At about five minutes to eleven there was the sound of running feet and panting breath. George appeared at the door of the sitting-room where the two boys were doing their work. They looked up.

George was red in the face, and her hair was windblown. She fought to get her breath enough to speak. “Julian! Dick! Something’s happened — Timmy wasn’t there!”

“What do you mean?” said Julian in surprise. George slumped down on a chair, still panting. The boys could see that she was trembling too.

“It’s serious, Julian! I tell you Timmy wasn’t in the tower when the signals came!”

“Well — it only means that your absent-minded father forgot to take him up with him,” said Julian, in his most sensible voice. “What did you see?”

“I had my eye glued to the telescope,” said George, “and suddenly I saw someone come into the little glass room at the top. I looked for Timmy, of course, at once — but I tell you, he wasn’t there! The six flashes came, the man disappeared — and that was all. No Timmy! Oh I do feel so dreadfully worried, Julian.”

“Well, don’t be,” said Julian, soothingly. “Honestly, I’m sure that’s what happened. Your father forgot about Timmy. Anyway, if you saw him, obviously things are all right.”

“I’m not thinking about Father!” cried George. “He must be all right if he flashed his signals — I’m thinking about Timmy. Why, even if Father forgot to take him, he’d go with him. You know that!”

“Your father might have shut the door at the bottom and prevented Timmy from going up,” said Dick.

“He might,” said George, frowning. She hadn’t thought of that. “Oh dear — now I shall worry all day long. Why didn’t I stay with Timmy? What shall I do now?”

“Wait till tomorrow morning,” said Dick. “Then probably you’ll see old Tim all right.”

“Tomorrow morning! Why, that’s ages away!” said poor George. She put her head in her hands and groaned. “Oh, nobody understands how much I love Timmy. You would perhaps if you had a dog of your own, Julian. It’s an awful feeling, really. Oh Timmy, are you all right?”

“Of course he’s all right,” said Julian, impatiently. “Do pull yourself together, George.”

“I feel as if something’s wrong,” said George, looking obstinate. “Julian — I think I’d better go across to the island.”

“No,” said Julian at once. “Don’t be idiotic, George. Nothing is wrong, except that your father’s been forgetful. He’s sent his OK signal. That’s enough! You’re not to go and create a scene over there with him. That would be disgraceful!”

“Well — I’ll try and be patient,” said George, unexpectedly meek. She got up, looking worried. Julian spoke in a kinder voice.

“Cheer up, old thing! You do like to go off the deep end, don’t you?”

Chapter Fifteen

In the middle of the night

George did not moan any more about her worries. She went about with an anxious look in her blue eyes, but she had the sense not to tell her mother how worried she was at not seeing Timmy in the glass room, when her father signalled.