a presentiment of future happiness, my dear," said Mr
Seagrave. "I assure you that I feel the same, and was saying so to
Ready this morning."

"I feel that I could live here for ever, it is so calm and beautiful;
but I miss one thing--there are no birds singing here as at home."

"I have seen no birds except sea-birds, and of them there is plenty.
Have you, William?"

"Only once, father. I saw a flight a long way off. Ready was not with
me, and I could not tell what they were; but they were large birds, as
big as pigeons, I should think. There is Ready coming round the point,"
continued William. "How fast that little boat sails! It is a long
pull, though, for the old man when he goes to the cove."

"Let us go down and help Ready carry up some of the things before
dinner," said Mrs Seagrave.

They did so; and William rolled up the empty water-cask which Ready had
brought with him.

The turtle-steaks were as much approved of as the turtle-soup; indeed,
after having been so long on salt meat, a return to fresh provisions was
delightful.

"And now to finish our well," said William, as soon as dinner was over.

"How hard you do work, William!" said his mother.

"So I ought, mother. I must learn to do everything now."

"And that you will very soon," said Ready.

They rolled the cask to the spring, and, to their astonishment, found
the great hole which they had dug not two hours before quite full of
water.

"Oh dear," said William, "we shall have to throw all the water out to
get the cask down."

"Think a little, William," said Mr Seagrave, "for the spring runs so
fast that it will not be an easy task. Cannot we do something else?"

"Why, father, the cask will float, you know," replied William.

"To be sure it will as it is; but is there no way of making it sink?"

"Oh yes. I know--we must bore some holes in the bottom, and then it
will fill and sink down of itself."

"Exactly," replied Ready. "I expected that we should have to do that,
and have the big gimlet with me."

Ready bored three or four holes in the bottom of the cask, and as it
floated the water ran into it, and by degrees it gradually sank down.
As soon as the top of the cask was level with the surface they filled in
all round with the spade and shovel, and the well was completed.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

The next morning, as soon as breakfast was over, Mr Seagrave observed:
"Now that we have so many things to do, I think, Read