“What? I thought you—” But Charlie had already scampered off ahead.

It makes my head ache to try to write about Charlie and the snails now.

“Hey, don’t go too close to the edge!” I called after him.

Some of the sea cliffs must have been over sixty metres high. I hoped Dad was right and that Charlie wouldn’t stray from the path. Now that we’d seen the whole island, I realized that it wasn’t the safest place to wander freely about, especially if the rocks were wet and slippery. I’d have to keep an eye on Rosie too, to make sure she didn’t start doing anything stupid in order to get the perfect photograph. I hated Bird Rock already, and the two-week trip suddenly seemed to stretch on forever and ever. The sooner we could get off this stinking island and go home, the better.

70Before dinner, Dad and Kate explained that once the sun went down the doors needed to be kept closed and so did all the shutters, or else the lights could mess things up for people navigating at sea. Rosie and I gave them a hand with the shutters, which, like everything else, were caked in salt. I could even taste it on my lips as I walked back towards the front door. I met Rosie coming the other way and noticed she was frowning.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“I think I just saw Charlie in one of the tower windows,” she said.

“The tower? But isn’t it locked?”

“Maybe he managed to find a key from somewhere?”

Rosie asked him about it at dinner that night, but Charlie just shook his head and looked solemn. “You’re not allowed in the tower,” he said quietly, almost in a whisper. “It’s not safe.”

Our brother had seemed quiet and subdued since we sat down at the table. He kept fidgeting in his chair, had hardly touched his dinner and even looked a little pale. He hadn’t mentioned seeing Will, but I was afraid he was thinking about the 71things the guga hunter had told us, and that it was only a matter of time before Charlie started saying he was afraid of the lighthouse again.

“Perhaps it was a gannet you saw,” Dad suggested.

Rosie rolled her eyes. “I know the difference between a gannet and a boy, Dad.”

“A reflection then,” Dad said with a shrug.

Rosie looked unconvinced. “Is there a key to the padlock on that trapdoor here in the building?” she asked.

“I don’t think so,” Dad replied. “I expect it’s back at the lighthouse board.”

“Mummy!” Charlie suddenly piped up loudly. “Please may I be excused?”

“Not until you’ve eaten your dinner,” Kate replied.

Charlie stared down miserably at his untouched plate. “But I’m not hungry, Mummy!” He was squirming about in his chair, as if he needed the toilet.