Five Run Away Together (2 page)

Timmy gave a whine, and put his head down on his paws. He licked a few hairs from the corner of his mouth. It was sad to be tied up—but anyhow he had bitten a bit off the tip of one of that dreadful dog's ears!

They all went in to breakfast. "Sorry I let Timmy go," said Julian to George. "But he nearly tore my arm off. I couldn't possibly hold him! He's grown into an awfully powerful dog, hasn't he?"

"Yes," said George, proudly. "He has. He could eat Mrs. Stick's dog up in a mouthful if we'd let him. And Edgar too."

"And Mrs. Stick," said Anne. "All .of them. I don't like any of them."

Breakfast was rather a subdued meal, as Aunt Fanny was not there, but Uncle Quentin was—and Uncle Quentin in a bad temper was not a very cheerful person to have at the breakfast-table. He snapped at George and glared at the others. Anne almost wished they hadn't come to Kirrin Cottage! But her spirits rose when she thought of the rest of the day—they would take their dinner out, perhaps, and have it on the beach—or maybe even go out to Kirrin Island. Uncle Quentin wouldn't be with them to spoil things.

Mrs. Stick appeared to take away the porridge plates and bring in the bacon. She banged the plates down on the table.

"No need to do that," said Uncle Quentin, irritably. Mrs. Stick said nothing. She was scared of Uncle Quentin, and no wonder! She put the next lot of plates down quietly.

"What are. you going to do today?" asked Uncle Quentin, towards the end of breakfast. He was feeling a little better by that time, and didn't like to see such subdued faces round him.

"We thought we might go out for a picnic," said George, eagerly. "I asked Mother.

She said we might, if Mrs. Stick will make us sandwiches."

"Well, I shouldn't think she'll try very hard," said Uncle Quentin, trying to make a little joke. They all smiled politely. "But you can ask her."

There was a silence. Nobody liked the idea of asking Mrs. Stick for sandwiches.

"I do wish she hadn't brought Stinker," said George, gloomily. "Everything would be easier if he wasn't here."

"Is that the name of her son?" asked Uncle Quentin, startled.

George grinned. "Oh no. Though it wouldn't be a bad name for him, because he hardly ever has a bath, and he's jolly smelly. It's her dog I mean. She calls him Tinker, but I call him Stinker, because he really does smell awful."

"I don't think it's a very nice name," said her father, in the midst of the others"

giggles.

"No, it isn't," said George; "but then, he isn't a very nice dog."

In the end it was Aunt Fanny who saw Mrs. Stick and arranged about the sandwiches.

Mrs. Stick went up to see Aunt Fanny, who was having breakfast in bed, and agreed to make sandwiches, though with a very bad grace.

"I didn't bargain for three more children to come traipsing along," she said, sulkily.

"I told you they were coming, Mrs. Stick," said Aunt Fanny, patiently. "I didn't know I should be feeling so ill myself when they came. If I had been well I could have made their sandwiches and done many more things. I can only ask you to help as much as you can till I feel better. I may be all right tomorrow. Let the children have a good time for a week or so, and then, if I still feel ill, I am sure they will all turn to and help a bit. But let them have a good time first."

The children took their packets of sandwiches and set off. On the way they met Edgar, looking as stupid and sly as usual. "Why don't you let me come along with you?"

he said. "Let's go to that island. I know a lot about it, I do."

"No, you don't," said George, in a flash. "You don't know anything about it. And I'd never take you. It's my island, see? Well, ours. It belongs to all four of us and Timmy, too. We should never allow you to go."

"'Tisn't your island," said Edgar. "That's a lie, that is!"

"You don't know what you're talking about," said George, scornfully. "Come on, you others! We can't waste time talking to Edgar."

They left him, looking sulky and angry. As soon as they were at a safe distance he lifted up his voice:

"Georgie-porgie, pudding and pie, She knows how to tell a lie, Georgie-porgie, pudding and pie!"

Julian made as if he would go back after the rude Edgar, but George pulled him on.

"He'll only go and tell tales to his mother, and she'll walk out and there'll be no one to help Mother," she said. "I'll just have to put up with it. We'll try and think of some way to get our own back, though. Nasty creature! I hate his pimply nose and screwed-up eyes."!

"Woof!" said Timmy, feelingly.

"Timmy says he hates Stinker's miserable tail and silly little ears," explained George, and they all laughed. That made them feel better. They were soon out of hearing of Edgar's silly song, and forgot all about him.

"Let's go and see if your boat is ready," said Julian. "Then maybe we could row out to the dear old island."

A NASTY SHOCK

GEORGE'S boat was almost ready, but not quite. It was having a last coat of paint on it. It looked very gay, for George had chosen a bright red paint, and the oars were painted red too.

"Oh, can't we possibly have it this afternoon?" said George to Jim the boatman.

He shook his head.

"No, Master George," he said, "not unless you all want to be messed up with red paint.

It'll be dry tomorrow, but not before."

It always made the others smile to hear the boatmen and fishermen call Georgina

"Master George." The local people all knew how badly she wanted to be a boy, and they knew, too, how plucky and straightforward she was, so they laughed to one another and said: "Well, they reckoned she behaved like a boy, and if she wanted to be called "Master George" instead of "Miss Georgina", she deserved it!"

So Georgina was Master George, and enjoyed strutting about in her jeans and jersey on the beach, using her boat as well as any fisher-boy, and swimming faster than them all.

"We'll go to the island tomorrow then," said Julian. "We'll just picnic on the beach today. Then we'll go for a walk."

So they picnicked on the sands with Timothy sharing more than half their lunch. The sandwiches were not very nice. The bread was too stale; there was not enough butter inside, and they were far too thick. But Timothy didn't mind. He gobbled up as many as he could, his tail wagging so hard that it sent sand over everyone.

"Timothy, do take your tail out of the sand if you want to wag it," said Julian, getting sand all over his hair for the fourth time. Timmy wagged his tail hard again, and sent another shower over him. Everyone laughed.

"Let's go for a walk now," said Dick, jumping up. "My legs could do with some good exercise. Where shall we go?"

"We'll walk along the cliff-top, where we can see the island all the time, shall we?"

said Anne. "George, is the old wreck still there?"

George nodded. The children had once had a most exciting time with an old wreck that had lain at the bottom of the sea. A great storm had lifted it up and set it firmly on the rocks. They had been able to explore the wreck then, and had found a map of the castle in it, with instructions as to where hidden treasure was to be found.

"Do you remember how we found that old map in the wreck, and how we looked for the ingots of gold and found them?" said Julian, his eyes gleaming as he remembered it all. "Isn't the wreck battered to pieces yet, George?"

"No," said George. "I don't think so. It's on the rocks on the other side of the island, you remember, so we can't see it from here. But we might have a look at it when we go on the island tomorrow."

"Yes, let's," said Anne. "Poor old wreck! I guess it won't last many winters now."

They walked along the cliff-top with Timothy capering ahead of them. They could see the island easily and the ruined castle rising up from the middle.

"There's the jackdaw tower," said Anne, looking. "The other tower's fallen down hasn't it? Look at the jackdaws circling round and round the tower, George!"

"Yes. They build in it every year," said George. "Don't you remember the masses of sticks round about the tower that the jackdaws dropped when they built their nests?

We picked some up and made a fire with them once."

"I'd like to do that again," said Anne. "I would really. Let's do it each night if we stay a week on the island. George, did you ask your mother?"

"Oh yes," said George. "She said she thought we might, but she would see."

"I don't like it when grown-ups say they'll see," said Anne. "It so often means they won't let you do something after all, but they don't like to tell you at the time."

"Well, I expect she will let us," said George. "After all, we're much older than last year. Why, Julian is in his teens already, and I soon shall be and so will Dick. Only Anne is small."

"I'm not," said Anne, indignantly. "I'm as strong as you are. I can't help being younger."

"Hush, hush, baby!" said Julian, patting his little sister on the back and laughing at her furious face. "Hallo—look! What's that over there on the island?"

He had caught sight of something as he was teasing Anne. Everyone swung round and gazed at Kirrin. George gave an exclamation.

"Golly—a spire of smoke! Surely it's smoke! Someone's on my island."

"On our island," corrected Dick. "It can't be! That smoke must come from a steamer out beyond the island. We can't see it, that's all. But I bet the smoke comes from a steamer. We know no one can get to the island but us. They don't know the way."

"If anyone's on my island," began George, looking very fierce and angry, "if anyone's on my island, I'll—I'll—I'll . . ."

"You'll explode and go up in smoke!" said Dick. "There—it's gone now. I'm sure it was only a steamer letting off steam or smoking hard, whatever they do."

They watched Kirrin Island for some time after that, but they could see no more smoke. "If only my boat was ready!" said George, restlessly. "I'd go over this afternoon. I've a good mind to go and get my boat, even if the paint tr wet."

"Don't be an idiot!" said Julian. "You know what an awful row we'd get into if we go home with all our things bright red. Have a bit of sense, George."

George gave up the idea. She watched for a steamer to appear at one side of the island or another, to come into the bay, but none came.

"Probably anchored out there," said Dick. "Come on! Are we going to stand rooted to this spot for the rest of the day?"

"We'd better get back home," said Julian, looking at his wrist-watch. "It's almost tea-time. I hope your mother is up, George. It's much nicer when she's at meals."

"Oh, I expect she will be," said George. "Come on, then let's go back!"

They turned to go back. They watched Kirrin Island as they walked, but all they could see was jackdaws or gulls in the sky above it. No more spires of smoke appeared. It must have been a steamer!

"All the same, I'm going over tomorrow to have a look," said George, firmly. "If any trippers are visiting my island I'll turn them off." "

"Our island," said Dick. "George, I wish you'd remember you said you'd share it with us."

"Well—I did share it out with you," said George, "but I can't help feeling it's still my island. Come on! I'm getting hungry."

They came back at last to Kirrin Cottage. They went into the hall, and then into the sitting-room. To their great surprise Edgar was there, reading one of Julian's books.

"What are you doing here?" said Julian. "And who told you you could borrow my book?"

"I'm not doing any harm," said Edgar. "If I want to have a quiet read, why shouldn't I?"

"You wait till my Father comes in and finds you lolling about here," said George. "My goodness, if you'd gone into his study, you'd have been sorry."

"I've been in there," said Edgar, surprisingly. "I've seer those funny instruments he's working with."

"How dare you!" said George, going white with rage "Why, even we are not allowed to go into my Father'; study. As for touching his things — well!"

Julian eyed Edgar curiously. He could not imagine why the boy should suddenly be so insolent.

"Where's your father, George?" he said. "I think we had better get him to deal with Edgar. He must be mad.

"Call him if you like," said Edgar, still lolling in the chair, and flicking over the pages of Julian's book in a most irritating way. "He won't come."

"What do you mean?" said George, feeling suddenly scared. "Where's my mother?"

"Call her too, if you like," said the boy, looking sly. "Go on! Call her."

The children suddenly felt afraid. What did Edgar mean? George flew upstairs to her mother's room, shouting loudly.

"Mother! Mother! Where are you?"

But her mother's bed was empty. It had not been made—but it was empty. George flew into all the other bedrooms, shouting desperately: "Mother! Mother! Father!

Where are you?"

But there was no answer. George ran downstairs, her face very white. Edgar grinned up at her.

"What did I tell you?" he said. "I said you could call all you liked, but they wouldn't come."

"Where are they?" demanded George. "Tell me at once!"

"Find out yourself," said Edgar.

There was a resounding slap, and Edgar leapt to his feet, holding his left cheek with his hand. George had flown at him and dealt him the hardest smack she could. Edgar lifted his hand to slap her back, but Julian stood in front.

"You're not fighting George," he said. "She's a girl. If you want a fight, I'll take you on."

"I won't be a girl; I'm a boy!" shouted George, trying to push Julian away. "I'll fight Edgar, and I'll beat him, you see if I don't."

But Julian kept her off. Edgar began to edge towards the doorway, but he found Dick there.

"One minute," said Dick. "Before you go — where are our uncle and aunt?"

"Gr-r-r-r-r-r-r," suddenly said Timothy, in such a threatening voice that Edgar stared at him in fright. The

dog had bared his great teeth, and had put up the hackles on his neck. He looked very frightening.

"Hold that dog!" said Edgar, his voice trembling. "He looks as if he's going to spring at me."