"No, ma'am," replied Ready, "William will do just as well. Indeed, I would go by myself with pleasure; but we know not what the day may bring forth. I might be taken ill - I might hurt myself - I am an old man, you know; and then I was thinking that if any accident was to happen to me, you might miss me - that's all." "Pardon me," replied Mrs Seagrave; "a mother is foolish at times." "Over-anxious, ma'am, perhaps, but not foolish," replied Ready. "Well, then, William shall go with you, Ready; - that point's settled," observed Mr. Seagrave: "what is the next?" "The next is to prepare for our journey. We must take some provisions and water with us, a gun and some ammunition, a large axe for me, and one of the hatchets for William; and, if you please, Romulus and Remus had better come with us. Juno, put a piece of beef and a piece of pork into the pot. William, will you fill four quart bottles with water, while I sew up a knapsack out of canvas for each of us?" "And what shall I do, Ready?" said Mr. Seagrave. "Why, sir, if you will sharpen the axe and the hatchet on the grindstone, it would be of great service, and Tommy can turn it, he is so fond of work." Tommy jumped up directly; he was quite strong enough to turn the grindstone, but he was much fonder of play than work; but as Ready had said that he was fond of it, he wished to prove that such was the case, and worked very hard. Before they went to prayers and retired for the night, the axe was sharpened, the knapsacks made, and everything else ready. "When do you intend to start, Ready?" said Mr. Seagrave. "Why, sir, I should like to get off at the dawn of day, when the heat is not so great." "And when do you intend to come back?" said Mrs. Seagrave. "Why, madam, we have provisions enough for three days: if we start to-morrow morning, which is Wednesday, I hope to be back some time on Friday evening; but I won't be later than Saturday morning if I can help it." "Good-night - and good-bye, mother," said William, "for I shall not see you to-morrow!" "God bless and protect you, my dear child!" replied Mrs. Seagrave. "Take care of him, Ready, and good-bye to you till we meet." Mrs. Seagrave went into the tent to hide the tears which she could not suppress. Chapter XIV Ready was up before the sun had appeared, and he awakened William. The knapsacks had been already packed, with two bottles of water in each, wrapped round with cocoa-nut leaves, to prevent their breaking, and the beef and pork divided between each knapsack. Ready's, which was larger than William's, held the biscuit and several other things which Ready had prepared in case they might require them.