The Island School — page 361: what you’re looking at

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

304 THE ISLAND SCHOOL. were doubtless in the wood, preparing materials for | castle, which would probably induce the boys to re- cover. barricade of sufficient strength to resist bullets. “ Have we any elastic bands anywhere ?” suddenly asked Morse. | “1 think there are a few,” replied Jim, “ but I hardly know where they are. Nap had them with an idea of putting up a gymnasium. You know the style of thitiz, with rings at the bottom of a band for a fellow to jump about and twist and turn on ?”’ “The very thing,” said Morse; “look them up and make a few ordinary catapults. Not too much elastic, as we can get more force out of the shorter weapon.” “Tt strikes me we have not much time.” “No. lf they get the cannon fixed they will pound a hole in the wall before morning. We cannot keep them out with a gun to play upon us. This is as ugly a thing as we have had to do with.” They lost no time in further debate. Jim went away to turn over the stores to find the elastic bands, and Morse proceeded to a spot in the upper part of the castle where he had stored away his chemicals. They were in a disused chamber of which he had no key. But, as a precaution against their being interfered with, he had screwed up the door. Jim got a few of his friends, Terry, Rainstone, Daw- son, and two or three more to assist him in the search. It was almost dark when they came upon what they wanted. The india-rubber bands were discovered at the bottom of a chest filled with cloth and ealico. for household use. Then they set to work making the handles out of pliable sticks that would permit of their being split and the necessary fork formed at the top. The length of india-rubber requisite was fastened on with strong twine and rubbed over with cobbler’s wax. On testing them with a small stone they shattered the missile to pieces against the wall-of the hall. By tea-time they had six completed. Morse came in from the laboratory, which had been putin order, and a curtain hung up to replace the door. He examined the catapults and approved of them. “TI have been up, just at dusk,” he said, ‘and the screen appears to have been completed. Isaw nobody there.” ‘Is it very strong?” inquired Terry. “No; merely brushwood, I take it. thing to hide the cannon from view.” _ Later on, when tea was over, there was a report from Felton from the ramparts, of something moving about not far down the broken path in front of the castle. He could see nothing, but he had heard men’s voices. Now the plans of the enemy were fully revealed. They designed to pound away at the rear of the Simply some- Probably they would succeed in’ erecting a: treat in front. There an ambuscade was preparing to meet them. If they did not leave their shelter, the assault. could: be strengthened by the men in ambuscade. It was. not far to go. Ina quarter of an hour they could join. their brethren in the rear. A council of war led to a decision to at once begin | harassing the enemy in front. Morse’s rocket appara- tus was still on the top of the great tower, and he handed to Jim several small packages. | “Tie them to a stick and shoot them down,” he said; ‘they are harmless, and only intended to give light. Put a dozen of the best auote on the ramparts to pick off supy ene they may see.’ “ And where will you be ?” asked Jim. “T,” said Morse, “intend with Terry to work in the: . rear. Idonot think they will get their gun into posi- tion to-night, or, if there, will be able to do much with it. But I shall do nothing until I am certain they are there. It would be childish to waste good material in burning a few furze-bushes.” Jim selected his assistants and sent them with rifles and ammunition to their posts. They were accompanied by Trueberry. Martin went with him to the top of the tower. They could see nothing below but the outline of the woods. The sea was hidden ingloom. There was no sound. “ Doesn’t seem as if anyone was down there,” Martin. “No,” assented Jim; * but it is all uncertainty.” He had brought some sticks with him, to which they bound the packets Morse gave him. The end to light had been pointed out to him. He laid the small rocket in the apparatus and set it alight. A moment later it sped away with scarce a sound. When it reached the ground there was no explosion, but soon after a brilliant light flared up showing the woods and rocks and broken ground. It lit up the castle, too, revealing the young rifle- men on the ramparts. But no enemy was discovered, and, there was nothing to fire at. The light died away. “They are very closely hidden,” said Jim, “ or they are not there. We must wait awhile.” They waited a whole hour with the same result. A second rocket failed to show. the presence of a living thing below. Then Jim made up his mind ‘a pay a visit to Morse. He found him in the bedroom on the. platform with Terry, below. They were in the dark, and Jim's en- trance, although a quiet one, roused them both from their thoughts. “Seen nothing yet, Morse °” whispered Jim. “ Nothing,” was the reply, “nor you either, I know.’ said nic 900 (SE @) CS (el @) mn