The Island School — page 196: what you’re looking at

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

vii at on boyo i is si mo . “4 “We'll try to,” said Dibble, « cut it ist ’t eas Ae thing or anybody.” ; ae ea 2 Grate He, of course,” said ‘Caeciiie. ig sa feclomener.” “A what ?” ae in the way of boys. Not as I looks on him ; Ae) ie FY ie fae Rifle came hurrying up to them. He was perhaps d: Pos most nervous boy in the whole school. He had | i ‘known a rough time of it from his birth, having, as he i _ said, been left to the tender care of a relative who was - anything but tender. S _ He was panting with excitement. “What do you think is going to be done ?” he cried. -“Can’t say,” drawled Lal Brodie ; “ but you look as age you had been ordered for oP odiite execution.” _ “T can’t help my looks,” said Riffle; “it is Gordon’s "doing. We are to leave the sehonlbGuse at once—that _ is, as soon as we’ve had breakfast.” “ What on earth is his game ?” exclaimed Brodie. “We are to live in the castle,” said Riffic, “ all of “us, and there is to bea regular house-moving. But first he and Morse and some of the bigger chaps are going up there first to make sure the way is clear. _ Don’t you think we shall be safer here ?” _ “Tt’s a good move,” said Dibble, “if it can be carried Uiout, but——” - - “Tf Gordon has the management of it,’ said Nh Changeling, “it will be done. But I think sige will be trouble. Blow it! there’s the stores, and the bed- ding, and the—the—all sorts of things, but here is “Come to breakfast, smart,” said Jim, from the _ doorway. ‘ There is a lot of work to be done, and all must do their share. You can come in, too, Change- ling. I have been looking round from the roof, and there is no fear of our being disturbed.” . From the appearance of the. dining-room it was plain that Jim’s plans were known, and efforts were being made to assist him in every way. The meal was _ bring hurriedly partaken of, the majority of the boys % standing, and, as Terry remarked, “ pegging away at i pres food as if for a wager.” Charley, the bear, roaming about, was fad; in frag- yi “ments, a mode of taking refreshment he apparently Bs _ enjoyed exceedingly. Quick as they all were, a great i peer had not finished when Jim, with about forty of the stronger boys, and Martin ai an Tete 1 an iy. . } ala ue \ \ 7 j . : ) ea 8 nr vow } vie nT ‘9 = =v oi was like Jim Gordon. He i isn’ ral of il “A feelomener—a sort of heater "un—a_ ee g gone, and him and the rest of ‘the levanters went in he ‘The : men were set to work pulling down the bade ‘ sap packing up the linen for removal. } flour and groceries others set to work dividing into a 4 packed, In two or three dozens, in old boxes. — In a ‘is na be ee ae were Tan The stores of ie a handy portions ready for transport. The tinned a meats—a necessityin their isolated position—were. also ie ea is re short, the preparations: for a rapid eee from tho Hoes were begun with wonderful energy. i The fatigue of the night was forgotten. They v were a as people in the presence of an impending earthquake — or the coming of a powerful army. An immediate ta flight was necessary, and although there was somo He inevitable confusion, the coolness and steadiness of i oe 3 gat the vast majority may be set down as remarkable. ee “ faite : ea ee Bore eh, 3. ha THE FLITTING TO THE OLD CASTLE. at) e Os IOAN ce “oe - THENE, Hillyard, Po i . and ‘Felton, si io about seven Be, F o’clock, came back from the ~ ih : castle, bringing with | TT reo eau. «them half a dozen rifles ‘ ie ~/) \\\itoe “G7, '\ a i? and ammunition apiece. ae ia ey ‘These were, by Morse’s direction, taken posses-— ‘ae sion of by eighteen of ye ' the sturdiest e the boys, | if Db He himself nad a revolver. he i “Fall in,” was the word, and they fell in outside — is ae the house. Two minutes later, Eveline and Mrs. ae yan Farrell appeared, the latter more composed than she — b aes ee ae re had been for many hours. They had been summoned — a We to leave the school. ee i Morse, heading the escort, accompanied them on. their way to the castle, where they safely arrived and > iyi ets i were received by Jim Gordon. y, No signs of the enemy were seen en route, and Jim Nae privately informed Morse that he had been upon the tein’ battlements, but could see no indication of the pre- ; fy sence of the Spaniards, save that the feluccas were D still visible at sea. if ae “From that we may deduct they are still on the a island,” he said. te Morse returned with three of the escort, bearing © ea back additional arms from the store which had been — i) : accumulated in the castle. Up to that day there were } 1m many portions of the huge building which hadseldom, if ever, been visited by the schoolboys, but now they i a books. m fib we Ay rr rN ' ; ‘ » 7 : “vy * os \. “co (Gj @