Ready walked quickly to where the dogs continued digging: they had
already got down to the moist earth, and were so eagerly at work, that
it was with difficulty he could get them out of his way to use his
spade. He had not dug two feet before the water trickled down, and in
four or five minutes the dogs had sufficient to plunge their noses in,
and to drink copiously.
"Look at them! how they enjoy it! I don't think any Israelite felt more
grateful when Moses struck the rock than I do now, William. This was
the one thing wanting, but it was the one thing indispensable. Now we
have everything we can wish for on this island, and if we are only
content, we may be happy - ay, much happier than are those who are
worrying themselves to heap up riches, not knowing who shall gather
them. See, the poor animals have had enough at last. Now, shall we go
back to breakfast?"
"Yes," replied William: "I shall enjoy it now, and have a good drink of
water myself."
"That is a plenteous spring, depend upon it," said Ready, as they
walked back to where they had slept and left their knapsacks; "but we
must clear it out further up among the trees, where the sun cannot
reach it, and then it will be cool, and not be dried up. We shall have
plenty of work for the next year at least, if we remain here. Where we
are now will be a capital spot to build our house on."
As soon as the breakfast was over, Ready said, "Now we must go down and
explore the other point, for you see, William, I have not yet found a
passage through the reef, and as our little boat must come round this
side of the island, it is at the point on this side that I must try to
find an entrance. When I was on the opposite point it did appear to me
that the water was not broken close to this point; and should there be
a passage we shall be very fortunate."
They soon arrived at the end of the point of land, and found that Ready
was not wrong in his supposition; the water was deep, and there was a
passage many yards wide. The sea was so smooth, and the water so clear,
that they could see down to the rocky bottom, and watched the fish as
they darted along. "Look there!" said Willy, pointing out about fifty
yards from the beach, "a great shark, Ready!"
"Yes, I see him, sir," replied Ready: "there's plenty of them here,
depend upon it; and you must be very careful how you get into the
water: the sharks always keep to the leeward of the island, and for one
where Juno bathed your little brother, you will find fifty here. I'm
quite satisfied now, William, we shall do very well, and all we have
now to think of is moving away from the other side of the island as
fast as possible."
"Shall we go back to-day?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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