The Island School — page 186: what you’re looking at

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

re: Pe Die “you doing, a Rhee « Taiot yourself! ” replied Chorker. “Vd Dot my back to the land, hadn’t I: > If anybody ought to have seen the shore, it was you.” They wrangled for awhile, exchanging compliments _ that fully met the occasion. pest Chorker got out and 3 began to erowl again. Bo “ Here’s a bit of land to run agin,” he said all ‘S98 pointed rocks, and I'll bet we’ve knocked a holeas big x3 your blessed heact i in the bottom of the boat.” i And sot proved. — 4 oh _ On attempting to float the boat again they heard ys _the gurgling of the water as it forced its way through the hole made by the sudden rush on the shore. It | a Os as big as a cricket-ball, and any attempt to suc- cessfully stop it would be futile. Until the boat had ' ph re be me xh tate ws hs sea in it. ‘1 reckons,” said Chorker, “that we’ve landed on the line of rocks on the sea side of the lagoon. A very purty place, but with nuthin’ to eat, anything but comfortable, As you did afore, Mr. Farrell, you’ve ve _ brought your pigs to a very pretty market. We've got Bs _ to stay- here till daylight-—blow you !” ; ia Mr. Farrell sat down and groaned aloud. oe - “Am I never to get away from this accursed ° island 2” ( i" The under masters assisted him in groaning, and a is Chorker anathematised the lot as being instrumental on landing him where he was. Finally they all be- -eame silent, lying huddled up on the rocks, and ‘a brooding over the consequences of being discovered j et there in the morning. vy: a. ‘CHAPTER LXXXY, A STARTLING DISCOVERY.—THE ATTACK ON THE SCHOOLHOUSE.—A DIVERSION. ‘th ETURNING to Jim and his companions, we find them still in the almost im- penetrable gloom, anxiously awaiting indications of the advance of the enemy, The night was against the Meet Fermenterian Spaniards, but in one wee it may be considered favourable. | jn eer could, if they were sure of their ee approach he “ piddlliouve unperceived, rae! si | iT wonder they have given | up the idea of attack- 8: sai d Jim, after ihe Ag) Nay This is ny nt hi Vj uh ny aa Se Ph A 1 ng? i oe re) fi Ai Mawesy Ne Pad: att ng ": diou “4 ing tedi ba nN aie PRES a Ya is) vi if i a Me) nea ni | ah ee ; ty! ra J en (as Wee se you ‘idiot EPP tented cas _ been properly repaired it would be madness to go to_ r i 5 ix Vaud Mee i i) Jt wine i rie | to work round. if Me y if " , Ws (Wee? wi | ene will, of Shae, be slower than they would on oeneLy. occasions,” said Morse, “having to grope Ns their way.” f ‘* Dere _ Romeo. minute.” j Charley was, in a gentle way, trying to push Hie : body out, but on a word from Jim the brute retiree | again. Romeo stepped into the open; and the rest remained quite still, Charley was perhaps the stillest nes i of the three. ky WK ee “Whar it am me not able to say, ’ said Romeo; ui; “but acre am footsteps‘on de soft sand, and not aa oy far away.” ote i Crash ! It was a blow dealt upon the S Soteeutee and the implement used must have been a heavy one. i v a It was followed by the shouting of men and more i: thundering sounds, as of beating in a door. ee Ms “ Jim,” cried Morse, aghast, “we have been in. They have come up the other way!” : yk “Impossible,” said Jim. “They had not the tin me > a) a But I see it all. There are a parties. Itis the front door of the school ney ann i ‘hammering at.” | Wait a moment,” said Morse. sumfin’ mobing ’bout ‘somewhar,” | “Here, you, Charley, jes’ you keep back a light pete aiaen he threw away from hin a Shortly afterwards it blazed up, throwing a lurid light. af around. ‘ i | Re ‘~~ Then their worst fears were re ealised. Fully a score of men, of the type they were. now familiar with, were dreeaa in battering at the doo or Some had rifles in their hands, but, for the most. ia part, they seemed to be simply armed with — Two men in front, engaged upon the door, wielded 4 heavy hammers. jy am It could only be a matter of a very short re ere eo ve, 4 | that door yielded unless some diversion was createc io Neither Jim nor Romeo had arms fitted for the la but Morse was possessed of some of his favourite means of creating confusion among 5 the enemy. y a pi) ii } astonished the Spaniards, who paused in their labours and held a hurried consultation. Nd i a ; While they were thus engaged Morse. eae up us closer, and ‘taking a small packet from his pocket, iy threw it into the thick of them. oh i i In front of the door there was a square of flag» | stones on which the packet fell. Morse had caleu-— ie ‘ lated on this, and, as he expected, the packet was , soon trodden on as they moved about. It exploded with the sound of an old-fashioned mortar-bomb, =e Ay eh the Spaniards, hoarsely crying out to each other in alarm, staggered back, leaving two of their | “tee | prostrate on the stone flags. (| ; ie Ke ehh, Tabi ed Wath les te Peer] U Oy Ra) ( ik "i ih a mn \ ; Way we Aen ie eu i BN