The Island School — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

“* VHE ISLAND Suddenly, with a jerky action, he raised his hand to his nose, and violently rubbed it as if a fly had stung him. | Jim coolly waited a few seconds more, and then put the rudder hard up, and sheered off to leeward with the speed of a horse taking a sharp turn while running in an open field. The next moment the stranger vessel shot by, her crew uttering a yell of disappointment. Jim started up, holding the tiller between his knees, and cast the stone he held at the man who was steer- ing the other boat. He was a swarthy, handsome man, witha wild. ferocious expression of face, the latter probably caused by his being foiled in his purpose by the _ dexterity of a boy. The stone caught him fairly on the side of the head, and he fell from his seat as if he had been shot. Immediately there was confusion on board the stranger, for the rudder being loosened, the boat veered round broadside to the wind, and threatened to capsize. Jim Gordon, steering past the stern of the disor- ganised boat, speedily put the better part of a furlong between him and the malicious scoundrels. *“ By George!” exclaimed Brodie, as he recovered his breath, “‘that was neatly done, Jim.” Stiff said nothing, he was so utterly taken aback by the manceuvre so successfully executed. “I reckon,” said Jim, complacently, “that I had him there. How are they getting on ?” He was steering for the creek, which was now legs than a mile away, and had to watch for certain rocks and shoals he knew of. “They've got the boat round on the back tack,” replied Brodie, ‘ and another fellow is at the helm. The original party is holding hisjaw and shaking his fist in this direction.” “ Let him shake it till it drops off from his wrist,” said Jim; “his game was to run us down, I was sure of that; but whether he intended to open a course of vengeance against us, which I fancy we are threatened with, or whether his game was to get the mail-bags for plunder, I can’t say; but we shall soon know all about it.” . “Our chief, Napoleon Farrell, ought to know of this attempt.” “T shall tell him, of course,” said Jim Gordon, “but as a chief in the time of war I fancy our own Napoleon won’t be worth much. We shall have to _ look elsewhere, or take care of ourselves.” “I wonder why he was christened Napoleon,” said Brodie, musing. “His father bore a strong resemblance to that mighty man, and he is like his father,” said Jim Gordon ; “so the name was given him—I have his SCHOOL. assurance it was so, but I won’t vouch for the truth of it. Anyhow, he is avery good imitation of the little corporal who once set Hurope in a blaze. Here we are, home again from the perils of the deep.” As he spoke the “Swallow” glided into the creek, up which she moved with easy grace, losing most of the breeze in the shelter of the high rocks on either side. CHAPTER II. THE GREAT SCHOOL OF FERMENTERA,. \, HE creek widened a short distance from the shore, opening out into a small . lagoon. On the sea side of it were rocks, among which ferns and many varieties of flowers and shrubs grew in wild luxuriance, forming a picture of natural horticul- tural beauty that would have graced the grounds of a nobleman. Indeed, it may be doubted if in all the garden splendours of our cultivated grounds at home anything to compare with it could be found. On the inland side the ground sloped gradually from the shore to a wooded height, and fronting it was what at first sight looked lke a small town, dominated by an ancient castle. The castle was genuine, but the apparent town was a collection of modern buildings, erected by Mr. Napoleon Farrell, generally spoken of as Nap Farrell. They were entirely built of wood, for economical purposes, but for all that, the effect was that of sub- stantiality. In the centre was the main building, where two hundred boys were educated, fed, and generally cared for. Into the internal economy of the-schooi we need not at present go. On either side stood a number of minor erections, used as workshops and for a variety of other purposes, in connection with what was known as the Great Educational Scheme of Napoleon Farrell. Lying close to the inland shore of the lagoon were a number of ordinary rowing-boats of various sizes, and moored a short distance from the land lay a fair- sized steam launch. A smudged-face man leaned over the bow, smoking a short pipe, and as the boat came in from the sea and slowly glided to the shore, he hailed the boys: “Got a good mail, my lads P” “A stiff one,” answered Jim Gordon ; letters.” “necks of 900 co MIC CS mn co