“Now don’t worry. We’ll get her all right. But it beats me why she went there — and I still can’t imagine how Tim and she came from the island, if they are here, instead of on the beach!”

“Look — there’s Martin!” suddenly said Dick in surprise. So there was! He was standing at the top of the quarry, and seemed just as surprised to see them as they were to see him!

“You’re up early,” called Dick. “And goodness me — are you going gardening or something? Why the spades?”

Martin looked sheepish and didn’t seem to know what to say. Julian suddenly walked up to him and caught hold of his shoulder. “Look here, Martin! There’s some funny business going on here! What are you going to do with those spades? Have you seen George? Do you know where she is, or anything about her? Come on, tell me!”

Martin shook his shoulder away from Julian’s grip looking extremely surprised.

“George? No! What’s happened to him?”

“George isn’t a him — she’s a her,” said Anne, still crying. “She’s disappeared. We thought she’d gone to the island to find her dog — and Timmy suddenly appeared at Kirrin Cottage, and brought us here!”

“So it looks as if George might be somewhere near here,” said Julian. “And I want to know if you’ve seen her or know anything of her whereabouts?”

“No, Julian. I swear I don’t!” said Martin.

“Well, tell me what you’re doing here so early in the morning, with spades,” said Julian, roughly. “Who are you waiting for? Your father?”

“Yes,” said Martin.

“And what are you going to do?” asked Dick. “Going exploring up the hole there?”

“Yes,” said Martin again, sullen and worried. “No harm in that, is there?”

“It’s all — very — queer?” said Julian, eyeing him and speaking slowly and loudly. “But — let me tell you this — we’re going exploring — not you! If there’s anything queer up that hole, we’ll find it! We shall not allow you or your father to get through the hole. So go and find him and tell him that!”

Martin didn’t move. He went very white, and stared at Julian miserably. Anne went up to him, tears still on her face and put her hand on his arm.

“Martin, what is it? Why do you look like that? What’s the mystery?”

And then, to the dismay and horror of everyone, Martin turned away with a noise that sounded very like a sob! He stood with his back to them, his shoulders shaking.

“Good gracious! What is up?” said Julian, in exasperation. “Pull yourself together, Martin! Tell us what’s worrying you.”

“Everything, everything!” said Martin, in a muffled voice. Then he swung round to face them. “You don’t know what it is to have no mother and no father — nobody who cares about you — and then…”

“But you have got a father!” said Dick at once.