“Now, lie quiet,” said George, and went out of the room to join the other girls. She found Anne, who was busy writing a letter to her brothers, Julian and Dick, at their boarding-school.

“I’ve told them about Kirrin Island, and your father wanting to borrow it,” she said. “Would you like to come and stay with us, George, these hols, instead of us coming to Kirrin? Then you won’t feel cross all the time because your father is on your island.”

“No thanks,” said George, at once. “I’m going home. I want to keep an eye on Father! I don’t want him blowing up Kirrin Island with one of his experiments. You know he’s messing about with explosives now, don’t you?”

“Ooooh — atom bombs, or things like that?” said Anne.

“I don’t know,” said George. “Anyway, quite apart from keeping an eye on Father and my island, we ought to go and stay at Kirrin to keep Mother company. She’ll be all alone if Father’s on the island. I suppose he’ll take food and everything there.”

“Well, there’s one thing, we shan’t have to creep about on tiptoe and whisper, if your father isn’t at Kirrin Cottage!” said Anne. “We can be as noisy as we like. Do cheer up, George!”

But it took George quite a long time to get over the fit of gloom caused by her mother’s letter. Even having Timmy on her bed each night, till he was discovered by an angry teacher, did not quite make up for her disappointment.

The term ran swiftly on to its end. April came in, with sunshine and showers. Holidays came nearer and nearer! Anne thought joyfully of Kirrin, with its lovely sandy beach, its blue sea, its fishing-boats and its lovely cliffside walks.

Julian and Dick thought longingly of them too. This term both they and the girls broke up on the same day. They could meet in London and travel down to Kirrin together. Hurrah!

The day came at last. Trunks were piled in the hall. Cars arrived to fetch some of the children who lived fairly near. The school coaches drew up to take the others down to the station. There was a terrific noise of yelling and shouting everywhere. The teachers could not make themselves heard in the din.

“Anyone would think that every single child had gone completely mad,” said one of them to another. “Oh, thank goodness, they’re getting into the coaches. George! Must you rush along the corridor at sixty miles an hour, with Timmy barking his head off all the time!”

“Yes, I must, I must!” cried George. “Anne, where are you? Do come and get into the coach. I’ve got Timmy. He knows it’s holidays now. Come on, Tim!”

Down to the station went the singing crowd of children. They piled into the train. “Bags I this seat! Who’s taken my bag? Get out, Hetty, you know you can’t bring your dog in here with mine. They fight like anything. Hurrah, the guard’s blowing his whistle! We’re off!”