“It feels icy! I knew it would. I can’t lie down in it yet — I can only sit up!”

However they were soon all lying full-length in the shallow waves at the edge of the sea, sliding down the sand a little every now and again as the tide ebbed further from them. It was lovely to feel the cool fingers of the sea on every part of them.

Suddenly Timmy barked. He was not in the water with them, but was just at the edge. He thought that lying down in the sea was quite unnecessary! George raised her head.

“What’s the matter?” she said. “There’s nobody coming.”

But Dick had heard something too. He sat up hurriedly. “Gosh, I believe that’s someone ringing a bell for us. It sounds like the bell from Kirrin Cottage!”

“But it can’t be dinner-time yet!” said Anne in dismay.

“It must be,” said Julian, leaping up. “Blow! This is what comes of leaving my watch in my blazer pocket! I ought to have remembered that time at Kirrin goes more quickly than anywhere else!”

He ran up to the beach to his blazer and took his wrist-watch from the pocket. “It’s one o’clock!” he yelled. “In fact, it’s a minute past. Buck up, we’ll be awfully late!”

“Blow!” said George. “Mother won’t be at all pleased with us, because those two scientist people will be there!”

They collected their blazers and tore up the beach. It was not very far to Kirrin Cottage, fortunately, and they were soon running in at the front gate. There was a very large car outside, one of the latest American models. But there was no time to examine it!

They trailed in quietly at the garden door. George’s mother met them, looking rather cross.

“Sorry, Aunt Fanny,” said Julian. “Please forgive us. It was my fault entirely. I’m the only one with a watch.”

“Are we awfully late?” asked Anne. “Have you begun lunch yet? Would you like us just to take our picnic basket and slip off without interrupting?”

“No,” said her aunt. “Fortunately your uncle is still shut up in his study with his friends. I’ve rung the gong once but I don’t expect they’ve even heard it! I rang the bell for you because I thought that any moment they might come out, and your uncle would be cross if you weren’t there just to say how-do-you-do!”

“But Father’s friends don’t usually want to see us,” said George, surprised.

“Well, one of them has a girl a bit younger than you, George — younger than Anne too, I think,” said her mother. “And he specially asked to see you all, because his daughter is going to your school next term.”

“We’d better buck up and have a bit of a wash then,” said Julian — but at that very moment the study door opened, and his uncle Quentin came out with two men.