The Island School — page 162: what you’re looking at

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

POISON-PROOF. 135 CHAPTER LXX, POISON-PROOF. # ENERALLY speaking, there was much wondering over the departure of Mr. Groby, especially while he was practically in a dan- gerous condition. But with the few who knew of the mistaken course he had taken, there was only mild surprise. “ His conscience pricked him,” said Jim, when he heard of it from Morse, who had acquired the informa- tion from Romeo, ‘‘ which shows he has some good in him after all.” Sick people,” remarked Morse, “ are more sensitive than those in sound health.” “ What on earth will the man do ?” “Starve, in all likelihood; but if I understand the man, he will never willingly come back.” “It will be a relief to Eveline,” said Jim, “ for she | feared him.” ' It was, and if she didn’t show any great anxiety concerning the fate of jthe missing man, she may be pardoned, for, thanks to him, she had suffered keenly. The whole school was petting accustomed to start- ling events, and the absence of Chorker seemed to trouble nobody. The boysand men missed him, but only Changeling knew what had become of him, and he kept his knowledge to himself. During the morning, about eleven o’clock, the boys went tothe hut occupied by Charley, and found that | wonderfully social animal alive and merry. He did not seem an atom the worse for his overnight dose, but, on the contrary, if possible, more skittish than | ever. With a strong escort of admirers, Jim led himaway in the direction of Silver Bay, and there they founda | shady spot to lie down and talk. The members of the Council of Ten gathered round Morse, knowing he had a story to tell, and Charley rolled about in the sand, and playing all sorts of antics, excited the laughter of the other boys. “YT went last night,” said Morse, “right away through the cavern to the mouth of it, where I dis- covered Chorker doing his best to make himself comfortable for rest. He was in a grumbling mood, and spoke his thoughts aloud, so that I could hear | every word. He was very bitter against Changeling for not bringing him some rugs, and was busy building up a bank of sand to keep off the inevitable | draught. The fact of there being no wind to speak eS MD iy Fah ' bY ier of outside, does not lessen the usual current of air ina place of that description.” _ “You had left the trap open,” remarked Terry. “i had. Well, he settled himself to his satis- faction at last, and was curling himself up, when J uttered a loud groan. Up he jumped, and, without waiting to investigate the noise, rolled out of the cave and went headlong down to the level of the chine. I peeped out and saw him lying upon his back, and it was as much as I could do to keep from laughing loudly. But he did not lie there long. “Tt was easy toseethevery working of his features in the light of the moon, as he raised his face and stared apprehensively upward to the cave,” continued Morse. “Tt rubbed a littie of a new luminous paint I have made over my face, and grimacing horribly, thrust 1% out so that he could see it, and away he went down the chine, blundering over every obstacle, tumbling here and there, but only to rise again to his feet and pound away, until I lost sight of him. Then I had my laugh out and came back to the castle. And now a very strange thing happened that gave me a shaking.’ He paused for a moment, and there was expectancy on every face. Grave and thoughtful was the coun- tenance of Morse as he proceeded. “I have not spoken of it to anyone earlier, because I wished to think it out, and make sure that I was not mistaken. On reflection, [am sure I was not. * You are all aware that I am not easily scared ?” “Decidedly we are !” they chorused. “Tam not, and that is a fact,” continued Morse; “but I confess to you that my very hair stood up as, on thrusting my head above the trap-door, I heard a footstep in the council-chamber where we have our beds planted. None of you were up there last night, I suppose ?” They all assured him they were not, and he nodded his head as if he looked for that reply, and accepted it in all faith. | ‘“‘T was certain of it myself,’ hesaid, ‘and instead of hastening out, as I should have done expecting any of you, I crept to the door and gently drew back the bolt. But there was nobody in the room beyond, nor in the courtyard, nor near the castle, that I could dis- cover.” * Deuced odd!” muttered Terry. ‘Ttis more than that,” said Morse. “Bent on dis- covering who it was, I returned to my own den, armed myself with certain inflammatory protectors against assault, and, putting out the light, waited for half an hour. But whoever it was did not return.” ‘Who can it be?” asked Jim. ‘“ Ah, there you beat me,” answered Morse. “ As it was none of you, as I know, and none of the men, asI verily believe, it must have been a stranger. Again comes the question, who was it °” Eom (e 900 455 com