The Island School — page 124: what you’re looking at

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

ONCE MORE CAPTIVE. found some of the boys awake, and the rest soon opened their eyes. The reception they met with was all that could be desired. But not a word was said - about Charley, the bear. Nor did Romeo breathe a syllable concerning the intelligent beast to his relatives. He knew that if the bear was to be spared to them, silence concerning his existence was absolutely necessary for the time. CHAPTER L. MOBE CAPTIVE. ONCE 'T’ is necessary that we now for a short spell follow the fortunes of Mr. Farrell and Chorker. In the early morning of a most porten- tous day, they be- held the smug- ene ss eee Z the “Dart.” The men on = board her had espied the launch and recognised her. Moreover, Vampa, who was in command of the boat, seeing the launch was rocking idly on the deep, was of opinion that all on board were safe in sleep, and he hada strong belief of her having got away under circumstances adverse to his welfare, and that of Giuseppo likewise, He conceived it probable that the prisoners had re- leased themselves and stolen away, passing him, as we have already recorded, and then continued the short voyage leisurely. Here was an opportunity of re- covering the launch, and as his boat glided up, and the grappling irons hke boat-hooks laid hold, he sprang upon the deck and secured the two palsied men. Chorker was a stranger to him, but Vampa settled _ in his own mind that it was he who had come to the rescue and enabled the prisoners to escape. ‘““Ha—you !” cried Vampa, shaking his head at the terrified schoolmaster, ‘ you think you give us a slip. But now you are here again. We have you. How am you wife and daughter ?”’ “T don’t know,” replied Mr. Farrell, with a gasp. “You not know ?’” SING. : “How should he?” asked Chorker, “seeing as _ they’re ashore. They was middlin’ when we left ’em.”’ Vampa gazed from one to the other with beetling brows, The launch threatened to be a perpetual anystery to him. 1% - ‘ Pow ly? ‘ , a H ¥e Mh sg a ae Sade boat bearing down upon | 101 “Hxplain, and be quick,” he said, imperiously. “ Na lies !” “We ain't given that way,’ “1 beseech you, muttered Chorker. ’ said Napoleon Farrell, “to be mer- ciful to me. I—I was rescued from you against my will. I left my wife and child ashore, and was on the way to e He stopped short, and Vampa surveyed him with a curious expression of face, a look of doubt and cunning mingled. ““'Way to where f” he asked. Mr. Farrell turned a helpless face, miserably see ing in its expression, towards Chorker. “We was out a-fishing,” said that worthy. Ah, so,” said Vampa, looking round him, “and youloseall yournets. Isee. Youlars! Hey, then, how is it that you break down our funnel? Is it for you to destroy the property of the great Giuseppo P” “¢ His property?” Chorker ventured to say. “Ay, his and our property, for we and Giuseppo are as one. .We have it by right of capture. It is ours. You steal it again, and you destroy the fun- nel. Soitis for usto do the rest. Throw them on board our boat.” “Steady there,” cried Chorker, Hasy does it.” This, and much more of the same sort, by way of expostulation, he bellowed forth as he was hustled to the side of the launch and pitched into the smug- glers’ boat. Mr. Farrell, white as a coward going to execution, mutely allowed himself to be unceremoniously trans- ferred from one vessel to the other. They were told to le down in the bottom of the boat, and did so, both in a quavering condition, but Chorker showing himself one degree less terrified than his master. But even he was in a very bad way indeed, until it struck him that he might possibly surmount many of the disagreeables of his position by becoming one of the band of the undoubtedly law- less men. He had not the slightest objection to a lawless life for a change ; no twinges of conscience intervened, The only drawback toit asa calling was the possi- bility of his being found out and punished. Meanwhile he had to bide his time, and silently watch the work of plundering the launch that was going on. Everything of moderate weight and of the least value in her was transferred to the boat. Articles of a worthless nature, in a marketable sense, were thrown into the sea. It was a labour of two hours or more, but it was accomplished at last, and the launch was soon left with nothing but her engines, and the heaviest furniture and fittings in the cabin, on board. « Whoa, will you? 900 NIG co cs (@( 0) mn