The Island School — page 323: what you’re looking at

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

hed Oe Ue Oe 5 va ae iY ie sl ay it a ane Neha tiie: ea aera “failure. ; | a ; Morse laughed louder than ever. Me i ‘a Oh, Jim,” he said, “ you do amuse me! : Pel wish I could return the compliment, ” was the ‘involuntary reply. rf ‘Jim! a sang out Mae EN ve oe i “Yes, old fellow ?” ass Braet Main. Jim’s voice was shaking with pity. “Morse soma i i ae to be struggling against a sonia) to laugh. | qv “Come and see my goose.” " “T will,” said Jim. “Now, boys,” he softly eau to the rest, “you rely upon me. In the humour he is in, I had better go alone.” Lo ai mth i. ‘“‘You have but one arm,” suggested Terry. ey .“Never mind. That will be all that is required.” “Come along !” sang out Morse. | Bs CPN “T should like to see that goose, too,” nal Tony. Ae “Then you WON, just yet,” was the reply. kG where you are.” Morse spoke in his most dees manner, which Re q?? Bee oe But suppose that goose is not worth the trouble te of killing, and too tough to eat, wnat then?” | ey “Let be beggar go.” oe re et No, not if I know it. Ishall keep my goose. It ‘ . s so pleasant to hear him cackle. You shall hear him before long.” A | f i Did you get any sleep last night?” asked Jim, ee anxiously. ae a Net much, but that is nothing new. ave had many sleepless nights.” “ What were you doing—experimenting $ p0 would have to go pone. : In the case of any ordinary person, matters ss m have been different, but doing anything with Morse ve in his present condition was, in their opinion, hey ie by handling a barrel of gunpowder in a house on fire. | ee You and I a a ; mn mee Yes; on the ways of geese—or, rather, a goose.’ i | ‘Then off he went again. a ne Jim was now at the end of his wits, and the more serious he looked the more Morse laughed. Finally, h tears i in his eyes, he passed Jim and descended a stairs. Jim followed, resolved to stop him, by a “a as “What is the matter with him P” asked Hillyard. a “Leave him tome,” whispered Jim. “Tl watch ever him. Take no notice.” H t really seemed the best thing to do, but the boys Sent castle, although it was put together with the is mortar and cement.” : “ought ‘ be lured ave some room and locked up. _ “He may have the melenite about him,” said Jim, iS _sententionsly. | ah “Then take it way from him.” goose must wait. SO ehey went together, the two old friends, cae ms ‘5 Jim was not surprised when Morse went direct to the | laboratory and unlocked the door. ; “My right hand is all right,” he thought, “and if £ see he is going to do anything wild, I must knock him a 4 down.” a ey hi It was a last resource, and not pleasant 1 contem- ed plate, but the lives of so many were at stake. ay hed however, did nothing in the laboratory to excite atten- r tion, but went over to the table on which a bull’s-eye | ahi: : j ia JF lantern was standing, picked it up, and pushing the — : - table aside, opened the trapdoor. ea “My goose is down here,” he said, g peas cine be trapped. I have a light burning bela Jim began to breathe more freely. Together they “a descended the steps. Morse, now silent, with a motion ‘s of his hand expressed a desire that Jim also should a as 4 in ane y gee refrain from speaking. ae Walking swiftly and quietly, he traversed half tha! hs distance towards the mouth of the cave until they — came to one of the side turnings on the left, which up Ve to that hour they had never attempted to explore. Mc He was on the point of turning down it, when he pulled up sharp, and turned a listening ear towards the direct passage familiar to them both. A murmur ay of voices floated up from that direction. = ae te i Something wrong down there,” said a “the This way, Jim.” aes a His manner of speaking was as natural as ever, and_ ee of the ieee of the ee Jantern, h ie : \ ik ’ ¥ "e a ane: “é We se * :