The Island School — page 208: what you’re looking at

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

THE ATLACKING PARTY HAVE A SURPRISE. accomplished all they aimed at, but they had done something towards bringing confusion on the foe. Then there was the question of that strange boom- ing sound they had heard. The reader will readily guess what it was, but it was a problem to Jim and his friends, and the only conclusion they could come to was that the Spaniards had attempted to blow open the castle gate, and failed. They were not a littie astonished on their arrival at the castle to hear a perfect babel of voices inside, and a sound of tumbling over empty boxes. “ Hi, there! Mind what you are doing; he may be mortally hurt,” said one of the boys, louder than the other speakers. ‘ Steady !” “Look out! Here comes Charley.” There was a perfect roar of the falling about of empty boxes and sereams of laughter. Then, as the noise subsided a bit, the voice of Terry was heard : “You are a set of idiots! What are you grinning at? I tell you I have blown the whole gang to pieces !” ‘I can assure you Terry” —it was Hveline speaking now—‘‘that most of them ran away. I was on the ramparts looking out when they came up. When that dreadful cannon went off, the shot, or whatever you had in the gun, went amongst. the trees, rattling like hail. ButI do not think you killed a single man.” “Give me a leg up,” said Jim to Martin. Martin did so, the rest keeping as still as mice. Jim peered through the portcullis, and saw a scene that he laughed.at, weeks afterwards, Standing amidst a chaos of wooden boxes were Terry and half a dozen boys. Romeo was near, cautiously feeling his head, as if he feared it had been cracked. ‘Terry also, by the way, had the appearance of having recently been shaken up in a bag. Kiveline stood by the door of the courtyard, and behind her there was a mass of boys’ heads. The only light was a lantern held by Eveline. “Tam of the opinion that not one of the fellows are left alive,” said Terry, emphatically. ~ There are a few of us left,” said Jim, solemnly. ~ Open the gate and let us in. Hasten and get beds Baay for the wounded.” “Save us!” cried Terry. “ Who is that 2” Kveline uttered a little scream as, by the light of the lantern, she saw Jim’s face above the ue and between ae portcullis bars. The boysnow saw himalso. “ Why didn’t you call out who you were 2” groaned the dismayed Terry. “If you had only said one word——”’ “Did you ask for it ?” sternly demanded Jim. “‘ No—o—o—o, I didn’t.” “Then why talk about a word ? as you saw us,” You fired as soon whenever he thought of it, for. 173 *T did.” “Clear away that rubbish and open the gate.” Eveline stared hard at Jim, and his eyes meeting hers, he slightly depressed one eyelid. It was not a vulgar wink, but a quiet intimation for her not to be agitated on their account. She understood. The wretched Terry moved stiffly as he toiled with the others to clear away the débris of his inner defence. He had been shaken up by his fall, and the shock Jim had given him was a trying one. He asked a few question as he worked, such as “Who is killed?” “TIT hope there aren’t many wounded?” and so on, to all of which he obtained the vaguest replies. One by one the boxes were cdsced back and pitched into the courtyard, until the gate was clear, and then Terry with trembling hands opened it. Jim marched in and took him by the arm. ‘You will be placed under arrest for exceeding your orders, and. to-morrow be tried for man- slaughter.” The face of Terry was a study, and it was with difficulty Jim could keep his countenance. But he preserved it for the time, and as his followers came marching in, he bade them surround the wretched culprit and see that he did not escape. “Well,” said Terry, with sudden resolution, “you may hang meif you like, but what I did I did for the best. If you could not trust me, why did you leave me in charge?” ‘You had to obey. orders,” cravity of a judge. “But who was here to give orders, and if you thought me such an ass that I could not be left to act on my own initiative, why did you leave me in com- mand at all?” Thus spoke Terry, goaded by his emotions, aid there was some sound reasoning in his address. Jim gave him a smack on the back that nearly rolled him over. “That’s all right, old boy,” he said. “ You may congratulate yourself that you have done harm to neither friend nor foe.” Terry stared at him, bewildered. “ He has a cousin in the artillery,” boy in the crowd. Terry faced in the direction of the voice, but made no retort. “Perhaps it is Trimmer. Recognising the voice this time, Terry wrathfully asked Trimmer to “come out and have his head punched.” “Punch your own, do you good,” Quiet, boys,” said Jim, with the squeaked some only his grandmother,” said ” advised Bullfinch; it will said Jim. ‘ Well, Terry, we have com ( @ 00 q55 Eom