The Island School — page 256: what you’re looking at

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

THE SCHOOL IN CUSTODY. Bag 28 SS as there was no landlord, and without assistance from workmen from the mainland he could not hope to erect another building that would meet scholastic and living requirements. us So matters went on until such winter as they get in the sunny Mediterranean was at hand. There were occasional gales and thunderstorms, and the leaves of the more tender trees were withering some- what, although the bare branches all round which we are familiar with at home, were unknown there. When the days were fine there was a wintry clear- ness about the air, although, beyond a little rime at night, there was no frost. On one of these particularly fine mornings, the boys, on their way down to the beach, noticed a Spanish brig standing in close, but thought nothing more of it than that it was owing to the westerly wind that it came so near the island. Those who were inclined had their dip and went back to breakfast. Afterwards they had half an hour's play in the courtyard, and then the hall being in order, the school-work began. Some of the elder boys assisted the masters, and there was the usual hum attending the conning of lessons, when the semi-stillness was broken by a ring- ing sound as of metal striking stone coming from the courtyard. Immediately afterwards an authoritative voice in Spanish was heard giving a command, and the door of the hall was thrown open. A dandified Spaniard in some gorgeous, uniform, military or diplomatic, strode in, and behind him came a dozen soldiers armed with rifles and swords. “Senor Farrell!” he cried, in a thunderous voice. “Here!” quavered the owner of that name. “Senor,” said the new-comer, “TI place you and all in the castle under arrest!” CHAPTER CXVI. THE SCHOOL IN CUSTODY.—THE DON’S DECISION. F’ a tornado had swept into the room the im- mediate confusion y could not have been YY iL at creater. sprang to their feet uttering cries of astonishment, the two undermasters dived under _the big table in the centre of the hall, and Mr. Farrell, limp with alarm, slid off his seat and sat upon the floor with his mouth open and his eyes so far out of his head that they seemed to be quite independent of it, The boys all | “Silence!” was the next command of the leader of the Spaniards, “no threats—no attempt at resistance, on your lives! Men, cover them !” The rifles were brought to the present, and the bearers looked as if they would have enjoyed letting fly into the thick of the youngsters. Fortunately the boys were instantly dumb. Loweringly the haughty Spaniard gazed around, and seeing there was no likelihood of resistance, motioned to his men to drop their arms. ‘The sol- diers uncocked them, and the butts rang upon the pavement that served as a flooring. It was arepetition of the sound the boys had heard in the courtyard. “T, Don Algua Marbalo,” said the Spaniard, “am here by command of her Majesty, the Queen of Spain. Senor, will you get up and resume your seat ?” He addressed Mr. Farrell, who, with chattering teeth, said. | “ Cer-tain-ly-y-y-y, sir.” Then the two undermasters, without waiting to be addressed, crept out of their hiding-places and stealthily resumed their seats. They sat with their heads low, hoping to escape notice, but they were soon singled out. “‘ Ah—two others. There are more men in the place,” said Don Algua Marbalo. ‘“ Where are they ?” “In the-e-e wo-o-od, cu-ut-ting ti-i-mber,” replied | Mr. Farrell. “Let them be summoned hither.” Jim promptly volunteered for this service. He dashed off to the wood behind the castle, where Martin and all the other men were busy in the work specified by Mr. Farrell. “Martin,” said Jim, without making a show of alarm or uneasiness, “a big Spanish don and fifty soldiers have arrived, and we are all under arrest.” “ Murder !’ exclaimed Chorker. “Tt is useless to resist,” continued Jim, “I feel that. We had better see what they intend to do with us. The soldiers are regulars, very different from the rapscallions we recently settled.” Martin looked as if he would rather have had a fight for liberty, but as Jim rapidly explained what had happened, he saw the futility of it. “Come along, lads!” he said, shouldering the axe he had been using. Outside Martin, the men were not a formidable body. Sleery was a muscular man, but of quiet, un- obtrusive bearing. Truebery, Partridge, and WafHle were typical men of their trades. Changeling slouched along by the side of Martin, and Chorker, in a blue funk, modestly brought up the rear. “Tf ld ha’ known what sort of messes I was ta get in here,” he muttered, “I’d have swept a crossin’ afore they got me to come. Into one hole—hout of com Cc 900 q55 com