“I do too,” said George. “I love looking through your telescope. Can I look through now? I’d like to see if I can spot Kirrin Island.”

“Well, you won’t see much this weather,” said the coastguard. “You wait a few minutes. See that break in the clouds? Well, it’ll clear in a few minutes, and you’ll be able to see your island easily. That’s a funny thing your father’s built there, Miss. Part of his work, I suppose.”

“Yes,” said George. “Oh Timmy — look what he’s done, coastguard — he’s upset that tin of paint. Bad boy, Timmy!”

“It’s not my tin,” said the coastguard. “It’s a tin belonging to that young fellow next door. I told you he comes in to help me sometimes. He brought in that tin to help paint a little dolls’ house I made for his father.”

“Oh dear,” said George, in dismay. “Do you think he’ll be cross when he knows Timmy spilt it?”

“Shouldn’t think so,” said the coastguard. “He’s a queer boy though — quiet and a bit sulky. Not a bad boy, but doesn’t seem very friendly like.”

George tried to clear up the mess of paint. Timmy had some on his paws, and made a little pattern of green paw-marks as he pattered about the shed.

“I’ll tell the boy I’m sorry, if I meet him on the way back,” she said. “Timmy if you dare to go near any more tins of paint you shan’t sleep on my bed tonight.”

“The weather’s a bit clearer now,” said Dick. “Can we have a squint through the telescope, coastguard?”

“Let me see my island first,” said George at once. She tilted the telescope in the direction of Kirrin Island. She looked through it earnestly, and a smile came over her face.

“Yes, I can see it clearly. There’s the tower Father has had built. I can even see the glass room quite clearly, and there’s nobody in it. No sign of Father anywhere.”

Everyone had a turn at looking through the telescope. It was fascinating to see the island appearing so close. On a clear day it would be even easier to see all the details. “I can see a rabbit scampering,” said Anne, when her turn came.

“Don’t you let that dog of yours squint through the telescope then,” said the coastguard at once. “He’ll try to get down it after that rabbit!”

Timmy cocked his ears up at the mention of the word rabbit. He looked all round and sniffed. No, there was no rabbit. Then why did people mention them?

“We’d better go now,” said Julian. “We’ll be up here again sometime, and we’ll come and see what toys you’ve done. Thanks for letting us look through the telescope.”

“You’re welcome!” said the old fellow. “You’re not likely to wear it out through looking! Come along any time you want to use it.”

They said good-bye and went off, Timmy capering round them. “Couldn’t we see Kirrin Island well!” said Anne. “I wished I could see where your father was, George. Wouldn’t it be fun if we spotted him just coming out of his hiding-place?”