She mentioned it, of course, but her mother took the same view as Julian did. “There! I knew he’d forget to take Timmy up! He’s so very forgetful when he’s at work.”

The children decided to go to the quarry that afternoon and explore the tunnel under the shelf of rock. So they set off after their lunch. But when they came to the quarry, they did not dare to climb down the steep sides. The heavy rain of the day before had made them far too dangerous.

“Look,” said Julian, pointing to where the bushes and smaller plants were ripped up and crushed. “I bet that’s where old Martin fell down yesterday! He might have broken his neck!”

“Yes. I vote we don’t attempt to go down till it’s as dry as it was the other day,” said Dick.

It was very disappointing. They had brought torches, and a rope, and had looked forward to a little excitement. “Well, what shall we do?” asked Julian.

“I’m going back home,” said George, unexpectedly. “I’m tired. You others go for a walk.”

Anne looked at George. She did seem rather pale. “I’ll come back with you, George,” said Anne slipping her hand through her cousin’s arm. But George shook it off.

“No thanks, Anne. I want to be alone.”

“Well — we’ll go over to the cliff then,” said Julian. “It’ll be nice and blowy up there. See you later, George!”

They went off. George turned and sped back to Kirrin Cottage. Her mother was out. Joanna was upstairs in her bedroom. George went to the larder and took several things from it. She bundled them into a bag and then fled out of the house.

She found James the fisher-boy. “James! You’re not to tell a soul. I’m going over to Kirrin Island tonight — because I’m worried about Timmy. We left him there. Have my boat ready at ten o’clock.”

James was always ready to do anything in the world for George. He nodded and asked no questions at all. “Right, Miss. It’ll be ready. Anything you want put in it?”

“Yes, this bag,” said George. “Now don’t split on me, James. I’ll be back tomorrow if I find Tim’s all right.”

She fled back to the house. She hoped Joanna would not notice the things she had taken from the larder shelf.

“I can’t help it if what I’m doing is wrong,” she kept whispering to herself. “I know something isn’t right with Timmy. And I’m not at all sure about Father, either. He wouldn’t have forgotten his solemn promise to me about taking Timmy up with him. I’ll have to go across to the island. I can’t help it if it’s wrong!”

The others wondered what was up with George when they came back from their walk. She was so fidgety and restless. They had tea and then did some gardening for Aunt Fanny. George did some too, but her thoughts were far away, and twice her mother had to stop her pulling up seedlings instead of weeds.