The Island School — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

Dy ap yi ‘ : ny 7 MN " Ue zi ae gy aes oe 5 se +47 rm Ady aS yn A wa Sie ne ft Pie Asef BaD Ve vi iy a aw: une Me he Be 4 ee ¢ i oe ii De othe : a j 7 4 - hk. , i 3 il “ +> a Wie { * cA tS , : ag + #¥y OF tes Niel Ate 1 hy leone oe MR. . STEPHEN STEBBING. = ae : = ; SR eae ad, Na eee iy DIAS A Sore tas SFr Ae moegsls Bite - Bp’ ' si « “You—have—found him | said ‘Martin, Sort 1 Orr ‘walked up to the Aeae and poaBod: the a Bi: ne Where | oy ae | sais from his day-dream with a word or two. i : 4 epee Down in a corner of Silver Bay—dead—murdered ! Oh, heavens! what is coming to the place? Some- ~ body had buried him, but not deep enoeugh, for the : i wind had blowed some of the sand away, and one of a his hands was sticking up as if asking us to give him : a lift out of his yerare: Oh ! how terrible it was to look at !” ) Martin and Jim, eg clances. There was a puzzled expression on the face of one blacksmith, a 4 look of doubt and distress. i i “ And you lifted him out of his grave re said. the - blacksmith. ’ 4 ,) aes ky Bet a Rob Ghanceling” did. He was stabbed by some-. body i in the back. The blow killed him right away, so Mr. Groby says. Now I must go and tell them in "¢ the house.” | a) “will you leave it to me?” Ria Jim, coming for- - ward, and picking up his coat. “I think I can do it - better than you. Mrs. Farrell has had one scare this “i morning, and it must be broken very gently to her.” “For years,” cried Old Chorker, “ I’ve been on this island, and there’s been naught to break the peace on prs it. But I knowed it was coming. The signs were _ for it—red skies, and the fish in the lagoon off their i feed. Then I see two blood-coloured lizards on the eae I knowed something was coming.” “ Keep him here; he is half-gone off his head with 3 Brome tomer, ” said Jim quietly to Martin, and hurried - off to the house. — Opening the front door he Page: in. Romeo was engaged in sweeping the hall. On seeing Jim he wheeled about so as to present his back to him. “Romeo,” he said, “something very serious has happened.” i “ Loramassy ! _ house-broom, and peering round at Jim. ~ ’ ; hone 1? cried Romeo, clinging tightly to his “What de “Will you please come out for a moment, sir? Mr. Stebbing has been found.” | Their eyes met, and Mr. Farrell shivered : as he saw the expression in those of his pupil. Turning to the - Le ee i a ee boysheasked themto behave quietly while he was away, adding, in a mournful tone, “If you are disobedient, | you may by-and-by regret it.” Bh Then he left the room with Jim, and they passed ih i on to the hall. | 5) “You may speak here,” ae Mr. Farrell. Were _— ¥ — a ae “Mr. Stebbing is dead, sir.” | py, A groan fueat from the lips of the schoolmaster. ) “He has been murdered,” said Jim, softly. : Mr, Farrell reeled to a chair and sat down. He “was completely unnerved. ue ‘It will be necessary, sir,” continued Gordon, * for | some prompt action to be taken to discover who ee murderer is. You have absolute Boner over the — island.” Wy hy Alas for the Napoleonic spirit of the man, where > wasit? At any other time Jim could have smiled. _ this sad news to Mrs. and Miss Farrell, and in such a Aish way as to avoid agitating them, as far as possible.” ia “‘T wish you would do it,” groaned Mr. Farrell. “T would rather it were broken to them by seme- one older than myself.” ie uh M My hy “But I can’t do it, Gordon. Iam horribly as he up. I haven’t been anedele for neon and yesterday | I received —— Well, let that Dae Wet ; “You received a letter, sir,” said Jim, incisively. i “Would it be too much to ask you what were its contents?” The schoolmaster shook his head. yeh oat “T would if I dared,” he said, “ but I fear to do SO.” vs We ' ’ s t Min Mie . What can I dot o” was the feeble query. a “Tt will be necessary,” he continued, “to break ae ’ 4 marrer now ?” Jim felt impatient. He saw that the man had not m ‘ : “TT will tell you soon,” answered Jim, “at present | the heart of a mouse. He was a complete. contrast hs ins) I’m going to see Mr. Farrell. On my way back I | to the original man of might whose name had been u ‘must have a little talk with you. I think you had | foisted upon him. ies: . better meet me outside, at the back of the post-office.” pp We ‘ had known of the possibilities that have aH “Massa Gordon,” said Romeo, humbly, “what | arisen,” he said, lifting a woebegone face to Jim’ ai ‘bout all de house-work I got to do?” cool, Reanehine gaze, “I would never have come here, ‘" us “Do as I tell you,” said Jim, as he hastened towards | There would have been no Island School.” \ Mi : the class-rooms. “But, you see, sir,” said Jim, “that you did not He knew the one in whibk to find Mr. Farrell, | know, and the sah bOle ws here. Surely we are strona Pie although it was not the principal’s usual place. He | enough to defend ourselves until we get help from a was in Mr. Groby’s room. home.” fh Jim opened the door and walked in. About thirty “ How are we to get it P” asked the schoolmaster. pa i _ boys were engaged in whispering and talking to each “Send the launch with a message to the Governor — P hy other. Jim saw why they were neglecting their work. | of Gibraltar.” as _ Mr, Napoleon | Farrell, seated at the desk, was wrapt “T don’t think it would help us. The—the—the i in pia aie a Fas oblivious of immediate | launch might never reach there. Indeed, I am sure ye a hings around him, aA Ahi foals ip _ | it would not-while a—a—a certain person is alive.” — i AY by PO) . Wp ee ‘igh ls iM i wt me ny PG HS A TOE rai i , Wy a oa At ‘” nS <n) Mahe. hd 1 I 4 Jee rs7ed ‘ ¥ ‘ " Ment a s 8 ; wy ‘ n ee hh ag eA Fi om chooks.c es Wiles Sa a alia) ah wi ah