The Island School — page 206: what you’re looking at

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

THE ATTACKING PARTY HAVE A Then there was again silence. It acted as a soporific both to Romeo and Charley, who dozed off and on, fighting with the somnolent | influence, but presently yielding to it. Terry spoke to Romeo in a whisper, but getting no answer let him sleep on. He peered over the side, but could see nothing of Charley in the dark, though he could hear the gentle breathing of that noble animal. “Good company, this!” he muttered. His thoughts were now turned away from them by a slight sound outside. Peering through the port- cullis, he saw in dim outline the figures of several men. How many there were he could not tell. To his startled and perhaps exaggerated vision there seemed to be a host of them. The idea that the castle was about to be assaulted by the foe in force took possession of him, and he hurriedly brought “ Bella,” the gun, to bear on them, without, 1t may be said, any certainty as to aim. Terry, in spite of having a cousin in the artillery, was a novice in gunnery, but he knew that the ordinary way of firing a small cannon was by applying a match to the touch-hole. He had them ready, and taking one out of the box, he struck it. Then he put it near the touch-hole, and shut his eyes. There was a moment's pause, and then a roar as of an earthquake. It was followed by a yell of alarm outside. Terry heard it, as he felt himself struck in the chest with some heavy object, and rolled over. He fancied— although he was hardly in the condition of mind to fancy anything very clearly—that he fell upon the back of Charley. Certain it is that the next part of the performance was very distinct and comprehensible. The whole of the platform, with Romeo, came down with a rush, and | buried both Terry and Charley under the ruins, CHAPTER XCIV. THE ATTACKING PARTY HAVE A SURPRISE.—AN ADVANCE UPON THE REAR OF THE FOE. mouth of the cave Mm HA \ without a hitch. He Rk ae Yrighad been so often 4 through that portion iN / of the cavern that he - could have found his |B way there blindfold. “7 The night, as they expected, continued fine, and away by the mouth of the chine they could see the faint of GY a ‘ PP 1ORSE led the way tothe | SURPRISE. 171 glowing of fires. Jim was of opinion there were three alight, but were burning low. The latter fact rather puzzled him and his friends. They knew that if the Spaniards cared for a fire at all In that climate, it would be for cooking or as a means of enabling them to see the cards as they gambled. It was much too early for them to be asleep. Quietly desiring all to be as silent as possible, he called a council with Morse and Martin. They stood a little apart from the rest, more in the open, and conferred in whispers. “This looks like an ambush,” said Jim. “It is possible they may have discovered your coming here.” He addressed Morse, who asked him how that could be. “You would leave a trail to and from the cave as you crept down to listen to them. There has been daylight since, do not forget.” “ But it would be the trail of a single person,” said Morse. ‘Surely they would not be so superlatively cunning about one foe ?” “They are a set of varmints,” remarked Martin. “Of course, we ought to have some idea if there is a trap set. Let me go forward and see.” “No,” said Jim; “that is my task.” ‘Or mine,” said Morse. You did the last bit of scouting,” returned Jim, “soI go now. If you hear anything like a fight, hasten back to the castle and look to them there, I daresay I shall be able to look to myself.” “ Certainly,’ sarcastically answered Morse. ‘Is there anything else ridiculous you can suggest? No, my boy ; if there should be any fighting, we are i atl” ‘My rifle will only be an encumbrance, as 1 may have to climb about,” said Jim, as he handed it to Martin. The blacksmith took it, felt the lock to see if it was off-cock, and laid it across his arm. Jim glided away, and was soon lost in the gloom, He travelled along the top of the cliff until he was obliged by the nature of the ground to descend half- way to the bottom of the chine. On the way he saw no one, heard no sound, and puzzled by the strange stillness, he halted and endeavoured to make out who or what was near the fires. But he soon came to the conclusion that there was nobody near them. This was more puzzling still. Then he stared with all his eyes about the chine, and could make out nothing that could be shaped into the figure of a man. “ Are they gone 2” he asked himself. He hesitated a moment, and then went on with his hand upon a knife he earried in a sheath attached to his belt, and on the lookout for any foe who might be hidden among the bushes or behind the jutting rocks. But he went on without interruption until he was * 900 (E( 0) Mic cs mn (@( 0)