The Island School — page 204: what you’re looking at

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

TERRY'S and no paraphernalia, was most popular. The place was alive with moving youths, shouting and laughing an their glee. Here and there, asin the case of Dibble and Riffle and two or three of the very youngest, there might have been a feeling of inward trepidation, but to their honour they refused to show it. At an early hour Martin closed and securely barred the gates. The portcullis was also let down, and so far the castle was safe. But the huge building was erected before firearms were in use, and gunpowder not heard of save by a scientific few, who never conceived how its uses would be developed in the future. If they had thought of it, the portculiis would not have been made of open ironwork. Strong, yet no defence against the holder of a rifle, provided the holder could <limb up, or get on some handy level to fire through it. Jim had noticed this, and he made reference to it in private to Terry, who went into the great hall to have a few final words with him. It was growing dark then, but the lamps had not been lighted, for they were short of oil, and had to use it sparingly. He explained to Terry that a scouting party were coming up in the direction of the castle, and the portcullis being closed, might tempt them to fire through it in mere wanton mischief, as they had done at the windows of the schoolhouse. “One fellow standing on the shoulders of another,” he said, “would be able to send a shot whistling through the first chamber, and it had better not be occupied, but keep the door closed.” “They may blow the gates down with gunpowder,” said Terry, who had very hazy notions of warfare, “just as our men did at Delhi.” ““My dear boy,” said Jim, with a smile, “they won't be provided for that class of performance.” But Terry was not satisfied. He had got it into his head that the gates would have to be defended in a. more efficient way than just closing them. But he said no more, and Jim went on with his preparatory work. All the men were there, looking grave enough, and the selected boys for the expedition, and they were quiet, too. Hach was armed with a rifle, and some in addition had short stout sticks slung to their sides, sword fashion, wherewith to defend themselves if they were attacked, or were called upon in any way to defend themselves at close quarters. “ Have all got their ammunition ?” inquired Jim. All answered in the affirmative. “Then I think you may start. Morse will lead the way with the lamp. It will be necessary to preserve silence because it is possible that some of our enemies may be near the cave.” INNER LINE OF DEFENCE. 169 “And I assure you,” quietly added Morse, as he lighted a small lantern, “‘that it is a perfect speaking- trumpet of a place. It has curious echoes, too, that rumble about parts of it we have never yet explored. That will be a task for us when the day comes when we shall be left in peace.” He led the way into the laboratory, and the trap being already open, he descended. Jim went next, and after him the men. Then the boys vanished one by one, and Terry squatted down in the dark, listen- ing to the pit-a-pat of their footsteps until the sounds died away. Then he rose up and, using the care the nature of the place justified, felt his way back to the hall, where he lighted another lamp, and summoned his followers from the courtyard, where they were play- ing about still in the faint light that came from the stars alone. : CHAPTER XCIII. TERRY'S INNER LINE OF DEFENCE.—EVELINE’S DESPAIR. SERRY stood upon a chair with the lamp ' near him on _ the table. It was nota very brilliant heht, and most of his audience were in deep shadow. Some of the nearest had their bright, eager faces illumined by the light as they gazed up at him, “Well, boys,’ he — said, a airily. “I am cock of the walk for a time, and have instructions to take such steps as are necessary to protect the castle. You will therefore assist me in erecting a platform just inside the portcullis for ‘ Betsy’ and ‘ Bella,’ those two nice little guns which Nap had in the post-ofiice.” “Erecting a platform,” said one of the boys, “ will take us a week with the tools we have to use.” ‘Tn the store-room there are scores of packing- cases all empty,” said Terry. ‘The strength of true engineering work does not lie so much in the weight of material as in construction. You be guided by me. Now, Pesketh, Trimmer, Bullfinch, Waller, and the rest of you, get to work. This lamp will sutiice for you. J can start on my job with a candle, Hurry up 177 Now, Terry hardly believed that occasion would arise for the use of the cannon, but it was the first time he had been “ boss of the show,” and he wished to let some of the smaller boys see what he was made of. “The fellows at Rorke’s Drift,’ he said, ‘ con- Eom Cc aYoye) <q com