The Island School — page 107: what you’re looking at

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

86 THE “Then vou won't expect me to be severe on him on ariybody’s account 2” “ If you were you would not be Eveline.” “Very well, then. We won’t say anything more about it. Tamnct certain how you came here to help us—indeed, I haven’t the least notion—but Iam sure you have done a brave thing, and mamma and myself will ever be grateful to you.” “That is enough, and more than enough for me,” said Jim. “I must go now and see to papa’s wants. anything I can get for you, Jim P” “No,” he said, “ not at present, anyway.” So Eveline left him, and Jim for the next hour was alone, save for the occasional popping up of Change- ling’s head out of the engine-room to ask him cheerily how he was getting along. And the answer was always of a cheerful deserip- tion, The wind-up of these short confabs was always a remark from Changeling to the effect “that he was letting her rip,” meaning thereby that he was making the engines work for all they were worth. The night as 1t advanced became very clear, more so than it usually was even in that favoured part of the world. Jim was enabled to make sure of his course by the dark outline of the island and the level line of the horizon in the opposite direction. For hours Jim kept his post until he began to feel the weight. of fatigue. But there was little prospect of relief. By-ané-by, however, Changeling came on deck and said, quietly : “ Now, Mr. Gordon, you just have a doss, if only for half an hour. ver so little sleep is better than none.” “ What about the engine?” asked Jim. “She is set to go alone for the next hour or more,” answered Changeling. “I ain’t been on the deck lately, have IP” ‘““ Not for the better part of an hour.” “i was having my doss then. Now, just you curl up anywhere, and the launch will get along without you for a bit.” Feeling that it would be a very wise thing to do, Jim lay down in the stern, drew a tarpaulin over his legs, and was asleep in a moment. orn that moment he knew nothing more until he was awakened by a sound of wrangling. Opening his eyes, he saw it was the schoolmaster endeavouring to tae the wheel from Changeling, who refused to give Lb Up. “ You may be my master,” he was saying, “but you run us into one mess, and I'll be bothered if you are goiue to cet us Into another.” Jiu sprang up, and Mr. Farrell, who, apparently, v 1s not aware of his vicinity, drew back stiffly. Is there ISLAND ee ET EE EO 8 PP A EN OE A am a a Gm ne I Ae SCHOCL, “ What is the matter, Changeling ?” asked Jim. “Mr. Farrell wants to head the boat for Gibraltar,” replied Changeling. | I desire to go where I please with my own launch,” said Mr. Farrell. *‘Tixcuse me, sir, imperative that we go on home.” “Will you tell me why?” demanded the school- master. “We have left a number of men on the island who intend to go there.” ‘6 And what of that ?” “They are a rough lot, as you ought to know, sir, and should they get there before us they will assuredly do some mischief.” “The same old story of unreasonable fear,” Mr. Farrell. should be cut short by you.” “Do not forget,” said Jim, significantly, “that it has been dangerously shortened already.” The face of the schoolmaster flushed as Jim took the helm and calmly resumed steering, motioning at the same time for Changeling to go- down to the engine-room. He felt as if he had had a good night’s rest, ase indeed he had slept much longer Aes, he intended, thanks to Changeling’s extension of the time, for the first flush of coming day was in the east. “Do you defy me?” haughtily demanded Mr. Farrell. Jim was about to say that he would resist the taking of the launch to Gibraltar, but was spared the necessity by the appearance of Eveline from below. She took her father by the arm, whispered a few words in his ear, and gently puted him towards the companion. After a very feeble resistance to her will, he dis- appeared below, leaving Eveline on deck. “T wish he would not be so tiresome,” she said; ‘but you must not let him have his own way.” “T do not intend to,’ serenely answered Jim. “Others have to be considered besides himself.” Eveline sat down on a deck-chair near Jim, with her arm resting on the side of the launch. ‘‘It was because he was so_persistent,” she said, “ that we fell into the hands of those dreadful men. When their boat appeared in sight, coming towards us, both mamma and myself said it would be better to keep right away from them. But they signalled to us, and papa ordered Changeling to stop the engine. He was below, and couldn’t see why it was to be done, but of course he obeyed. The monsters steered right up to us, laid hold of the launch with long boat-hooks, and jumped on board. Some went down to the engine-room, and I heard Changeling fighting with them and using rather dreadful language. Papa 9) said c 900 co mn said Jim, earnestly, “but it is — “I do not see why my pleasure-trip — CS co 4