The Island School — page 271: what you’re looking at

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

SNR Sey a PNA ae «] am Fiore to it if Veet is,” and Mr. Farrell, stil on his hands and knees; “Iam merely looking a F ae the bed for something I have dropped.” 4 This outrageous falsehood would have angered a fen or raised a laugh at another time. But now it y Sool excited contempt. _ “Tmerely wish to tell you, sir,” said Jim, “that Be ctsncse have compeled us to lock out Don ox EL aEbalo and his men.” | e “Out of this,” continued Jim, “trouble may arise. Mt ‘But I won't be sure. What we ask for is a free hand as to do as we please.” a e “Tt seems to me,” said Mr. Farrell, tartly, “that _- —you are sure the Brew has departed with his men ?” i “They have all gone,” replied Jim; “ the last two, i who have been looking after you, HONE I reckon, by | this time, been put out of the gate.” Og Indeed! Well, Gordon—as to future trouble, I request you to vie none of it.” 4 Pe “Tt will not be of our making, sir. All we: have to doi is to show a bold front, ana ae chances are that Hi ~ the Don will depart when his ship returns from 4 Gibraltar.” : @ “Suppose it never returns, Gordon ?” _. “In that case we shall oe to keep the Don and ; a his men aloof.” - _ “T think,” said Mr. Farrell, with the cold, cutting Ae air of the great original Napoleon, “that you are taking false steps. You are always taking them, and a ] ther result. is nothing but muddle, turmoil, and peril. BeAr ‘I was making arrangements with the Don, I—I——” _ He saw the boys looking at his torn clothes, and pulled up short, finally taking refuge, like the weak _. man he was, in unreasonable anger. _ “You set a bad example, Gordon,” he oS aes conduct is infamous !” ie? Vou have said as mucly before,” returned Jim, “and of course I cannot answer you as I would if I were a grown man. As you are free now, Mr. Farrell _ I think it will be better if you change your clothes. a Iwon’t ask who has treated you so infamously, or __ why it was done.” | a aby you did,” said Mr. Farrell, “I would not tell * your . ite family concentrated in his bearing, he stalked from the room. - “ An incurable fool,” said Jim. ‘“ Well, Morse, so far we win. Now we have to learn if I have rightly estimated the character of the Don.” On going down below they were told that the _ two soldiers had been quietly marched outside by am Hey, Nl Rel ( “TH E a SLAND § the scruff of the neck, and the gates closed against 4 b ' ‘ « PI ‘ L 6 ?, Aue ‘wis then i he. tale the ‘ei Hon hoe g = ; about as pleased as school pupils on the. lowes of going home for a holiday. \ ‘ 3 oa “We are good for a month's Ghee said. nee, : fh ‘ K “longer, if we are careful with the grub.” yaa eo yet “lee you will have to be,” replied Jim, oraeelen hd Bae wish to be hopeful, but one can never tell what. is going to happen.” MENS.) ra With the gates closed and the porteullis dota x they were safe from intrusion on the part of the — be Don, who had no means of carrying the place by ie assault, even if he were so minded. But for all. ae that, Jim and Morse made up their minds to keep | Ba watch all night. 7 YEE ig It would be cold, and Martin suggested that they should have a number of rugs to lie upon in ae the warmest corner of the sound way near the K ‘ wi it gates. This was accepted as a reasonable proposi- ) aha _tion, and at nine o’clock the two chums went to their | post, and the others retired to bed. | nf As an additional _companion they had Charley, the bear, which, when they lay down, considerately Cr e took up a position that shielded them. from draught, © «Lae! and gave them a lot of additional warmth. “Seen anything of Eveline?” asked Morse, as he rolled himself up in a rug. | Inte Ain ‘Just for a moment,” answered Jim. “I explained matters, and she said she was quite easy in her mind. | She tells me that the Don took all Nap’s money toxie es pay the home passage for the little kids. Nap had it concealed in his elounnes and now we know why Heyy was reduced to rags.’ ey “T don’t Hae ’ said Morse, sleepily ; “ the Don Call) (ewe have his money.” | A ea “ So say I,” answered Jim. “Good night.” — oe ‘ es They were soon soundly asleep, and it seemed to Jim, who was generally a dreamless sleeper, that the next minute somebody was knocking at the gate. He sat up and laid a hand on Charley, who was uttermg soft growls. Outside there was a sound of shifting — tam footsteps, and the voice of the Don was heard. i Vee ‘They are all asleep,” he said ; “ but on the morrow hia I will awaken some of them. It was a sorry prank to ~ play us. There is no.ship in the bay, and of course no governor. I wish I had thought of going thither © first, instead of prancing about the island in search of _ i his excellency.” , fe Murmurs assenting to this view of the Seleueles were | . . heard, and the Don went on: | yay “Diablo! but it is cold! The small none of the Ee morning are always chilly. What can we doe Ten Ace" times have I knocked, and there is ne answer. }i22i9) 6 ae ares “We must camp outside, sonore said one of the.) o4 : men. # iy ’ “a j “Fiends seize oe) ” hissed the Don. “y twill by of the door once more. Benen he eae A a) a