nice dry spot, and I think will do capitally."
They were soon hard at work, and long before sunset one tent was ready,
and they had put their bedding in it.
"Well, now, I suppose you are a little tired," said Ready; "I'm sure you
ought to be, for you have worked hard to-day."
"I don't feel very tired, Ready, but it's not time to go to bed yet."
"No; and I think we had better take our shovels and dig the pits for the
water, and then we shall know by to-morrow morning whether the water is
good or not."
"Yes, Ready, we can do that before we get our supper."
They walked to where the ground between the bananas and yam patch was
wet and swampy, and dug two large holes about a yard deep and square;
the water trickled in very fast, and they were up to their ankles before
they had finished.
"There'll be no want of water, Ready, if it is only fit to drink."
"I've no fear of that," replied Ready.
They returned to the tent and made their supper off the salt pork and
flour-cakes, and then lay down on the mattresses. They were soon fast
asleep, for they were tired out with the hard work which they had gone
through.
The next morning, at sunrise, they were up again; the first thing they
did was to go and examine the holes they had dug for water; they found
them full and running over, and the water had settled quite clear; they
tasted it, and pronounced it very good.
As soon as they had washed themselves, they went back and made their
breakfast, and then set to work to get up the other tent. They then
cleared all the ground near the tents of brushwood and high grass, and
levelled it nicely with their shovels inside.
"Now, William, we have another job, which is to prepare a fireplace for
Juno: we must go down to the beach for stones."
In another hour the fireplace was completed, and Ready and William
looked at their work.
"Well, I call this a very comfortable lodging-house," said Ready.
"And I am sure," replied William, "it's very pretty. Mamma will be
delighted with it."
"We shall have no want of bananas in a few weeks," said Ready; "look,
they are all in blossom already. Well, now I suppose we had better
leave everything here, and go back. We must have another trip this
afternoon, and sleep here to-night."
They went down to the boat, and sailed back as before; by ten o'clock in
the morning they had regained the house, and then they made arrangements
for their work during the remainder of the day. It was agreed that the
provisions necessary for a day or two, the table and chairs, the cooking
utensils, and a portion of their clothes, should be taken round that
afternoon, that Ready and William should come back early the next
morning, and then they should all set off together through the wood to
the new location. The sheep and lambs (for they had four lambs), the
goats and kids, were to be driven through the wood by Mr Seagrave;
William and Ready and the dogs would be very useful in driving them. As
for the fowls and chickens, it was decided they should be left, as Ready
and William could look after them on their occasional visits.