The Island School — page 352: what you’re looking at

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

rie ‘} : . a Cael Stihy ya : 7) Be ate ae \ aie ty ay fe? oa yi}! ‘I Siete ayy ue 1e > ina fy hee cee vy ay . Pa hile Dae ie rea be cher Te helbaain Hd shad pou as. it were, he had aye 1a h is enemies between him and Eveline. He deveutly hoped that Changeling had sileceoded "in stopping a passing vessel, but the time had been 4 es v short ere night fell, and the probability was that they were camping on the island, by the mouth of the lagoon. _ Jf so, what were they thinking of just then? They must have heard the firing and the riot of the fight. It could have been heard perhaps far away to sea. Jim would have given something off his life to know for certain what had become of them, and if on land, me? 40 send a comforting message to Eveline. As regards the three niggers, he relied on the cunning and sagacity of Romeo to keep them out of ‘i mischief. At all events, if they could find a hiding- , place, they would not starve. “nia | suppose most fellows would forget something,” he thought, as he looked over the renewed arrange- _ ments for the protection of the castle. 5 ys ‘> é ay and the laboratory, where the greatest havoc had been made. This was a duty that Jim took upon ey. himself. Martin was left on sentry at the gate. _» On the way there he stopped and looked at poor Waller, over whom someone had laid a white sheet - brought down from the chambers. He turned it back, and by the light of the lamp surveyed the still face. “ As if asleep,” he said to the group that gathered round him. “ He looks as if he had gone away from us to the land of everlasting peace.” Pesketh, who had been more intimate with Waller than most in the school. "3 “A brother, I have heard. An elder one who in- -_herited the family property. Waller was dependent EY on his bounty, and perhaps he will not be so much missed.” de “Some of us may have cause to envy hixn ere long,” remarked Lal Brodie, sadly. “I don’t mind confess- ing that I have had almost enough of fighting.” --—~—-—s«Jim =restored the sheet to its place over Waller's face, and walked on to the hall. Lamps were lighted _ by this time, and the chaotic conditions of things revealed. The shattered door of the laboratory, the débris of the barricade, the broken seats, and huge dining-tables overturned, represented the inanimate, and that which had been animate was so no more. ee _ Lying here and there were nineteen men in every attitude expressive of a violent death. Harac and j ee Maravello were no longer in the hall. In the court- _ yard there were almost as many more, and of all | bate ase not one was found breathing. @ we " of ae I don’t understand this,” said Jim; “look at this low. eis e te a AE in oi arm. yi don’t see any ' 8 i hat? oe wets i ane YT) werd k aan Vi rm pS teat a Y FOR | It was now time to turn their attention to the hall “Has he any friends who will miss him?” asked’. sth vi Nt on Soke a Hye s ar ab i *“: A ii 1) i At ; ee { 3 4 7 hav ieee 1 ate oF Hh y cud} rHOSE “AWAY, Hi ‘Fright, perhaps,” iiepenead Stiff who ¥ was 1eniesied yi ing beside a swarthy fellow, lying with his face to the - bh stone flooring. “Here is another. Splinters in his he legs. I can find nothing more.” a f So they went from one to the other. The majority — had wounds that undoubtedly accounted for their — : end, but at least ten out of the number had died 1D ie oe a manner unaccountable to the boys. But all they could do then was to lay them out — : decently in the courtyard, and then put the disordered hall straight. ae Sleep was not to be thought of. With bucket and | mop, the flooring was swabbed and cleansed, and the ‘ ' shattered woodwork taken away and stored with other timber for firing. : In the hall and Kitchen fires were’ lighted, and — M groups were gathered about, both discussing the events of the night, events that were never to “a x eradicated from their minds, Now and then one ~ would go out and visit the sentries. But the only 4 report brought back was that nothing of importance — had been heard or seen of the enemy. " OMe i Some hoped that they had driven them away, but the wiser heads were shaken in dissent. | “They are strong still,” said Morse, “ and, with ther é blood up, will give us more trouble.” “T should like to get hold es that villain Chorker,” said Terry. 4 “JT would not touch him with a pair of pone said Brodie. ‘i et Chorker was not among the dead or amilad and as he was known to have been among their foes, the boys assumed that, unless he were lying outside with the fallen there, he must have got away. Mt It is needless to say that they were all very bitter against the miserable old traitor; but the peculiar thing was that many said they spade not have been — surprised if Mr. Farrell had done it. ma: This is an illustration of the depth to which. the schoolmaster had fallen in the estimation of the boys. There was no apparent deeper depth into which be could sink. wget After the intense excitement languor was ineyitani ! It came upon the boys in turn, and some of them fell asleep by the fire. Others, wiser in their generation, towards dawn stole away to bed. Thus by degrees stillness fell upon the castle, and when the morning — sun castits first rays upon the summits of the towers, ‘4 of all there was not half a score stirring. ~ ie Jim stood in the courtyard surveying the solemn | scene. Near him lay close upon forty men who the day before had been instinct with life. Foes they were living, but, now they were dead, foes no more. ~ it He eouavt not think ill of them at that hour, and he wondered how many of them had friends who would mourn for them. Then came the thought, “ What Lah i \ yam y aa i § AL ah tneyae ie Ma kyy te ht Stain thi Vk im e-5 + # run . A € as AY ae WOR es if a ay ee einel ‘