The Island School — page 86: what you’re looking at

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

2 a<- “ > WITHIN little; and one boar with huge tusks, crossing their path, stopped to survey them with his small, evil eyes. But on reflection he evidently thought there were too many to tackle, and went, grunting fiercely, on his way. 7 _ Inthe heat of noon they rested in a magnificent dell where the chestnut-trees had grown to.an enor- moussize, and the fruit in the husks showed a tendency to ripen. Romeo said they made a good dish, and, having gathered a quantity and lighted a small fire, heroasted them for dessert. The flavour was voted delicious, but, as Terry re- marked, the open air, and an all-round keen sense of enjoyment, probably improved them. As two hours’ halt was desirable, not only on account of the heat of noon, but the necessity of giving Romeo as much rest as possible, they all indulged in a siesta, sitting with their backs to the trunks of the trees—a somewhat rash proceeding, and, but for Jim being a very light sleeper, would have ended disastrously. He was awakened by a grunting sound, and open- ing his eyes, saw a wild boar—it might have been the original one already referred to—in the act of charg- ing at the sleeping Romeo, who, in a sitting position, with his head upon his chest, offered a fair mark for the Savage beast. A yell from Jim, of double-extra lung-power, awoke all the sleepers and startled the wild boar. of charging on, he pulled up short, and turned his head to see who it was that had thus checked him. Fortunately all the boys had their weapons ready loaded, and seizing them, they aimed at the boar, and as Romeo roused from sweet dreams, rolled out of -the line of fire, a volley awoke the many echoes of the wood. Of the five shots four took effect; but, though wounded sorely, the boar had some fight left in him. He gave his tusks a rubbing on the ground as if to sharpen them, and then charged, making for Terry, who, with commendable activity, got behind a tree. It was done so neatly that it might have served for a vanishing-trick. The boar, blind with fury, dashed on, and plunged his strong tusks into the bark of the tree, with a | force that broke one off short. It was his supreme effort, his last bit of fighting on earth, and with a sob of anguish he rolled over in a heap, quivered for a moment all over his body, and then lay still. “You may come out, Terry,” said Morse; “he’s <lone for.” * “ Whew !” whistled Terry, as he appeared again, “I thought it was all up with me. What a savage brute !” “We shall have to be wary of the boars,” said Jim, | : \ ¥ £ ¥ A an? MAY THE WoOcD. Instead | 69 “and it is useless to blink at the fact. It is quite evident they do not like strangers in their domain.” “ Wild-bgar fry good, Massa Gordon,” said Romeo, smacking his lips. “Cook it now and hab it cold for tea.” They all voted it would be acceptable, and while Romeo removed and dressed the fry, the youngsters wandered around, keeping well within hearing, in case another visitor should honour Romeo with his unwelcome attentions.. There was a sense of loneliness, although there were five of them, that rather discounted from the grandeur of the forest scene. It seemed, as Terry said, asif the place had never echoed to the footsteps of man. On the whole, they were already beginning to feel life in the wood oppressive. “Give me big, open spaces,” said Morse. “Where there is plenty of room for a good honest explosion,” remarked Joe Ganthony. “Fancy being here when there is an earthquake on. Ugh!” . “Hush!” said Jim. “Listen! What is that 2” They stood still, and from afar off there came a curlous, rattling sound. They knew not what to com- pare it to, but Felton suggested it was a hailstorm in the distance, with the icy stones falling upon hard oround. “It isn’t that,” said Morse; “it 1s more like the chattering of birds.” ‘Tt is approaching us, that is certain,” said Jim; “ coming up like the wind, for it gets louder.” “ There’s a hollow tree,” said Terry ; “let us get in.” You have quite a passion for trees,” remarked Ganthony; “first popping round them, and then setting inside.” Anyway, as the sound, or sounds, increased in volume, they thought it prudent to take advantage of the hollow tree, a huge chestnut, with ample room inside the decayed trunk for all. “ Look to your guns,” said Jim, quietly; “we may want them.” “ All loaded,” they said, and, with the triggers at full-cock, they awaited the coming of the origin of | the sound. As it came nearer, the nature of it became ap- parent. It wasaform of chattering such as would come from a host of angry birds, with the difference that it was not so chirpy. “Tm bothered,’ muttered Jim, “if I can under- stand it.” ) Then the excitement was increased by an addi- tional sound, which had hitherto been smothered by the other one. It was a faint clanking, such as drageing a chain over the ground might create. While they were wondering at it, a big brown bear hove in sight, hastening along, with his tongue out, and pursued by a shower of sticks and chestnut-fruit. @ 00 CoO mn CS co