The Island School — page 95: what you’re looking at

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

~ (=P) intelligent beast carried them one by one to Romeo. | He also conveyed to him tools and sundry necessaries likewise obtained from the interior of the wreck. On examining the cargo, it was found that it was wine and oil to a great extent. Having opened sample-cases, they were able to tell the contents of others by the marks thereon. But of course they could not examine all ae the course of a single day. Nor did they give their whole time 4 it. There was the supply of food to be thought of, and in the afternoon Terry and Felton searched along the shore for shell-fish, while Jim and Morse went up to the woods with their guns. Ganthony- accompanied them with a sack, to be filled with roots and wild fruit for ‘Charley’s use. In the course of two hours the bearers of the guns secured half a dozen birds bearing a strong resem- blance to our English pheasant, and another young porker they came upon with his nose buried in the soil in search of the edible truffle. Here was provision for two days, and they returned to camp, where Terry and Felton were engaged in testing the various shell-fish, mostly of the mussel species, they had brought back with them. Romeo was cooking them in a pan he held over a wood fire, and roast-mussel was voted to be very good eating. Among the variety of wines they found one that was exceedingly light and palatable, and it proved to ibe a welcome addition to the evening meal. When that was partaken of, they lay down upon the sands at ease, and, like the lotus-eaters, ‘¢ Betwixt the sun and moon.” And all at once they sang: ‘* Our island home is beyond the sea, We will return no more.” Tt was Terry who started singing, and one song led to another. Whether there was a chorus proper or not, they put one in; for their hearts were light, and no cloud was in the sky or in their thoughts. It was a time of infinite satisfaction to all. Romeo, with his pipe of herbs, joined in the singing, and Charley, with his nose between his huge fore-paws, grunted as much in harmony with the melody as bear could be expected to do. It was a night they all long remembered, with its still air, a sea that scarcely heaved its watery surface, and the sky spangled thickly with the glorious stars. -“T could live like this for ever!” breathed Terry. #¢'Think of school after this !” I feel too lazy to think,’ said Ganthony. ‘‘ All we want is somebody playing the Spanish guitar to make it heavenly.” “Ts it really such a beautiful instrument 2” asked Morse, doubtfully. ‘I have never heard it played.” THE ISLAND | to come from a tremendous distance. SCHOOL, “Like all instruments,” said Jim, “you want to hear it at the proper time and in the proper place. The guitar, I fancy, wants night, old Spanish buildings, and a spooney chap twanging it.” “One cannot imagine a Spaniard blowing a corno- pean,” remarked Felton, “nor an Irishman perform- ing on the guitar. Jimis right. You must have the proper surroundings, or the thing won’t catch on.” At this moment, just when they were all placidly talking in a half-dreamy way, Charley startled them by sitting up and snorting loudly. Then he got upon all-fours, and stretching his neck, stared up the beach. Nothing could be seen then, for the fire was out and there was no light; but Charley suspected something, if he could not see it. Slowly he stretched out his forefeet, and thrusting his head forward, ue remained a statuesque picture for awhile, watched by the a with a silent, breathless interest. They knew not what to make of his strange con- duct, and when he presently moved stealthily on and vanished from their sight, they sat sill, dumb with amazement. | “Something or somebody is about,” whispered Joe, breaking the stillness. “Dat ole Charley,’ murmured Romeo, “am up to snuff. Perhaps him see a lion or anoder bear. Den dere be a bit ob a fight.” “Be quiet for a time,” said Jim; ‘and you fellows, get your guns ready foran emergency. Idon’t like this strange behaviour of Charley. Little as we have seen of him, it is certain that he has lots of intelligence. Get me my gun, Romeo, and all of you, while I am, away, be as quiet as possible.” “ What are you going to do?” asked Morse, aside. “JT am going on the track of Charley. He is making along the shore, and, at the pace he started, I shall soon overtake him.” | “Let me come with you.” ““No, you stay here and look after the others. Should you hear me fire, make tracks for the top of the cliff, and there await me.” “But, Jim «“ Hxcuse me if I take a leaf from your book and vanish without further argument.” Romeo handed out Jim’s gun, and taking it, he glided away on the track of the bear. “This cuts into the harmony of the evening,” said Terry, dolorously, a few minutes later. ‘“ What on earth can it be?” “ Nothing much, I think,” replied Morse, hopefully. Everything was very still for a time, and then from some distant spot there faintly arose the sound of one in agony. In the ultra stillness of the night the cry seemed It might, m a ECcCom Cc 900 ‘Ss com dae *