The Island School — page 336: what you’re looking at

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

} 41) OSS poe ‘ mi nal FF oy, Ww fr 4 f NOTHE BS Ve ae pla: ate all: we wanted, ” said Jim, ea i Where j is Morse sy NE ea the cave.” - aa 3 - What is he doing there ?” e “ He said he was going to hunt up Chorker.” Thad forgotten him,” said Jim. “What, Charley, old man!” The bear came Nahtiee. up to him, as playful as a dog rleased to see his master returned. Jim patted the ammal on the head and excited him to further de:ncnstrations of joy. Sens his other accomplishments Charley could burr. isc over heels like a street-arab, and he now "enue yn ahead across the cain pe Mm a direct line io tne big nail, Unhappily, just ashe arrived there Miss Elegantine ‘vas cvraing out. Charley’s thick coat made no noise On the stone flags, and he arrived unexpectedly, so that « collision took place, with the result that Miss Hiegantine was knocked dcewn and rolled over. ‘° VWlurder !” she screamed. “Tam very sorry,” cried Jim, as he bounded in and helped to raise her to her feet. “ Most unfortunate ‘you should be coming out just as Charley was going an.” aac ue _ “Drat the animal!” she exclaimed. “I suppose the next thing you boys will keep will be a waltzing elephant. “1 fear they are rather scarce,” said Jim, eravely. “T was coming out with the hopes of finding you. Kveline nas been asking where you were.” “J have been out for a stroll with two of my friends.” : “And stroiling with guns and things. Oh! you boys! I dort believe you think any more of shooting a man thy: the sparrow did of killing poor cock robin.” “ Where is Eveline ?” asked Jim. “Oh, it is really I who want tosee you. I asked her when the next matt was going out, and she said she would ask you.” “We cannot send out any mail just yet,” Jim. “Is your letter very pressing ?” “Well,” said Miss Elegantine, “I have a cousin, a __-retired major of the Militia, and it occurred to me that if I wrote and told him of the trouble we are in, _ that he would send over a few soldiers, some of those idle Horse Guards, or some such fellows, to help us.” “T am afraid it would not be done,” said Jim. “ We are such an unimportant lot of boys. Do you know ‘why most of us were sent here ?” ry “ To learn, I suppose.” No, Miss Dibble. Not so much on that account i a as to get rid of us, for a time at least. Two-thirds of ma _us have no parents, the others have stepfathers or a —- nse are a bit wrong at Pome, ey / 2, ie ad replied ' ‘ np & vei Bh ° 1 ‘on * ; : ACES a tetas J a Yn ¢ ‘4 ty \ li ih 4 pal! vie | ¥ je, ry: Ff Fi + £ BY ; ba ae ° i : a SORT OF F HOG. iy ee Peet of it, the thinker would probably assume tha i ot aN Bis vie an ft ty) ay Sy Ph : vane 5 ei) Ai a Wi np yr Cn Psi i J Gn vt ’ jn “ And many of us,” added Ganthony, “ will Be into money when we are twenty-one. But if we dio before that time it will fall to the people who are kind enough to send us here.” oe There was something in what he said that suddenly blanched her cheeks, and she turned quickly away, saying that she would inform Eveline that there was eS) no mail for the present. we “Twig that P” said Ganthony. . a ‘You upset her,” said Jim, absently. ha “ Yes, and with what? Now, poor old Dibble hie always told us that he was living on the charity of his aunt. -But I can see that he will have money - ! he lives long enough to inherit 1t.”’ “T would make sure of that before I said anything a, to Dibble about it,” advised Jim. a Leaving the miners he went off to find Morse, rather expecting to find him in the laboratory. But he Was not there. sh The aaa was open, showing that he was still. below. Hi | The day was now pretty well spent, and Morse had been away for six hours. It was a long time to be o nm ji such an errand, and Jim wondered what on earth had detained him. The lantern usually employed. on wandering about the cave was gone, and there was none other available. | a “He is gone a deuce of a time!” muttered Jim. H “ Surely old Chorker hasn’t fallen foul of him. But no—he hasn't the pluck, and where would be the sense of ir” fae After waiting the better part of an hour, and thal . twilight then beginning to fall, Jim returned to the hall, where the evening meal was being prepared. There was almost a full assemblage of boys, and J im soon singled out Terry, and beckoned to him. ‘0 “ Did Morse say how long he would be gone ?” Jit | else Yi ‘eg “No,” replied Terry ; “he merely said he was go below. Hasn’t he come back yet?” Pu) “No.” > hate Deuced odd, isn’t it.” mere “T don’t understand it a bit. Chorker was no more than ten minutes’ walk away. But, of course, he may have shifted his ground, and Morse is looking for hin still. Still, some seven hours is a long time.” i) ia “There is a part of the cave unexplored, I believe °” ney “Most of it, Terry. Indeed, we only know of one small portion of it. If Morse isn’t back soon I shall i be ~* to find him.” ““'We will go together,” said Terry, and Jack voaet assent. SG The evening meal was served and partaken of with: out any sign of Morse. His» absence was not com- mented on. If any there besides Jim and Ter ‘y sf D4 deus ate rf uy ch ie ry} if Mt