The Island School — page 117: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

‘ ! f } ’ ri} if i nal Pele Ta ne Vath) sii "4 4 win T. HE ISL. S Pa en ie ait NI ie ae | some erates teh an unswerving faith in’ | oh b ility to command anything afloat. | Vat ie requested, he would have undertaken the charge ‘ _ of a Cunard liner. ! an went well with them . on the outset of the -voy- ~ ey ye iliac he knew, from aa lwine the great Rock of tibraltar lay. ey behind cae a mere cloud 1 in the horizon. — dios Meaction, ee a ms She’s s a-goin’ easy, cap’. MightI be SO bold as to a i for a cup a tea, P” rx Chorker,” said Mr. Farrell, “ you will find every- Ss Ae, thing requisite in the main-cabin. I shall also be a a glad. of something to eat and drink.” ~ Chorker was fairly handy as a cook, and tea was ve soon prepared. By that time it was aioe dark. ee ‘Acting on the advice of Chorker, the helm was x = so as to keep the launch going on straight ; i, : ahead and they partook of the meal together, a “Tn the night-time,” said Mr. Farrell, looking Bf. ely up at the darkening sky, “what are the 0 means of guiding a vessel ?” me: i“ There’s the compass,” replied Chorker, which ; ; i; Tm free to confess can’t be relied on aboard here”—as ae - a matter of fact, he could not have boxed the compass Ne to save his Sw but your true sailor, when he can, i goes by the stars.” 4 Farrell. “ Mr. Groby instructs in that branch of i our educational code.” “Then you don’t Mtiow one from tother?” said = ee Chorker, cunningly. | 2 er. “T must confess I do not,” was the rejoinder, __ You leave the stars to me,” said Chorker, quite | oe relieved. “Tl direct you. Heron eae you, I gee «eT foul panes get as far away as possible,” said s Mr, Farrell ; ‘we are much too near the island to be . Stee “As you please,” said Chorker, rising. “Now I'll i cla see to the priming of the engine-lamps, for they seem to be a-lowering 73 down.” _ “Shall { unlash the helm ?” : Wait a bit till I give the word.” e "minutes his head popped up. reek.) ters’ ae ’ . At aie ‘ ‘5, re vr ita . ° * 44 res ’ ~¢« c , : ! ‘ * as 8s coer gs NCO Np iit Cena p 7 . MJ * 15, at hae age. ‘The seins worked smoothly, and Mr. Farrell, “tT contfess to an ignorance of astronomy,” said Mr. , and the engine is a-slowing - _ Chorker went forward and disappeared. Ina few a ‘ So they went on straight enough until the Alene | aaa as a chord of chia gat aaa was also Temniied | . AS La i ca M f 4 a Flies iat fa wa ; a be ae Wes sa he f Se by ay 3 - t : ee mn —e thee ‘ei ee the ile! Ea he asked, “Ina large Gantoy in the « engine-room, rele L Farrell. iets . Beet “The blamed thing i is empty.” ee eae a | A ery of despair burst from the ee of + the se | master. Chorker did not seem to realise exac th -o | was the matter. : aX “There’s ile elsewhere, ain’ hea) ” he ‘al oe p “Not a drop,” wailed the schoolmaster. ie pa) lamp expired in the cabin early this 1 ee ait es 14 nA “Then we had better turn back,” su | t red Chorker. Bin! as as Re By “ How 2” howled Mr. Farrell ji. aa soon ey “T don’t know, unless we take to the boat.” i i es What ! ! and leave the launch adrift ? ‘Yous idiot !” | . “With all due ah, sir,” | "replied _ “Chor ne ; haughtily, “I think there isa pair of us.” ih #: a “ Anything is better than drifting here,” “said. Mr. é oe Farrell, after a pause. “ Do you think you could pa ies i as far as the island ?” ; { oe “T could do my bit, ” answered Chorker, cs ‘but I should expect you to do your share.” — Chorker was huffed. Healso felt he was, in measure, master of the situation; therefore he was by nature bound to be impertinent. wit % Ge i “T dare not risk my life in so et a boat as is ate sal ‘tached to this launch, ” said Myr. Farrell, eh Be pause. Pade fe “T could,” said Chorker, snorting, a but i am. not going to do it? ke aaah as He stepped up to the side of the \sunen oat peered ny over. An exclamation burst from his lips. Ride 2 “The boat’s gone! !? he said, or rather’ roared out. + re iy rs oles MS “T thought I saw you a-tying of it up?” — ah aoe oi | “T did it to the best of my ability,” replied me Farrell, angrily. “Your ability ain’t up to much,” ‘said Chorker. sel i suppose you gave itjust one turn?” FAW “T thought that would suffice. - The rope seemed to hold.” ons “This comes. of jining in a voyage with Lan ‘ “ Chorker! 1” a marl. My at “You may Chorker or Walker or Corker as much as at you please. Here we are, ’elpless on the hocean, and onless the wind changes we shall drift across to ‘the Me Hafrican coast, where we stand an unkimmon good chance of being sold into slavery.” ‘ee at , _ And then he wound up with some expletives on the head of thedismayed schoolmaster. == me There was no doubt about the nature of ie. ae wh ot , Ke are ; tion they were ‘in—practically helpless on ‘the sea, without even the means of lighting up to warn any any approaching 5 yooa of their neighbourhood. Thin; ig a 4 » as eras, eae Peco Cah i se sath Ae res est eae i iy iy, We vep ; ie