The Island School — page 144: what you’re looking at

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

MR. GROBY IS in ambush. “Io his amazement he saw a number of rifle-muzzles thrust out, and, witha cry of alarm, he darted aside. : | “Retreat, comrades!” he yelled—“ to the wood!” It was too late, as far as the men were concerned. Reonardo had seen the rifles and knew his peril. They could only listen bewildered to his cry of warning, and wonder what it all meant. Hre they could retreat, five rifles cracked. shortly and sharply on the air, and five men fell. Two rolled into the moat, where they went down and were seen no more, and the other three fell in a heap to the ground. At that short distance the aim of the boys was. but too true, and for every shot a life was taken. Jim Gordon, as leader, had bidden each of his friends take a man in order, so that two shots were not in any case wasted on one. The sixth smuggler, recovering from the shock of the complete surprise, plunged, into the wood in the wake of Reonardo, and they fled on for awhile, each fearing they knew not what, until, convinced they were not being followed, they pulled up, panting. “Santa Maria!” groaned the smuggler, “ into what trap have we fallen ?” “Tt is that accursed Groby !” hissed Reonardo. “ He must have suspected that I intended to play him false, and has thus avenged himself. But he missed his chief quarry in myself.” “But he is only one, and there appeared to me to be many guns.” “Five or six at the outside, and there are many men engaged in the school who would be at his service. The dog! The villain! It shall go hard with me if I do not bitterly avenge this day’s work.” Reonardo wiped the perspiration from his brow, and muttering to himself, took the backward route to the cave. The smuggler followed at his heels, miserably brooding. CHAPTER LX. MR. GROBY IS EXASPERATED, ,OYS,” said Jim, as he drew back from the window, “it is a horrible thing to be obliged to slay these men ? but there was no help for it.” “None,” echoed Morse, solemnly. ‘The pity of it is pia two , have got away.” ae, nee his head out by the lattice, which was Open, and quietly surveyed the men uae below. \ EXASPERATED. 119 Two, of course, were barely visible in the water of the moat, but they could just be seen, lying still under the surface of the pellucid water. The other three lay upon the ground motionless. “They will not trouble us again,” he said, as he drew back; “but the question arises, what will Reonardo, who seems to have escaped, do for the purpose of revenge 2” “What can he do?” asked Morse. “He has other men at his command.” “Ah! Then he had better. keep them from here. I will away into the cave again, where he will probably promptly return, and hear what he has to say.” “Are you not running a great risk, Morse?” “None in the least. If discovered, they would not be able to follow me far. I'am prepared, Jim, with all the necessary materials for self-defence.” He touched his pocket lightly but significantly, and led the way below. Onthe road thither, Terry asked Jim what he was going to do concerning Eveline. “Nothing,” was the reply. “She will come here with Groby, who, not meeting with his confederates, will be helpless. He will wait and wait in vain for them, and retire defeated. In the evening, when Romeo comes, I will send back a letter to her, ex- plaining everything that has happened.” Jim rightly gauged the situation. Mr Groby, with- out the men he expected, was helpless. Owing to the rifles having been fired off at the back of the castle, the report was not heard below, or, at least, as far as the vicinity of the schoolhouse. Mr. Groby, unsuspecting what had happened, was out early after dinner, awaiting Eveline and her mother. He sauntered into the post-office, and was gratified by shortly seeing Mr. Storeby and Mr. Turner come out together and walk down to the beach, where they took a boat and pulled up the lagoon. A number of the boys also emerged from the house, and scattered in various directions, but none took the path to the castle, Last of all came Eveline and Mrs. Farrell, the former bearing her sketching materials, and the latter burdened with two small camp-stools. Mr. Groby hastened forward to tender his services | as light porter. Hveline refused his services, but Mrs. Farrell handed him the camp-stools, and they set out together. Now that what he believed to be the supreme hour of his fate was approaching, Mr. Groby found it difficult to keep his usual cool bearing. In spite of his efforts he could not help his breath coming in short, quick gasps, insomuch that Mrs. Farrell thought they were ascending the path too quickly. ‘“‘Hveline, dear,’ she said, “ Mr. Groby is not so young and active as you are, Travel a little slower; my dear.” aa Cc 700 455 (@( 0) (6 0) mn