George couldn’t help feeling pleased. This boy thought she was a boy! George was always gracious to people who made the mistake of thinking she was a boy.

“Of course I’ll take you!” she said. “It shouldn’t be long before I do — the experiment is nearly done.”

Chapter Seven

A little squabble

A sound made them turn. It was the boy’s father coming up. He nodded to the children. “Making friends?” he said, amiably. “That’s right. My boy’s pretty lonely here. I hope you’ll come up and see us some time. Finished your conversation, son?”

“Yes,” said the boy. “This boy here says that island is his, and he’s going to take me over it when his father has finished his work there — and that won’t be long.”

“And do you know the way through all those wicked rocks?” said the man. “I shouldn’t care to try it. I was talking to the fishermen the other day, and not one of them appeared to know the way!”

This was rather astonishing. Some of the fishermen did know it. Then the children remembered that the men had all been forbidden to take anyone to the island while Uncle Quentin was at work there. It was clear that they had pretended not to know the way, in loyalty to their orders.

“Did you want to go to the island then?” asked Dick, suddenly.

“Oh no! But my boy here would love to go,” said the man. “I don’t want to be seasick, bobbing up and down on those waves near the island. I’m a poor sailor. I never go on the sea if I can help it!”

“Well, we must go,” said Julian. “We’ve got to do some shopping for my aunt. Good-bye!”

“Come and see us as soon as you can,” said the man. “I’ve a fine television set that Martin here would like to show you. Any afternoon you like!”

“Oh thanks!” said George. She seldom saw television. “We’ll come!”

They parted, and the four children and Timmy went on down the cliff-path.

“Whatever made you sound so rude, Dick?” said George. “The way you said “What’s that to do with you?” sounded quite insulting.”

“Well — I just felt suspicious, that’s all,” said Dick. “That boy seemed to be so jolly interested in the island and in your father’s work, and when it would be finished.”

“Why shouldn’t he be?” demanded George. “Everyone in the village is interested. They all know about the tower. And all the boy wanted to know was when he could go to my island — that’s why he asked when Father’s work would be finished. I liked him.”

“You only liked him because he was ass enough to think you were a boy,” said Dick. “Jolly girlish-looking boy you are, that’s all I can say.”

George flared up at once. “Don’t be mean! I’m not girlish-looking. I’ve far more freckles than you have, for one thing, and better eyebrows. And I can make my voice go deep.”