Five Have Plenty of Fun (9 page)

The children, with the two dogs barking excitedly, ran to the other, seaward side of the island. Great rocks lay out there, and the sea splashed over them.

„There it is - a motor-boat!" cried Dick. They all stood and watched the boat riding over the sea at a very fast speed.

„Where are the glasses - did we bring them with us?" said Julian. „I"d like to focus them on the boat and see if I can read the name - or even see the men in it!"

But the glasses had been left behind at Kirrin Cottage - what a pity!

„They must have anchored their motor-boat out there, and somehow clambered inshore over the rocks," said George. „It"s a dangerous thing to do if you don"t know the best way."

„Yes - and if they came last night, as I think they must have done, because I"m sure now it was the engine of the motor-boat that I heard," said Anne, „if they came last night, they must have clambered to the shore in the dark. I wonder they managed it!"

„It must have been the light of a lantern or a torch you saw on the island in the night," said Julian. „They probably didn"t want to be seen arriving on the island, and that"s why they went to the other side, the seaward side. I wonder if they were men spying to find out if Berta is with us or not."

„Let"s snoop around a bit more and see if we can find anything else," said Anne. „The motor-boat is almost out of sight now."

They went back to the other side of the island. Berta looked with awe at the old ruined castle in the middle. Jackdaws circled round a tower, calling loudly. „Chack-chack-chack!"

„Once upon a time my castle had strong wal s all round it," said George. „And there were two great towers. One"s almost in ruins, as you can see, but the other is fairly good. Come right into the castle."

Berta followed the others in, struck dumb with awe. To think that this island, and this wonderful old ruined castle, belonged to George! How very, very lucky she was!

She went through a great doorway, and found herself in a dark room, with stone walls enclosing it. Two narrow, slit-like windows brought in al the light there was.

„It"s strange and old and mysterious," said Berta, half to herself. „It"s asleep and dreaming of the old days when people lived here. It doesn"t like us being here!"

„Wake up!" said Dick. „You look quite dopey!" Berta shook herself and looked round again.

Then she went on through the castle and looked at other rooms, some without roofs, some without one or two of their walls.

„It"s a honey of a castle!" she said to George. „A real honey. Wunnerful. WonDERful."

They wandered al round, showing the awe-struck Berta everything. „We"ll show you the dungeons too," said George, very pleased to be impressing Berta so much.

„Dungeons! You"ve got dungeons too - oh, of course, you told me about them," said Berta. „Dungeons! You don"t say! My my, I"l never forget this afternoon."

As they walked over the old courtyard Timmy suddenly growled and stood stil , his tail down, the hackles on his neck rising. Everyone automatically stood stil too.

„What is it, Tim? asked George, in a whisper. Timmy"s nose was pointing towards the little harbour where they had left their boat.

„There must be someone there," said Dick. „Don"t say they"re going off with our boat!"

George gave a scream. Her boat! Her precious boat! She set off at top speed with Timmy bounding in front.

„Come back, George - there may be danger!" shouted Julian, but George didn"t listen.

She ran over the rocks that led down to the little harbour-beach, and then stopped stil in surprise.

Two policemen were walking up the sandy beach! Their boat was drawn up beside George"s. They saluted her and grinned.

„Afternoon, Miss George!"

„What are you doing on my island?" demanded George, recognising them. „Why have you come here?"

„Someone reported suspicious people on the island," said the first policeman.

„Who did?" said George. „Nobody knew about it but us!"

„I bet I know who reported it," said Dick suddenly. „Joan did! She didn"t like us going off by ourselves; she said we ought to telephone the police."

„That"s right," said the policeman. „So we came to see for ourselves. Found anyone?"

Julian took command then, and related how they had first seen the cigarette ends, and then heard the motor-boat starting up, and had gone to see it roaring away from the island.

„Ah," said both policemen, profoundly. „Ah!"

„What do you mean - “AH”?" asked Dick.

„Fred here heard a motor-boat somewhere in the bay in the night," said the first man.

„What was it doing there, I"d like to know?"

„So would we," said Julian. „We saw someone on the island looking through binoculars at the beach this morning."

This brought forth two more „Ahs", and the policemen exchanged glances.

„Good thing you"ve got a couple of dogs with you," said the one called Fred. „Well - we"ll just have a bit of a look round, and then we"ll go back on our beats again. And mind you ring us up next time anything turns up, Miss George, see?"

Off they went together, looking closely at the ground. They found the cigarette ends and picked them up. Then on they went again.

„Let"s go back," said George, in a low voice. „It spoils things if other people are on the island. I don"t want to have a picnic here now. We"ll go off in the boat somewhere and have a picnic tea in a cove."

So they dragged the boat down to the water and jumped in. Sal y was very pleased to be back in the boat and ran from end to end wagging her stiff little tail in delight. Timmy followed her up and down and got in everyone"s way.

„How can I row if you keep on jumping over me, Timmy?" complained Dick. „Sal y, you"re just as bad. Berta, are you all right? You look a bit green?"

„It"s only excitement and the bumpy bit past the rocks," said Berta, anxious not to appear seasick in front of the others. „I"l be al right as soon as we get on to calm waters."

But she wasn"t, so it was regretful y decided that they must row to the shore. They had a lazy tea on the beach, and Berta recovered enough to join in heartily.

„Anyone got room for an ice-cream?" asked Anne. „Because if so I"l stroll down to the shops and get some. I want to buy a new pair of shoe-laces too. One of mine broke this morning."

Everyone appeared to have room for an ice-cream, so Anne set off with Sal y, who wanted to come with her. She went to the draper"s and got the laces, and then went to the tea-shop that sold ices.

„Seven, please," she said. The girl in the shop smiled.

„Seven! You used to ask for five."

„Yes, I know. But we"ve got someone staying with us - and another dog," explained Anne.

„And both dogs like ice-creams."

„That reminds me - someone was in my shop yesterday asking about your uncle," said the girl. „He said he knew him. He wanted to know how many children were staying at Kirrin Cottage, and I thought only the four of you were there - and Timmy, of course. He seemed surprised, and said, surely there was another girl?"

„Good gracious!" said Anne, startled. „Did he real y? How inquisitive! What did you say then?"

„I just said there were two boys and a girl, and a girl who liked to dress as a boy," said the girl.

Anne was glad to think the shop-girl hadn"t known about Berta. „What was the man like?"

she asked.

„Quite ordinary," said the girl, trying to remember. „He wore dark glasses like so many visitors do in the bright sun. I noticed he had a large gold ring on his finger when he paid my bil . That"s all I can remember."

„Well, if anyone else asks you about us, just say we"ve got a friend staying with us cal ed Lesley," said Anne. „Good-bye."

She went off at top speed, anxious to tell the others. The man in the tea-shop must have been one of those who had gone to the island to watch the beach - he might have been staring at the five of them as they had played together. He must be one of the men now in the motor-boat. Anne didn"t like it, and it made her feel very uneasy.

She told the others what the shop girl had said as they sat in the sand and ate their ice-creams. Timmy gobbled his almost at once, and sat patiently watching for Sal y to deal with hers, hoping that she would leave some.

Al the four listened intently to Anne"s little story.

„That settles it," said Dick. „Those men are certainly snooping round trying to find out if Lesley is here."

„They are getting uncomfortably close," said Julian.

„Stil , your uncle and aunt come back tomorrow," said Berta. „We"ll tell them, and maybe they"l have some good plan."

„I hope those men don"t know that they are away," said Dick, uneasily. „I think we"l have to keep a pretty close watch from now on. I wonder if Berta ought to stay on here with us."

„See what Father says tomorrow," said George. So it was decided that nothing should be done except to keep a sharp look-out until George"s parents came back. They all went back rather soberly to Kirrin Cottage and told Joan what had happened on the island.

„You telephoned to the police, Joan!" said Dick, shaking his finger at her.

„I did. And I was right to," said Joan. „And what"s more Master Lesley"s bed is going to be moved away from the window tonight and the window"s going to be fastened even if we melt, and the door wil be locked."

„I"l lend you Timmy, too, if you like," said George „He can sleep in the room with Sal y. You ought to be safe then!"

She really only meant it as a joke, but to her surprise Joan accepted at once. „Thank you, Miss," she said. „I"d be glad of Timmy. I feel al of a dither, left on my own like this, and kidnappers closing in on us!"

Julian laughed. „Oh, it"s not so bad as that, Joan! Only one more night and Uncle Quentin and Aunt Fanny wil be back."

„Oh - I quite forgot to tell you," said Joan. „Look, there"s a telegram come. They"re staying away a whole week! That"s why I feel so scared. A week - well a lot can happen in a week!"

Julian was not very happy to hear that his aunt and uncle were staying away for a week.

He picked up the telegram. It was addressed to George, but Joan had opened it.

„Not returning for a week," it said. „Complications have arisen, Hope all goes wel . Love from Mother."

There was no address. How annoying! Now Julian couldn"t even let them know that he was feeling uneasy. He made up his mind to guard Berta every minute! Thank goodness they had Timmy. Nobody would dare to do any kidnapping under Timmy"s eye!

He thought it was a good idea to put Timmy in Joan"s room that night with Berta. In fact, if George would agree, it would be best to do that each night. He thought it would not be wise to ask George now, though, because he could see that she was half sorry she had made the offer to Joan!

Julian was quite fussy that evening. He insisted on the blinds being drawn when they sat down to play cards after their supper. He would not let Berta take Sally out for a run, but took her himself, watching for any strange person as he went down the lane.

„You"re making me feel quite scared!" said Anne with a laugh. „Oh Ju, it"s so hot in this room. Do, do let"s have the blind up for a few minutes and let some air in. I shal begin to sizzle if we don"t. Timmy would soon growl if there was anyone outside."

„Al right," said Julian and drew up the blind. It was dark outside now, and the light streamed out.

„That"s better," said Anne, mopping her wet forehead. „Now, whose turn is it? Yours, George."

They sat round the table, playing. Julian and Berta sat side by side, as Julian was helping her in a new game of cards. She looked exactly like a very earnest little boy, with her straight close-cut fair hair. George sat opposite the window with Dick on one side of her and Anne on the other.

„Your turn, Dick," said George. „Do buck up, you"re slow tonight." She sat and waited, looking out of the window into the darkness.

Then suddenly she slammed down her cards and leapt up, shouting. Everyone jumped almost out of their skins.

„What is it, what is it, George?" cried Julian.

„Out there - look - a face! I saw a face peeping in at us - the light of the window just caught it! Timmy, Timmy! Quick, go after him!"

But Timmy wasn"t there! Nor was Sal y. George cal ed frantical y again. „TIMMY! Come here, quickly. Oh, blow him, that fel ow wil get away. TIM!"

Timmy came bounding up the hall and into the sitting-room, barking. Sal y followed behind.

„Where were you! Fathead!" cried George furiously. „Jump out of the window - go on -

chase him, find him!"

Timmy leapt out of the window and Sal y tried to do the same, but couldn"t. She barked and yelped, trying again and again to jump out. Joan came running in, panic-stricken, wondering what was happening.

„Listen," said Julian, suddenly. „Shut up, Sal y, Listen!"

They were al suddenly quiet, Sal y too. There was the sound of a car being revved up down the lane, and then the sound died down as the car sped away.

„He"s got away, whoever he was," said Dick, and sat down suddenly. „Gosh, I feel as if I"d been running a mile. You nearly scared the life out of me when you slammed down your cards like that, George, and yelled in my ear."

Timmy leapt in at the window at that moment and Dick almost jumped out of his skin again. So did everyone else, including Sal y, who fled behind the sofa in panic.

„What"s all this about?" said Joan, quite fiercely. „Really!"

George was in a tearing rage - with Timmy of all things! She shouted at the surprised dog and he put his tail down at once.

„Where were you? Why did you slink out of the room into the kitchen? How dare you leave me and go off like that? Just when we needed you! I"m ashamed of you, Timmy -

you could have caught that fel ow easily!"

„Oh don"t," said Berta, almost in tears. „Poor Timmy! Don"t George!"

Then George turned on Berta. „You just let me scold my own dog if he needs it! And you go and scold yours too. I bet Timmy fol owed your horrid little wool y pet out into the kitchen - it was her fault, not his!"