“Quite likely,” said her father. “Well — that’s a perfectly good plan gone wrong. We must try and think of another.”

“I do wonder what Julian and the others will think when they wake up and find me gone,” said George, suddenly. “They might even come and try to find me here.”

“That wouldn’t be much good,” said her father. “These men will simply come down here and wait, and nobody will know where we are. The others don’t know of the entrance in the little stone room, do they?”

“No,” said George. “If they came over here I’m sure they’d never find it! We’ve looked before. And that would mean they’d be blown up with the island. Father, this is simply dreadful.”

“If only we knew where Timmy was!” said her father, “or if we could get a message to Julian to tell him not to come. What’s the time? My word, it’s half past three in the early morning! I suppose Julian and the others are fast asleep.”

Julian was fast asleep. So was Anne. Dick was in a deep sleep as well, so nobody guessed that George’s bed was empty.

But, about half past four Anne awoke, feeling very hot. “I really must open the window!” she thought. “I’m boiling!”

She got up and went to the window. She opened it, and stood looking out. The stars were out and the bay shone faintly.

“George,” whispered Anne. “Are you awake?”

She listened for a reply. But none came. Then she listened more intently. Why, she couldn’t even hear George’s breathing! Surely George was there?

She felt over George’s bed. It was flat and empty. She switched on the light and looked at it. George’s pyjamas were still on the bed. Her clothes were gone.

“George has gone to the island!” said Anne, in a fright. “All in the dark by herself!”

She went to the boys’ room. She felt about Julian’s bed for his shoulder, and shook him hard. He woke up with a jump. “What is it? What’s up?”

“Julian! George is gone. Her bed’s not been slept in,” whispered Anne. Her whisper awoke Dick, and soon both boys were sitting up wide awake.

“Blow! I might have guessed she’d do a fool thing like that,” said Julian. “In the middle of the night too — and all those dangerous rocks to row round. Now what are we going to do about it? I told her she wasn’t to go to the island — Timmy would be quite all right! I expect Uncle Quentin forgot to take him up to the tower with him yesterday, that’s all. She might have waited till half past ten this morning — then she would probably have seen him.”

“Well — we can’t do anything now, I suppose, can we?” said Anne, anxiously.

“Not a thing,” said Julian. “I’ve no doubt she’s safely on Kirrin Island by now, making a fuss of Timmy, and having a good old row with Uncle Quentin. Really George is the limit!”