They talked for half an hour and then Julian looked at his watch. “Five o’clock. We’d better try and get a bit more sleep. Aunt Fanny will be worried in the morning when she hears of George’s latest escapade!”

Anne went back to her room. She got into bed and fell asleep. Julian could not sleep — he kept thinking of George and wondering where exactly she was. Wouldn’t he give her a talking-to when she came back!

He suddenly heard a peculiar noise downstairs. Whatever could it be? It sounded like someone climbing in at a window. Was there one open? Yes, the window of the little wash-place might be open. Crash! What in the world was that? It couldn’t be a burglar — no burglar would be foolish enough to make such a noise.

There was a sound on the stairs, and then the bedroom door was pushed open. In alarm Julian put out his hand to switch on the light, but before he could do something heavy jumped right on top of him!

He yelled and Dick woke up with a jump. He put on the light — then Julian saw what was on his bed — Timmy!

“Timmy! How did you get here? Where’s George! Timmy, is it really you?”

“Timmy!” echoed Dick, amazed. “Has George brought him back then? Is she here too?”

Anne came in, wakened by the noise. “Why, Timmy! Oh Julian, is George back too, then?”

“No, apparently not,” said Julian, puzzled. “I say, Tim, what’s this you’ve got in your mouth? Drop it, old chap, drop it!”

Timmy dropped it. Julian picked it up from the bed. “It’s a book of notes — all in Uncle’s handwriting! What does this mean? How did Timmy get hold of it — and why did he bring it here? It’s most extraordinary!”

Nobody could imagine why Timmy had suddenly appeared with the book of notes — and no George.

“It’s very queer,” said Julian. “There’s something I don’t understand here. Let’s go and wake Aunt Fanny.”

So they went and woke her up, telling her all they knew. She was very worried indeed to hear that George was gone. She picked up the book of notes and knew at once that it was very important.

“I must put this into the safe,” she said. “I know this is valuable. How did Timmy get hold of it?”

Timmy was acting queerly. He kept pawing at Julian and whining. He had been very pleased to see everyone, but he seemed to have something on his mind.

“What is it, old boy?” asked Dick. “How did you get here? You didn’t swim, because you’re not wet. If you came in a boat, it must have been with George — and yet you’ve left her behind!”

“I think something’s happened to George,” said Anne, suddenly. “I think Timmy keeps pawing you to tell you to go with him and find her. Perhaps she brought him back in the boat, and then was terribly tired and fell asleep on the beach or something. We ought to go and see.”