The Island School — page 231: what you’re looking at

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

192 Mr. Farrell groaned, and muttered something that sounded very much like a curse, but he accepted food even under the additional disadvantages, and Martin, obeying a sign from Jim, transferred a bag of flour from another of the boys for him to bear. still held out, for he had been fed since the masters had partaken of the supply he gave them—at a price. But for all that he was naturally a heavy feeder— ‘‘ srubber” was the word he used when speaking of it— and seeing the way Mr. Farrell enjoyed his rations, the earnal appetite of the wolf-villain came so much to the front that he had to yield. “T gives in,” he said, suddenly; “hand me out summat to eat, and I'll carry what you likes in reason.” | But no answer was vouchsafed to him. Jim and the rest marched steadily on. “T mentioned,” said Chorker, with bated breath, after a pause, “as I was willin’ to give in.” “You are too late,” replied Jim, curtly ; ‘‘ we cannot halt any more, and we can do without you.” Chorker turned from him to Martin, and was met by a stony stare. Nobody else seemed to care to look at him ait all. “ This is rum treatment,” said Chorker. “Tf you do not like it,” said Jim, “ you have your remedy. Go back again.” “Mr. Farrell,” said Chorker, “I was a friend to vou, and saved you——” “You robbed me of my watch and valuables,” said Mr. Farrell, fiercely, ““which you recently told me had been paid over to some ruffians for the food you gave me. Now it seems that you received your supplies from these boys. I ask them if they are possessed of these things?” “And of mine, too ®” cried the other masters. “tis a preposterous question, sir,” said Jim; “ the food was despatched to you by Brodie and Stiff. The idea that it would ever be charged for never entered their thoughts. It was a swindle.” Mr. Farrelldropped his burden and went forChorker. “Give me my watch, you villain!” he roared. The next moment the other masters were upon the staggered Chorker. They threw him down, yelling out for the return of their valuables, and they turned his pockets inside out, finding nothing worth a six- pence. “lemme go,” pleaded Chorker; “ don’t be ’ard on @ poor unfortenet old man who is givin’ to joking. I never meant to keep ’em.” _ “Where are the watches?” hissed the school- master, banging Chorker’s head upon the ground. “TT put ‘em in a gully up yonder,” said Chorker. *T can fetch ’em in a hour.” ‘Let him go and fetch them, Mr. Farrell, with an understanding that until he is ready to bring them Chorker | THE ISLAND SCHOOL. back he does not come near any of us,” advised Jim, — who with the rest of the cayaleade had halted to witness the mauling of Chorker with unalloyed pleasure. “TI yield to you, Gordon,” said the schoolmaster, letting go of Chorker’s throat, and rising to his feet. ‘Go, youhound! You know the conditions,” “As I only tuk ’em and buried ’em for a joke,” said Chorker, as he was released and got upon his feet, “there ain't no ’arm done in acceptin’ them con- ditions. I swear I won’t come back till I’ve got them there watches and things to hand back honerably to you.” ) “Get away,’ saidJim. “ Mr. Farrell, we really can wasteno more time. Fallin all there. Ready—march !” Away they went, leaving Chorker behind them. He stood. still for a minute or more, watching their re- treating figures with an eye compared to which that of an angry serpent was both serene and loving. Then a few words of vain regret tumbled from his lips. “Things,” he said, “ain’t workéd out quite reg’lar ’cordin to the ’riginal design. But a bargain is a bargain, Mr Farrell, and lil have summat out of you in place of the watch. I wish I’d knowed how matters was agoin’| to work out, and you wouldn’t have caught me a~-elping you back to your friends, you three. I'd ha’ left you to starve by the lagoon, and be blowed to you.” But he was not particularly downcast, as he saw the way of putting everything right. 1t was being done in the long-run that worried him, Still, as he believed, the watches could be unearthed and re- turned to their owners, and there would be an end to the matter. But time pressed. If he wished to recover his buried treasure, and catch the party up before the castle was reached, he must hurry, and with this con- viction strong upon him, he hastened off to the rent in the earth which he had made his hiding-place. CHAPTER CV. JIM’S RETURN TO THE CASTLE.—ADVANCE OF ESPARDO REONARDO AND HIS MEN.—THE DEFENCE OF THE FORTS. AROM the summit of 4 one oi the two tallest towers Morse had mies ee a Pe espied the party re- Tar ; ° ~ rae oer | turning. But it was 2h RS EL! STN at so great a distance os ANTHEN\\ | that he did not erceive the three i! an ta Sf | schoolmasters were afk \ynait | “18 . iS ‘ 1 with the boys. Mores had succeeded in forcing, by means of blast- 900 ( €i @) mn ‘Ss (el @)