FIVE ON KIRRIN ISLAND AGAIN by Enid Blyton

12 THE OLD MAP AGAIN

IT was only about half past one when they arrived back, because they had had lunch so very early, and had not stayed long on the island. Joanna was most surprised to see them.

'Well, here you are again!' she said. 'I hope you don't all want another lunch, because there's nothing in the house till I go to the butcher's!' 

'Oh no, Joanna - we've had our picnic lunch,' said her mistress, 'and it was a good thing we packed so much, because the master ate quite half of the lunch! He still hasn't had that nice soup we made for him. Now it will be bad, of course.'

 'Oh, the men! They're as bad as children!' said Joanna.

'Well!' said George. 'Do you really think any of us would let your good soup go bad, Joanna? You know jolly well we'd probably eat it up before we ought to!' 

'That's true I wouldn't accuse any of you four or Timmy either of playing about with your food,' said Joanna. 'You make good work of it, the lot of you. But where is Timmy?'

 'I left him behind to look after Father,' said George. Joanna stared at her in surprise. She knew how passionately fond of Timmy George was.

'You're a very good girl - sometimes!' she said. 'See now - if you're still hungry because your father has eaten most of your lunch, you go and look in the biscuit tin; I made you some of your favourite ginger biscuits this morning. You go and find them.' 

That was always Joanna's way! If she thought anyone was upset, she offered them, her best and freshest food. George went off to find the biscuits.

'You're a kind soul, Joanna,' said George's mother. 'I'm so thankful we left Timmy there. I feel happier about the master now.' 

'What shall we do this afternoon?' said Dick, when they had finished munching the delicious ginger biscuits. 'I say, aren't these good? You know, I do think good cooks deserve some kind of decoration, just as much as good soldiers or scientists, or writers. I should give Joanna the O.B.C.B.E.' 

'Whatever's that?' said Julian.

'Order of the Best Cooks of the British Empire,' said Dick grinning. 'What did you think it was? "Oh, Be Careful Before Eating"?'

 'You really are an absolute donkey,' said Julian. 'Now, what shall we do this afternoon?'

 'Go and explore the passage in the quarry,' said George.

Julian cocked an eye at the window. 'It's about to pour with rain,' he said. 'I don't think that clambering up and down the steep sides of that quarry in the wet would he very easy. No we'll leave that till a fine day.' 

'I'll tell you what we'll do,' said Anne, suddenly. 'Do you remember that old map of Kirrin Castle we once found in a box? It had plans of the castle in it - a plan of the dungeons, and of the ground floor, and of the top part. Well, let's have it out and study it? Now we know there is another hiding-place somewhere, we might be able to trace it on that old map. It's sure to be on it somewhere - but perhaps we didn't notice it before!' 

The others looked at her, thrilled. 

'Now that really is a brilliant idea of yours, Anne,' said Julian, and Anne glowed with pleasure at his praise. 'A very fine idea indeed. Just the thing for a wet afternoon. Where's the map? I suppose you've got it somewhere safe, George?' 

'Oh yes,' said George. 'It's still in that old wooden box, inside the tin lining. I'll get it.' She disappeared upstairs and came down again with the map. It was made of thick parchment, and was yellow with age. She laid it out on the table. The others bent over it, eager to look at it once more.