The Island School — page 246: what you’re looking at

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

¢f J 7 ; 4 7 ’ ne ~ ey Lois Pi ret bith aleets 4s an ’; Nit soo to: receive @ punishment, and when he phouohE j : he had had enough he lay down. SGA etc Ms mee Tm done,” he said, ‘but there was a time when Se. Yaha ’ doubled two like you up in art the time you’ve is "taken to lick me.” | As ee “All right,” said Changeling ; ; “only you keep 4 eer civil tongue in your head, or the next time I'll take tt ‘eal - clean orf for you !” - With this and other eine +osweeten their labours Bik boys worked on until noon. Then suddenly a = eg - startling interruption took place. | . hi (ie The gate was open, as there was nothing to fear in” . _ the belief of all, and the courtyard was almost empty. ce Only Dibble, Pesketh, and Trimmer were there, in- Aa dulging in an improvised Bue of hopscotch as a 4 By 4 _ relief to their toil. | Jim and Morse were away on the rampart, and had Peeen there all the morning. All the rest of the school, Hi including the men, were busy at their appointed work tf % inside the castle. The trio named were m a sense Be trusts, having stolen out to shirk a bit. The beauty of the day was worthy of the splendid Palisa cloudless, with a cool breeze blowing. Through » _ the open gateway they could see the horizon of the sea. j 2 6 -Pesketh, who was nearest the gate, stopped hopping about aiter a stone he was endeavouring to get into i position, and gazed in the direction of the gateway. it _ “What’s up?” asked Trimmer. . “T can hear somebody shouting,” he replied. / - They were all still, and he was undoubtedly right. | The sound seemed to come from a distance, or to proceed from some person whose mouth was B. i What can it be?” muttered Pesketh. “Het us go as far as the gate and see what we can we * of it,” sug ggested Trimmer. | q oF (This they did, going as far as the bridge, where they me ‘came to a full stop, half-stunned with amazement and a terror. : : e. Tearing towards them from the direction of the eae was a man, whose clothes were in tatters. He was hatless, Ae all over his head and face was some- - thing white, which looked like chalk, and eventually | peeved to be flour. ‘It was all over his face; his eyes aud mouth seemed fi to be full of it; and as us still shouted in a sputtering ) ik ashion, the effect of the ery apparently coming from a oreater distance was accounted for. - ue Tage he cried ; “save me. Jam a deadman !” They did not alae way for him because they could not, but he dashed through them into the castle, up- sett ting Trimmer and Peskath in his wild flight. Mp ‘Th rey: quickly got upon their feet again, but only, to th r he ror, to See ane figure nate BD the 4." ae ; MS ath, bis Ns bi Ab iy et ONE i we Meo Bak An at } } M4 hk 4 ity 1 Ae ) ie * timo there was ne 10 do yubt out the personage, | ee a TERRIBLE rate. bitten his arm. As on that occasion, he wore apparel that may be described as purely vegetable, because it was to the eye nothing but leaves. | In his right hand he carried a club, and his smoke a and dirt-begrimed countenance was distorted with ii passion, — | As an additional element of terror in his coming, he was uttering the most horrible sounds, more inn harmony with a wild beast than anything human. - The terrified trio lost not a moment in getting oie through the gates, which they closed with all speed, 4 ; and while they were making them fast the club of the | wild man struck one of the iron-studded panels with tremendous force. The blow would have shattered an ordinary gate. E “ Out!’ shouted a hoarse voice. “ Bune him out! ae bi ee Then he must have sprung at the gate with a Be: wonderful agility, for they saw his fingers clutch the | a topofit. But he did not get sufficient hold, for they Bi a slipped off, and‘they heard him drop, stagger, and fall. Bais: * The roar he sent out was alarming. ae Ca ‘Down with the portcullis,” gasped Dibblay “ he, | will eat us !” yas Ys Trimmer had just strength to lower it, and cay : just in time, for the wild man made another spring, got a firmer hold, and drew himself up to the top pth In at the gate. Re i ‘ But all he could do was to erin through the bars, ee ~and growl out all sorts of threats in scarcely intelli- nM gible tones, the words coming hoarsely from his foam-— ee flecked lips. | } he _ The three boys slowly retreated, staring at him aghast; but as soon as they were well within the _ courtyard he dropped once more, and vanished for i iO good and all that day. ae al CHAPTER CXI. exact ROM thoughts of thet he “ terrible creature ree) be cently at the gatethe thoughts of the boys ye turned to the strange being who a few moments before had sought refuge in oe castle. y iy | They moved pase a across the courtyare ae { bc daring to follow on his Os wait a Phiten yell” ant BOAT, Mia aes d is ty Al > mn i f re Pa a: ki ery rane aie nN ne hy as Ht ‘ N Fa a" : | y My Be) n . et de?) pe \ Va & } Uy aly