‘Right. We’ll rule him out,’ said Tinker. ‘But if nobody went up the spiral stairway, because all the doors were locked, and nobody used a ladder, I don’t see how those papers disappeared.’
‘Wind took them out of the window, perhaps?’ suggested Anne. ‘Would that be possible?’
‘No. For two reasons,’ said Julian. ‘One is that the window wasn’t wide enough open for the wind to blow in with enough strength to blow papers out. And secondly, we’d have been sure to have found some of them down in the courtyard if they’d been blown out. But we didn’t find a single one there.’
‘Well - if nobody got through the three locked doors, and nobody got through the window, How did those papers get stolen?’ demanded George. ‘It would have been a miracle for those papers to have hopped away by themselves - and I don’t believe in that kind of miracle!’
There was a long silence. What a mystery it was! ‘I suppose Tinker’s father couldn’t possibly have gone walking in his sleep, and taken them, could he?’ asked Anne.
‘Well - I don’t know if a sleep-walker can unlock doors with the right keys, and steal his own papers, leaving some on the floor, and then walk carefully down the spiral stairway still fast asleep, locking all the doors behind him, and then go to his own bedroom, get into bed, and then wake up in the morning without remembering a single moment of the whole thing!’ said Julian.
‘No. It can’t be possible,’ said Dick. ‘Have you ever known your father to walk in his sleep, Tinker?’
Tinker considered. ‘No, I can’t say I have,’ he said. ‘He’s a very light sleeper, usually. No. I don’t believe Dad did all that in his sleep. It was somebody else.’
‘It must have been some sort of miracle man, then,’ said George. ‘No ordinary person could do it. And whoever planned it wanted those papers very, very badly, or he would never have risked getting them against so many odds.’
‘And if he wanted them SO VERY badly, he’ll certainly make an effort to get the ones he left behind under the table,’ said Julian. ‘Good thing we’ve got those! He will probably try to get up into the tower the same way as he did before - but goodness knows what it was!’
‘Well - those papers will be safely out of his way, tonight!’ said George. ‘On my island!’
‘Yes,’ said Julian. ‘I’ll find a most unlikely hiding-place - somewhere about the ruined castle, I think. By the way - I hope you haven’t still got them under your jersey, Tinker. No - you don’t look fat any more. What have you done with them?’
‘George said I’d better give them to her to keep, in case they slipped out of my jersey,’ said Tinker. ‘You took them, didn’t you, George?’
‘Yes,’ said George. ‘Don’t let’s talk about it any more.’
‘Why not? The thief’s not here. He can’t be listening to us!’ said Tinker. ‘I believe you’re cross, George, because Julian won’t let you take the papers yourself!’
‘Oh, do shut up, Tinker,’ said George. ‘I shall be jolly cross with you in a minute, if you let Mischief upset your glass of lemonade again, all over my bread. Take him off the table! His manners are getting worse!’
‘They aren’t - but your temper is!’ said Tinker and promptly received a kick under the table from Julian. He was about to kick back but thought better of it. Julian could kick very much harder than he could! He decided to take Mischief off the table in case George smacked him. He put the little monkey under the table where Timmy was sitting quietly. Mischief immediately cuddled up to him, putting his little furry arms round the big dog’s neck. Timmy sniffed him all over, and then gave him two or three licks. He was very fond of the naughty little monkey.
‘What shall we do this afternoon?’ asked Dick, when they had all helped Jenny to clear away and wash-up. ‘What about a bathe in the sea? Is it warm enough?’
‘Not really. But that doesn’t matter, we always feel jolly warm when we come out of the water and run about and then rub ourselves down,’ said Anne. ‘Jenny - do you feel like a bathe?’
‘Good gracious, no!’ said Jenny, shivering at the thought. ‘I’m a cold mortal, I am. The thought of going into that cold sea makes me shudder. If you want your towels, they are all in the airing cupboard. And don’t you be late for tea, if you want any, because I’ve a lot of ironing to do afterwards.’
‘Right, Jenny,’ said Tinker, about to give her one of his ‘squeezes’ but thinking better of it when he saw her warning look. ‘Julian, may I come with you to Kirrin Island tonight? I’d like a bit of fun.’
‘You may not,’ said Julian. ‘Anyway, there won’t be any fun.’
‘There might be if Mr Wooh did hear George say she was taking those papers over,’ said Tinker. ‘He’d be waiting on the island - and you might be glad to have me with you!’
‘I should not be glad to have you with me,’ said Julian. ‘You’d just be in the way. It would be much easier to look after myself than to see what you were up to all the time. I am going by myself. Please don’t scowl at me like that, George.’
He got up from the table and went to look out of the window. ‘Wind’s died down a bit,’ he said. ‘I think I’ll have a bathe in an hour’s time. If any of you others want to come, we’ll go down together.’
They all went down to the beach after a while and bathed, except Mischief, who put one small paw into the water, gave a howl and scampered back up the beach as fast as ever he could, afraid that Tinker might catch him and make him go in! Timmy went in, of course. He swam marvellously, and even gave Tinker a ride on his back, diving down when the boy felt heavy, so that Tinker suddenly found himself sprawling in the water! ‘You wretch, Timmy!’ yelled the boy, ‘the water’s gone up my nose. Wait till I catch you! I’ll put you under!’
But he couldn’t possibly catch old Timmy, who really enjoyed the joke. The big dog gave a joyful bark, and swam after George. How he loved being with them all!
The rest of the day went quickly. Jenny had a fine tea for them, with slices of ham, and salad, and fruit to end with, and said afterwards that she had time to play a game of Scrabble with them if they liked. Mischief sat on the table to watch.
‘I don’t mind you watching,’ said Anne. ‘But you are NOT to play, Mischief. You knocked all my letters onto the floor last time we played, and I lost the game.’
Timmy watched gravely, sitting on a chair beside George. He simply could NOT understand what made the children play games like this when they could go for a nice long walk with him. They took pity on him when the game was over and went out for a two-mile walk along by the sea. How Timmy loved that!
‘I shall cycle to Kirrin Village as soon as it’s dark,’ announced Julian. ‘I suppose your boat is tied up in the usual place, George? I’m sorry I can’t take you with me, but there might be a bit of danger, as we said. However I won’t run into any if I can help it. I shan’t feel comfortable until those secret papers are safely out of the way! You can give them to me just before I go, George.’
Anne suddenly yawned. ‘Don’t start too late or I shall fall asleep!’ she said. ‘It’s getting dark already. All that swimming has made me feel tired!’
Dick yawned too. ‘I’m jolly sleepy as well,’ he said. ‘I shall bed down in our tent as soon as you’ve gone, Ju. I’ll see you off safely first, papers and all! You’d better go to your tent, too, girls - you look tired.’
‘Right!’ said Anne. ‘You coming, George?’
‘We’ll all go,’ said George. ‘Come on, Tinker. Bet you I get over the fence and down to our tents first! Good night, Jenny. We’re off!’
She and Anne and Tinker, with Timmy running behind, went off down the darkening garden. Dick and Julian helped Jenny to tidy up, and to draw all the curtains. ‘Well, good night, Jenny,’ said Dick. ‘All you have to do is to lock the door behind us and go safely up to bed. We’ll go down to our tents now. Sleep well!’
‘Oh, I always do,’ said Jenny. ‘Look after yourselves now and don’t get into any mischief! Hide
those papers well, where nobody can find them!’
Julian and Dick went off down the garden, having heard Jenny carefully locking the door behind them.
Tinker and the girls were already over the fence, Mischief on Tinker’s shoulder. Anne spoke anxiously to George. ‘I do hope Julian will be all right going over to Kirrin Island,’ she said. ‘I wish he’d take Dick with him.’
‘If he took anyone it should be me!’ burst out George. ‘It’s my island!’
‘Oh, don’t be silly, George. The papers would be much safer with Julian,’ said Anne. ‘It would be an awful business for you, cycling by yourself to Kirrin, getting your boat into the water, and rowing over in the dark!’
‘It would not!’ said George. ‘If Julian can do it, then so could I. You go into our tent, Anne, and get ready for bed. I’ll come in a minute, after I’ve taken Timmy for a run.’
She waited till Anne had disappeared through the tent opening. Then she went quietly off by herself in the dark, Timmy trotting beside her, rather surprised.
Soon there came the sound of voices, as Julian and Dick reached the fence and leapt over it. They went to their tent, and found Tinker there, yawning and getting ready for bed.
Soon the three boys were all rolled up in their rugs, Mischief cuddled up to Tinker. After some time Julian sat up and looked at his watch, and then peeped out of the tent opening. ‘Quite dark!’ he said. ‘But the moon’s coming up, I see. I think I’ll get the papers from George now, and set off on my bicycle to Kirrin. I can easily get it out of the shed.’
‘You know where George keeps her boat,’ said Dick. ‘You won’t have any difficulty in finding it. Got your torch, Ju?’
‘Yes - and a new battery,’ said Julian. ‘Look!’
He switched on his torch. It gave a good, powerful beam. ‘Shan’t miss the island if I put this on!’ he said. ‘Now - I’ll get those papers. Hey, George - I’m coming to your tent for the papers!’
He went over to the girls’ tent. Anne was there, only half awake. She blinked as Julian’s torch shone into her eyes.
‘George!’ said Julian. ‘Give me those papers now, please - hallo - I say, Anne - where is George?’
Anne started all round the tent. George’s rugs were there, piled in an untidy heap; but there was no George - and no Timmy either!
‘Oh, Ju! Do you know what George has done - she’s slipped out with the precious papers - and taken Timmy too! She must have gone to fetch her bike, and ridden off to Kirrin to get her boat - to row over to Kirrin Island! Julian, whatever will happen if she rows over and finds somebody waiting to grab those papers from her?’ Poor Anne was very near to tears.
‘I could shake her!’ said Julian, very angry indeed. ‘Going off alone like that in the dark - cycling to Kirrin - rowing over to the island - and back! She must be mad! Suppose Mr Wooh and his friends are waiting there for her! The - silly - little - idiot!’
‘Oh, Julian, quick! You and Dick get your cycles and try to catch her,’ begged Anne. ‘Oh please do! Anything might happen to her! Dear, silly old George! Thank goodness Timmy’s gone with her.’
‘Well, that’s a blessing, anyway,’ said Julian, still angry. ‘He’ll look after her as much as he can. My word, I could shake George till her teeth rattled! I thought she was rather quiet tonight. Thinking out this plan, I suppose!’
He went up to the house with Dick and Tinker to tell Jenny about George, and then he and Dick at once went to get their bicycles. This was serious. George had no right to be out alone at night like this - and go rowing over to Kirrin Island - ESPECIALLY if there was any chance of someone lying in wait for her!
Jenny was very worried indeed. She watched the two boys cycling off in the dark. Tinker begged her to let him go too, but she wouldn’t. ‘You and Mischief would just be nuisances,’ she said. ‘Oh my word, won’t I shake that rascal of a George when she gets back. What a girl! Well, well - thank goodness Timmy’s with her. That dog’s as good as half a dozen policemen!’
Chapter Sixteen
NIGHT ON KIRRIN ISLAND
It was certainly very dark when the half-moon went behind the clouds. George was glad that her bicycle lamp shone so brightly. The shadows in the hedges were deep and mysterious - ‘as if they hid people ready to jump out at us,’ she said to Timmy. ‘But you’d go for them at once, wouldn’t you, Timmy!’
Timmy was too much out of breath to bark an answer. George was going pretty fast, and he didn’t mean to let her get out of sight. He was sure she shouldn’t be out by herself on a dark night like this. He couldn’t imagine why she had suddenly taken it into her head to go for a long night-ride! He raced along, panting.
They met cars with dazzling head-lamps, and George had to keep pulling to the side. She was terribly afraid that Timmy might be hit by one of the cars. ‘Oh dear - I’d never, never forgive myself if anything happened to Timmy,’ she thought. ‘I half wish I hadn’t set out now. But I’m NOT going to let Julian hide anything on my island. That’s my job, not his. Timmy darling, PLEASE keep on my left side. You’ll be safe then.’
So Timmy kept on her left, still mystified by this sudden journey out into the night. They came at last to Kirrin Village, where windows were still lighted here and there. Through the village and on to Kirrin Bay - ah, there was the bay! The half-moon slid out from behind a cloud and George saw the dark sea, shining here and there as the moonlight caught the crests of the waves.
‘There’s my island, look Timmy,’ said George, feeling a swelling of pride as she looked over the dark heaving sea to a darker stretch, which she knew was Kirrin Island. ‘My very own island. Waiting for me tonight!’
‘Woof,’ said Timmy, rather quietly, because he really hadn’t any breath to waste. Now what was George going to do? Why had she come out on this lonely ride without the others? Timmy was puzzled.
They came to the stretch of beach where boats were kept. George rode down a ramp to the beach, jumped off her bicycle, and put it by a bathing-hut in the deep shadows. No one would see it there. Then she went to stare over the sea at her island.
She had only looked for a moment or two when she clutched Timmy’s collar, and gave an exclamation.
‘TIMMY! There’s a light on my island! Look, to the right there. Can you see it? Timmy, there’s somebody camping there. How DARE they? It’s my island and I don’t allow anyone on it unless they have my permission.’
Timmy looked - and yes, he could see the light too. Was it made by a camp-fire - or a lantern? He couldn’t tell. All he knew was that he didn’t want George to go over there now. Suppose there were gypsies camping there, who would resent George coming to turn them off? Or a crowd of ill-mannered young boys who hadn’t bothered to find out if they were allowed there? They might make things very unpleasant for George. He pawed at her, trying to make her understand that he wanted her to go back home with him.
‘No, Timmy. I’m not going back till I’ve found out who’s there!’ she said. ‘It would be cowardly to turn back now. And if it’s somebody waiting for me to turn up with the papers, they can think again. Look - I’m hiding them here under the tarpaulin in this boat. It would be idiotic to try and hide them on the island if there’s someone there who might rob me of anything I’ve got - it might be one of the thieves who climbed in to the tower room, and left some of the papers behind. If he’s waiting for me, he won’t get any papers!’
George stuffed the parcel of papers under the tarpaulin as she spoke. ‘It’s Fisherman Connell’s boat, called Gypsy,’ she said, reading the name on the boat by the light of her torch. ‘He won’t mind me hiding something in it!’
She covered up the papers with the tarpaulin, and then looked over to the island again. Yes - that light was still there. Anger welled up in George again, and she went to look for her own boat, which should be somewhere near where they were.
‘Here it is,’ she said to Timmy, who leapt in at once. She ordered him out for she had to pull the boat down to the water. Fortunate
ly it was a small, light boat and as the tide was almost fully in, she didn’t have very far to drag it. Timmy took hold of the rope with his teeth and helped too. At last it was on the water, bobbing gently about in the dim light of the half-moon. Timmy leapt in, and soon George was in too, though with very wet feet!
She took the oars and began to pull away from the shore. ‘Tide’s almost on the turn,’ she told Timmy. ‘It won’t be too hard a row. Now we can find those campers and tell them what we think of them. You’re to bark your very loudest and scare them, Timmy - in fact, you can chase them to their boat, if you like.’
Timmy answered with a small bark. He knew quite well that George didn’t want him to make much noise. He thought it very queer that she was going over to her island tonight, all by herself. Why hadn’t she taken the others? He was sure that Julian would be very cross!
‘Now don’t bark or whine, Timmy,’ she said, in a whisper. ‘We’re almost at my landing-place - but I’m going under those trees there, not landing here. I want to hide my boat.’
She guided the boat towards some trees whose branches. overhung a tiny creek that ran a little way inland. She leapt out, and flung the mooring rope round the trunk of the nearest tree, and made it fast.
‘There, little boat,’ she said. ‘You’ll be safe there. No one will see you. Come on, Tim - we’ll tackle those campers now.’
She turned to go, and then stopped. ‘I wonder where their boat is,’ she said. ‘Let’s have a look round, Timmy. It must be here somewhere.’
She soon found the boat lying on the sands, its rope thrown round a nearby rock. The tide was almost up to it. She grinned to herself. ‘Timmy!’ she whispered. ‘I’m going to untie this boat and set it loose on the tide. It will soon be far away. Ha - what will those awful campers say?’