The Island School — page 125: what you’re looking at

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

102 The men returned to the smugglers’ boat, leaving Vampa on board. He was below, but did not remain long. Presently he came hurriedly up and leapt into his own vessel. ! “Cast her off!’ he cried. “ Hoist all sail—bear away to the north-east. Quick, you sons of dogs!” The boat bore away, and stirring Mr. Farrell with his foot, Vampa bade the schoolmaster “ sit up.” “It 1s good for you to see the last of Her,” he said. “It will be something to remember by-and-by—?f you five. I madea hole in her, and she is going down. Look up, both of you!” They obeyed him, and the smugglers’ boat having been brought up in the eye of the wind, they all watched the fate of the scuttled launch. Vampa had drilled the hole, perhaps more than one, in the after part of her hull, and she was filling fast. As the water poured in her bows rose in the air, until she was almost upright. In this position her proportions seemed to be doubled, and there was some- thing very impressive in the thought that she was about to dive down to the bottom of the deep sea and never more be looked upon by man. It had a thrilling effect upon the schoolmaster, who felt almost as bad as if he were about to sink himself and never be heard of again. Chorker looked upon it from a pecuniary point of view, and groaned as he thought of so much money being irretrievably lost. At length the doomed “ Dart,’ the pretty little launch of which the boys had been so proud, was as | nearly upright as she could be in the air, and there she remained for a moment as if hesitating to take the plunge. Then witha remarkable swiftness and silence she shot down, and the waters closed over her. There was an eddying and a little foam to be seen for a minute, and all was over. The “ Dart” was gone down to the bottom of the sea, there to lie until the deep waters give up their secrets and their hidden treasures, Mr. Farrell lay down again, and covered his face with his hands. Hopeless as he had felt before, he discovered that there was yet a deeper depth of despair. He could neither groan, nor moan, nor cry aloud. The utter misery of feeling that all was lost, was upon him, : “We will now head for the island,” said Vampa; “and I say, you two, listen to me.” It was the schoolmaster whom he again stirred with his foot, and as before he raised his head, and turned a woebegone look upon the smuggler. “We go to the island,” said Vampa, ‘and we take you and that old dog there as prisoners.” “To what island?” asked Mr. Farrell. “Why, to yours. To Fermentera—to Silver Bay, THE ISLAND SCHOOL. where I expect to meet my good comrade, Espardo Reonardo—he who is to make a bride of your charm- ing daughter.”’ The schoolmaster did not reply. There was some- thing which seemed, to his coward nature, in his being taken back even worse than death itself He had left the island to return no more, desert- ing all in seeking his personal safety, and never dreaming that he would set eyes on them again ; and now he was going back—and under what circum- stances? The most humiliating. The launch at the | bottom of the sea, he a prisoner, and bound to remain a captive, or face those whom he had deserted. In either case there was nothing less than misery and shame for him. How could he endure it? ‘The island,” he groaned, “ has from the first been my curse. lt will now be my grave.” Nor was there much more comfort in store for Chorker, who had been the willing tool of a most despicable proceeding. The one ray of light lay in his prospective joining the smugglers. ‘ Being an Englishman,” he thought, “ they will be proud and pleased. I'll jine ’em.” meneame CHAPTER LI. THE RULING OF GROBY. RS. FARRELL had 1 but just sat down to breakfast with Eveline, when Mr. Groby appeared. He entered room without cere- mony, as one hav- ing aright to enter = = Ta { “al ———SS { ‘ —- \ Pah eheg “" —2 Q - oN nF Mil | H Wes |i Mrs. Farrell, 4 - / \ ss S iy * MS \ ae ay | | ¥ a startled, gave him hE aSita van ¢ Yes ~—_ ; 5 7 pee Es A | Nyy a faint good-morn- ing. Eveline took no notice of him whatever. Casting a bitter glance at her, he addressed the mother. | “T am sorry,” he said, “to disturb you in this way, but I should not like to take the step I meditate without consulting you.” | “ You have no right to do so!” Eveline remarked. “My dear child !” remonstrated Mrs. Farrell. “You are mistress here,” said Eveline, “and Mr. Groby is, or ought to be still, a subordinate. He has done right in consulting you.” “Tam afraid I have offended you, Miss Farrell ?” said Mr. Groby, biting his under-lip. “Mamma is waiting to hear what you have to say,” said Eveline, and resumed her breakfast. | Eom @ 900 €S com the -