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The little front room was too small to hold them all, so they went into the garden. George brought out seats for everybody, and it was a very gay, noisy party that sat out there and talked and talked.
“If only I could get my hands on Diaz and Luiz, the traitors!” said Paul’s father angrily, as Paul told him how he had been kept prisoner.
“Well, you can if you want to,” said Mike, with a grin. “We’ve made them prisoners now! You can catch them as soon as you please!”
“Where are they then?” cried Dimmy.
“On our secret island without a boat!” laughed Mike. “And there they’ll stay till somebody goes over and catches them!”
Everybody laughed in delight. It was very fu
“To-morrow morning I and the policemen will go over in a boat,” said the king grimly. “Diaz and Luiz will be most surprised to see us! They meant to prevent my son Paul from being king after me if I died - and now that I am very much alive, they will be sorry they ever thought of such a plan!”
“Will you take Paul back with you?” said Mike, feeling sorry that they were to lose a boy he liked very much.
“Yes,” said the king. “But next term he is to come to school in your good, safe country of England, and maybe he could go to your school, Jack and Mike?”
“Oh, good!” said the two boys, pleased. “We’ll look after him!”
“I’m sure you will!” said Paul’s father, clapping both boys on the back. “You’ve looked after him marvellously so far!”
“Well, what are we all going to do to-night?” said Dimmy. “I’d like to ask you all to stay with me, but Peep-Hole is too small! I could put Captain and Mrs. Arnold into my spare room, but there’s no other room, I’m afraid.”
“We shall go to the nearest town and stay at the hotel there,” said the king. “Paul must go with us, for I feel I ca
The king and Prince Paul, and the four men in uniform said good-bye and went to their big car. It started up, and, with a terrific noise, shot up the lane.
“We’ve forgotten all about the hamper of food,” said Jack suddenly. “Let’s go and get it now, Mike. I feel as if I could eat my hat!”
“I’d like to see you!” said Mike. The two of them set off to the aeroplane. They climbed into the cock-pit and found a large hamper there. They carried it between them to Peep-Hole.
They all had a picnic in the garden - George too. How they enjoyed it! They told their stories again and again.
“Mr. Diaz, Mrs. Diaz, and Luiz all came to Peep-Hole in a furious rage the night you went to the secret island,” said Dimmy. “Luckily by the time they got here, George was back, so between the two of us we sent them off. They were quite sure that the prince was here with you.”
“They must have found out somehow about our island, and where it was,” said Mike. “Well, it’s a story that everybody knows, so that wouldn’t have been very difficult. Oh, wouldn’t I like to see the faces of those two on the island to-morrow, when the king and the police go to fetch them!”
And, indeed, Mr. Diaz and Luiz did get a dreadful shock when a boat, full of English policemen, arrived at the secret island the next day! The two men were busy working at making a rough raft to paddle across to the mainland and they did not hear the boat arriving. They looked up from their work to see the King of Baronia walking towards them, with five men behind him!
The children heard all about it the next day. “That finishes Mr. Diaz and his plots,” said Jack, pleased. “What a good thing we came to Spiggy Holes for our holidays! Young Paul would still have been a prisoner, and we wouldn’t have had all these adventures.”
That evening George came ru
The children and Dimmy ran out into the road - and there, coming down the lane, drawn on an enormous trailer, was the finest little motor-boat that anybody could wish for!
“It’s coming to Peep-Hole!” cried Jack.
So it was! It was a present to the four children from the King of Baronia for all their help to his son. The children could hardly believe their eyes!
“What a wonderful present!” they cried. “Oh, George, let’s launch it this evening!”
It was impossible to get the motor-boat down to the beach. It had to be taken to Longrigg and unshipped there. George’s brother helped. It was launched on the calm, evening waters, and everyone got in, Dimmy too. It was so easy to drive that Mike and Jack could take it in turns.
The motor started up with a lovely whirring sound. The little boat leapt forward. Mike swung her out to sea, feeling as proud as could be. A motor-boat of their own! How lucky they were!
Now they’re off, all the way back to Peep-Hole. Good-bye, Mike - good-bye, Jack! Good-bye, Nora and Peggy! You deserve your good luck, and we loved all your adventures. Maybe we’ll hear more of them another day. Good-bye, good-bye!