The Island School — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

Pot) : é we \) “a Fe CHAPTER I, THE MAIL-BOAT.—LETTERS FOR FERMENTERA. UNE is a sunny month in the Mediterranean, and the sun never shone brighter in all its glory than on a certain day in that month, in the year one thousand eight hundred and eighty-seven. Ploughing over the golden glittering deep, a mail- steamer, carrying the Spanish flag, was bearing east, when a boat with a lateen sail drew right across her path and let her canvas down. The act was apparently a mad one, but that ittle boat must have been expected, for the steamer at the same time slowed down, and veering a bit from her course, avoided a collision. There were three sunburnt youngsters in the boat, one of whom sang out cheerily, in the English tongue, “ Mail-boat from Fermentera, please.” “All right, my lad,” sang out the first officer, who wasin charge of the deck. “ Now then, you post-oftice sluggards, where are the bags ?” Two panting mail-sorters and guardians of his Spanish Majesty’s mails came hurrying up from below, each with a sack upon his shoulders. The boat with the youngsters had by this time drifted close in, and a Pru. ; \ | = =n, a a ee — _ ps ae” a = °<- - Ss 2— to Sa — —>. > Ae a lal a(t aN, eee LENS fy i ‘ 7X X \ y ¢, ‘il Na y SS ‘ mes Od oe ae KP ROWSE - the sacks were lowered into her by two smart sailors. | “Ts that all?” “All, and enough, too, I should think. Do you want the correspondence of the earth for your island school P” The question and answer having been exchanged, the boat was pushed away, and her lateen sail smartly hoisted. “Good-day to all of you!” sang out the trio of youngsters, in a chorus. The post-office officials grunted something, not entirely intelligible, the mate responded with a cheery good-bye, some of the sailors grinned, and the little crowd of passengers leaning over the side, fore and aft, gave the boys a hearty parting word. Then the screw of the mighty steamer revolved, back- ing her a bit before they headed quite clear of the tiny boat. The wind caught the sail, and away went the small craft one way and the steamer the other, at such a pace that in a few minutes there was the better part of a mile between them. Some of the passengers continued to wave their handkerchiefs or hats, and the boys, who were in sailor costume, answered by raising their caps until these movements of friendly adieu became indefinite in the distance. Then the youngsters turned their attention to the mail-bags, one of them at the same time looking to the steering of the boat. “You've a pretty good cheek of your own, Jim nicbooks.co CX @ )