the beach to
unload the boat. He released the poor fowls, and they were soon busy
seeking for food.

It was two or three hours before he had carried everything up, for it
was a good distance, and some of the articles were heavy, and the old
man was not sorry when he had finished his task, and could sit down to
rest himself.

"It's almost time they arrived," thought Ready; "they must have started
nearly four hours ago." Ready remained a quarter of an hour more
watching the fire, and occasionally skimming the top of the pot, when
the three dogs came bounding towards him.

"Well, they are not far off now," observed Old Ready.

In six or seven minutes afterwards the party made their appearance, very
hot and very fatigued. It appeared that poor little Caroline had been
tired out, and Juno had to carry her; then Mrs Seagrave complained of
fatigue, and they had to rest a quarter of an hour; then Tommy, who
refused to remain with his mamma, and had been running backwards and
forwards from one to the other, had declared that he was tired, and that
someone must carry him; but there was no one to carry him, so he began
to cry until they stopped for another quarter of an hour till he was
rested; then as soon as they went on again he again complained of being
tired. William then carried him pickaback for some time, and in so
doing he missed the blaze-cut on the trees, and it was a long while
before he could find it again; then baby became hungry, and he cried,
and little Caroline was frightened at being so long in the wood, and she
cried. But finally they got on better, and arrived at last so warm and
exhausted, that Mrs Seagrave went into the tent with the children to
repose a little, before she could even look at the place which was to be
their future residence.

"I think," said Mr Seagrave, "that this little journey of to-day has
been a pretty good proof of how helpless we should have been without
you, Ready."

"I am glad that you are here, sir," replied Ready, "it is a weight off
my mind; now you will get on better. I think that after a while you may
live very comfortably here; but still we have much to do. As soon as
Madam has rested, we will have our dinner and then fix up our own tent,
which will be quite enough after such a hard day's work."

"Do you go back to the cove to-morrow, Ready?"

"Yes, sir, we want our stores here; it will take about three trips to
empty our storehouses; and as to the other things