登陆注册
5228500000048

第48章 Chapter XXX(2)

"I've brought an addition to our family, Mrs. Seagrave," said Ready:

"we must allow them to remain in the house until I can knock up a little shelter for them. This is only a beginning; I expect we shall soon have more."

As soon as the children could be persuaded to part with the kids, Nanny was tied up in a corner, and was very content with fondling and nursing her progeny. Juno and William brought in the breakfast, and as soon as it was over, Mr. Seagrave said, "Now, Ready, I think we must hold a council, and make arrangements as to our allotted duties and employments during the rainy season. We have a great deal to do, and must not be idle."

"Yes, sir, we have a great deal to do, and, to get through our work, we must have order and method in our doings. I've lived long enough to know how much can be done by regularity and discipline. Why, sir, there is more work got out of men in a well-conducted man-of-war than there can in the merchant service in double the time. And why so? Because everything is in its place, and there is a place for everything."

"I agree with you," said Mrs. Seagrave; "method is everything. While one careless little girl is looking for her thimble, another will have finished her work."

"I assure you I never should have known what can be done by order and arrangement, if I had not been pressed on board of a man-of-war. I found that everything was done in silence. Every man was to his post; everyone had a rope to haul upon, or a rope to let go; the boatswain piped, and in a few seconds every sail was set or taken in as was required. It seemed to me at first like magic. And you observe, Mr. Seagrave, that when there is order and discipline, every man becomes of individual importance. If I learnt nothing else on board of a man-of-war, I learnt to make the most of time, and the most of the strength which you could command."

"You are very right, Ready; you must teach us to do the same," replied Mr. Seagrave.

"We have so much to do, that I hardly know where to begin; yet, sir, we must work at present how we can, and when we can, until we have got things into a little better order. We have done well up to the present."

"What do you think we ought to do first?"

"Well, sir, our first job will be to haul up the boat and secure her from harm; we will half-dock her in the sand, and cover her over, for I do not think it will be safe to go in her now to the other side of the island, where the sea will always be rough."

"There I perfectly agree with you. Now what is the next?"

"Why, sir, we must not leave the tents where they are, but take them down, and as soon as they are dry, stow them away, for we may want them by and by; then, sir, we must build a large outhouse for our stores and provisions, with a thatched roof, and a floor raised about four feet from the ground; and then, under the floor, the sheep and goats will have a protection from the weather. Then there is the fish-pond to make, and also a salt-pan to cut out of the rock. Then we have two more long jobs. One is, to go through the woods and examine the stores we have left on the other side of the island, sort and arrange them all ready for bringing here after the rains are over; and we must also explore the island a little, and find out what it produces; for at present we know nothing of it: we may find a great many things useful to us, a great many trees and fruits, and I hope and trust we may be able to find some more grass for our live stock."

"I agree with you in all you say, Ready," replied Mr. Seagrave; "now how shall we divide our strength?"

"We will not divide at present, sir, if you please. Juno has plenty to do indoors with Mrs. Seagrave; William, and you, and I, will first secure the boat and stow away the tents and gear; after that, we will set about the outbuilding, and work at it when we can. If Juno has any time to spare, she had better collect the cocoa-nut leaves, and pile them up for fuel; and Tommy will, I dare say, go with her, and show her how to draw them along."

"Yes, I'll show her," said Tommy, getting on his feet.

"Not just now, Tommy," said Ready, "but as soon as your mamma can spare her to go with you. Come, sir, a few hours of weather like this is not to be lost," continued Ready; "we shall have more rain before the day is over, I expect. I will first go to the tent for the shovels; then I will haul the boat round to the beach and meet you there. You and William can take some cord, tie up a large bundle of cocoa-nut boughs, sling it to the wheels, and draw it down to the beach and meet me."

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 风流的驼哥

    风流的驼哥

    一个天生驼背,胸部凹陷,后背鼓凸的小驼哥,在世人眼里,显得非常滑稽,常成为众人捉弄与打趣的对象。然而,他却长着一颗聪明绝顶的脑袋,有着超出普通人的智力,常能洞悉某些事物的本质,做出一些令人叹服的非常之举。于是,对周围的世界,他便以一种居高临下、幽默调侃的眼光视之。他不屈地挣扎,不懈地奋斗。他屡战屡败,又屡败屡战。他的经历无奈而辛酸,却能引起我们对置身其中的鄙俗的日常生活的深刻反思。
  • 众妙集

    众妙集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 哈佛教授给学生讲述的200个心理健康故事

    哈佛教授给学生讲述的200个心理健康故事

    本书将哈佛教授的心理课程汇集成300个极富思考意义的小故事,这些故事包含了自我认知、自我控制、自我激励等方面,可以说与我们每个人的生活都息息相关。在每个故事后面,还附上了鞭辟入里、意味深长的精彩点评,它们从智慧的高度诠释了这些优美故事的现实意义所在,以小见大、抛砖引玉。
  • 狼人

    狼人

    《狼人》写猎户李友善上山打猎时救了一只小狼崽。母狼知恩图报,在李友善一家遭难的时候,它冒着危险救了他们不满三岁的儿子铁蛋,并叼回山里抚养。历尽千辛万苦,母狼终于把铁蛋养活养大。铁蛋从小吃狼奶,又受狼的熏陶,具有鲜明的狼性,既聪明、勇敢而又诡异、狡诈。生活在狼群里,他人小胆大,敢在老虎面前大喊大叫,敢和豹子在树上周旋,敢与黑熊贴身打斗。回归人类后,铁蛋不懂得人情世故,做出了许多匪夷所思的事情来:头一天刚回屯子里就抢了人家的羊;闯进地主家里强行裹了少奶奶的奶头;毫无人性的把自己的爹爹咬伤;跟仇人家的狗成为了好朋友;刺杀了一个又一个日本鬼子。每当铁蛋遇到了危险,他的狼妈妈总会神出鬼没的及时出现。
  • 中国岩画

    中国岩画

    中国岩画分为南北两个系统。南系除广西左江流域,还有四川、云南、贵州、福建等地。南系岩画大都以红色涂绘,颜料是以赤铁矿粉调合牛血等而成的。制作年代在战国至东汉期间。北系以阴山、黑山、阿尔泰山等为主,绵延数千里,气势宏阔。北系岩画大都是刻制的,刻制又包括磨制、敲凿与线刻。
  • 稻盛和夫谈成功方程智慧

    稻盛和夫谈成功方程智慧

    本书包含稻盛和夫的主要思想、以及其成功的智慧和经验,涵盖成功之道、人生哲学、经营智慧等多方面的内容,对成功所需要的梦想、追求、心态、行动、实践、做人等各个要素都进行了详细的论述,从独特的视角,全方面展现了稻盛和夫的智慧精髓和成功精华。无论是对渴望汲取经验助己之力以取得更大成就的企业经营者,还是胸怀抱负、立志有所作为的有志青年都具有非同一般的意义,都能从本书中得到启发和帮助。
  • 皇妃请自重

    皇妃请自重

    上一世苏瑾离为人棋子,没落得个好下场。重生后,苏瑾离发誓活出自我,不仅要离那些人远远的,还要往全身插上利箭,谁来戳谁……可那个人,喂,说你呢,靠我这么近干嘛,小心我戳死你!那人却露出一口大白牙,笑得灿烂极了,“你戳我一次,我戳你一生。”苏瑾离:“滚!”(︶︹︺)
  • 会聊天你就赢了

    会聊天你就赢了

    会聊天的人,把话句句都能说到别人心里去,不会聊天的人,只能任人盘剥。因此,聊天不仅仅是一门学问,更是一门艺术。懂得聊天的规则,掌握说话的技巧,你便能在社会、职场、家庭中如鱼得水,在人生的旅途中自由游弋。俗话说“好人出在嘴上”。人生在世,聊天具有举足轻重的作用。真正的成功者在与他人交往时,具有圆熟的聊天技巧。一本趣味口才书,给你全方位、多角度的指导,帮助突破语言障碍,从此成为说话高手。
  • 一笙遇见一个你

    一笙遇见一个你

    大总裁要实力宠妻,谁敢不服?不服憋着。反正狗粮管够!他们红遍全网,别人没有羡慕嫉妒只有恨。只恨自己不是少夫人呀!推新书《夫人她总不认输》《顾总他戏太多多多》
  • 美丽的权利

    美丽的权利

    这是龙应台《野火集》之外的“三把火”。在这三次著名的风波事件中,龙应台就其所见社会即景有感而发,却一石激起千层浪,引起强烈的争议与回响。“龙卷风起”,各界人士纷纷加入论战;风过之后,深层的反思却没有息止。本书分为 “美丽的权利”、“星洲风波”和 “啊,上海男人!”三部分内容,并加上读者投函回应的各种文章和相关文字,集为一册。