The Island School — page 302: what you’re looking at

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

MISS ELEGANTINE IS DRILLED. 253 “: Who, then, can take me in hand ?” _ “JT really don’t know, Miss Dibble.” Jim moved on a step, but she checked him by lay- ing a hand upon his collar. “It is not kind,” she said, “as Iam a poor, de- fenceless woman, completely at the mercy of any rufiian who may assail me.” | ‘You are no worse off in that respect,” said Jim, “than Mrs. Farrell or Hiveline.” “Oh, but they are not so weak as I am,” murmured Miss Elegantine. “My rearing was of the most delicate description.” ‘Well, I’m sorry I cannot attend to you to-day. Kindly ask one of the others who have more leisure. There is Rainstone.” “Does he know how to teach drilling ?” ‘“‘ They have all been drilled,” said Jim, “and know as much as I do.” Then, as her grasp of his collar relaxed, he gently detached himself and got away. Miss Hlegantine inquired for Rainstone, and was told that he was on the ramparts. Thither she went, and he, on hearing what was required of him, declared that he was full-handed with other duties, but was sure that Terry would be delighted. Terry was still at the top of the tower, and up the many stairs the aspiring Amazon panted. Her appear- ance on the summit of the tower caused considerable | surprise, which was increased when she made her errand known. Terry at once declared that he was on duty on the, tower for the next two hours, and that the position was a perilous one, as firing might be expected from their foes, “Whom, then, am I to look to ?” demanded Miss ‘Elegantine. “‘There’s Oscar,” said Terry; “he hasn’t anything particular to do, and he is as well up as any drill- sergeant in the world. He’sa living wonder with his drill.” “T’ll see that he does what I require,” muttered | Miss Hlegantine. ‘Ive got a suspicion that any of you could oblige a helpless woman, but you won’t.” She hunted up hernephew, who dared not refuse her, although as a drill-master he knew he could be nothing less than a complete failure. As a matter of fact, he was about as big a dunder- head at drilling as a boy of ordinary intelligence could be. It took a lot of hammering to get anything into his head, and when it arrived there, it never came to stay. At each sueceeding drill he had to begin all over again. What sortof rifleman he would make of his aunt may be readily guessed. It was useless for him to remonstrate and say he was not wellup, Miss Elegantine had had enough a * ~, =~ a Le - 7 a eae ' number of killed be. of shirking from others, and for two hours she wasin the courtyard, taking all sorts of upside down in- struction from her nephew, to the lasting edification of surreptitious beholders. “ Why did you set her on to me ?” Oscar ferociously demanded of Terry, as they sauntered about after dinner. ‘‘ Because I didn’t want to be bothered,” was the calmreply. “She is your auntand not,mine. Itis your duty te look after her.” “ You knew I wasn’t up to drilling her,” moaned Dibble, “ and you mark my words, something serious will come of it.” ‘What do you mean ?” asked Terry, startled. “You never saw anyone handle a rifle like her,” said Dibble. ‘I didn’t remember the motion, and she loads it on peril of her life. Somehow she has got hold of a lot of cartridges. When she was ramming home the first, she kept on stopping to look down the barrel to see if it was going down the right way.” ‘““ Good heavens!” “ Even that didn’t satisfy her,” continued Dibble, with a moan ; “ but soon afterwards she rammed down another.” * Another !” “Yes. She was not satisfied with that, but put in a third and a fourth. The barrel is nearly full of cartridges,” “It’s madness,” said Terry, really troubled. “‘She’s got an idea,” said Dibble, gloomily, “ that as many bullets as there are in a barrel, so will the She also thinks that all you have to do is to fire the gun, and the bullets will find the way to the man you want to shoot. It is all your fault sending her to me. You could have insisted on her doing the right thing; but what Z said wasn’t of any consequence. She drilled me!” “Never mind,’ said Terry, consolingly—a happy thought at that moment came to his aid—* the rifle won't go off without caps.” “But she’s got ’em,” groaned Dibble, “and there’s one on the nipple now. Anyway, there was when I left her, and she’s marching about the hall and the other parts of the castle, with the rifle resting on her arm andthe muzzle on a level with people’s heads.” “You and your aunt make two,’ said Terry, savagely. “‘What do you mean by bringing such a dangerous old woman here °” ‘‘ Did I want her to come ?” demanded Dibble, ‘TI don’t know,” returned Terry. “Go and take her gun from her.” “T am likely to get it,’ muttered Dibble. Terry saw that the matter was getting beyonda joke, and he hastened off to find Jim or Morse to get their advice as to what ought to be done. If Dibble had not exaggerated the facts—and he cS (@( @) an Cc 00 com