Masterman Ready

Excerpt

Chapter XXVI

The next day, when Mr. Seagrave, William, Juno, and Ready were all at work at their allotted tasks, Mrs. Seagrave was sitting down at the front of the tent, the little baby, Albert, crawling close to her, Caroline trying to work with her needle, and Tommy was making holes in the ground, and putting a small stone into each hole.

"What are you doing, Tommy?" said Mrs. Seagrave.

"I'm making a garden," replied Tommy.

"Making a garden! Then you ought to plant some trees in it."

"No; I'm sowing seeds: look here," replied Tommy, pointing to the stones.

"But these are stones, not seeds."

"Well, but I pretend, and that's the same thing," replied Tommy.

"Not exactly, Tommy; suppose, instead of eating those beans yesterday, you had only pretended to eat them, wouldn't it have been better?"

"I won't eat any more," replied Tommy.

"No, not of those beans; but if you saw anything else which you thought you would like, I am afraid you would eat it, and be as ill and even worse than you were."

"I like cocoa-nuts; why don't we have some? there's plenty upon the trees."

"But who is to climb up so high, Tommy? Can you?"

"No; but why don't Ready climb, or papa, or William?"

"I suppose they will get some by and by, when they are not so busy, but they have no time now."

"I like turtle-soup," replied Tommy.

"William and Juno are making a pond to put turtle in, and then we shall have it oftener; but we cannot have everything we like when we wish for it."

"I like fried fish," said Tommy; "why don't we have fried fish?"

"Because every one is too busy to catch them just now. Tommy, go and bring your brother Albert back; he has crawled too near to Billy, and he butts sometimes."

Tommy went after the baby, who was crawling towards the kid, which had now grown pretty large, and as he took up his brother he kicked at the goat's head.

"Don't do that, Tommy; he'll butt at you, and hurt you."

"I don't care," replied Tommy, holding the baby by one hand while he continued to kick at Billy. Billy, however, 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....