The Island School — page 180: what you’re looking at

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PREPARATIONS FOR Mr. Turner shook his head ina melancholy fashion. “T am a child in such things,” he said. “Then I make a proposition to all here, which I hope will be accepted,” pursued Marti. “It isn’t quite to my taste to be led by boys, but in this case we've got to doit. We must, bend our necks to the yoke, because there is no help for it. ‘There are two youngsters’ here who I think will confound our ene- mies’ politics, and frustrate their knavish tricks, if you will only give them afree hand. Need Iname’em ?” There was a general cry from the boys of ‘‘ Gordon and Morse,” and Martin, smiling, waved his hand for silence. - “Them’s the two,” he said. “= think, cuided by them ” He stopped short. Morse—where’s Gordon ?” “He ought to have been here before now,” said Morse. “He went up to the castle to look around.” “ And here he is!” shouted a score voices, as Jim entered the room. “ What’s the matter here ?” he asked, gazing about him at the excited throng. ‘‘ You have been elected as one of our leaders to fight the foe,” said Mr. Storeby, “ but, as I said just now, he appears to be at present in rather an indefinite form.” “T will have a cup of tea first,” replied Jim, “and then I will endeavour to show you that he is a palpable quantity. - Pass the bread-and-butter, Morse. I’m hungry.” He speedily disposed of his tea, paying no apparent heed to the murmuring of the curious and the tremulous around him. The two undermasters were not the least apprehensive among the throng. As soon as Jim was ready to speak the three negroes glided in, and stood just within the room. Romeo was the last to enter, and he left the door ajar. If Jim had been curious he could have ascer- tained that Eveline was outside, listening. It was later than usual for the termination of the meal, and the sun was sinking, There was the halo of twilight on the landscape without, and when the voices of all became hushed, the stillness on the house was peculiarly impressive. “I have little time for talking,’ said Jim, “and so that I may be heard by all, I will stand upon a seat. 1 know,” he added, with a smile, as he mounted it, “that it is a breach of the rules, and punishable with confinement in the house for a day, but I must risk it. To come to the point—there are thirty, at least, of strange men on the island, and they are all armed.” He stopped and looked round him to judge of the effect of his portentous communication. With the exception of an additional paleness in the cheeks of some, and a slight shifting of feet, there was no response. lf we are —T see Lie Wye) ed ee THE NIGHT ATTACK. 151 “ Thirty men,” added Jim, impressively, “bent on mischief. They have come, in short, to avenge the death of the men we so justly killed. “I went to the castle,” he added, after 2 moment’s rest, “to survey the country back and front. This way there was nothing to see, but in the rear of the castle [ discovered some newly-made graves wherein these strangers have laid all that remains of their dead friends. So far I do not quarrel with what they have done. But over the graves they have placed a board on which is written in Spanish: ‘ Thou shalt be avenged.” ee CHAPTER LXXXTI. PREPARATIONS FOR THE NIGHT ATTACK.—MORSE AGAIN TO THE FORE. SHUDDER ran through the room. Searcely one who listened to , Jim could repress it. He himself was pale, for he had others besides himself in his thoughts, but his voice was firm and his manner composed as he resumed. ‘ “Thirty men,” he said,slowly. adobe mined-looking ruffians to the eye. But all these swarthy foreigners have a determined look not always confirmed by their conduct. When met with a bold front they, as arule, cavein. That is all I need say to the smaller boys, who can have no share in what I think necessary to do to-night. for the present they had. better retire to the class-rooms, and in a short time to the dormitories. All under fourteen years of age will please go at once.” Fully a third of the youngsters moved towards the door, which Romeo threw open. Eveline disappeared, and Jim gave the little fellows a few encouraging words as they passed out. “ Keep your peckers up,” he said; “ we shall knock the sand out of the ruffians. And you are not the boys to howl before you are hurt.” ‘We believe in you, Jim Gordon,” they answered, “and we shall not make more fuss than we can help.” They gave him a cheer when they got into the hall, and then went clattering upstairs, assuming a courage the. poor little chaps did not entirely fecl. Some of them were not more than eleven years old and they put as bold a face as any on the position, which, to say the least, was trying to them. Jim now bade the negroes clear the table as ex- peditiously as possible, and, while they were thus engaged, he walked up to the two junior masters, and had a word with them. Mt A 900 (@{ 0) S mn (@{ @)