The Island School — page 245: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER CX. THE NEW LIFE IN THE CGASTLE.—THE WILD MAN AGAIN. 1 N the morning Jim’s first thought was of Chorker, and he re- solved to visit htm in his prison before breakfast. It was not that he was concerned so much for the old fraud as that he was SE a anxious to make certain seauk the theft of the portion of the stores as to whom it might be charged to. He believed, from his long experience of Chorker and his ways, that he could make sure whether he was telling the truth or not. Having dressed himself before half the other boys had well begun, he slipped down to the kitchen, where he found Romeo busy lighting the fire. He asked him if he had the key of.Chorker’s prison, and Romeo said there was no key. The handle of the door had been secured by a piece of wire having been twisted round it and about a/nail in the wall. ‘If you go in to see de cuss,” said Romeo, “ berrer take me wif you. <A ragin’ lion am a dyin’ lamb to him.” “ Tam not afraid of Chorker,” said Jim; ‘ but if you hear any rumpus you may come along.” Jim had no fear of him, and having untwisted the wire, he opened the door and entered. Chorker, who was lying on a crudely-made bed, con- sisting of a mattress and two chairs, endeavoured to rise, and the whole thing collapsed, throwing him down sprawling on the floor. “Nice, ain’t 1t ?” he growled, looking up at Jim; “that’s what's happened to me he seuet I turned over in the night, and jedging: by the number of times I’ve come orf, I should say I turned ivery ten minutes. This 1s a nice place to keep a man in, ain’t it °” “It is not a nice place,” returned Jim. Nor wasit. It was a bare, back-scullery-looking place, hghted only by a small window near the ceiling. lt was barely a foot square, and three-fourths of the dismal dungeon-hole was wrapt in gloom. With the exception of Chorker’s crude bed, there was neither furniture nor fittings to be seen. “You have only to tell the truth, Chorker,” said Jim, “and you need not stay here an hour.” “You ain’t got no legal right to keep me here.” .“‘ I fear that legal matters are a little mixed on this island.” Chorker got up slowly, savagely cleared one of the chairs, and asked if he might take the liberty of sitting THE ISLAND SCHOOL. down. The question was put in a sarcastic spirit— the very acme of a soul’s bitterness. | ““T wouldn’t ax for the priwelege,” he added, “if I warn’t sore all over with‘one thing and another.” - Jim made no reply, and he sat down with a dogged look on his face, casting a wistful glance at the door. But Jim barred the way, and he did not appear dis- posed to try a rush past him. Probably because he feared he would be promptly brought back again. “Now for the truth, Chorker,” said Jim. “T’ve told it,”” answered Chorker, earnestly. “ I swears it. I don’t know no more about the missin’ wittles than a babe unborn. All the blessed day I was a-proddin’ and diggin’ about for them there things as I had hid in fun.” ‘“ And you did not find them ?”’ inquired Jim, in- nocently. ‘No, bust ’em !’”” was the savage reply. you think that if I’d stolen them there things I should have come back to the castle like a ravening wolf, as I was?” | “Something in that,” thought Jim. said : “ T will give you the benefit of the doubt. You will be at liberty to resume your ordinary life with us. But you will please make yourself agreeable, and give a hand with the necessary work.” “Mr. Gordon,” said Chorker, springing up, “ I knowed I should get justice from you, if I can’t from anybcdy else. You've only got to say what you want done, and I’m the man to do it.” He was only too glad to escape from his piace of confinement, and for several hours afterwards he was almost amiable in his bearing. At the breakfast-table Aloud he ‘he actually passed the bread to Changeling without being asked. Asa rule he wanted asking, and then did not always respond politely. “ This is a forerunning to a airthquake,” said Changeling, and Chorker positively smiled as an addendum to the general mirth at the table provoked by Changeling’s remark. 3 Terry grumbled over the release of Chorker, because he had arranged with two or three others to have a good time at the old man’s expense. But it was no use demurring when Jim commanded, and he made amends as far as he could for his loss by securing Chorker in a gang of workers under him, and worried the old sinner pretty well out of his wits. He was also gratified by the sudden change in Chorker’s temperament, which led him to make some offensive remarks to Changeling, who forthwith punched his head, and the pair had a turn at fisticuffs in the courtyard, to the great delight of a crowd of boys. It was short, but very sweet to the spectators, for Chorker had no chance from the frst. (Ei @ ) nN Cc 900 <> He simply (Sf @ ) mn ‘“ And do. |