the five on a treasure island

7. back to Kirrin cottage

THE four children were so tremendously surprised and excited that for a minute or twothey didn't say a word. They just stared at the dark hulk of the old wreck, imagining whatthey might find. Then Julian clutched George's arm and pressed it tightly."Isn't this wonderful?" he said. "Oh, George, isn't it an extraordinary thing to happen?"Still George said nothing, but stared at the wreck, all kinds of thoughts racing throughher mind. Then she turned to Julian."If only the wreck is still mine now it's thrown up like this!" she said. "I don't know ifwrecks belong to the queen or anyone, like lost treasure does. But after all, the ship didbelong to our family. Nobody bothered much about it when it was down under the seabut do you suppose people will still let me have it for my own now it's thrown up?""Well, don't let's tell anyone!" said Dick."Don't be silly," said George. "One of the fishermen is sure to see it when his ship goesslipping out of the bay. The news will soon be out.""Well then, we'd better explore it thoroughly ourselves before anyone else does!" saidDick, eagerly. "No one knows about it yet. Only us. Can't we explore it as soon as thewaves go down a bit?""We can't wade out to the rocks, if that's what you mean," said George. "We might getthere by boat- but we couldn't possibly risk it now, while the waves are so big. Theywon't go down today, that's certain. The wind is still too strong.""Well, what about tomorrow morning, early?" said Julian. "Before anyone has got toknow about it? I bet if only we can get into the ship first, we can find anything there is tofind!""Yes, I expect we could," said George. "I told you divers had been down and exploredthe ship as thoroughly as they could- but of course it is difficult to do that properly underwater. We might find something they've missed. Oh, this is like a dream. I can't believeit's true that my old wreck has come up from the bottom of the sea like that!"The sun was now properly out, and the children's wet clothes dried in its hot rays. Theysteamed in the sun, and even Tim's coat sent up a mist too. He didn't seem to like thewreck at all, but growled deeply at it. "You are funny, Tim," said George, patting him. "It won't hurt you! What do you think itis?""He probably thinks it's a whale," said Anne with a laugh. "Oh, George- this is the mostexciting day of my life! Oh, can't we possibly take the boat and see if we can get to thewreck?""No, we can't," said George. "I only wish we could. But it's quite impossible, Anne. Forone thing I don't think the wreck has quite settled down on the rocks yet, and maybe itwon't till the tide has gone down. I can see it lifting a little still when an extra big wavecomes. It would be dangerous to go into it yet. And for another thing I don't want myboat smashed to bits on the rocks, and us thrown into that wild water! That's what wouldhappen. We must wait till tomorrow. It's a good idea to come early. I expect lots ofgrown-ups will think it's their business to explore it."The children watched the old wreck for a little time longer and then went all round theisland again. It was certainly not very large, but it really was exciting, with its rocky littlecoast, its quiet inlet where their boat was, the ruined castle, the circling jackdaws, andthe scampering rabbits everywhere."I do love it," said Anne. "I really do. It's just small enough to feel like an island. Mostislands are too big to feel like islands. I mean, Britain is an island, but nobody living on itcould possibly know it unless they were told. Now this island really feels like onebecause wherever you are you can see to the other side of it. I love it."George felt very happy. She had often been on her island before, but always aloneexcept for Tim. She had always vowed that she never, never would take anyone there,because it would spoil her island for her. But it hadn't been spoilt. It had made it muchnicer. For the first time George began to understand that sharing pleasures doublestheir joy."We'll wait till the waves go down a bit then we'll go back home," she said. "I rather thinkthere's some more rain coming, and we'll only get soaked through. We shan't be back tilltea-time as it is, because we'll have a long pull against the out-going tide."All the children felt a little tired after the excitements of the morning. They said very littleas they rowed home. Everyone took turns at rowing except Anne, who was not strongenough with the oars to row against the tide. They looked back at the island as they leftit. They couldn't see the wreck because that was on the opposite side, facing the opensea."It's just as well it's there," said Julian. "No one can see it yet. Only when a boat goesout to fish will it be seen. And we shall be there as early as any boat goes out! I vote weget up at dawn.""Well, that's pretty early," said George. "Can you wake up? I'm often out at dawn, butyou're not used to it.""Of course we can wake up," said Julian. "Well- here we are back at the beach againand I'm jolly glad. My arms are awfully tired and I'm so hungry I could eat a wholelarderful of things.""Woof," said Tim, quite agreeing."I'll have to take Tim to Alf," said George, jumping out of the boat. "You get the boat in,Julian. I'll join you in a few minutes."It wasn't long before all four were sitting down to a good tea. Aunt Fanny had baked newscones for them, and had made a ginger cake with black treacle. It was dark brown andsticky to eat. The children finished it all up and said it was the nicest they had evertasted."Did you have an exciting day?" asked their aunt. "Oh yes!" said Anne, eagerly. "The storm was grand. It threw up ..."Julian and Dick both kicked her under the table. George couldn't reach her or she wouldmost certainly have kicked her too. Anne stared at the boys angrily, with tears in hereyes."Now what's the matter?" asked Aunt Fanny. "Did somebody kick you, Anne? Well,really, this kicking under the table has got to stop. Poor Anne will be covered withbruises. What did the sea throw up, dear?""It threw up the most enormous waves," said Anne, looking defiantly at the others. Sheknew they had thought she was going to say that the sea had thrown up the wreck- butthey were wrong! They had kicked her for nothing!"Sorry for kicking you, Anne," said Julian. "My foot sort of slipped.""So did mine," said Dick. "Yes, Aunt Fanny, it was a magnificent sight on the island. Thewaves raced up that little inlet, and we had to take our boat almost up to the top of thelow cliff there.""I wasn't really afraid of the storm," said Anne. "In fact, I wasn't really as afraid of it as Ti..."Everyone knew perfectly well that Anne was going to mention Timothy, and they allinterrupted her at once, speaking very loudly. Julian managed to get a kick in again."Oooh!" said Anne."The rabbits were so tame," said Julian, loudly."We watched the cormorants," said Dick, and George joined in too, talking at the sametime."The jackdaws made such a noise, they said 'Chack, chack, chack,' all the time.""Well, really, you sound like jackdaws yourselves, talking all at once like this!" said AuntFanny, with a laugh. "Now, have you all finished? Very well, then, go and wash yoursticky hands- yes, George, I know they're sticky, because I made that gingerbread, andyou've had three slices! Then you had better go and play quietly in the other room,because it's raining, and you can't go out. But don't disturb your father, George. He'svery busy."The children went to wash. "Idiot!" said Julian to Anne. "Nearly gave us away twice!""I didn't mean what you thought I meant the first time!" began Anne indignantly.George interrupted her."I'd rather you gave the secret of the wreck away than my secret about Tim," she said. "Ido think you've got a careless tongue.""Yes, I have," said Anne, sorrowfully. "I think I'd better not talk at meal-times any more. Ilove Tim so much I just can't seem to help wanting to talk about him."They all went to play in the other room. Julian turned a table upside down with a crash."We'll play at wrecks," he said. "This is the wreck. Now we're going to explore it."The door flew open and an angry, frowning face looked in. It was George's father!"What was that noise?" he said. "George! Did you overturn that table?""I did," said Julian. "I'm sorry, sir. I quite forgot you were working.""Any more noise like that and I shall keep you all in bed tomorrow!" said his UncleQuentin. "Georgina, keep your cousins quiet." By Enid Blyton 28The door shut and Uncle Quentin went out. The children looked at one another."Your father's awfully fierce, isn't he?" said Julian. "I'm sorry I made that row. I didn'tthink.""We'd better do something really quiet," said George. "Or he'll keep his word- and we'll find ourselves in bed tomorrow just when we want to explore the wreck."This was a terrible thought. Anne went to get one of her dolls to play with. She hadmanaged to bring quite a number after all. Julian fetched a book. George took up abeautiful little boat she was carving out of a piece of wood. Dick lay back on a chair andthought of the exciting wreck. The rain poured down steadily, and everyone hoped itwould have stopped by the morning."We'll have to be up most awfully early," said Dick, yawning. "What about going to bed ingood time tonight? I'm tired with all that rowing."In the ordinary way none of the children liked going to bed early- but with such anexciting thing to look forward to, early-bed seemed different that night."It will make the time go quickly," said Anne, putting down her doll. "Shall we go now?""Whatever do you suppose Mother would say if we went just after tea?" said George."She'd think we were all ill. No, let's go after supper. We'll just say we're tired withrowing- which is perfectly true- and we'll get a good night's sleep, and be ready for ouradventure tomorrow morning. And it is an adventure, you know. It isn't many people thathave the chance of exploring an old, old wreck like that, which has always been at thebottom of the sea!"So, by eight o'clock, all the children were in bed, rather to Aunt Fanny's surprise. Annefell asleep at once. Julian and Dick were not long- but George lay awake for some time,thinking of her island, her wreck- and, of course, her beloved dog!"I must take Tim too," she thought, as she fell asleep. "We can't leave old Tim out ofthis. He shall share in the adventure too!