The Island School — page 330: what you’re looking at

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

a ee “= ate i a seauae co ea ah THE CARE “OF | THE WOUNDED. 7“ . Sel i» RRA Ss ae “Suppose we are found by our people, armed, et ase | CHAPTER CL. fishting against them, do you know our fate?” _ | im 4 eso , | “No fear ob dat,” said Romeo. “You reckon dat Ssh , if all de world come agin dese boys dat dey hab t » _—--s WHE CARE OF THE WOUNDED.—ROMEOS ADVICE. g1 y yhabtogo Pe | under.” ee HERE were no indi- The utmost faith in the youngsters wasexpressedin __ cations in the castle | the manner of Romeo, as well as the words. The | that evening of the | swarthy half-caste was deeplyimpressed. © my . Age Fe ‘eo 3 ee ; P| possibility of treachery. ‘Me go with ’em,” he said; “ kind and brave.” | i The ordinary sentries “’Bout de bess ting you do,” said Romeo; “but de turn,and the rest of the | useful and le low. Dat de secret of gettin’ on in dis occupants assembled in | world. Lie low. Look at me. I.allus lie low, and ch the big hall, where a | see whar me am. At de top ob detreein dis place,and. _ fire was burning merrily | my word suspected by eberybody. Look atmy fader __ on the hugs hearth. and de ole man Macbef. Bof ob dem stuck up frum © dere birf. Where dey? Jess nowhar.” a It happened, unfortunately, that Macbeth, while, — | this powerful statement was being made, entered the _ | room unobserved. He listened with ali the indignation % ‘of a monarch hearing himself derided by his BS. et 26e Jim sat with Eveline and the two elder ladies near it, and not a word did he say of the capture of the three masters in the chine. Nor was it mentioned by him or Morse else- where. iS After tea Mrs. Farrell looked to the wounded, and | subjects. a7 a declared that all were going on favourably. She eas “Spec you gone oft you head, Romeo,” he said, _ two exceptions, however, in tke half-caste and the | “ done talkin’ foolish dere.” ! s _ Spaniard, on whom Romeo attended. — ‘‘What am foolish?’ demanded Romeo. nie: a 2 In this duty the youngest of the negroes was “You lubricatin’ your fader and myself wif libellous ‘ assisted by Charley, the bear, who went in and out | bobservations. Who stick hisself up, eh ?” ae fi “Who doin’ it now?” asked Romeo. “Marse Gordon say dat you ’bout de mose contramushus ole : nigger that eber lib long nuff to hab him head floured — wif ole age. You git out here, disturbin’ de sy pussons.” a “’Spec? me will in due time,” said Macbeth. “Missus Farrell want you. Been looking iy youn carkiss eberywhar.” This was a command not to be disobeyed. So % a _ and lay about the bedside, as if appointed to the post of seeing that they did not run away, At rst his | presence alarmed the wounded strangers, but on Romeo assuring them that he was harmless as a lamb _ they took more kindly tc him. The name of the half- - easte, it seemed, was Garac, that of the Spaniard ~ Moravello. Both understood sufticient English to understand Re Romeo. ‘The half-caste had served on board a British _ merchantman, and the Spaniard knew something of | mee English language through his having often gone to Gibraltar and spent a month at a time on that = Wcceeorical Rock. “Bet now you've done a bit of something, sometime,” said Romeo, as he handed them their evening gruel. — Moravello smiled, as if it were a needless question. _ All who go to the Rock smuggle,” he said, adding, a ~moment later, “There is nothing else to do. It is an ~.aecursed place.” ; “You no like de English dere ?” a Who likes his conqueror ?” “Well,” said Romeo, “if you am down and can’t get up, it bess to make de mose of bein’ down. See tr Romeo got up and left the patients with a parting 7) é word. “Take no notis ob him,” referring to his indignant : grandfather ; “he born wif a big bumble-bee im him — F) 7 . A bonnet.” Macbeth looked at him, showing a lot of the white — of his eyes, but he took no further notice, and a followed him out of the room, leaving the sick men ea to reflect on what they had heard. Be | , a fae ; It was the half-caste, who first gave utterance to his thoughts. He spoke in Spanish. “The nigger good, ” he said; “but the boys better. I stake all on them.” went to their posts in | mose expect ob you will be dat you make youself “So do 1,’ muttered Moravello. “ All the saints — ) aoe ‘ : SLB . ms a a's in ne ac sy = dat ?” are on shee side. I can see it, lying here—they wile _ “What will they do if we get well 2” asked Moravello. avin J” “ Shoot us P” ; a Bless me, no!” exclaimed Romeo. “ Ae jess _— to me. Behave ae ee Led vy oe vile cenel- ' | Palit oN :