“All right. I won’t go up in smoke about it, Julian. But I’m frightfully disappointed. I’d planned to go to Kirrin Island ourselves these hols.”

“Well, we’re all disappointed,” said Julian. “Buck up with your bun, old thing. We’ve got to get across London and catch the train for Kirrin. We shall miss it if we don’t look out.”

Soon they were in the train for Kirrin. Julian was very good at getting porters and taxis. Anne gazed admiringly at her big brother as he found them all corner-seats in a carriage. Julian did know how to tackle things!

“Do you think I’ve grown, Julian?” she asked him. “I did hope I’d be as tall as George by the end of this term, but she grew too!”

“Well, I should think you might be a quarter of an inch taller than last term,” said Julian. “You can’t catch us up, Anne — you’ll always be the smallest! But I like you small.”

“Look at Timmy, putting his head out of the window as usual!” said Dick. “Timmy you’ll get a grit in your eye. Then George will go quite mad with grief and think you’re going blind!”

“Woof,” said Timmy, and wagged his tail. That was the nice part about Timmy. He always knew when he was being spoken to, even if his name was not mentioned, and he answered at once.

Aunt Fanny was at the station to meet them in the pony-trap. The children flung themselves on her, for they were very fond of her. She was kind and gentle, and did her best to keep her clever, impatient husband from finding too much fault with the children.

“How’s Uncle Quentin?” asked Julian, politely, when they were setting off in the trap.

“He’s very well,” said his aunt. “And terribly excited. Really, I’ve never known him to be so thrilled as he has been lately. His work has been coming along very successfully.”

“I suppose you don’t know what his latest experiment is?” said Dick.

“Oh no. He never tells me a word,” said Aunt Fanny. “He never tells anyone anything while he is at work, except his colleagues, of course. But I do know it’s very important — and I know, of course, that the last part of the experiment has to be made in a place where there is deep water all around. Don’t ask me why! I don’t know.”

“Look! There’s Kirrin Island!” said Anne, suddenly. They had rounded a corner, and had come in sight of the bay. Guarding the entrance to it was the curious little island topped by the old ruined castle. The sun shone down on the blue sea, and the island looked most enchanting.

George looked earnestly at it. She was looking for the building, whatever it was, that her father said he needed for his work. Everyone looked at the island, seeking the same thing.

They saw it easily enough! Rising from the centre of the castle, probably from the castle yard, was a tall thin tower, rather like a lighthouse. At the top was a glass-enclosed room, which glittered in the sun.