The Island School — page 259: what you’re looking at

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

216 talked to them as he went down, not on the situation, but on the charms of his “noble home in Minorca.” ‘I share a palace with Don Carlos Spartola, who is zovernor of the island.” It was one way of admitting that he was a dlependent of that mighty functionary, but they took little heed of what he was saying. Both were busy with their thoughts. On reaching the lower ground he chanced to direct his gaze towards the ruin of the schoolhouse. Of its history he evidently knew nothing. “That was our home,” said Mrs. Farrell, ‘‘ burnt by those villains whom our brave boys thrashed in the end.” “So,” he exclaimed, raising his eyebrows, ‘ they did that! But why? What was their motive for coming to the island ?” Mrs, Farrell knew, but she hesitated to say, because she knew it would be distasteful to Eveline. “You must ask those—who survive,” she said. Don Algua shrugged his shoulders. “Tt is not a pleasant subject for us,” he said. Let us talk of something else.” | He pointed out to them the boat that had brought him and his men ashore, lying close to where the boys’ boats were stranded. Half a dozen lazy-looking sailors were lounging upon the sands _ beside them. “Outside the lagoon,” he said, “lies the ‘ Guadal- quivir, my ship. It is a noble vessel.” “ You are fortunate,” said Eveline, somewhat scorn- fully. ‘“ All that you possess is noble.” “It is so,” he answered, taking her words seriously, ““but I lack one thing’”’—here his voice melted down to a tone expressive of ultra-tenderness—“ and that is—- will you not guess ?” “1 was never good at riddles,’ replied Eveline, eoldly. She was beginning to hate him. “A wife,” he said, pathetically. “Alas! the only music heard in my noble home is the guitar.” “Have you brought it with you?” asked Mis. Farrell, “Tt is in my cabin on the ‘ Guadalquivir.’ Will you come on board and hear me play and sing P” Mrs. Farrell was about to say “ Yes,” but catching Eveline’s eye, which expressed dissent, she excused herself. The Don was about to press his request, when his attention was distracted by the entrance of a small felucca into the bay. It was managed by two men, one oi whom sat in the stern, and by his side a woman of uncertain age, say something in the fifties. She wore an old-fashioned poke-bonnet perehed on the top of her head, a plaid woollen shawl, and a dress of blue bombazine. Her air was that of a woman who, when she made come true. THE ISLAND SCHOOL. up her mind, did not allow the minds of other people to interfere with her ruling. This was such an amazing spectacle that all the trio of lookers-on gazed dumbly until the felucca was in the most unceremonious way run ashore, It was done in a way that suggested intoxication or total lack of skill on the part of those who managed the boat. | The jerk being a violent one, both the man at the stern and the woman at his side were thrown forward on their hands and knees. The woman was the first to rise, and it was then seen that she had a big sun- shade with a very long handle, and an Alpine crook at the end of it. “You lazy, idle vagabonds, what do you mean by it 2” she cried, in a voice that was like the screech of a small steam-pipe. Before either of the men could reply, she had fetched each a thwack over the head with her sunshade, and stepping out of the boat, she revealed the fact that she possessed big feet, clad in cloth boots tipped with patent leather. | “Bring along my _ box,” she said, imperatively, addressing the men, who were rubbing their heads ruefully. They were round-faced, chubby-looking men, types of contented Spanish fishermen. One of them seemed to understand what she wanted, although herlanguage was evidently incomprehensible to him, for he picked up a small trunk and hopped ashore with it with remarkable agility. By this time the men in charge of the Don’s boat were on their feet, staring at the new-comer with eyes that threatened to shoot out of their heads. “‘ Never in all my life,” said the new-comer, address- ing herself to creation generally, “ have I had such a time before, traipsing over the sea from Spain with a pair of jabbering idiots who can’t speak a word of the easiest language under the sun, which is English.” She now caught signt of Mrs. Farrell, who was advancing towards ee and bobbing a courtesy, she sald : “ Nice day, ma’am. Do you live on this island fr” “‘T do,” was the reply. “Then perhaps you know Mr. Farrell 2”. “Tam Mrs. Farrell.” “Indeed! Then I may as well tell you that I am Oscar Dibble’s aunt. Which is the way to the school °” “Tam sorry to tell you,” said Mrs. Farrell, “that there is all that remains of it.” » “Goodness gracious!” exclaimed Miss Hlegantme Dibble. “I’ve dreamt it dozens of times, and now it’s All the precious boys and my darling Oscar have been burnt in their beds alive !” And theh, without any more ado, she flopped down upon the sands and fainted away. 900 CS Eom Cc (et @) mn