Five On A Treasure Island

"I do love it," said A

George felt very happy. She had often been on her island before, but always alone except 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 much nicer. For the first time George began to understand that sharing pleasures doubles their joy.

"We'll wait till the waves go down a bit then we'll go back home," she said. "I rather think there's some more rain coming, and we'll only get soaked through. We shan't be back till tea-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 little as they rowed home. Everyone took turns at rowing except A

"It's just as well it's there," said Julian. "No one can see it yet. Only when a boat goes out to fish will it be seen. And we shall be there as early as any boat goes out! I vote we get up at dawn."

"Well, that's pretty early," said George. "Can you wake up? I'm often out at dawn, but you're not used to it."

"Of course we can wake up," said Julian. "Well- here we are back at the beach again- and I'm jolly glad. My arms are awfully tired and I'm so hungry I could eat a whole larderful 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 Fa

"Did you have an exciting day?" asked their aunt.

"Oh yes!" said A

Julian and Dick both kicked her under the table. George couldn't reach her or she would most certainly have kicked her too. A

"Now what's the matter?" asked Aunt Fa

"It threw up the most enormous waves," said A

"Sorry for kicking you, A

"So did mine," said Dick. "Yes, Aunt Fa

"I wasn't really afraid of the storm," said A

Everyone knew perfectly well that A

"Oooh!" said A

"The rabbits were so tame," said Julian, loudly.

"We watched the cormorants," said Dick, and George joined in too, talking at the same time.

"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 Aunt Fa

The children went to wash. "Idiot!" said Julian to A

"I didn't mean what you thought I meant the first time!" began A

George interrupted her.

"I'd rather you gave the secret of the wreck away than my secret about Tim," she said. "I do think you've got a careless tongue."

"Yes, I have," said A

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 Uncle Quentin. " Georgina, keep your cousins quiet."

The 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't think."

"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. A

"We'll have to be up most awfully early," said Dick, yawning. "What about going to bed in good 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 an exciting thing to look forward to, early-bed seemed different that night.

"It will make the time go quickly," said A

"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 with rowing- which is perfectly true- and we'll get a good night's sleep, and be ready for our adventure tomorrow morning. And it is an adventure, you know. It isn't many people that have the chance of exploring an old, old wreck like that, which has always been at the bottom of the sea!"

So, by eight o'clock, all the children were in bed, rather to Aunt Fa

"I must take Tim too," she thought, as she fell asleep. "We can't leave old Tim out of this. He shall share in the adventure too!