Masterman Ready [44]
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.
Chapter XXVII
"Now, William," said Ready, "if you are not very sleepy, perhaps you would like to come with me to-night, and see if we cannot turn some of the turtle, for the season is going away fast, and they will leave the island very soon."
As soon as the sun had disappeared, William and Ready went down to the beach, and sat quietly on a rock. In a short time, Ready perceived a turtle crawling on the sand, and, desiring William to follow him without speaking, walked softly down by the water's edge, so as to get between the animal and the sea.
As soon as the turtle perceived them, it made for the water, but they met it; and Ready, seizing hold of one of its fore-flippers, turned it over on its back.
"You see, William, that is the way to turn a turtle: take care that he does not catch you with his mouth, for, if he did, he would bite the piece out. Now the animal cannot get away, for he can't turn over again, and we shall find him here
"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.
Chapter XXVII
"Now, William," said Ready, "if you are not very sleepy, perhaps you would like to come with me to-night, and see if we cannot turn some of the turtle, for the season is going away fast, and they will leave the island very soon."
As soon as the sun had disappeared, William and Ready went down to the beach, and sat quietly on a rock. In a short time, Ready perceived a turtle crawling on the sand, and, desiring William to follow him without speaking, walked softly down by the water's edge, so as to get between the animal and the sea.
As soon as the turtle perceived them, it made for the water, but they met it; and Ready, seizing hold of one of its fore-flippers, turned it over on its back.
"You see, William, that is the way to turn a turtle: take care that he does not catch you with his mouth, for, if he did, he would bite the piece out. Now the animal cannot get away, for he can't turn over again, and we shall find him here