The Island School — page 166: what you’re looking at

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

THE FACH AT master for their first visitation, he was certain that they meant coming for him. He passed asleepless night listening to every sound, and it is a fact that, when the morning came, that hapless nigger had not slept a wink. Macbeth, who had managed to sleep as usual, routed him out of bed, and Romeo went downstairs. After some rough preliminary work, he walked into the larder, where there was a window generally kept open. It was the same window by which Chorker had entered in earlier days of our story. It was open, of course, and Romeo would have paid no heed to that. It was the condition of his larder which staggered him. On the previous evening, when he left it, tides was a goodly store of cold food, part of a ham, a meat pie, and other things. Now not a vestige of anything remained. Barring a few crumbs, there was absolutely nothing, not so much as a biscuit. Fortunately, the bread and butter, and a few more necessaries, were not kept there in the bulk, but the fact remained—somebody had entered the place in the night, and purloined every available eatable. “Dat face was no ghose,” said Romeo, relieved in > spite of his amazement. ‘ Whoeber it am got a big appetite. Me ’speck dat dis a case for ‘mediate vestergation.” He first roused up his relatives, and introduced them to the state of things, which deprived them of the power of speech for fully five minutes. Macbeth was the first to recover. “We berrer get Massa Farrell up, and let him see de condition ob de wittles dat am lost,” he said. He, as the eldest, was deputed to call up the school- master, whom he soon brought to the spot in his dressinge-sown. He, too, was in a measure relieved, but he could not recall the face clearly enough to say whom the marauder must have been. “It wasn’t Chorker, and it wasn’t Groby. That I will swear,” he said. He repented now having prohibited ietters being written, and not having written some himself. But there was perhaps yet time to pen a few words to his London agent to ask for assistance in getting away from the island. “ What time is the mail steamer expected ?” he asked Romeo. “ Massa Gordon say last night dat it coming ‘long > dis way bout noon.” “Thanks; there is yet time.” The robbery of the larder caused some incon- venience in the house, but it was not serious, as things went on as usual for a few hours. After breakfast Mr. Farrell penned along statement Oi ulisirs, in wiich truth and fiction were strangely THE WINDOW. 139 mingled. He put it into an envelope, carefully sealed it, and then went in search of Gordon. He encountered Romeo in the hall, and inquired after Jim. “He gone to de steamer in de felucca, Massa.” “ How dare he go without instructions from me 2” hotly demanded the schoolmaster. “Dere one letter to go,” said Romeo, “and de- smoke ob de steamer seen in de horizon more dan half-hour back.’’ Mr. Farrell rushed out and dashed down to the Unmooring one of the lightest boats, he- shore. seized the sculls and pulled up the lagoon. As an. oarsman, he was decidedly second-rate, but, by dint of extra application, he got the boat along at a fair speed. By-and-by he obtained a view of the open sea, and in the distance was the felucca standing off and on for the steamer, which was bearing down upon it. Was there time for the schoolmaster to reach it ere the felucca had cast aboard its limited mail of one letter? Anyway it was worth a trial, and Mr. Farrell bent to the oars until he threatened almost. to break his back. He tugged, and he tugged, until he thought half his journey to the felucca was done, and then he- looked round. Too late! and Jim was in the very act of casting a small parcel on board. Some words were exchanged between him: and the officer, who picked up the parcel, and then on went the steamer at racing speed, “Stop !” cried the schoolmaster, but at that dis- tance his voice could not be heard. The felucca came- gaily towards him, making for the shore. Jim, and his old sea chums, Lal Brodie and Stiff, werein her. They brought the felucca before the wind,. within a few yards of the boat, and Jim expressed his astonishment on finding the schoolmaster in open. water. “ That boat, sir,” he said, lagoon.” “T want to send a letter by that steamer,” the schoolmaster. ‘You have missed her, sir.” “But will she not pull up if we hail her ?” “The mate wanted to know why the deuce we dared stop him for a single letter. week he would not stop.” “ Tt is most unfortunate,” said Mr. Farrell, swallow- ing his wrath, “most unfortunate. We are in want. of a few necessaries on the island, but the next maw will do.” ‘Will you come on board, sir ?” “* No—yes—I-I- suppose so.” He pulled up to them, and Lal Brodie steadied his gasped The steamer had met with the felucca,. “is only fit for the- If we hailed him for a. micbooks ( @ @ ) ‘CO nm 5 ia ‘ hs Ly Le 4 ever Ay a9") SoA aw OO PN ita