The Island School — page 320: what you’re looking at

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

CHORKER GETS HOLD OF SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION. 268 I’m done for the better. You can make use of that chopper, if you like.” “ Asif,” gasped Miss Elegantine, “I could use it on my own flesh and blood !” “Not you,” growled Dibble, “you take good care Gio? ra Here he was jerked back by Terry, who told him to go into the corner and let his poor aunt alone—a piece of advice Dibble acted upon, although at the same time he resented it. The wounded men of the enemy were een to Chorker’s old room, where, the bed being enlarged with two trestles and boards, they were laid down, and Martin, who had his face bandaged, saw to their wounds. One had received a bullet in the calf, and the other a bayonet-thrust inconveniently near the ribs. | “You will get along if you keep quiet,” he said, “and you will be well treated, unless you attempt to play tricks. If you do, you will be shot.” “ No play tricks—me,” said the half-caste. “Diablo!” muttered the Spaniard, “do you take me for a viper ora wolf?” “All right,” returned Martin; “I thought it better to give you a hint.” “Tt is enough,” said the Spaniard ; “I am grateful. I swear it.” : Martin had his doubts. If there were two classes of human beings he mistrusted, they were the low- class Spaniard and the “half nigger.” He had seen something of both in his time, and how far he was in this instance justified in his doubts we shall see by- and-by. The wounded seen to, and all the combatants — refreshed with coffee, all those not on duty retired to get what sleep they could after the tremendous ex- citement of the night. But they were getting hardened to it, as warriors during a campaign, and if some were a bit restless, they all managed to get a little repose before the dawn. Karly in the morning the dead outside were buried, Jim attending with his left arm in a sling. Pastern and Waffle they buried in the Roman Camp. There was no sign of the enemy below, not a single one of them showed from under the shadow of the cliff. The notion of their having cleared out began to get hold before noon. But whithersoever they had gone it could not be very far, for their boats were still in the lagoon. Lhe hope expressed was an idea of a speculative de- scription, and a vain one. For behold, in the after- noon two other boats were espied approaching the island. They were making for the lagoon, but sud- denly altered their course, no doubt in response to some signal ashore, and headed for Silver Bay. Jim with his glass made out at least twenty men in them, “Reinforcements for Lucia di Valo,” said Jim. “She will go on as long as she can import 4 man to help her.” “ Rough,” muttered Martin, who was standin by his side. “In the end they will exhaust our means of defence, and wear us out.” “We shall see,” replied Jim. in has not yet arrived.” “The time for giving CHAPTER CXLVI. CHORKER GETS HOLD OF SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION. » f T was a joyless life Amt Chorker spent ite the first two days: F ew 4 in the cave. Com- eo eeaey «© pelled to skulk wrt alone, yet within hail Pio gt company, it was. very trying. It is true that the: : OM society of the three He =i schoolmasters would 3 have been anything but congenial ¢ to tee still, friend or foe, they would have been somebody if talk to. Better be quarrel— ling with people than have to endure everlasting silence. He had food for the present, but thirst worried him, for he had brought nothing to slake it with him. On the second night. he had to wait until he was satisfied the three men were asleep, and then steal down into the chine, where there were many little springs, at one of which he assuaged his thirst. “Nuff to freeze a feller,” he muttered, when he had drunk his fill. “Blessed if I can see any good in water being so cold.” That was the nearest thing he could arrive at as an expression of gratitude. He stole back again, under the impression that he was not observed. But the timorous, worn-out Turner was awake and saw him go by, although he recognised him not. He made no sign, uttered no sound, because he could not. He was scared half out of his wits. When on the following morning he told his com- panions that he had seen a ghost, they shook in their shoes, but called him a fool. It was the morning after the fight, of which they had heard nothing. Chorker was out and back again before that notable engagement began. Notwithstanding their abusive style of reply to Turner, both Mr. Farrell and Storeby feared it was true. So when Morse came down that afternoon they asked him if he had seen anything on the way. (EO) nN (@ 00 ES < ues +23- (@{ 0) Ni