The Island School — page 235: what you’re looking at

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

194 The hall was filled with the boys and men, partak- - ing of an evening meal, without any attempt at the old order of things. Mr. Farrell regarded them with a frown. He called for silence, and, from sheer force of habit, he was obeyed. “It is astonishing,” he said, ‘“‘ that as soon as the ' head of a house is gone, so soon disorder setsin. The sight of this hall to-night is a sinful contrast to the order I maintained at school.” He paused, and there was some murmuring, which Jim stilled with a word. Turning to Mr. Farrell, he quietly addressed him thus: ‘“‘T am afraid, sir, that other matters besides your absence have contributed to the slight disorder you refer to. ‘To-morrow I will take care that there is an improvement.” “ You will take care there is an improvement “Yes, sir. I have been elected commander of the castle.” | . Well, then,” said Mr. Farrell, hotly, “I depose you. Jam commander here.” There was another silence, all in expectancy of what Jim would do. Some thought he would openly rebel against the old authority. He was thoughtful for a few moments, then resumed : “You have the right to claim the position, sir, but I think you will be wise if you leave things as they are, until we are able to resume the school. “Tt will be resumed to-morrow, Gordon.” “ Impossible, sir.” “T say it shall be resumed,” insisted Mr. Farrell. “Tt is true vies we have had enemies to contend with, but I think, with a little diplomacy, matters can be arranged. Should the Spaniards appear before the castle, I will confer with them to that end. If, as I believe, we shall be no more molested, we can return to our ordinary life, and in future the castle will serve for a schoolhouse. Indeed, I think it is admirably adapted for it.” 3 The self-sufficiency of the man was boundless. It bordered on an exasperating form of idiocy, and the murmuring began again. Jim did not check it this time, but sat down and quietly bade Terry, who was by his side, call a council in the kitchen within the next half-hour. “We must decide what to do,” he said. “ Farrell, if allowed to have his own way, will ruin and sacrifice everything.” “ What have youin your mind, Jim ?” asked Terry. ~ With Farrell in the castle, there will be no fight- ing. He will give up everything—sell us all to save his own skin.” Terry passed round the hall, where, Mr. Farrell 077 having retired again, there was an angry discussion | going on, and, calling the Ten together, they slipped out in a body to the kitchen. THE ISLAND SCHOOL. CHAPTER CVI. THE ALARM.—A DESPERATE FRAY. .HE niggers were in the kitchen when the boys trooped in, and they rose in some _ haste, wondering what the visit portended. “We want a place to have a few minutes’ ~ ) iw y - \ H / My 2 pc hits 3 i , ay. me OT ; 4 “i : TL ‘ | Wop A Jim; “do you mind leaving. us to our- selves for a litle while P” “You sure you up to no fun wif de sarspins and tings ?” said Macbeth, doubtfully. “ Am dis de time for fun, ole cattermunk ?” asked Romeo ; “dere neber was a: man make a specral ob himself like you, ’cept’—adding this for the benefit ~ of Hamlet—‘“‘it am my fader.” ‘ Specral yourself,” indignantly exclaimed Macbeth. “All dis come ob your fader spearing the de rod to bile de child. Hamlet, am you ready °” They were all ready, and left the kitchen. Jim closed the door and sat down byit. The others took seats anywhere—on the table, on the boxes, where they could. Jim lost notime in laying his views before them. He was certain that Mr. Farrell would give,up the castle to Espardo Reonardo if he appeared before it, unless he was restrained. To do that effectually, he~ must be made a prisoner. ‘“ But that won’t do,” said Jim, ‘ because he zs the master, and if we are victorious, we shall still have an enemy to deal with. One thing only remains to be done.” He paused, and they waited in silence for his plan. Terry alone had an inkling of it. “We must make up a band of trustworthy fellows to the number of sixty or thereabouts, and be pre- pared, on the first sign of the coming attack, to sally out and take possession of the forts.” He then showed them that thirty were about as many as could move about in the Redan and the Roman camp. He also said it would be necessary to get the two small cannon ready placed and loaded. “Tf the attack comes at all,” he said, “we shall have itin a day or two. If Reonardo and his gang had not shown so much pertinacity, I might have hoped that they would retreat after their last ex- perience on the ‘Orsini. But I cannot entertain that hope now.” One portion of his plans related to the placing of cS quiet chat in,” said (Se @) Ni (@{ @) nN @ 900 ad