"I think so too, Ready; and therefore that is a settled thing - no pig
for Tommy."
Chapter LII
The next morning Tommy's face presented a very woeful appearance. His
cheek and lips were swelled and black, and the loss of his two front
teeth made him look much worse.
Tommy looked very glum when he came to breakfast. There was the pig's
fry for breakfast, and the smell of it had been very inviting to Tommy;
but when his father scolded him, and told him that he was not to have
one bit of the pig, he began to cry and roar so loud, that he was sent
away from the tents till he had left off.
After breakfast, Ready proposed that he and William should take the
boat, and begin their labour of carrying the articles round from the
cove to the bay where the house was, pointing out that there was not a
day to be lost. Juno had, at his request, already baked a large piece
of the pig for them to take with them, and boiled a piece of salt pork,
so that they were all ready to start.
"But, Ready," said Mrs. Seagrave, "how long do you intend to remain
absent with William?"
"Why, madam, this is Wednesday; of course we shall be back on Saturday
night."
"My dear William, I cannot bear the idea of your being absent so long,
and as you will be on the water every day, I shall be in a continual
fright until I see you again."
"Well, mamma, I suppose I must write by the penny post, to let you know
how I am."
"Don't laugh at me, William. I do wish there was a penny post, and that
you could write every day."
Ready and William made every preparation for a continued absence. They
took their blankets with them, and a small pot for cooking, and when
all was prepared they bade Mr. and Mrs. Seagrave farewell. They were
now to pull to the bay, and leave their luggage, and then go round to
the cove. As they shoved off, William took the dog Remus into the boat.
"Why do you take the dog, William? he will be of use here in keeping
the pigs away, but of no use to us."
"Yes, he will, Ready; I must take him; for I have an idea come into my
head, so let me have my own way."
"Well, William, you can always have your own way, as far as I'm
concerned; if you wish to take the dog, there is an end of the matter."
They hoisted the sail, and as the breeze was fresh, were round to the
bay in a very short time. They took their provisions and stores up to
the house, and made fast the door, called the fowls, and gave them some
damaged rice which Ready had brought from the cove, and found, to their
great delight, that they had now upwards of forty chickens; some,
indeed, quite grown, and large enough to kill.
They then got into the boat again, and pulled away for the cove; the
wind was fresh, and against them, so they had a long pull; but, as
Ready observed, it was much better that it should be so, as, when the
boat was loaded, they could very quickly sail back again to the bay.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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