The King of the School, or, Who will Win? — page 96: what you’re looking at

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

90 THE KING OF THE SCHOOL; OR, WHO WILL Win? See a ewe course, the Earl of Pembridge placed himself beside Lizzie. Marsham and Lascelles took charge of the other young ladies, leaving Freddy Webber to escort Mrs. Grif- fiths. From the “Punch-bowl” to Bus- combe Ivers, where nuts were plentiful, was not far, and thither they all flocked. Kate Conway had never been in such a wild-looking wood before, and at first was rather afraid of meeting a wolf or a bear. However, nothing worse than a weasel was seen, and she soon overcame her timidity. It was at least half-an-hour after the appointed time when they returned to the spot where the vehicles had been left. The keeper’s son had collected, a quantity of dry wood and made a fire, over which he had fixed a tripod of large sticks, from which a kettle was slung. But while the tea was being made a most unfortunate accident took place. : Kate Conway had gone by herself to a bank where a quantity of large feathery grass grew, for the purpose of collecting a quantity of it. a While so engaged she felt a sha sting on the palm, and hastily lifting up her hand, found a reptile about two feet and a half long hanging from it and endeavouring to twine round her arm. She gave a loud scream, and in an instant Egerton appeared at her side. ‘Oh, Frank, Frank !” exclaimed the frightened girl. “It’s an adder!” cried Frank, and seizing the venomous beast by the tail he jerked it away, throwing it very nearly in Freddy Webber’s face, as that youth and Marsham were coming up to see what was the matter. Frank was too busy, however, to notice what became of it, “Turn your head aside, my darling, that you may not see what I am going to do,” said he, taking the bitten hand in his own. | Kate, who had the most implicit confidence in her young lover, immedi- ately looked away. | Frank instantly opened his penknife, made a deep cut where the poison fangs had pierced the skin, and sucked the wound. . “Oh, Frank dear, you will poison yourself,” said the fair girl, as soon as she knew what he was doing. “T think not, my love; I am trying to save your life, and if I fail I have no wish to live. Now, then, let me tie this round.” This was a pocket~handkerchief torn in strips which he bound round Kate’s wrists so tightly that the circulation of the blood was stopped, the venom being thus prevented from spreading. Freddy Webber and Marsham had killed the adder, which was certainly a very ugly-looking reptile, nearly three feet long. Lascelles had busied himself from the time of the first alarm in get- ting the horses attached to the vehicles. Kate Conway was handed into one of them, with her sister, the Earl of Pembridge, and Mrs. Griffiths; Frank seized the reins and drove off as sharply as possible towards Ballsbury, leaving the others to pack up the hampers and follow. - The surgery of Doctor Roberts was one of the first houses they came to after reaching the town. Frank pulled up, lifted out Kate, and carried her into the place; the ‘poor girl was almost fainting with fright, pain, and excitement. : The case having been explained to him, Doctor Roberts proceeded to make averycareful examination of the wound. “You have had a very narrow escape,’ said he. “If this young gentleman had not acted with such promptitude you would by this time have been past recovery, for the wounds made by the adder’s fangs were deep, and touched an important vein,” COMICLOe A) EO mn