Masterman Ready [103]
valuable to us. Now we will take them all up, and that will be sufficient 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 our dinner, and carry the remainder of the things up afterwards."
As they were eating their dinner, and William was giving the bones to the dog, Ready said, "Pray, William, what was the idea in your head which made you bring Remus with you?"
"I will tell you, Ready; I mean him to carry a letter to mamma; you know that he always goes back when he is ordered, and now I wish to see if he will not go back to the tents, if he is told. I have brought a piece of paper and pencil with me."
William then wrote on the paper,
"Dear Mamma:--We are quite well, and just returned with the first cargo quite safe. Your affectionate son, WILLIAM."
William tied the paper round the dog's neck with a piece of twine, and then calling him out of the house, said to him, "Remus, go back, sir - go back, sir;" the dog looked wistfully at William, as if not sure of what he was to do, but William took up a stone, and pretended to throw it at the dog, who ran away a little distance, and then stopped.
"Go back, Remus - go back, sir." William again pretended to throw the stone, repeating the order, and then the dog set off as fast as his legs 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 our dinner, we will bring up the things, and put them in the storehouse."
Chapter LIII
As soon as they had carried up the whole of the cargo, they secured the boat, and went up to the house to sleep. Just as they went in, Remus came bounding up to them with a letter round his neck.
"Here's the dog, William," said Ready; "he won't go home after all."
"How provoking! I made sure he would go back; I really am disappointed. We will give him nothing to eat, and then he will; but, dear me, Ready! this is not the paper I tied round his neck. I think not. Let me see." William took the paper, opened it, and read--
"Dear William:--Your letter arrived safe, and we are glad you are well. Write every day, and God bless you; it was very clever of you and Remus. Your affectionate mother, SELINA SEAGRAVE."
"Well, it is clever," said Ready; "I'm sure I had no idea he had gone; and his coming back again, too, when he was ordered."
"Dear Remus, good dog," said William, caressing it: "now I'll give you a good supper, for you deserve it."
"So he does, sir. Well, you've established a post on the island, which is a great improvement. Seriously, William, it may prove very useful."
"At all events it will be a great comfort to my mother."
"Yes, especially as we shall be obliged all three to be here when we fit up the storehouse, and make the proposed alterations. Now I think we had better go to bed, for we must be up with the lark to-morrow."
"Here I suppose we ought to say, up with the parrots; for they are the only land birds on the island."
"You forget the pigeons; I saw one of them in the wood the other day. Good night!"
The next morning, they were off before breakfast. The boat was soon loaded, and they returned under sail. They then breakfasted, and having left the things they had brought on the beach, that they might lose no time, they set off again, and returned with another cargo two hours before dusk; this they landed, and then secured the boat. As soon as they were in the house, William wrote on a piece of paper:--
"Dear Mamma:-- We have brought round two cargoes to-day. All well, and very tired. Yours, WILLIAM."
Remus did not require any teaching this time. William patted him, and said, "Good dog. Now, Remus, go back - go home, sir;" and the dog wagged his tail, and set off immediately.
Before they were in bed, the dog returned with the answer.
"How fast he must run, Ready! he has not been away more than two hours."
"No. So, now, Remus, you shall have plenty of supper, and
"We can, if we start early," replied William; "but now let us have our dinner, and carry the remainder of the things up afterwards."
As they were eating their dinner, and William was giving the bones to the dog, Ready said, "Pray, William, what was the idea in your head which made you bring Remus with you?"
"I will tell you, Ready; I mean him to carry a letter to mamma; you know that he always goes back when he is ordered, and now I wish to see if he will not go back to the tents, if he is told. I have brought a piece of paper and pencil with me."
William then wrote on the paper,
"Dear Mamma:--We are quite well, and just returned with the first cargo quite safe. Your affectionate son, WILLIAM."
William tied the paper round the dog's neck with a piece of twine, and then calling him out of the house, said to him, "Remus, go back, sir - go back, sir;" the dog looked wistfully at William, as if not sure of what he was to do, but William took up a stone, and pretended to throw it at the dog, who ran away a little distance, and then stopped.
"Go back, Remus - go back, sir." William again pretended to throw the stone, repeating the order, and then the dog set off as fast as his legs 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 our dinner, we will bring up the things, and put them in the storehouse."
Chapter LIII
As soon as they had carried up the whole of the cargo, they secured the boat, and went up to the house to sleep. Just as they went in, Remus came bounding up to them with a letter round his neck.
"Here's the dog, William," said Ready; "he won't go home after all."
"How provoking! I made sure he would go back; I really am disappointed. We will give him nothing to eat, and then he will; but, dear me, Ready! this is not the paper I tied round his neck. I think not. Let me see." William took the paper, opened it, and read--
"Dear William:--Your letter arrived safe, and we are glad you are well. Write every day, and God bless you; it was very clever of you and Remus. Your affectionate mother, SELINA SEAGRAVE."
"Well, it is clever," said Ready; "I'm sure I had no idea he had gone; and his coming back again, too, when he was ordered."
"Dear Remus, good dog," said William, caressing it: "now I'll give you a good supper, for you deserve it."
"So he does, sir. Well, you've established a post on the island, which is a great improvement. Seriously, William, it may prove very useful."
"At all events it will be a great comfort to my mother."
"Yes, especially as we shall be obliged all three to be here when we fit up the storehouse, and make the proposed alterations. Now I think we had better go to bed, for we must be up with the lark to-morrow."
"Here I suppose we ought to say, up with the parrots; for they are the only land birds on the island."
"You forget the pigeons; I saw one of them in the wood the other day. Good night!"
The next morning, they were off before breakfast. The boat was soon loaded, and they returned under sail. They then breakfasted, and having left the things they had brought on the beach, that they might lose no time, they set off again, and returned with another cargo two hours before dusk; this they landed, and then secured the boat. As soon as they were in the house, William wrote on a piece of paper:--
"Dear Mamma:-- We have brought round two cargoes to-day. All well, and very tired. Yours, WILLIAM."
Remus did not require any teaching this time. William patted him, and said, "Good dog. Now, Remus, go back - go home, sir;" and the dog wagged his tail, and set off immediately.
Before they were in bed, the dog returned with the answer.
"How fast he must run, Ready! he has not been away more than two hours."
"No. So, now, Remus, you shall have plenty of supper, and