Poison Island

ws what mischief might have been prevented? I could at least-whatever the consequences-have called a warning to Captain Coffin to give his enemy a wide-berth. But I was unnerved; the impulse ca

overcast the moon, and the packet melted from sight in a blur of darkness. Worst of all-worse even than the sting of self-reproach-was the prospect of returning

since it offered to deaden the torment of uncertainty by keeping me employed, mind and body. I must follow the coach-road. In imagination I measured back the distance. If George Goodfellow walked to Plymouth and back once a week, why might not I succeed in

me a clear coast. I was safe for a while against his spying, and consequently the embargo was off. I had no need to wait

timcoe's-that is, if I decided to return to Stimcoe's-might wait. I might yet decide to break ship-as Captain Danny would have put it-and make a push for home; but that decis

boats were by this time blowing impatient calls on their whistles. But the upper end of the street was well-nigh deserted. A dingy oil lantern overhung the pavement a few yards from the ope, and

this when the thought occurred to me that, as Captain Danny had left the door on the latch, so very likely with equal foresight he had placed his tinder-box handy-on the table, it might be. I put out my hand in the direction where, as I recollected, the table stood. It reached into empty darkness.

nd, hollow and metallic. Stooping very cautiously-for by this time I had taken alarm and was holding my breath-I passed a hand lightly over the floor. My fingers encountered the object I had kicked aside. It was a tinder-box. I clutched it softly,

the wall, waiting only for me to strike a light! I declare that at the thought I came near

plucked up nerve enough for it, was an entirely sensible one. I set the tinder-box on the floor between my heels, felt for the table, and righted it; then, picking up the box again, set it on the table and t

e spark struck, I stooped to blow it upon the tinder, the glow of which must light up my own face while it revealed to me nothing of the surrou

to face the worst. But for what met my eyes as the flame caught

n along the shelves or scattered across the floor could only be accounted for by some blind ferocity of destruction-a madman, for instance, let loose upon it, and striking at random with a stick. As the match burned low in my fingers I looked around hastily for

board w

mahogany bracket which had supported it. I gazed around, the match burning lower and lower in my hand till it scorched my fingers. The pain of it awakened me,

sion of terror I heeded neither that the house was silent nor that the window over his doorway showed a blank and unlit face to the night. I knock

from the end of the passage next, the

a kind of muffled scream. "Dru

tearing with its beak at the bars of its cage, as i

n its hinges, some

here?" demanded

r the street. The cage, as I passed under it, swayed

, kiss me, kiss me-here's a pretty

d the perils of the road, but pressed my elbows tig