The Island School — page 205: what you’re looking at

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

aks (oe Raat x ays THE ISLAND ‘Iwill erect | and we shall have nobody to help us in hae oe something isn thbuebe would Ha useful for the es 4 it Terry immediately set to work, making what he _ Metived to be a strong foundation of loose boxes, | nd piling others upon them. : Pn: half an hour he had a platform, of a sort, level ) os with the top of the gates. _ His next care was to have sf Betsy” and “ Bella” f hoisted up to him, which was a stiffish bit of work; . r the suns, though small, were heavy. He found that he had got his platform the right height, and the muzzles would go through the intersections of the wer part of the portcullis. «Now, ” he said, be reckon we could hold the place against an army.” ue _ Now they had to be loaded, and he fetched the powder he had smuggled away, and a bag of nails, for the purpose of using it as shot. “Ae oy Remounting the platform, he proceeded to the | d ividing ¢ of the powder into two equal portions. The i i: oe many as could get near—watched him curi- a Mind you put the powder in first,” suggested rimmer, sarcastically. a ag I will use up your head for a ramrod if you give iyi e any of your cheek,” returned Terry. “I am well Be it anise: work, for I have a cousin an officer in the see a ee lo ane ye Seis Sle P4 ce Shut up,” growled Terry, “and don’t attempt to be funny.” “Good nagtens, boys! what are you doing here ?” The exclamation came from Eveline, who had come up: to the boys from the main path of the castle, and a they had made way for her so that she could see ‘erry at work. | | a We are preparing a line of defence,” said Terry, nC odestly, i ignoring his special part in it by general- eo : eBy Gordon's orders, I presume ?” 6 No; he knows nothing about it.” “i * cere ane are there of them 2”. k a : e About pou nephod eats as climbed up and squatted down by his side. see tat iy erg a ve) $ ne a Sie CRA rt Peele vag bs soi a gat r 5 Madness! vy isa Eyeing) “He will D st CH HOOL. Cari, cy A Rai ” Fb Ai ; ha eee # Excuse me, Miss Eveline,’ said te pea: dt a nettled, “there will be a few of us left.” Aah “ im a ne “You are nothing ! !” she said, hurriedly. Bias, soe beside him. Morse, too, where is he ?” Pi “With Jim,” said Terry. ‘ | A low wail of pain escaped Eveline, and her. ‘esta 4 question was about the men. They were gone, ied ae and hearing that, her dismay was complete. It was not in her nature to give way needlessly, and but. for ia is being somewhat unstrung she would. not have shown — so much emotion then; but she had been troubled with qualms of conscience about Jim, whom she: thought she had not treated well. bi His being a little queer that afternoon oustnenone to have ee her to be chilly with him. She was ere for him to make it. up, when she came upon Terry: ate work, and learnt what was to her very serious news. eat “He will be killed!” she said, as she hurried away. ‘a “Thinks a lot of Jim, I reckon,” said Terry, as he: a 7 proceeded with the loading of the guns. “Now we: put in the powder first, and wad on the top of that. Having no regular wad, I use this bit of Vag Vaan a “Its a duster! !” said Waller. “Shut up, I say!” cried Terry; “suppose it, Is... Now for the shot. About two pounds of nails will, us think, fill the bill.” f He loaded both the cannons in this fashion, and: then was ready for the foe. So he declared, and he- ARK +f ‘ ww Th ‘ 4n a) 1 “ane wae Se any ui A oD Are py , / ’ dismissed all the boys, saying he would watch alone. “You want all the glory of blowing the i i ia to pieces ?” said Pesketh. } “T do!” candidly answered Terry. “ The pln is. mine. Conceived all out of my own head. | Away with you. All’s well. Be at rest.” There was some attempt at demurving, but Terry threatened to report them to Jim for mutinous con~ duct, and they went away. A, Terry, squatting on the summit of his work, peered: _ through the square of the porteullis ironwork. — - Out- a side there was not much to be seen. i Terry had about an hour to himself, the Hille 3 only broken by murmuring sounds from the direction _ of the great hall where the boys were at play.- Then — he was aroused from dreamy reflection by the et : | of Romeo, and Charley, the bear. PN “Miss Eveline ketch me looking affer- here ‘said Romeo, “ and de hall being pretty full, me come ‘long ; here.” “ All right,” replied Terry; “but do not make bey more noise than you can help.” | DIAS He was not sorry to have a companion, and Romeo- _ ons “ RGN, f % es " yi ea >. - =< . ~~ > eo MAD e as : Tees remained below, Tne under the ot boxes. » a om * rs} Nie il | @ +r ae > : hs if ata este ae POA | se 4 Lt) aa Ae anh ¥ ee. i A oe Rie BY Wi S Tag