The Island School — page 160: what you’re looking at

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

- ROMEO RELIEVED OF A DUTY. sound, as of steel or glass, or it might be earthen- ware. “e “Some trick of the boys,” he muttered. Having gone through a course of fear himself, it occurred to the schoolmaster that it would be an agreeable thing to give the audacious midnight revellers, as he conceived them to be, a bit of a scare. If he popped in upon.them without a moment’s notice, they would be running to and fro like fright- ened hares. He laid hold of the handle of the door, and tried to turn it. Unluckily for the success of his scaring plan, it ‘stuck a bit, and fully three seconds elapsed ere he could open the door. : And, owing to its sticking a bit, the hinges gave out a faint sereech. — When at length he got the door open the room was in darkness, save at the upper end, where a ray of moonlight streamed through a corner of the window. The schoolmaster was staggered, but he was sure of his quarry, and in the old, bounceable style, he said : | “This won't do, boys! You are very sharp, but you don’t deceive me. Light up again, and let me see who you are.” Not a sound was made in response. Mingled wrath and fear roused the schoolmaster to further expostu- jation and threats. “Tf you do not show yourselves,” he said, angrily, “vou will be severely punished.” Rashly he stepped into the room, and the. moment ‘he had done so there was a bright flash of light behind him, It was, even though his back was towards it, of almost blinding brilliancy. The next moment the door banged to. He attempted to rush towards it, but was imme- diately conscious of an aroma that was, in a sense, familiar. He had first, iin the company of Chorker, become acquainted with it when he was a prisoner in the cave. Well he knew the result of inhaling it, and, with ‘a wail of terror, he dropped upon his knees. An attempt to crawl at a low level to the door, as people have done through a room filled with smoke, was frustrated by unconsciousness, which came over him with great rapidity and stretched him, still as a fallen statue, on the floor, 13d CHAPTER LXIX, ROMEO RELIEVED OF A DUTY. a ROM absolute insensibility Mr. Farrell awoke to find himself being lifted from the floor by Romeo, who was uttering expressions of mingled grief and surprise. “What am de marrers — ar?” he asked, dolorously ; “who am ’sponsible for dis? Sure, no burglars been here ? an’ me know dat you nebber take too much drink. ’Pears to me dat you been walking in you sleep.” | “Romeo,” said Mr. Farrell, feebly, ‘‘ what’s the time P” ! “Bout half-parse six, sar.” “Then I have been here since midnight. I—I went out for « stroll, being unable to sleep, and coming back saw a light'in the schoolroom. It shone through the keyhole.” ““Blessmer, sar, you don’t say so!” exclaimed the amazed Romeo. “Yes, a light streaming through the keyhole. I opened the door, and somebody immediately fell upon me. We struggled for a time, but on receiving a blow from behind I became insensible.” * You don’t say so, sar!” “But I do say so, Can you get me a cup of tea °” Yes, sar.” “Then bring 1t here sharp, as my mouth has a parched feeling.” Romeo vanished from the room, closed the door, picked up a tray with the remnants of a supper upon it, and disappeared in the direction of the kitchen, orinning all over his face. ‘‘Massa Morse and him ’splosers agin de world,” he exclaimed, as he entered the culinary sanctum. “What dat you say?’ demanded Macbeth, who was heating an urn peparatory to making tea in it. ‘‘Massa Morse’s hair de sort to curl—dat what me say,” replied the veracious Romeo. “Dat not de trufe,” bawled out Hamlet from the region of the scullery ; “ you was a-sayin’ sumfin ‘bout ’splosers.” “What am ’splosers P” asked Romeo. ‘‘ Corruptions,” said Macbeth, “sich as we see once at Pesuvius on de bust.” “Den dere nuffin’ ob dat sort ’bout Massa Morse,’ asserted Romeo, warmly. ‘“ He reg’lar milky kind ob chap; good boy, but not a Resuvius. When de tea ready Pr” “In five minutes.” Com (@ eYoye) <q com