1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Chapter One A GREAT SURPRISE
"Mother, have you heard about our summer holidays yet?" said Julian, at the brea!asttable# "$an %e &o to 'olseath as usual?" "()m a!raid not," said his mother# "*hey are +uite !ull u this year#" *he three -hildren at the brea!asttable looed at one another in &reat disaointment# *hey did so love the house at 'olseath# *he bea-h %as so lovely there, too, and the bathin& %as !ine# "$heer u," said .addy# "( dare say %e)ll !ind some%here else /ust as &ood !or you# 0nd any%ay, Mother and ( %on)t be able to &o %ith you this year# as Mother told you?" "o" said 0nne# "h, Motheris it true? $an)t you really -ome %ith us on our holidays? ou al%ays do#" "ell, this time .addy %ants me to &o to -otland %ith him," said Mother# "0ll by ourselves 0nd as you are really &ettin& bi& enou&h to loo a!ter yourselves no%, %e thou&ht it %ould be rather !un !or you to have a holiday on your o%n too# ut no% that you -an)t &o to 'olseath, ( don)t really +uite no% %here to send you#" "hat about :uentin)s?" suddenly said .addy# :uentin %as his brother, the -hildren)s un-le# *hey had only seen him on-e, and had been rather !ri&htened o! him# e %as a very tall,
1;
!ro%nin& man, a -lever s-ientist %ho sent all his time studyin&# e lived by the sea but that %as about all that the -hildren ne% o! him ":uentin?" said Mother, ursin& u her lis# "hatever made you thin o! him? ( shouldn)t thin he)d %ant the -hildren messin& about in his little house#" "ell," said .addy, "( had to see :uentin)s %i!e in to%n the other day, about a business matter and ( don)t thin thin&s are &oin& too %ell !or them#
eor&ina o% old %ould she be? 0bout eleven, ( should thin#" "ame a&e as me," said .i-# "eor&ina is /ust one on her o%n# ( should thin she)d be &lad to see us#" "ell, your 0unt eor&ina %ould love a bit o! -omany," said .addy# "ou no%, ( really thin that %ould solve our di!!i-ulty, i! %e telehone to eor&ina %ould love to have someone to lay %ith in the holidays# 0nd %e should no% that our three %ere sa!e#" *he -hildren be&an to !eel rather e-ited# (t
11
%ould be !un to &o to a la-e they had never been to be!ore, and stay %ith an unno%n -ousin# "0re there -li!!s and ro-s and sands there?" ased 0nne# "(s it a ni-e la-e?" "( don)t remember it very %ell," said .addy# "ut ( !eel sure it)s an e-itin& ind o! la-e# 0ny%ay, you)ll love it (t)s -alled @irrin ay# our 0unt eor&ina)s lie# eor&ina to have -omany, be-ause she)s su-h a lonely little &irl, al%ays &oin& o!! by hersel!# 0nd she %ill love looin& a!ter
12
you all# nly you)ll have to be -are!ul not to disturb your An-le :uentin# e is %orin& very hard, and he isn)t very &oodtemered %hen he is disturbed#" "e)ll be as +uiet as mi-e in the house" said .i-# "onestly %e %ill# h, &oody, &oody %hen are %e &oin&, .addy?" "et %ee, i! Mother -an mana&e it," said .addy# Mother nodded her head# "es," she said, "*here)s nothin& mu-h to &et ready !or them /ust bathin& suits and /erseys and shorts# *hey all %ear the same#" "o% lovely it %ill be to %ear shorts a&ain," said 0nne, dan-in& round# "()m tired o! %earin& s-hool tuni-s# ( %ant to %ear shorts, or a bathin& suit, and &o bathin& and -limbin& %ith the boys#" "ell, you)ll soon be doin& it," said Mother, %ith a lau&h# "Bemember to ut ready any toys or boos you %ant, %on)t you? ot many, lease, be-ause there %on)t be a &reat deal o! room#" "0nne %anted to tae all her !i!teen dolls %ith her last year," said .i-, ".o you remember, 0nne? eren)t you !unny?" "o, ( %asn)t," said 0nne, &oin& red# "( love my dolls, and ( /ust -ouldn)t -hoose %hi-h to tae so ( thou&ht ()d tae them all# *here)s nothin& !unny about that#" "0nd do you remember, the year be!ore, 0nne %anted to tae the ro-in&horse?" said .i-, %ith a &i&&le# Mother -himed in# "ou no%, ( remember a little boy -alled .i- %ho ut aside t%o &olli%o&s,
13
one teddy bear, three toy do&s, t%o toy -ats and his old money to tae do%n to 'olseath one year," she said# *hen it %as .i-)s turn to &o red# e -han&ed the sub/e-t at on-e# ".addy, are %e &oin& by train or by -ar?" he ased# "y -ar," said .addy# "e -an ile everythin& into the boot# ell %hat about *uesday?" "*hat %ould suit me %ell," said Mother# "*hen %e -ould tae the -hildren do%n, -ome ba-, and do our o%n a-in& at leisure, and start o!! !or -otland on the
14
%as a bi& one, so it held them all very -om!ortably# Mother sat in !ront %ith .addy, and the three -hildren sat behind, their !eet on t%o suit-ases# (n the lu&&a&ela-e at the ba- o! the -ar %ere all inds o! odds and ends, and one small trun# Mother really thou&ht they had remembered everythin&# 0lon& the -ro%ded =ondon roads they %ent, slo%ly at !irst, and then, as they le!t the to%n behind, more +ui-ly# oon they %ere ri&ht into the oen -ountry, and the -ar sed alon& !ast# *he -hildren san& son&s to themselves, as they al%ays did %hen they %ere hay# "0re %e i-ni-in& soon?" ased 0nne, !eelin& hun&ry all o! a sudden# "es," said Mother# "ut not yet# (t)s only eleven o)-lo-# e shan)t have lun-h till at least hal!ast t%elve, 0nne#" "h, &ra-ious" said 0nne# "( no% ( -an)t last out till then" o her mother handed her some -ho-olate, and she and the boys mun-hed haily, %at-hin& the hills, %oods and !ields as the -ar sed by# *he i-ni- %as lovely# *hey had it on the to o! a hill, in a sloin& !ield that looed do%n into a sunny valley# 0nne didn)t very mu-h lie a bi& bro%n -o% %ho -ame u -lose and stared at her, but it %ent a%ay %hen .addy told it to# *he -hildren ate enormously, and Mother said that instead o! havin& a teai-ni- at hal!ast !our they %ould have to &o to a teahouse some%here, be-ause they had eaten all the tea sand%i-hes as %ell as the lun-h ones "hat time shall %e be at 0unt
15
ased Julian, !inishin& u the very last sand%i-h and %ishin& there %ere more# "0bout si o)-lo- %ith lu-," said .addy# "o% %ho %ants to stret-h their le&s a bit? e)ve another lon& sell in the -ar, you no%#" *he -ar seemed to eat u the miles as it urred alon&# *eatime -ame, and then the three -hildren be&an to !eel e-ited all over a&ain# "e must %at-h out !or the sea," said .i-# "( -an smell it some%here near" e %as ri&ht# *he -ar suddenly toed a hill and there, %as the shinin& blue sea, -alm and smooth in the evenin& sun# *he three -hildren &ave a yell# "*here it is" "(sn)t it marvellous" "h, ( %ant to bathe this very minute" "e shan)t be more than t%enty minutes no%, be!ore %e)re at @irrin ay," said .addy# "e)ve made &ood time# ou)ll see the bay soon it)s +uite a bi& one %ith a !unny sort o! island at the entran-e o! the bay#" *he -hildren looed out !or it as they drove alon& the -oast# *hen Julian &ave a shout# "*here it is that must be @irrin ay# =oo, .i- isn)t it lovely and blue?" "0nd loo at the ro-y little island &uardin& the entran-e o! the bay," said .i-# "()d lie to visit that#" "ell, ()ve no doubt you %ill," said Mother# "o%, let)s loo out !or 0unt
16
bi& house, built o! old %hite stone# Boses -limbed over the !ront o! it, and the &arden %as &ay %ith !lo%ers# "ere)s @irrin $otta&e," said .addy, and he stoed the -ar in !ront o! it# "(t)s suosed to be about three hundred years old o% %here)s :uentin? allo, there)s
17
Chapter Two THE STRANGE COUSIN
*he -hildren)s aunt had been %at-hin& !or the -ar# he -ame runnin& out o! the old %ooden door as soon as she sa% it dra% u outside# *he -hildren lied the loo o! her at on-e# "el-ome to @irrin" she -ried# "allo, all o! you (t)s lovely to see you# 0nd %hat bi& -hildren" *here %ere isses all round, and then the -hildren %ent into the house# *hey lied it# (t !elt old and rather mysterious someho%, and the !urniture %as old and very beauti!ul# "here)s >eor&ina?" ased 0nne, looin& round !or her unno%n -ousin# "h, the nau&hty &irl ( told her to %ait in the &arden !or you," said her aunt# "o% she)s &one o!! some%here# ( must tell you, -hildren, you may !ind >eor&e a bit di!!i-ult at !irst she)s al%ays been one on her o%n, you no%# 0nd at !irst may not lie you bein& here# ut you mustn)t tae any noti-e o! that she)ll be all ri&ht in a short time# ( %as very &lad !or >eor&e)s sae that you %ere able to -ome# he badly needs other -hildren to lay %ith#" ".o you -all her )>eor&e)?" ased 0nne, in surrise# "( thou&ht her name %as >eor&ina#" "o it is," said her aunt# "ut >eor&e hates bein& a &irl, and %e have to -all her >eor&e, as i! she %as a boy# *he nau&hty &irl %on)t ans%er i! %e -all her >eor&ina#"
18
*he -hildren thou&ht that >eor&ina sounded rather e-itin&# *hey %ished she %ould -ome# ut she didn)t# *heir An-le :uentin suddenly aeared instead# e %as a most etraordinary looin& man, very tall, very dar, and %ith a rather !ier-e !ro%n on his %ide !orehead# "allo, :uentin" said .addy# "(t)s a lon& time sin-e ()ve seen you# ( hoe these three %on)t disturb you very mu-h in your %or#" ":uentin is %orin& on a very di!!i-ult boo," said 0unt eor&e?" he said, in a dee voi-e# ">one o!! some%here a&ain," said 0unt eor&e" *here %as no room at @irrin $otta&e !or Mother and .addy to stay the ni&ht, so a!ter a hurried suer they le!t to stay at a hotel in the nearest to%n# *hey %ould drive ba- to =ondon immediately a!ter brea!ast the net day# o they said &oodbye to the -hildren that ni&ht# >eor&ina still hadn)t aeared# "()m sorry %e haven)t seen >eor&ina," said Mother# "Just &ive
19
her our love and tell her %e hoe she)ll en/oy layin& %ith .i-, Julian and 0nne#" *hen Mother and .addy %ent# *he -hildren !elt a little bit lonely as they sa% the bi& -ar disaear round the -orner o! the road, but 0unt eor&ina in a smaller room, %hose %indo%s looed over the moors at the ba- o! the house# ut one side%indo% looed over the sea, %hi-h leased 0nne very mu-h# (t %as a ni-e room, and red roses nodded their heads in at the %indo%# "( do %ish >eor&ina %ould -ome," 0nne said to her aunt# "( %ant to see %hat she)s lie#" "ell, she)s a !unny little &irl," said her aunt# "he -an be very rude and hau&htybut she)s ind at heart, very loyal and absolutely truth!ul# n-e she maes !riends %ith you, she %ill al%ays be your !riend but she !inds it very di!!i-ult indeed to mae !riends, %hi-h is a &reat ity#" 0nne suddenly ya%ned# *he boys !ro%ned at her, be-ause they ne% %hat %ould haen net# 0nd it did "'oor 0nne o% tired you are ou must all &o to bed strai&ht a%ay, and have a &ood lon& ni&ht# *hen you %ill %ae u +uite !resh tomorro%," said 0unt
2;
as %e ya%n# ( did %ant to &o do%n on the bea-h !or a %hile#" "()m so sorry," said 0nne# "omeho% ( -ouldn)t hel it# 0nd any%ay, you)re ya%nin& no%, .i-, and Julian too" o they %ere# *hey %ere as sleey as -ould be %ith their lon& drive# e-retly all o! them lon&ed to -uddle do%n into bed and shut their eyes# "( %onder %here >eor&ina is," said 0nne, %hen she said &oodni&ht to the boys, and %ent to her o%n room# "(sn)t she +ueer not %aitin& to %el-ome us and not -omin& in to suer and not even in yet 0!ter all, she)s sleein& in my room &oodness no%s %hat time she)ll be in" 0ll the three -hildren %ere !ast aslee be!ore >eor&ina -ame u to bed *hey didn)t hear her oen 0nne)s door# *hey didn)t hear her &et undressed and -lean her teeth# *hey didn)t hear the -rea o! her bed as she &ot into it# *hey %ere so tired that they heard nothin& at all until the sun a%oe them in the mornin&# hen 0nne a%oe she -ouldn)t at !irst thin %here she %as# he lay in her little bed and looed u at the slantin& -eilin&, and at the red roses that nodded at the oen %indo% and suddenly remembered all in a rush %here she %as "()m at @irrin ay and it)s the holidays#" she said to hersel!, and s-re%ed u her le&s %ith /oy# *hen she looed a-ross at the other bed# (n it lay the !i&ure o! another -hild, -urled u under the bed-lothes# 0nne -ould /ust see the to o! a -urly head, and that %as all# hen the !i&ure stirred a little, 0nne soe#
21
"( say 0re you >eor&ina?" *he -hild in the oosite bed sat u and looed a-ross at 0nne# he had very short -urly hair, almost as short as a boy)s# er !a-e %as burnt a darbro%n %ith the sun, and her very blue eyes looed as bri&ht as !or&etmenots in her !a-e# ut her mouth %as rather suly, and she had a !ro%n lie her !ather)s# "o," she said# "()m not >eor&ina#" "h" said 0nne, in surrise# "*hen %ho are you?" "()m >eor&e," said the &irl# "( shall only ans%er i! you -all me >eor&e# ( hate bein& a &irl# ( %on)t be# ( don)t lie doin& the thin&s that &irls do# ( lie doin& the thin&s that boys do# ( -an -limb better than any boy, and s%im !aster too# ( -an sail a boat as %ell as any !isherboy on this -oast# ou)re to -all me >eor&e# *hen ()ll sea to you# ut ( shan)t i! you don)t#" "h" said 0nne, thinin& that her ne% -ousin %as most etraordinary# "0ll ri&ht ( don)t -are %hat ( -all you# >eor&e is a ni-e name, ( thin# ( don)t mu-h lie >eor&ina# 0ny%ay, you loo lie a boy#" ".o ( really?" said >eor&e, the !ro%n leavin& her !a-e !or a moment# "Mother %as a%!ully -ross %ith me %hen ( -ut my hair short# ( had hair all round my ne-C it %as a%!ul#" *he t%o &irls stared at one another !or a moment# ".on)t you simly hate bein& a &irl?" ased >eor&e# "o, o! -ourse not," said 0nne# "ou see ( do lie retty !ro-s and ( love my dolls and you -an)t do that i! you)re a boy#"
22
"'ooh eor&e, in a s-orn!ul voi-e# "0nd dolls ell, you are a baby, that)s all ( -an say#" 0nne !elt o!!ended# "ou)re not very olite," she said# "ou %on)t !ind that my brothers tae mu-h noti-e o! you i! you a-t as i! you ne% everythin&# *hey)re real boys, not retend boys, lie you#" "ell, i! they)re &oin& to be nasty to me ( shan)t tae any noti-e o! them," said >eor&e, /umin& out o! bed# "( didn)t %ant any o! you to -ome, any%ay# (nter!erin& %ith my li!e here ()m +uite hay on my o%n# o% ()ve &ot to ut u %ith a silly &irl %ho lies !ro-s and dolls, and t%o stuid boy-ousins" 0nne !elt that they had made a very bad be&innin&# he said no more, but &ot dressed hersel! too# he ut on her &rey /eans and a red /ersey# >eor&e ut on /eans too, and a boy)s /ersey# Just as they %ere ready the boys hammered on their door# "0ren)t you ready? (s >eor&ina there? $ousin >eor&ina, -ome out and see us#" >eor&e !lun& oen the door and mar-hed out %ith her head hi&h# he too no noti-e o! the t%o surrised boys at all# he staled do%nstairs# *he other three -hildren looed at one another# "he %on)t ans%er i! you -all her >eor&ina," elained 0nne# "he)s a%!ully +ueer, ( thin# he says she didn)t %ant us to -ome be-ause %e)ll inter!ere %ith her# he lau&hed at me, and %as rather rude#" Julian ut his arm round 0nne, %ho looed a bit dole!ul# "$heer u" he said# "ou)ve &ot
23
24
us to sti- u !or you# $ome on do%n to brea!ast#" *hey %ere all hun&ry# *he smell o! ba-on and e&&s %as very &ood# *hey ran do%n the stairs and said &ood mornin& to their aunt# he %as /ust brin&in& the brea!ast to the table# *heir un-le %as sittin& at the head, readin& his aer# e nodded at the -hildren# *hey sat do%n %ithout a %ord, %onderin& i! they %ere allo%ed to sea at meals# *hey al%ays %ere at home, but their An-le :uentin looed rather !ier-e# >eor&e %as there, butterin& a ie-e o! toast# he s-o%led at the three -hildren# ".on)t loo lie that, >eor&e," said her mother# "( hoe you)ve made !riends already# (t %ill be !un !or you to lay toðer# ou must tae your -ousins to see the bay this mornin& and sho% them the best la-es to bathe#" "()m &oin& !ishin&," said >eor&e# er !ather looed u at on-e# "ou are not," he said# "ou are &oin& to sho% a !e% &ood manners !or a -han&e, and tae your -ousins to the bay# .o you hear me?" "es," said >eor&e, %ith a s-o%l ea-tly lie her !ather)s# "h, %e -an &o to the bay by ourselves all ri&ht, i! >eor&e is &oin& !ishin&," said 0nne, at on-e, thinin& that it %ould be ni-e not to have >eor&e i! she %as in a bad temer# ">eor&e %ill do ea-tly as she)s told," said her !ather# "(! she doesn)t, ( shall deal %ith her#" o, a!ter brea!ast, !our -hildren &ot ready to &o do%n to the bea-h# 0n easy ath led do%n
25
to the bay, and they ran do%n haily# Dven >eor&e lost her !ro%n as she !elt the %armth o! the sun and sa% the dan-in& sarles on the blue sea#"ou &o !ishin& i! you %ant to," said 0nne %hen they %ere do%n on the bea-h# "e %on)t tell tales o! you# e don)t %ant to inter!ere %ith you, you no%# e)ve &ot ourselves !or -omany, and i! you don)t %ant to be %ith us, you needn)t#" "ut %e)d lie you, all the same, i! you)d lie to be %ith us," said Julian, &enerously# e thou&ht >eor&e %as rude and illmannered, but he -ouldn)t hel rather liin& the loo o! the strai&htba-ed, shorthaired little &irl, %ith her brilliant blue eyes and suly mouth# >eor&e stared at him# "()ll see, she said# "( don)t mae !riends %ith eole /ust be-ause they)re my -ousins, or somethin& silly lie that# ( only mae !riends %ith eole i! ( lie them#" "o do %e," said Julian# "e may not lie you, o! -ourse#" "h" said >eor&e, as i! that thou&ht hadn)t o--urred to her# "ell you may not, o! -ourse# =ots o! eole don)t lie me, no% ( -ome to thin o! it#" 0nne %as starin& out over the blue bay# 0t the entran-e to it lay a -urious ro-y island %ith %hat looed lie an old ruined -astle on the to o! it# "(sn)t that a !unny la-e?" she said# "( %onder %hat it)s -alled#" "(t)s -alled @irrin (sland," said >eor&e, her eyes as blue as the sea as she turned to loo at it# "(t)s a lovely la-e to &o to# (! ( lie you,
26
( may tae you there some day# ut ( don)t romise# *he only %ay to &et there is by boat#" "ho does the !unny island belon& to?" ased Julian# >eor&e made a most surrisin& ans%er# "(t belon&s to me," she said# "0t least, it %ill belon& to me some day (t %ill be my very o%n island and my very o%n -astle"
27
Chapter Three A QUEER STORY — AND A NEW FRIEND
*he three -hildren stared at >eor&e in the &reatest surrise# >eor&e stared ba- at them# "hat do you mean?" said .i-, at last# "@irrin (sland -an)t belon& to you# ou)re /ust boastin&#" "o, ()m not," said >eor&e# "ou as Mother# (! you)re not &oin& to believe %hat ( say ( %on)t tell you another %ord more# ut ( don)t tell untruths# ( thin it)s bein& a -o%ard i! you don)t tell the truth and ()m not a -o%ard#" Julian remembered that 0unt eor&e %as absolutely truth!ul, and he s-rat-hed his head and looed at >eor&e a&ain# o% -ould she be ossibly tellin& the truth? "ell, o! -ourse %e)ll believe you i! you tell us the truth," he said# "ut it does sound a bit etraordinary, you no%# Beally it does# $hildren don)t usually o%n islands, even !unny little ones lie that#" "(t isn)t a !unny little island," said >eor&e, !ier-ely# "(t)s lovely# *here are rabbits there, as tame as -an be and the bi& -ormorants sit on the other side and all inds o! &ulls &o there# *he -astle is %onder!ul too, even i! it is all in ruins#" "(t sounds !ine," said .i-# "o% does it belon& to you, >eor&ina?" >eor&e &lared at him and didn)t ans%er#
28
"orry," said .i-, hastily# "( didn)t mean to -all you >eor&ina# ( meant to -all you >eor&e#" ">o on, >eor&e tell us ho% the island belon&s to you," said Julian, sliin& his arm throu&h his suly little -ousin)s# he ulled a%ay !rom him at on-e# ".on)t do that," she said# "()m not sure that ( %ant to mae !riends %ith you yet#" "0ll ri&ht, all ri&ht," said Julian, losin& atien-e# "e enemies or anythin& you lie# e don)t -are# ut %e lie your mother a%!ully, and %e don)t %ant her to thin %e %on)t mae !riends %ith you#" ".o you lie my mother?" said >eor&e, her bri&ht blue eyes so!tenin& a little# "es she)s a dear, isn)t she? ell all ri&ht ()ll tell you ho% @irrin $astle belon&s to me# $ome and sit do%n here in this -orner %here nobody -an hear us#" *hey all sat do%n in a sandy -orner o! the bea-h# >eor&e looed a-ross at the little island in the bay# "(t)s lie this," she said# "ears a&o my mother)s eole o%ned nearly all the land around here# *hen they &ot oor, and had to sell most o! it# ut they -ould never sell that little island, be-ause nobody thou&ht it %orth anythin&, ese-ially as the -astle has been ruined !or years#" "eor&e# "Mother says %hen ()m &ro%nu it %ill be
29
mine# he says she doesn)t %ant it no%, either, so she)s sort o! &iven it to me# (t belon&s to me# (t)s my o%n rivate island, and ( don)t let anyone &o there unless they &et my ermission#" *he three -hildren stared at her# *hey believed every %ord >eor&e said, !or it %as +uite lain that the &irl %as seain& the truth# eor&ina ( mean >eor&e" said .i-# "( do thin you)re lu-y# (t loos su-h a ni-e island# ( hoe you)ll be !riends %ith us and tae us there one day soon# ou simly -an)t ima&ine ho% %e)d love it#" "ell ( mi&ht," said >eor&e, leased at the interest she had -aused# "()ll see# ( never have taen anyone there yet, thou&h some o! the boys and &irls round here have be&&ed me to# ut ( don)t lie them, so ( haven)t#" *here %as a little silen-e as the !our -hildren looed out over the bay to %here the island lay in the distan-e# *he tide %as &oin& out# (t almost looed as i! they -ould %ade over to the island# .i- ased i! it %as ossible# "o," said >eor&e# "( told you it)s only ossible to &et to it by boat# (t)s !arther out than it loosand the %ater is very, very dee# *here are ro-s all about too you have to no% ea-tly %here to ro% a boat, or you bum into them# (t)s a dan&erous bit o! -oast here# *here are a lot o! %re-s about#" "re-s" -ried Julian, his eyes shinin&, "( say ()ve never seen an old %re-# 0re there any to see?" "ot no%," said >eor&e# "*hey)ve all been
3;
-leared u# D-et one, and that)s the other side o! the island# (t)s dee do%n in the %ater# ou -an /ust see the broen mast i! you ro% over it on a -alm day and loo do%n into the %ater# *hat %re- really belon&s to me too#" *his time the -hildren really -ould hardly believe >eor&e# ut she nodded her head !irmly# "es," she said, "it %as a shi belon&in& to one o! my &reat&reat&reat&rand!athers, or someone lie that# e %as brin&in& &old bi& bars o! &old ba- in his shi and it &ot %re-ed o!! @irrin (sland#" "ooh %hat haened to the &old?" ased 0nne, her eyes round and bi&# "obody no%s," said >eor&e# "( ee-t it %as stolen out o! the shi# .ivers have been do%n to see, o! -ourse, but they -ouldn)t !ind any &old#" ">olly this does sound e-itin&," said Julian# "( %ish ( -ould see the %re-#" "ell %e mi&ht erhas &o this a!ternoon %hen the tide is ri&ht do%n," said >eor&e# "*he %ater is so -alm and -lear today# e -ould see a bit o! it#" "h, ho% %onder!ul" said 0nne# "( do so %ant to see a real live %re-" *he others lau&hed# "ell, it %on)t be very alive," said .i-# "( say, >eor&e %hat about a bathe?" "( must &o and &et *imothy !irst," said >eor&e# he &ot u# "ho)s *imothy?" said .i-# "$an you ee a se-ret?" ased >eor&e# "obody must no% at home#" "ell, &o on, %hat)s the se-ret?" ased Julian# "ou -an tell us# e)re not sneas#"
31
32
"*imothy is my very &reatest !riend," said >eor&e# "( -ouldn)t do %ithout him# ut Mother and eor& >eor&e) e)ss are arent ntss don) don)tt arove o!#" *he -hildren, lay ba- in the so!t sand and %aited# oon they heard >eor&e)s -lear voi-e -omin& do%n !rom the -li!! behind them# "$ome on, *imothy $ome on" *hey sat u and looed to see %hat *imothy %as lie# *hey sa% no !isherboy but instead a bi& bro%n mon&rel do& %ith an absurdly lon& tail and a bi& %ide mouth that really seemed to &rin e %as boundin& all round >eor&e, mad %ith deli&ht# he -ame runnin& do%n do %n to them# "*his is *imothy," she said# ".on)t you thin he is simly er!e-t?" 0s a do&, *imothy %as !ar !rom er!e-t# e %as the %ron& shae, his head %as too bi&, his ears %ere too ri-ed, his tail %as too lon& and it %as +uite imossible to say %hat ind o! a do& he %as suosed to be# ut he %as su-h a mad, !riendly, -lumsy, lau&hable -reature that every one o! the -hildren adored him at on-e# "h, you darlin&" said 0nne, and &ot a li- on the nose# "( say isn)t he &rand" said .i-, and &ave *imothy a !riendly sma- that made the do& bound madly all round him# "( %ish ( had a do& lie this," said Julian,
33
%ho really loved do&s, and had al%ays %anted one o! his o%n# "h, >eor&e he)s !ine# 0ren)t you roud o! him?" *he little &irl smiled, and her !a-e altered at on-e, and be-ame sunny and retty# he sat do%n on the sand and her do& -uddled u to her, li-in& her %herever he -ould !ind a bare ie-e o! sin# "( love him a%!ully," she said# "( !ound him out on the moors %hen he %as /ust a u, a year a&o, and ( too him home# 0t !irst Mother lied him, but %hen he &re% bi&&er he &ot terribly nau&hty#" "hat did he do?" ased 0nne# "ell, he)s an a%!ully -he%y ind o! do&," said >eor&e# "e -he%ed u everythin& he -ould a ne% ru& Mother had bou&ht her ni-est hat eor&e looed out over the bay# er !a-e had &one suly a&ain# "ell, it doesn)t matter %hat unishment ( &ot," she said, "but the %orst art o! all %as %hen
34
or !our years ba-# .i- &ave her a shar nud&e, and she said no more# >eor&e looed at 0nne# "oys don)t -ry," she said, obstinately# "0ny%ay, ()ve never seen one, and ( al%ays try not to -ry mysel!# (t)s so babyish# ut ( /ust -ouldn)t hel it %hen *imothy had to &o# e -ried too#" *he -hildren looed %ith &reat rese-t at *imothy# *hey had not no%n that a do& -ould -ry be!ore# ".o you mean he -ried real tears?" ased 0nne# "o, not +uite," said >eor&e# "e)s too brave !or that# e -ried %ith his voi-e ho%led and ho%led and looed so miserable that he nearly broe my heart# 0nd then ( ne% ( -ouldn)t ossibly art %ith him#" "hat haened then?" ased Julian# "( %ent to 0l!, a !isherboy ( no%," said >eor&e, "and ( ased him i! he)d ee *im !or me, i! ( aid him all the o-etmoney ( &et# e said he %ould, and so he does# *hat)s %hy ( never have any money to send it all has to &o on *im# e seems to eat an a%!ul lot don)t you, *im?" "oo!" said *im, and rolled over on his ba-, all his sha&&y le&s in the air# Julian ti-led him# "o% do you mana&e %hen you %ant any s%eets or i-e -reams?" said 0nne, %ho sent most o! her o-etmoney on thin&s o! that sort# "( don)t mana&e," said >eor&e# "( &o %ithout, o! -ourse#" *his sounded a%!ul to the other -hildren, %ho loved i-e-reams, -ho-olates and s%eets, and had a &ood many o! them# *hey stared at >eor&e#
35
"ell ( suose the other -hildren %ho lay on the bea-h share their s%eets and i-es %ith you sometimes, don)t they?" ased Julian# "( don)t let them," said >eor&e# "(! ( -an never &ive them any mysel! it)s not !air to tae them# o ( say no#" *he tinle o! an i-e-ream man)s bell %as heard in the distan-e# Julian !elt in his o-et# e /umed u and rushed o!!, /in&lin& his money# (n a !e% moments he %as ba- a&ain, -arryin& !our !at -ho-olate i-e-ream bars# e &ave one to .i-, and one to 0nne, and then held out one to >eor&e# he looed at it lon&in&ly, but shoo her head# "o, thans," she said# "ou no% %hat ( /ust said# ( haven)t any money to buy them, so ( -an)t share mine %ith you, and ( -an)t tae any !rom you# (t)s mean to tae !rom eole i! you -an)t &ive even a little ba-#" "ou -an tae !rom us," said Julian, tryin& to ut the i-e into >eor&e)s bro%n hand# "e)re your -ousins#" "o, thans," said >eor&e a&ain# "*hou&h ( do thin it)s ni-e o! you#" he looed at Julian out o! her blue eyes and the boy !ro%ned as he tried to thin o! a %ay to mae the obstinate little &irl tae the i-e# *hen he smiled# "=isten," he said, "you)ve &ot somethin& %e badly %ant to share in !a-t you)ve &ot a lot o! thin&s %e)d lie to share, i! only you)d let us# ou share those %ith us, and let us share thin&s lie i-es %ith you# ee?" "hat thin&s have ( &ot that you %ant to share?" ased >eor&e, in surrise#
36
"ou)ve &ot a do&," said Julian, attin& the bi& bro%n mon&rel# "e)d love to share him %ith you, he)s su-h a darlin&# 0nd you)ve &ot a lovely island# e)d be simly thrilled i! you)d share it sometimes# 0nd you)ve &ot a %re-# e)d lie to loo at it and share it too# (-es and s%eets aren)t so &ood as those thin&s but it %ould be ni-e to mae a bar&ain and share %ith ea-h other#" >eor&e looed at the bro%n eyes that &aEed steadily into hers# he -ouldn)t hel liin& Julian# (t %asn)t her nature to share anythin&# he had al%ays been an only -hild, a lonely, rather misunderstood little &irl, !ier-e and hot temered# he had never had any !riends o! her o%n# *imothy looed u at Julian and sa% that he %as o!!erin& somethin& ni-e and -ho-olately to >eor&e# e /umed u and li-ed the boy %ith his !riendly ton&ue# "*here you are, you see *im %ants to be shared," said Julian, %ith a lau&h# "(t %ould be ni-e !or him to have three ne% !riends#" "es it %ould," said >eor&e, &ivin& in suddenly, and tain& the -ho-olate bar# "*han you, Julian# ( %ill share %ith you# ut romise you)ll never tell anyone at home that ()m still eein& *imothy?" "! -ourse %e)ll romise," said Julian# "ut ( -an)t ima&ine that your !ather or mother %ould mind, so lon& as *im doesn)t live in their house# o%)s the i-e? (s it ni-e?" "oooh the loveliest one ()ve ever tasted" said >eor&e nibblin& at it# "(t)s so -old# ( haven)t had one this year# (t)s simly .D=($(A" *imothy tried to nibble it too# >eor&e &ave him
37
a !e% -rumbs at the end# *hen she turned and smiled at the three -hildren# "ou)re ni-e," she said# "()m &lad you)ve -ome a!ter all# =et)s tae a boat out this a!ternoon and ro% round the island to have a loo at the %re-, shall %e?" "Bather" said all three at on-e and even *imothy %a&&ed his tail as i! he understood
38
Chapter Four AN EXCITING AFTERNOON
*hey all had a bathe that mornin&, and the boys !ound that >eor&e %as a mu-h better s%immer than they %ere# he %as very stron& and very !ast, and she -ould s%im under %ater, too, holdin& her breath !or a&es# "ou)re /olly &ood," said Julian, admirin&ly# "(t)s a ity 0nne isn)t a bit better# 0nne, you)ll have to ra-tise your s%immin& stroes hard, or you)ll never be able to s%im out as !ar as %e do#" *hey %ere all very hun&ry at lun-h time# *hey %ent ba- u the -li!!ath, hoin& there %ould be lots to eat and there %as $old meat and salad, lumie and -ustard, and -heese a!ter%ards# o% the -hildren tu-ed in "hat are you &oin& to do this a!ternoon?" ased >eor&e)s mother# ">eor&e is &oin& to tae us out in a boat to see the %re- on the other side o! the island," said 0nne# er aunt looed most surrised# ">eor&e is &oin& to tae you" she said# "hy >eor&e %hat)s -ome over you? ou)ve never taen a sin&le erson be!ore, thou&h ()ve ased you to doEens o! times" >eor&e said nothin&, but %ent on eatin& her lumie# he hadn)t said a %ord all throu&h the meal# er !ather had not aeared at the table, mu-h to the -hildren)s relie!# "ell, >eor&e, ( must say ()m leased that you %ant to try and do %hat your !ather said," be&an her mother a&ain# ut >eor&e shoo her head# 39
"()m not doin& it be-ause ()ve &ot to," she said# "()m doin& it be-ause ( %ant to# ( %ouldn)t have taen anyone to see my %re-, not even the :ueen o! Dn&land, i! ( didn)t lie them#" er mother lau&hed# "ell, it)s &ood ne%s that you lie your -ousins," she said# "( hoe they lie you" "h yes" said 0nne, ea&erly, anious to sti- u !or her stran&e -ousin# "e do lie >eor&e, and %e lie *i ###" he %as /ust about to say that they lied *imothy too, %hen she &ot su-h a i- on her anle that she -ried out in ain and the tears -ame into her eyes# >eor&e &lared at her# ">eor&e? hy did you i- 0nne lie that %hen she %as sayin& ni-e thin&s about you?" -ried her mother# "=eave the table at on-e# ( %on)t have su-h behaviour#" >eor&e le!t the table %ithout a %ord# he %ent out into the &arden# he had /ust taen a ie-e o! bread and -ut hersel! some -heese# (t %as all le!t on her late# *he other three stared at it in distress# 0nne %as uset# o% -ould she have been so silly as to !or&et she mustn)t mention *im? "h, lease -all >eor&e ba-" she said# "he didn)t mean to i- me# (t %as an a--ident#" ut her aunt %as very an&ry %ith >eor&e# "eor&e %ill &o into the suls no%# .ear, dear, she is su-h a di!!i-ult -hild" *he others didn)t mind about >eor&e &oin& into the suls# hat they did mind %as that >eor&e mi&ht re!use to tae them to see the %re- no% *hey !inished the meal in silen-e# *heir aunt %ent to see i! An-le :uentin %anted any more ie# e %as havin& his meal in the study by himsel!# 0s soon as she had &one 4;
out o! the room, 0nne i-ed u the bread and -heese !rom >eor&e)s late and %ent out into the &arden# *he boys didn)t s-old her# *hey ne% that 0nne)s ton&ue very o!ten ran a%ay %ith her but she al%ays tried to mae u !or it a!ter%ards# *hey thou&ht it %as very brave o! her to &o and !ind >eor&e# >eor&e %as lyin& on her ba- under a bi& tree in the &arden# 0nne %ent u to her# "()m sorry ( nearly made a mistae, >eor&e," she said# "ere)s your bread and -heese# ()ve brou&ht it !or you# ( romise ()ll never !or&et not to mention *im a&ain#" >eor&e sat u# "()ve a &ood mind not to tae you to see the %re-," she said# "tuid baby" 0nne)s heart san# *his %as %hat she had !eared# "ell," she said, "you needn)t tae me, o! -ourse# ut you mi&ht tae the boys, >eor&e# 0!ter all, they didn)t do anythin& silly# 0nd any%ay, you &ave me an a%!ul i-# =oo at the bruise#" >eor&e looed at it# *hen she looed at 0nne# "ut %ouldn)t you be miserable i! ( too Julian and .i- %ithout you?" she ased# "! -ourse," said 0nne# "ut ( don)t %ant to mae them miss a treat, even i! ( have to#" *hen >eor&e did a surrisin& thin& !or her# he &ave 0nne a hu& *hen she immediately looed most ashamed o! hersel!, !or she !elt sure that no boy %ould have done that 0nd she al%ays tried to a-t lie a boy#
41
42
"(t)s all ri&ht," she said, &ru!!ly, tain& the bread and -heese# "ou %ere nearly very silly and ( &ave you a i- so it)s all s+uare# ! -ourse you -an -ome this a!ternoon#" 0nne sed ba- to tell the boys that everythin& %as all ri&ht and in !i!teen minutes) time !our -hildren ran do%n to the bea-h# y a boat %as a bro%n!a-ed !isherboy, about !ourteen years old# e had *imothy %ith him# "oat)s "oat)s all ready, Master >eor&e," >eor&e," he said %ith a &rin# "0nd *im)s ready, too#" "*hans," said >eor&e, and told the others to &et in# *imothy /umed in, too, his bi& tail %a&&in& nineteen to the doEen# >eor&e ushed the boat o!! into the sur! and then /umed in hersel!# he too the oars# he ro%ed slendidly, and the boat shot alon& over the blue bay# (t %as a %onder!ul a!ternoon, and the -hildren loved the movement o! the boat over the %ater# *imothy stood at the ro% and bared %henever a %ave reared its head# "e)s !unny on a %ild day," said >eor&e, ullin& hard# "e bars madly at the bi& %aves, and &ets so an&ry i! they slash him# e)s an a%!ully &ood s%immer#" "(sn)t it ni-e to have a do& %ith us?" said 0nne, anious to mae u !or her mistae# "( do so lie him#" "oo!," said *imothy, in his dee voi-e and turned round to li- 0nne)s ear# "()m sure he ne% %hat ( said," said 0nne in deli&ht# "! "! -our -ourse se he did, did,"" said said >eor& eor&e# e# "e "e unde unders rsta tand ndss every sin&le %ord#" "( say %e)re &ettin& near to your island no%,"
43
said Julian, in e-itement# "(t)s bi&&er than ( thou&ht# 0nd isn)t the -astle e-itin&?"*hey dre% near to the island, and the -hildren sa% that there %ere shar ro-s all round about it# Anless anyone ne% ea-tly the %ay to tae, no boat or shi -ould ossibly land on the shore o! the ro-y little island# (n the very middle o! it, on a lo% hill, rose the ruined -astle# (t had been built o! bi& %hite stones# roen ar-h%ays, ar-h%ays, tumbledo%n tumbledo%n to%ers, to%ers, ruined %alls that %as all that %as le!t o! a on-e beauti!ul -astle, roud and stron&# o% the /a-da%s nested in it and the &ulls sat on the tomost stones# "(t loos a%!ully mysterious," said Julian# "o% ()d love to land there and have a loo at the -astle# ouldn) ouldn)tt it be !un to send a ni&ht or t%o here" >eor&e stoed ro%in&# er !a-e li&hted u# "( say" she said, in deli&ht# ".o you no%, ( never thou&ht ho% lovely that %ould be *o send a ni&ht on my island *o be there all alone, the !our o! us# *o &et our o%n meals, and retend %e really lived there# ouldn)t ouldn)t it be &rand?" "es "es,, rath rather er," ," said said .i-, i-, loo looin in& & lon& lon&in in&l &ly y at the the islan sland# d# ".o you you thin thin do you you su suos osee your your mothe otherr %ould let us?" "( don)t no%," said >eor&e# "he mi&ht# ou -ould as her#" "$an)t %e land there this a!ternoon?" ased Julian# "o, not i! you %ant to see the %re-," said >eor&e# "e)ve "e)ve &ot to &et ba- !or tea today, and it %ill tae all the time to ro% round to the other side o! @irrin (sland and ba-#"
44
"ell ()d lie to see the %re-," said Julian, torn bet%een the island and the %re-# "ere, let me tae the oars !or a bit, >eor&e# ou -an)t do all the ro%in&#" "( -an," said >eor&e# "ut ()d +uite en/oy lyin& ba- in the boat !or a -han&e =oo ()ll /ust tae you by this ro-y bit and then you -an tae the oars till %e -ome to another a%%ard ie-e# onestly, the ro-s around this bay are simly dread!ul" >eor&e and Julian -han&ed la-es in the boat# Julian ro%ed %ell, but not so stron&ly as >eor&e# *he boat sed alon& ro-in& smoothly# *hey %ent ri&ht round the island, and sa% the -astle !rom the other side# (t looed more ruined on the side that !a-ed the sea# "*he stron& %inds -ome !rom the oen sea," elained >eor&e# "*here)s not really mu-h le!t o! it this side, e-et iles o! stones# ut there)s a &ood little harbour in a little -ove, !or those %ho no% ho% to !ind it#" >eor&e too the oars a!ter a %hile, and ro%ed steadily out a little beyond the island# *hen she stoed and looed ba- to%ards the shore# "o% do you no% %hen you are over the %re-?" ased Julian, uEEled# "( should never no%" "ell, do you see that -hur-h to%er on the mainland?" ased >eor&e# "0nd do you see the ti o! that hill over there? ell, %hen you &et them ea-tly in line %ith one another, bet%een the t%o to%ers o! the -astle on the island, you are retty %ell over the %re- ( !ound that out a&es a&o#" *he -hildren sa% that the ti o! the !aro!! hill
45
and the -hur-h to%er %ere ra-ti-ally in line, %hen they looed at them bet%een the t%o old to%ers o! the island -astle# *hey looed ea&erly do%n into the sea to see i! they -ould sy the %re-# *he %ater %as er!e-tly -lear and smooth# *here %as hardly a %rinle# *imothy looed do%n into it too, his head on one side, his ears -o-ed, /ust as i! he ne% %hat he %as looin& !or *he -hildren lau&hed at him# "e)re not ea-tly over it," said >eor&e, looin& do%n too# "*he %ater)s so -lear today that %e should be able to see +uite a lon& %ay do%n# ait, ()ll ro% a bit to the le!t#" "oo!" said *imothy, suddenly, and %a&&ed his tail and at the same moment the three -hildren sa% somethin& dee do%n in the %ater "(t)s the %re-" said Julian, almost !allin& out o! the boat in his e-itement# "( -an see a bit o! broen mast# =oo, .i-, loo" 0ll !our -hildren and the do&, too, &aEed do%n earnestly into the -lear %ater# 0!ter a little %hile they -ould mae out the outlines o! a dar hul, out o! %hi-h the broen mast stood# "(t)s a bit on one side," said Julian# "'oor old shi# o% it must hate lyin& there, &radually !allin& to ie-es# >eor&e, ( %ish ( -ould dive do%n and &et a -loser loo at it#" "ell, %hy don)t you?" said >eor&e# "ou)ve &ot your s%immin& truns on# ()ve o!ten dived do%n# ()ll -ome %ith you, i! you lie, i! .i- -an ee the boat round about here# *here)s a -urrent that is tryin& to tae it out to sea# .i-, you)ll have to ee %orin& a bit %ith this oar to ee the boat in one sot#"
46
*he &irl stried o!! her /eans and /ersey and Julian did the same# *hey both had on bathin& -ostumes underneath# >eor&e too a beauti!ul header o!! the end o! the boat, dee do%n into the %ater# *he others %at-hed her s%immin& stron&ly do%n%ards, holdin& her breath# 0!ter a bit she -ame u, almost burstin& !or breath# "ell, ( %ent almost do%n to the %re-," she said# "(t)s /ust the same as it al%ays is sea%eedy and -overed %ith limets and thin&s# ( %ish ( -ould &et ri&ht into the shi itsel!# ut ( never have enou&h breath !or that# ou &o do%n no%, Julian#" o do%n Julian %ent but he %as not so &ood at s%immin& dee under %ater as >eor&e %as, and he -ouldn)t &o do%n so !ar# e ne% ho% to oen his eyes under %ater, so he %as able to tae a &ood loo at the de- o! the %re-# (t looed very !orlorn and stran&e# Julian didn)t really lie it very mu-h# (t &ave him rather a sad sort o! !eelin&# e %as &lad to &o to the to o! the %ater a&ain, and tae dee breaths o! air, and !eel the %arm sunshine on his shoulders# e -limbed into the boat, "Most e-itin&," he said# ">olly, %ouldn)t ( /ust love to see that %re- roerly you no% &o do%n under the de- into the -abins and loo around# 0nd oh, suose %e -ould really !ind the boes o! &old" "*hat)s imossible," said >eor&e# "( told you roer divers have already &one do%n and !ound nothin&# hat)s the time? ( say, %e)ll be late i! %e don)t hurry ba- no%" *hey did hurry ba-, and mana&ed to be only about !ive minutes late !or tea# 0!ter%ards they %ent !or a %al over the moors, %ith *imothy at
47
48
their heels, and by the time that bedtime -ame they %ere all so sleey that they -ould hardly ee their eyes oen# "ell, &oodni&ht, >eor&e," said 0nne, snu&&lin& do%n into her bed# "e)ve had a lovely day thans to you" "0nd ()ve had a lovely day, too," said >eor&e, rather &ru!!ly# "*hans to you# ()m &lad you all -ame# e)re &oin& to have !un# 0nd %on)t you love my -astle and my little island" "oh, yes," said 0nne, and !ell aslee to dream o! %re-s and -astles and islands by the hundred# h, %hen %ould >eor&e tae them to her little island?
49
Chapter Five A VISIT TO THE ISLAND
*he -hildren)s aunt arran&ed a i-ni- !or them the net day, and they all %ent o!! to a little -ove not !ar o!! %here they -ould bathe and addle to their hearts) -ontent# *hey had a %onder!ul day, but se-retly Julian, .i- and 0nne %ished they -ould have visited >eor&e)s island# *hey %ould rather have done that than anythin& >eor&e didn)t %ant to &o !or the i-ni-, not be-ause she dislied i-ni-s, but be-ause she -ouldn)t tae her do&# er mother %ent %ith the -hildren, and >eor&e had to ass a %hole day %ithout her beloved *imothy# "ad lu-" said Julian, %ho &uessed %hat she %as broodin& about# "( -an)t thin %hy you don)t tell your mother about old *im# ()m sure she %ouldn)t mind you lettin& someone else ee him !or you# ( no% my mother %ouldn)t mind#" "()m not &oin& to tell anybody but you," said >eor&e# "( &et into a%!ul trouble at home al%ays# ( dare say it)s my !ault, but ( &et a bit tired o! it# ou see, .addy doesn)t mae mu-h money %ith the learned boos he %rites, and he)s al%ays %antin& to &ive mother and me thin&s he -an)t a!!ord# o that maes him badtemered# e %ants to send me a%ay to a &ood s-hool but he hasn)t &ot the money# ()m &lad# ( don)t %ant to &o a%ay to s-hool# ( lie bein& here# ( -ouldn)t bear to art %ith *imothy#"
5;
"ou)d lie boardin& s-hool," said 0nne# "e all &o# (t)s !un#" "o, it isn)t," said >eor&e obstinately# "(t must be a%!ul to be one o! a -ro%d, and to have other &irls all lau&hin& and yellin& round you# ( should hate it#" "o, you %ouldn)t," said 0nne# "0ll that is &reat !un# (t %ould be &ood !or you, >eor&e, ( should thin#" "(! you start tellin& me %hat is &ood !or me, ( shall hate you," said >eor&e, suddenly looin& very !ier-e# "Mother and !ather are al%ays sayin& that thin&s are &ood !or me and they are al%ays the thin&s ( don)t lie#" "0ll ri&ht, all ri&ht," said Julian, be&innin& to lau&h# "My &oodness, ho% you do &o u in smoe onestly, ( believe anyone -ould li&ht a -i&arette !rom the sars that !ly !rom your eyes" *hat made >eor&e lau&h, thou&h she didn)t %ant to# (t %as really imossible to sul %ith &oodtemered Julian# *hey %ent o!! to bathe in the sea !or the !i!th time that day# oon they %ere all slashin& about haily, and >eor&e !ound time to hel 0nne to s%im# *he little &irl hadn)t &ot the ri&ht stroe, and >eor&e !elt really roud %hen she had tau&ht her# "h, thans," said 0nne, stru&&lin& alon&# "()ll never be as &ood as you but ()d lie to be as &ood as the boys#" 0s they %ere &oin& home, >eor&e soe to Julian# "$ould you say that you %ant to &o and buy a stam or somethin&?" she said# "*hen ( -ould &o %ith you, and /ust have a
51
ee at old *im# e)ll be %onderin& %hy ( haven)t taen him out today#" "Bi&ht" said Julian# "( don)t %ant stams, but ( -ould do %ith an i-e# .i- and 0nne -an &o home %ith your mother and -arry the thin&s# ()ll /ust &o and tell 0unt eor&e &o %ith me?" "( don)t ee-t she %ill %ant to," said his aunt# "ut you -an as her#" ">eor&e, -ome %ith me" yelled Julian, settin& o!! to the little villa&e at a &reat a-e# >eor&e &ave a sudden &rin and ran a!ter him# he soon -au&ht him u and smiled &rate!ully at him# "*hans," she said# "ou &o and &et the i-e-reams, and ()ll have a loo at *im#" *hey arted, Julian bou&ht !our i-e-reams, and turned to &o home# e %aited about !or >eor&e, %ho -ame runnin& u a!ter a !e% minutes# er !a-e %as &lo%in&# "e)s all ri&ht," she said# "0nd you -an)t ima&ine ho% leased he %as to see me e nearly /umed over my head ( say another i-e-ream !or me# ou really are a sort, Julian# ()ll have to share somethin& %ith you +ui-ly# hat about &oin& to my island tomorro%?" ">olly" said Julian, his eye)s shinin&# "*hat %ould be marvellous# ill you really tae us tomorro%? $ome on, let)s tell the others" *he !our -hildren sat in the &arden eatin& their i-es# Julian told them %hat >eor&e had said# *hey all !elt e-ited# >eor&e %as leased# he had al%ays !elt +uite imortant be!ore %hen she
52
had hau&htily re!used to tae any o! the other -hildren to see @irrin (sland but it !elt mu-h ni-er someho% to have -onsented to ro% her -ousins there# "( used to thin it %as mu-h, mu-h ni-er al%ays to do thin&s on my o%n," she thou&ht, as she su-ed the last bits o! her i-e# "ut it)s &oin& to be !un doin& thin&s %ith Julian and the others#" *he -hildren %ere sent to %ash themselves and to &et tidy be!ore suer# *hey taled ea&erly about the visit to the island net day# *heir aunt heard them and smiled# "ell, ( really must say ()m leased that >eor&e is &oin& to share somethin& %ith you," she said# "ould you lie to tae your dinner there, and send the day? (t)s hardly %orth %hile ro%in& all the %ay there and landin& unless you are &oin& to send some hours there#" "h, 0unt eor&e looed u# "0re you -omin& too, Mother?" she ased# "ou don)t sound at all as i! you %ant me to," said her mother, in a hurt tone# "ou looed -ross yesterday, too, %hen you !ound ( %as -omin&# o ( shan)t -ome tomorro% but ()m sure your -ousins must thin you are a +ueer &irl never to %ant your mother to &o %ith you#" >eor&e said nothin&# he hardly ever did say a %ord %hen she %as s-olded# *he other -hildren said nothin& too# *hey ne% er!e-tly %ell that it %asn)t that >eor&e didn)t %ant her mother to &o it %as /ust that she %anted *imothy %ith her
53
"0ny%ay, ( -ouldn)t -ome," %ent on 0unt eor&e# he -an handle a boat lie a man#" *he three -hildren looed ea&erly at the %eather the net day %hen they &ot u# *he sun %as shinin&, and everythin& seemed slendid# "(sn)t it a marvellous day?"said 0nne to >eor&e,as they dressed# "()m so looin& !or%ard to &oin& to the island#" "ell, honestly, ( thin really %e ou&htn)t to &o," said >eor&e, unee-tedly# "h, but %hy?" -ried 0nne, in dismay# "( thin there)s &oin& to be a storm or somethin&," said >eor&e, looin& out to the south%est# "ut, >eor&e, %hy do you say that?" said 0nne, imatiently# "=oo at the sun and there)s hardly a -loud in the sy" "*he %ind is %ron&," said >eor&e# "0nd -an)t you see the little %hite tos to the %aves out there by my island? *hat)s al%ays a bad si&n#" "h >eor&e it %ill be the bi&&est disaointment o! our lives i! %e don)t &o today," said 0nne, %ho -ouldn)t bear any disaointment, bi& or small# "0nd besides," she added, art!ully, "i! %e han& about the house, a!raid o! a storm, %e shan)t be able to have dear old *im %ith us#" "es, that)s true," said >eor&e# "0ll ri&ht %e)ll &o# ut mind, i! a storm does -ome, you)re not to be a baby# ou)re to try and en/oy it and not be !ri&htened#" "ell, ( don)t mu-h lie storms," be&an 0nne, but stoed %hen she sa% >eor&e)s s-orn!ul loo#
54
*hey %ent do%n to brea!ast, and >eor&e ased her mother i! they -ould tae their dinner as they had lanned# "es," said her mother# "ou and 0nne -an hel to mae the sand%i-hes# ou boys -an &o into the &arden and i- some rie lums#to tae %ith you# Julian, you -an &o do%n to the villa&e %hen you)ve done that and buy some bottles o! lemonade or &in&erbeer, %hi-hever you lie#" ">in&ero !or me, thans" said Julian, and everyone else said the same# *hey all !elt very hay# (t %ould be marvellous to visit the +ueer little island# >eor&e !elt hay be-ause she %ould be %ith *im all day# *hey set o!! at last, the !ood in t%o itba&s# *he !irst thin& they did %as to !et-h *im# e %as tied u in the !isherboy)s ba- yard# *he boy himsel! %as there, and &rinned at >eor&e# "Mornin&, Master >eor&e," he said# (t seemed so +ueer to the other -hildren to hear >eor&ina -alled )Master >eor&e) )*im)s been barin& his head o!! !or you# ( &uess he ne% you %ere -omin& !or him today#" "! -ourse he did," said >eor&e, untyin& him# e at on-e %ent -omletely mad, and tore round and round the -hildren, his tail do%n and his ears !lat# "e)d %in any ra-e i! only he %as a &reyhound," said Julian, admirin&ly# "ou -an hardly see him !or dust# *im ie, *im $ome and say ">oodmornin&"#" *im leat u and li-ed Julian)s le!t ear as he assed on his %hirl%ind %ay# *hen he sobered do%n and ran lovin&ly by >eor&e as they all made
55
their %ay to the bea-h# e li-ed >eor&e)s bare le&s every no% and a&ain, and she ulled at his ears &ently# *hey &ot into the boat, and >eor&e ushed o!!# *he !isherboy %aved to them# "ou %on)t be very lon&, %ill you?" he -alled# "*here)s a storm blo%in& u# ad one it)ll be, too#" "( no%," shouted ba- >eor&e# "ut maybe %e)ll &et ba- be!ore it be&ins# (t)s retty !ar o!! yet#" >eor&e ro%ed all the %ay to the island# *im stood at ea-h end o! the boat in turn, barin& %hen the %aves reared u at him# *he -hildren %at-hed the island -omin& -loser and -loser# (t looed even more e-itin& than it had the other day# ">eor&e, %here are you &oin& to land?" ased Julian# "( simly -an)t ima&ine ho% you no% your %ay in and out o! these a%!ul ro-s# ()m a!raid every moment %e)ll bum into them" "()m &oin& to land at the little -ove ( told you about the other day," said >eor&e# "*here)s only one %ay to it, but ( no% it very %ell# (t)s hidden a%ay on the east side o! the island#" *he &irl -leverly %ored her boat in and out o! the ro-s, and suddenly, as it rounded a lo% %all o! shar ro-s, the -hildren sa% the -ove she had soen o!# (t %as lie a natural little harbour, and %as a smooth inlet o! %ater runnin& u to a stret-h o! sand, sheltered bet%een hi&h ro-s# *he boat slid into the inlet, and at on-e stoed ro-in&, !or here the %ater %as lie &lass, and had hardly a %rinle# "( say this is !ine" said Julian, his eyes shinin& %ith deli&ht# >eor&e looed at him and
56
her eyes shone too, as bri&ht as the sea itsel!# (t %as the !irst time she had ever taen anyone to her re-ious island, and she %as en/oyin& it# *hey landed on the smooth yello% sand# "e)re really on the island" said 0nne, and she -aered about, *im /oinin& her and looin& as mad as she did# *he others lau&hed# >eor&e ulled the boat hi&h u on the sand# "hy so !ar u?" said Julian, helin& her# "*he tide)s almost in, isn)t it? urely it %on)t -ome as hi&h as this#" "( told you ( thou&ht a storm %as -omin&," said, >eor&e# "(! one does, the %aves simly tear u this inlet and %e don)t %ant to lose our boat, do %e?" "=et)s elore the island, let)s elore the island" yelled 0nne, %ho %as no% at the to o! the little natural harbour, -limbin& u the ro-s there# "h do -ome on" *hey all !ollo%ed her# (t really %as a most e-itin& la-e# Babbits %ere every%here *hey s-uttled about as the -hildren aeared, but did not &o into their holes# "0ren)t they a%!ully tame?" said Julian, in surrise# "ell, nobody ever -omes here but me," said >eor&e, "and ( don)t !ri&hten them# *im *im, i! you &o a!ter the rabbits, ()ll san you#" *im turned bi& sorro%!ul eyes on to >eor&e# e and >eor&e a&reed about every sin&le thin& e-et rabbits# *o *im rabbits %ere made !or one thin&to -hase e never -ould understand %hy >eor&e %ouldn)t let him do this# ut he held himsel! in and %aled solemnly by the -hildren, his eyes %at-hin& the lolloin& rabbits lon&in&ly#
57
58
"( believe they %ould almost eat out o! my hand," said Julian# ut >eor&e shoo her head# "o, ()ve tried that %ith them," she said# "*hey %on)t# =oo at those baby ones# 0ren)t they lovely?" "oo!" said *im, a&reein&, and he too a !e% stes to%ards them# >eor&e made a %arnin& noise in her throat, and *im %aled ba-, his tail do%n# "*here)s the -astle" said Julian# "hall %e elore that no%? ( do %ant to#" "es, %e %ill," said >eor&e# "=oo that is %here the entran-e used to be throu&h that bi& broen ar-h%ay#" *he -hildren &aEed at the enormous old ar-h%ay, no% hal!broen do%n# ehind it %ere ruined stone stes leadin& to%ards the -entre o! the -astle# "(t had stron& %alls all round it, %ith t%o to%ers," said >eor&e# "ne to%er is almost &one, as you -an see, but the other is not so bad# *he /a-da%s build in that every year# *hey)ve almost !illed it u %ith their sti-s" 0s they -ame near to the better to%er o! the t%o the /a-da%s -ir-led round them %ith loud -ries o! "$ha-, -ha-, -ha-" *im leat into the air as i! he thou&ht he -ould &et them, but they only -alled mo-in&ly to him# "*his is the -entre o! the -astle," said >eor&e, as they entered throu&h a ruined door%ay into %hat looed lie a &reat yard, %hose stone !loor %as no% over&ro%n %ith &rass and other %eeds# "ere is %here the eole used to live# ou -an see %here the rooms %ere loo, there)s one
59
almost %hole there# >o throu&h that little door and you)ll see it#" *hey trooed throu&h a door%ay and !ound themselves in a dar, stone%alled, stoneroo!ed room, %ith a sa-e at one end %here a !irela-e must have been# *%o slitlie %indo%s li&hted the room# (t !elt very +ueer and mysterious# "hat a ity it)s all broen do%n," said Julian, %anderin& out a&ain# "*hat room seems to be the only one +uite %hole# *here are some others here but all o! them seem to have either no roo!, or one or other o! the %alls &one# *hat room is the only liveable one# as there an ustairs to the -astle, >eor&e?" "! -ourse," said >eor&e# "ut the stes that led u are &one, =oo ou -an see art o! an ustairs room there, by the /a-da% to%er# ou -an)t &et u to it, thou&h, be-ause ()ve tried# ( nearly broe my ne- tryin& to &et u# *he stones -rumble a%ay so#" "ere there any dun&eons?" ased .i-# "( don)t no%," said >eor&e# "( ee-t so# ut nobody -ould !ind them no% every%here is so over&ro%n#" (t %as indeed over&ro%n# i& bla-berry bushes &re% here and there, and a !e% &orse bushes !or-ed their %ay into &as and -orners# *he -oarse &reen &rass sran& every%here, and in thri!t &re% its -ushions in holes and -rannies# "ell, ( thin it)s a er!e-tly lovely la-e," said 0nne# "'er!e-tly and absolutely lovely" ".o you really?" said >eor&e, leased# "()m so &lad# =oo e)re ri&ht on the other side o! the island no%, !a-in& the sea# .o you see those ro-s, %ith those +ueer bi& birds sittin& there?" 6;
*he -hildren looed# *hey sa% some ro-s sti-in& u, %ith &reat bla- shinin& birds sittin& on them in +ueer ositions# "*hey are -ormorants," said >eor&e# "*hey)ve -au&ht lenty o! !ish !or their dinner, and they)re sittin& there di&estin& it# allo they)re all !lyin& a%ay# ( %onder %hy" he soon ne% !or, !rom the south%est there suddenly -ame an ominous rumble# "*hunder" said >eor&e# "*hat)s the storm# (t)s -omin& sooner than ( thou&ht"
61
Chapter Six WHAT THE STORM DID
*D !our -hildren stared out to sea# *hey had all been so interested in elorin& the e-itin& old -astle that not one o! them had noti-ed the sudden -han&e in the %eather# 0nother rumble -ame# (t sounded lie a bi& do& &ro%lin& in the sy# *im heard it and &ro%led ba-, soundin& lie a small roll o! thunder himsel!# "My &oodness, %e)re in !or it no%," said >eor&e, hal! alarmed# "e -an)t &et ba- in time, that)s -ertain# (t)s blo%in& u at to seed# .id ever you see su-h a -han&e in the sy?" *he sy had been blue %hen they started# o% it %as over-ast, and the -louds seemed to han& very lo% indeed# *hey s-udded alon& as i! someone %as -hasin& them and the %ind ho%led round in su-h a mourn!ul %ay that 0nne !elt +uite !ri&htened# "(t)s be&innin& to rain," said Julian, !eelin& an enormous dro satter on his outstret-hed hand# "e had better shelter, hadn)t %e, >eor&e? e shall &et %et throu&h#" "es, %e %ill in a minute," said >eor&e# "( say, /ust loo at these bi& %aves -omin& My %ord, it really is &oin& to be a storm# >olly %hat a !lash o! li&htnin&" *he %aves %ere -ertainly be&innin& to run very hi&h indeed# (t %as +ueer to see %hat a -han&e had -ome over them# *hey s%elled u, turned over as soon as they -ame to ro-s, and
62
then rushed u the bea-h o! the island %ith a &reat roar# "( thin %e)d better ull our boat u hi&her still," said >eor&e suddenly# "(t)s &oin& to be a very bad storm indeed# ometimes these sudden summer storms are %orse than a %inter one#" he and Julian ran to the other side o! the island %here they had le!t the boat# (t %as a &ood thin& they %ent, !or &reat %aves %ere already ra-in& ri&ht u to it# *he t%o -hildren ulled the boat u almost to the to o! the lo% -li!! and >eor&e tied it to a stout &orse bush &ro%in& there# y no% the rain %as simly eltin& do%n, and >eor&e and Julian %ere soaed# "( hoe the others have been sensible enou&h to shelter in that room that has a roo! and %alls," said >eor&e# *hey %ere there all ri&ht, looin& rather -old and s-ared# (t %as very dar there, !or the only li&ht -ame throu&h the t%o slits o! %indo%s and the small door%ay# "$ould %e li&ht a !ire to mae thin&s a bit more -heer!ul?" said Julian, looin& round# "( %onder %here %e -an !ind some ni-e dry sti-s?" 0lmost as i! they %ere ans%erin& the +uestion a small -ro%d o! /a-da%s -ried out %ildly as they -ir-led in the storm# "$ha-, -ha-, -ha-" "! -ourse *here are lenty o! sti-s on the &round belo% the to%er" -ried Julian# "ou no% %here the /a-da%s nest# *hey)ve droed lots o! sti-s there#" e dashed out into the rain and ran to the to%er# e i-ed u an arm!ul o! sti-s and ran ba-# ">ood," said >eor&e# "e)ll be able to mae
63
64
a ni-e !ire %ith those# 0nyone &ot any aer to start it or mat-hes?" "()ve &ot some mat-hes," said Julian# "ut nobody)s &ot aer#" "es," said 0nne, suddenly# "*he sand%i-hes are %raed in aer# =et)s undo them, and then %e -an use the aer !or the !ire#" ">ood idea," said >eor&e# o they undid the sand%i-hes, and ut them neatly on a broen stone, rubbin& it -lean !irst# *hen they built u a !ire, %ith the aer underneath and the sti-s arran&ed -riss-ross on to# (t %as !un %hen they li&hted the aer# (t !lared u and the sti-s at on-e -au&ht !ire, !or they %ere very old and dry# oon there %as a !ine -ra-in& !ire &oin& and the little ruined room %as li&hted by dan-in& !lames# (t %as very dar outside no%, !or the -louds hun& almost lo% enou&h to tou-h the to o! the -astle to%er 0nd ho% they ra-ed by *he %ind sent them o!! to the northeast, roarin& behind them %ith a noise lie the sea itsel!# "()ve never, never heard the sea main& su-h an a%!ul noise," said 0nne# "ever (t really sounds as i! it)s shoutin& at the to o! its voi-e#" hat %ith the ho%lin& o! the %ind and the -rashin& o! the &reat %aves all round the little island, the -hildren -ould hardly hear themselves sea *hey had to shout at one another# "=et)s have our dinner" yelled .i-, %ho %as !eelin& terribly hun&ry as usual# "e -an)t do anythin& mu-h %hile this storm lasts#" "es, let)s," said 0nne, looin& lon&in&ly at the ham sand%i-hes# "(t %ill be !un to have a i-ni- round the !ire in this dar old room# ( %onder
65
ho% lon& a&o other eole had a meal here# ( %ish ( -ould see them#" "ell, ( don)t, said .i-, looin& round hal!s-ared as i! he ee-ted to see the oldtime eole %al in to share their i-ni-# "(t)s +uite a +ueer enou&h day %ithout %antin& thin&s lie that to haen#" *hey all !elt better %hen they %ere eatin& the sand%i-hes and drinin& the &in&erbeer# *he !ire !lared u as more and more sti-s -au&ht, and &ave out +uite a leasant %armth, !or no% that the %ind had &ot u so stron&ly, the day had be-ome -old# "e)ll tae it in turn to !et-h sti-s," said >eor&e# ut 0nne didn)t %ant to &o alone# he %as tryin& her best not to sho% that she %as a!raid o! the storm but it %as more than she -ould do to &o out o! the -osy room into the rain and thunder by hersel!# *im didn)t seem to lie the storm either# e sat -lose by >eor&e, his ears -o-ed, and &ro%led %henever the thunder rumbled# *he -hildren !ed him %ith titbits and he ate them ea&erly, !or he %as hun&ry too# 0ll the -hildren had !our bis-uits ea-h# "( thin ( shall &ive all mine to *im," said >eor&e# "( didn)t brin& him any o! his o%n bis-uits, and he does seem so hun&ry#" "o, don)t do that," said Julian# "e)ll ea-h &ive him a bis-uit that %ill be !our !or him and %e)ll still have three le!t ea-h# *hat %ill be lenty !or us#" "ou are really ni-e," said >eor&e# "*im, don)t you thin they are ni-e?" *im did# e li-ed everyone and made them
66
lau&h# *hen he rolled over on his ba- and let Julian ti-le him underneath# *he -hildren !ed the !ire and !inished their i-ni-# hen it -ame to Julian)s turn to &et more sti-s, he disaeared out o! the room into the storm# e stood and looed around, the rain %ettin& his bare head# *he storm seemed to be ri&ht overhead no%# *he li&htnin& !lashed and the thunder -rashed at the same moment# Julian %as not a bit a!raid o! storms, but he -ouldn)t hel !eelin& rather overa%ed at this one# (t %as so ma&ni!i-ent# *he li&htnin& tore the sy in hal! almost every minute, and the thunder -rashed so loudly that it sounded almost as i! mountains %ere !allin& do%n all around *he sea)s voi-e -ould be heard as soon as the thunder stoed and that %as ma&ni!i-ent to hear too# *he sray !le% so hi&h into the air that it %etted Julian as he stood in the -entre o! the ruined -astle# "( really must see %hat the %aves are lie," thou&ht the boy# "(! the sray !lies ri&ht over me here, they must be simly enormous" e made his %ay out o! the -astle and -limbed u on to art o! the ruined %all that had on-e run all round the -astle# e stood u there, looin& out to the oen sea# 0nd %hat a si&ht met his eyes *he %aves %ere lie &reat %alls o! &rey&reen *hey dashed over the ro-s that lay all around the island, and sray !le% !rom them, &leamin& %hite in the stormy sy# *hey rolled u to the island and dashed themselves a&ainst it %ith su-h terri!i- !or-e that Julian -ould !eel the %all beneath his !eet tremble %ith the sho-#
67
*he boy looed out to sea, marvellin& at the really &reat si&ht he sa%# eor&e .i- *here)s somethin& +ueer out on the ro-s beyond the island" he shouted, at the to o! his voi-e# "(t loos lie a shi and yet it -an)t ossibly be# $ome and see" *he others stared at him in surrise, and /umed to their !eet# >eor&e hurriedly !lun& some more sti-s on the !ire to ee it &oin&, and then she and the others +ui-ly !ollo%ed Julian out into the rain# *he storm seemed to be assin& over a little no%# *he rain %as not eltin& do%n +uite so hard# *he thunder %as rollin& a little !arther o!!, and
68
the li&htnin& did not !lash so o!ten# Julian led the %ay to the %all on %hi-h he had -limbed to %at-h the sea# Dveryone -limbed u to &aEe out to sea# *hey sa% a &reat tumbled, heavin& mass o! &rey&reen %ater, %ith %aves rearin& u every%here# *heir tos broe over the ro-s and they rushed u to the island as i! they %ould &obble it %hole# 0nne slied her arm throu&h Julian)s# he !elt rather small and s-ared# "ou)re all ri&ht, 0nne", said Julian, loudly# "o% /ust %at-h you)ll see somethin& +ueer in a minute#" *hey all %at-hed# 0t !irst they sa% nothin&, !or the %aves reared u so hi&h that they hid everythin& a little %ay out# *hen suddenly >eor&e sa% %hat Julian meant# ">ra-ious" she shouted, )it is a shi es, it is (s it bein& %re-ed? (t)s a bi& shi not a sailin&boat, or !ishin&sma-" "h, is anyone in it?" %ailed 0nne# *he !our -hildren %at-hed and *im be&an to bar as he sa% the +ueer dar shae lur-hin& here and there in the enormous %aves# *he sea %as brin&in& the shi nearer to shore# "(t %ill be dashed on to those ro-s," said Julian, suddenly# "=oo there it &oes" 0s he soe there -ame a tremendous -rashin&, slinterin& sound, and the dar shae o! the shi settled do%n on to the shar teeth o! the dan&erous ro-s on the south%est side o! the island# (t stayed there, shi!tin& only sli&htly as the bi& %aves ran under it and li!ted it a little# "he)s stu- there," said Julian# "he %on)t move no%# *he sea %ill soon be &oin& do%n a
69
7;
bit, and then the shi %ill !ind hersel! held by those ro-s#" 0s he soe, a ray o! ale sunshine -ame %averin& out bet%een a &a in the thinnin& -louds# (t %as &one almost at on-e# ">ood" said .i-, looin& u%ards# "*he sun %ill be out a&ain soon# e -an %arm ourselves then and &et dry and maybe %e -an !ind out %hat that oor shi is# h Julian ( do so hoe there %as nobody in it# ( hoe they)ve all taen to boats and &ot sa!ely to land#" *he -louds thinned out a little more# *he %ind stoed roarin& and droed to a steady breeEe# *he sun shone out a&ain !or a lon&er time, and the -hildren !elt its %el-ome %armth# *hey all stared at the shi on the ro-s# *he sun shone on it and li&hted it u# "*here)s somethin& +ueer about it someho%," said Julian, slo%ly# "omethin& a%!ully +ueer# ()ve never seen a shi +uite lie it#" >eor&e %as starin& at it %ith a stran&e loo in her eyes# he turned to !a-e the three -hildren, and they %ere astonished to see the bri&ht &leam in her blue eyes# *he &irl looed almost too e-ited to sea# "hat is it?" ased Julian, -at-hin& hold o! her hand# "Julian oh Julian it)s my %re-" she -ried, in a hi&h e-ited voi-e# ".on)t you see %hat)s haened *he storm has li!ted the shi u !rom the bottom o! the sea, and has lod&ed it on those ro-s# (t)s my %re-" *he others sa% at on-e that she %as ri&ht# (t %as the old %re-ed shi o %onder it looed +ueer# o %onder it looed so old and dar,
71
and su-h a stran&e shae# (t %as the %re-, li!ted hi&h out o! its sleein&la-e and ut on the ro-s near by# ">eor&e e shall be able to ro% out and &et into the %re- no%" shouted Julian# "e shall be able to elore it !rom end to end# e may !ind the boes o! &old# h, George"
72
Chapter Seven BACK TO KIRRIN COTTAGE
*D !our -hildren %ere so tremendously surrised and e-ited that !or a minute or t%o they didn)t say a %ord# *hey /ust stared at the dar hul o! the old %re-, ima&inin& %hat they mi&ht !ind# *hen Julian -lut-hed >eor&e)s arm and ressed it ti&htly# "(sn)t this %onder!ul?" he said# "h, >eor&e, isn)t it an etraordinary thin& to haen?" till >eor&e said nothin&, but stared at the %re-, all inds o! thou&hts ra-in& throu&h her mind# *hen she turned to Julian# "(! only the %re- is still mine no% it)s thro%n u lie this" she said# "( don)t no% i! %re-s belon& to the +ueen or anyone, lie lost treasure does# ut a!ter all, the shi did belon& to our !amily# obody bothered mu-h about it %hen it %as do%n under the sea but do you suose eole %ill still let me have it !or my o%n no% it)s thro%n u?" "ell, don)t let)s tell anyone" said .i-# ".on)t be silly," said >eor&e# "ne o! the !ishermen is sure to see it %hen his shi &oes sliin& out o! the bay# *he ne%s %ill soon be out#" "ell then, %e)d better elore it thorou&hly ourselves be!ore anyone else does" said .i-, ea&erly# "o one no%s about it yet# nly us# $an)t %e elore it as soon as the %aves &o do%n a bit?"
73
"e -an)t %ade out to the ro-s, i! that)s %hat you mean," said >eor&e# "e mi&ht &et there by boat but %e -ouldn)t ossibly ris it no%, %hile the %aves are so bi&# *hey %on)t &o do%n today, that)s -ertain# *he %ind is still too stron&#" "ell, %hat about tomorro% mornin&, early?" said Julian# "e!ore anyone has &ot to no% about it? ( bet i! only %e -an &et into the shi !irst, %e -an !ind anythin& there is to !ind" "es, ( ee-t %e -ould," said >eor&e# "( told you divers had been do%n and elored the shi as thorou&hly as they -ould but o! -ourse it is di!!i-ult to do that roerly under %ater# e mi&ht !ind somethin& they)ve missed# h, this is lie a dream# ( -an)t believe it)s true that my old %re- has -ome u !rom the bottom o! the sea lie that" *he sun %as no% roerly out, and the -hildren)s %et -lothes dried in its hot rays# *hey steamed in the sun, and even *im)s -oat sent u a mist too# e didn)t seem to lie the %re- at all, but &ro%led deely at it# "ou are !unny, *im," said >eor&e, attin& him# "(t %on)t hurt you hat do you thin it is?" "e robably thins it)s a %hale," said 0nne %ith a lau&h# "h, >eor&e this is the most e-itin& day o! my li!e h, -an)t %e ossibly tae the boat and see i! %e -an &et to the %re-?" "o, %e -an)t," said >eor&e# "( only %ish %e -ould# ut it)s +uite imossible, 0nne#
74
be dan&erous to &o into it yet# 0nd !or another thin& ( don)t %ant my boat smashed to bits on the ro-s, and us thro%n into that %ild %ater *hat)s %hat %ould haen# e must %ait till tomorro%# (t)s a &ood idea to -ome early# ( ee-t lots o! &ro%nus %ill thin it)s their business to elore it#" *he -hildren %at-hed the old %re- !or a little time lon&er and then %ent all round the island a&ain# (t %as -ertainly not very lar&e, but it really %as e-itin&, %ith its ro-y little -oast, its +uiet inlet %here their boat %as, the ruined -astle, the -ir-lin& /a-da%s, and the s-amerin& rabbits every%here# "( do love it," said 0nne# "( really do# (t)s /ust small enou&h to !eel lie an island# Most islands are too bi& to !eel lie islands# ( mean, ritain is an island, but nobody livin& on it -ould ossibly no% it unless they %ere told# o% this island really !eels lie one be-ause %herever you are you -an see to the other side o! it# ( love it#" >eor&e !elt very hay# he had o!ten been on her island be!ore, but al%ays alone e-et !or *im# he had al%ays vo%ed that she never, never %ould tae anyone there, be-ause it %ould soil her island !or her# ut it hadn)t been soilt# (t had made it mu-h ni-er# eor&e be&an to understand that sharin& leasures doubles their /oy# "e)ll %ait till the %aves &o do%n a bit then %e)ll &o ba- home," she said# "( rather thin there)s some more rain -omin&, and %e)ll only &et soaed throu&h# e shan)t be ba- till teatime as it is, be-ause %e)ll have a lon& ull a&ainst the out&oin& tide#"
75
0ll the -hildren !elt a little tired a!ter the e-itements o! the mornin&# *hey said very little as they ro%ed home# Dveryone too turns at ro%in& e-et 0nne, %ho %as not stron& enou&h %ith the oars to ro% a&ainst the tide# *hey looed ba- at the island as they le!t it# *hey -ouldn)t see the %re- be-ause that %as on the oosite side, !a-in& the oen sea# "(t)s /ust as %ell it)s there," said Julian# "o one -an see it yet# nly %hen a boat &oes out to !ish %ill it be seen# 0nd %e shall be there as early as any boat &oes out ( vote %e &et u at da%n#" "el " ell, l, that that)s )s ret retty ty earl early, y,"" said said >eor >eor&e &e## "$an "$an you you %ae u? ()m o!ten out at da%n, but you)re not used to it#" "! -ourse %e -an %ae u," said Julian# "ell here %e are ba- at the bea-h a&ain and ()m /olly &lad# My arms are a%!ully tired and ()m so hun&ry ( -ould eat a %hole larder!ul o! thin&s#" "oo!," said *im, +uite a&reein&# "()ll have to tae *im to 0l!," said >eor&e, /umin& out o! the boat# "ou &et the boat in, Julian# ()ll /oin you in a !e% minutes#" (t %asn)t lon& be!ore all !our %ere sittin& do%n to a &ood tea# 0unt
76
Juli Julian an and .i- i- both both ii-ed ed her her unde underr the the tab table# le# >eor&e -ouldn)t rea-h her or she %ould most -ertainly have i-ed her too# 0nne stared at the boys an&rily, %ith tears in her eyes# "o% %hat)s the matter?" ased 0unt eor&e /oined in too, talin& at the same time# time# "*he /a-da%s made su-h a noise, they said )$ha-, -ha-, -ha-,) all the time#"
77
78
"ell, really, you sound lie /a-da%s yourselves, talin& all at on-e lie this" said 0unt eor&e, ( no% they)re sti-y, be-ause ( made that &in&erbread, and you)ve had three sli-es *hen you had better &o and lay +uietly in the other room, be-ause it)s rainin&, and you -an)t &o out# ut don)t disturb your !ather, >eor&e# e)s very busy#" *he -hildren %ent to %ash# "(diot" said Julian to 0nne# "early &ave us a%ay t%i-e" "( didn)t mean %hat you thou&ht ( meant the !irst time" be&an 0nne indi&nantly# >eor&e interruted her# "()d rather you &ave the se-ret o! the %re- a%ay than my se-ret about *im," she said# "( do thin you)ve &ot a -areless ton&ue#" "es, ( have," said 0nne, sorro%!ully# "( thin ()d better not tal at mealtimes any more# ( love *im so mu-h ( /ust -an)t seem to hel %antin& to tal about him#" *hey all %ent to lay in the other room# Julian turned a table uside do%n %ith a -rash# "e)ll lay at %re-s," he said# "*his is the %re-# o% %e)re &oin& to elore it#" *he door !le% oen and an an&ry, !ro%nin& !a-e looed in# (t %as >eor&e)s !ather "hat %as that noise?" he said# ">eor&e .id you overturn that table?" "( did," said Julian# "()m sorry, sir# ( +uite !or&ot you %ere %orin&#" "0ny more noise lie that and ( shall ee you all in bed tomorro%" said his An-le :uentin# ">eor&ina, ee your -ousins +uiet#"
79
*he door shut and An-le :uentin %ent out# *he -hildren looed at one another# "our !ather)s a%!ully !ier-e, isn)t he?" said Julian# "()m sorry ( made that ro%# ( didn)t thin#" "e)d better do somethin& really +uiet," said >eor&e# "r he)ll ee his %ord and %e)ll !ind ourselves in bed tomorro% /ust %hen %e %ant to elore the %re-#" *his %as a terrible thou&ht# 0nne %ent to &et one o! her dolls to lay %ith# he had mana&ed to brin& +uite a number a!ter all# Julian !et-hed a boo# >eor&e too u a beauti!ul little boat she %as -arvin& out o! a ie-e o! %ood# .i- lay ba- on a -hair and thou&ht o! the e-itin& %re-# *he rain oured do%n steadily, and everyone hoed it %ould have stoed by the mornin&# "e)ll have to be u most a%!ully early," said .i-, ya%nin&# "hat about &oin& to bed in &ood time toni&ht? ()m tired %ith all that ro%in&#" (n the ordinary %ay none o! the -hildren lied &oin& to bed early but %ith su-h an e-itin& thin& to loo !or%ard to, earlybed seemed di!!erent that ni&ht# "(t %ill mae the time &o +ui-ly," said 0nne, uttin& do%n her doll# "hall %e &o no%?" "hatever do you suose Mother %ould say i! %e %ent /ust a!ter tea?" said >eor&e# "he)d thin %e %ere all ill# o, let)s &o a!ter suer# e)ll /ust say %e)re tired %ith ro%in& %hi-h is er!e-tly true and %e)ll &et a &ood ni&ht)s slee, and be ready !or our adventure tomorro% mornin&# 0nd it is an adventure, you no%# (t isn)t
8;
many eole that have the -han-e o! elorin& an old, old %re- lie that, %hi-h has al%ays been at the bottom o! the sea" o, by ei&ht o)-lo-, all the -hildren %ere in bed, rather to 0unt eor&e lay a%ae !or some time, thinin& o! her island, her %re- and, o! -ourse, her beloved do& "( must tae *im too," she thou&ht, as she !ell aslee# "e -an)t leave old *im out o! this# e shall share in the adventure too
81
Chapter E!ht EX"LORING THE WRECK
JA=(0 %oe !irst the net mornin&# e a%oe /ust as the sun %as sliin& over the horiEon in the east, and !illin& the sy %ith &old# Julian stared at the -eilin& !or a moment, and then, in a rush, he remembered all that had haened the day be!ore# e sat u strai&ht in bed and %hisered as loudly as he -ould# ".i- ae u e)re &oin& to see the %re- .o %ae u" .i- %oe and &rinned at Julian# 0 !eelin& o! hainess -ret over him# *hey %ere &oin& on an adventure# e leat out o! bed and ran +uietly to the &irls) room# e oened the door# oth the &irls %ere !ast aslee, 0nne -urled u lie a dormouse under the sheet# .i- shoo >eor&e and then du& 0nne in the ba-# *hey a%oe and sat u# "u- u" %hisered .i-# "*he sun is /ust risin&# e)ll have to hurry#" >eor&e)s blue eyes shone as she dressed# 0nne sied about +uietly, !indin& her !e% -lothes /ust a bathin& suit, /eans and /ersey and rubber shoes !or her !eet# (t %asn)t many minutes be!ore they %ere all ready# "o%, not a -rea on the stairs not a -ou&h or a &i&&le" %arned Julian, as they stood toðer on the landin&# 0nne %as a dread!ul &i&&ler, and had o!ten &iven se-ret lans a%ay by her sudden elosive -hoe# ut this time the little &irl %as
82
as solemn as the others, and as -are!ul# *hey -ret do%n the stairs and undid the little !ront door# ot a sound %as made# *hey shut the door +uietly and made their %ay do%n the &arden ath to the &ate# *he &ate al%ays -reaed, so they -limbed over it instead o! oenin& it# *he sun %as no% shinin& bri&htly, thou&h it %as still lo% in the eastern sy# (t !elt %arm already# *he sy %as so beauti!ully blue that 0nne -ouldn)t hel !eelin& it had been !reshly %ashed "(t loos /ust as i! it had -ome ba- !rom the laundry," she told the others# *hey s+uealed %ith lau&hter at her# he did say odd thin&s at times# ut they ne% %hat she meant# *he day had a lovely ne% !eelin& about itthe -louds %ere so in in the bri&ht blue sy, and the sea looed so smooth and !resh# (t %as imossible to ima&ine that it had been so rou&h the day be!ore# >eor&e &ot her boat# *hen she %ent to &et *im, %hile the boys hauled the boat do%n to the sea# 0l!, the !isher boy, %as surrised to see >eor&e so early# e %as about to &o %ith his !ather, !ishin&# e &rinned at >eor&e# "ou &oin& !ishin&, too?" he said to her# "My, %asn)t that a storm yesterday ( thou&ht you)d be -au&ht in it#" "e %ere," said >eor&e# "$ome on, *im $ome on" *im %as very leased to see >eor&e so early# e -aered round her as she ran ba- to the others, almost triin& her u as she %ent# e leat into the boat as soon as he sa% it, and stood at the stern, his red ton&ue out, his tail %a&&in& violently#
83
"( %onder his tail ees on," said 0nne, looin& at it# "ne day, *imothy, you)ll %a& it ri&ht o!!#" *hey set o!! to the island# (t %as easy to ro% no%, be-ause the sea %as so -alm# *hey -ame to the island, and ro%ed around it to the other side# 0nd there %as the %re-, iled hi&h on some shar ro-s (t had settled do%n no% and did not stir as %aves slid under it# (t lay a little to one side, and the broen mast, no% shorter than be!ore, stu- out at an an&le# "*here she is," said Julian, in e-itement# "'oor old %re- ( &uess she)s a bit more battered no%# hat a noise she made %hen she %ent -rashin& on to those ro-s yesterday" "o% do %e &et to her?" ased 0nne, looin& at the mass o! u&ly, shar ro-s all around# ut >eor&e %as not at all dismayed# he ne% almost every in-h o! the -oast around her little island# he ulled steadily at the oars and soon -ame near to the ro-s in %hi-h the &reat %re- rested# *he -hildren looed at the %re- !rom their boat# (t %as bi&, mu-h bi&&er than they had ima&ined %hen they had eered at it !rom the to o! the %ater# (t %as en-rusted %ith shell!ish o! some ind, and strands o! bro%n and &reen sea%eed hun& do%n# (t smelt +ueer# (t had &reat holes in its sides, sho%in& %here it had battered a&ainst ro-s# *here %ere holes in the de- too# 0ltoðer it looed a sad and !orlorn old shi but to the !our -hildren it %as the most e-itin& thin& in the %hole %orld# *hey ro%ed to the ro-s on %hi-h the %re- lay# *he tide %ashed over them# >eor&e too a loo round#
84
"e)ll tie our boat u to the %re- itsel!," she said# "0nd %e)ll &et on to the de- +uite easily by -limbin& u the side# =oo, Julian thro% this loo o! roe over that broen bit o! %ood there, sti-in& out !rom the side#" Julian did as he %as told# *he roe ti&htened and the boat %as held in osition# *hen >eor&e -lambered u the side o! the %re- lie a money# he %as a marvel at -limbin&# Julian and .i- !ollo%ed her, but 0nne had to be heled u# oon all !our %ere standin& on the slantin& de-# (t %as sliery %ith sea%eed, and the smell %as very stron& indeed# 0nne didn)t lie it# "ell, this %as the de-," said >eor&e, "and that)s %here the men &ot u and do%n#" he ointed to a lar&e hole# *hey %ent to it and looed do%n# *he remains o! an iron ladder %ere still there# >eor&e looed at it# "( thin it)s still stron& enou&h to hold us," she said# ()ll &o !irst# 0nyone &ot a tor-h? (t loos retty dar do%n there#" Julian had a tor-h# e handed it to >eor&e# *he -hildren be-ame rather +uiet# (t %as mysterious someho% to loo do%n into the dar inside o! the bi& shi# hat %ould they !ind? >eor&e s%it-hed on the tor-h and then s%un& hersel! do%n the ladder# *he others !ollo%ed# *he li&ht !rom the tor-h sho%ed a very +ueer si&ht# *he underarts o! the shi %ere lo%-eilin&ed, made o! thi- oa# *he -hildren had to bend their heads to &et about# (t seemed as i! there %ere la-es that mi&ht have been -abins, thou&h it %as di!!i-ult to tell no%, !or everythin& %as so battered, seadren-hed and sea%eedy#
85
86
*he smell %as really horrid, thou&h it %as mostly o! dryin& sea%eed# *he -hildren slied about on the sea%eed as they %ent round the inside o! the shi# (t didn)t seem so bi& inside a!ter all# *here %as a bi& hold under the -abins, %hi-h the -hildren sa% by the li&ht o! their tor-h# "*hat)s %here the boes o! &old %ould have been et, ( ee-t," said Julian# ut there %as nothin& in the hold e-et %ater and !ish *he -hildren -ouldn)t &o do%n be-ause the %ater %as too dee# ne or t%o barrels !loated in the %ater, but they had burst oen and %ere +uite emty# "( ee-t they %ere %aterbarrels, or barrels o! or or bis-uit," said >eor&e# "=et)s &o round the other art o! the shi a&ain %here the -abins are# (sn)t it stran&e to see buns there that sailors have slet in and loo at that old %ooden -hair#
87
"*his must have been the -atain)s o%n -abin," said Julian# "(t)s the bi&&est one# =oo, %hat)s that in the -orner?" "0n old -u" said 0nne, i-in& it u# "0nd here)s hal! o! a sau-er# ( ee-t the -atain %as sittin& here havin& a -u o! tea %hen the shi %ent do%n#" *his made the -hildren !eel rather +ueer# (t %as dar and smelly in the little -abin, and the !loor %as %et and sliery to their !eet# >eor&e be&an to !eel that her %re- %as really more leasant sun under the %ater than raised above it "=et)s &o," she said, %ith a shiver# "( don)t lie it mu-h# (t is e-itin&, ( no% but it)s a bit !ri&htenin& too#" *hey turned to &o# Julian !lashed his tor-h round the little -abin !or the last time# e %as about to s%it-h it o!! and !ollo% the others u to the de- above %hen he -au&ht si&ht o! somethin& that made him sto# e !lashed his tor-h on to it, and then -alled to the others# "( say ait a bit# *here)s a -uboard here in the %all# =et)s see i! there)s anythin& in it" *he others turned ba- and looed# *hey sa% %hat looed lie a small -uboard let in level %ith the %all o! the -abin# hat had -au&ht Julian)s eye %as the eyhole# *here %as no ey there, thou&h# "*here /ust mi&ht be somethin& inside," said Julian# e tried to rise oen the %ooden door %ith his !in&ers, but it %ouldn)t move# "(t)s lo-ed," he said# "! -ourse it %ould be" "( ee-t the lo- is rotten by no%," said >eor&e, and she tried too# *hen she too out
88
her bi& stron& o-etni!e and inserted it bet%een the -uboard door and the -abin%all# he !or-ed ba- the blade and the lo- o! the -uboard suddenly snaed 0s she had said, it %as +uite rotten# *he door s%un& oen, and the -hildren sa% a shel! inside %ith a !e% -urious thin&s on it# *here %as a %ooden bo, s%ollen %ith the %et sea %ater in %hi-h it had lain !or years# *here %ere t%o or three thin&s that looed lie old, uly boos# *here %as some sort o! &lass drinin&vessel, -ra-ed in hal! and t%o or three !unny ob/e-ts so soilt by sea%ater that no one -ould ossibly say %hat they %ere# "othin& very interestin& e-et the bo," said Julian, and he i-ed it u# "0ny%ay, ( ee-t that %hatever is inside is ruined# ut %e may as %ell try and oen it#" e and >eor&e tried their best to !or-e the lo- o! the old %ooden bo# n the to o! it %ere stamed initials #J# @# "( ee-t those %ere the -atain)s initials," said .i-# "o, they %ere the initials o! my &reat&reat &reat&rand!ather" said >eor&e, her eyes shinin& suddenly# "()ve heard all about him# is name %as enry John @irrin# *his %as his shi, you no%# *his must have been his veryrivate bo in %hi-h he et his old aers or diaries# h,%e simly must oen it" ut it %as +uite imossible to !or-e the lid u %ith the tools they had there# *hey soon &ave it u, and Julian i-ed u the bo to -arry it to the boat# "e)ll oen it at home," he said, his voi-e
89
9;
soundin& rather e-ited# "e)ll &et a hammer or somethin&, and &et it oen someho%# h, >eor&e this really is a !ind" *hey all o! them !elt that they really had somethin& mysterious in their ossession# as there anythin& inside the bo and i! so, %hat %ould it be? *hey lon&ed to &et home and oen it *hey %ent u on de-, -limbin& the old iron ladder# 0s soon as they &ot there they sa% that others besides themselves had dis-overed that the %re- had been thro%n u !rom the bottom o! the sea ">olly al! the !ishin&sma-s o! the bay have dis-overed it" -ried Julian, looin& round at the !ishin& boats that had -ome as near as they dared to the %re-# *he !ishermen %ere looin& at the %re- in %onder# hen they sa% the -hildren on board they hallooed loudly# "0hoy there hat)s that shi?" "(t)s the old %re-" yelled ba- Julian# "he %as thro%n u yesterday in the storm" ".on)t say any more," said >eor&e, !ro%nin&# "(t)s my %re-# ( don)t %ant si&htseers on it" o no more %as said, and the !our -hildren &ot into their boat and ro%ed home as !ast as they -ould# (t %as ast their brea!asttime# *hey mi&ht &et a &ood s-oldin&# *hey mi&ht even be sent to bed by >eor&e)s !ier-e !ather but %hat did they -are? *hey had elored the %re-and had -ome a%ay %ith a bo %hi-h mi&ht -ontain%ell, i! not bars o! &old, one small bar, erhas *hey did &et a s-oldin&# *hey had to &o %ithout hal! their brea!ast, too, be-ause An-le :uentin said that -hildren %ho -ame in so late didn)t
91
deserve hot ba-on and e&&s only toast and marmalade# (t %as very sad# *hey hid the bo under the bed in the boys) room# *im had been le!t %ith the !isherboy or rather, had been tied u in his ba- yard, !or 0l! had &one out !ishin&, and %as even no% &aEin& !rom his !ather)s boat at the stran&e %re-# "e -an mae a bit o! money tain& si&htseers out to this %re-," said 0l!# 0nd be!ore the day %as out s-ores o! interested eole had seen the old %re- !rom the de-s o! motorboats and !ishin&sma-s# >eor&e %as !urious about it# ut she -ouldn)t do anythin&# 0!ter all, as Julian said, anybody -ould have a loo
92
Chapter Nine THE BOX FROM THE WRECK
*D !irst thin& that the -hildren did a!ter brea!ast %as to !et-h the re-ious bo and tae it out to the tool shed in the &arden# *hey %ere simly lon&in& to !or-e it oen# 0ll o! them se-retly !elt -ertain that it %ould hold treasure o! some sort# Julian looed round !or a tool# e !ound a -hisel and de-ided that %ould be /ust the thin& to !or-e the bo oen# e tried, but the tool slied and /abbed his !in&ers# *hen he tried other thin&s, but the bo obstinately re!used to oen# *he -hildren stared at it -rossly# "( no% %hat to do," said 0nne at last# "=et)s tae it to the to o! the house and thro% it do%n to the &round# (t %ould burst oen then, ( ee-t#" *he others thou&ht over the idea# "(t mi&ht be %orth tryin&," said Julian# "*he only thin& is it mi&ht brea or soil anythin& inside the bo#" ut there didn)t seem any other %ay to oen the bo, so Julian -arried it u to the to o! the house# e %ent to the atti- and oened the %indo% there# *he others %ere do%n belo%, %aitin&# Julian hurled the bo out o! the %indo% as violently as he -ould# (t !le% throu&h the air and landed %ith a terri!i- -rash on the -raEy avin& belo%# 0t on-e the !ren-h %indo% there oened and their An-le :uentin -ame out lie a bullet !rom a &un#
93
94
"hatever are you doin&?" he -ried# "urely you aren)t thro%in& thin&s at ea-h other out o! the %indo%? hat)s this on the &round?" *he -hildren looed at the bo# (t had burst oen, and lay on the &round, sho%in& a tin linin& that %as %aterroo!# hatever %as in the bo %ould not be soilt (t %ould be +uite dry .i- ran to i- it u# "( said, %hat)s this on the &round?" shouted his un-le and moved to%ards him# "(t)s it)s somethin& that belon&s to us," said .i-, &oin& red# "ell, ( shall tae it a%ay !rom you," said his un-le# ".isturbin& me lie this >ive it to me# here did you &et it?" obody ans%ered# An-le :uentin !ro%ned till his &lasses nearly !ell o!!# "here did you &et it?" he bared, &larin& at oor 0nne, %ho %as nearest# "ut o! the %re-," stammered the little &irl, s-ared# "ut o! the %re-" said her un-le, in surrise# "*he old %re- that %as thro%n u yesterday? ( heard about that# .o you mean to say you)ve been in it?" "es," said .i-# Julian /oined them at that moment, looin& %orried# (t %ould be too a%!ul i! his un-le too the bo /ust as they &ot it oen# ut that %as ea-tly %hat he did do "ell, this bo may -ontain somethin& imortant," he said, and he too it !rom .i-)s hands# "ou)ve no ri&ht to &o ryin& about in that old %re-# ou mi&ht tae somethin& that mattered#" "ell, it)s my %re-," said >eor&e, in a de!iant tone# "'lease,
/ust &ot it oened# e thou&ht it mi&ht hold a &old bar or somethin& lie that" "0 &old bar" said her !ather, %ith a snort# "hat a baby you are *his small bo %ould never hold a thin& lie that (t)s mu-h more liely to -ontain arti-ulars o! %hat haened to the bars ( have al%ays thou&ht that the &old %as sa!ely delivered some%here and that the shi, emty o! its valuable -ar&o, &ot %re-ed as it le!t the bay" "h, eor&e, almost in tears# he suddenly !elt -ertain that it did -ontain aers that mi&ht tell them %hat had haened to the &old# ut %ithout another %ord her !ather turned and %ent into the house, -arryin& the bo, burst oen and -ra-ed, its tin linin& sho%in& throu&h under his arm# 0nne burst into tears# ".on)t blame me !or tellin& him %e &ot it !rom the %re-," she sobbed# "'lease don)t# e &lared at me so# ( /ust had to tell him#" "0ll ri&ht, aby," said Julian, uttin& his arm round 0nne# e looed !urious# e thou&ht it %as very un!air o! his un-le to tae the bo lie that# "=isten ()m not &oin& to stand this# e)ll &et hold o! that bo someho% and loo into it# ()m sure your !ather %on)t bother himsel! %ith it, >eor&e he)ll start %ritin& his boo a&ain and !or&et all about it# ()ll %ait my -han-e and sli into his study and &et it, even i! it means a sanin& i! ()m dis-overed" ">ood" said >eor&e# "e)ll all ee a %at-h and see i!
96
annoyin&ly their An-le :uentin remained in his study all the mornin&# 0unt eor&e, %hen it %as her turn to ee %at-h# "( don)t thin he leads a very healthy li!e#" "-ientists never do," said >eor&e, as i! she ne% all about them# "ut ( tell you %hat he may &o to slee this a!ternoon e sometimes does" Julian %as le!t behind in the &arden that a!ternoon# e sat do%n under a tree and oened a boo# oon he heard a -urious noise that made him loo u# e ne% at on-e %hat it %as "*hat)s An-le :uentin snorin&" he said in e-itement# "(t is h ( %onder i! ( -ould ossibly -ree in at the !ren-h %indo%s and &et our bo" e stole to the %indo%s and looed in# ne %as a little %ay oen and Julian oened it a little more# e sa% his un-le lyin& ba- in a -om!ortable arm-hair, his mouth a little oen, his eyes -losed, !ast aslee Dvery time he too a breath, he snored# "ell, he really does loo sound aslee," thou&ht the boy# "0nd there)s the bo, /ust behind him, on that table# ()ll ris it# ( bet ()ll &et an a%!ul sanin& i! ()m -au&ht, but ( -an)t hel that"
97
98
e stole in# is un-le still snored# e titoed by him to the table behind his un-le)s -hair# e too hold o! the bo# 0nd then a bit o! the broen %ood o! the bo !ell to the !loor %ith a thud is un-le stirred in his -hair and oened his eyes# :ui- as li&htnin& the boy -rou-hed do%n behind his un-le)s -hair, hardly breathin&# "hat)s that?" he heard his un-le say# Julian didn)t move# *hen his un-le settled do%n a&ain and shut his eyes# oon there %as the sound o! his rhythmi- snorin& "urrah" thou&ht Julian# "e)s o!! a&ain" :uietly he stood u, holdin& the bo# n titoe he -ret to the eor&e# "*im, don)t li- me lie that 0nd >eor&e, ( %ent in and a bit o! the bo droed on the !loor and it %oe him u" ">olly" said >eor&e# "hat haened?" "( -rou-hed do%n behind his -hair till he %ent to slee a&ain," said Julian# "*hen ( !led# o% let)s see %hat)s in here# ( don)t believe your !ather)s even tried to see"
99
e hadn)t# *he tin linin& %as inta-t# (t had rusted %ith the years o! lyin& in the %et, and the lid %as so ti&htly !itted do%n that it %as almost imossible to move it# ut on-e >eor&e be&an to %or at it %ith her o-et ni!e, s-rain& a%ay the rust, it be&an to loosen and in about a +uartero!anhour it -ame o!! *he -hildren bent ea&erly over it# (nside lay some old aers and a boo o! some ind %ith a bla- -over# othin& else at all# o bar o! &old# o treasure# Dveryone !elt a little bit disaointed# "(t)s all +uite dry," said Julian, surrised# "ot a bit dam# *he tin linin& et everythin& er!e-t#" e i-ed u the boo and oened it# "(t)s a diary your &reat&reat&reat&rand!ather et o! the shi)s voya&es," he said# "( -an hardly read the %ritin&# (t)s so small and !unny#" >eor&e i-ed u one o! the aers# (t %as made o! thi- ar-hment, +uite yello% %ith a&e# he sread it out on the sand and looed at it# *he others &lan-ed at it too, but they -ouldn)t mae out %hat it %as at all# (t seemed to be a ind o! ma# "'erhas it)s a ma o! some la-e he had to &o to," said Julian# ut suddenly >eor&e)s hands be&an to shae as she held the ma, and her eyes &leamed brilliantly as she looed u at the others# he oened her mouth but didn)t sea# "hat)s the matter?" said Julian, -uriously# "hat)s u? ave you lost your ton&ue?" >eor&e shoo her head and then be&an to sea %ith a rush# "Julian .o you no% %hat this is? (t)s a ma o! my old -astle o! @irrin $astle
1;;
%hen it %asn)t a ruin# 0nd it sho%s the dun&eons 0nd loo /ust loo %hat)s %ritten in this -orner o! the dun&eons" he ut a tremblin& !in&er on one art o! the ma# *he others leaned over to see %hat it %as and, rinted in old !ashioned letters %as a -urious %ord# INGOTS
"(n&ots" said 0nne, uEEled# "hat does that mean? ()ve never heard that %ord be!ore#" ut the t%o boys had# "(n&ots" -ried .i-# "hy that must be the bars o! &old# *hey %ere -alled in&ots#" "Most bars o! metal are -alled in&ots," said Julian, &oin& red %ith e-itement# "ut as %e no% there is &old missin& !rom that shi, then it really loos as i! in&ots here meant bars o! &old# h &olly *o thin they may still be hidden some%here under @irrin $astle# >eor&e >eor&e (sn)t it terribly, a%!ully e-itin&?" >eor&e nodded# he %as tremblin& all over %ith e-itement# "(! only %e -ould !ind it" she %hisered# "(! only %e -ould" "e)ll have a /olly &ood hunt !or it," said Julian# "(t %ill be a%!ully di!!i-ult be-ause the -astle is in ruins no%, and so over&ro%n# ut someho% or other %e)ll !ind those in&ots# hat a lovely %ord# (n&ots (n&ots (n&ots" (t sounded someho% more e-itin& than the %ord &old# obody soe about &old any more# *hey taled about the (n&ots# *im -ouldn)t mae out %hat the e-itement %as at all# e %a&&ed his tail and tried hard to li- !irst one and then another
1;1
1;2
o! the -hildren, but !or on-e in a %ay not one o! them aid any attention to him e simly -ouldn)t understand it, and a!ter a %hile he %ent and sat do%n by himsel! %ith his ba- to the -hildren, and his ears do%n# "h, do loo at oor *imothy" said >eor&e# "e -an)t understand our e-itement# *im *im, darlin&, it)s all ri&ht, you)re not in dis&ra-e or anythin&# h, *im, %e)ve &ot the most %onder!ul se-ret in the %hole %orld#" *im bounded u, his tail %a&&in&, leased to be taen noti-e o! on-e more# e ut his bi& a% on the re-ious ma, and the !our -hildren shouted at him at on-e# ">olly e -an)t have that torn" said Julian# *hen he looed at the others and !ro%ned# "hat are %e &oin& to do about the bo?" he said# "( mean >eor&e)s !ather %ill be sure to miss it, %on)t he? e)ll have to &ive it ba-#" "ell, -an)t %e tae out the ma and ee it?" said .i-# "e %on)t no% it %as there i! he hasn)t looed in the bo# 0nd it)s retty -ertain he hasn)t# *he other thin&s don)t matter mu-h they are only that old diary, and a !e% letters#" "*o be on the sa!e side, let)s tae a -oy o! the ma," said .i-# "*hen %e -an ut the real ma ba- and rela-e the bo#" *hey all voted that a very &ood idea# *hey %ent ba- to @irrin $otta&e and tra-ed out the ma -are!ully# *hey did it in the toolshed be-ause they didn)t %ant anyone to see them# (t %as a +ueer ma# (t %as in three arts# "*his art sho%s the dun&eons under the -astle," said Julian# "0nd this sho%s a lan o! the &round !loor o! the -astle and this sho%s the
1;3
to art# My %ord, it %as a !ine la-e in those days *he dun&eons run all under the -astle# ( bet they %ere retty a%!ul la-es# ( %onder ho% eole &ot do%n to them#" "e)ll have to study the ma a bit more and see," said >eor&e# "(t all loos rather muddled to us at resent but on-e %e tae the ma over to the -astle and study it there, %e may be able to mae out ho% to &et do%n to the hidden dun&eons# oooh ( don)t ee-t any -hildren ever had su-h an adventure as this#" Julian ut the tra-ed ma -are!ully into his /eans o-et# e didn)t mean it to leave him# (t %as very re-ious# *hen he ut the real ma ba- into the bo and looed to%ards the house# "hat about uttin& it ba- no%?" he said# "Maybe your !ather is still aslee, >eor&e#" ut he %asn)t# e %as a%ae# =u-ily he hadn)t missed the bo e -ame into the dinin&room to have tea %ith the !amily, and Julian too his -han-e# e muttered an e-use, slied a%ay !rom the table, and rela-ed the bo on the table behind his un-le)s -hair e %ined at the others %hen he -ame ba-# *hey !elt relieved# *hey %ere all s-ared o! An-le :uentin, and %ere not at all anious to be in his bad boos# 0nne didn)t say one %ord durin& the %hole o! the meal# he %as so terribly a!raid she mi&ht &ive somethin& a%ay, either about *im or the bo# *he others soe very little too# hile they %ere at tea the telehone ran& and 0unt
1;4
a =ondon aer %ho %ant to as you +uestions about it#" "*ell them ()ll see them at si," said An-le :uentin# *he -hildren looed at one another in alarm# *hey hoed that their un-le %ouldn)t sho% the bo to the ne%saermen# *hen the se-ret o! the hidden &old mi&ht -ome out "hat a mer-y %e too a tra-in& o! the ma" said Julian, a!ter tea# "ut ()m /olly sorry no% %e le!t the real ma in the bo# omeone else may &uess our se-ret"
1;5
Chapter Ten AN ASTONISHING OFFER
*D net mornin& the aers %ere !ull o! the etraordinary %ay in %hi-h the old %re- had been thro%n u out o! the sea# *he ne%saer men had &ot out o! the -hildren)s un-le the tale o! the %re- and the lost &old, and some o! them even mana&ed to land on @irrin (sland and tae i-tures o! the old ruined -astle# >eor&e %as !urious# "(t)s my -astle" she stormed to her mother# "(t)s my island# ou said it -ould be mine# ou did, you did" "( no%, >eor&e dear," said her mother# "ut you really must be sensible# (t -an)t hurt the island to be landed on, and it -an)t hurt the -astle to be hoto&rahed#" "ut ( don)t %ant it to be," said >eor&e, her !a-e dar and suly# "(t)s mine# 0nd the %re- is mine# ou said so#" "ell, ( didn)t no% it %as &oin& to be thro%n u lie that," said her mother# ".o be sensible, >eor&e# hat -an it ossibly matter i! eole &o to loo at the %re-? ou -an)t sto them#" >eor&e -ouldn)t sto them, but that didn)t mae her any the less an&ry about it# *he -hildren %ere astonished at the interest that the -astu %re- -aused, and be-ause o! that, @irrin (sland be-ame an ob/e-t o! &reat interest too# i&htseers !rom the la-es all around -ame to see it, and the !ishermen mana&ed to !ind the little inlet and land
1;6
the eole there# >eor&e sobbed %ith ra&e, and Julian tried to -om!ort her# "=isten, >eor&e o one no%s our se-ret yet# e)ll %ait till this e-itement has died do%n, and then %e)ll &o to @irrin $astle and !ind the in&ots#" "(! someone doesn)t !ind them !irst," said >eor&e, dryin& her eyes# he %as !urious %ith hersel! !or -ryin&, but she really -ouldn)t hel it# "o% -ould they?" said Julian# "o one has seen inside the bo yet ()m &oin& to %ait my -han-e and &et that ma out be!ore anyone sees it" ut he didn)t have a -han-e, be-ause somethin& dread!ul haened# An-le :uentin sold the old bo to a man %ho bou&ht anti+ue thin&s e -ame out !rom his study, beamin&, a day or t%o a!ter the e-itement be&an, and told 0unt
1;7
%hat they ne%# (t %as true he %as all smiles no%, and %as romisin& to buy them ne% shrimin&nets, and a ra!t !or themselves but he %as su-h a -han&eable erson# e mi&ht !ly into a !urious temer i! he heard that Julian had taen the bo and oened it himsel!, %hile his un-le %as sleein&# hen they %ere alone the -hildren dis-ussed the %hole matter# (t seemed very serious indeed to them# *hey hal!%ondered i! they should let 0unt
you thin you %ould let us &o !or the %eeend to @irrin $astle, lease, and send a day or t%o there on the island? ou -an)t thin ho% %e %ould love to" "ell %hat do you thin, :uentin?" ased their aunt, turnin& to her husband# "(! they %ant to, they -an," said An-le :uentin# "*hey %on)t have a -han-e to, soon# My dears, %e have had a marvellous o!!er !or @irrin (sland 0 man %ants to buy it, rebuild the -astle as a hotel, and mae it into a roer holiday la-e hat do you thin o! that?" 0ll !our -hildren stared at the smilin& man, sho-ed and horri!ied# omebody %as &oin& to buy the island ad their se-ret been dis-overed? .id the man %ant to buy the -astle be-ause he had read the ma, and ne% there %as lenty o! &old hidden there? >eor&e &ave a -urious -hoe# er eyes burned as i! they %ere on !ire# "Mother ou -an)t sell my island ou -an)t sell my -astle ( %on)t let them be sold#" er !ather !ro%ned# ".on)t be silly, >eor&ina," he said# "(t isn)t really yours# ou no% that# (t belon&s to your mother, and naturally she %ould lie to sell it i! she -ould# e need the money very badly# ou %ill be able to have a &reat many ni-e thin&s on-e %e sell the island#" "( don)t %ant ni-e thin&s" -ried oor >eor&e# "My -astle and my island are the ni-est thin&s ( -ould ever have# Mother Mother ou no% you said ( -ould have them# ou no% you did ( believed you#"
1;9
11;
">eor&e dear, ( did mean you to have them to lay on, %hen ( thou&ht they -ouldn)t ossibly be %orth anythin&," said her mother, looin& distressed# "ut no% thin&s are di!!erent# our !ather has been o!!ered +uite a &ood sum, !ar more than %e ever thou&ht o! &ettin& and %e really -an)t a!!ord to turn it do%n#" "o you only &ave me the island %hen you thou&ht it %asn)t %orth anythin&," said >eor&e, her !a-e %hite and an&ry# "0s soon as it is %orth money you tae it a%ay a&ain# ( thin that)s horrid# (t it isn)t honourable#" "*hat)s enou&h, >eor&ina," said her !ather, an&rily# "our mother is &uided by me# ou)re only a -hild# our mother didn)t really mean %hat she said it %as only to lease you# ut you no% %ell enou&h you %ill share in the money %e &et and have anythin& you %ant#" "( %on)t tou-h a enny" said >eor&e, in a lo%, -hoin& voi-e# "ou)ll be sorry you sold it#" *he &irl turned and stumbled out o! the room# *he others !elt very sorry !or her# *hey ne% %hat she %as !eelin&# he too thin&s so very seriously# Julian thou&ht she didn)t understand &ro%nus very %ell# (t %asn)t a bit o! &ood !i&htin& &ro%nus# *hey -ould do ea-tly as they lied# (! they %anted to tae a%ay >eor&e)s island and -astle, they -ould# (! they %anted to sell it, they -ould ut %hat An-le :uentin didn)t no% %as the !a-t that there mi&ht be a store o! &oldin&ots there Julian stared at his un-le and %ondered %hether to %arn him# *hen he de-ided not to# *here %as /ust a -han-e that the !our -hildren -ould !ind the &old !irst
111
"hen are you sellin& the island, An-le?" he ased +uietly# "*he deeds %ill be si&ned in about a %ee)s time," %as the ans%er# "o i! you really %ant to send a day or t%o there, you)d better do so +ui-ly, !or a!ter that you may not &et ermission !rom the ne% o%ners#" "as it the man %ho bou&ht the old bo %ho %ants to buy the island?" ased Julian# "es", said his un-le# "( %as a little surrised mysel!, !or ( thou&ht he %as /ust a buyer o! old thin&s# (t %as astonishin& to me that he should &et the idea o! buyin& the island to rebuild the -astle as a hotel# till, ( dare say there %ill be bi& money in runnin& an hotel there very romanti-, stayin& on a little island lie that eole %ill lie it# ()m no businessman mysel!, and ( -ertainly shouldn)t -are to invest my money in a la-e lie @irrin (sland# ut ( should thin he no%s %hat he is doin& all ri&ht#" "es, he -ertainly does," thou&ht Julian to himsel!, as he %ent out o! the room %ith .i- and 0nne# "e)s read that ma and has /umed to the same idea that %e did the store o! hidden in&ots is some%here on that island and he)s &oin& to &et it e doesn)t %ant to build an hotel e)s a!ter the treasure ( ee-t he)s o!!ered An-le :uentin some silly lo% ri-e that oor old un-le thins is marvellous h dear this is a horrible thin& to haen#" e %ent to !ind >eor&e# he %as in the toolshed, looin& +uite &reen# he said she !elt si-# "(t)s only be-ause you)re so uset," said Julian# e slied his arm round her# eor&e didn)t ush it a%ay# he !elt -om!orted#
112
*ears -ame into her eyes, and she an&rily tried to blin them a%ay# "=isten, >eor&e" said Julian# "e mustn)t &ive u hoe# e)ll &o to @irrin (sland tomorro%, and %e)ll do our very, very best to &et do%n into the dun&eons someho% and !ind the in&ots# e)ll /olly %ell stay there till %e do# ee? o% -heer u, be-ause %e)ll %ant your hel in lannin& everythin&# *han &oodness %e too a tra-in& o! the ma#" >eor&e -heered u a little# he still !elt an&ry %ith her !ather and mother, but the thou&ht o! &oin& to @irrin (sland !or a day or t%o, and tain& *imothy too, -ertainly seemed rather &ood# "( do thin my !ather and mother are unind," she said# "ell, they)re not really," said Julian, %isely# "0!ter all, i! they need money badly, they %ould be silly not to art %ith somethin& they thin is +uite useless# 0nd you no%, your !ather did say you -ould have anythin& you %ant# ( no% %hat ( %ould as !or, i! ( %ere you" "hat?" ased >eor&e# "*imothy, o! -ourse" said Julian# 0nd that made >eor&e smile and -heer u tremendously
113
Chapter Eleven OFF TO KIRRIN ISLAND
JA=(0 and >eor&e %ent to !ind .i- and 0nne# *hey %ere %aitin& !or them in the &arden, looin& rather uset# *hey %ere &lad to see Julian and >eor&e and ran to meet them# 0nne too >eor&e)s hands# "()m a%!ully sorry about your island, >eor&e," she said# "o am (," said .i-# "ad lu-, old &irl( mean, old boy" >eor&e mana&ed to smile# "()ve been behavin& lie a &irl," she said, hal!ashamed# "ut ( did &et an a%!ul sho-#" Julian told the others %hat they had lanned# "e)ll &o tomorro% mornin&," he said# "e)ll mae out a list o! all the thin&s %e shall need# =et)s be&in no%#" e too out a en-il and noteboo# *he others looed at him# "*hin&s to eat," said .i- at on-e# "'lenty be-ause %e)ll be hun&ry#" "omethin& to drin," said >eor&e# "*here)s no %ater on the island thou&h ( believe there %as a %ell or somethin&, years a&o, that %ent ri&ht do%n belo% the level o! the sea, and %as !resh %ater# 0ny%ay, ()ve never !ound it#" "
"hat !or?" she ased# "ell, %e)ll %ant to di& about %hen %e)re huntin& !or a %ay do%n to the dun&eons," said Julian# "Boes," said .i-# "e may %ant those too#" "0nd tor-hes," said >eor&e# "(t)ll be dar in the dun&eons#" "ooh" said 0nne, !eelin& a leasant shiver &o do%n her ba- at the thou&ht# he had no idea %hat dun&eons %ere lie, but they sounded thrillin&# "Bu&s," said .i-# "e)ll be -old at ni&ht i! %e slee in that little old room#" Julian %rote them do%n# "Mu&s to drin !rom," he said# "0nd %e)ll tae a !e% tools too %e may erhas need them# ou never no%#" 0t the end o! hal! an hour they had +uite a ni-e lon& list, and everyone !elt leased and e-ited# >eor&e %as be&innin& to re-over !rom her ra&e and disaointment# (! she had been alone, and had brooded over everythin&, she %ould have been in an even %orse sul and temerbut someho% the others %ere so -alm and sensible and -heer!ul# (t %as imossible to sul !or lon& i! she %as %ith them# "( thin ()d have been mu-h ni-er i! ( hadn)t been on my o%n so mu-h," thou&ht >eor&e to hersel!, as she looed at Julian)s bent head# "*alin& about thin&s to other eole does hel a lot# *hey don)t seem so dread!ul thenC they seem more bearable and ordinary# ( lie my three -ousins a%!ully# ( lie them be-ause they tal and lau&h and are al%ays
115
-heer!ul and ind# ( %ish ( %as lie them# ()m suly and badtemered and !ier-e, and no %onder eor&e looed very serious %hile she %as thinin& it# Julian looed u and -au&ht her blue eyes !ied on him# e smiled# "'enny !or your thou&hts" he said# "*hey)re not %orth a enny," said >eor&e, &oin& red# "( %as /ust thinin& ho% ni-e you all are and ho% ( %ished ( -ould be lie you#" "ou)re an a%!ully ni-e erson," said Julian, surrisin&ly# "ou -an)t hel bein& an only -hild# *hey)re al%ays a bit +ueer, you no%, unless they)re mi&hty -are!ul# ou)re a most interestin& erson, ( thin#" >eor&e !lushed red a&ain, and !elt leased# "=et)s &o and tae *imothy !or a %al," she said# "e)ll be %onderin& %hat)s haened to us today#" *hey all %ent o!! toðer, and *imothy &reeted them at the to o! his voi-e# *hey told him all about their lans !or the net day, and he %a&&ed his tail and looed u at them out o! his so!t bro%n eyes as i! he understood every sin&le %ord they said "e must !eel leased to thin he)s &oin& to be %ith us !or t%o or three days," said 0nne# (t %as very e-itin& the net mornin&, settin& o!! in the boat %ith all their thin&s a-ed neatly
116
at one end# Julian -he-ed them all by readin& out aloud !rom his list# (t didn)t seem as i! they had !or&otten anythin&# ">ot the ma?" said .i-, suddenly# Julian nodded# "( ut on -lean /eans this mornin&," he said, "but you may be sure ( remembered to o the ma into my o-et# ere it is e too it out and the %ind at on-e ble% it ri&ht out o! his hands (t !ell into the sea and bobbed there in the %ind# 0ll !our -hildren &ave a -ry o! utter dismay# *heir re-ious ma ":ui- Bo% a!ter it" -ried >eor&e, and s%un& the boat round# ut someone %as +ui-er than she %as *im had seen the aer !ly !rom Julian)s hand, and had heard and understood the -ries o! dismay# ith an enormous slash he leat into the %ater and s%am valiantly a!ter the ma# e -ould s%im %ell !or a do&, !or he %as stron& and o%er!ul# e soon had the ma in his mouth and %as s%immin& ba- to the boat# *he -hildren thou&ht he %as simly marvellous >eor&e hauled him into the boat and too the ma !rom his mouth# *here %as hardly the mar o! his teeth on it e had -arried it so -are!ully# (t %as %et, and the -hildren looed aniously at it to see i! the tra-in& had been soilt# ut Julian had tra-ed it very stron&ly, and it %as +uite all ri&ht# e la-ed it on a seat to dry, and told .i- to hold it there in the sun# "*hat %as a narro% s+uea" he said, and the others a&reed# >eor&e too the oars a&ain, and they set o!! on-e more to the island, &ettin& a er!e-t sho%erbath
117
118
!rom *imothy %hen he stood u and shoo his %et -oat# e %as &iven a bi& bis-uit as a re%ard, and -run-hed it u %ith &reat en/oyment# >eor&e made her %ay throu&h the ree!s o! ro-s %ith a sure hand# (t %as marvellous to the others ho% she -ould slide the boat in bet%een the dan&erous ro-s and never &et a s-rat-h# *hey thou&ht she %as really %onder!ul# he brou&ht them sa!ely to the little inlet, and they /umed out on to the sand# *hey ulled the boat hi&h u, in -ase the tide -ame !ar u the tiny -ove, and then be&an to unload their &oods# "e)ll -arry all the thin&s to that little stone room," said Julian# "*hey %ill be sa!e there and %on)t &et %et i! it rains# ( hoe nobody -omes to the island %hile %e are here, >eor&e#" "( shouldn)t thin they %ould," said >eor&e# "eor&e# 0nd 0nne -an tae the little thin&s#" *he !ood and drin %ere in a bi& bo, !or the -hildren did not mean to starve %hile they %ere on the island *hey had brou&ht loaves o! bread, butter, bis-uits, /am, tins o! !ruit, rie lums, bottles o! &in&erbeer, a ettle to mae tea, and anythin& else they -ould thin o! >eor&e and Julian sta&&ered u the -li!! %ith the heavy bo# *hey had to ut it do%n on-e or t%i-e to &ive themselves a rest 119
*hey ut everythin& into the little room# *hen they %ent ba- to &et the -olle-tion o! blanets and ru&s !rom the boat# *hey arran&ed them in the -orners o! the little room, and thou&ht that it %ould be most e-itin& to send the ni&ht there# "*he t%o &irls -an slee toðer on this ile o! ru&s," said Julian# "0nd %e t%o boys %ill have this ile#" >eor&e looed as i! she didn)t %ant to be ut %ith 0nne, and -lassed as a &irl# ut 0nne didn)t %ish to slee alone in her -orner, and she looed so besee-hin&ly at >eor&e that the bi&&er &irl smiled at her and made no ob/e-tion# 0nne thou&ht that >eor&e %as &ettin& ni-er and ni-er "ell, no% %e)ll &et do%n to business," said Julian, and he ulled out his ma# "e must study this really -are!ully, and !ind out ea-tly under %hat sot the entran-es to the dun&eons are# o% -ome around and let)s do our best to !ind out (t)s u to us to use our brains and beat that man %ho)s bou&ht the island" *hey all bent over the tra-ed ma# (t %as +uite dry no%, and the -hildren looed at it earnestly# (t %as lain that in the old days the -astle had been a very !ine la-e# "o% loo," said Julian, uttin& his !in&er on the lan o! the dun&eons# "*hese seem to run all alon& under the -astle and here and here are the mars that seem to be meant to reresent stes or stairs#" "es," said >eor&e# "( should thin they are# ell, i! so, there aear to be t%o %ays o! &ettin& do%n into the dun&eons# ne lot o! stes seems to be&in some%here near this little room and the other seems
12;
to start under the to%er there# 0nd %hat do you suose this thin& is here, Julian?" he ut her !in&er on a round hole that %as sho%n not only in the lan o! the dun&eons, but also in the lan o! the &round !loor o! the -astle# "( -an)t ima&ine %hat that is," said Julian, uEEled# "h yes, ( no% %hat it mi&ht be ou said there %as an old %ell some%here, do you remember? ell, that may be it, ( should thin# (t %ould have to be very dee to &et !resh %ater ri&ht under the sea so it robably &oes do%n throu&h the dun&eons too# (sn)t this thrillin&?" Dveryone thou&ht it %as# *hey !elt hay and e-ited# *here %as somethin& to dis-over somethin& they -ould and must dis-over %ithin the net day or t%o# *hey looed at one another# "ell," said .i-, "%hat are %e &oin& to start on? hall %e try to !ind the entran-e to the dun&eons the one that seems to start round about this little room?
121
122
*hey all i-ed u sades and soon the little stone room %as !ull o! a s-rain& sound as the !our o! them -hiselled a%ay at the -lose&ro%in& %eeds %ith their sades# (t %asn)t very di!!i-ult to &et the stones -lear o! them, and the -hildren %ored %ith a %ill# *im &ot most e-ited about everythin&# e hadn)t any idea at all %hat they %ere doin&, but he /oined in valiantly# e s-raed a%ay at the !loor %ith his !our a%s, sendin& earth and lants !lyin& hi&h into the air "i, *im" said Julian, shain& a -lod o! earth out o! his hair# "ou)re bein& a bit too vi&orous# My %ord, you)ll send the stones !lyin& into the air too, in a minute# >eor&e, isn)t *im marvellous the %ay he /oins in everythin&?" o% they all %ored o% they all lon&ed to !ind the entran-e to the under&round dun&eons hat a thrill that %ould be#
123
Chapter Twelve EXCITING DISCOVERIES
the stones o! the little room %ere -lear o! earth, sand and %eeds# *he -hildren sa% that they %ere all the same siEe bi& and s+uare, !itted %ell toðer# *hey %ent over them -are!ully %ith their tor-hes, tryin& to !ind one that mi&ht move or li!t# "e should robably !ind one %ith an iron rin& handle sun into it," said Julian# ut they didn)t# 0ll the stones looed ea-tly the same# (t %as most disaointin&# Julian tried insertin& his sade into the -ra-s bet%een the various stones, to see i! by any -han-e he -ould move one# ut they -ouldn)t be moved# (t seemed as i! they %ere all set in the solid &round# 0!ter about three hours hard %or the -hildren sat do%n to eat a meal# *hey %ere very hun&ry indeed, and !elt &lad to thin there %ere so many thin&s to eat# 0s they ate they dis-ussed the roblem they %ere tryin& to solve# "(t loos as i! the entran-e to the dun&eons %as not under this little room a!ter all," said Julian# "(t)s disaointin& but someho% ( don)t thin no% that the stes do%n to the dun&eon started !rom here# =et)s measure the ma and see i! %e -an mae out ea-tly %here the stes do start# (t may be, o! -ourse, that the measurements aren)t -orre-t and %on)t be any hel to us at all# ut %e -an try#"
124
o they measured as best they -ould, to try and !ind out in ea-tly %hat la-e the dun&eon stes seemed to be&in# (t %as imossible to tell, !or the lans o! the three !loors seemed to be done to di!!erent s-ales# Julian stared at the ma, uEEled# (t seemed rather hoeless# urely they %ouldn)t have to hunt all over the &round !loor o! the -astle (t %ould tae a&es# "=oo," said >eor&e, suddenly, uttin& her !in&er on the hole that they all thou&ht must be meant to reresent the %ell# "*he entran-e to the dun&eons seems to be not very !ar o!! the %ell# (! only %e -ould !ind the %ell, %e -ould hunt around a bit !or the be&innin& o! the dun&eon stes# *he %ell is sho%n in both mas# (t seems to be some%here about the middle o! the -astle#" "*hat)s a &ood idea o! yours," said Julian, leased# "=et)s &o out into the middle o! the -astle %e -an more or less &uess %here the old %ell ou&ht to be, be-ause it de!initely seems to be about the middle o! the old yard out there#" ut they all %ent into the sunshine# *hey !elt very imortant and serious# (t %as marvellous to be looin& !or lost in&ots o! &old# *hey all !elt er!e-tly -ertain that they really %ere some%here beneath their !eet# (t didn)t o--ur to any o! the -hildren that the treasure mi&ht not be there# *hey stood in the ruined -ourtyard that had on-e been the -entre o! the -astle# *hey a-ed out the middle o! the yard and then stood there, looin& around in vain !or anythin& that mi&ht erhas have been the oenin& o! an old %ell# (t %as all so over&ro%n# and had blo%n in !rom the shore, and %eeds and bushes o! all inds &re% there# *he stones that had on-e !ormed the !loor
125
o! the bi& -ourtyard %ere no% -ra-ed and %ere no lon&er lyin& !lat# Most o! them %ere -overed %ith sand or %eeds# "=oo *here)s a rabbit" -ried .i-, as a bi& sandy rabbit lolloed slo%ly a-ross the yard# (t disaeared into a hole on the other side# *hen another rabbit aeared, sat u and looed at the -hildren, and then vanished too# *he -hildren %ere thrilled# *hey had never seen su-h tame rabbits be!ore# 0 third rabbit aeared# (t %as a small one %ith absurdly bi& ears, and the tiniest %hite bob o! a tail# (t didn)t even loo at the -hildren# (t bounded about in a lay!ul %ay, and then, to the -hildren)s enormous deli&ht, it sat u on its hind le&s, and be&an to %ash its bi& ears, ullin& do%n !irst one and then another# ut this %as too mu-h !or *imothy# e had %at-hed the other t%o bound a-ross the yard and then disaear %ithout so mu-h as barin& at them# ut to see this youn&ster a-tually sittin& there %ashin& its ears under his very nose %as really too mu-h !or any do&# e &ave an e-ited yel and rushed !ulltilt at the surrised rabbit#
126
a%s as !ast as he -ould# e yeled and %hined in e-itement, not seemin& to hear >eor&e)s voi-e -allin& to him# e meant to &et that rabbit e %ent almost mad as he s-raed at the hole, main& it bi&&er and bi&&er# "*im .o you hear me $ome out o! there" shouted >eor&e# "ou)re not to -hase the rabbits here# ou no% you mustn)t# ou)re very nau&hty# $ome out" ut *im didn)t -ome out# e /ust %ent on and on s-rain& a%ay madly# >eor&e %ent to !et-h him# Just as she &ot u to the &orse bush the s-rain& suddenly stoed# *here -ame a s-ared yel and no more noise %as heard# >eor&e eered under the ri-ly bush in astonishment# *im had disaeared e /ust simly %asn)t there any more# *here %as the bi& rabbithole, made enormous by *im but there %as no *im# "( say, Julian *im)s &one," said >eor&e in a s-ared voi-e# "e surely -an)t have &one do%n that rabbit)s hole -an he? ( mean he)s su-h a bi& do&" *he -hildren -ro%ded round the bi& &orse bush# *here -ame the sound o! a mu!!led %hine !rom some%here belo% it# Julian looed astonished# "e is do%n the hole" he said# "o% +ueer ( never heard o! a do& really &oin& do%n a rabbithole be!ore# o%ever are %e &oin& to &et him out?" "e)ll have to di& u the &orse bush, to be&in %ith," said >eor&e, in a determined voi-e# he %ould have du& u the %hole o! @irrin $astle to &et *im ba-, that %as -ertain "( -an)t have oor old *im %hinin& !or hel do%n there and not do %hat %e -an to hel him#"
127
*he bush %as !ar too bi& and ri-ly to -ree underneath# Julian %as &lad they had brou&ht tools o! all inds# e %ent to !et-h an ae# *hey had brou&ht a small one %ith them and it %ould do to -ho a%ay the ri-ly bran-hes and trun o! the &orse bush# *he -hildren slashed at it and soon the oor bush be&an to loo a sorry si&ht# (t too a lon& time to destroy it, !or it %as ri-ly, sturdy and stout# Dvery -hild)s hands %ere s-rat-hed by the time the bush had been redu-ed to a mere stum# *hen they -ould see the hole +uite %ell# Julian shone his tor-h do%n it# e &ave a shout o! surrise# "( no% %hat)s haened *he old %ell is here *he rabbits had a hole at the side o! it and *im s-raed a%ay to mae it bi&&er and un-overed a bit o! the %ellhole and he)s !allen do%n the %ell" "h no, oh no," -ried >eor&e, in ani-# "h *im, *im, are you all ri&ht?" 0 distant %hine -ame to their ears# Dvidently *im %as there some%here# *he -hildren looed at one another# "ell, there)s only one thin& to do," said Julian, "e must &et our sades no% and di& out the hole o! the %ell# *hen maybe %e -an let a roe do%n or somethin& and &et *im#" *hey set to %or %ith their sades# (t %as not really di!!i-ult to un-over the hole, %hi-h had been blo-ed only by the sreadin& roots o! the bi& &orse bush, some !allen masonry, earth, sand and small stones# 0arently a bi& slab had !allen !rom art o! the to%er a-ross the %ellhole, and artly -losed it# *he %eather and the &ro%in& &orse bush had done the rest#
128
(t too all the -hildren toðer to move the slab# Anderneath %as a very rotten %ooden -over, %hi-h had lainly been used in the old days to rote-t the %ell# (t had rotted so mu-h that %hen *im)s %ei&ht had been ressed on it, it had &iven /ust there and made a hole !or *im to !all throu&h# Julian removed the old %ooden -over and then the -hildren -ould see do%n the %ellhole# (t %as very dee and very dar# *hey -ould not ossibly see the bottom# Julian too a stone and droed it do%n# *hey all listened !or the slash# ut there %as no slash# Dither there %as no lon&er any %ater there, or the %ell %as too dee even to hear the slash "( thin it)s too dee !or us to hear anythin&," said Julian# "o% %here)s *im?" e shone his tor-h do%n and there %as *im Many years be!ore a bi& slab had !allen do%n the %ell itsel! and had stu- a little %ay do%n, a-ross the %ellhole and on this old -ra-ed slab sat *im, his bi& eyes starin& u in !ri&ht# e simly -ould not ima&ine %hat had haened to him# *here %as an old iron ladder !astened to the side o! the %ell# >eor&e %as on it be!ore anyone else -ould &et there .o%n she %ent, not -arin& i! the ladder held or not, and rea-hed *im# omeho% she &ot him on to her shoulder and, holdin& him there %ith one hand, she -limbed slo%ly u a&ain# *he other three hauled her out and *im /umed round her, barin& and li-in& !or all he %as %orth "ell, *im" said .i-, "you shouldn)t -hase rabbits but you)ve -ertainly done us a &ood turn, be-ause you)ve !ound the %ell !or us o%
129
13;
%e)ve only &ot to loo around a little to !ind the dun&eon entran-e" *hey set to %or a&ain to hunt !or the dun&eon entran-e# *hey du& about %ith their sades under all the bushes# *hey ulled u -rooed stones and du& their sades into the earth belo%, hoin& that they mi&ht suddenly !ind them &oin& throu&h into sa-e (t %as really very thrillin&# 0nd then 0nne !ound the entran-e (t %as +uite by a--ident# he %as tired and sat do%n to rest# he lay on her !ront and s-rabbled about in the sand# uddenly her !in&ers tou-hed somethin& hard and -old in the sand# he un-overed it and lo and behold, it %as an iron rin& he &ave a shout and the others looed u# "*here)s a stone %ith an iron rin& in it here" yelled 0nne, e-itedly# *hey all rushed over to her# Julian du& about %ith his sade and un-overed the %hole stone# ure enou&h, it did have a rin& in it and rin&s are only let into stones that need to be moved urely this stone must be the one that -overed the dun&eon entran-e 0ll the -hildren too turns at ullin& on the iron rin&, but the stone did not move# *hen Julian tied t%o or three turns o! roe throu&h it and the !our -hildren ut out their !ull stren&th and ulled !or all they %ere %orth# *he stone moved# *he -hildren distin-tly !elt it stir# "0ll toðer a&ain" -ried Julian# 0nd all toðer they ulled# *he stone stirred a&ain and then suddenly &ave %ay# (t moved u%ards u%ards and the -hildren -hildren !ell over on to o! one another lie a ro% o! dominoes suddenly ushed do%n *im darted darted to the hole and bared madly do%n it as i! all the rabbits o! the %orld lived there
131
132
Julian and >eor&e shot to their !eet and rushed to the oenin& that the moved stone had dis-losed# *hey stood there, looin& do%n%ards, their !a-es shinin& %ith deli&ht# *hey had !ound the entran-e to the dun&eons 0 stee !li&ht o! stes, -ut out o! the ro- itsel!, led do%n%ards into dee darness# "$ome ome on on" -rie -ried d Juli Julian an,, sna snai in& n& on his his tor tor-h# -h# "e)ve !ound %hat %e %anted o% !or the dun&eons" *he stes do%n %ere sliery# *im darted do%n !irst, lost his !oothold and rolled do%n !ive or si stes, yelin& %ith !ri&ht# Julian %ent a!ter him, then >eor&e, then .i- and then then 0nne# nne# *hey *hey %ere ere all trem tremen endo dous usly ly thri thrill lleed# (ndeed, they +uite ee-ted to see iles o! &old and all inds o! treasure every%here around them (t %as dar do%n the stee !li&ht o! stes, and smelt very musty# 0nne -hoed a little# "( hoe the air do%n here is all ri&ht," said Julian# "ometimes it isn)t &ood in these under&round la-es# (! anyone !eels a bit !unny they)d better say so and %e)ll &o u into the oen air a&ain#" ut ut ho%e ho%eve verr !unn !unny y the they mi&ht i&ht !eel !eel nobo nobody dy %oul %ould d have said so# (t %as all !ar too e-itin& to %orry about !eelin& +ueer# *he stes %ent do%n a lon& %ay# *hen they -ame to an end# Julian steed do%n !rom the last ro-stair and !lashed his tor-h around# (t %as a %eird si&ht that met his eyes# *he dun&eons o! @irrin $astle %ere made out o! the ro- ro- itse itsel! l!## heth hether er ther theree %ere %ere natu natura rall -ave -avess ther there, e, or %hether they had been hollo%ed out by man the -hildren -ould not tell# ut -ertainly
133
they %ere very mysterious, dar and !ull o! e-hoin& sounds# hen Julian &ave a si&h o! e-itement it !led into the ro-y hollo%s and s%elled out and e-hoed around as i! it %ere a live thin&# (t &ave all the -hildren a very +ueer !eelin&# "(sn)t it stran&e?" said >eor&e, in a lo% voi-e# 0t on-e the e-hoes too u her %ords, and multilied them and made them louder and all the dun&eon -aves &ave ba- the &irl)s %ords over and over a&ain# "(sn)t it stran&e, ()* (* *B0>D, ()* (* *B0>D#" 0nne slied her hand into .i-)s# he !elt s-ared# he didn)t lie the e-hoes at all# he ne% they %ere only e-hoes but they did sound ea-tly lie the voi-es o! s-ores o! eole hidden in the -aves "here do you suose the in&ots are?" said .i-# 0nd at on-e the -aves thre% him ba- his %ords# "(>* (n&ots are (>* 0BD 0BD 0BD" Julian lau&hed and his lau&h %as slit u into doEens o! di!!erent lau&hs that -ame out o! the dun&eons and sun round the listenin& -hildren# (t really %as the +ueerest thin&# "$ome on," said Julian# "Maybe the e-hoes %on)t be so bad a little !arther in#" "<0B*DB (," said the e-hoes at on-e# "<0B*DB (" *hey moved a%ay !rom the end o! the ro-y stes and elored the nearby dun&eons# *hey %ere really only ro-y -ellars stret-hin& under the -astle# Maybe %ret-hed risoners had been et there many, many years be!ore, but mostly they had been used !or storin& thin&s# "( %onder %hi-h dun&eon %as used !or storin&
134
the in&ots," said Julian# e stoed and too the ma out o! his o-et# e !lashed his tor-h on to it# ut althou&h it sho%ed him +uite lainly the dun&eon %here (>* %ere mared, he had no idea at all o! the ri&ht dire-tion# "( say loo there)s a door here, shuttin& o!! the net dun&eon" suddenly -ried .i-# "( bet this is the dun&eon %e)re looin& !or ( bet there are in&ots in here"
135
Chapter Thirteen DOWN IN THE DUNGEONS
<AB tor-hes %ere !lashed on to the %ooden door# (t %as bi& and stout, studded %ith &reat iron nails# Julian &ave a %hoo o! deli&ht and rushed to it# e !elt -ertain that behind it %as the dun&eon used !or storin& thin&s# ut the door %as !ast shut# o amount o! ushin& or ullin& %ould oen it# (t had a &reat eyhole but no ey there *he !our -hildren stared in easeration at the door# other it Just as they really thou&ht they %ere near the in&ots, this door %ouldn)t oen "e)ll !et-h the ae," said Julian, suddenly# "e may be able to -ho round the eyhole and smash the lo-#" "*hat)s a &ood idea" said >eor&e, deli&hted# "$ome on ba-" *hey le!t the bi& door, and tried to &et ba- the %ay they had -ome# ut the dun&eons %ere so bi& and so ramblin& that they lost their %ay# *hey stumbled over old broen barrels, rottin& %ood, emty bottles and many other thin&s as they tried to !ind their %ay ba- to the bi& !li&ht o! ro-stes# "*his is si-enin&" said Julian, at last# "( simly haven)t any idea at all %here the entran-e is# e ee on &oin& into one dun&eon a!ter another, and one assa&e a!ter another, and they all seem to be ea-tly the same dar and smelly and mysterious#"
136
"uose %e have to stay here all the rest o! our lives" said 0nne, &loomily# "(diot" said .i-, tain& her hand# "e shall soon !ind the %ay out# allo %hat)s this" *hey all stoed# *hey had -ome to %hat looed lie a -himney sha!t o! bri-, stret-hin& do%n !rom the roo! o! the dun&eon to the !loor# Julian !lashed his tor-h on to it# e %as uEEled# "( no% %hat it is" said >eor&e, suddenly# "(t)s the %ell, o! -ourse ou remember it %as sho%n in the lan o! the dun&eons, as %ell as in the lan o! the &round !loor# ell, that)s the sha!t o! the %ell &oin& do%n and do%n# ( %onder i! there)s any oenin& in it /ust hereso that %ater -ould be taen into the dun&eons as %ell as u to the &round !loor#" *hey %ent to see# n the other side o! the %ellsha!t %as a small oenin& bi& enou&h !or one -hild at a time to ut his head and shoulders throu&h and loo do%n# *hey shone their tor-hes do%n and u# *he %ell %as so dee that it %as still imossible to see the bottom o! it# Julian droed a stone do%n a&ain, but there %as no sound o! either a thud or a slash# e looed u%ards, and -ould see the !aint &leam o! dayli&ht that slid round the broen slab o! stone lyin& a little %ay do%n the sha!t the slab on %hi-h *im had sat, %aitin& to be res-ued# "es," he said,"this is the %ell all ri&ht# (sn)t it +ueer? ell no% %e)ve !ound the %ell %e no% that the entran-e to the dun&eons isn)t very !ar o!!" *hat -heered them all u tremendously# *hey too hands and hunted around in the dar, their
137
tor-hes main& bri&ht beams o! li&ht here and there# 0nne &ave a s-ree-h o! e-itement# "ere)s the entran-e (t must be, be-ause ( -an see !aint dayli&ht -omin& do%n" *he -hildren rounded a -orner and sure enou&h, there %as the stee, ro-y !li&ht o! stes leadin& u%ards# Julian too a +ui- loo round so that he mi&ht no% the %ay to &o %hen they -ame do%n a&ain# e didn)t !eel at all -ertain that he %ould !ind the %ooden door *hey all %ent u into the sunshine# (t %as deli-ious to !eel the %armth on their heads and shoulders a!ter the -old air do%n in the dun&eons# Julian looed at his %at-h and &ave a loud e-lamation# "(t)s hal!ast si al!ast si o %onder ( !eel hun&ry# e haven)t had any tea# e)ve been %orin&, and %anderin& about those dun&eons !or hours#" "ell, let)s have a ind o! teasuer be!ore %e do anythin& else," said .i-# ( don)t !eel as i! ()ve had anythin& to eat !or about t%elve months#" "ell, -onsiderin& you ate about t%i-e as mu-h as anyone else at dinnertime," be&an Julian, indi&nantly# *hen he &rinned# "( !eel the same as you," he said# "$ome onlet)s &et a really &ood meal# >eor&e, %hat about boilin& a ettle and main& some -o-oa, or somethin&? ( !eel -old a!ter all that time under&round#" (t %as !un boilin& the ettle on a !ire o! dry sti-s# (t %as lovely to lie about in the %armth o! the evenin& sun and mun-h bread and -heese
138
and en/oy -ae and bis-uits# *hey all en/oyed themselves thorou&hly# *im had a &ood meal too# e hadn)t very mu-h lied bein& under&round, and had !ollo%ed the others very -losely indeed, his tail %ell do%n# e had been very !ri&htened, too, o! the -urious e-hoes here and there# n-e he had bared, and it had seemed to *im as i! the %hole o! the dun&eons %ere !ull o! other do&s, all barin& !ar more loudly than he -ould# e hadn)t even dared to %hine a!ter that ut no% he %as hay a&ain, eatin& the titbits that the -hildren &ave him, and li-in& >eor&e %henever he %as near her# (t %as ast ei&ht o)-lo- by the time that the -hildren had !inished their meal and tidied u# Julian looed at the others# *he sun %as sinin&, and the day %as no lon&er so %arm# "ell," he said, "( don)t no% %hat you !eel# ut ( don)t someho% %ant to &o do%n into those dun&eons a&ain today, not even !or the sae o! smashin& in that door %ith the ae and oenin& it ()m tired, and ( don)t lie the thou&ht o! losin& my %ay in those dun&eons at ni&ht#" *he others heartily a&reed %ith him, ese-ially 0nne, %ho had se-retly been dreadin& &oin& do%n a&ain %ith the ni&ht -omin& on# *he little &irl %as almost asleeC she %as so tired out %ith hard %or and e-itement# "$ome on, 0nne" said >eor&e, ullin& her to her !eet# "ed !or you# e)ll -uddle u toðer in the ru&s on the !loor o! that little room and in the mornin& %hen %e %ae %e)ll be simly thrilled to thin o! oenin& that bi& %ooden door#"
139
0ll !our -hildren, %ith *im -lose behind, %ent o!! to the little stone room# *hey -urled u on their iles o! ru&s, and *im -ret in %ith >eor&e and 0nne# e lay do%n on them, and !elt so heavy that 0nne had to ush him o!! her le&s# e sat himsel! do%n on her a&ain, and she &roaned, hal!aslee# *im %a&&ed his tail and thumed it hard a&ainst her anles# *hen >eor&e ulled him on to her o%n le&s and lay there, !eelin& him breathe# he %as very hay# he %as sendin& the ni&ht on her island# *hey had almost !ound the in&ots, she %as sure# he had *im %ith her, a-tually sleein& on her ru&s# 'erhas everythin& %ould -ome ri&ht a!ter all someho%# he !ell aslee# *he -hildren !elt er!e-tly sa!e %ith *im on &uard# *hey slet ea-e!ully until the mornin&, %hen *im sa% a rabbit throu&h the broen ar-h%ay leadin& to the little room, and sed a%ay to -hase it# e a%oe >eor&e as he &ot u !rom the ru&s, and she sat u and rubbed her eyes# "ae u" she -ried to the others# "ae u, all o! you (t)s mornin& 0nd %e)re on the island" *hey all a%oe# (t %as really thrillin& to sit u and remember everythin&# Julian thou&ht o! the bi& %ooden door at on-e# e %ould soon smash it in %ith his ae, he !elt sure# 0nd then %hat %ould they !ind? *hey had brea!ast, and ate /ust as mu-h as ever# *hen Julian i-ed u the ae they had brou&ht and too everyone to the !li&ht o! stes# *im %ent too, %a&&in& his tail, but not really !eelin& very leased at the thou&ht o! &oin& do%n
14;
into the +ueer la-es %here other do&s seemed to bar, and yet %ere not to be !ound# 'oor *im %ould never understand e-hoes *hey all %ent do%n under&round a&ain# 0nd then, o! -ourse, they -ouldn)t !ind the %ay to the %ooden door (t %as most tiresome# "e shall lose our %ay all over a&ain," said >eor&e, deserately# "*hese dun&eons are about the most ramblin& sreadout maEe o! under&round -aves ()ve ever no%n e shall lose the entran-e a&ain too" Julian had a bri&ht idea# e had a ie-e o! %hite -hal in his o-et, and he too it out# e %ent ba- to the stes, and mared the %all there# *hen he be&an to ut -hal mars alon& the assa&es as they %aled in the musty darness# *hey -ame to the %ell, and Julian %as leased# "o%," he said, "%henever %e -ome to the %ell %e shall at least be able to !ind the %ay ba- to the stes, be-ause %e -an !ollo% my -halmars# o% the thin& is %hi-h is the %ay net? e)ll try and !ind it and ()ll ut -halmars alon& the %alls here and there but i! %e &o the %ron& %ay and have to -ome ba-, %e)ll rub out the mars, and start a&ain !rom the %ell another %ay#" *his %as really a very &ood idea# *hey did &o the %ron& %ay, and had to -ome ba-, rubbin& out Julian)s mars# *hey rea-hed the %ell, and set o!! in the oosite dire-tion# 0nd this time they did !ind the %ooden door *here it %as, stout and sturdy, its old iron nails rusty and red# *he -hildren stared at it in deli&ht# Julian li!ted his ae#
141
142
$rash e drove it into the %ood and round about the eyhole# ut the %ood %as still stron&, and the ae only %ent in an in-h or t%o# Julian drove it in on-e more# *he ae hit one o! the bi& nails and slied a little to one side# 0 bi& slinter o! %ood !le% out and stru- oor .i- on the -hee e &ave a yell o! ain# Julian /umed in alarm, and turned to loo at him# .i-)s -hee %as ourin& %ith blood "omethin& !le% out o! the door and hit me," said oor .i-# "(t)s a slinter, or somethin&#" ">olly" said Julian, and he shone his tor-h on to .i-# "$an you bear it a moment i! ( ull the slinter out? (t)s a bi& one, and it)s still sti-in& into your oor -hee#" ut .i- ulled it out himsel!# e made a !a-e %ith the ain, and then turned very %hite# "ou)d better &et u into the oen air !or a bit," said Julian# "0nd %e)ll have to bathe your -hee and sto it bleedin& someho%# 0nne)s &ot a -lean hany# e)ll bathe it and dab it %ith that# e brou&ht some %ater %ith us, lu-ily#" "()ll &o %ith .i-," said 0nne# "ou stay here %ith >eor&e# *here)s no need !or us all to &o#" ut Julian thou&ht he %ould lie to see .i- sa!ely u into the oen air !irst, and then he -ould leave him %ith 0nne %hile he %ent ba- to >eor&e and %ent on %ith the smashin& do%n o! the door# e handed the ae to >eor&e# "ou -an do a bit o! -hoin& %hile ()m &one," he said# "(t %ill tae some time to smash that bi& door in# ou &et on %ith it and ()ll be do%n in a !e% minutes a&ain# e -an easily
143
!ind the %ay to the entran-e be-ause %e)ve only &ot to !ollo% my -halmars#" "Bi&ht" said >eor&e, and she too the ae# "'oor old .i- you do loo a si&ht#" =eavin& >eor&e behind %ith *im, valiantly atta-in& the bi& door, Julian too .i- and 0nne u to the oen air# 0nne died her hany into the ettle o! %ater and dabbed .i-)s -hee &ently# (t %as bleedin& very mu-h, as -hees do, but the %ound %as not really very bad# .i-)s -olour soon -ame ba-, and he %anted to &o do%n into the dun&eons a&ain# "o, you)d better lie do%n on your ba- !or a little," said Julian# "( no% that)s &ood !or nosebleedin& and maybe it)s &ood !or -heebleedin& too# hat about 0nne and you &oin& out on the ro-s over there, %here you -an see the %re-, and stayin& there !or hal! an hour or so? $ome on ()ll tae you both there, and leave you !or a bit# ou)d better not &et u till your -hee)s stoed bleedin&, old boy#" Julian too the t%o out o! the -astle yard and out on to the ro-s on the side o! the island that !a-ed the oen sea# *he dar hul o! the old %re- %as still there on the ro-s# .i- lay do%n on his ba- and stared u into the sy, hoin& that his -hee %ould soon sto bleedin&# e didn)t %ant to miss any o! the !un 0nne too his hand# he %as very uset at the little a--ident, and althou&h she didn)t %ant to miss the !un either, she meant to stay %ith .i- till he !elt better# Julian sat do%n beside them !or a minute or t%o# *hen he %ent ba- to the ro-y stes and disaeared do%n them#
144
e !ollo%ed his -halmars, and soon -ame to %here >eor&e %as atta-in& the door# he had smashed it %ell round the lo- but it simly %ould not &ive %ay# Julian too the ae !rom her and drove it hard into the %ood# 0!ter a blo% or t%o somethin& seemed to haen to the lo-# (t be-ame loose, and hun& a little side%ays# Julian ut do%n his ae# "( thin someho% that %e -an oen the door no%," he said, in an eited voi-e# ">et out o! the %ay, *im, old !ello%# o% then, ush, >eor&e" *hey both ushed and the lo- &ave %ay %ith a &ratin& noise# *he bi& door oened -reain&ly, and the t%o -hildren %ent inside, !lashin& their tor-hes in e-itement# *he room %as not mu-h more than a -ave, hollo%ed out o! the ro- but in it %as somethin& +uite di!!erent !rom the old barrels and boes the -hildren had !ound be!ore# 0t the ba-, in untidy iles, %ere -urious, bri- shaed thin&s o! dull yello%bro%n metal# Julian i-ed one u# ">eor&e" he -ried# "*he in&ots *hese are real &old h, ( no% they don)t loo lie it but they are, all the same# >eor&e, oh >eor&e, there)s a small !ortune here in this -ellar and it)s yours e)ve !ound it at last"
145
146
Chapter F#$rtee% "RISONERS&
>DB>D -ouldn)t say a %ord# he /ust stood there, starin& at the ile o! in&ots, holdin& one in her hand# he -ould hardly believe that these stran&e bri-shaed thin&s %ere really &old# er heart thumed !ast# hat a %onder!ul, marvellous !ind uddenly *im be&an to bar loudly# e stood %ith his ba- to the -hildren, his nose to%ards the door and ho% he bared "hut u, *im" said Julian# "hat -an you hear? (s it the others -omin& ba-?" e %ent to the door and yelled do%n the assa&e outside# ".i- 0nne (s it you? $ome +ui-ly, be-ause %e)ve !ound the in&ots D)FD <A. *DM ABB ABB" *im stoed barin& and be&an to &ro%l# >eor&e looed uEEled# "hatever -an be the matter %ith *im?" she said# "e surely -an)t be &ro%lin& at .i- and 0nne#" *hen both -hildren &ot a most tremendous sho- !or a man)s voi-e -ame boomin& do%n the dar assa&e, main& +ueer e-hoes all around# "ho is here? ho is do%n here?" >eor&e -lut-hed Julian in !ri&ht# *im %ent on &ro%lin&, all the hairs on his ne- standin& u strai&ht# ".o be +uiet, *im" %hisered >eor&e, snain& o!! her tor-h# ut *im simly %ould not be +uiet# e %ent on &ro%lin& as i! he %ere a small thunderstorm#
147
148
*he -hildren sa% the beam o! a o%er!ul tor-hli&ht -omin& round the -orner o! the dun&eon assa&e# *hen the li&ht i-ed them out, and the holder o! the tor-h -ame to a surrised sto# "ell, %ell, %ell" said a voi-e# "=oo %ho)s here *%o -hildren in the dun&eons o! my -astle#" "hat do you mean, your -astle" -ried >eor&e# "ell, my dear little &irl, it is my -astle, be-ause ()m in the ro-ess o! buyin& it," said the voi-e# *hen another voi-e soe, more &ru!!ly# "hat are you doin& do%n here? hat did you mean %hen you shouted out G.i-H and G0nne,H and said you had !ound the in&ots? hat in&ots?" ".on)t ans%er," %hisered Julian to >eor&e# ut the e-hoes too his %ords and made them very loud in the assa&e#".)* 0DB .)* 0DB" "h, so you %on)t ans%er," said the se-ond man, and he steed to%ards the -hildren# *im bared his teeth, but the man didn)t seem at all !ri&htened o! him# *he man %ent to the door and !lashed his tor-h inside the dun&eon# e &ave a lon& %histle o! surrise# "Jae =oo here" he said# "ou %ere ri&ht# *he &old)s here all ri&ht# 0nd ho% easy to tae a%ay 0ll in in&ots my %ord, this is the most amaEin& thin& %e)ve ever stru-#" "*his &old is mine," said >eor&e, in a !ury# "*he island and the -astle belon& to my mother and so does anythin& !ound here# *his &old %as brou&ht here and stored by my &reat&reat&reat&rand!ather be!ore his shi &ot %re-ed# (t)s not yours, and never %ill be# 0s soon as (
149
15;
&et ba- home ( shall tell my !ather and mother %hat %e)ve !ound and then you may be sure you %on)t be able to buy the -astle or the island ou %ere very -lever, !indin& out !rom the ma in the old bo about the &old Ibut /ust not -lever enou&h !or us# e !ound it !irst" *he men listened in silen-e to >eor&e)s -lear and an&ry voi-e# ne o! them lau&hed# "ou)re only a -hild," he said# "ou surely don)t thin you -an ee us !rom &ettin& our %ay? e)re &oin& to buy this island and everythin& in it and %e shall tae the &old %hen the deeds are si&ned# 0nd i! by any -han-e %e -ouldn)t buy the island, %e)d tae the &old /ust the same# (t %ould be easy enou&h to brin& a shi here and trans!er the in&ots !rom here by boat to the shi# .on)t %orry %e shall &et %hat %e %ant all ri&ht#" "ou %ill not" said >eor&e, and she steed out o! the door# "()m &oin& strai&ht home no% and ()ll tell my !ather all you)ve said#" "My dear little &irl, you are not &oin& home," said the !irst man, uttin& his hands on >eor&e and !or-in& her ba- into the dun&eon# "0nd, by the %ay, unless you %ant me to shoot this unleasant do& o! yours, -all him o!!, %ill you?" >eor&e sa%, to her dismay, that the man had a shinin& revolver in his hand# (n !ri&ht she -au&ht hold o! *im)s -ollar and ulled him to her# "e +uiet, *im," she said# "(t)s all ri&ht#" ut *im ne% +uite %ell that it %asn)t all ri&ht# omethin& %as very %ron&# e %ent on &ro%lin& !ier-ely# "o% listen to me," said the man, a!ter he had had a hurried tal %ith his -omanion# "(! you
151
are &oin& to be sensible, nothin& unleasant %ill haen to you# ut i! you %ant to be obstinate, you)ll be very sorry# hat %e are &oin& to do is this %e)re &oin& o!! in our motorboat, leavin& you ni-ely lo-ed u here and %e)re &oin& to &et a shi and -ome ba- !or the &old# e don)t thin it)s %orth %hile buyin& the island no% %e no% %here the in&ots are#" "0nd you are &oin& to %rite a note to your -omanions above, tellin& them you)ve !ound the &old and they are to -ome do%n and loo !or it," said the other man# "*hen %e shall lo- u all o! you in this dun&eon, %ith the in&ots to lay %ith, leavin& you !ood and drin till %e -ome ba-# o% then here is a en-il# rite a note to .i- and 0nne, %hoever they are, and send your do& u %ith it# $ome on#" "( %on)t," said >eor&e, her !a-e !urious# "( %on)t# ou -an)t mae me do a thin& lie that# ( %on)t &et oor .i- and 0nne do%n here to be made risoners# 0nd ( %on)t let you have my &old, /ust %hen ()ve dis-overed it#" "e shall shoot your do& i! you don)t do as you)re told," said the !irst man, suddenly# >eor&e)s heart san do%n and she !elt -old and terri!ied# "o, no," she said, in a lo%, deserate voi-e# "ell, %rite the note then," said the man, o!!erin& her a en-il and aer# ">o on# ()ll tell you %hat to say#" "( -an)t" sobbed >eor&e# "( don)t %ant to &et .i- and 0nne do%n here to be made risoners#" "0ll ri&ht ()ll shoot the do& then," said the man, in a -old voi-e and he levelled his revolver at oor *im# >eor&e thre% her arms round her do& and &ave a s-ream#
152
"o, no ()ll %rite the note# .on)t shoot *im, don)t shoot him" *he &irl too the aer and en-il in a shain& hand and looed at the man# "rite this," he ordered# " ".ear .i- and 0nne# e)ve !ound the &old# $ome on do%n at on-e and see it#" *hen si&n your name, %hatever it is#" >eor&e %rote %hat the man had said# *hen she si&ned her name# ut instead o! %ritin& G>eor&eH she ut G>eor&ina#H he ne% that the others %ould !eel -ertain she %ould never si&n hersel! that and she hoed it %ould %arn them that somethin& +ueer %as u# *he man too the note and !astened it to *im)s -ollar# *he do& &ro%led all the time, but >eor&e et tellin& him not to bite# "o% tell him to &o and !ind your !riends," said the man# "eor&e# ">o on, *im# ive them the note#" *im did not %ant to leave >eor&e, but there %as somethin& very ur&ent in her voi-e# e too one last loo at his mistress, &ave her hand a li- and sed o!! do%n the assa&e# e ne% the %ay no%# A the ro-y stes he bounded and into the oen air# e stoed in the old yard, sni!!in&# here %ere .i- and 0nne? e smelt their !ootstes and ran o!!, his nose to the &round# e soon !ound the t%o -hildren out on the ro-s# .i- %as !eelin& better no% and %as sittin& u# is -hee had almost stoed bleedin&# "allo," he said in surrise, %hen he sa% *im# "ere)s *imothy hy, *im, old -ha, %hy
153
have you -ome to see us? .id you &et tired o! bein& under&round in the dar?" "=oo, .i- he)s &ot somethin& t%isted into his -ollar," said 0nne, her shar eyes seein& the aer there# "(t)s a note# ( ee-t it)s !rom the others, tellin& us to &o do%n# (sn)t *im -lever to brin& it?" .i- too the aer !rom *im)s -ollar# e undid it and read it# ".ear .i- and 0nne," he read out aloud, "e)ve !ound the &old# $ome on do%n at on-e and see it# >eor&ina#" "ooh" said 0nne, her eyes shinin&# "*hey)ve !ound it# h .i- are you %ell enou&h to -ome no%? =et)s hurry#" ut .i- did not &et u !rom the ro-s# e sat and stared at the note, uEEled# "hat)s the matter?" said 0nne, imatiently# "ell, don)t you thin it)s !unny that >eor&e should suddenly si&n hersel! G>eor&inaH?" said .i-, slo%ly# "ou no% ho% she hates bein& a &irl, and havin& a &irl)s name# ou no% ho% she %ill never ans%er i! anyone -alls her >eor&ina# 0nd yet in this note she si&ns hersel! by the name she hates# (t does seem a bit !unny to me# 0lmost as i! it)s a ind o! %arnin& that there)s somethin& %ron&#" "h, don)t be so silly, .i-," said 0nne# "hat -ould be %ron&? .o -ome on#" "0nne, ()d lie to o over to that inlet o! ours to mae sure there)s no one else -ome to the island," said .i-# "ou stay here#" ut 0nne didn)t %ant to stay there alone# he ran round the -oast %ith .i-, tellin& him all the time that she thou&ht he %as very silly#
154
ut %hen they -ame to the little harbour, they sa% that there %as another boat there, as %ell as their o%n# (t %as a motorboat omeone else %as on the island "=oo," said .i-, in a %hiser# "*here is someone else here# 0nd ( bet it)s the men %ho %ant to buy the island# ( bet they)ve read that old ma and no% there)s &old here# 0nd they)ve !ound >eor&e and Julian and %ant to &et us all toðer do%n in the dun&eons so that they -an ee us sa!e till they)ve stolen the &old# *hat)s %hy they made >eor&e send us that note but she si&ned it %ith a name she never uses to %arn us o% %e must thin hard# hat are %e &oin& to do?"
155
Chapter F'tee% DICK TO THE RESCUE&
.($@ -au&ht hold o! 0nne)s hand and ulled her +ui-ly a%ay !rom the -ove# e %as a!raid that %hoever had -ome to the island mi&ht be some%here about and see them# *he boy too 0nne to the little stone room %here their thin&s %ere and they sat do%n in a -orner# "hoever has -ome has dis-overed Julian and >eor&e smashin& in that door, ( should thin," said .i-, in a %hiser# "( simly -an)t thin %hat to do# e mustn)t &o do%n into the dun&eons or %e)ll most -ertainly be -au&ht# allo %here)s *im o!! to?" *he do& had et %ith them !or a %hile but no% he ran o!! to the entran-e o! the dun&eons# e disaeared do%n the stes# e meant to &et ba- to >eor&e, !or he ne% she %as in dan&er# .i- and 0nne stared a!ter him# *hey had !elt -om!orted %hile he %as there, and no% they %ere sorry he had &one# *hey really didn)t no% %hat to do# *hen 0nne had an idea# "( no%" she said, "%e)ll ro% ba- to the land in our boat and &et hel#" "()d thou&ht o! that," said .i-, &loomily# "ut you no% er!e-tly %ell %e)d never no% the %ay in and out o! those a%!ul ro-s# e)d %re- the boat# ()m sure %e)re not stron& enou&h either to ro% all the %ay ba-# h, dear ( do %ish %e -ould thin %hat to do#" *hey didn)t need to uEEle their brains lon&#
156
*he men -ame u out o! the dun&eons and be&an to hunt !or the t%o -hildren *hey had seen *im %hen he -ame ba- and had !ound the note &one# o they ne% the t%o -hildren had taen it and they -ouldn)t ima&ine %hy they had not obeyed %hat >eor&e had said in the note, and -ome do%n to the dun&eons .i- heard their voi-es# e -lut-hed hold o! 0nne to mae her ee +uiet# e sa% throu&h the broen ar-h%ay that the men %ere &oin& in the oosite dire-tion# "0nne ( no% %here %e -an hide" said the boy, e-itedly# ".o%n the old %ell e -an -limb do%n the ladder a little %ay and hide there# ()m sure no one %ould ever loo there" 0nne didn)t at all %ant to -limb do%n the %ell even a little %ay# ut .i- ulled her to her !eet and hurried her o!! to the middle o! the old -ourtyard# *he men %ere huntin& around the other side o! the -astle# *here %as /ust time to -limb in# .i- slied aside the old %ooden -over o! the %ell and heled 0nne do%n the ladder# he %as very s-ared# *hen the boy -limbed do%n himsel! and slied the %ooden -over ba- a&ain over his head, as best he -ould# *he old stone slab that *im had sat on %hen he !ell do%n the %ell %as still there# .i- -limbed do%n to it and tested it# (t %as immovable# "(t)s sa!e !or you to sit on, 0nne, i! you don)t %ant to ee -lin&in& to the ladder," he %hisered# o 0nne sat shiverin& on the stone slab a-ross the %ellsha!t, %aitin& to see i! they %ere dis-overed or not# *hey et hearin& the voi-es o! the men, no% near at hand and no% !aro!!# *hen the men be&an to shout !or them#
157
158
".i- 0nne *he others %ant you here are you? e)ve e-itin& ne%s !or you#" "ell, %hy don)t they let Julian and >eor&e -ome u and tell us then?" %hisered .i-# "*here)s somethin& %ron&, ( no% there is# ( do %ish %e -ould &et to Julian and >eor&e and !ind out %hat has haened#" *he t%o men -ame into the -ourtyard# *hey %ere an&ry# "here have those ids &ot to?" said Jae# "*heir boat is still in the -ove, so they haven)t &ot a%ay# *hey must be hidin& some%here# e -an)t %ait all day !or them#" "ell, let)s tae some !ood and drin do%n to the t%o %e)ve lo-ed u," said the other man# "*here)s lenty in that little stone room# ( suose it)s a store the -hildren brou&ht over# e)ll leave hal! in the room so that the other t%o ids -an have it# 0nd %e)ll tae their boat %ith us so that they -an)t es-ae#" "Bi&ht," said Jae# "*he thin& to do is to &et the &old a%ay as +ui-ly as ossible, and mae sure the -hildren are risoners here until %e)ve made a sa!e &eta%ay# e %on)t bother any more about tryin& to buy the island# 0!ter all, it %as only the idea o! &ettin& the in&ots that ut us u to the idea o! &ettin& @irrin $astle and the island#" "ell-ome on," said his -omanion# "e %ill tae the !ood do%n no%, and not bother about the other ids# ou stay here and see i! you -an sot them %hile ( &o do%n#" .i- and 0nne hardly dared to breathe %hen they heard all this# o% they hoed that the men %ouldn)t thin o! looin& do%n the %ell *hey heard one man %al to the little stone room# (t %as lain that he %as &ettin& !ood and drin to
159
tae do%n to the t%o risoners in the dun&eons belo%# *he other man stayed in the -ourtyard, %histlin& so!tly# 0!ter %hat seemed a very lon& time to the hidden -hildren, the !irst man -ame ba-# *hen the t%o taled toðer, and at last %ent o!! to the -ove# .i- heard the motorboat bein& started u# "(t)s sa!e to &et out no%, 0nne," he said# "(sn)t it -old do%n here? ()ll be &lad to &et out into the sunshine#" *hey -limbed out and stood %armin& themselves in the hot summer sunshine# *hey -ould see the motorboat streain& to%ards the mainland# "ell, they)re &one !or the moment," said .i-# "0nd they)ve not taen our boat, as they said# (! only %e -ould res-ue Julian and >eor&e, %e -ould &et hel, be-ause >eor&e -ould ro% us ba-#" "hy -an)t %e res-ue them?" -ried 0nne, her eyes shinin&# "e -an &o do%n the stes and unbolt the door, -an)t %e?" "o %e -an)t," said .i-# "=oo" 0nne looed to %here he ointed# he sa% that the t%o men had iled bi&, heavy slabs o! broen stone over the dun&eon entran-e# (t had taen all their stren&th to ut the bi& stones there# either .i- nor 0nne -ould hoe to move them# "(t)s +uite imossible to &et do%n the stes," said .i-# "*hey)ve made sure %e shan)t do that 0nd you no% %e haven)t any idea %here the se-ond entran-e is# e only no% it %as some%here near the to%er#"
16;
"=et)s see i! %e -an !ind it," said 0nne ea&erly# *hey set o!! to the to%er on the ri&ht o! the -astle but it %as +uite -lear that %hatever entran-e there mi&ht have been on-e, it %as &one no% *he -astle had !allen in very mu-h /ust there, and there %ere iles o! old broen stones every%here, +uite imossible to move# *he -hildren soon &ave u the sear-h# "lo%" said .i-# "o% ( do hate to thin o! oor old Julian and >eor&e risoners do%n belo%, and %e -an)t even hel them h, 0nne -an)t you thin o! somethin& to do?" 0nne sat do%n on a stone and thou&ht hard# he %as very %orried# *hen she bri&htened u a little and turned to .i-# ".i- ( suose ( suose %e -ouldn)t ossibly -limb do%n the %ell, -ould %e?" she ased# "ou no% it &oes ast the dun&eons and there)s an oenin& on the dun&eon !loor !rom the %ellsha!t, be-ause don)t you remember %e %ere able to ut in our heads and shoulders and loo ri&ht u the %ell to the to? $ould %e &et ast that slab, do you thin the one that ( sat on /ust no%, that has !allen a-ross the %ell?" .i- thou&ht it all over# e %ent to the %ell and eered do%n it# "ou no%, ( believe you are ri&ht, 0nne," he said at last# "e mi&ht be able to s+ueeEe ast that slab# *here)s /ust about room# ( don)t no% ho% !ar the iron ladder &oes do%n thou&h#" "h, .i- do let)s try," said 0nne# "(t)s our only -han-e o! res-uin& the others" "ell," said .i-, )()ll try it but not you, 0nne# ()m not &oin& to have you !allin& do%n that %ell# *he ladder mi&ht be broen hal!%ay
161
do%n anythin& mi&ht haen# ou must stay u here and ()ll see %hat ( -an do#" "ou %ill be -are!ul, %on)t you?" said 0nne, aniously# "*ae a roe %ith you, .i-, so that i! you need one you %on)t have to -limb all the %ay u a&ain#" ">ood idea," said .i-# e %ent to the little stone room and &ot one o! the roes they had ut there# e %ound it round and round his %aist# *hen he %ent ba- to 0nne# "ell, here &oes" he said, in a -heer!ul voi-e# ".on)t %orry about me# ()ll be all ri&ht#" 0nne %as rather %hite# he %as terribly a!raid that .i- mi&ht !all ri&ht do%n to the bottom o! the %ell# he %at-hed him -limb do%n the iron ladder to the slab o! stone# e tried his best to s+ueeEe by it, but it %as very di!!i-ult# 0t last he mana&ed it and a!ter that 0nne -ould see him no more# ut she -ould hear him, !or he et -allin& u to her# "=adder)s still &oin& stron&, 0nne ()m all ri&ht# $an you hear me?" "es," shouted 0nne do%n the %ell, hearin& her voi-e e-ho in a !unny hollo% manner# "*ae -are, .i-# ( do hoe the ladder &oes all the %ay do%n#" "( thin it does" yelled ba- .i-# *hen he &ave a loud e-lamation# "lo% (t)s broen /ust here# roen ri&ht o!!# r else it ends# ()ll have to use my roe#" *here %as a silen-e as .i- un%ound the roe !rom his %aist# e tied it !irmly to the last but one run& o! the ladder, %hi-h seemed +uite stron&# "()m &oin& do%n the roe no%" he shouted to 0nne# ".on)t %orry# ()m all ri&ht# ere ( &o"
162
0nne -ouldn)t hear %hat .i- said a!ter that, !or the %ellsha!t made his %ords &o -rooed and she -ouldn)t mae out %hat they %ere# ut she %as &lad to hear him shoutin& even thou&h she didn)t no% %hat he said# he yelled do%n to him too, hoin& he -ould hear her# .i- slid do%n the roe, holdin& on to it %ith hands, nees and !eet, &lad that he %as so &ood at &ym at s-hool# e %ondered i! he %as any%here near the dun&eons# e seemed to have &one do%n a lon& %ay# e mana&ed to &et out his tor-h# e ut it bet%een his teeth a!ter he had s%it-hed it on, so that he mi&ht have both hands !ree !or the roe# *he li&ht !rom the tor-h sho%ed him the %alls o! the %ell around him# e -ouldn)t mae out i! he %as above or belo% the dun&eons# e didn)t %ant to &o ri&ht do%n to the bottom o! the %ell e de-ided that he must have /ust assed the oenin& into the dun&eon-aves# e -limbed ba- u the roe a little %ay and to his deli&ht sa% that he %as ri&ht# *he oenin& on to the dun&eons %as /ust by his head# e -limbed u till he %as level %ith it and then s%un& himsel! to the side o! the %ell %here the small oenin& %as# e mana&ed to &et hold o! the bri-ed ed&e, and then tried to s-ramble throu&h the oenin& into the dun&eon# (t %as di!!i-ult, but lu-ily .i- %as not very bi&# e mana&ed it at last and stood u strai&ht %ith a si&h o! relie!# e %as in the dun&eons e -ould no% !ollo% the -halmars to the room or -ave %here the in&ots %ere and %here he !elt sure that >eor&e and Julian %ere imrisoned e shone his tor-h on the %all# es there
163
164
%ere the -halmars# >ood e ut his head into the %elloenin& and yelled at the to o! his voi-e# "0nne ()m in the dun&eons at-h out that the men don)t -ome ba-" *hen he be&an to !ollo% the %hite -halmars, his heart beatin& !ast# 0!ter a %hile he -ame to the door o! the storeroom# 0s he had ee-ted, it %as !astened so that >eor&e and Julian -ouldn)t &et out# i& bolts had been driven home at the to and bottom, and the -hildren inside -ould not ossibly &et out# *hey had tried their hardest to batter do%n the door, but it %as no &ood at all# *hey %ere sittin& inside the store-ave, !eelin& an&ry and ehausted# *he man had brou&ht them !ood and drin, but they had not tou-hed it# *im %as %ith them, lyin& do%n %ith his head on his a%s, hal!an&ry %ith >eor&e be-ause she hadn)t let him !ly at the men as he had so badly %anted to# ut >eor&e !elt -ertain that *im %ould be shot i! he tried bitin& or snain&# "0ny%ay, the other t%o had sense enou&h not to -ome do%n and be made risoners too," said >eor&e# "*hey must have no%n there %as somethin& !unny about that note %hen they sa% ( had si&ned mysel! >eor&ina instead o! >eor&e# ( %onder %hat they are doin&# *hey must be hidin&#" *im suddenly &ave a &ro%l# e leat to his !eet and %ent to the -losed door, his head on one side# e had heard somethin&, that %as -ertain# "( hoe it)s not those men ba- a&ain already," said >eor&e# *hen she looed at *im in surrise, !lashin& her tor-h on to him# e %as %a&&in& his tail
165
0 &reat ban& at the door made them all /um out o! their sins *hen -ame .i-)s -heer!ul voi-e# "i, Julian i, >eor&e 0re you here?" "u!!!!!!" bared *im, /oy!ully and s-rat-hed at the door# ".i- en the door" yelled Julian in deli&ht# ":ui-, oen the door"
166
Chapter Sixteen A "LAN— AND A NARROW ESCA"E
.($@ unbolted the door at the to and bottom and !lun& it oen# e rushed in and thumed >eor&e and Julian haily on the ba-# "allo" he said# "o% does it !eel to be res-ued?" "eor&e &rinned at .i-# ">ood %or" she said# "hat haened?" .i- told them in a !e% %ords all that had haened# hen he related ho% he had -limbed do%n the old %ell, >eor&e and Julian -ould hardly believe their ears# Julian slied his arm throu&h his youn&er brother)s# "ou)re a bri-" he said# "0 real bri- o% +ui- %hat are %e &oin& to do?" "ell, i! they)ve le!t us our boat ()m &oin& to tae us all ba- to the mainland as +ui-ly as ossible," said >eor&e# "()m not layin& about %ith men %ho brandish revolvers all the time# $ome on A the %ell %e &o and !ind the boat#" *hey ran to the %ellsha!t and s+ueeEed throu&h the small oenin& one by one# A the roe they %ent, and soon !ound the iron ladder# Julian made them &o u one by one in -ase the ladder %ouldn)t bear the %ei&ht o! all three at on-e# (t really %asn)t very lon& be!ore they %ere all u in the oen air on-e more, &ivin& 0nne
167
168
hu&s, and hearin& her e-laim &ladly, %ith tears in her eyes, ho% leased she %as to see them all a&ain# "o% -ome on" said >eor&e a!ter a minute# "!! to the boat# :ui- *hose men may be ba- at any time#" *hey rushed to the -ove# *here %as their boat, lyin& %here they had ulled it, out o! rea-h o! the %aves# ut %hat a sho- !or them "*hey)ve taen the oars" said >eor&e, in dismay# "*he beasts *hey no% %e -an)t ro% the boat a%ay %ithout oars# *hey %ere a!raid you and 0nne mi&ht ro% o!!, .i- so instead o! botherin& to to% the boat behind them, they /ust &rabbed the oars# o% %e)re stu-# e -an)t ossibly &et a%ay#" (t %as a &reat disaointment# *he -hildren %ere almost ready to -ry# 0!ter .i-)s marvellous res-ue o! >eor&e and Julian, it had seemed as i! everythin& %as &oin& ri&ht and no% suddenly thin&s %ere &oin& %ron& a&ain# "e must thin this out," said Julian, sittin& do%n %here he -ould see at on-e i! any boat -ame in si&ht# "*he men have &one o!! robably to &et a shi !rom some%here in %hi-h they -an ut the in&ots and sail a%ay# *hey %on)t be ba- !or some time, ( should thin, be-ause you -an)t -harter a shi all in a hurry unless, o! -ourse, they)ve &ot one o! their o%n#" "0nd in the meantime %e -an)t &et o!! the island to &et hel, be-ause they)ve &ot our oars," said >eor&e# "e -an)t even si&nal to any assin& !ishin&boat be-ause they %on)t be out /ust no%# *he tide)s %ron&# (t seems as i! all %e)ve &ot to do is %ait here atiently till the men -ome
169
ba- and tae my &old 0nd %e -an)t sto them#" "ou no% ()ve &ot a sort o! lan -omin& into my head," said Julian, slo%ly# "ait a bit don)t interrut me# ()m thinin&#" *he others %aited in silen-e %hile Julian sat and !ro%ned, thinin& o! his lan# *hen he looed at the others %ith a smile# "( believe it %ill %or," he said# "=isten e)ll %ait here in atien-e till the men -ome ba-# hat %ill they do? *hey)ll dra& a%ay those stones at the to o! the dun&eon entran-e, and &o do%n the stes# *hey)ll &o to the store room, %here they le!t us thinin& %e are still there, and they %ill &o into the room# ell, %hat about one o! us bein& hidden do%n there ready to bolt them into the room? *hen %e -an either &o o!! in their motorboat or our o%n boat i! they brin& ba- our oars and &et hel#" 0nne thou&ht it %as a marvellous idea# ut .i- and >eor&e did not loo so -ertain# "e)d have to &o do%n and bolt that door a&ain to mae it seem as i! %e are still risoners there," said >eor&e# "0nd suose the one %ho hides do%n there doesn)t mana&e to bolt the men in? (t mi&ht be very di!!i-ult to do that +ui-ly enou&h# *hey %ill simly -at-h %hoever %e lan to leave do%n there, and -ome u to loo !or the rest o! us#" "*hat)s true," said Julian, thou&ht!ully# "ell %e)ll suose that .i-, or %hoever &oes do%n, doesn)t mana&e to bolt them in and mae them risoners and the men -ome u here a&ain# 0ll ri&ht %hile they are do%n belo% %e)ll ile bi&
17;
stones over the entran-e, /ust as they did# *hen they %on)t be able to &et out#" "hat about .i- do%n belo%?" said 0nne, at on-e# "( -ould -limb u the %ell a&ain" said .i-, ea&erly# "()ll be the one to &o do%n and hide# ()ll do my best to bolt the men into the room# 0nd i! ( have to es-ae ()ll -limb u the %ellsha!t a&ain# *he men don)t no% about that# o even i! they are not risoners in the dun&eon room, they)ll be risoners under&round" *he -hildren taled over this lan, and de-ided that it %as the best they -ould thin o!# *hen >eor&e said she thou&ht it %ould be a &ood thin& to have a meal# *hey %ere all hal!starved and, no% that the %orry and e-itement o! bein& res-ued %as over, they %ere !eelin& very hun&ry *hey !et-hed some !ood !rom the little room and ate it in the -ove, eein& a shar looout !or the return o! the men# 0!ter about t%o hours they sa% a bi& !ishin&sma- aear in the distan-e, and heard the -hu&-hu&-hu& o! a motorboat too# "*here they are" said Julian, in e-itement, and he /umed to his !eet# "*hat)s the shi they mean to load %ith the in&ots, and sail a%ay in sa!ety and there)s the motor boat brin&in& the men ba- :ui-, .i-, do%n the %ell you &o, and hide until you hear them in the dun&eons" .i- shot o!!# Julian turned to the others# "e)ll have to hide," he said# "o% that the tide is out %e)ll hide over yonder, behind those un-overed ro-s# ( don)t someho% thin the men %ill do any huntin& !or .i- and 0nne but they mi&ht# $ome on :ui-"
171
172
*hey all hid themselves behind the ro-s, and heard the motorboat -ome -hu&&in& into the tiny harbour# *hey -ould hear men -allin& to one another# *here sounded to be more than t%o men this time# *hen the men le!t the inlet and %ent u the lo% -li!! to%ards the ruined -astle# Julian -ret behind the ro-s and eeed to see %hat the men %ere doin&# e !elt -ertain they %ere ullin& a%ay the slabs o! stone that had been iled on to o! the entran-e to revent .i- and 0nne &oin& do%n to res-ue the others# ">eor&e $ome on" -alled Julian in a lo% tone# "( thin the men have &one do%n the stes into the dun&eons no%# e must &o and try to ut those bi& stones ba-# :ui-" >eor&e, Julian and 0nne ran so!tly and s%i!tly to the old -ourtyard o! the -astle# *hey sa% that the stones had been ulled a%ay !rom the entran-e to the dun&eons# *he men had disaeared# *hey had lainly &one do%n the stes# *he three -hildren did their best to tu& at the heavy stones to dra& them ba-# ut their stren&th %as not the same as that o! the men, and they -ould not mana&e to &et any very bi& stones a-ross# *hey ut three smaller ones, and Julian hoed the men %ould !ind them too di!!i-ult to move !rom belo%# "(! only .i- has mana&ed to bolt them into that room" he said to the others# ">ome on, ba- to the %ell no%# .i- %ill have to -ome u there, be-ause he %on)t be able to &et out o! the entran-e#" *hey all %ent to the %ell# .i- had removed the old %ooden -over, and it %as lyin& on the &round# *he -hildren leaned over the hole o! the %ell and %aited aniously# hat %as .i-
173
174
doin&? *hey -ould hear nothin& !rom the %ell and they lon&ed to no% %hat %as haenin&# *here %as lenty haenin& do%n belo% *he t%o men, and another, had &one do%n into the dun&eons, ee-tin&, o! -ourse, to !ind Julian, >eor&e and the do& still lo-ed u in the storeroom %ith the in&ots# *hey assed the %ellsha!t not &uessin& that an e-ited small boy %as hidden there, ready to sli out o! the oenin& as soon as they had assed# .i- heard them ass# e slied out o! the %ell oenin& and !ollo%ed behind +uietly, his !eet main& no sound# e -ould see the beams made by the men)s o%er!ul tor-hes, and %ith his heart thumin& loudly he -ret alon& the smelly old assa&es, bet%een &reat -aves, until the men turned into the %ide assa&e %here the store-ave lay# "ere it is," .i- heard one o! the men say, as he !lashed his tor-h on to the &reat door# "*he &old)s in there so are the ids" *he man unbolted the door at to and bottom# .i- %as &lad that he had slied alon& to bolt the door, !or i! he hadn)t done that be!ore the men had -ome they %ould have no%n that Julian and >eor&e had es-aed, and %ould have been on their &uard# *he man oened the door and steed inside# *he se-ond man !ollo%ed him# .i- -ret as -lose as he dared, %aitin& !or the third man to &o in too# *hen he meant to slam the door and bolt it *he !irst man s%un& his tor-h round and &ave a loud e-lamation# "*he -hildren are &one o% stran&e here are they?"
175
176
*%o o! the men %ere no% in the -ave and the third steed in at that moment# .i- darted !or%ard and slammed the door# (t made a -rash that %ent e-hoin& round and round the -aves and assa&es# .i- !umbled %ith the bolts, his hand tremblin&# *hey %ere sti!! and rusty# *he boy !ound it hard to shoot them home in their so-ets# 0nd mean%hile the men %ere not idle 0s soon as they heard the door slam they sun round# *he third man ut his shoulder to the door at on-e and heaved hard# .i- had /ust &ot one o! the bolts almost into its so-et# *hen all three men !or-ed their stren&th a&ainst the door, and the bolt &ave %ay .i- stared in horror# *he door %as oenin& e turned and !led do%n the dar assa&e# *he men !lashed their tor-hes on and sa% him# *hey %ent a!ter the boy at to seed# .i- !led to the %ellsha!t#
177
178
s+ueeEed round the stone slab near the to# *he other -hildren %ere there, %aitin& !or him# *hey ne% at on-e by the loo on .i-)s !a-e that he had !ailed in %hat he had tried to do# *hey ulled him out +ui-ly# "(t %as no &ood," said .i-, antin& %ith his -limb# "( -ouldn)t do it# *hey burst the door oen /ust as ( %as boltin& it, and -hased me# ( &ot into the sha!t /ust in time#" "*hey)re tryin& to &et out o! the entran-e no%" -ried 0nne, suddenly# ":ui- hat shall %e do? *hey)ll -at-h us all" "*o the boat" shouted Julian, and he too 0nne)s hand to hel her alon&# "$ome alon& (t)s our only -han-e# *he men %ill erhas be able to move those stones#" *he !our -hildren !led do%n the -ourtyard# >eor&e darted into the little stone room as they assed it, and -au&ht u an ae# .i- %ondered %hy she bothered to do that# *im dashed alon& %ith them, barin& madly# *hey -ame to the -ove# *heir o%n boat lay there %ithout oars# *he motorboat %as there too# >eor&e /umed into it and &ave a yell o! deli&ht# "ere are our oars" she shouted# "*ae them, Julian, ()ve &ot a /ob to do here >et the boat do%n to the %ater, +ui-" Julian and .i- too the oars# *hen they dra&&ed their boat do%n to the %ater, %onderin& %hat >eor&e %as doin&# 0ll inds o! -rashin& sounds -ame !rom the motor boat ">eor&e >eor&e u- u# *he men are out" suddenly yelled Julian# e had seen the three men runnin& to the -li!! that led do%n to
179
the -ove# >eor&e leat out o! the motorboat and /oined the others# *hey ushed their boat out on to the %ater, and >eor&e too the oars at on-e, ullin& !or all she %as %orth# *he three men ran to their motorboat# *hen they aused in the &reatest dismay !or >eor&e had -omletely ruined it he had -hoed %ildly %ith her ae at all the ma-hinery she -ould see, and no% the boat -ould not ossibly be started (t %as dama&ed beyond any reair the men -ould mae %ith the !e% tools they had# "ou %i-ed &irl" yelled Jae, shain& his !ist at >eor&e# "ait till ( &et you" "()ll %ait" shouted ba- >eor&e, her blue eyes shinin& dan&erously# "0nd you -an %ait too ou %on)t be able to leave my island no%"
18;
Chapter Se(e%tee% THE END OF THE GREAT ADVENTURE
*D three men stood at the ed&e o! the sea, %at-hin& >eor&e ull a%ay stron&ly !rom the shore# *hey -ould do nothin&# *heir boat %as +uite useless# "*he !ishin&sma- they)ve &ot %aitin& out there is too bi& to use that little inlet," said >eor&e, as she ulled hard at her oars# "*hey)ll have to stay there till someone &oes in %ith a boat# ( &uess they)re as %ild as -an be" *heir boat had to ass !airly near to the bi& !ishin& boat# 0 man hailed them as they -ame by# "0hoy there ave you -ome !rom @irrin (sland?" ".on)t ans%er," said >eor&e# ".on)t say a %ord#" o no one said anythin& at all, but looed the other %ay as i! they hadn)t heard# "0 *DBD" yelled the man, an&rily# "0re you dea!? ave you -ome !rom the island?" till the -hildren said nothin& at all, but looed a%ay %hile >eor&e ro%ed steadily# *he man on the shi &ave it u, and looed in a %orried manner to%ards the island# e !elt sure the -hildren had -ome !rom thereand he ne% enou&h o! his -omrades) adventures to %onder i! everythin& %as ri&ht on the island# "e may ut out a boat !rom the sma- and &o and see %hat)s haenin&," said >eor&e# "ell, he -an)t do mu-h e-et tae the men
181
182
o!! %ith a !e% in&ots ( hardly thin they)ll dare to tae any o! the &old thou&h, no% that %e)ve es-aed to tell our tale" Julian looed behind at the shi# e sa% a!ter a time that the little boat it -arried %as bein& lo%ered into the sea# "ou)re ri&ht," he said to >eor&e# "*hey)re a!raid somethin& is u# *hey)re &oin& to res-ue those three men# hat a ity" *heir little boat rea-hed land# *he -hildren leat out into the shallo% %ater and dra&&ed it u to the bea-h# *im ulled at the roe too, %a&&in& his tail# e loved to /oin in anythin& that the -hildren %ere doin&# "hall you tae *im to 0l!?" ased .i-# >eor&e shoo her head# "o," she said, "%e haven)t any time to %aste# e must &o and tell everythin& that has haened# ()ll tie *im u to the !en-e in the !ront &arden#" *hey made their %ay to @irrin $otta&e at to seed# 0unt
183
said# *hen she turned to%ards the house and -alled, ":uentin :uentin *he -hildren have somethin& to tell us" An-le :uentin -ame out, looin& rather -ross, !or he %as in the middle o! his %or# "hat)s the matter?" he ased# "An-le, it)s about @irrin (sland," said Julian, ea&erly# "*hose men haven)t bou&ht it yet, have they?" "ell, it)s ra-ti-ally sold," said his un-le# "()ve si&ned my art, and they are to si&n their art tomorro%# hy? hat)s that to do %ith you?" "An-le, those men %on)t si&n tomorro%," said Julian# ".o you no% %hy they %anted to buy the island and the -astle? ot be-ause they really %anted to build an hotel or anythin& lie thatbut be-ause they ne% the lost &old %as hidden there" "hat nonsense are you talin&?" said his un-le# "(t isn)t nonsense, eor&e indi&nantly# "(t)s all true# *he ma o! the old -astle %as in that bo you sold and in the ma %as sho%n %here the in&ots %ere hidden by my &reat&reat&reat&rand!ather" >eor&e)s !ather looed amaEed and annoyed# e simly didn)t believe a %ord ut his %i!e sa% by the solemn and serious !a-es o! the !our -hildren that somethin& imortant really had haened# 0nd then 0nne suddenly burst into loud sobs *he e-itement had been too mu-h !or her and she -ouldn)t bear to thin that her un-le %ouldn)t believe that everythin& %as true#
184
"0unt eor&e risoners in the dun&eons and .i- had to -limb do%n the %ell to res-ue them# 0nd >eor&e has smashed u their motorboat to sto them es-ain&" er aunt and un-le -ouldn)t mae head or tail o! this, but An-le :uentin suddenly seemed to thin that the matter %as serious and %orth looin& into# "mashed u a motor boat" he said# "hatever !or? $ome indoors# ( shall have to hear the story !rom be&innin& to end# (t seems +uite unbelievable to me#" *hey all trooed indoors# 0nne sat on her aunt)s nee and listened to >eor&e and Julian tellin& the %hole story# *hey told it %ell and le!t nothin& out# 0unt eor&e, %hen you ne% about the in&ots ut %hy didn)t you tell me?"
185
*he !our -hildren stared at him and didn)t ans%er# *hey -ouldn)t very %ell say, "ell, !irstly, you %ouldn)t have believed us# e-ondly, you are badtemered and un/ust and %e are !ri&htened o! you# *hirdly, %e didn)t trust you enou&h to do the ri&ht thin&#" "hy don)t you ans%er?" said their un-le# is %i!e ans%ered !or them, in a &entle voi-e# ":uentin, you s-are the -hildren, you no%, and ( don)t ee-t they lied to &o to you# ut no% that they have, you %ill be able to tae matters into your o%n hands# *he -hildren -annot do any more# ou must rin& u the oli-e and see %hat they have to say about all this#" "Bi&ht," said An-le :uentin, and he &ot u at on-e# e atted Julian on the ba-# "ou have all done %ell," he said# *hen he ru!!led >eor&e)s short -urly hair# "0nd ()m roud o! you, too, >eor&e," he said# "ou)re as &ood as a boy any day" "h eor&e, &oin& red %ith surrise and leasure# he smiled at him and he smiled ba-# *he -hildren noti-ed that he had a very ni-e !a-e %hen he smiled# e and >eor&e %ere really very alie to loo at# oth looed u&ly %hen they suled and !ro%ned and both %ere &ood to loo at %hen they lau&hed or smiled >eor&e)s !ather %ent o!! to telehone the oli-e and his la%yer too# *he -hildren sat and ate bis-uits and lums, tellin& their aunt a &reat many little details they had !or&otten %hen tellin& the story be!ore# 0s they sat there, there -ame a loud and an&ry
186
bar !rom the !ront &arden# >eor&e looed u# "*hat)s *im," she said, %ith an anious loo at her mother# "( hadn)t time to tae him to 0l!, %ho ees him !or me# Mother, *im %as su-h a -om!ort to us on the island, you no%# ()m sorry he)s barin& no% but ( ee-t he)s hun&ry#" "ell, !et-h him in," said her mother, unee-tedly# "e)s +uite a hero, too %e must &ive him a &ood dinner#" >eor&e smiled in deli&ht# he sed out o! the door and %ent to *im# he set him !ree and he -ame boundin& indoors, %a&&in& his lon& tail# e li-ed >eor&e)s mother and -o-ed his ears at her# ">ood do&," she said, and a-tually atted him# "()ll &et you some dinner" *im trotted out to the it-hen %ith her# Julian &rinned at >eor&e# "ell, loo at that," he said# "our mother)s a bri-, isn)t she?" "es but ( don)t no% %hat eor&e, doubt!ully# er !ather -ame ba- at that minute, his !a-e &rave# "*he oli-e tae a serious vie% o! all this," he said, "and so does my la%yer# *hey all a&ree in thinin& that you -hildren have been remarably -lever and brave# 0nd >eor&e my la%yer says that the in&ots de!initely belon& to us# 0re there really a lot?" "eor&e# "imly hundreds all in a bi& ile in the dun&eon# h,
187
188
-ouldn)t# ()ve %ored hard enou&h !or you but it)s not the ind o! %or that brin&s in a lot o! money, and so ()ve be-ome irritable and badtemered# ut no% you shall have everythin& you %ant" "( don)t really %ant anythin& ( haven)t already &ot," said >eor&e# "ut eor&e, mu-h to her surrise# "Just say %hat it is and even i! it -osts a hundred ounds you shall have it" Just then there -ame the atterin& o! bi& !eet do%n the assa&e to the room they %ere in# 0 bi& hairy head ushed itsel! throu&h the door and looed in+uirin&ly at everyone there# (t %as *im, o! -ourse An-le :uentin stared at him in surrise# "hy, isn)t that *im?" he ased# "allo, *im" "eor&e, s+ueeEin& her !ather)s arm# "ou -an)t thin %hat a !riend he %as to us on the island and he %anted to !ly at those men and !i&ht them# h,
189
ut An-le :uentin %as +uite di!!erent no%# (t seemed as i! a &reat %ei&ht had been li!ted o!! his shoulders# *hey %ere ri-h no% >eor&e -ould &o to a &ood s-hool and his %i!e -ould have the thin&s he had so mu-h %anted her to have and he %ould be able to &o on %ith the %or he loved %ithout !eelin& that he %as not earnin& enou&h to ee his !amily in -om!ort# e beamed round at everyone, looin& as /olly a erson as anyone -ould %ish >eor&e %as over/oyed about *im# he !lun& her arms round her !ather)s ne- and hu&&ed him, a thin& she had not done !or a lon& time# e looed astonished but very leased# "ell, %ell," he said, "this is all very leasant# allo is this the oli-e already?" (t %as# *hey -ame u to the door and had a !e% %ords %ith An-le :uentin# *hen one stayed behind to tae do%n the -hildren)s story in his noteboo and the others %ent o!! to &et a boat to the island# *he men had &one !rom there *he boat !rom the !ishin&sma- had !et-hed them a%ay and no% both shi and boat had disaeared *he motorboat %as still there, +uite unusable# *he inse-tor looed at it %ith a &rin# "eor&ina?" he said# ".one this /ob retty %ell no one -ould &et a%ay in this boat# e)ll have to &et it to%ed into harbour#" *he oli-e brou&ht ba- %ith them some o! the in&ots o! &old to sho% An-le :uentin# *hey had sealed u the door o! the dun&eon so that no one else -ould &et in until the -hildren)s un-le %as ready to &o and !et-h the &old# Dverythin& %as
19;
bein& done thorou&hly and roerly thou&h !ar too slo%ly !or the -hildren *hey had hoed that the men %ould have been -au&ht and taen to rison and that the oli-e %ould brin& ba- the %hole o! the &old at on-e *hey %ere all very tired that ni&ht and didn)t mae any !uss at all %hen their aunt said that they must &o to bed early# *hey undressed and then the boys %ent to eat their suer in the &irls) bedroom# *im %as there, ready to li- u any !allen -rumbs# "ell, ( must say %e)ve had a %onder!ul adventure," said Julian, sleeily# "(n a %ay ()m sorry it)s ended thou&h at times ( didn)t en/oy it very mu-h ese-ially %hen you and (, >eor&e, %ere risoners in that dun&eon# *hat %as a%!ul#" >eor&e %as looin& very hay as she nibbled her &in&erbread bis-uits# he &rinned at Julian# "0nd to thin ( hated the idea o! you all -omin& here to stay" she said# "( %as &oin& to be su-h a beast to you ( %as &oin& to mae you %ish you %ere all home a&ain 0nd no% the only thin& that maes me sad is the idea o! you &oin& a%ay %hi-h you %ill do, o! -ourse, %hen the holidays end# 0nd then, a!ter havin& three !riends %ith me, en/oyin& adventures lie this, ()ll be all on my o%n a&ain# ()ve never been lonely be!ore but ( no% ( shall be no%#" "o, you %on)t," said 0nne, suddenly# "ou -an do somethin& that %ill sto you bein& lonely ever a&ain#" "hat?" said >eor&e in surrise# "ou -an as to &o to the same boardin&s-hool as ( &o to," said 0nne# "(t)s su-h a lovely one
191
and %e are allo%ed to ee our ets, so *im -ould -ome too" ">ra-ious $ould he really?" said >eor&e, her eyes shinin&# "ell, ()ll &o then# ( al%ays said ( %ouldn)tbut ( %ill be-ause ( see no% ho% mu-h better and haier it is to be %ith others than all by mysel!# 0nd i! ( -an have *im, %ell that)s simly %onder!ul" "ou)d better &o ba- to your o%n bedroom no%, boys," said 0unt eor&e is that *im under your bed?" "ell, yes it is, Mother," said >eor&e, retendin& to be surrised# ".ear me *im, %hat are you doin& here?" *im -ra%led out and %ent over to >eor&e)s mother# e lay !lat on his tummy and looed u at her most aealin&ly out o! his so!t bro%n eyes# ".o you %ant to slee in the &irls) room toni&ht?" said >eor&e)s mother, %ith a lau&h# "0ll ri&ht/ust !or on-e" "Mother" yelled >eor&e, over/oyed# "h, than you, than you, than you o% did you &uess that ( /ust didn)t %ant to be arted !rom *im toni&ht? h, Mother *im, you -an slee on the ru& over there#" eor&e %as &oin& to s-hool
192
%ith 0nne and she had *im !or her o%n a&ain *he island and -astle still belon&ed to >eor&e everythin& %as marvellous "()m so &lad @irrin (sland %asn)t sold, >eor&e," said 0nne, sleeily# "()m so &lad it still belon&s to you#" "(t belon&s to three other eole too," said >eor&e# "(t belon&s to me and to you and Julian and .i-# ()ve dis-overed that it)s !un to share thin&s# o tomorro% ( am &oin& to dra% u a deed, or %hatever it)s -alled, and ut in it that ( &ive you and the others a +uartershare ea-h# @irrin (sland and $astle shall belon& to us all" "h, >eor&e ho% lovely" said 0nne, deli&hted# "on)t the boys be leased? ( do !eel so ha ###" ut be!ore she -ould !inish, the little &irl %as aslee# o %as >eor&e# (n the other room the t%o boys slet, too, dreamin& o! in&ots and dun&eons and all inds o! e-itin& thin&s# nly one erson %as a%ae and that %as *im# e had one ear u and %as listenin& to the -hildren)s breathin&# 0s soon as he ne% they %ere aslee he &ot u +uietly !rom his ru&# e -ret so!tly over to >eor&e)s bed# e ut his !ront a%s u and sni!!ed at the sleein& &irl# *hen, %ith a bound he %as on the bed, and snu&&led himsel! do%n into the -roo o! her le&s# e &ave a si&h, and shut his eyes# *he !our -hildren mi&ht be hay but *im %as haiest o! all# "h, *im," murmured >eor&e, hal! %ain& u as she !elt him a&ainst her# "h, *im, you
193
mustn)t but you do !eel so ni-e# *im %e)ll have other adventures toðer, the !ive o! us %on)t %e?" *hey %ill but that)s another story
THE END
194
195
