Chapter One A GREAT SURPRISE
Chapter One A GREAT SURPRISE

　　"MOTHER, have you heard about our summer holidays yet?" said Julian, at the breakfast-table.
　　"Can we go to Polseath as usual?"
　　"I'm afraid not," said his mother. "They are quite full up this year."The three children at the breakfast-table looked at one another in great disappointment. They did solove the house at Polseath. The beach was so lovely there, too, and the bathing was fine.
　　"Cheer up," said Daddy. "I dare say we'll find somewhere else just as good for you. And anyway,Mother and I won't be able to go with you this year. Has Mother told you?""No!" said Anne. "Oh, Mother—is it true? Can't you really come with us on our holidays? Youalways do."
　　"Well, this time Daddy wants me to go to Scotland with him," said Mother. "All by ourselves!
　　And as you are really getting big enough to look after yourselves now, we thought it would be ratherfun for you to have a holiday on your own too. But now that you can't go to Polseath, I don't reallyquite know where to send you."
　　"What about Quentin's?" suddenly said Daddy. Quentin was his brother, the children's uncle.
　　They had only seen him once, and had been rather frightened of him. He was a very tall, frowningman, a clever scientist who spent all his time studying. He lived by the sea— but that was about allthat the children knew of him!
　　"Quentin?" said Mother, pursing up her lips. "Whatever made you think of him? I shouldn't think he'dwant the children messing about in his little house.""Well," said Daddy, "I had to see Quentin's wife in town the other day, about a business matter—and I don't think things are going too well for them. Fanny said that she would be quite glad if shecould hear of one or two people to live with her for a while, to bring a little money in. Their house isby the sea, you know. It might be just the thing for the children. Fanny is very nice—she would look after them well."
　　"Yes— and she has a child of her own too, hasn't she?" said the children's mother. "Let me see—what's her name— something funny— yes, Georgina! How old would she be? About eleven, I shouldthink."
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　　"Same age as me," said Dick. "Fancy having a cousin we've never seen! She must be jolly lonely allby herself. I've got Julian and Anne to play with— but Georgina is just one on her own. I shouldthink she'd be glad to see us."
　　"Well, your Aunt Fanny said that her Georgina would love a bit of company," said Daddy. "Youknow, I really think that would solve our difficulty, if we telephone to Fanny and arrange for thechildren to go there. It would help Fanny, I'm sure, and Georgina would love to have someone to playwith in the holidays. And we should know that our three were safe."The children began to feel rather excited. It would be fun to go to a place they had never been tobefore, and stay with an unknown cousin.
　　"Are there cliffs and rocks and sands there?" asked Anne. "Is it a nice place?""I don't remember it very well," said Daddy. "But I feel sure it's an exciting kind of place.
　　Anyway, you'll love it! It's called Kirrin Bay. Your Aunt Fanny has lived there all her life, andwouldn't leave it for anything."
　　"Oh Daddy, do telephone to Aunt Fanny and ask her if we can go there!" cried Dick. "I just feel as ifit's the right place somehow. It sounds sort of adventurous!""Oh, you always say that, wherever you go!" said Daddy, with a laugh. "All right— I'll ring up now,and see if there's any chance."
　　They had all finished their breakfast, and they got up to wait for Daddy to telephone. He went outinto the hall, and they heard him putting the call through.
　　"I hope it's all right for us!" said Julian. "I wonder what Georgina's like. Funny name, isn't it?
　　More like a boy's than a girl's. So she's eleven— a year younger than I am— same age as you, Dick— and a year older than you, Anne. She ought to fit in with us all right. The four of us ought to havea fine time together."
　　Daddy came back in about ten minutes' time, and the children knew at once that he had fixed upeverything. He smiled round at them.
　　"Well, that's settled," he said. "Your Aunt Fanny is delighted about it. She says it will be awfullygood for Georgina to have company, because she's such a lonely little girl, always going off byherself. And she will love looking after you all. Only you'll have to be careful not to disturb yourUncle Quentin. He is working very hard, and he isn't very good-tempered when he is disturbed.""We'll be as quiet as mice in the house!" said Dick. "Honestly we will. Oh, goody, goody—when are we going, Daddy?"
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　　"Next week, if Mother can manage it," said Daddy.
　　Mother nodded her head. "Yes," she said, "There's nothing much to get ready for them— just bathingsuits and jerseys and shorts. They all wear the same.""How lovely it will be to wear shorts again," said Anne, dancing round. "I'm tired of wearing schooltunics. I want to wear shorts, or a bathing suit, and go bathing and climbing with the boys.""Well, you'll soon be doing it," said Mother, with a laugh. "Remember to put ready any toys or booksyou want, won't you? Not many, please, because there won't be a great deal of room.""Anne wanted to take all her fifteen dolls with her last year," said Dick, "Do you remember, Anne?
　　Weren't you funny?"
　　"No, I wasn't," said Anne, going red. "I love my dolls, and I just couldn't choose which to take—so I thought I'd take them all. There's nothing funny about that.""And do you remember, the year before, Anne wanted to take the rocking-horse?" said Dick, with agiggle.
　　Mother chimed in. "You know, I remember a little boy called Dick who put aside two golliwogs, oneteddy bear, three toy dogs, two toy cats and his old monkey to take down to Polseath one year," shesaid.
　　Then it was Dick's turn to go red. He changed the subject at once.
　　"Daddy, are we going by train or by car?" he asked.
　　"By car," said Daddy. "We can pile everything into the boot. Well— what about Tuesday?""That would suit me well," said Mother. "Then we could take the children down, come back, and doour own packing at leisure, and start off for Scotland on the Friday. Yes — we'll arrange forTuesday."
　　So Tuesday it was. The children counted the days eagerly, and Anne marked one off the calendareach night. The week seemed a very long time in going. But at last Tuesday did come. Dick andJulian, who shared a room, woke up at about the same moment, and stared out of the nearby window.
　　"It's a lovely day, hurrah!" cried Julian, leaping out of bed. "I don't know why, but it always seemsvery important that it should be sunny on the first day of a holiday. Let's wake Anne."Anne slept in the next room. Julian ran in and shook her. "Wake up! It's Tuesday! And the sun'sshining."
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　　Anne woke up with a jump and stared at Julian joyfully. "It's come at last!" she said. "I thought itnever would. Oh, isn't it an exciting feeling to go away for a holiday!"They started soon after breakfast. Their car was a big one, so it held them all very comfortably.
　　Mother sat in front with Daddy, and the three children sat behind, their feet on two suitcases. In theluggage-place at the back of the car were all kinds of odds and ends, and one small trunk.
　　Mother really thought they had remembered everything.
　　Along the crowded London roads they went, slowly at first, and then, as they left the town behind,more quickly. Soon they were right into the open country, and the car sped along fast.
　　The children sang songs to themselves, as they always did when they were happy.
　　"Are we picnicking soon?" asked Anne, feeling hungry all of a sudden.
　　"Yes," said Mother. "But not yet. It's only eleven o'clock. We shan't have lunch till at least half-pasttwelve, Anne."
　　"Oh, gracious!" said Anne. "I know I can't last out till then!"So her mother handed her some chocolate, and she and the boys munched happily, watching the hills,woods and fields as the car sped by.
　　The picnic was lovely. They had it on the top of a hill, in a sloping field that looked down into asunny valley. Anne didn't very much like a big brown cow who came up close and stared at her, but itwent away when Daddy told it to. The children ate enormously, and Mother said that instead ofhaving a tea-picnic at half-past four they would have to go to a tea-house somewhere, because theyhad eaten all the tea sandwiches as well as the lunch ones!
　　"What time shall we be at Aunt Fanny's?" asked Julian, finishing up the very last sandwich andwishing there were more.
　　"About six o'clock with luck," said Daddy. "Now who wants to stretch their legs a bit? We've anotherlong spell in the car, you know."
　　The car seemed to eat up the miles as it purred along. Tea-time came, and then the three childrenbegan to feel excited all over again.
　　"We must watch out for the sea," said Dick. "I can smell it somewhere near!"He was right. The car suddenly topped a hill— and there, was the shining blue sea, calm and smoothin the evening sun. The three children gave a yell.
　　"There it is!"
　　"Isn't it marvellous!"
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　　"Oh, I want to bathe this very minute!"
　　"We shan't be more than twenty minutes now, before we're at Kirrin Bay," said Daddy. "We've madegood time. You'll see the bay soon— it's quite a big one— with a funny sort of island at the entranceof the bay."
　　The children looked out for it as they drove along the coast. Then Julian gave a shout.
　　"There it is— that must be Kirrin Bay. Look, Dick— isn't it lovely and blue?""And look at the rocky little island guarding the entrance of the bay," said Dick. "I'd like to visitthat."
　　"Well, I've no doubt you will," said Mother. "Now, let's look out for Aunt Fanny's house. It's calledKirrin Cottage."
　　They soon came to it. It stood on the low cliff overlooking the bay, and was a very old house indeed.
　　It wasn't really a cottage, but quite a big house, built of old white stone. Roses climbed over the frontof it, and the garden was gay with flowers.
　　"Here's Kirrin Cottage," said Daddy, and he stopped the car in front of it. "It's supposed to be aboutthree hundred years old! Now— where's Quentin? Hallo, there's Fanny!"
1.特大惊喜
　　特大惊喜
　　“妈妈，我们的暑假怎么过啊？”朱利安一边吃着早餐一边问，“我们还能像以前一样去波尔塞吗？”
　　“恐怕不可以了，”妈妈说，“今年那里人山人海的。”
　　三个孩子坐在桌子前，你看我，我看你，失望极了。他们非常喜欢波尔塞的那个房子，还有那美丽的海滩，惬意的沙滩浴。
　　“开心点，”爸爸安慰孩子们，“我会为你们找个更好玩的地方。
　　不过今年，我和妈妈就不能陪你们过暑假了，妈妈跟你们说了吗？”
　　“不！”安妮非常抗拒，“妈妈，是真的吗？你真的不陪我们过暑假了吗？你总是陪我们的啊。”
　　“嗯，今年你爸爸想让我和他一起去苏格兰，”妈妈说，“就我们两个去！你们已经长大了，可以相互照顾了。我们认为你们独立过暑假一定更有趣。不过今年你们去不了波尔塞，我还没想好让你们去哪里。”
　　“昆廷家怎么样？”爸爸突然说。昆廷是他的弟弟，孩子们的叔叔。不过他们只见过他一次，而且很怕他。他住在海边，个子很高，总是皱着眉头，是个一辈子都在做研究的科学家。孩子们对他的了解就这么多了。
　　“昆廷家？”妈妈努着嘴说，“你怎么会想到他？真不敢想，如果孩子们过去把他的房子弄得乱七八糟，他会怎么样？”
　　“哦，”爸爸解释道，“前几天，我在镇上见到昆廷的妻子，我感觉他们的日子过得不是很好。范妮想招一两个人和他们住一段时间，同时赚点房租。要知道，他们的房子就在海边，孩子们或许会喜欢。范妮人很好，她会好好照顾孩子们的。”
　　“我知道，她也有一个孩子，是吧？”妈妈说，“我想想她叫什么来着？一个很有意思的名字，想起来了！乔治娜！她多大来着？好像11岁了。”
　　“那就和我一样大，”迪克在一旁插话，“我们竟然有个从没见过的堂亲！她一个人一定很孤单。我有朱利安和安妮陪我玩，可乔治娜就只有孤零零的一个人。我想她见到我们一定会很高兴。”
　　“你们的范妮婶婶说，乔治娜也希望有人陪她玩。”爸爸说，“这样我们的问题就解决了。不如我们现在就给范妮打电话，告诉她孩子们要到她那里过暑假。我相信这样对范妮也好，乔治娜也一定很高兴暑假有人陪她玩，我们的三个孩子也比较安全。”
　　孩子们开始变得兴奋起来。要去一个从没去过的地方，和一个从没见过的堂亲一起玩，一定很有意思。
　　“那里有悬崖、岩石和沙滩吗？”安妮问，“那地方好玩吗？”
　　“我也记不清了，”爸爸说，“但是我肯定那里是一个充满乐趣的地方。总之，你们一定会喜欢的！那个地方叫科林湾。你们的范妮婶婶一直生活在那里，一辈子都不愿离开。”
　　“爸爸，你赶快给范妮婶婶打电话，告诉她我们要去那里度假！”迪克大喊，“我感觉这就是我们要去的地方，充满了冒险性！”
　　“哈哈，不管你要去哪儿，你都会这样说！”爸爸笑着说，“我现在就打电话，看看你们能不能去。”
　　孩子们吃完早餐，站起来焦急地等着爸爸打电话。他们看着爸爸走进客厅，听见他打通了电话。
　　“希望我们能去！”一直没说话的朱利安开口，“我想知道乔治娜长什么样子。这个名字很有趣，不是吗？更像男孩的名字。她11岁，也就是说比我小一岁，和迪克一样大，但是比安妮大一岁。她应该能和我们合得来。我们四个一定会玩得很开心。”
　　大概十分钟后，爸爸回来了。看到爸爸微笑的样子，孩子们就知道爸爸把一切都搞定了。
　　“嗯，一切都安排好了，”他说，“你们的范妮婶婶听了很高兴。
　　她说有人陪乔治娜真是太好了，因为乔治娜很孤单，经常只有一个人玩。范妮婶婶也愿意照顾你们。不过你们要注意，不要打扰你们的昆廷叔叔。他工作很辛苦，要是有人吵到他工作，他会发脾气的。”
　　“我们在他们家会像老鼠一样安静，我们保证！”迪克说，“爸爸，我们什么时候才能去啊？”
　　“如果妈妈能准备好的话，下个星期就可以去了。”爸爸说。
　　“好，”妈妈向爸爸点了点头，“就给他们准备一些泳衣、运动衫和短裤就行了。他们三个穿一样的。”
　　“太好了，又能穿牛仔裤了，”安妮一边说，一边高兴地手舞足蹈。“校服我都穿够了。我想穿牛仔裤和泳衣，我还想和大家一起游泳、爬山。”
　　“你的愿望很快就能实现了，”妈妈笑着说，“别忘了把你的玩具和书带上。不过也不要太多了，箱子里可装不下那么多东西。”
　　“去年，安妮把她的15个洋娃娃都带上了，”迪克假装嘲笑安妮，“安妮，你还记得吗？是不是很好笑？”
　　“不，一点也不好笑，”安妮说完，脸都红了，“我只是喜欢我的洋娃娃，又不知道该带哪一个，所以就都带上了。这有什么好笑的？”
　　“你们还记得吗，前年安妮还想把她的摇摇马也带上呢。”迪克笑嘻嘻地说。
　　此时，妈妈也说话了：“你们知道吗，我也记得有一年，我们去波尔塞度假，有个叫迪克的小男孩也说要带两只怪物、一只泰迪熊、三只玩具狗、两只玩具猫和一只玩具猴子。”
　　迪克的脸顿时红了，他立刻改变了话题。
　　“爸爸，我们是坐火车去还是坐汽车去？”他问。
　　“坐汽车，”爸爸说，“我们可以把东西都放进汽车后备厢里。星期二出发怎么样？”
　　“我觉得可以，”妈妈说，“我们先把孩子们送过去，然后我们再回来，慢慢地收拾东西，星期五出发去苏格兰。好，就这样，孩子们出发的时间就定在星期二了。”
　　大家一致同意。孩子们开始掰着手指头数日子，安妮每天晚上都要撕一张日历。这个星期似乎过得特别漫长。
　　星期二终于到来了。同住一个房间的迪克和朱利安几乎同时醒来，一起向窗外望去。
　　“哈哈，天气不错！”朱利安说着，从床上跳了下来，“我也不知道为什么，我觉得度假的第一天一定要有个好天气，这一点非常重要。我们去叫醒安妮。”
　　安妮就睡在隔壁房间。朱利安跑进去，使劲摇她，“快起床！星期二了！而且阳光明媚。”
　　安妮一下子坐了起来，高兴地看着朱利安，“终于盼到了！”她说，“我以为星期二不会来了呢。要去度假了，真是太激动了！”
　　吃过早餐，他们就动身了。他们的车很大，所以大家都能舒舒服服地坐在里面。妈妈和爸爸坐在前面，三个孩子坐在后面，脚下放着两个箱子。汽车后备厢里放着七零八碎的东西和一个小箱子。
　　妈妈心想，孩子们还真是什么都没忘拿。
　　他们沿着伦敦拥挤的道路行驶着，一开始很慢，出城后，速度就快了起来。很快，他们就到了空旷的乡村，车速就更快了。孩子们一路都在唱歌，他们只要一高兴就会唱歌。
　　“我们是不是要停下来野餐了？”安妮问，她突然感觉有点饿了。
　　“是的，”妈妈说，“不过还不到时候。现在才11点，我们起码要等到12点半再吃午餐，安妮。”
　　“哦，好吧，”安妮说，“可是我撑不到那个时候了！”
　　于是，妈妈递给了她一些巧克力，她和两个哥哥一边大口大口地吃着，一边欣赏着车窗外飞驰而过的小山、树林和田野。
　　野餐吃得很愉快。他们是爬到一个小山顶上吃的，在那里能看到绵延的田野和洒满金色阳光的山谷。一头棕色的牛走近安妮，盯着她看，这让安妮有点害怕，好在爸爸把它赶走了。孩子们一顿狼吞虎咽。妈妈说本打算四点半再野餐一次，喝点茶，吃些点心，结果孩子们不仅把午餐的食物全部吃完了，连下午茶的三明治也都吃光了，看来到时候他们只能去茶馆了！
　　朱利安吃完最后一块三明治后还嫌不够，他问：“我们几点才能到范妮婶婶家啊？”
　　“要是顺利的话，六点左右就到了，”爸爸说，“现在谁要起来活动活动？我们还要坐很长时间的车。”
　　车一上路就飞驰起来。终于，下午茶时间到了，三个孩子又兴奋起来。
　　“我们要注意别错过了大海，”迪克无比兴奋，“我都能闻到大海的味道了！”
　　他说得对。车爬上了一座小山丘，接着他们看到了一片蓝色的大海，在傍晚阳光的照射下，大海是如此静谧祥和。三个孩子欢呼起来。
　　“看到大海了！”
　　“太美了！”
　　“我现在就想跳进去游泳！”
　　“最多再过20分钟，我们就能到科林湾了，”爸爸说，“我们来得正是时候，你们很快就能看到海湾了。海湾很大，入口处有一座别具一格的小岛。”
　　车沿着海滩行驶着，孩子们都望着窗外，寻找着那座小岛。突然，朱利安大喊起来：“那里一定就是科林湾了。迪克，快看，大海那么蓝，是不是很壮观？”
　　“那座小岛就像是在守卫着海湾一样，”迪克说，“我想上去看看。”
　　“我就知道你喜欢，”妈妈说，“现在我们来找找范妮婶婶的房子吧，那栋叫科林庄园的房子。”
　　他们很快就到了。科林庄园位于低低的悬崖上，可以俯瞰整座海湾。其实这算不上真正的庄园，但的确是一栋非常大的房子，它用古老的白色石头修建而成。房子前种满了玫瑰花，花园里万紫千红。
　　“科林庄园到了，”爸爸把车停在房前，“这个庄园至少有300年的历史了！”爸爸说完顿了顿，又继续开口：“昆廷在哪儿？瞧，那不是范妮吗？”
Chapter Two THE STRANGE COUSIN
Chapter Two THE STRANGE COUSIN
　　The children's aunt had been watching for the car. She came running out of the old wooden door assoon as she saw it draw up outside. The children liked the look of her at once.
　　"Welcome to Kirrin!" she cried. "Hallo, all of you! It's lovely to see you. And what big children!"There were kisses all round, and then the children went into the house. They liked it. It felt old andrather mysterious somehow, and the furniture was old and very beautiful.
　　"Where's Georgina?" asked Anne, looking round for her unknown cousin.
　　"Oh, the naughty girl! I told her to wait in the garden for you," said her aunt. "Now she's gone offsomewhere. I must tell you, children, you may find George a bit difficult at first— she's always beenone on her own, you know. And at first may not like you being here. But you mustn't take 6any notice of that— she'll be all right in a short time. I was very glad for George's sake that you wereable to come. She badly needs other children to play with.""Do you call her 'George'?" asked Anne, in surprise. "I thought her name was Georgina.""So it is," said her aunt. "But George hates being a girl, and we have to call her George, as if she wasa boy. The naughty girl won't answer if we call her Georgina."The children thought that Georgina sounded rather exciting. They wished she would come. But shedidn't. Their Uncle Quentin suddenly appeared instead. He was a most extraordinary looking man,very tall, very dark, and with a rather fierce frown on his wide forehead.
　　"Hallo, Quentin!" said Daddy. "It's a long time since I've seen you. I hope these three won't disturbyou very much in your work."
　　"Quentin is working on a very difficult book," said Aunt Fanny. "But I've given him a room all tohimself on the other side of the house. So I don't expect he will be disturbed."Their uncle looked at the three children, and nodded to them. The frown didn't come off his face, andthey all felt a little scared, and were glad that he was to work in another part of the house.
　　"Where's George?" he said, in a deep voice.
　　"Gone off somewhere again," said Aunt Fanny, vexed. "I told her she was to stay here and meet hercousins."
　　"She wants spanking," said Uncle Quentin. The children couldn't quite make out whether he wasjoking or not. "Well, children, I hope you have a good time here, and maybe you will knock a littlecommon-sense into George!"
　　There was no room at Kirrin Cottage for Mother and Daddy to stay the night, so after a hurriedsupper they left to stay at a hotel in the nearest town. They would drive back to London immediatelyafter breakfast the next day. So they said goodbye to the children that night.
　　Georgina still hadn't appeared. "I'm sorry we haven't seen Georgina," said Mother. "Just give her ourlove and tell her we hope she'll enjoy playing with Dick, Julian and Anne."Then Mother and Daddy went. The children felt a little bit lonely as they saw the big car disappearround the corner of the road, but Aunt Fanny took them upstairs to show them their bedrooms, andthey soon forgot to be sad.
　　The two boys were to sleep together in a room with slanting ceilings at the top of the house. It had amarvellous view of the bay. The boys were really delighted with it. Anne was to sleep with Georginain a smaller room, whose windows looked over the moors at the back of the house. But 7one side-window looked over the sea, which pleased Anne very much. It was a nice room, and redroses nodded their heads in at the window.
　　"I do wish Georgina would come," Anne said to her aunt. "I want to see what she's like.""Well, she's a funny little girl," said her aunt. "She can be very rude and haughty—but she's kind atheart, very loyal and absolutely truthful. Once she makes friends with you, she will always be yourfriend— but she finds it very difficult indeed to make friends, which is a great pity."Anne suddenly yawned. The boys frowned at her, because they knew what would happen next.
　　And it did!
　　"Poor Anne! How tired you are! You must all go to bed straight away, and have a good long night.
　　Then you will wake up quite fresh tomorrow," said Aunt Fanny.
　　"Anne, you are an idiot," said Dick, crossly, when his aunt had gone out of the room. "You knowquite well what grown-ups think as soon as we yawn. I did want to go down on the beach for awhile."
　　"I'm so sorry," said Anne. "Somehow I couldn't help it. And anyway, you're yawning now, Dick, andJulian too!"
　　So they were. They were as sleepy as could be with their long drive. Secretly all of them longed tocuddle down into bed and shut their eyes.
　　"I wonder where Georgina is," said Anne, when she said good-night to the boys, and went to her ownroom. "Isn't she queer— not waiting to welcome us— and not coming in to supper— and not even inyet! After all, she's sleeping in my room— goodness knows what time she'll be in!"All the three children were fast asleep before Georgina came up to bed! They didn't hear her openAnne's door. They didn't hear her get undressed and clean her teeth. They didn't hear the creak of herbed as she got into it. They were so tired that they heard nothing at all until the sun awoke them in themorning.
　　When Anne awoke she couldn't at first think where she was. She lay in her little bed and looked up atthe slanting ceiling, and at the red roses that nodded at the open window— and suddenly rememberedall in a rush where she was! "I'm at Kirrin Bay— and it's the holidays." she said to herself, andscrewed up her legs with joy.
　　Then she looked across at the other bed. In it lay the figure of another child, curled up under the bed-clothes. Anne could just see the top of a curly head, and that was all. When the figure stirred a little,Anne spoke.
　　8
　　"I say! Are you Georgina?"
　　The child in the opposite bed sat up and looked across at Anne. She had very short curly hair, almostas short as a boy's. Her face was burnt a dark-brown with the sun, and her very blue eyes looked asbright as forget-me-nots in her face. But her mouth was rather sulky, and she had a frown like herfather's.
　　"No," she said. "I'm not Georgina."
　　"Oh!" said Anne, in surprise. "Then who are you?""I'm George," said the girl. "I shall only answer if you call me George. I hate being a girl. I won't be.
　　I don't like doing the things that girls do. I like doing the things that boys do. I can climb better thanany boy, and swim faster too. I can sail a boat as well as any fisher-boy on this coast.
　　You're to call me George. Then I'll speak to you. But I shan't if you don't.""Oh!" said Anne, thinking that her new cousin was most extraordinary. "All right! I don't care what Icall you. George is a nice name, I think. I don't much like Georgina. Anyway, you look like a boy.""Do I really?" said George, the frown leaving her face for a moment. "Mother was awfully cross withme when I cut my hair short. I had hair all round my neck; it was awful."The two girls stared at one another for a moment. "Don't you simply hate being a girl?" askedGeorge.
　　"No, of course not," said Anne. "You see— I do like pretty frocks— and I love my dolls— and youcan't do that if you're a boy."
　　"Pooh! Fancy bothering about pretty frocks," said George, in a scornful voice. "And dolls! Well, youare a baby, that's all I can say."
　　Anne felt offended. "You're not very polite," she said. "You won't find that my brothers take muchnotice of you if you act as if you knew everything. They're real boys, not pretend boys, like you.""Well, if they're going to be nasty to me I shan't take any notice of them," said George, jumping outof bed. "I didn't want any of you to come, anyway. Interfering with my life here! I'm quite happy onmy own. Now I've got to put up with a silly girl who likes frocks and dolls, and two stupid boy-cousins!"
　　9
　　Anne felt that they had made a very bad beginning. She said no more, but got dressed herself too.
　　She put on her grey jeans and a red jersey. George put on jeans too, and a boy's jersey. Just as theywere ready the boys hammered on their door.
　　"Aren't you ready? Is Georgina there? Cousin Georgina, come out and see us."George flung open the door and marched out with her head high. She took no notice of the twosurprised boys at all. She stalked downstairs. The other three children looked at one another.
　　"She won't answer if you call her Georgina," explained Anne. "She's awfully queer, I think. She saysshe didn't want us to come because we'll interfere with her. She laughed at me, and was rather rude."Julian put his arm round Anne, who looked a bit doleful. "Cheer up!" he said. "You've got us to stickup for you. Come on down to breakfast."
　　They were all hungry. The smell of bacon and eggs was very good. They ran down the stairs and saidgood-morning to their aunt. She was just bringing the breakfast to the table. Their uncle was sitting atthe head, reading his paper. He nodded at the children. They sat down without a word, wondering ifthey were allowed to speak at meals. They always were at home, but their Uncle Quentin lookedrather fierce.
　　George was there, buttering a piece of toast. She scowled at the three children.
　　"Don't look like that, George," said her mother. "I hope you've made friends already. It will be fun foryou to play together. You must take your cousins to see the bay this morning and show them the bestplaces to bathe."
　　"I'm going fishing," said George.
　　Her father looked up at once.
　　"You are not," he said. "You are going to show a few good manners for a change, and take yourcousins to the bay. Do you hear me?"
　　"Yes," said George, with a scowl exactly like her father's.
　　"Oh, we can go to the bay by ourselves all right, if George is going fishing," said Anne, at once,thinking that it would be nice not to have George if she was in a bad temper.
　　"George will do exactly as she's told," said her father. "If she doesn't, I shall deal with her."So, after breakfast, four children got ready to go down to the beach. An easy path led down to thebay, and they ran down happily. Even George lost her frown as she felt the warmth of the sun andsaw the dancing sparkles on the blue sea.
　　10
　　"You go fishing if you want to," said Anne when they were down on the beach. "We won't tell talesof you. We don't want to interfere with you, you know. We've got ourselves for company, and if youdon't want to be with us, you needn't."
　　"But we'd like you, all the same, if you'd like to be with us," said Julian, generously. He thoughtGeorge was rude and ill-mannered, but he couldn't help rather liking the look of the straight-backed,short-haired little girl, with her brilliant blue eyes and sulky mouth.
　　George stared at him. "I'll see, she said. "I don't make friends with people just because they're mycousins, or something silly like that. I only make friends with people if I like them.""So do we," said Julian. "We may not like you, of course.""Oh!" said George, as if that thought hadn't occurred to her. "Well— you may not, of course.
　　Lots of people don't like me, now I come to think of it."Anne was staring out over the blue bay. At the entrance to it lay a curious rocky island with whatlooked like an old ruined castle on the top of it.
　　"Isn't that a funny place?" she said. "I wonder what it's called.""It's called Kirrin Island," said George, her eyes as blue as the sea as she turned to look at it. "It's alovely place to go to. If I like you, I may take you there some day. But I don't promise. The only wayto get there is by boat."
　　"Who does the funny island belong to?" asked Julian.
　　George made a most surprising answer. "It belongs to me," she said. "At least, it will belong to me—some day! It will be my very own island— and my very own castle!"
2.奇怪的堂妹
　　奇怪的堂妹
　　孩子们的范妮婶婶一直在等待着他们的到来。车刚一停在门口，她就拉开了老旧的木门，冲了出来。一看到这位婶婶，孩子们立刻就喜欢上了她。
　　“欢迎来到科林！”她大声说，“你们好啊！真高兴见到你们，都长这么大了！”
　　她亲吻了每一个孩子，并把他们带进了屋里。三个孩子很喜欢这栋房子。这是一栋带着神秘感的古老房子，里面的家具旧却很有品位。
　　“乔治娜呢？”安妮一边问一边四处寻找那个未曾谋面的堂姐。
　　“哦，那个调皮的丫头！我本来让她在花园里等你们，”婶婶说，“现在不知又跑到哪里去了。孩子们，我必须得提一下，一开始你们可能会觉得乔治不太好相处，因为她一直都是一个人玩。对于你们的到来，她可能会不适应。你们不要太在意，她很快就会好起来。你们能来，我真替乔治高兴。她非常需要有小伙伴陪她一起玩。”
　　“她叫乔治？”安妮吃惊地问，“我以为她叫乔治娜。”
　　“她的确叫乔治娜，”婶婶说，“可是乔治不喜欢当女孩，她让我们叫她乔治，就像男孩子一样。我们要是叫她乔治娜，她就不理我们。”
　　其实，孩子们觉得乔治娜这个名字还挺酷的。他们非常希望她能早点回来，但是遗憾的是，大家没有等到她。倒是他们的叔叔昆廷突然出现了。他相貌古怪，高大黝黑，宽宽的额头上两道眉毛总是紧紧地皱着，看起来很凶的样子。
　　“昆廷，你好！”爸爸说，“好久不见了，希望这三个孩子不会打扰到你的工作。”
　　“昆廷正在写一本很难的书，”范妮婶婶说，“不过我在庄园的另一边给他专门准备了一个房间，这样就不会打扰到他了。”
　　昆廷叔叔看了看三个孩子，朝他们点了点头。他依然皱着眉头，这让孩子们多少有点害怕。不过，当孩子们听到他要到另一个房间工作时，他们感到很高兴。
　　“乔治呢？”昆廷叔叔问，声音低沉。
　　“不知道又跑到哪里去了，”范妮婶婶有点生气地说，“本来我是让她在这里等着她的堂哥堂妹们的。”
　　“看来她想要好好谈谈了，”昆廷叔叔说。孩子们也分不清他这样说是认真的还是在开玩笑。“好的，孩子们，祝你们在这里玩得开心，或许你们能教给乔治一些常识！”
　　科林庄园没有多余的房间给爸爸和妈妈住，所以他们要住到附近的一家旅馆里，然后等第二天早餐后就要赶回伦敦。因此，那天晚上吃过晚餐后，他们就和孩子们一一告别。
　　直到这时，乔治娜还是没有出现。“很遗憾没能见到乔治娜，”妈妈说，“告诉她我们爱她，也希望她跟迪克、朱利安和安妮玩得开心。”
　　说完，爸爸和妈妈就离开了。看着汽车消失在路尽头的拐弯处，孩子们感觉有点孤单，不过当范妮婶婶把他们带上楼，看过他们的房间后，刚刚的孤独感就被他们抛在脑后了。
　　两个男孩睡在顶楼有斜顶的房间，在这里能看到海湾的美景。
　　两个孩子非常喜欢这个房间。安妮需要和乔治娜同睡一间，房间内有一扇窗户正对着庄园后面的沼泽，另一扇窗户则对着大海，这让安妮非常开心。这个房间很舒适，就连窗外的玫瑰也似乎在不停地向她点头。
　　“真希望乔治娜快点回来，”安妮对婶婶说，“我想看看她长什么样。”
　　“嗯，她是个很有趣的小女孩，”婶婶说，“虽然有点粗鲁傲慢，但是心地善良，而且忠心诚恳。一旦她和你成为朋友，她就会永远把你当朋友。不过问题是，她几乎没有交到过朋友，真的非常遗憾。”
　　安妮突然打了一个哈欠。两个男孩朝她皱了皱眉头，因为他们知道接下来会发生什么。
　　果然不出所料！
　　“可怜的安妮！一定是累坏了！你们都赶紧上床睡觉，好好休息休息。明天起来就有精神了。”范妮婶婶说。
　　婶婶说完走出了房间。迪克生气地说：“安妮，你真是个傻瓜，你明明知道大人们一看到我们打哈欠就会让我们干什么。我还想到下面的海滩玩一会儿呢。”
　　“对不起，”安妮说，“我没控制住。再说，迪克你也打哈欠了，朱利安也打了！”
　　他们确实也打哈欠了。坐了一天的车，大家都困了。其实大家早就想瘫在床上，闭上眼睛睡一觉了。
　　“真不知道乔治娜去哪里了，”跟两个哥哥道过晚安，就要回自己的房间时，安妮说，“她既不等着迎接我们，也不来吃晚餐，到现在都不回来，真是太古怪了！可是，毕竟我们俩睡在一个房间，谁知道她什么时候进来呢。”
　　三个孩子很快都睡着了，他们根本不知道乔治娜是什么时候回来的！他们没有听到她打开房门的声音，也没有听到她换衣服和刷牙的声音，连她上床时，床发出的吱嘎声都没听到。他们太累了，什么都没听到，直到第二天清晨的太阳将他们唤醒。
　　安妮醒来时，突然间忘记了自己身在何处。她躺在小床上，抬眼看了看倾斜的屋顶，又看了看窗外朝她点头的玫瑰花，一下子想起了自己在什么地方！“我在科林湾度假。”她自言自语，开心得手舞足蹈。
　　然后，她又看了看旁边的床。床上躺着一个孩子，那个孩子蜷缩在被子里面。安妮只能看见她头顶上的一点小鬈发，其他什么也看不见了。看到那个孩子动了动，安妮马上问：“嘿！你是乔治娜吗？”
　　睡在对面的那个孩子坐了起来，看着安妮。她留着一头卷曲的短发，和男孩子的头发一样短。脸被太阳晒得黝黑，一双眼睛清澈湛蓝，像两朵美丽的勿忘我。不过她的嘴唇紧紧地抿着，而且像她爸爸一样皱着眉头。
　　“不，”她说，“我不是乔治娜。”
　　“啊！”安妮十分惊讶，“那你是谁？”
　　“我是乔治，”女孩说，“你叫我乔治，我才会回应你。我讨厌当女孩，我也不想当女孩。我不喜欢做女孩们做的事情，我喜欢玩男孩们玩的东西。我比男孩们还会爬树，比男孩们游得更快。我还能像岸边的渔民一样开船。你要叫我乔治，那样我才会和你说话，否则我就不理你。”
　　“哦！”安妮说，感觉这个堂姐怪怪的，“好吧！叫你什么都行。
　　乔治这个名字很不错，我也不太喜欢乔治娜这个名字。再说，你确实像个男孩。”
　　“真的吗？”乔治问，她舒展开了眉头，“看见我把头发剪短了，我妈非常生气。以前我的头发长得都到脖子这里，难看极了。”
　　两个女孩对视了一会儿。“你难道不讨厌当一个女孩吗？”乔治问。
　　“不，不讨厌，”安妮说，“我很喜欢我的漂亮裙子，我的洋娃娃，要是我是男孩，就不能有这些东西了。”
　　“唏！竟然喜欢漂亮裙子，”乔治轻蔑地说，“还有洋娃娃！那只能说，你还是个小孩子。”
　　安妮一听就不高兴了。“你说话太不客气了，”她说，“如果你是这副无所不知的样子，我的两个哥哥可不会喜欢你。他们是真正的男孩，不像你，是假装的。”
　　“哼，如果他们不喜欢我，我也不会喜欢他们的，”乔治说着，从床上跳了下来，“再说，我根本不希望你们来我家，打乱我的生活！我一个人很开心。现在，我不得不忍受一个喜欢裙子和洋娃娃的傻女孩和两个笨笨的堂兄！”
　　安妮感到这真不是个好的开始。她不再说话，准备穿衣服。她穿了一条灰色牛仔裤和一件红色运动衫。乔治也穿了条牛仔裤和一件男式运动衫。刚穿好，男孩子们就来拍门了。
　　“安妮起来了吗？乔治娜回来了吗？乔治娜堂妹，快出来和我们见面吧。”
　　乔治猛地推开门，昂着头走了出来。两个男孩惊呆了，她连看都没看他们一眼，径直下了楼。三个孩子你看我，我看你。
　　“你们叫她乔治娜，她是不会回应的，”安妮解释道，“我觉得她很怪。她说她根本不想让我们来，因为我们打扰了她的生活。她还很无礼地嘲笑我。”
　　安妮看上去有点难过，朱利安抱住她。“开心点！”他说，“你有我们呢。走，下楼吃早餐去。”
　　他们都饿了，因此培根和炒鸡蛋闻起来比平时更美味。他们跑下楼，和范妮婶婶打了个招呼。她刚把早餐摆在桌子上，昆廷叔叔就坐在主位上，看着报纸。他朝孩子们点了点头。孩子们悄悄地坐下来，不知道吃饭的时候能不能说话。在家的时候，吃饭时是可以说话的，但是昆廷叔叔看上去很凶。
　　乔治也已经坐了下来，在往土司上涂奶油。她瞪着三个孩子，一脸怒容。
　　“乔治，不要这副表情，”她妈妈说，“我希望你们已经成为朋友了。大家一起玩会很有意思的。今天早上，你必须带你的堂兄堂妹们到海湾去玩，给他们讲讲最适合游泳的地方。”
　　“我要去钓鱼。”乔治说。
　　她爸爸立刻抬头看了她一眼。
　　“不行，”他说，“你要收收你的脾气了，对你的堂兄堂妹们礼貌点，带他们去海湾玩。听见了吗？”
　　“听见了。”乔治皱眉头的样子和她爸爸一模一样。
　　“要是乔治想去钓鱼，我们可以自己去海湾。”安妮立即说，她觉得乔治要是不高兴，还不如不和她一起去。
　　“乔治会带你们去的。”她爸爸说，“她要是不去，我会收拾她的。”
　　早餐过后，四个孩子准备到海滩去。去海滩的路平坦宽敞，他们一路欢笑着跑向海滩。沐浴着温暖的阳光，看到波光粼粼的蓝色大海，就连乔治都舒展了眉头。
　　“你要是想去钓鱼，你就去吧，”安妮说，“我们不会告诉叔叔的。我们不想打扰你的生活。我们三个可以相互为伴，如果你不想和我们一起玩，可以不用和我们在一起。”
　　“当然，如果你想和我们一起玩，我们也会很开心的。”朱利安大度地说。虽然他也觉得乔治很不礼貌，态度甚至有点恶劣，但还是禁不住喜欢上了这个有着清澈湛蓝的眼睛、常常紧绷着嘴角、一直挺直着身板的短发小女孩。
　　乔治盯着他。“嗯，”她说，“我不会傻兮兮地因为你们是我的堂兄堂妹而和你们成为朋友。我只和我喜欢的人交朋友。”
　　“我们也是，”朱利安说，“当然，我们也许会不喜欢你。”
　　“噢！”乔治没料到他会这样说，“你们可能真的不会喜欢我。其实许多人都不喜欢我，这一点我知道。”
　　安妮定定地望着蓝色的海湾。海湾的入口处有一座奇特的岩石岛，它看起来像是一座破旧的城堡。
　　“真是个有趣的地方，不是吗？”她说，“不知道这座岛叫什么名字。”
　　“科林岛，”乔治说，她转身看着大海时，眼睛的湛蓝色就从勿忘我变成了大海的蓝色，“那是个很好玩的地方。要是我喜欢你们，以后会带你们去的。但是我也不敢肯定，而且要去那座岛只能坐船。”
　　“那座岛是属于谁的？”朱利安说。
　　乔治的回答让所有人震惊。“属于我的，”她说，“起码以后会属于我的！那将会是我自己的小岛，我自己的城堡！”
Chapter Three A QUEER STORY — AND A NEW FRIEND
Chapter Three A QUEER STORY — AND A NEW FRIEND
　　The three children stared at George in the greatest surprise.
　　George stared back at them.
　　"What do you mean?" said Dick, at last. "Kirrin Island can't belong to you. You're just boasting.""No, I'm not," said George. "You ask Mother. If you're not going to believe what I say I won't tellyou another word more. But I don't tell untruths. I think it's being a coward if you don't tell the truth— and I'm not a coward."
　　11
　　Julian remembered that Aunt Fanny had said that George was absolutely truthful, and he scratchedhis head and looked at George again. How could she be possibly telling the truth?
　　"Well, of course we'll believe you if you tell us the truth," he said. "But it does sound a bitextraordinary, you know. Really it does. Children don't usually own islands, even funny little oneslike that."
　　"It isn't a funny little island," said George, fiercely. "It's lovely. There are rabbits there, as tame as canbe— and the big cormorants sit on the other side— and all kinds of gulls go there. The castle iswonderful too, even if it is all in ruins.""It sounds fine," said Dick. "How does it belong to you, Georgina?"George glared at him and didn't answer.
　　"Sorry," said Dick, hastily. "I didn't mean to call you Georgina. I meant to call you George.""Go on, George— tell us how the island belongs to you," said Julian, slipping his arm through hissulky little cousin's.
　　She pulled away from him at once.
　　"Don't do that," she said. "I'm not sure that I want to make friends with you yet.""All right, all right," said Julian, losing patience. "Be enemies or anything you like. We don't care.
　　But we like your mother awfully, and we don't want her to think we won't make friends with you.""Do you like my mother?" said George, her bright blue eyes softening a little. "Yes— she's a dear,isn't she? Well— all right— I'll tell you how Kirrin Castle belongs to me. Come and sit down here inthis corner where nobody can hear us."
　　They all sat down in a sandy corner of the beach. George looked across at the little island in the bay.
　　"It's like this," she said. "Years ago my mother's people owned nearly all the land around here.
　　Then they got poor, and had to sell most of it. But they could never sell that little island, becausenobody thought it worth anything, especially as the castle has been ruined for years.""Fancy nobody wanting to buy a dear little island like that!" said Dick. "I'd buy it at once if I had themoney."
　　"All that's left of what Mother's family owned is our own house, Kirrin Cottage, and a farm a littleway off— and Kirrin Island," said George. "Mother says when I'm grown-up it will be 12mine. She says she doesn't want it now, either, so she's sort of given it to me. It belongs to me.
　　It's my own private island, and I don't let anyone go there unless they get my permission."The three children stared at her. They believed every word George said, for it was quite plain that thegirl was speaking the truth. Fancy having an island of your very own! They thought she was verylucky indeed.
　　"Oh Georgina— I mean George!" said Dick. "I do think you're lucky. It looks such a nice island.
　　I hope you'll be friends with us and take us there one day soon. You simply can't imagine how we'dlove it."
　　"Well— I might," said George, pleased at the interest she had caused. "I'll see. I never have takenanyone there yet, though some of the boys and girls round here have begged me to. But I don't likethem, so I haven't."
　　There was a little silence as the four children looked out over the bay to where the island lay in thedistance. The tide was going out. It almost looked as if they could wade over to the island.
　　Dick asked if it was possible.
　　"No," said George. "I told you— it's only possible to get to it by boat. It's farther out than it looks—and the water is very, very deep. There are rocks all about too— you have to know exactly where torow a boat, or you bump into them. It's a dangerous bit of coast here. There are a lot of wrecksabout."
　　"Wrecks!" cried Julian, his eyes shining, "I say! I've never seen an old wreck. Are there any to see?""Not now," said George. "They've all been cleared up. Except one, and that's the other side of theisland. It's deep down in the water. You can just see the broken mast if you row over it on a calm dayand look down into the water. That wreck really belongs to me too."This time the children really could hardly believe George. But she nodded her head firmly.
　　"Yes," she said, "it was a ship belonging to one of my great-great-great-grandfathers, or someone likethat. He was bringing gold— big bars of gold— back in his ship—and it got wrecked off KirrinIsland."
　　"Oooh— what happened to the gold?" asked Anne, her eyes round and big.
　　"Nobody knows," said George. "I expect it was stolen out of the ship. Divers have been down to see,of course, but they couldn't find any gold.""Golly— this does sound exciting," said Julian. "I wish I could see the wreck."13
　　"Well— we might perhaps go this afternoon when the tide is right down," said George. "The water isso calm and clear today. We could see a bit of it.""Oh, how wonderful!" said Anne. "I do so want to see a real live wreck!"The others laughed. "Well, it won't be very alive," said Dick. "I say, George— what about a bathe?""I must go and get Timothy first," said George. She got up.
　　"Who's Timothy?" said Dick.
　　"Can you keep a secret?" asked George. "Nobody must know at home.""Well, go on, what's the secret?" asked Julian. "You can tell us. We're not sneaks.""Timothy is my very greatest friend," said George. "I couldn't do without him. But Mother and Fatherdon't like him, so I have to keep him in secret. I'll go and fetch him."She ran off up the cliff path. The others watched her go. They thought she was the queerest girl theyhad ever known.
　　"Who in the world can Timothy be?" wondered Julian. "Some fisher-boy, I suppose, that George'sparents don't approve of."
　　The children, lay back in the soft sand and waited. Soon they heard George's clear voice comingdown from the cliff behind them.
　　"Come on, Timothy! Come on!"
　　They sat up and looked to see what Timothy was like. They saw no fisher-boy— but instead a bigbrown mongrel dog with an absurdly long tail and a big wide mouth that really seemed to grin! Hewas bounding all round George, mad with delight. She came running down to them.
　　"This is Timothy," she said. "Don't you think he is simply perfect?"As a dog, Timothy was far from perfect. He was the wrong shape, his head was too big, his ears weretoo pricked, his tail was too long and it was quite impossible to say what kind of a dog he wassupposed to be. But he was such a mad, friendly, clumsy, laughable creature that every one of thechildren adored him at once.
　　"Oh, you darling!" said Anne, and got a lick on the nose.
　　"I say— isn't he grand!" said Dick, and gave Timothy a friendly smack that made the dog boundmadly all round him.
　　"I wish I had a dog like this," said Julian, who really loved dogs, and had always wanted one of hisown. "Oh, George— he's fine. Aren't you proud of him?"14
　　The little girl smiled, and her face altered at once, and became sunny and pretty. She sat down on thesand and her dog cuddled up to her, licking her wherever he could find a bare piece of skin.
　　"I love him awfully," she said. "I found him out on the moors when he was just a pup, a year ago, andI took him home. At first Mother liked him, but when he grew bigger he got terribly naughty.""What did he do?" asked Anne.
　　"Well, he's an awfully chewy kind of dog," said George. "He chewed up everything he could— a newrug Mother had bought— her nicest hat— Father's slippers— some of his papers, and things like that.
　　And he barked too. I liked his bark, but Father didn't. He said it nearly drove him mad.
　　He hit Timothy and that made me angry, so I was awfully rude to him.""Did you get spanked?" said Anne. "I wouldn't like to be rude to your father. He looks fierce."George looked out over the bay. Her face had gone sulky again. "Well, it doesn't matter whatpunishment I got," she said, "but the worst part of all was when Father said I couldn't keep Timothyany more, and Mother backed Father up and said Tim must go. I cried for days— and I never do cry,you know, because boys don't and I like to be like a boy.""Boys do cry sometimes," began Anne, looking at Dick, who had been a bit of a cry-baby three orfour years back. Dick gave her a sharp nudge, and she said no more.
　　George looked at Anne.
　　"Boys don't cry," she said, obstinately. "Anyway, I've never seen one, and I always try not to crymyself. It's so babyish. But I just couldn't help it when Timothy had to go. He cried too."The children looked with great respect at Timothy. They had not known that a dog could cry before.
　　"Do you mean— he cried real tears?" asked Anne.
　　"No, not quite," said George. "He's too brave for that. He cried with his voice— howled and howledand looked so miserable that he nearly broke my heart. And then I knew I couldn't possibly part withhim."
　　"What happened then?" asked Julian.
　　"I went to Alf, a fisher-boy I know," said George, "and I asked him if he'd keep Tim for me, if I paidhim all the pocket-money I get. He said he would, and so he does. That's why I never have anymoney to spend— it all has to go on Tim. He seems to eat an awful lot— don't you, Tim?""Woof!" said Tim, and rolled over on his back, all his shaggy legs in the air. Julian tickled him.
　　15
　　"How do you manage when you want any sweets or ice-creams?" said Anne, who spent most of herpocket-money on things of that sort.
　　"I don't manage," said George. "I go without, of course."This sounded awful to the other children, who loved ice-creams, chocolates and sweets, and had agood many of them. They stared at George.
　　"Well— I suppose the other children who play on the beach share their sweets and ices with yousometimes, don't they?" asked Julian.
　　"I don't let them," said George. "If I can never give them any myself it's not fair to take them. So I sayno."
　　The tinkle of an ice-cream man's bell was heard in the distance. Julian felt in his pocket. He jumpedup and rushed off, jingling his money. In a few moments he was back again, carrying four fatchocolate ice-cream bars. He gave one to Dick, and one to Anne, and then held out one to George.
　　She looked at it longingly, but shook her head.
　　"No, thanks," she said. "You know what I just said. I haven't any money to buy them, so I can't sharemine with you, and I can't take any from you. It's mean to take from people if you can't give even alittle back."
　　"You can take from us," said Julian, trying to put the ice into George's brown hand. "We're yourcousins."
　　"No, thanks," said George again. "Though I do think it's nice of you."She looked at Julian out of her blue eyes and the boy frowned as he tried to think of a way to makethe obstinate little girl take the ice. Then he smiled.
　　"Listen," he said, "you've got something we badly want to share— in fact you've got a lot of thingswe'd like to share, if only you'd let us. You share those with us, and let us share things like ices withyou. See?"
　　"What things have I got that you want to share?" asked George, in surprise.
　　"You've got a dog," said Julian, patting the big brown mongrel. "We'd love to share him with you,he's such a darling. And you've got a lovely island. We'd be simply thrilled if you'd share itsometimes. And you've got a wreck. We'd like to look at it and share it too. Ices and sweets aren't sogood as those things— but it would be nice to make a bargain and share with each other."George looked at the brown eyes that gazed steadily into hers. She couldn't help liking Julian. Itwasn't her nature to share anything. She had always been an only child, a lonely, rather 16misunderstood little girl, fierce and hot-tempered. She had never had any friends of her own.
　　Timothy looked up at Julian and saw that he was offering something nice and chocolately to George.
　　He jumped up and licked the boy with his friendly tongue.
　　"There you are, you see— Tim wants to be shared," said Julian, with a laugh. "It would be nice forhim to have three new friends."
　　"Yes— it would," said George, giving in suddenly, and taking the chocolate bar. "Thank you, Julian.
　　I will share with you. But promise you'll never tell anyone at home that I'm still keeping Timothy?""Of course we'll promise," said Julian. "But I can't imagine that your father or mother would mind, solong as Tim doesn't live in their house. How's the ice? Is it nice?""Ooooh— the loveliest one I've ever tasted!" said George nibbling at it. "It's so cold. I haven't hadone this year. It's simply DELICIOUS!"
　　Timothy tried to nibble it too. George gave him a few crumbs at the end. Then she turned and smiledat the three children.
　　"You're nice," she said. "I'm glad you've come after all. Let's take a boat out this afternoon and rowround the island to have a look at the wreck, shall we?""Rather!" said all three at once— and even Timothy wagged his tail as if he understood!
3.离奇的故事
　　离奇的故事
　　三个孩子目瞪口呆地看着乔治。
　　乔治也看着他们。
　　“你什么意思？”迪克最后问，“科林岛不可能属于你。你在吹牛。”
　　“不，我没有，”乔治说，“你们可以问我妈妈。要是你们不相信我说的，那我就什么也不跟你们讲了。但是我说的都是实话。我认为不说实话的人都是懦夫，而我不是懦夫。”
　　朱利安记得范妮婶婶说过乔治非常诚实，他挠了挠头，又看了看乔治。她说的会是真的吗？
　　“嗯，我们当然相信你，只要你说的是真的，”他说，“但是你说的确实有点离奇，真的很离奇。小孩一般不可能拥有岛屿，哪怕是那座可笑的小岛。”
　　“那座小岛一点也不可笑，”乔治愤怒地说，“那座小岛很美，上面有温驯的兔子、巨大的鸬鹚，还有各种各样的海鸟。上面的城堡虽然已经毁了，但是仍然壮观。”
　　“听着不错，”迪克说，“乔治娜，但是这座岛怎么会是你的呢？”
　　乔治瞪着他，不说话。
　　“抱歉，”迪克连忙改口，“我不是叫你乔治娜。我是叫你乔治。”
　　“乔治，快点告诉我们，这座岛是怎么属于你的？”朱利安一边说，一边用胳膊去挽堂妹的胳膊。
　　乔治立刻把胳膊抽了出来。
　　“不要这样，”她说，“我还不知道想不想和你成为朋友呢。”
　　“好吧，好吧，”朱利安不耐烦地说，“当仇人，当什么都随你。
　　我们无所谓。但是我们非常喜欢你妈妈，我们不想让她以为我们不想和你成为朋友。”
　　“你们喜欢我妈妈？”乔治蓝色的眼睛温柔了许多，“是啊，她是个很棒的人，不是吗？嗯，好吧，我就给你们讲讲科林岛是怎么属于我的。来，坐在那个角落里，那里没人能听见我们说话。”
　　他们一起坐在了海滩上的一个角落里。乔治远远地望着海湾上的那座小岛。
　　“是这样的，”她说，“许多年前，我妈妈的家族几乎拥有这里的所有土地。但是后来他们家道中落，不得不卖掉大部分的土地。但他们卖不掉那座小岛，因为人们都认为那座岛不值钱，再说上面的城堡也已经毁了很多年。”
　　“真奇怪竟然没有人想买那样的小岛！”迪克说，“我要是有钱立刻就会把它买下来。”
　　“现在我妈妈的家族中所剩下的就只有我们的房子——科林庄园，很远的一个农场和科林岛了。”乔治说，“妈妈说，等我长大了，那座岛就是我的了。她说她现在其实就不想要了，所以就等于给了我。因此，这座岛是属于我的。那是我的私人领地，没有我的许可，我不会让任何人到那里去的。”
　　三个孩子定定地看着她。他们相信乔治说的每一句话，因为显然她说的都是实话。有一座自己的小岛是多么酷的一件事啊！他们都觉得她很幸运。
　　“哦，乔治娜——我的意思是乔治！”迪克说，“你真是太幸运了。这座岛看上去棒极了。我希望我们能成为朋友，你能早点带我们去。你无法想象我们有多喜欢那座小岛。”
　　“嗯，我可能会带你们去，”乔治说，他们对她的小岛感兴趣，她暗自有点高兴，“到时候再看。附近有很多男孩女孩都求我带他们去我的岛屿，但是我从来没答应过。因为我不喜欢他们，所以我从不带他们去。”
　　四个孩子朝海湾上的岛屿远远地眺望着，沉默着。潮水退去了，看起来他们好像可以涉水到小岛上去。迪克问乔治行不行。
　　“不行，”乔治说，“我告诉过你，只能坐船去。那里实际上要比看起来远很多，海水也非常深。而且到处都是岩石，你要是不知道路线，一定会撞到岩石上的。这个海湾其实挺危险的，有很多船都在这里沉了。”
　　“有沉船！”朱利安喊了出来，眼里发着光，“嗨！我从没见过沉船。现在能看到吗？”
　　“现在没有，”乔治说，“除了一艘以外，其他的都被清理干净了。仅剩的那艘沉船就在小岛的另一边，沉在海底了。海面平静时，如果划船过去，可以透过海水看到船上的破桅杆。其实这艘失事的沉船也是属于我的。”
　　这次孩子们真的很难相信乔治了。但是她肯定地点了点头。
　　“是真的，”她说，“那艘船是我曾曾曾祖父的，或者差不多年代的一个祖先。当时船上装的是金条——很大的金条，结果船在科林岛失事了。”
　　“哇！那些金子呢？”安妮的眼睛睁得又大又圆。
　　“没人知道，”乔治说，“我猜是被人偷走了。潜水员也曾潜入水下去找过，但是没找到任何金子。”
　　“天哪！太刺激了，”朱利安说，“我真希望我们能去看看那艘船。”
　　“嗯……今天下午要是潮水全部退了，我们也许可以去看看。”乔治说，“今天的海水又平静又清澈。我们应该能看到一点沉船的样子。”
　　“哦，太棒了！”安妮说，“我也想看看那艘活生生的沉船！”
　　其他人都笑了起来。“那船应该不会是‘活生生’的吧，”迪克说，“我说，乔治，我们去游泳怎么样？”
　　“我要先去把蒂米找来。”乔治说着，站了起来。
　　“蒂米是谁？”迪克问。
　　“你能保密吗？”乔治问，“家里没人知道。”
　　“好好好，到底是什么秘密？”朱利安问，“你可以告诉我们，我们不会告状的。”
　　“蒂米是我最最好的朋友，”乔治说，“没有它我什么也不想做。
　　可是妈妈和爸爸不喜欢它，所以我只能偷偷留着它。我去把它找来。”
　　说完，她跑向了来时的小路。其他几个孩子看着她跑远了。他们觉得她是他们见过的最特别的女孩。
　　“蒂米究竟是谁？”朱利安怀疑地问，“我猜可能是个渔民家的小男孩，所以乔治的父母不同意他们一起玩。”
　　孩子们躺在柔软的沙滩上等待着。很快，他们听见乔治清脆的声音从他们身后的悬崖处传来。
　　“蒂米，快点！快来！”
　　他们同时坐了起来，想看看蒂米长什么样。他们没有看见什么渔民家的小男孩，而是看到一只棕色的混种狗。那只狗拖着一条长长的尾巴，嘴巴又宽又大，好像一直在笑！它围着乔治跳来蹦去，非常开心。乔治朝孩子们跑了过来。
　　“这就是蒂米。”她说，“你们觉得它是不是很完美？”
　　作为一只狗来说，蒂米远称不上完美。它的体形怪异，头太大，耳朵竖得太高，尾巴太长，很难说出是什么类型的狗。但是它却疯狂又友好、笨拙又有趣，孩子们一下就喜欢上了它。
　　“嘿，小宝贝！”安妮说完，狗舔了一下她的鼻子。
　　“我说，它实在是太棒了！”迪克说着，友好地拍了拍蒂米，狗高兴地围着他又蹦又跳。
　　“我也希望有一只像这样的狗，”朱利安说。他非常喜欢狗，一直想要一只，“哦，乔治，它真棒。你是不是为它感到非常骄傲？”
　　小女孩开心地笑了，阴郁的脸立刻变得活泼开朗。她坐在沙滩上，狗跟过去和她嬉戏，不停地用舌头舔她。
　　“我非常爱它，”她说，“一年前，我在沼泽里发现了它，那时它还是只小狗，我就把它带回家了。一开始妈妈挺喜欢它的，但是它越长越大，而且非常调皮。”
　　“它都干什么坏事了？”安妮问。
　　“它是那种很喜欢咬东西的狗，”乔治说，“它什么都咬，妈妈刚买回来的地毯、妈妈最漂亮的帽子、爸爸的拖鞋、报纸等，它都咬。它还喜欢叫。我喜欢它的叫声，但是爸爸不喜欢，他说它的叫声让他发疯。于是他打了蒂米，我很生气，和爸爸顶了嘴。”
　　“那你挨打了吗？”安妮问，“我可不敢和你爸爸顶嘴，他看上去很凶。”
　　乔治转头看着大海，她的脸又变得阴郁起来。“我受到什么惩罚都没关系，”她说，“最糟糕的事情是，我爸爸不让我留下蒂米，我妈妈竟然也同意了，还让我赶走蒂米。我哭了好几天，我以前从来不哭的，因为男孩不会哭，而我又想当一个男孩。”
　　“男孩有时也会哭，”安妮看着迪克说，“三四年前迪克可是个爱哭包。”迪克使劲推了她一下，她才不说了。
　　乔治看着安妮。
　　“男孩是不会哭的，”她固执地说，“总之，我从没见过。我自己也努力不哭，哭显得太孩子气了。只是当蒂米离开时，我忍不住哭了，它也哭了。”
　　孩子们敬佩地看着蒂米。他们不知道原来狗也会哭。
　　“你是说，它能哭出真的眼泪来？”安妮问。
　　“不，不是，”乔治说，“它很勇敢，是不会流泪的。它只是发出哭泣的声音——一遍又一遍地哀嚎，非常痛苦，我听得心都碎了。
　　然后我明白，我离不开它。”
　　“后来呢？”朱利安问。
　　“我去找了阿尔夫，一个我认识的渔民家的男孩，”乔治说，“我问他，要是我把我所有的零花钱都给他，他能否帮我照看蒂米。他说可以，以后就由他帮我照顾我的狗。这也是为什么我没有零花钱的原因。你吃得特别多，是吗，蒂米？”
　　“汪！”蒂米叫了一声。它在地上翻滚着，四只毛茸茸的脚朝向天空。朱利安给它挠痒痒。
　　“那你想吃糖果或冰激凌时怎么办？”安妮问。因为她所有的零花钱都花在这些零食上。
　　“没办法，”乔治说，“我只能不吃了。”
　　其他三个孩子听了感觉很难过，因为他们非常喜欢冰激凌、巧克力和糖果，而且从来不缺。他们望着乔治。
　　“嗯——我猜海边的其他孩子，会把他们的糖果和冰激凌分享给你的，对吗？”朱利安说。
　　“我不要他们的，”乔治说，“我拿了他们的东西，却什么也给不了他们，这样不公平。所以，我不要他们的东西。”
　　远处传来了冰激凌车“叮叮当当”的铃声。朱利安摸了摸他的口袋，然后跳了起来，冲了出去，口袋里的硬币“咣当咣当”地响。不一会儿，他回来了，手里拿着四支巧克力冰激凌。他给了迪克一支、安妮一支，然后递给乔治一支。乔治渴望地看了一眼，还是摇摇头。
　　“不用了，谢谢，”她说，“刚才我说了，我没有钱买冰棒，所以我无法和你们分享我的东西，因此我也不能拿你们的。只获取却不分享，就太自私了。”
　　“你可以拿我们的，”朱利安说，并试图把冰棒放进乔治小麦色的手中，“我们是你的堂亲。”
　　“不用了，谢谢！”乔治又说了一遍，“你们真的很好。”她看着朱利安。朱利安皱起眉头，思考着：用什么办法，才能让这个固执的小女孩接受这根冰棒。接着，他笑了。
　　“听着，”他说，“你有东西是我们特别想要分享的，实际上，你有许多东西我们都想分享，只要你愿意让我们分享。你与我们一起分享这些，就像我们与你分享这些冰棒，怎么样？”
　　“我有什么东西能和你们分享？”乔治惊奇地问。
　　“你的狗啊，”朱利安一边说，一边拍着这只棕色的混种狗，“我们希望能和你一起分享你的狗，它实在太可爱了。你还有一座漂亮的岛。要是哪天你能带我们去和你一起分享，我们会感激不尽的。
　　你还有一艘沉船。我们也想看看，想和你一起分享。冰棒和糖果虽然远比不上这些东西，但是我们还是希望你不要太计较，和我们一起分享。”
　　乔治看着他褐色的眼睛，与他四目相对。她禁不住喜欢上了朱利安。她从来没有机会与别人分享。她是家里的独生女，别人常误以为她孤独，不听话，性子急，还有点暴躁。她从没有交过真正的朋友。蒂米抬头看着朱利安，看到他将一个巧克力似的好东西递给了乔治。它跳了起来，用舌头友好地舔了男孩一下。
　　“这就对了，你看——蒂米也喜欢分享，”朱利安笑着说，“它还得到了三个朋友，一定很高兴。”
　　“是的。”乔治说，她突然屈服了，接受了巧克力冰棒，“谢谢你，朱利安。我愿意和你们分享。但是，能答应我千万不要告诉我爸妈我还留着蒂米吗？”
　　“我们一定会保密的，”朱利安说，“其实只要我们不让蒂米进你爸爸妈妈的房子里，他们可能就不会介意了吧。冰棒味道怎么样？
　　好吃吗？”
　　“哦……这是我吃过的最好吃的东西！”乔治舔了一口，“很凉。
　　今年我一支都没吃，太好吃了！”
　　蒂米也想舔一口。乔治只给了它一些碎渣，然后，她转过身朝三个孩子笑了笑。
　　“你们真好，”她说，“很高兴你们能来。今天下午我们就找一条船，到小岛上去看那艘失事的船，好吗？”
　　“太棒了！”三个孩子立刻说，就连蒂米都摇起了尾巴，好像也听懂了似的！
Chapter Four AN EXCITING AFTERNOON
Chapter Four AN EXCITING AFTERNOON
　　They all had a bathe that morning, and the boys found that George was a much better swimmer thanthey were. She was very strong and very fast, and she could swim under water, too, holding herbreath for ages.
　　"You're jolly good," said Julian, admiringly. "It's a pity Anne isn't a bit better. Anne, you'll have topractice your swimming strokes hard, or you'll never be able to swim out as far as we do."They were all very hungry at lunch time. They went back up the cliff-path, hoping there would be lotsto eat— and there was! Cold meat and salad, plum-pie and custard, and cheese afterwards. How thechildren tucked in!
　　"What are you going to do this afternoon?" asked George's mother.
　　17
　　"George is going to take us out in a boat to see the wreck on the other side of the island," said Anne.
　　Her aunt looked most surprised.
　　" George is going to take you!" she said. "Why George— what's come over you? You've never takena single person before, though I've asked you to dozens of times!"George said nothing, but went on eating her plum-pie. She hadn't said a word all through the meal.
　　Her father had not appeared at the table, much to the children's relief.
　　"Well, George, I must say I'm pleased that you want to try and do what your father said," began hermother again. But George shook her head.
　　"I'm not doing it because I've got to," she said. "I'm doing it because I want to. I wouldn't have takenanyone to see my wreck, not even the Queen of England, if I didn't like them."Her mother laughed. "Well, it's good news that you like your cousins," she said. "I hope they likeyou!"
　　"Oh yes!" said Anne, eagerly, anxious to stick up for her strange cousin. "We do like George, and welike Ti ..."
　　She was just about to say that they liked Timothy too, when she got such a kick on her ankle that shecried out in pain and the tears came into her eyes. George glared at her.
　　"George? Why did you kick Anne like that when she was saying nice things about you?" cried hermother. "Leave the table at once. I won't have such behaviour."George left the table without a word. She went out into the garden. She had just taken a piece ofbread and cut herself some cheese. It was all left on her plate. The other three stared at it in distress.
　　Anne was upset. How could she have been so silly as to forget she mustn't mention Tim?
　　"Oh, please call George back!" she said. "She didn't mean to kick me. It was an accident."But her aunt was very angry with George. "Finish your meal," she said to the others. "I expectGeorge will go into the sulks now. Dear, dear, she is such a difficult child!"The others didn't mind about George going into the sulks. What they did mind was that George mightrefuse to take them to see the wreck now!
　　They finished the meal in silence. Their aunt went to see if Uncle Quentin wanted any more pie.
　　He was having his meal in the study by himself. As soon as she had gone out of the room, Annepicked up the bread and cheese from George's plate and went out into the garden.
　　18
　　The boys didn't scold her. They knew that Anne's tongue very often ran away with her— but shealways tried to make up for it afterwards. They thought it was very brave of her to go and findGeorge.
　　George was lying on her back under a big tree in the garden. Anne went up to her. "I'm sorry I nearlymade a mistake, George," she said. "Here's your bread and cheese. I've brought it for you.
　　I promise I'll never forget not to mention Tim again."George sat up. "I've a good mind not to take you to see the wreck," she said. "Stupid baby!"Anne's heart sank. This was what she had feared. "Well," she said, "you needn't take me, of course.
　　But you might take the boys, George. After all, they didn't do anything silly. And anyway, you gaveme an awful kick. Look at the bruise."
　　George looked at it. Then she looked at Anne. "But wouldn't you be miserable if I took Julian andDick without you?" she asked.
　　"Of course," said Anne. "But I don't want to make them miss a treat, even if I have to."Then George did a surprising thing for her. She gave Anne a hug! Then she immediately looked mostashamed of herself, for she felt sure that no boy would have done that! And she always tried to actlike a boy.
　　"It's all right," she said, gruffly, taking the bread and cheese. "You were nearly very silly— and Igave you a kick— so it's all square. Of course you can come this afternoon."Anne sped back to tell the boys that everything was all right— and in fifteen minutes' time fourchildren ran down to the beach. By a boat was a brown-faced fisher-boy, about fourteen years old. Hehad Timothy with him.
　　"Boat's all ready, Master George," he said with a grin. "And Tim's ready, too.""Thanks," said George, and told the others to get in. Timothy jumped in, too, his big tail waggingnineteen to the dozen. George pushed the boat off into the surf and then jumped in herself. She tookthe oars.
　　She rowed splendidly, and the boat shot along over the blue bay. It was a wonderful afternoon, andthe children loved the movement of the boat over the water. Timothy stood at the prow and barkedwhenever a wave reared its head.
　　"He's funny on a wild day," said George, pulling hard. "He barks madly at the big waves, and gets soangry if they splash him. He's an awfully good swimmer."19
　　"Isn't it nice to have a dog with us?" said Anne, anxious to make up for her mistake. "I do so likehim."
　　"Woof," said Timothy, in his deep voice and turned round to lick Anne's ear.
　　"I'm sure he knew what I said," said Anne in delight.
　　"Of course he did," said George. "He understands every single word.""I say— we're getting near to your island now," said Julian, in excitement. "It's bigger than I thought.
　　And isn't the castle exciting?"
　　They drew near to the island, and the children saw that there were sharp rocks all round about it.
　　Unless anyone knew exactly the way to take, no boat or ship could possibly land on the shore of therocky little island. In the very middle of it, on a low hill, rose the ruined castle. It had been built ofbig white stones. Broken archways, tumbledown towers, ruined walls— that was all that was left of aonce beautiful castle, proud and strong. Now the jackdaws nested in it and the gulls sat on thetopmost stones.
　　"It looks awfully mysterious," said Julian. "How I'd love to land there and have a look at the castle.
　　Wouldn't it be fun to spend a night or two here!"George stopped rowing. Her face lighted up. "I say!" she said, in delight. "Do you know, I neverthought how lovely that would be! To spend a night on my island! To be there all alone, the four ofus. To get our own meals, and pretend we really lived there. Wouldn't it be grand?""Yes, rather," said Dick, looking longingly at the island. "Do you think— do you suppose yourmother would let us?"
　　"I don't know," said George. "She might. You could ask her.""Can't we land there this afternoon?" asked Julian.
　　"No, not if you want to see the wreck," said George. "We've got to get back for tea today, and it willtake all the time to row round to the other side of Kirrin Island and back.""Well— I'd like to see the wreck," said Julian, torn between the island and the wreck. "Here, let metake the oars for a bit, George. You can't do all the rowing.""I can," said George. "But I'd quite enjoy lying back in the boat for a change! Look— I'll just takeyou by this rocky bit— and then you can take the oars till we come to another awkward piece.
　　Honestly, the rocks around this bay are simply dreadful!"20
　　George and Julian changed places in the boat. Julian rowed well, but not so strongly as George.
　　The boat sped along rocking smoothly. They went right round the island, and saw the castle from theother side. It looked more ruined on the side that faced the sea.
　　"The strong winds come from the open sea," explained George. "There's not really much left of it thisside, except piles of stones. But there's a good little harbour in a little cove, for those who know howto find it."
　　George took the oars after a while, and rowed steadily out a little beyond the island. Then she stoppedand looked back towards the shore.
　　"How do you know when you are over the wreck?" asked Julian, puzzled. "I should never know!""Well, do you see that church tower on the mainland?" asked George. "And do you see the tip of thathill over there? Well, when you get them exactly in line with one another, between the two towers ofthe castle on the island, you are pretty well over the wreck! I found that out ages ago."The children saw that the tip of the far-off hill and the church tower were practically in line, whenthey looked at them between the two old towers of the island castle. They looked eagerly down intothe sea to see if they could spy the wreck.
　　The water was perfectly clear and smooth. There was hardly a wrinkle. Timothy looked down into ittoo, his head on one side, his ears cocked, just as if he knew what he was looking for! The childrenlaughed at him.
　　"We're not exactly over it," said George, looking down too. "The water's so clear today that weshould be able to see quite a long way down. Wait, I'll row a bit to the left.""Woof!" said Timothy, suddenly, and wagged his tail— and at the same moment the three childrensaw something deep down in the water!
　　"It's the wreck!" said Julian, almost falling out of the boat in his excitement. "I can see a bit of brokenmast. Look, Dick, look!"
　　All four children and the dog, too, gazed down earnestly into the clear water. After a little while theycould make out the outlines of a dark hulk, out of which the broken mast stood.
　　"It's a bit on one side," said Julian. "Poor old ship. How it must hate lying there, gradually falling topieces. George, I wish I could dive down and get a closer look at it.""Well, why don't you?" said George. "You've got your swimming trunks on. I've often dived down.
　　I'll come with you, if you like, if Dick can keep the boat round about here. There's a 21current that is trying to take it out to sea. Dick, you'll have to keep working a bit with this oar to keepthe boat in one spot."
　　The girl stripped off her jeans and jersey and Julian did the same. They both had on bathing costumesunderneath. George took a beautiful header off the end of the boat, deep down into the water. Theothers watched her swimming strongly downwards, holding her breath.
　　After a bit she came up, almost bursting for breath. "Well, I went almost down to the wreck," shesaid. "It's just the same as it always is— seaweedy and covered with limpets and things. I wish Icould get right into the ship itself. But I never have enough breath for that. You go down now,Julian."
　　So down Julian went— but he was not so good at swimming deep under water as George was, and hecouldn't go down so far. He knew how to open his eyes under water, so he was able to take a goodlook at the deck of the wreck. It looked very forlorn and strange. Julian didn't really like it verymuch. It gave him rather a sad sort of feeling. He was glad to go to the top of the water again, andtake deep breaths of air, and feel the warm sunshine on his shoulders.
　　He climbed into the boat, "Most exciting," he said. "Golly, wouldn't I just love to see that wreckproperly— you know— go down under the deck into the cabins and look around. And oh, supposewe could really find the boxes of gold!"
　　"That's impossible," said George. "I told you proper divers have already gone down and foundnothing. What's the time? I say, we'll be late if we don't hurry back now!"They did hurry back, and managed to be only about five minutes late for tea. Afterwards they wentfor a walk over the moors, with Timothy at their heels, and by the time that bedtime came they wereall so sleepy that they could hardly keep their eyes open.
　　"Well, good-night, George," said Anne, snuggling down into her bed. "We've had a lovely day—thanks to you!"
　　"And I've had a lovely day, too," said George, rather gruffly. "Thanks to you. I'm glad you all came.
　　We're going to have fun. And won't you love my castle and my little island!""Ooh, yes," said Anne, and fell asleep to dream of wrecks and castles and islands by the hundred.
　　Oh, when would George take them to her little island?
4.激动人心的下午
　　激动人心的下午
　　那天早晨，他们一起游泳，两个男孩子发现乔治游得比他们好得多。她结实有力，穿行如梭，还特别会憋气，可以在水下游很久。
　　“你真是太厉害了，”朱利安钦佩地说，“遗憾的是安妮还不太会游。安妮，你要多练习游泳动作，否则你就不能像我们一样游这么远。”
　　午饭时间到了，他们早都饥肠辘辘了。于是他们往回走，希望回去能吃上一顿大餐。竟然如愿以偿了！餐桌上有冷盘、沙拉、李子派和奶油冻，之后还有奶酪。孩子们怎么吃得完！
　　“你们下午准备去干什么？”乔治的妈妈问。
　　“乔治准备带我们坐船到小岛的另一边去看失事的船。”安妮说。她的范妮婶婶一脸惊喜。
　　“乔治要带你们去？！”她说，“你们是怎么说服乔治的？以前我不知多少次让她带朋友去，她从来都没有答应过！”
　　乔治什么也没有说，只是默默地吃着她的李子派。实际上，吃饭时，她一句话都没有说。她爸爸没有到餐桌上来吃饭，孩子们倒是松了一口气。
　　“乔治，我想说，你愿意去做爸爸让你做的事，我很高兴。”她妈妈又接着说。
　　乔治摇了摇头。“我这样做，不是因为他让我做我才做的，”她说，“我这样做是因为我想这么做。要是我不喜欢的人，哪怕是英国女王，我也不会带她去看我的船的。”
　　她妈妈笑了起来。“你喜欢你的堂兄堂妹们，这是件好事，”她说，“我希望他们也喜欢你！”
　　“哦，我们喜欢！”安妮急切地说，迫切地维护着这个还不熟悉的堂姐，“我们真的喜欢乔治，我们也喜欢蒂……”
　　她刚要说他们也喜欢蒂米时，有人踢了她一脚，她痛得大叫，眼泪都流了出来。乔治瞪着她。
　　“乔治？安妮在为你说话，你为什么还要这样踢她？”乔治的妈妈大声说，“你不要待在这里了，我决不容忍你这样的行为。”
　　乔治什么也没说，离开餐桌，去了花园。她刚拿出一块面包，切了一点奶酪，还没来得及吃，这些东西现在还留在她的盘子里。
　　其他三个孩子沮丧地看着盘子。安妮很难过，她怎么就傻到忘记了不能提蒂米的事呢？
　　“把乔治叫回来吧，”她哀求着，“她不是有意踢我的。她是不小心的。”
　　可是她的婶婶对乔治感到非常生气。“快吃饭吧，”她对孩子们说，“我猜乔治也在生气。哦，天哪，她怎么是这么难带的孩子啊！”
　　三个孩子并不在意乔治是不是生气。他们在意的是，乔治现在可能会拒绝带他们去看船了！
　　他们默默地吃完饭。婶婶出去看昆廷叔叔还要不要李子派，他是一个人在自己的书房里吃饭的。婶婶前脚刚走，安妮立刻拿起乔治盘子里的面包和奶酪，冲到花园里去了。
　　两个哥哥也没有责备她。他们知道安妮有时就是心直口快，但是事后她总是会想办法弥补的。他们认为她能去找乔治，是很勇敢的表现。
　　乔治正躺在花园里的一棵大树下面。安妮朝她走去，“乔治，我很抱歉，我差点犯错了，”她说，“给你的面包和奶酪。我给你拿来了。我答应你以后再也不会提蒂米了。”
　　乔治坐了起来。“我现在不想带你们去看沉船了，”她说，“真是个傻瓜！”
　　安妮的心一沉。这是她最害怕的。“好吧，”她说，“你可以不带我去。可是乔治，你要带我的两个哥哥去。毕竟，他们没做什么蠢事。再说，你确实把我踢疼了。你看，都青了。”
　　乔治看了一眼安妮脚上的瘀青，又看了看安妮。“要是我只带朱利安和迪克，不带你去，你不会难过吗？”她问。
　　“当然会难过，”她说，“但是我不想他们错过这样的好事。”
　　乔治做了一件让人十分吃惊的事。她竟然给了安妮一个拥抱！
　　然后她又对自己的行为感到羞愧，因为她感觉男孩是不会这样做的！她一直都努力地像一个男孩一样做事。
　　“没关系了，”她粗声粗气地说，接过了面包和奶酪，“你差点做傻事，而我也踢了你一脚，我们扯平了。今天下午你当然可以和我们一起去。”
　　安妮飞速跑回去告诉两个哥哥说，一切都没事了。15分钟后，四个孩子就跑到了沙滩边。一条小船边站着一个小麦色脸庞的渔家男孩，大概14岁的样子。蒂米也在他身边。
　　“船已经准备好了，乔治，”他笑着说，“蒂米也准备好了。”
　　“谢谢。”乔治说，并让其他几个孩子进船。蒂米也跳进船，大尾巴摇个不停。乔治把船推进海里后，自己也跳了进去。她划着桨，技术非常娴熟，很快船就驶出了蓝色的海湾。这是个美好的下午，孩子们非常享受船在海面上行驶的时刻。蒂米站在船头，浪打到它头上时，它就会叫两声。
　　“有风的时候，它更有意思，”乔治说着，使劲划着船，“有大浪过来时，它会使劲叫，要是浪花溅到它身上，它会很愤怒。它也是个游泳高手。”
　　“有只狗陪我们，是不是感觉特别好？”安妮说，她急切地希望弥补自己犯的错误，“我非常喜欢它。”
　　“汪！”蒂米叫了一下，声音低沉，转过头去舔安妮的耳朵。
　　“我肯定它是听懂了我说的话。”安妮高兴地说。
　　“它当然能听得懂，”乔治说，“它能听懂每一句话。”
　　“嘿，我们离你的小岛越来越近了，”朱利安兴奋地说，“比我想象的还要大。还有那座城堡，是不是很刺激？”
　　他们靠近了小岛，看见小岛周围都是锋利的礁石。若是不知道具体路线，船是不可能在这礁石丛生的小岛上着陆的。那座已成为废墟的城堡就坐落在小岛正中间的一个矮崖上。城堡是用硕大的白色石头修建的。破损的拱门，摇摇欲坠的塔楼，还有残垣断壁——这就是曾经风光一时的城堡所剩下的，它依然骄傲坚强地残留在岛上。现在寒鸦已在里面安了窝，海鸥成群地落在最高处的石头上。
　　“神秘莫测，”朱利安说，“我真想在那里着陆，好好看一看城堡。要是能在城堡里住上一两天，一定会很有意思！”
　　乔治停了下来，脸上光彩熠熠。“嗨！”她高兴地说，“你们知道吗，我从来都没有想过，那一定很美妙！在我自己的小岛上住一个晚上！只有我们四个人。在那里吃饭，假装我们真的住在那里。是不是很气派？”
　　“是的，”迪克一边说，一边渴望地看着小岛，“你……你觉得你妈妈会同意吗？”
　　“我不知道，”乔治说，“她可能会同意，你们可以问问她。”
　　“今天下午我们能在那里着陆吗？”朱利安问。
　　“不行，除非你们不想看那艘失事的船了，”乔治说，“我们必须在下午茶的时候回去，我们只能到科林岛的另一边看看就返回来，否则时间就不够用了。”
　　“好吧，我比较想看那艘失事的船，”朱利安说，其实他一直在纠结到底是去小岛还是去看失事的沉船，“乔治，来，让我划一会儿吧，不能总是让你一个人划。”
　　“我能行，”乔治说，“不过我也很想到船上躺一会儿。瞧，我先划过这段礁石比较多的地方，然后你就可以划了，等到了不好划的地方，再给我划。说实话，海湾周围的礁石真的很恐怖！”
　　乔治和朱利安换了一下位置。朱利安划得很好，只不过没有乔治有力量。船很平稳地向前行驶着。他们绕着小岛划行，看到了城堡的另一边。这边面朝大海，毁坏得更严重。
　　“强风是从海面刮来的，”乔治解释道，“所以，这边除了一堆石头，已经所剩无几了。不过，在这边的小海湾里有一个小港口，只有知道的人才能找到。”
　　乔治又接过桨划了一会儿，稳稳地驶出小岛。然后，她停了下来，回头朝岸边望去。
　　“你怎么知道我们能驶到失事的沉船上方呢？”朱利安疑惑地问，“我有点搞不明白！”
　　“你看到陆地上的那座教堂了吗？”乔治问，“看到那边那个山尖了吗？当你在小岛上城堡的两座塔楼中间往那边看，教堂和山尖重合在一条线上时，我们就位于失事的沉船上方了！几年前我就发现了。”
　　孩子们看见了，在小岛城堡上的两座旧塔楼之间，远处的山尖和教堂真的在一条线上。他们迫切地朝水中望去，希望能找到那艘失事的沉船。
　　水面清澈平静，一点涟漪都没有。蒂米也朝水里望去，歪着头，竖着耳朵，好像知道在找什么似的！孩子们朝它大笑起来。
　　“我们还没到呢，”乔治朝水里看了看说，“今天的海水非常清澈，我们应该可以看得很深。等一下，我再朝左划一点。”
　　“汪！”蒂米突然叫了一声，摇着尾巴，与此同时，三个孩子看见海水深处好像有什么东西！
　　“是那艘失事的沉船！”朱利安说，兴奋得差点从船上掉下去，“我能看见桅杆的一部分。看，迪克，快看！”
　　四个孩子和蒂米都认真地凝视着清澈的海水。不一会儿，他们基本能看清一个深色废船的轮廓了，上面有一根折断的桅杆。
　　“这就是沉船！”朱利安说，“可怜的老船。它一定非常痛恨这样躺在那里，慢慢地支离破碎。乔治，我真希望我能潜下去，仔细看看它。”
　　“哦，为什么不呢？”乔治说，“反正你穿着游泳裤。我经常潜水下去。要是你愿意，我可以和你一起去。迪克可以将船控制在这里。这里有一股暗流，一不小心就会把船冲出海湾。迪克，你需要不停地划着桨，这样才能一直让船保持在这个位置。”
　　说完，她脱掉了牛仔裤和运动衫，朱利安也一样。他们俩的衣服里面都穿着泳衣。乔治在船尾优雅地一跃，跳进了深水中。其他孩子看到她憋着气，用力地朝水下游去。
　　过了一会儿，她游了上来，使劲喘了一口气。“我几乎游到沉船那里了，”她说，“还是老样子，上面缠满了海草，夹杂着贝壳之类的东西。我真希望我能游进沉船里面，但是我憋气憋不了那么长时间。朱利安，你可以下去了。”
　　朱利安跳下了水，但是他潜得没有乔治那么好，也再不能往下潜了。他知道如何在水下睁开眼睛，因此便看了一眼沉船的甲板。
　　甲板看上去十分荒凉破败，给人一种很悲凉的感觉，朱利安很不喜欢。朱利安重新浮出水面，深深地吸了一口气，感觉到了肩膀上温暖的阳光，他重新开心起来。
　　他爬到了船上。“很刺激，”他说，“天哪，我真想好好看看那艘沉船，知道吗，就是从甲板走到船舱，四处看看。哦，说不定我们还能找到一盒金子呢！”
　　“那不可能，”乔治说，“我告诉过你，专业潜水员曾下去过，什么也没找到。现在几点了？我们赶紧走吧，不然就要迟到了！”
　　他们快速往回划，最后终于赶上了下午茶，不过还是晚了五分钟。下午茶过后，他们一起到沼泽边散步，蒂米紧跟在他们后面。
　　到了睡觉时间，他们都困得睁不开眼睛了。
　　“晚安，乔治，”安妮说着，舒服地蜷到了床上，“我们度过了非常愉快的一天，谢谢你！”
　　“我也度过了美好的一天，”乔治低声说，“多亏了你们。我很高兴你们能来，我们一定会玩得很开心的。你会喜欢我的城堡和我的小岛的！”
　　“哦，会喜欢的。”安妮说。她很快就进入梦乡，梦见了许多失事的船、城堡和岛屿。哦，乔治什么时候才会把他们带到她的小岛上去呢？
Chapter Five A VISIT TO THE ISLAND
Chapter Five A VISIT TO THE ISLAND
　　The children's aunt arranged a picnic for them the next day, and they all went off to a little cove notfar off where they could bathe and paddle to their hearts' content. They had a wonderful day, butsecretly Julian, Dick and Anne wished they could have visited George's island. They would ratherhave done that than anything!
　　George didn't want to go for the picnic, not because she disliked picnics, but because she couldn'ttake her dog. Her mother went with the children, and George had to pass a whole day without herbeloved Timothy.
　　"Bad luck!" said Julian, who guessed what she was brooding about. "I can't think why you don't tellyour mother about old Tim. I'm sure she wouldn't mind you letting someone else keep him for you. Iknow my mother wouldn't mind."
　　"I'm not going to tell anybody but you," said George. "I get into awful trouble at home always. I daresay it's my fault, but I get a bit tired of it. You see, Daddy doesn't make much money with the learnedbooks he writes, and he's always wanting to give mother and me things he can't afford. So that makeshim bad-tempered. He wants to send me away to a good school but he hasn't got the money. I'm glad.
　　I don't want to go away to school. I like being here. I couldn't bear to part with Timothy.""You'd like boarding school," said Anne. "We all go. It's fun.""No, it isn't," said George obstinately. "It must be awful to be one of a crowd, and to have other girlsall laughing and yelling round you. I should hate it.""No, you wouldn't," said Anne. "All that is great fun. It would be good for you, George, I shouldthink."
　　"If you start telling me what is good for me, I shall hate you," said George, suddenly looking veryfierce. "Mother and father are always saying that things are good for me— and they are always thethings I don't like."
　　"All right, all right," said Julian, beginning to laugh. "My goodness, how you do go up in smoke!
　　Honestly, I believe anyone could light a cigarette from the sparks that fly from your eyes!"That made George laugh, though she didn't want to. It was really impossible to sulk with good-tempered Julian.
　　23
　　They went off to bathe in the sea for the fifth time that day. Soon they were all splashing abouthappily, and George found time to help Anne to swim. The little girl hadn't got the right stroke, andGeorge felt really proud when she had taught her.
　　"Oh, thanks," said Anne, struggling along. "I'll never be as good as you— but I'd like to be as good asthe boys."
　　As they were going home, George spoke to Julian. "Could you say that you want to go and buy astamp or something?" she said. "Then I could go with you, and just have a peep at old Tim. He'll bewondering why I haven't taken him out today.""Right!" said Julian. "I don't want stamps, but I could do with an ice. Dick and Anne can go homewith your mother and carry the things. I'll just go and tell Aunt Fanny."He ran up to his aunt. "Do you mind if I go and buy some ice-creams?" he asked. "We haven't hadone today. I won't be long. Can George go with me?""I don't expect she will want to," said his aunt. "But you can ask her.""George, come with me!" yelled Julian, setting off to the little village at a great pace. George gave asudden grin and ran after him. She soon caught him up and smiled gratefully at him.
　　"Thanks," she said. "You go and get the ice-creams, and I'll have a look at Tim."They parted, Julian bought four ice-creams, and turned to go home. He waited about for George, whocame running up after a few minutes. Her face was glowing.
　　"He's all right," she said. "And you can't imagine how pleased he was to see me! He nearly jumpedover my head! I say— another ice-cream for me. You really are a sport, Julian. I'll have to sharesomething with you quickly. What about going to my island tomorrow?""Golly!" said Julian, his eye's shining. "That would be marvellous. Will you really take us tomorrow?
　　Come on, let's tell the others!"
　　The four children sat in the garden eating their ices. Julian told them what George had said. They allfelt excited. George was pleased. She had always felt quite important before when she had haughtilyrefused to take any of the other children to see Kirrin Island— but it felt much nicer somehow tohave consented to row her cousins there.
　　"I used to think it was much, much nicer always to do things on my own," she thought, as she suckedthe last bits of her ice. "But it's going to be fun doing things with Julian and the others."The children were sent to wash themselves and to get tidy before supper. They talked eagerly aboutthe visit to the island next day. Their aunt heard them and smiled.
　　24
　　"Well, I really must say I'm pleased that George is going to share something with you," she said.
　　"Would you like to take your dinner there, and spend the day? It's hardly worth while rowing all theway there and landing unless you are going to spend some hours there.""Oh, Aunt Fanny! It would be marvellous to take our dinner!" cried Anne.
　　George looked up. "Are you coming too, Mother?" she asked.
　　"You don't sound at all as if you want me to," said her mother, in a hurt tone. "You looked crossyesterday, too, when you found I was coming. No— I shan't come tomorrow— but I'm sure yourcousins must think you are a queer girl never to want your mother to go with you."George said nothing. She hardly ever did say a word when she was scolded. The other children saidnothing too. They knew perfectly well that it wasn't that George didn't want her mother to go— it wasjust that she wanted Timothy with her!
　　"Anyway, I couldn't come," went on Aunt Fanny. "I've some gardening to do. You'll be quite safewith George. She can handle a boat like a man."The three children looked eagerly at the weather the next day when they got up. The sun was shining,and everything seemed splendid.
　　"Isn't it a marvellous day?"said Anne to George,as they dressed. "I'm so looking forward to going tothe island."
　　"Well, honestly, I think really we oughtn't to go," said George, unexpectedly.
　　"Oh, but why?" cried Anne, in dismay.
　　"I think there's going to be a storm or something," said George, looking out to the south-west.
　　"But, George, why do you say that?" said Anne, impatiently. "Look at the sun— and there's hardly acloud in the sky!"
　　"The wind is wrong," said George. "And can't you see the little white tops to the waves out there bymy island? That's always a bad sign."
　　"Oh George— it will be the biggest disappointment of our lives if we don't go today," said Anne,who couldn't bear any disappointment, big or small. "And besides," she added, artfully, "if we hangabout the house, afraid of a storm, we shan't be able to have dear old Tim with us.""Yes, that's true," said George. "All right— we'll go. But mind, if a storm does come, you're not to bea baby. You're to try and enjoy it and not be frightened."25
　　"Well, I don't much like storms," began Anne, but stopped when she saw George's scornful look.
　　They went down to breakfast, and George asked her mother if they could take their dinner as theyhad planned.
　　"Yes," said her mother. "You and Anne can help to make the sandwiches. You boys can go into thegarden and pick some ripe plums to take with you. Julian, you can go down to the village whenyou've done that and buy some bottles of lemonade or ginger-beer, whichever you like.""Ginger-pop for me, thanks!" said Julian, and everyone else said the same. They all felt very happy.
　　It would be marvellous to visit the queer little island. George felt happy because she would be withTim all day.
　　They set off at last, the food in two kit-bags. The first thing they did was to fetch Tim. He was tied upin the fisher-boy's back yard. The boy himself was there, and grinned at George.
　　"Morning, Master George," he said. It seemed so queer to the other children to hear Georgina called'Master George'! 'Tim's been barking his head off for you. I guess he knew you were coming for himtoday."
　　"Of course he did," said George, untying him. He at once went completely mad, and tore round andround the children, his tail down and his ears flat.
　　"He'd win any race if only he was a greyhound," said Julian, admiringly. "You can hardly see him fordust. Tim! Hie, Tim! Come and say "Good-morning"."Tim leapt up and licked Julian's left ear as he passed on his whirlwind way. Then he sobered downand ran lovingly by George as they all made their way to the beach. He licked George's bare legsevery now and again, and she pulled at his ears gently.
　　They got into the boat, and George pushed off. The fisher-boy waved to them. "You won't be verylong, will you?" he called. "There's a storm blowing up. Bad one it'll be, too.""I know," shouted back George. "But maybe we'll get back before it begins. It's pretty far off yet."George rowed all the way to the island. Tim stood at each end of the boat in turn, barking when thewaves reared up at him. The children watched the island coming closer and closer. It looked evenmore exciting than it had the other day.
　　"George, where are you going to land?" asked Julian. "I simply can't imagine how you know yourway in and out of these awful rocks. I'm afraid every moment we'll bump into them!"26
　　"I'm going to land at the little cove I told you about the other day," said George. "There's only oneway to it, but I know it very well. It's hidden away on the east side of the island."The girl cleverly worked her boat in and out of the rocks, and suddenly, as it rounded a low wall ofsharp rocks, the children saw the cove she had spoken of. It was like a natural little harbour, and wasa smooth inlet of water running up to a stretch of sand, sheltered between high rocks.
　　The boat slid into the inlet, and at once stopped rocking, for here the water was like glass, and hadhardly a wrinkle.
　　"I say— this is fine!" said Julian, his eyes shining with delight. George looked at him and her eyesshone too, as bright as the sea itself. It was the first time she had ever taken anyone to her preciousisland, and she was enjoying it.
　　They landed on the smooth yellow sand. "We're really on the island!" said Anne, and she caperedabout, Tim joining her and looking as mad as she did. The others laughed. George pulled the boathigh up on the sand.
　　"Why so far up?" said Julian, helping her. "The tide's almost in, isn't it? Surely it won't come as highas this."
　　"I told you I thought a storm was coming," said, George. "If one does, the waves simply tear up thisinlet and we don't want to lose our boat, do we?""Let's explore the island, let's explore the island!" yelled Anne, who was now at the top of the littlenatural harbour, climbing up the rocks there. "Oh do come on!"They all followed her. It really was a most exciting place. Rabbits were everywhere! They scuttledabout as the children appeared, but did not go into their holes.
　　"Aren't they awfully tame?" said Julian, in surprise.
　　"Well, nobody ever comes here but me," said George, "and I don't frighten them. Tim! Tim, if you goafter the rabbits, I'll spank you."
　　Tim turned big sorrowful eyes on to George. He and George agreed about every single thing exceptrabbits. To Tim rabbits were made for one thing—to chase! He never could understand why Georgewouldn't let him do this. But he held himself in and walked solemnly by the children, his eyeswatching the lolloping rabbits longingly.
　　"I believe they would almost eat out of my hand," said Julian.
　　But George shook her head.
　　27
　　"No, I've tried that with them," she said. "They won't. Look at those baby ones. Aren't they lovely?""Woof!" said Tim, agreeing, and he took a few steps towards them. George made a warning noise inher throat, and Tim walked back, his tail down.
　　"There's the castle!" said Julian. "Shall we explore that now? I do want to.""Yes, we will," said George. "Look— that is where the entrance used to be— through that big brokenarchway."
　　The children gazed at the enormous old archway, now half-broken down. Behind it were ruined stonesteps leading towards the centre of the castle.
　　"It had strong walls all round it, with two towers," said George. "One tower is almost gone, as youcan see, but the other is not so bad. The jackdaws build in that every year. They've almost filled it upwith their sticks!"
　　As they came near to the better tower of the two the jackdaws circled round them with loud cries of"Chack, chack, chack!" Tim leapt into the air as if he thought he could get them, but they only calledmockingly to him.
　　"This is the centre of the castle," said George, as they entered through a ruined doorway into whatlooked like a great yard, whose stone floor was now overgrown with grass and other weeds.
　　"Here is where the people used to live. You can see where the rooms were— look, there's one almostwhole there. Go through that little door and you'll see it."They trooped through a doorway and found themselves in a dark, stone-walled, stone-roofed room,with a space at one end where a fire-place must have been. Two slit-like windows lighted the room. Itfelt very queer and mysterious.
　　"What a pity it's all broken down," said Julian, wandering out again. "That room seems to be the onlyone quite whole. There are some others here— but all of them seem to have either no roof, or one orother of the walls gone. That room is the only liveable one. Was there an upstairs to the castle,George?"
　　"Of course," said George. "But the steps that led up are gone, Look! You can see part of an upstairsroom there, by the jackdaw tower. You can't get up to it, though, because I've tried. I nearly broke myneck trying to get up. The stones crumble away so.""Were there any dungeons?" asked Dick.
　　28
　　"I don't know," said George. "I expect so. But nobody could find them now— everywhere is soovergrown."
　　It was indeed overgrown. Big blackberry bushes grew here and there, and a few gorse bushes forcedtheir way into gaps and corners. The coarse green grass sprang everywhere, and pink thrift grew itscushions in holes and crannies.
　　"Well, I think it's a perfectly lovely place," said Anne. "Perfectly and absolutely lovely!""Do you really?" said George, pleased. "I'm so glad. Look! We're right on the other side of the islandnow, facing the sea. Do you see those rocks, with those queer big birds sitting there?"The children looked. They saw some rocks sticking up, with great black shining birds sitting on themin queer positions.
　　"They are cormorants," said George. "They've caught plenty of fish for their dinner, and they'resitting there digesting it. Hallo— they're all flying away. I wonder why!"She soon knew— for, from the southwest there suddenly came an ominous rumble.
　　"Thunder!" said George. "That's the storm. It's coming sooner than I thought!"
5.初访科林岛
　　初访科林岛
　　第二天早晨，孩子们的婶婶为他们准备了野餐的食物。他们去了一个小海湾，那里既可以游泳又可以划船。他们度过了美妙的一天，但是朱利安、迪克和安妮的内心，还是希望能参观乔治的小岛。要是能参观那座小岛，他们愿意放弃这些！
　　乔治不想去野餐，不是因为她不喜欢野餐，而是因为她不能带她的狗去参加野餐。如果妈妈带他们去野餐的话，她就一整天都看不到她心爱的蒂米了。
　　“真不幸！”朱利安猜出了乔治的心思，“我不知道你为什么不把蒂米的事告诉你妈妈。我相信，有人帮你照看它，她应该不会介意的。反正我妈妈不会介意。”
　　“除了你们，我谁都不会说，”乔治说，“我在家总是惹麻烦。我猜都是我的错，但是我真的很烦了。爸爸写的书太深奥，卖不了多少钱，但是他又总想给我和妈妈他给不了的东西，所以他脾气很不好。他想把我送到一所好一点的学校，可是他没有那么多钱。我倒很高兴。反正我不想到学校去，我喜欢待在这里。我离不开蒂米。”
　　“你会喜欢寄宿学校的。”安妮说。“我们上的都是寄宿学校，很好玩。”
　　“一点也不好玩，”乔治固执地说，“学校里又吵又闹，一群女孩在你身边不停地笑啊、叫啊，想想都觉得可怕。我不喜欢。”
　　“不，你会喜欢的，”安妮说，“而且真的特别好玩。乔治，我觉得那里对你也有好处。”
　　“你要是开始告诉我做什么对我有好处，那我也会讨厌你的，”乔治说，突然露出一副恼怒的样子，“妈妈和爸爸总是让我做一些他们认为对我有好处的事，而那些事都是我讨厌做的。”
　　“好了，好了，”朱利安笑着说，“天哪，怎么就冒火了！老实说，你眼睛里冒出来的火花，都能把烟点着！”
　　乔治一听，忍不住笑了。面对好脾气的朱利安，她很难生气。
　　之后，他们又到海里游泳去了，这是他们今天第五次下海游泳了。他们的脸上洋溢着快乐的光芒。乔治还找时间教安妮学习游泳。安妮的确不太会游，教会安妮后，乔治感到很骄傲。
　　“谢谢你，”安妮一边说，一边努力地学习，“我可能永远也赶不上你，但是我希望我能游得像我的哥哥们一样好。”
　　在回家的路上，乔治对朱利安说了几句话。“你能和我妈妈说你想出去买个邮票什么的吗？”她说，“这样我就能和你一起出去，然后看一眼蒂米了。它肯定一直在想，我今天为什么没有带它出去玩。”
　　“好的！”朱利安说，“我不想买邮票，不过我可以说去买冰激凌。迪克和安妮可以和你妈妈先回家，把东西带回去。我现在就去告诉范妮婶婶。”
　　说着，他朝婶婶跑去。“婶婶，我能去买一些冰激凌吗？”他问，“我们一天都没吃。我很快就回来。乔治能和我一起去吗？”
　　“我不知道她想不想去，”婶婶说，“不过你可以去问问她。”
　　“乔治，跟我来！”朱利安喊了一声，飞快地朝镇子跑去。乔治笑了一下，跟着他跑开了。很快，她就赶上了朱利安，对他感激地笑了笑。
　　“谢谢，”她说，“你去买冰激凌，我去看蒂米。”
　　说完，他们就分开了。朱利安买了四个冰激凌后，就朝家走去。他等了一会儿，几分钟后乔治就跑回来了。她一脸兴高采烈的样子。
　　“它没事，”她说，“你不知道它看见我有多高兴，几乎都跳到我的头上了！啊，又给我买了一个冰激凌。朱利安，你真是个热心的人。我也要赶快和你分享我的东西。明天去参观我的小岛怎么样？”
　　“哇！”朱利安的眼里闪着光芒，“那太棒了。明天你真要带我们去吗？快走，我要告诉他们去！”
　　四个孩子坐在花园里吃着冰激凌。朱利安告诉迪克和安妮刚才乔治说的话，他们听了都非常激动，乔治也很高兴。以前她傲慢地拒绝带任何人到科林岛上去时，她一直都感觉自己很有地位，但是现在当她同意带她的堂亲去参观小岛时，她感觉更开心。
　　“我以前一直以为，一个人独来独往是最好的，”她一边想，一边吃掉了手里的最后一口冰激凌，“但是和朱利安还有其他人一起玩也很有意思。”
　　婶婶让孩子们去洗漱，收拾好之后来吃晚餐。他们兴奋地说着明天要去参观小岛的事。他们的婶婶一边听一边笑。
　　“哦，我必须要说，乔治愿意和你们一起分享，我感到很高兴，”她说，“你们要不要把饭带到小岛去，在那里待上一整天？大老远地划船去，再划船回来吃饭，太划不来了，除非你们不想在那里长待。”
　　“噢，范妮婶婶！在小岛上吃饭，真是太棒了！”安妮大声说。
　　乔治抬起头看着妈妈。“妈妈，你也去吗？”她问。
　　“你好像不想让我去，”妈妈有点委屈地说，“昨天我和你们一起去玩时，你看上去就很不高兴。不了，明天我就不去了，但是我觉得你要是不想让妈妈和你一起去，你的堂兄妹们可能会觉得你很古怪。”
　　乔治什么也没说。受到责备时，她从来什么都不说。其他几个孩子也什么都没说。他们都知道，其实乔治不是不想让她妈妈去，她只是想带上蒂米而已！
　　“反正，我也去不了，”范妮婶婶继续说，“我还要打理花园。和乔治在一起，你们会很安全的。她能像男孩一样划船。”
　　第二天一早，三个孩子一起床，就迫不及待地去看外面的天气。外面阳光明媚，一切都显得光亮耀眼。
　　“今天的天气真棒，不是吗？”安妮一边穿衣服，一边对乔治说，“我非常期盼到小岛上去。”
　　“哦，老实说，我觉得我们还是不要去了。”乔治出人意料地说。
　　“啊，为什么？”安妮沮丧地说。
　　“我感觉暴风雨要来了。”乔治看着西南方向说。
　　“乔治，你为什么这样说？”安妮焦急地说，“看，有太阳——空中几乎万里无云！”
　　“风向不对，”乔治说，“你没看见我的小岛那边白色的浪尖吗？
　　那一般都不是什么好兆头。”
　　“哦，乔治，今天要是去不了，那将是最令我们失望的事。”安妮说。她根本忍受不了失望，不论大小。“再说，”她机灵地说，“要是我们因为害怕暴风雨，那就只能在房子里玩了，那样我们就见不到亲爱的蒂米了。”
　　“是啊，那倒是，”乔治说，“好吧，我们去。但是丑话说在前面，要是暴风雨真的来了，你可不能像个小孩一样。你要学着去感受它，而不要害怕它。”
　　“嗯，我的确不喜欢暴风雨……”安妮刚开了个头，但看到乔治轻蔑的神情，便立刻闭上了嘴。她们一起下楼吃了早餐，乔治问妈妈能不能按昨天说的那样把饭带到小岛上去吃。
　　“可以，”乔治的妈妈说，“你和安妮来帮我做一些三明治。两个男孩可以到菜园里摘一些李子，一起带上。朱利安，你可以到镇上去买几瓶柠檬汁或姜汁汽水什么的，喜欢什么就买什么。”
　　“我要买姜汁汽水，谢谢！”朱利安说。其他人也都要姜汁汽水。他们感到非常开心。去参观那个古怪的小岛，一定是一件妙不可言的事。乔治也很开心，因为她可以一整天都和蒂米在一起。
　　他们把所有的食物放进袋子里装好，之后就出发了。他们要做的第一件事就是去接蒂米，它还拴在渔家男孩家的后院里呢。男孩也在后院，笑嘻嘻地看着乔治。
　　“早晨好，乔治主人。”他说。听见他叫乔治娜“乔治主人”，其他人总感觉很别扭。渔家男孩继续说道：“蒂米一直不停地叫，都快把头叫掉了。我猜它一定是知道你今天要来接它。”
　　“它当然知道。”乔治说着，解开了狗。它一下就兴奋起来，围着孩子们转来转去，温驯地耷拉着尾巴和耳朵。
　　“它要是一只猎犬，恐怕没有狗能跑过它，”朱利安羡慕地说，“简直是健步如飞。蒂米！嗨，蒂米！过来打个招呼。”
　　蒂米像旋风一样跑到朱利安身边，一跃而起，舔起了他的左耳朵。他们一起往海边走去时，它才安静下来，乖乖地跟在乔治身旁。它还时不时地舔舔乔治的腿，乔治就温柔地揪揪它的耳朵。
　　随后他们一起上了船，乔治将船驶出了海滩。渔家男孩朝他们挥手告别，“你们不会去太长时间的，是吧？”他说，“暴风雨就要来了，还是很猛的暴风雨。”
　　“我知道，”乔治大声回答他，“我们会在暴风雨来临之前回来的，还早着呢。”
　　乔治一刻不停地朝小岛划去。蒂米一会儿站到船头，一会儿又跑到船尾，海浪打过来时，它就大声地叫唤。小岛离孩子们越来越近了，今天大家比以往更加兴奋。
　　“乔治，你准备在哪里着陆？”朱利安问，“我真无法想象，这里礁石丛生，你是怎么弄清出入的路线的。我感觉我们随时都会撞到礁石上！”
　　“我准备在上次我跟你们说的那个小海湾那里着陆，”乔治说，“去那里只有一条路，不过我很熟悉。那条路就藏在小岛的东边。”
　　小姑娘技术娴熟地在礁石之间穿梭，当船绕开一排低矮的礁石后，突然间，孩子们就看到了她所说的小海湾了。这个海湾就像一个天然的港口，海水轻柔地冲洗着隐蔽在高大的礁石中间的沙滩。
　　小船驶入了港口，船一停下来，这里的海水就如镜子一般，平静得没有一点涟漪。
　　“哇，太美了！”朱利安说，眼里闪着喜悦的光芒。乔治看着他，眼睛也闪着光芒，如大海一般明亮。这是她第一次把朋友带到她宝贵的小岛上来，她感觉很快乐。
　　他们踏上了光滑的黄色沙滩。“我们真的到小岛了！”安妮又蹦又跳地欢呼着。蒂米也疯了一般地跳起来，其他人都笑了。乔治把船拖到了远远的沙滩上。
　　“为什么把船拖得这么远？”朱利安说着帮她一起拖船，“潮水就要来了，是吗？潮水肯定到不了这里吧。”
　　“我说过暴风雨可能要来，”乔治说，“要是真来了，海浪就会淹没这个港口，我们可不想失去我们的船，不是吗？”
　　“让我们来探险吧，我们来探险吧！”安妮大喊，此时她已经到了港口的最上面，爬上了那里的礁石，“快来！”
　　其他人跟着她跑了去。这里真是一个最令人兴奋的地方，到处都是兔子。看到孩子们的到来，兔子们四散而逃，但是并没有钻进它们的洞里。
　　“它们不是很温驯吗？”朱利安惊讶地问。
　　“除了我，没有其他人到这个小岛上来过，”乔治说，“它们一点也不怕我。蒂米！蒂米，你要是敢追兔子，我就揍你。”
　　蒂米转过头难过地望着乔治。除了兔子以外，其他事情它都可以听乔治的。对蒂米而言，兔子生来就是被追的啊！它一直不明白乔治为什么不让它追兔子。不过它还是屈从了，严肃地走在孩子们旁边，眼巴巴地看着那些一蹦一跳的兔子。
　　“我相信它们敢吃我手里的东西。”朱利安说。
　　但是乔治摇了摇头。
　　“不行，我试过，”她说，“它们不会。快看那些兔宝宝，是不是很可爱？”
　　“汪！”蒂米附和地叫了一声，朝兔子们跑近了几步。乔治对它发出了警告的声音，蒂米只得退了回来，耷拉着尾巴。
　　“到城堡了！”朱利安说，“我们现在可以去城堡里探险吗？我现在就想去。”
　　“可以，”乔治说，“看，那里曾经是入口，我们就从那扇快要断裂的拱门里进去。”
　　孩子们凝视着巨大而古老的拱门，拱门几乎已经完全断裂了。
　　拱门后面，是坑坑洼洼的石阶，一直通向城堡的中间。
　　“城堡四周的城墙很牢固，还有两座塔楼，”乔治说，“一座塔楼已经基本倒塌了，不过你们看，另一座还保存得比较好。每年都有很多寒鸦在那里筑巢，里面筑满了它们的巢！”
　　他们走近保存较好的那座塔楼，一群寒鸦围着他们大叫：“呱——呱——呱！”蒂米腾空而跃，以为能抓住它们，结果却招来了寒鸦的嘲笑。
　　孩子们穿过荒废的大门，进入一个大院子，里面的石地板上杂草丛生。“这就是城堡的正中心了，”乔治说，“人们以前就住在这里。你们可以看到人们以前所住的房子——瞧，那栋房子还很完整。穿过那个小门，你们就能看到了。”
　　他们一同穿过小门，走进一个有石墙石顶的房间。房间里很暗，房间的另一端有一块空地，那里以前一定是一个壁炉。阳光从两扇像裂缝一样的窗户照进屋内。房间看起来古怪又神秘。
　　“这些都被毁了，太可惜了，”朱利安说着，走出了房间，“那个房间是唯一一个保存比较完整的。其他的房间，要么没有屋顶，要么四周的墙塌了。这个是唯一还可以住的房间了。乔治，城堡有二楼吗？”
　　“当然有，”乔治说，“不过上去的台阶都已经毁了！看！你们可以看到二楼的一部分房间，就在寒鸦筑巢的那座塔楼上。你们上不去的，我之前曾试过，差点摔断我的脖子。而且，还会有石头从上面滚下来。”
　　“这里有地牢吗？”迪克问。
　　“我不知道，”乔治说，“我希望有，但是现在已经没人能找到了，因为这里到处都长着密密丛丛的杂草。”
　　的确，这里到处都是密密丛丛的杂草。枝繁叶茂的黑莓灌木这儿一棵那儿一棵，金雀花灌木枝挤满了各个缝隙和角落。四周还蔓生着绿色的杂草，犄角旮旯里丛生着粉红色的海石竹。
　　“我认为这里已经十分完美壮观了，”安妮说，“完美又壮观！”
　　“真的吗？”乔治高兴地说，“我很高兴你这样说。瞧！我们已经到了小岛的另一边，正对大海了。你们看到那些礁石了吗，上面是不是站着许多古怪的大鸟？”
　　孩子们抬起了头。他们看见一些突起的礁石，上面站着一些翅膀黑亮的大鸟，姿势古怪极了。
　　“那是鸬鹚，”乔治说，“它们是捕鱼能手，吃饱了就在那礁石上面消化食物。哟，它们都飞走了。怎么回事？”
　　她很快就明白了——西南边传来了不祥的隆隆声。
　　“打雷了！”乔治说，“暴风雨来了，比我预期的来得早！”
Chapter Six WHAT THE STORM DID
Chapter Six WHAT THE STORM DID
　　THE four children stared out to sea. They had all been so interested in exploring the exciting oldcastle that not one of them had noticed the sudden change in the weather.
　　Another rumble came. It sounded like a big dog growling in the sky. Tim heard it and growled back,sounding like a small roll of thunder himself.
　　"My goodness, we're in for it now," said George, half-alarmed. "We can't get back in time, that'scertain. It's blowing up at top speed. Did ever you see such a change in the sky?"The sky had been blue when they started. Now it was overcast, and the clouds seemed to hang verylow indeed. They scudded along as if someone was chasing them— and the wind howled round insuch a mournful way that Anne felt quite frightened.
　　"It's beginning to rain," said Julian, feeling an enormous drop spatter on his outstretched hand.
　　"We had better shelter, hadn't we, George? We shall get wet through."29
　　"Yes, we will in a minute," said George. "I say, just look at these big waves coming! My word, itreally is going to be a storm. Golly— what a flash of lightning!"The waves were certainly beginning to run very high indeed. It was queer to see what a change hadcome over them. They swelled up, turned over as soon as they came to rocks, and then rushed up thebeach of the island with a great roar.
　　"I think we'd better pull our boat up higher still," said George suddenly. "It's going to be a very badstorm indeed. Sometimes these sudden summer storms are worse than a winter one."She and Julian ran to the other side of the island where they had left the boat. It was a good thing theywent, for great waves were already racing right up to it. The two children pulled the boat up almost tothe top of the low cliff and George tied it to a stout gorse bush growing there.
　　By now the rain was simply pelting down, and George and Julian were soaked. "I hope the othershave been sensible enough to shelter in that room that has a roof and walls," said George.
　　They were there all right, looking rather cold and scared. It was very dark there, for the only lightcame through the two slits of windows and the small doorway.
　　"Could we light a fire to make things a bit more cheerful?" said Julian, looking round. "I wonderwhere we can find some nice dry sticks?"
　　Almost as if they were answering the question a small crowd of jackdaws cried out wildly as theycircled in the storm. "Chack, chack, chack!""Of course! There are plenty of sticks on the ground below the tower!" cried Julian. "You know—where the jackdaws nest. They've dropped lots of sticks there."He dashed out into the rain and ran to the tower. He picked up an armful of sticks and ran back.
　　"Good," said George. "We'll be able to make a nice fire with those. Anyone got any paper to start it—or matches?"
　　"I've got some matches," said Julian. "But nobody's got paper.""Yes," said Anne, suddenly. "The sandwiches are wrapped in paper. Let's undo them, and then wecan use the paper for the fire."
　　"Good idea," said George. So they undid the sandwiches, and put them neatly on a broken stone,rubbing it clean first. Then they built up a fire, with the paper underneath and the sticks arrangedcriss-cross on top.
　　It was fun when they lighted the paper. It flared up and the sticks at once caught fire, for they werevery old and dry. Soon there was a fine cracking fire going and the little ruined room was 30lighted by dancing flames. It was very dark outside now, for the clouds hung almost low enough totouch the top of the castle tower! And how they raced by! The wind sent them off to the northeast,roaring behind them with a noise like the sea itself.
　　"I've never, never heard the sea making such an awful noise," said Anne. "Never! It really sounds asif it's shouting at the top of its voice."What with the howling of the wind and the crashing of the great waves all round the little island, thechildren could hardly hear themselves speak! They had to shout at one another.
　　"Let's have our dinner!" yelled Dick, who was feeling terribly hungry as usual. "We can't do anythingmuch while this storm lasts."
　　"Yes, let's," said Anne, looking longingly at the ham sandwiches. "It will be fun to have a picnicround the fire in this dark old room. I wonder how long ago other people had a meal here. I wish Icould see them."
　　"Well, I don't, said Dick, looking round half-scared as if he expected to see the old-time people walkin to share their picnic. "It's quite a queer enough day without wanting things like that to happen."They all felt better when they were eating the sandwiches and drinking the ginger-beer. The fireflared up as more and more sticks caught, and gave out quite a pleasant warmth, for now that thewind had got up so strongly, the day had become cold.
　　"We'll take it in turn to fetch sticks," said George. But Anne didn't want to go alone. She was tryingher best not to show that she was afraid of the storm— but it was more than she could do to go out ofthe cosy room into the rain and thunder by herself.
　　Tim didn't seem to like the storm either. He sat close by George, his ears cocked, and growledwhenever the thunder rumbled. The children fed him with titbits and he ate them eagerly, for he washungry too.
　　All the children had four biscuits each. "I think I shall give all mine to Tim," said George. "I didn'tbring him any of his own biscuits, and he does seem so hungry.""No, don't do that," said Julian. "We'll each give him a biscuit— that will be four for him— and we'llstill have three left each. That will be plenty for us.""You are really nice," said George. "Tim, don't you think they are nice?"Tim did. He licked everyone and made them laugh. Then he rolled over on his back and let Juliantickle him underneath.
　　31
　　The children fed the fire and finished their picnic. When it came to Julian's turn to get more sticks, hedisappeared out of the room into the storm. He stood and looked around, the rain wetting his barehead.
　　The storm seemed to be right overhead now. The lightning flashed and the thunder crashed at thesame moment. Julian was not a bit afraid of storms, but he couldn't help feeling rather over-awed atthis one. It was so magnificent. The lightning tore the sky in half almost every minute, and thethunder crashed so loudly that it sounded almost as if mountains were falling down all around!
　　The sea's voice could be heard as soon as the thunder stopped— and that was magnificent to hear too.
　　The spray flew so high into the air that it wetted Julian as he stood in the centre of the ruined castle.
　　"I really must see what the waves are like," thought the boy. "If the spray flies right over me here,they must be simply enormous!"
　　He made his way out of the castle and climbed up on to part of the ruined wall that had once run allround the castle. He stood up there, looking out to the open sea. And what a sight met his eyes!
　　The waves were like great walls of grey-green! They dashed over the rocks that lay all around theisland, and spray flew from them, gleaming white in the stormy sky. They rolled up to the island anddashed themselves against it with such terrific force that Julian could feel the wall beneath his feettremble with the shock.
　　The boy looked out to sea, marvelling at the really great sight he saw. For half a moment hewondered if the sea might come right over the island itself! Then he knew that couldn't happen, for itwould have happened before. He stared at the great waves coming in— and then he saw somethingrather queer.
　　There was something else out on the sea by the rocks besides the waves — something dark,something big, something that seemed to lurch out of the waves and settle down again. What could itbe?
　　"It can't be a ship," said Julian to himself, his heart beginning to beat fast as he strained his eyes tosee through the rain and the spray. "And yet it looks more like a ship than anything else. I hope it isn'ta ship. There wouldn't be anyone saved from it on this dreadful day!"He stood and watched for a while. The dark shape heaved into sight again and then sank away oncemore. Julian decided to go and tell the others. He ran back to the firelit room.
　　32
　　"George! Dick! There's something queer out on the rocks beyond the island!" he shouted, at the topof his voice. "It looks like a ship— and yet it can't possibly be. Come and see!"The others stared at him in surprise, and jumped to their feet. George hurriedly flung some moresticks on the fire to keep it going, and then she and the others quickly followed Julian out into therain.
　　The storm seemed to be passing over a little now. The rain was not pelting down quite so hard.
　　The thunder was rolling a little farther off, and the lightning did not flash so often. Julian led the wayto the wall on which he had climbed to watch the sea.
　　Everyone climbed up to gaze out to sea. They saw a great tumbled, heaving mass of grey-greenwater, with waves rearing up everywhere. Their tops broke over the rocks and they rushed up to theisland as if they would gobble it whole. Anne slipped her arm through Julian's. She felt rather smalland scared.
　　"You're all right, Anne", said Julian, loudly. "Now just watch— you'll see something queer in aminute."
　　They all watched. At first they saw nothing, for the waves reared up so high that they hid everythinga little way out. Then suddenly George saw what Julian meant.
　　"Gracious!" she shouted, 'it is a ship! Yes, it is! Is it being wrecked? It's a big ship— not a sailing-boat, or fishing-smack!"
　　"Oh, is anyone in it?" wailed Anne.
　　The four children watched and Tim began to bark as he saw the queer dark shape lurching here andthere in the enormous waves. The sea was bringing the ship nearer to shore.
　　"It will be dashed on to those rocks," said Julian, suddenly. "Look— there it goes!"As he spoke there came a tremendous crashing, splintering sound, and the dark shape of the shipsettled down on to the sharp teeth of the dangerous rocks on the southwest side of the island. It stayedthere, shifting only slightly as the big waves ran under it and lifted it a little.
　　"She's stuck there," said Julian. "She won't move now. The sea will soon be going down a bit, andthen the ship will find herself held by those rocks."As he spoke, a ray of pale sunshine came wavering out between a gap in the thinning clouds. It wasgone almost at once. "Good!" said Dick, looking upwards. "The sun will be out again soon.
　　We can warm ourselves then and get dry— and maybe we can find out what that poor ship is. Oh 33Julian— I do so hope there was nobody in it. I hope they've all taken to boats and got safely to land."The clouds thinned out a little more. The wind stopped roaring and dropped to a steady breeze.
　　The sun shone out again for a longer time, and the children felt its welcome warmth. They all staredat the ship on the rocks. The sun shone on it and lighted it up.
　　"There's something queer about it somehow," said Julian, slowly. "Something awfully queer. I'venever seen a ship quite like it."
　　George was staring at it with a strange look in her eyes. She turned to face the three children, andthey were astonished to see the bright gleam in her blue eyes. The girl looked almost too excited tospeak.
　　"What is it?" asked Julian, catching hold of her hand.
　　"Julian— oh Julian— it's my wreck!" she cried, in a high excited voice. "Don't you see what'shappened! The storm has lifted the ship up from the bottom of the sea, and has lodged it on thoserocks. It's my wreck!"
　　The others saw at once that she was right. It was the old wrecked ship! No wonder it looked queer.
　　No wonder it looked so old and dark, and such a strange shape. It was the wreck, lifted high out of itssleeping-place and put on the rocks near by.
　　"George! We shall be able to row out and get into the wreck now!" shouted Julian. "We shall be ableto explore it from end to end. We may find the boxes of gold. Oh, George!"
6.暴雨来袭
　　暴雨来袭
　　四个孩子看着大海。他们几个一直兴趣盎然地在古老的城堡中探险，竟然谁都没有注意到天气突然发生了变化。
　　又一阵轰隆声。那声音就像一只大狗在空中咆哮。蒂米听见了，对着空中回叫了一声，声音显得微不足道。
　　“我的天哪，看来我们是躲不过去了！”乔治警觉地说，“我们在暴风雨来临之前肯定赶不回去了。暴风雨已是来势汹汹。你们注意到天气的变化了吗？”
　　他们刚出发时还是风和日丽，而现在的天空已是乌云密布，暗沉沉的。乌云在空中疾驰，好像有人在追赶它们似的，同时狂风骤起，如鬼哭狼嚎，把安妮吓坏了。
　　“开始下雨了，”朱利安说着伸出手，一颗硕大的雨珠打在他手上，“我们最好还是找个地方躲躲吧，乔治？要不然我们都会淋湿的。”
　　“好的，马上，”乔治说，“嗨，看大浪袭来了！我看暴风雨真的要来了。天哪，打闪了！”
　　海面上瞬间波涛汹涌，巨浪滔天。突然之间发生这么巨大的变化，这样奇特的景象孩子们很少见到。海浪来势凶猛，遇到礁石后浪花四溅，然后怒吼着向小岛的海滩飞奔而去。
　　“我觉得我们得把船再拉高一点，”乔治突然说，“这场暴风雨非常凶猛。有时，夏天突然而至的暴风雨比冬天的还要恶劣。”
　　她和朱利安跑到了停放船的地方。幸亏他们来了，因为海浪已经冲到船前了。两个孩子把船快速地拖到矮崖的顶部，乔治把船绑在了那里的一株金雀花灌木上。
　　大雨倾盆而至，乔治和朱利安被大雨淋得湿透了。“希望他们两个知道躲进那个有顶有墙的房间里。”乔治说。
　　他们真的躲进了那个房间，感到又冷又害怕。房间里面很黑，因为只有那两扇窗户和那个小门能透进来一点光亮。
　　“我们能在这里点一堆篝火吗，把这里点亮一些？”朱利安说着环顾四周，“不知道哪里能找到一些干草？”
　　一群寒鸦在暴风雨中盘旋着，狂躁地大叫着，好像是在回答朱利安的问题似的。“呱——呱——呱！”
　　“我知道了！塔楼下面的地上就有许多干草！”朱利安大声说，“就是寒鸦搭巢的地方。那里掉了很多干草。”
　　他冲进雨中，朝塔楼跑去，捡了一大堆干草后跑了回去。
　　“太好了，”乔治说，“这些足够点一堆很大的篝火。谁带纸或者火柴了吗？”
　　“我有火柴，”朱利安说，“可是没人带纸。”
　　“有纸，”安妮突然说，“我们的三明治不是用纸包的吗？我们把三明治取出来，就可以引火了。”
　　“好主意。”乔治说。他们打开三明治，接着找了一块石头，擦干净，然后把三明治整整齐齐地摆在上面。然后，他们将纸放在最下面，又在纸上交叉着放了一些干草，就这样生起了一堆篝火。
　　点火的那一瞬间，他们觉得很有趣。纸一燃烧起来，干草就立刻跟着燃烧了起来，这些草的确又干又脆。很快，一堆篝火就噼里啪啦地燃烧了起来，舞动的火焰点亮了整个房间。外面非常黑，因为乌云低得几乎都快碰到城堡的塔楼了！狂风卷着乌云朝着东北方凶猛地涌去，呼啸声如大海咆哮一般。
　　“我从来没有听到过大海会发出这么吓人的声音，”安妮说，“从来没有过！感觉大海已是拼命在吼叫了。”
　　伴随着大风的呼啸声和海浪的咆哮声，孩子们根本听不到自己说话的声音。他们只能对着彼此大声喊叫。
　　“我们吃饭吧！”迪克大喊，他早已饥肠辘辘了，“下着暴雨，我们也做不了别的什么。”
　　“好的，吃饭吧，”安妮说，渴望地看着火腿三明治，“在这样一个黑暗又古老的房间，围着篝火吃饭一定很有趣。不知道人们最后一次在这里吃饭是什么时候。真希望能见到他们。”
　　“哦，我可不想，”迪克说着，胆怯地看看四周，好像古时候的人真的会从哪里冒出来和他们一起吃饭似的，“我可不想发生那样的事。”
　　吃着三明治，喝着姜汁汽水，他们都感觉好多了。火焰越烧越高，把房间烧得暖洋洋的，而外面的大风越刮越猛，天也越来越冷。
　　“我们一会儿轮流去拿干草。”乔治说。可是安妮不想一个人去。她尽量不表现出来她很害怕暴风雨，但是让她独自离开这舒适的小屋到暴雨中去拿干草，她还是很不情愿。
　　蒂米好像也不喜欢暴风雨。它坐在乔治旁边，竖着耳朵，只要听见打雷声就叫两声。孩子们给它喂了一些三明治碎渣，它也饿了，急切地吃了起来。
　　现在，每个孩子还有四块饼干。“我要把我的饼干留给蒂米吃，”乔治说，“我忘记给它带饼干了，它看起来饿坏了。”
　　“不，”朱利安说，“我们每人分给它一块饼干，那样它就有四块了，我们每人还有三块。三块就够我们吃的了。”
　　“你们真好！”乔治说，“蒂米，你觉得他们好吗？”
　　蒂米当然觉得他们好，于是去舔了每一个人，把大家逗得哈哈大笑。然后它在地上打滚，让朱利安给它挠痒痒。
　　孩子们给篝火加了点柴，结束了午餐。轮到朱利安去拿柴了，他很快就消失在暴风雨中。突然，他站住了，环顾四周，雨水淋湿了他的头。
　　暴雨就在他头顶上，同时电闪雷鸣。朱利安并不害怕暴风雨，但对于这次的暴雨他也感到有些敬畏。这景象实在太壮观了。每分钟都会有一道闪电划破天空，震耳欲聋的雷鸣声如同天崩地裂！
　　雷声一停，大海的咆哮声又激荡在耳边，听起来同样非常壮观！浪花飞溅，就算朱利安站在城堡的正中间，也能感受到溅落的浪花。
　　“我要去看看现在的海浪是什么样的，”他想，“如果浪花都这么高，那么海浪一定很宏伟！”
　　他走出城堡，爬到城堡周围一段坍塌的城墙上。站在城墙上，他朝广袤的大海望去。眼前的景观让他惊呆了！
　　海浪如一堵堵灰绿色的城墙！它们冲过了小岛周围的礁石，浪花四处飞溅，在乌黑的天空中闪闪发光。海浪滚滚而来，涌向小岛，以一种可怕的力量猛烈地冲击到岛上。朱利安都能感觉到脚下的城墙在海水的冲击下颤抖。
　　他凝视着大海，感叹景色如此壮观。甚至有那么一时，他怀疑大海会不会把小岛淹没！他知道应该不会的，因为之前从没发生过这样的事。随着大浪袭来，他又看到了更古怪的一幕。
　　他看见远处的海面上，除了海浪以外，旁边的礁石上好像有什么东西——黑黑的，很大，在海浪中时隐时现。是什么呢？
　　“不可能是船，”朱利安自言自语，可是当他睁大眼睛透过雨水和浪花望去时，他的心跳加速了，“可是看着就像一条船。千万不要是船！没人能在这样恶劣的天气中幸存下来！”
　　他站在那里，观察了一会儿。黑影又一次出现在他的视线中，然后又消失了。朱利安决定去告诉其他人。他跑回了点着篝火的房间。
　　“乔治！迪克！小岛外的礁石边有个怪东西！”他大声喊，“看着像条船——但又不太可能，你们快来看看！”
　　他们吃惊地看着他，跳了起来。乔治匆忙往篝火里加了一些柴，以防火灭，然后大家迅速跟着朱利安跑进了雨中。
　　暴风雨好像暂时过去了，雨渐渐小了。雷声已远去，闪电也没有那么频繁了。朱利安带着大家爬上了刚才他看海的那段城墙。
　　大家都爬了上去，盯着大海看。他们看到灰绿色的海浪猛烈地翻滚着，浪花四溅。浪尖冲过礁石，涌向小岛，好像要把小岛一口吞掉似的。安妮紧紧地抓住朱利安的胳膊。她感到自己很弱小，害怕极了。
　　“安妮，没事的，”朱利安大声说，“仔细看，一会儿你们就会看到古怪的东西。”
　　他们都仔细地盯着海面。一开始他们什么也没看见，因为不断掀起的海浪太高了，挡住了他们的视线。突然，乔治看到了朱利安所说的黑影。
　　“天哪！”她喊，“是条船！是的，是船！失事了吗？是条大船，不是帆船，也不是渔船！”
　　“啊，上面有人吗？”安妮悲伤地说。
　　孩子们仔细观察着。蒂米看到大浪中时隐时现的黑色怪东西，开始狂叫。海水逐渐将大船冲向岸边。
　　“它会撞到那些礁石上的，”朱利安突然说，“看，撞上了！”
　　话音刚落，只听见一声巨响，那个船形的黑影撞在了小岛西南边锋利的礁石上。黑影在那里停了下来，只有在大浪袭来时，它才轻微地摆动着。
　　“船卡在那里了，”朱利安说，“动不了了。海水一会儿就会退去，船就会卡在这些礁石中间了。”
　　正说着，一缕苍白的阳光从逐渐变薄的云层间照射下来，暴风雨几乎瞬间就停止了。“太好了！”迪克抬头看着天，“太阳很快就会出来。等我们暖和点，身上的衣服干了，我们去看看那船究竟是怎么回事。哦，朱利安，我希望上面没有人，希望他们都乘救生船到了安全的地方。”
　　云层又散去了一些。大风停止了呼啸，吹起了微风。太阳出来了，孩子们感觉暖洋洋的。他们又朝礁石中间的船望去。阳光照射在船上，照亮了这艘船。
　　“这船看起来很怪，”朱利安慢慢地说，“非常奇怪。我从没见过这样的船。”
　　乔治用一种奇怪的眼神盯着那艘船。她转过身面对三个孩子，他们惊讶地发现她蓝色的眼睛里闪烁着光芒。乔治激动得说不出话来。
　　“怎么了？”朱利安抓住她的手问。
　　“朱利安，哦，朱利安，是我那艘沉船！”她激动地大喊，“知道发生了什么吗！暴雨把沉船从海底冲起来，停在了这些礁石中间。
　　是我的沉船！”
　　其他人立刻明白了，是那艘古老的沉船。怪不得这船看着又黑又旧，形状古怪呢。那艘失事的沉船，从沉睡多年的地方被冲起来，送到了附近的礁石边。
　　“乔治！我们应该可以划船过去，到船里去看看！”朱利安喊道，“哦，乔治！我们可以探索里面的每一个角落了，说不定还能找到金子。”
Chapter Seven BACK TO KIRRIN COTTAGE
Chapter Seven BACK TO KIRRIN COTTAGE
　　THE four children were so tremendously surprised and excited that for a minute or two they didn'tsay a word. They just stared at the dark hulk of the old wreck, imagining what they might find. ThenJulian clutched George's arm and pressed it tightly.
　　"Isn't this wonderful?" he said. "Oh, George, isn't it an extraordinary thing to happen?"Still George said nothing, but stared at the wreck, all kinds of thoughts racing through her mind.
　　Then she turned to Julian.
　　34
　　"If only the wreck is still mine now it's thrown up like this!" she said. "I don't know if wrecks belongto the queen or anyone, like lost treasure does. But after all, the ship did belong to our family.
　　Nobody bothered much about it when it was down under the sea— but do you suppose people willstill let me have it for my own now it's thrown up?""Well, don't let's tell anyone!" said Dick.
　　"Don't be silly," said George. "One of the fishermen is sure to see it when his ship goes slipping outof the bay. The news will soon be out."
　　"Well then, we'd better explore it thoroughly ourselves before anyone else does!" said Dick, eagerly.
　　"No one knows about it yet. Only us. Can't we explore it as soon as the waves go down a bit?""We can't wade out to the rocks, if that's what you mean," said George. "We might get there by boat— but we couldn't possibly risk it now, while the waves are so big. They won't go down today, that'scertain. The wind is still too strong."
　　"Well, what about tomorrow morning, early?" said Julian. "Before anyone has got to know about it? Ibet if only we can get into the ship first, we can find anything there is to find!""Yes, I expect we could," said George. "I told you divers had been down and explored the ship asthoroughly as they could— but of course it is difficult to do that properly under water. We might findsomething they've missed. Oh, this is like a dream. I can't believe it's true that my old wreck hascome up from the bottom of the sea like that!"The sun was now properly out, and the children's wet clothes dried in its hot rays. They steamed inthe sun, and even Tim's coat sent up a mist too. He didn't seem to like the wreck at all, but growleddeeply at it.
　　"You are funny, Tim," said George, patting him. "It won't hurt you! What do you think it is?""He probably thinks it's a whale," said Anne with a laugh. "Oh, George— this is the most excitingday of my life! Oh, can't we possibly take the boat and see if we can get to the wreck?""No, we can't," said George. "I only wish we could. But it's quite impossible, Anne. For one thing Idon't think the wreck has quite settled down on the rocks yet, and maybe it won't till the tide has gonedown. I can see it lifting a little still when an extra big wave comes. It would be dangerous to go intoit yet. And for another thing I don't want my boat smashed to bits on the rocks, and us thrown intothat wild water! That's what would happen. We must wait till 35tomorrow. It's a good idea to come early. I expect lots of grown-ups will think it's their business toexplore it."
　　The children watched the old wreck for a little time longer and then went all round the island again. Itwas certainly not very large, but it really was exciting, with its rocky little coast, its quiet inlet wheretheir boat was, the ruined castle, the circling jackdaws, and the scampering rabbits everywhere.
　　"I do love it," said Anne. "I really do. It's just small enough to feel like an island. Most islands are toobig to feel like islands. I mean, Britain is an island, but nobody living on it could possibly know itunless they were told. Now this island really feels like one because wherever you are you can see tothe other side of it. I love it."
　　George felt very happy. She had often been on her island before, but always alone except for Tim.
　　She had always vowed that she never, never would take anyone there, because it would spoil herisland for her. But it hadn't been spoilt. It had made it much nicer. For the first time George began tounderstand that sharing pleasures doubles their joy.
　　"We'll wait till the waves go down a bit then we'll go back home," she said. "I rather think there'ssome more rain coming, and we'll only get soaked through. We shan't be back till tea-time as it is,because we'll have a long pull against the out-going tide."All the children felt a little tired after the excitements of the morning. They said very little as theyrowed home. Everyone took turns at rowing except Anne, who was not strong enough with the oarsto row against the tide. They looked back at the island as they left it. They couldn't see the wreckbecause that was on the opposite side, facing the open sea.
　　"It's just as well it's there," said Julian. "No one can see it yet. Only when a boat goes out to fish willit be seen. And we shall be there as early as any boat goes out! I vote we get up at dawn.""Well, that's pretty early," said George. "Can you wake up? I'm often out at dawn, but you're not usedto it."
　　"Of course we can wake up," said Julian. "Well— here we are back at the beach again— and I'm jollyglad. My arms are awfully tired and I'm so hungry I could eat a whole larderful of things.""Woof," said Tim, quite agreeing.
　　"I'll have to take Tim to Alf," said George, jumping out of the boat. "You get the boat in, Julian.
　　I'll join you in a few minutes."
　　36
　　It wasn't long before all four were sitting down to a good tea. Aunt Fanny had baked new scones forthem, and had made a ginger cake with black treacle. It was dark brown and sticky to eat. Thechildren finished it all up and said it was the nicest they had ever tasted.
　　"Did you have an exciting day?" asked their aunt.
　　"Oh yes!" said Anne, eagerly. "The storm was grand. It threw up ..."Julian and Dick both kicked her under the table. George couldn't reach her or she would mostcertainly have kicked her too. Anne stared at the boys angrily, with tears in her eyes.
　　"Now what's the matter?" asked Aunt Fanny. "Did somebody kick you, Anne? Well, really, thiskicking under the table has got to stop. Poor Anne will be covered with bruises. What did the seathrow up, dear?"
　　"It threw up the most enormous waves," said Anne, looking defiantly at the others. She knew theyhad thought she was going to say that the sea had thrown up the wreck— but they were wrong! Theyhad kicked her for nothing!
　　"Sorry for kicking you, Anne," said Julian. "My foot sort of slipped.""So did mine," said Dick. "Yes, Aunt Fanny, it was a magnificent sight on the island. The wavesraced up that little inlet, and we had to take our boat almost up to the top of the low cliff there.""I wasn't really afraid of the storm," said Anne. "In fact, I wasn't really as afraid of it as Ti ..."Everyone knew perfectly well that Anne was going to mention Timothy, and they all interrupted herat once, speaking very loudly. Julian managed to get a kick in again.
　　"Oooh!" said Anne.
　　"The rabbits were so tame," said Julian, loudly.
　　"We watched the cormorants," said Dick, and George joined in too, talking at the same time.
　　"The jackdaws made such a noise, they said 'Chack, chack, chack,' all the time.""Well, really, you sound like jackdaws yourselves, talking all at once like this!" said Aunt Fanny,with a laugh. "Now, have you all finished? Very well, then, go and wash your sticky hands—yes, George, I know they're sticky, because I made that gingerbread, and you've had three slices!
　　Then you had better go and play quietly in the other room, because it's raining, and you can't go out.
　　But don't disturb your father, George. He's very busy."The children went to wash. "Idiot!" said Julian to Anne. "Nearly gave us away twice!""I didn't mean what you thought I meant the first time!" began Anne indignantly.
　　George interrupted her.
　　37
　　"I'd rather you gave the secret of the wreck away than my secret about Tim," she said. "I do thinkyou've got a careless tongue."
　　"Yes, I have," said Anne, sorrowfully. "I think I'd better not talk at meal-times any more. I love Timso much I just can't seem to help wanting to talk about him."They all went to play in the other room. Julian turned a table upside down with a crash. "We'll play atwrecks," he said. "This is the wreck. Now we're going to explore it."The door flew open and an angry, frowning face looked in. It was George's father!
　　"What was that noise?" he said. "George! Did you overturn that table?""I did," said Julian. "I'm sorry, sir. I quite forgot you were working.""Any more noise like that and I shall keep you all in bed tomorrow!" said his Uncle Quentin.
　　"Georgina, keep your cousins quiet."
　　The door shut and Uncle Quentin went out. The children looked at one another.
　　"Your father's awfully fierce, isn't he?" said Julian. "I'm sorry I made that row. I didn't think.""We'd better do something really quiet," said George. "Or he'll keep his word — and we'll findourselves in bed tomorrow just when we want to explore the wreck."This was a terrible thought. Anne went to get one of her dolls to play with. She had managed to bringquite a number after all. Julian fetched a book. George took up a beautiful little boat she was carvingout of a piece of wood. Dick lay back on a chair and thought of the exciting wreck.
　　The rain poured down steadily, and everyone hoped it would have stopped by the morning.
　　"We'll have to be up most awfully early," said Dick, yawning. "What about going to bed in good timetonight? I'm tired with all that rowing."In the ordinary way none of the children liked going to bed early— but with such an exciting thing tolook forward to, early-bed seemed different that night.
　　"It will make the time go quickly," said Anne, putting down her doll. "Shall we go now?""Whatever do you suppose Mother would say if we went just after tea?" said George. "She'd think wewere all ill. No, let's go after supper. We'll just say we're tired with rowing— which is perfectly true— and we'll get a good night's sleep, and be ready for our adventure tomorrow morning. And it is anadventure, you know. It isn't many people that have the chance of exploring an old, old wreck likethat, which has always been at the bottom of the sea!"38
　　So, by eight o'clock, all the children were in bed, rather to Aunt Fanny's surprise. Anne fell asleep atonce. Julian and Dick were not long— but George lay awake for some time, thinking of her island,her wreck— and, of course, her beloved dog!
　　"I must take Tim too," she thought, as she fell asleep. "We can't leave old Tim out of this. He shallshare in the adventure too!
7.返回科林庄园
　　返回科林庄园
　　四个孩子是如此惊喜，如此激动，以至于一两分钟内，他们一句话都说不出来。他们只是盯着那艘黑色的古老的沉船，想象着能在上面发现什么。朱利安紧紧地抓住乔治的胳膊。
　　“太棒了，不是吗？”他说，“哦，乔治，太出人意料了，不是吗？”
　　乔治还是什么也没有说，只是盯着船，思绪万千。她转向朱利安。“这沉船现在被冲了上来，要是还是我的就好了！”她说，“我不知道，失事的沉船是不是也像那些遗失的财宝一样是属于女王的还是谁的。不过，这沉船曾经确实是属于我们家的。它躺在海底时，没人在意它。可是现在它被冲了上来，你觉得人们还能让我拥有吗？”
　　“那我们不告诉任何人！”迪克说。
　　“别傻了，”乔治说，“要是有渔民开船出来捕鱼，就会看见它。
　　那样就人人都知道了。”
　　“那样的话，我们最好在别人上船之前先彻底探索一遍！”迪克急切地说，“现在除了我们，还没人知道。海水一退，我们就上船去看看，怎么样？”
　　“我们是无法走到礁石那边去的，”乔治说，“我们倒是可以划船过去。但是现在还太危险，海浪还很大——今天肯定是不会退去的，而且风也还很大。”
　　“那明天一大早，怎么样？”朱利安说，“在没人知道以前，我们先去看看。我敢打赌，如果我们能第一个上船，一定能找到东西！”
　　“好的，希望我们可以，”乔治说，“我跟你们说过，专业潜水员曾下去过，尽可能地搜查了这艘沉船。不过，想要在水下彻底搜查确实很困难，或许我们能找到他们遗漏的东西。哦，像做梦一样。
　　我真不敢相信我的船会这样从海底浮上来！”
　　太阳出来了，孩子们湿漉漉的衣服在阳光的照耀下慢慢变干了。衣服在阳光下好像冒着蒸汽，就连蒂米的身上也笼罩着一层薄雾。它好像根本不喜欢那艘船，对着船不停地狂吠。
　　“蒂米，你真好玩，”乔治说着，轻轻拍了拍它，“它又不会伤害你！你把船当成什么了？”
　　“它可能把船当成一条大鲸鱼了，”安妮笑着说，“哦，乔治，这是我一生中最兴奋的一天！哦，我们能不能现在就划船过去，看看能不能上船？”
　　“不行，”乔治说，“我也希望我们能去。但是，安妮，现在不行。首先，我觉得沉船现在还没有在礁石中间停稳，可能要等到潮水退去了，船才能稳定下来。大浪打过来时，我还能看到船在左右摇晃。这时上去太危险了。再说，我可不想我的小船撞到那些礁石上，把我们都抛进冰冷的大海中！那可是很有可能发生的。我们必须等到明天，明天我们早早过来。我知道很多大人都认为只有他们才能探索这艘船。”
　　孩子们又盯着船看了一会儿，然后都回到了小岛上。小岛虽然不大，但是却非常有趣，海岸边礁石丛生，小船停靠的港口平静舒缓，废弃的城堡古老而又神秘，寒鸦在天空中盘旋，兔子在地上四处奔跑。
　　“我喜欢这里，”安妮说，“非常喜欢，岛屿很小，但是感觉就是个真的岛屿。大部分岛屿都太大了，反而不像岛屿了。我的意思是，英国就是一座岛，可是我敢说，生活在上面的人，没人能意识到那是一座岛。这座小岛才让人感觉是一座真正的岛，因为不论你站在哪儿，你都能看到小岛的另一边。我喜欢它。”
　　乔治听后感到很开心。她以前不知到这个岛上来过多少次，但是除了蒂米以外，就只有她一个人。她曾发誓永远永远都不会带任何人到她的小岛上来，因为她怕别人破坏她的小岛。但是这一次，他们并没有破坏她的小岛，反而让她的小岛更美好了。乔治第一次明白了，与人分享，快乐也会翻倍。
　　“等潮水小一点后，我们就回家。”她说，“我觉得可能还要下雨，我们又要被淋透了。我们是赶不上下午茶了，因为我们要逆着层层海浪回去，需要很长时间。”
　　激动了一上午，孩子们都有些累了，回家的路上几乎都没怎么说话。除了安妮，其他三个孩子轮流划船。安妮太弱小，在重重海浪中根本挥不动双桨。看着小岛，他们依依不舍地离开了，此时，他们已看不到那艘沉船了，因为沉船在小岛的另一边，面朝大海。
　　“在那边也好，”朱利安说，“至少没人看见，除非有渔船到那里捕鱼。我们明天一定要赶在任何渔船前出发！天一亮就起床。”
　　“嗯，那是挺早的，”乔治说，“你们起得来吗？我经常天一亮就出去了，你们不一定能起来。”
　　“我们当然能起来，”朱利安说，“哇！我们又回到沙滩了，真开心。我的胳膊又酸又痛，饿得能吃下一大堆东西。”
　　“汪！”蒂米叫了一声，表示赞同。
　　“我要把蒂米送到阿尔夫那里去，”乔治说着跳出了小船，“朱利安，你把船拖上来吧，我很快就回来。”
　　没过多久，四个孩子就回到家喝起了热茶。范妮婶婶还为他们烤了一些司康饼和抹了糖浆的姜饼。姜饼焦黄焦黄的，还有点黏牙。孩子们把这些全都吃光了，还说这是他们吃过的最美味的东西。
　　“今天过得愉快吗？”范妮婶婶问。
　　“哦，是的！”安妮急切地说，“暴雨真大。海面上泛起了……”
　　朱利安和迪克同时在桌子底下踢了她一脚。乔治够不着她，要不然也会踢她一脚的。安妮生气地瞪着两个哥哥，泪水在眼眶里打转。
　　“这又是怎么了？”范妮婶婶问，“安妮，有人踢你了吗？你们在桌子下面踢人的习惯可要改掉了。可怜的安妮，腿上被踢得到处都青了。亲爱的，海面上泛起了什么？”
　　“海面上泛起了巨大的海浪。”安妮说着，轻蔑地看着其他几个人。她知道，他们以为她会说海面上泛起了那艘失事的沉船。可是他们理解错了，害她白白挨了两脚！
　　“安妮，对不起，不小心踢到你了，”朱利安说，“我的脚滑了一下。”
　　“我也是，”迪克说，“范妮婶婶，小岛上的景色真是美极了。海浪都追到小岛的港口处了，我们都快把船拖到矮崖顶上了。”
　　“其实我并不害怕暴风雨，”安妮说，“实际上我是担心蒂……”
　　所有人都知道安妮要提到蒂米，于是他们大声地打断了她。朱利安又踢了她一脚。
　　“啊呜！”安妮喊了出来。
　　“岛上的兔子很温驯。”朱利安大声说。
　　“我们还看到了鸬鹚。”迪克和乔治同时说。
　　“寒鸦一直不停地像这样‘呱——呱——呱’地叫。”
　　“噢，是吗，你学得还真像！”范妮婶婶笑着说，“都吃饱了吧？
　　快去洗洗你们那黏糊糊的手——乔治，快去！我知道这些饼很黏，因为是我做的，而且你吃了三片！然后你们最好老老实实地在房间里玩，因为外面下着雨，你们也出不去。还有，乔治，不要去打扰你爸爸，他很忙。”
　　孩子们一起去洗手。“傻瓜！”朱利安对安妮说，“你差点两次说漏嘴！”
　　“第一次不是像你们想得那样！”安妮愤怒地说。
　　乔治打断了她。
　　“我宁可你说出那艘沉船的事，也不要说出蒂米的秘密。”她说，“我真的觉得你管不住自己的嘴。”
　　“是的，”安妮难过地说，“我以后吃饭的时候最好不要说话了。
　　我太喜欢蒂米了，总是禁不住说起它。”
　　他们一起到了另一个房间里玩。朱利安一下把一张桌子翻倒在地。“假装我们在那艘船上玩，”他说，“假如这就是那艘船。现在我们要上船探险了。”
　　这时门突然开了，走进一个满面怒容，眉头紧皱的人——昆廷叔叔！
　　“怎么这么吵？”他问，“乔治！是你把桌子弄翻的吗？”
　　“是我弄的，”朱利安说，“对不起，叔叔。我忘了您还在工作。”
　　“要是再出现这样的噪音，我明天就把你们关在房间里，哪儿都别想去！”昆廷叔叔说，“乔治娜，让你的堂兄堂妹们安静点。”
　　说完，昆廷叔叔关上门出去了。孩子们你看我，我看你。
　　“你的爸爸可真凶啊，不是吗？”朱利安说，“很抱歉我刚才弄出那么大的声音，当时我没想那么多。”
　　“我们最好还是做点安静的事，”乔治说，“否则他会说到做到的——把我们关在房子里，真是那样的话，我们就别想再到船上探险了。”
　　那太可怕了。安妮赶紧找了一个洋娃娃玩——她最终还是从家里带了好几个洋娃娃过来。朱利安拿起一本书在看。乔治继续用一块木头雕刻一艘漂亮的小船。迪克躺在椅子上，想着那艘令人激动的沉船。大雨又“哗啦哗啦”地下了起来，几个孩子希望明天一早雨就能停。
　　“我们明天必须早早起床，”迪克打着哈欠说，“今晚早点睡觉怎么样？划了一天的船，我累了。”
　　一般情况下，孩子们都不愿意早早睡觉。但是明天一早要做的事让他们兴奋不已，今天晚上就和平时不一样了。
　　“早点睡，时间会过得快一些，”安妮说着放下了手中的洋娃娃，“我们现在就去睡觉吧？”
　　“刚喝完下午茶我们就去睡觉，你们觉得妈妈会怎么想？”乔治问，“她会以为我们都生病了。现在不要去睡，等吃过晚饭再去。我们一会儿就说划船划累了，事实也是这样。然后我们好好睡一觉，为明天的探险做准备。要知道，那可是一场冒险。能到一个沉入海底多年的非常非常古老的船上探险，不是所有人都有机会的。”
　　就这样，刚到八点，孩子们就都上床睡觉了，这倒让范妮婶婶吃惊不小。安妮倒头就睡着了。朱利安和迪克也很快睡着了。但是乔治很长时间都没有睡着，还想着她的小岛，她的船。当然，还有她心爱的狗！
　　“我要带蒂米一起去，”想着想着，乔治就要睡着了，“我们可不能把蒂米落下，它也要和我们一起参与这次冒险！”
Chapter Eight EXPLORING THE WRECK
Chapter Eight EXPLORING THE WRECK
　　JULIAN woke first the next morning. He awoke just as the sun was slipping over the horizon in theeast, and filling the sky with gold. Julian stared at the ceiling for a moment, and then, in a rush, heremembered all that had happened the day before. He sat up straight in bed and whispered as loudlyas he could.
　　"Dick! Wake up! We're going to see the wreck! Do wake up!"Dick woke and grinned at Julian. A feeling of happiness crept over him. They were going on anadventure. He leapt out of bed and ran quietly to the girls' room. He opened the door. Both the girlswere fast asleep, Anne curled up like a dormouse under the sheet.
　　Dick shook George and then dug Anne in the back. They awoke and sat up. "Buck up!"whispered Dick. "The sun is just rising. We'll have to hurry."George's blue eyes shone as she dressed. Anne skipped about quietly, finding her few clothes—just a bathing suit, jeans and jersey— and rubber shoes for her feet. It wasn't many minutes beforethey were all ready.
　　"Now, not a creak on the stairs— not a cough or a giggle!" warned Julian, as they stood together onthe landing. Anne was a dreadful giggler, and had often given secret plans away by her suddenexplosive choke. But this time the little girl was as solemn as the others, and as careful.
　　They crept down the stairs and undid the little front door. Not a sound was made. They shut the doorquietly and made their way down the garden path to the gate. The gate always creaked, so theyclimbed over it instead of opening it.
　　39
　　The sun was now shining brightly, though it was still low in the eastern sky. It felt warm already.
　　The sky was so beautifully blue that Anne couldn't help feeling it had been freshly washed! "It looksjust as if it had come back from the laundry," she told the others.
　　They squealed with laughter at her. She did say odd things at times. But they knew what she meant.
　　The day had a lovely new feeling about it - the clouds were so pink in the bright blue sky, and the sealooked so smooth and fresh. It was impossible to imagine that it had been so rough the day before.
　　George got her boat. Then she went to get Tim, while the boys hauled the boat down to the sea.
　　Alf, the fisher-boy, was surprised to see George so early. He was about to go with his father, fishing.
　　He grinned at George.
　　"You going fishing, too?" he said to her. "My, wasn't that a storm yesterday! I thought you'd becaught in it."
　　"We were," said George. "Come on, Tim! Come on!"Tim was very pleased to see George so early. He capered round her as she ran back to the others,almost tripping her up as she went. He leapt into the boat as soon as he saw it, and stood at the stern,his red tongue out, his tail wagging violently.
　　"I wonder his tail keeps on," said Anne, looking at it. "One day, Timothy, you'll wag it right off."They set off to the island. It was easy to row now, because the sea was so calm. They came to theisland, and rowed around it to the other side.
　　And there was the wreck, piled high on some sharp rocks! It had settled down now and did not stir aswaves slid under it. It lay a little to one side, and the broken mast, now shorter than before, stuck outat an angle.
　　"There she is," said Julian, in excitement. "Poor old wreck! I guess she's a bit more battered now.
　　What a noise she made when she went crashing on to those rocks yesterday!""How do we get to her?" asked Anne, looking at the mass of ugly, sharp rocks all around. But Georgewas not at all dismayed. She knew almost every inch of the coast around her little island.
　　She pulled steadily at the oars and soon came near to the rocks in which the great wreck rested.
　　The children looked at the wreck from their boat. It was big, much bigger than they had imaginedwhen they had peered at it from the top of the water. It was encrusted with shellfish of some kind, andstrands of brown and green seaweed hung down. It smelt queer. It had great holes in its sides,showing where it had battered against rocks. There were holes in the deck too.
　　40
　　Altogether it looked a sad and forlorn old ship— but to the four children it was the most excitingthing in the whole world.
　　They rowed to the rocks on which the wreck lay. The tide washed over them. George took a lookround.
　　"We'll tie our boat up to the wreck itself," she said. "And we'll get on to the deck quite easily byclimbing up the side. Look, Julian!— throw this loop of rope over that broken bit of wood there,sticking out from the side."
　　Julian did as he was told. The rope tightened and the boat was held in position. Then Georgeclambered up the side of the wreck like a monkey. She was a marvel at climbing. Julian and Dickfollowed her, but Anne had to be helped up. Soon all four were standing on the slanting deck. It wasslippery with seaweed, and the smell was very strong indeed. Anne didn't like it.
　　"Well, this was the deck," said George, "and that's where the men got up and down." She pointed to alarge hole. They went to it and looked down. The remains of an iron ladder were still there.
　　George looked at it.
　　"I think it's still strong enough to hold us," she said. I'll go first. Anyone got a torch? It looks prettydark down there."
　　Julian had a torch. He handed it to George. The children became rather quiet. It was mysterioussomehow to look down into the dark inside of the big ship. What would they find? George switchedon the torch and then swung herself down the ladder. The others followed.
　　The light from the torch showed a very queer sight. The under-parts of the ship were low-ceilinged,made of thick oak. The children had to bend their heads to get about. It seemed as if there were placesthat might have been cabins, though it was difficult to tell now, for everything was so battered, sea-drenched and seaweedy. The smell was really horrid, though it was mostly of drying seaweed.
　　The children slipped about on the seaweed as they went round the inside of the ship. It didn't seem sobig inside after all. There was a big hold under the cabins, which the children saw by the light of theirtorch.
　　"That's where the boxes of gold would have been kept, I expect," said Julian. But there was nothingin the hold except water and fish! The children couldn't go down because the water was too deep.
　　One or two barrels floated in the water, but they had burst open and were quite empty.
　　41
　　"I expect they were water-barrels, or barrels of pork or biscuit," said George. "Let's go round theother part of the ship again— where the cabins are. Isn't it strange to see bunks there that sailors haveslept in— and look at that old wooden chair. Fancy it still being here after all these years!
　　Look at the things on those hooks too— they are all rusty now, and covered with seaweedy stuff—but they must have been the cook's pans and dishes!"It was a very queer trip round the old wreck. The children were all on the look-out for boxes whichmight contain bars of gold— but there didn't seem to be one single box of any kind anywhere!
　　They came to a rather bigger cabin than the others. It had a bunk in one corner, in which a large crabrested. An old bit of furniture looking rather like a tablet with two legs, all encrusted with greyishshells, lay against the bunk. Wooden shelves, festooned with grey-green seaweed, hung crookedly onthe walls of the cabin.
　　"This must have been the captain's own cabin," said Julian. "It's the biggest one. Look, what's that inthe corner?"
　　"An old cup!" said Anne, picking it up. "And here's half of a saucer. I expect the captain was sittinghere having a cup of tea when the ship went down."This made the children feel rather queer. It was dark and smelly in the little cabin, and the floor waswet and slippery to their feet. George began to feel that her wreck was really more pleasant sunkunder the water than raised above it!
　　"Let's go," she said, with a shiver. "I don't like it much. It is exciting, I know — but it's a bitfrightening too."
　　They turned to go. Julian flashed his torch round the little cabin for the last time. He was about toswitch it off and follow the others up to the deck above when he caught sight of something that madehim stop. He flashed his torch on to it, and then called to the others.
　　"I say! Wait a bit. There's a cupboard here in the wall. Let's see if there's anything in it!"The others turned back and looked. They saw what looked like a small cupboard let in level with thewall of the cabin. What had caught Julian's eye was the keyhole. There was no key there, though.
　　"There just might be something inside," said Julian. He tried to prise open the wooden door with hisfingers, but it wouldn't move. "It's locked," he said. "Of course it would be!"42
　　"I expect the lock is rotten by now," said George, and she tried too. Then she took out her big strongpocket-knife and inserted it between the cupboard door and the cabin-wall. She forced back the blade— and the lock of the cupboard suddenly snapped! As she had said, it was quite rotten. The doorswung open, and the children saw a shelf inside with a few curious things on it.
　　There was a wooden box, swollen with the wet sea-water in which it had lain for years. There weretwo or three things that looked like old, pulpy books. There was some sort of glass drinking-vessel,cracked in half— and two or three funny objects so spoilt by sea-water that no one could possibly saywhat they were.
　　"Nothing very interesting— except the box," said Julian, and he picked it up. "Anyway, I expect thatwhatever is inside is ruined. But we may as well try and open it."He and George tried their best to force the lock of the old wooden box. On the top of it were stampedinitials—H.J. K.
　　"I expect those were the captain's initials," said Dick.
　　"No, they were the initials of my great- great- great- grandfather!" said George, her eyes shiningsuddenly. "I've heard all about him. His name was Henry John Kirrin. This was his ship, you know.
　　This must have been his very-private box in which he kept his old papers or diaries. Oh, we simplymust open it!"
　　But it was quite impossible to force the lid up with the tools they had there. They soon gave it up, andJulian picked up the box to carry it to the boat.
　　"We'll open it at home," he said, his voice sounding rather excited. "We'll get a hammer orsomething, and get it open somehow. Oh, George— this really is a find!"They all of them felt that they really had something mysterious in their possession. Was thereanything inside the box— and if so, what would it be? They longed to get home and open it!
　　They went up on deck, climbing the old iron ladder. As soon as they got there they saw that othersbesides themselves had discovered that the wreck had been thrown up from the bottom of the sea!
　　"Golly! Half the fishing-smacks of the bay have discovered it!" cried Julian, looking round at thefishing-boats that had come as near as they dared to the wreck. The fishermen were looking at thewreck in wonder. When they saw the children on board they halloo-ed loudly.
　　"Ahoy there! What's that ship?"
　　"It's the old wreck!" yelled back Julian. "She was thrown up yesterday in the storm!"43
　　"Don't say any more," said George, frowning. "It's my wreck. I don't want sightseers on it!"So no more was said, and the four children got into their boat and rowed home as fast as they could.
　　It was past their breakfast-time. They might get a good scolding. They might even be sent to bed byGeorge's fierce father— but what did they care? They had explored the wreck—and had come awaywith a box which might contain—well, if not bars of gold, one small bar, perhaps!
　　They did get a scolding. They had to go without half their breakfast, too, because Uncle Quentin saidthat children who came in so late didn't deserve hot bacon and eggs— only toast and marmalade. Itwas very sad.
　　They hid the box under the bed in the boys' room. Tim had been left with the fisher-boy— or rather,had been tied up in his back yard, for Alf had gone out fishing, and was even now gazing from hisfather's boat at the strange wreck.
　　"We can make a bit of money taking sightseers out to this wreck," said Alf. And before the day wasout scores of interested people had seen the old wreck from the decks of motor-boats and fishing-smacks.
　　George was furious about it. But she couldn't do anything. After all, as Julian said, anybody couldhave a look!
8.登船探险
　　登船探险
　　第二天早晨，朱利安第一个醒来。他醒来时，太阳刚刚从东方离开地平线，天空中照射着金色的光芒。朱利安看着天花板，盯了一会儿，突然想起了昨天发生的一切。他一下坐了起来，大声喊道：“迪克！醒醒！我们要去那艘船上了！快起来！”
　　迪克醒来对着朱利安笑了笑，充满了幸福感——他们要去冒险了。他跳下床，轻轻地跑到女孩们的房间。他打开门，看到两个女孩还睡得很沉，安妮像只小睡鼠一样蜷在被子里。
　　迪克摇了摇乔治，又捣了捣安妮的背。她们醒了，坐了起来。“精神点！”迪克说，“太阳都升起来了，我们要快点。”
　　乔治开始穿衣服，蓝色的眼睛里闪烁着光芒。安妮也安静地起来，找到了她的衣服——泳衣、牛仔裤、运动衫和一双雨鞋。没过多久，几个孩子都收拾好了。
　　“现在，不要弄响地板，不要咳嗽，也不要笑！”他们下楼时，朱利安警告大家。安妮非常爱咯咯笑，有的时候能笑得突然噎住。
　　但是这次，这个小姑娘和其他人一样严肃而且小心翼翼的。他们下了楼，打开了前门，没弄出一点声音来。接着，他们轻轻地关上门，顺着花园里的小路走到了大门。大门在打开时总是发出吱嘎吱嘎的声音，为了不弄出声音，他们几个就从门上翻了过去。
　　此时，太阳虽然还不是很高，但是已经很明媚、很温暖了。晴空万里，安妮感觉好像有人刚刚把天空洗过一样！“天空好像刚从干洗店拿回来的一样。”她对其他人说。
　　他们几个听了哈哈大笑。有时她的比喻确实很古怪，不过他们明白她的意思。今天的天空别样的晴朗，云彩在明亮的蓝天下发出粉红色的光芒，海面平静而清新，很难想象昨天的大海是那么波涛汹涌。
　　乔治把船拖了过来，然后去接蒂米，两个男孩把船拖到海边。
　　这么早见到乔治，那个渔家男孩阿尔夫显得很吃惊。他正准备和他爸爸一起去捕鱼。他对乔治笑了笑。
　　“你也要去捕鱼吗？”他对她说，“我的天，昨天的暴风雨可真猛啊！我还以为你们被困住了。”
　　“我们确实被困住了，”乔治说，“快来，蒂米！快来！”
　　这么早就见到乔治，蒂米也很高兴。它欢快地围着她转啊跳啊，和她一起朝其他几个孩子跑去，它还差点把她绊倒。一看到船，它立刻跳了进去，站在船尾，伸着红红的舌头，使劲摇着尾巴。
　　“我真担心你会把尾巴摇掉，”安妮看着它说，“总有一天，蒂米，你会把你的尾巴摇掉的。”
　　他们出发朝小岛驶去。今天，海面非常平静，所以他们划得很轻松。到了小岛，他们绕到了另一边。
　　那艘船还在那里，高高地停留在锋利的礁石上。此时船已停稳，不会随着下面的海浪而晃动了。船有点朝一边倾斜，那根断了的桅杆，比以前更短了，歪在一边。
　　“到了，”朱利安激动地说，“可怜的老船！我猜这次它可能被撞坏了。昨天它撞到这些礁石上时，发出那声巨响！”
　　“我们怎么才能过去呢？”安妮问。她担忧地看着周围奇形怪状、锋利无比的礁石。不过乔治一点也不担心，她对小岛周围的海域了如指掌。她平稳地划着双桨，很快就到了沉船停留的礁石处。
　　孩子们站在船上望着这艘失事多年的沉船。船比他们从水上往下看时要大得多。船身上黏着某种贝壳，一缕缕棕色和绿色的海草垂下来，散发出古怪的气味。船身两边有许多大洞，显然是昨天在礁石上撞的。甲板上也都是洞。总的来说，这艘船被遗弃多年，一副凄惨相。但是孩子们却认为这是世界上最令人激动的东西。
　　他们继续朝沉船旁的礁石划去。海浪不停地拍打着礁石。乔治环顾四周。
　　“我们把船就绑到那艘沉船上吧！”她说，“这样我们就能很容易地从旁边爬到甲板上了。朱利安，看！把绳索套到那边那个突出来的木桩上。”
　　朱利安照做了。绑好绳子，他们的小船就固定好了。乔治像只猴子一样爬到了船上，她真是矫捷如燕。朱利安和迪克也跟着爬了上去，然后把安妮拉了上来。很快，四个孩子都站在了歪歪斜斜的甲板上。甲板上黏满了海草，非常滑，还散发着浓烈的气味。安妮不喜欢这个味。
　　“这就是甲板了，”乔治说，“那里就是人们进进出出的地方了。”她指着一个大洞说。他们走了过去，朝洞里望去，里面还能看到一截铁梯子。乔治看了一眼。
　　“我觉得梯子还是很结实的，”她说，“我先下。谁带手电筒了？
　　里面黑漆漆的。”
　　朱利安带了一个手电筒，他把手电筒递给乔治。孩子们都屏住了呼吸，向下看去，大船里面感觉神秘兮兮的。他们会找到什么？
　　乔治打开手电筒，沿着梯子向下走。其他人跟在后面。
　　在手电筒的照射下，他们看到了船内古怪的景象。船舱的顶很低，是用厚厚的橡木制成的，孩子们不得不弯下腰才能进去。有的地方看起来似乎是舱室，但是现在已经分不清楚了，因为所有的东西都被撞坏了，到处是海水和海草。这些海草虽然都快干了，但还是散发着难闻的气味。
　　孩子们踩着这些海草往里走，不时会猛滑一跤。里面好像并不大，在手电筒的照射下，孩子们看见了一个很大的舱。
　　“我猜那里应该就是放金子的地方。”朱利安说。但是现在舱里除了水和鱼以外，什么也没有！由于水太深，孩子们也不敢下去。
　　水面上还漂着一两个木桶，盖子都被撞开了，里面空空的。
　　“我猜这些是水桶，或者是用来装肉或饼干的桶子，”乔治说，“我们再到其他地方看看，到船舱那里。能看到水手们睡觉的床真是一种奇妙的感觉，看那把古老的木椅。这么多年了竟然还在那里！再看那些挂钩，虽然都生锈了，还黏满了海草，但是以前一定是厨师用来放锅和盘子用的！”
　　在一艘古老的沉船上探险真是棒极了。孩子们到处搜寻可能装有金条的箱子，但是似乎根本就没有这样的箱子！
　　他们来到了一间大舱室。角落里摆着一张床，床上趴着一只大螃蟹。床的对面有一件破旧的家具，看起来像是一张只有两条腿的桌子，上面黏满了灰色的贝壳。还有一些木架子歪歪扭扭地挂在墙上，架子上缠绕着灰绿色的海草。
　　“这一定是船长的卧室，”朱利安说，“这是最大的一间。看，那个角落里是什么？”
　　“一个杯子！”安妮说着捡起了杯子，“还有半个茶托。我猜船失事的时候，船长正坐在这里喝茶呢。”
　　这让孩子们感觉有些不安。船舱里又黑又难闻，地板又湿又滑。乔治突然觉得她的沉船似乎还是待在水底更有意思一些。
　　“我们走吧，”乔治说着打了一个寒战，“我不喜欢这里。我知道待在这里很刺激，但是也有点恐怖。”
　　他们转身往回走。朱利安最后又用手电筒照了照这间舱室。他刚要关掉手电筒跟着其他人去甲板，突然看见了一个什么东西，于是他停下了脚步。他用手电筒照着那个东西，然后叫住了其他人。
　　“嘿！等一下。墙上有个橱柜。我们看看里面是什么！”
　　其他人又回来看了看。他们看见有一个和船舱的墙一样高的橱柜。朱利安看见一个钥匙孔，当然，上面没有钥匙。
　　“里面一定有什么东西。”朱利安说。他试图用手指抠开木门，但是木门却纹丝不动。“是锁着的，”他说，“当然是锁着的！”
　　“我想上面的锁已经腐朽了。”乔治一边说着一边也试着去打开木门。然后她拿出一把结实的小刀，插进木门和墙之间的缝隙中。
　　她用力撬，橱柜上的锁突然断开了！正如她所说，锁已经腐朽了。
　　门开了，孩子们看见里面的架子上有一些令人惊喜的东西。
　　那里有一个木盒子，看起来在水里泡了不知多少年了。还有两三本像书一样的东西，破旧得只剩纸浆了。还有一些玻璃杯之类的，都快烂成两半了。还有两三个形状怪异的东西，被海水浸泡得已认不出来是什么了。
　　“除了这个盒子，也没啥其他东西，”朱利安说着拿起了盒子，“这里面的东西可能也坏了。不过，我们还是打开来看看吧。”
　　他和乔治使劲撬开木盒子上的锁。盒子上印着几个缩写字母——H.J.K.。
　　“可能是船长的名字。”迪克说。
　　“不，是我曾曾曾祖父的名字！”乔治突然说，眼里放着光，“我听说过他，他叫亨利•约翰•科林，这是他的船。这一定是他私人的盒子，用来装他的文件或日记的。哦，我们一定要打开它！”
　　但是，他们现有的工具无法撬开盒子上面的盖子。很快，他们就放弃了，朱利安拿起盒子准备带到他们自己的小船上。
　　“我们回家再打开，”他的声音里充满了兴奋，“我们找个锤子什么的，就可以打开了。哦，乔治，我们还是有收获的！”
　　他们感觉自己拥有了一样很神秘的东西。盒子里有东西吗？要是有，会是什么呢？他们期盼着赶紧回家打开看看！
　　他们爬上铁梯，回到了甲板。他们刚到甲板，就发现除了他们以外，还有其他人也发现了这艘从海底浮上来的沉船！
　　“天哪！海湾里有一半的渔民都知道了！”朱利安说，他看见四周的渔船都拼命地朝这边划来。渔民们好奇地望着这艘船。当看到甲板上的孩子们时，渔民们大声朝他们喊道。
　　“嘿！那是什么船？”
　　“一艘失事的破船！”朱利安回答，“昨天被暴风雨从海底冲了上来！”
　　“别多说了，”乔治皱着眉头，“这是我的沉船。我不想让别人上来！”
　　朱利安再没有多说了，和孩子们一起上了自己的船，飞快地朝家划去。早餐时间已过，他们可能又要挨骂了。乔治凶狠的爸爸可能会把他们关在房间里。但是现在谁还在乎呢？他们已经在船上探过险，还带回来一个盒子。盒子里面可能装着——好吧，就算没有许多金条，也可能有一块！
　　他们的确挨骂了，还失去了一半的早餐，因为昆廷叔叔说，他们来得太晚了，不配吃热培根和鸡蛋，只配吃些土司和橘子酱。真不幸。
　　他们把盒子藏在了两个男孩的卧室。蒂米被送到了阿尔夫家——准确地说，它是被绑在了阿尔夫家的后院里，因为阿尔夫出去捕鱼了，现在正站在他爸爸的船上看那艘沉船呢。
　　“我们带游客来参观这艘船应该能挣不少钱。”阿尔夫说。这一天快要结束时，已有几十个人在自己的摩托艇和渔船上看到了那艘沉船。
　　乔治对此非常生气，但也无能为力。毕竟，正如朱利安说的，任何人都可以去看！
Chapter Nine THE BOX FROM THE WRECK
Chapter Nine THE BOX FROM THE WRECK
　　THE first thing that the children did after breakfast was to fetch the precious box and take it out to thetool-shed in the garden. They were simply longing to force it open. All of them secretly felt certainthat it would hold treasure of some sort.
　　Julian looked round for a tool. He found a chisel and decided that would be just the thing to force thebox open. He tried, but the tool slipped and jabbed his fingers. Then he tried other things, but the boxobstinately refused to open. The children stared at it crossly.
　　"I know what to do," said Anne at last. "Let's take it to the top of the house and throw it down to theground. It would burst open then, I expect."44
　　The others thought over the idea. "It might be worth trying," said Julian. "The only thing is— it mightbreak or spoil anything inside the box."
　　But there didn't seem any other way to open the box, so Julian carried it up to the top of the house.
　　He went to the attic and opened the window there. The others were down below, waiting.
　　Julian hurled the box out of the window as violently as he could. It flew through the air and landedwith a terrific crash on the crazy paving below.
　　At once the french window there opened and their Uncle Quentin came out like a bullet from a gun.
　　"Whatever are you doing?" he cried. "Surely you aren't throwing things at each other out of thewindow? What's this on the ground?"
　　The children looked at the box. It had burst open, and lay on the ground, showing a tin lining that waswaterproof. Whatever was in the box would not be spoilt! It would be quite dry!
　　Dick ran to pick it up.
　　"I said, what's this on the ground?" shouted his uncle and moved towards him.
　　"It's— it's something that belongs to us," said Dick, going red.
　　"Well, I shall take it away from you," said his uncle. "Disturbing me like this! Give it to me.
　　Where did you get it?"
　　Nobody answered. Uncle Quentin frowned till his glasses nearly fell off. "Where did you get it?"he barked, glaring at poor Anne, who was nearest.
　　"Out of the wreck," stammered the little girl, scared.
　　"Out of the wreck!" said her uncle, in surprise. "The old wreck that was thrown up yesterday? I heardabout that. Do you mean to say you've been in it?""Yes," said Dick. Julian joined them at that moment, looking worried. It would be too awful if hisuncle took the box just as they got it open. But that was exactly what he did do!
　　"Well, this box may contain something important," he said, and he took it from Dick's hands.
　　"You've no right to go prying about in that old wreck. You might take something that mattered.""Well, it's my wreck," said George, in a defiant tone. "Please, Father, let us have the box. We'd justgot it opened. We thought it might hold— a gold bar— or something like that!""A gold bar!" said her father, with a snort. "What a baby you are! This small box would never hold athing like that! It's much more likely to contain particulars of what happened to the bars! I 45have always thought that the gold was safely delivered somewhere— and that the ship, empty of itsvaluable cargo, got wrecked as it left the bay!""Oh, Father— please, please let us have our box," begged George, almost in tears. She suddenly feltcertain that it did contain papers that might tell them what had happened to the gold. But withoutanother word her father turned and went into the house, carrying the box, burst open and cracked, itstin lining showing through under his arm.
　　Anne burst into tears. "Don't blame me for telling him we got it from the wreck," she sobbed.
　　"Please don't. He glared at me so. I just had to tell him.""All right, Baby," said Julian, putting his arm round Anne. He looked furious. He thought it was veryunfair of his uncle to take the box like that. "Listen— I'm not going to stand this. We'll get hold ofthat box somehow and look into it. I'm sure your father won't bother himself with it, George— he'llstart writing his book again and forget all about it. I'll wait my chance and slip into his study and getit, even if it means a spanking if I'm discovered!""Good!" said George. "We'll all keep a watch and see if Father goes out."So they took it in turns to keep watch, but most annoyingly their Uncle Quentin remained in his studyall the morning. Aunt Fanny was surprised to see one or two children always about the garden thatday, instead of down on the beach.
　　"Why don't you all keep together and bathe or do something?" she said. "Have you quarrelled withone another?"
　　"No," said Dick. "Of course not." But he didn't say why they were in the garden!
　　"Doesn't your father ever go out?" he said to George, when it was her turn to keep watch. "I don'tthink he leads a very healthy life."
　　"Scientists never do," said George, as if she knew all about them. "But I tell you what— he may go tosleep this afternoon! He sometimes does!"Julian was left behind in the garden that afternoon. He sat down under a tree and opened a book.
　　Soon he heard a curious noise that made him look up. He knew at once what it was!
　　"That's Uncle Quentin snoring!" he said in excitement. "It is! Oh— I wonder if I could possibly creepin at the french windows and get our box!"He stole to the windows and looked in. One was a little way open and Julian opened it a little more.
　　He saw his uncle lying back in a comfortable arm-chair, his mouth a little open, his eyes closed, fastasleep! Every time he took a breath, he snored.
　　46
　　"Well, he really does look sound asleep," thought the boy. "And there's the box, just behind him, onthat table. I'll risk it. I bet I'll get an awful spanking if I'm caught, but I can't help that!"He stole in. His uncle still snored. He tiptoed by him to the table behind his uncle's chair. He tookhold of the box.
　　And then a bit of the broken wood of the box fell to the floor with a thud! His uncle stirred in hischair and opened his eyes. Quick as lightning the boy crouched down behind his uncle's chair, hardlybreathing.
　　"What's that?" he heard his uncle say. Julian didn't move. Then his uncle settled down again and shuthis eyes. Soon there was the sound of his rhythmic snoring!
　　"Hurrah!" thought Julian. "He's off again!"Quietly he stood up, holding the box. On tiptoe he crept to the French window. He slipped out andran softly down the garden path. He didn't think of hiding the box. All he wanted to do was to get tothe other children and show them what he had done!
　　He ran to the beach where the others were lying in the sun. "Hi!" he yelled. "Hi! I've got it! I've gotit!"
　　They all sat up with a jerk, thrilled to see the box in Julian's arms. They forgot all about the otherpeople on the beach. Julian dropped down on the sand and grinned.
　　"Your father went to sleep," he said to George. "Tim, don't lick me like that! And George, I went in— and a bit of the box dropped on the floor— and it woke him up!""Golly!" said George. "What happened?"
　　"I crouched down behind his chair till he went to sleep again," said Julian. "Then I fled. Now—let's see what's in here. I don't believe your father's even tried to see!"He hadn't. The tin lining was intact. It had rusted with the years of lying in the wet, and the lid was sotightly fitted down that it was almost impossible to move it.
　　But once George began to work at it with her pocket-knife, scraping away the rust, it began to loosen— and in about a quarter-of-an-hour it came off!
　　The children bent eagerly over it. Inside lay some old papers and a book of some kind with a blackcover. Nothing else at all. No bar of gold. No treasure. Everyone felt a little bit disappointed.
　　"It's all quite dry," said Julian, surprised. "Not a bit damp. The tin lining kept everything perfect."47
　　He picked up the book and opened it. "It's a diary your great-great-great-grandfather kept of the ship'svoyages," he said. "I can hardly read the writing. It's so small and funny."George picked up one of the papers. It was made of thick parchment, quite yellow with age. Shespread it out on the sand and looked at it. The others glanced at it too, but they couldn't make outwhat it was at all. It seemed to be a kind of map.
　　"Perhaps it's a map of some place he had to go to," said Julian. But suddenly George's hands began toshake as she held the map, and her eyes gleamed brilliantly as she looked up at the others. Sheopened her mouth but didn't speak.
　　"What's the matter?" said Julian, curiously. "What's up? Have you lost your tongue?"George shook her head and then began to speak with a rush. "Julian! Do you know what this is?
　　It's a map of my old castle— of Kirrin Castle— when it wasn't a ruin. And it shows the dungeons!
　　And look— just look what's written in this corner of the dungeons!"She put a trembling finger on one part of the map. The others leaned over to see what it was—and, printed in old-fashioned letters was a curious word.
　　INGOTS
　　"Ingots!" said Anne, puzzled. "What does that mean? I've never heard that word before."But the two boys had. "Ingots!" cried Dick. "Why— that must be the bars of gold. They were calledingots."
　　"Most bars of metal are called ingots," said Julian, going red with excitement. "But as we know thereis gold missing from that ship, then it really looks as if ingots here meant bars of gold. Oh golly! Tothink they may still be hidden somewhere under Kirrin Castle. George! George! Isn't it terribly,awfully exciting?"
　　George nodded. She was trembling all over with excitement. "If only we could find it!" shewhispered. "If only we could!"
　　"We'll have a jolly good hunt for it," said Julian. "It will be awfully difficult because the castle is inruins now, and so overgrown. But somehow or other we'll find those ingots. What a lovely word.
　　Ingots! Ingots! Ingots!"
　　It sounded somehow more exciting than the word gold. Nobody spoke about gold any more.
　　They talked about the Ingots. Tim couldn't make out what the excitement was at all. He wagged histail and tried hard to lick first one and then another of the children, but for once in a way not 48one of them paid any attention to him! He simply couldn't understand it, and after a while he wentand sat down by himself with his back to the children, and his ears down.
　　"Oh, do look at poor Timothy!" said George. "He can't understand our excitement. Tim! Tim, darling,it's all right, you're not in disgrace or anything. Oh, Tim, we've got the most wonderful secret in thewhole world."
　　Tim bounded up, his tail wagging, pleased to be taken notice of once more. He put his big paw on theprecious map, and the four children shouted at him at once.
　　"Golly! We can't have that torn!" said Julian. Then he looked at the others and frowned. "What arewe going to do about the box?" he said. "I mean— George's father will be sure to miss it, won't he?
　　We'll have to give it back."
　　"Well, can't we take out the map and keep it?" said Dick. "He won't know it was there if he hasn'tlooked in the box. And it's pretty certain he hasn't. The other things don't matter much— they areonly that old diary, and a few letters."
　　"To be on the safe side, let's take a copy of the map," said Dick. "Then we can put the real map backand replace the box."
　　They all voted that a very good idea. They went back to Kirrin Cottage and traced out the mapcarefully. They did it in the tool-shed because they didn't want anyone to see them. It was a queermap. It was in three parts.
　　"This part shows the dungeons under the castle," said Julian. "And this shows a plan of the groundfloor of the castle— and this shows the top part. My word, it was a fine place in those days! Thedungeons run all under the castle. I bet they were pretty awful places. I wonder how people got downto them."
　　"We'll have to study the map a bit more and see," said George. "It all looks rather muddled to us atpresent— but once we take the map over to the castle and study it there, we may be able to make outhow to get down to the hidden dungeons. Ooooh! I don't expect any children ever had such anadventure as this."
　　Julian put the traced map carefully into his jeans pocket. He didn't mean it to leave him. It was veryprecious. Then he put the real map back into the box and looked towards the house. "What aboutputting it back now?" he said. "Maybe your father is still asleep, George."49
　　But he wasn't. He was awake. Luckily he hadn't missed the box! He came into the dining-room tohave tea with the family, and Julian took his chance. He muttered an excuse, slipped away from thetable, and replaced the box on the table behind his uncle's chair!
　　He winked at the others when he came back. They felt relieved. They were all scared of UncleQuentin, and were not at all anxious to be in his bad books. Anne didn't say one word during thewhole of the meal. She was so terribly afraid she might give something away, either about Tim or thebox. The others spoke very little too. While they were at tea the telephone rang and Aunt Fanny wentto answer it.
　　She soon came back. "It's for you, Quentin," she said. "Apparently the old wreck has caused quite alot of excitement, and there are men from a London paper who want to ask you questions about it.""Tell them I'll see them at six," said Uncle Quentin. The children looked at one another in alarm.
　　They hoped that their uncle wouldn't show the box to the newspapermen. Then the secret of thehidden gold might come out!
　　"What a mercy we took a tracing of the map!" said Julian, after tea. "But I'm jolly sorry now we leftthe real map in the box. Someone else may guess our secret!"
9.神秘的盒子
　　神秘的盒子
　　早餐一结束，孩子们做的第一件事就是把他们珍贵的盒子拿到花园里的工具棚中。他们如此迫切地想打开它，心里认定这里面一定有财宝。
　　朱利安四处寻找工具。他找到了一把凿子，认为这样就可以打开盒子。他试了一下，结果凿子一滑，戳到了他的手指。他又试了其他的工具，但是盒子依然完好无损。孩子们生气地盯着盒子。
　　“我有个办法，”安妮最终说道，“我们把它拿到房顶，然后从上面摔下来。这样就能把盒子摔开吧，我想。”
　　其他人也考虑了一下这个方法。“或许值得一试，”朱利安说，“问题是——那样的话，可能里面的东西也会被摔坏。”
　　但是目前似乎也没有别的办法能打开盒子了，于是朱利安决定把盒子拿到房顶。他走到阁楼，打开了窗户。其他人在下面等着。
　　朱利安使出全身力气将盒子从窗户扔了出去。盒子从空中坠落，狠狠地砸在下面。
　　突然，落地窗开了，他们的昆廷叔叔像颗子弹一样冲了出来。
　　“你们在干什么？”他咆哮着，“你们不会是从窗户往外扔东西吧？地上是什么？”
　　孩子们看着盒子。盒子被摔开了，躺在地上，里面的防水锡纸露了出来。不管盒子里面是什么，一定没有坏！里面很干燥！
　　迪克跑过去把盒子捡了起来。
　　“我说，那是什么？”昆廷叔叔大喊着朝他走去。
　　“是……是我们的东西。”迪克红着脸说道。
　　“那我就没收了，”昆廷叔叔说，“你们竟然敢打扰我！给我！从哪儿来的？”
　　没人回答。昆廷叔叔的眉头皱得更紧了，以至于眼镜都快掉下来了。“从哪儿来的？”他吼叫着，瞪着离他最近的安妮。
　　“失事的沉船上。”小姑娘吓得结结巴巴地说。
　　“失事的沉船上！”昆廷叔叔吃惊地说，“昨天从海底浮上来的那艘沉船？我听说了。你的意思是你们去过那艘沉船？”
　　“是的。”迪克回答道。此时朱利安也过来了，一脸焦虑。他们刚把盒子打开，就被昆廷叔叔没收了，这也太倒霉了。可昆廷叔叔就这么做了！
　　“这盒子里可能装着什么重要的东西，”昆廷叔叔说着，从迪克手中夺过盒子，“你们没有权利到那艘沉船上去。你们拿走的可能是很重要的东西。”
　　“那是我的沉船，”乔治挑衅地说，“爸爸，请你把盒子还给我们。我们刚刚才打开。我们认为里面可能有一块金条之类的东西！”
　　“金条！”昆廷叔叔哼了一声，“你们也太天真了！这么小的盒子里怎么可能装得下金条！这里面很有可能装的是有关金条下落的文件！我一直认为金子已经被安全地运到了什么地方。那艘船离开港湾时就是空的，之后就失事了！”
　　“爸爸，求你了，求你把盒子还给我们。”乔治恳求着，眼泪都快流下来了。她突然意识到，盒子里装的就是可能会告诉他们金子下落的文件。但是，他的爸爸没有多说，转身就进了房间里，手里拿着那个已经开裂的盒子，盒子里露出来的锡纸在他的胳膊下是那么显眼。
　　安妮一下子哭了起来。“我告诉他盒子是从沉船上拿的，不要怪我，”她抽泣着，“不要怪我。他那样瞪着我，我只能告诉他。”
　　“没事了，宝贝儿。”朱利安说着，搂住了安妮。他非常愤怒，认为昆廷叔叔这样把盒子拿走，太不公平了。“听着！我不会就这样罢休。我们得想办法拿到盒子，看看里面究竟是什么。乔治，我肯定你爸爸一定没时间看。他一开始写书，就会忘记这件事。等时机到了，我就溜进他的房间拿出来，就算被他发现了挨打我也愿意！”
　　“好！”乔治说，“我们一起监视他，看他会不会出去。”
　　说定后，他们轮流监视，然而让他们心烦的是，昆廷叔叔早晨一直都待在书房里没出来过。范妮婶婶总看到一两个孩子待在花园里，而没有去海边，她感到很奇怪。
　　“你们为什么不一起去游泳或玩点别的什么？”她说，“你们吵架了吗？”
　　“没有，”迪克说，“当然没有。”但是他没有说出他们待在花园里的原因。
　　“你爸爸就不出门吗？”迪克问乔治，这次轮到他监视了，“我觉得他的生活方式太不健康了。”
　　“科学家们就没有健康的生活，”乔治说，好像她认识所有的科学家似的，“不过，我告诉你们，他下午可能会睡觉！他有的时候会睡！”
　　那天下午，朱利安一个人守在花园里。他坐在一棵树下，打开了一本书。不一会儿，他听到一个奇怪的声音。于是他抬起头，立刻明白了那是什么声音！
　　“是昆廷叔叔打呼噜的声音！”他兴奋地说，“还真是！我不知道我能不能从落地窗爬进去，把盒子拿出来！”
　　他偷偷地摸到窗户边，朝里面看。有一扇窗户开了一点缝，朱利安把窗户又开大了一些。他看见昆廷叔叔正躺在一把舒适的扶手椅上，张着嘴，闭着眼，睡得很香！他每吸一口气，就打一下呼噜。
　　“看来他睡得很沉，”他心里想，“盒子就在他身后的桌子上。我要冒险拿过来。要是被他抓住了，肯定要挨一顿毒打，管不了那么多了！”
　　他偷偷摸摸地溜了进去，昆廷叔叔还在打呼噜。他踮起脚尖，走到昆廷叔叔躺的扶手椅后面，拿到了盒子。
　　突然盒子上的一块小木头“砰”的一声掉在了地上。昆廷叔叔动了动，睁开了眼睛。朱利安闪电般蹲在椅子后面，屏住呼吸。
　　“什么声音？”昆廷叔叔问道。过了一会儿，昆廷叔叔不动了，闭上了眼睛，很快又响起了有节奏的呼噜声！
　　“好险啊！”朱利安心想，“他又睡着了！”
　　他拿着盒子，轻轻地站起来，踮着脚尖，走到了落地窗前。他溜出去了，沿着花园里的小路轻轻地跑了。他根本没想着把盒子藏起来。他只想找到其他几个人，告诉他们他拿到了盒子。
　　他跑到海滩，其他几个孩子正在沙滩上晒太阳。“嘿！”他喊道，“嘿！我拿到了！我拿到了！”
　　他们猛地站起来，激动地看着朱利安胳膊下夹的盒子。他们完全忘记了沙滩上的其他人。朱利安一屁股坐在沙滩上，咧着嘴笑。
　　“你爸爸睡着了，”他对乔治说，“蒂米，别舔我！乔治，知道吗？我进去后，盒子上的一块木头掉在了地板上，把他吵醒了！”
　　“啊！”乔治说，“然后呢？”
　　“我蹲在椅子后面，不一会儿，他又睡着了，”朱利安说，“然后我就溜出来了。现在让我们来看看里面究竟是什么。我想你爸爸一定没时间看！”
　　他确实没看，因为锡纸还是完好的。长时间泡在水里，锡纸上已是锈迹斑斑，盒子上的盖子拧得很紧，根本打不开。
　　乔治立即拿出了小刀，刮掉上面的锈，盖子松了。15分钟后，盖子掉了下来。
　　孩子急切地弯腰去看。盒子里面有几张纸和一本黑色封皮的本子，此外就什么都没有了，没有金条，没有财宝。大家多少都感到有点失望。
　　“里面很干燥，”朱利安惊喜地说，“一点都没湿。锡纸把里面的东西保护得很好。”
　　他打开本子，“是你曾曾曾祖父的航海日记，”他说，“他的字我认不出来，看起来又小又怪。”
　　乔治拿起里面的一张纸，那是一张厚厚的羊皮纸，已经发黄了。她把纸平铺在沙滩上，入神地盯着。其他人也看了一眼，但是根本不知道那是什么。它看起来像是一张地图。
　　“可能是他去过的一些地方。”朱利安说。突然，乔治拿着地图的手开始发抖，她看着其他几个孩子，眼里闪着明亮的光芒。她张着嘴却说不出话来。
　　“怎么了？”朱利安好奇地问，“是什么？你怎么不说话了？”
　　乔治摇了摇头，突然说道：“朱利安！你知道这是什么吗？是我的城堡——科林城堡的地图，还没有被毁掉前的地图。上面显示城堡里有地牢！看这儿！看角落里的地牢上写着什么？”
　　她用颤抖的手指了指地图。其他人都斜过身子看过去，上面是一个用古老的文字写的一个字。
　　錠
　　“錠！”安妮不解地问，“这是什么意思？我从没见过这个字。”
　　但两个男孩见过。“錠！”迪克大喊，“那……那一定有金条。金条以前就称为金锭。”
　　“大部分金属块都称为锭，”朱利安激动得脸都发红了，“但是我们知道那艘船上的金子确实不见了，那这里的‘錠’看来指的就是金条了。天哪！这些金条可能就藏在科林城堡下面的某个地方。乔治！
　　乔治！是不是非常非常激动？”
　　乔治点点头，她激动得全身都在颤抖。“要是我们能找到就好了！”她低声说，“希望我们能找到！”
　　“我们很乐意去寻找，”朱利安说，“但是一定会很难，因为城堡已经成为废墟了，而且长满了杂草。不过，我们会找到这些金锭的。多棒的词。金锭！金锭！金锭！”
　　这个词听起来比“金子”更让人激动。他们不再用“金子”这个词，而使用“金锭”这个词了。蒂米根本不明白他们为什么如此激动。它摇着尾巴，试图一个一个地舔他们，但是他们突然都不关注它了！它弄不明白这是怎么回事，它默默走开独自坐到一边，背对着孩子们，耷拉着耳朵。
　　“哦，看可怜的蒂米！”乔治说，“它不知道我们为什么这样激动。蒂米！亲爱的蒂米，没事的，没人忽视你。哦，蒂米，我们知道了世界上最大的秘密。”
　　蒂米开心地跳了起来，摇起了尾巴，它很高兴又得到了关注，它把自己的大爪子放在地图上，四个孩子立刻对它大吼大叫起来。
　　“小心！别撕坏了！”朱利安说。他皱着眉头看着其他人。“我们怎么处理这个盒子？”他说，“我的意思是，昆廷叔叔肯定会发现盒子不见了，对吗？我们得还回去。”
　　“我们能不能留下地图？”迪克说，“他要是没看过盒子里的东西，就不知道有这张地图。我们都肯定他没看过。其他东西不重要——只是一本旧日记和几封信。”
　　“为了安全起见，我们去把地图复制一份吧，”迪克说，“然后把真的地图放进盒子里，再还回去。”
　　孩子们都认为这是个好主意。他们回到科林镇，小心翼翼地复制着地图。他们是在工具棚里复制的，因为他们不想让任何人看见。这真是一张古怪的地图，总共有三部分。
　　“这部分是城堡下的地牢，”朱利安说，“这部分是城堡第一层的平面图，这是上面的部分。我的天，这个城堡过去是多么宏伟啊！
　　城堡下全是地牢。我敢肯定，那里非常可怕，真不知道人们是怎么进去的。”
　　“我们需要再仔细研究一下地图，”乔治说，“现在我们还看不懂这张地图。但是一旦我们把地图拿到城堡，在那里研究，我们可能就能弄明白怎么进入隐藏在下面的地牢了。哦！我猜没有哪个孩子能像我们一样经历这样的冒险。”
　　朱利安小心地把复制好的地图放进口袋里。他绝不能让这张地图离开自己的视线。这张地图实在太珍贵了。然后他把那张真的地图放进盒子里，朝房间看了看。“现在放回去怎么样？”他问，“乔治，你爸爸可能还在睡觉。”
　　然而，他没有。他已经醒来了。幸好他还没有发现盒子不见了！他走进餐厅，和家人一起喝起了茶。
　　朱利安的机会来了。他随便找了个借口，从桌子边溜走，把盒子放回了昆廷叔叔椅子后面的桌子上！
　　返回来时，他朝其他几个孩子挤了挤眼睛。他们都松了一口气。他们都害怕昆廷叔叔，可不想再惹怒了他。整个下午茶时间，安妮一句话也没有说。她怕自己又把什么说漏嘴，不管是关于蒂米还是那个盒子。其他人也没怎么说话。他们喝茶时，电话响了，范妮婶婶走过去接起了电话。
　　她很快又回来了。“昆廷，找你的，”她说，“显然那条旧船引起了不小的轰动，《伦敦日报》的一些人想问你几个问题。”
　　“告诉他们，六点钟再来。”昆廷叔叔说。孩子们立刻警觉地相互看了一眼。他们希望昆廷叔叔不要把盒子拿给记者们看。否则，金子的秘密就保不住了！
　　“幸亏我们复制了地图，”下午茶后，朱利安说，“但是我很后悔把真的地图放回盒子里了，总会有人知道我们的秘密的！”
Chapter Ten AN ASTONISHING OFFER
Chapter Ten AN ASTONISHING OFFER
　　THE next morning the papers were full of the extraordinary way in which the old wreck had beenthrown up out of the sea. The newspaper men had got out of the children's uncle the tale of the wreckand the lost gold, and some of them even managed to land on Kirrin Island and take pictures of theold ruined castle.
　　George was furious. "It's my castle!" she stormed to her mother. "It's my island. You said it could bemine. You did, you did!"
　　"I know, George dear," said her mother. "But you really must be sensible. It can't hurt the island to belanded on, and it can't hurt the castle to be photographed.""But I don't want it to be," said George, her face dark and sulky. "It's mine. And the wreck is mine.
　　You said so."
　　50
　　"Well, I didn't know it was going to be thrown up like that," said her mother. "Do be sensible,George. What can it possibly matter if people go to look at the wreck? You can't stop them."George couldn't stop them, but that didn't make her any the less angry about it. The children wereastonished at the interest that the cast-up wreck caused, and because of that, Kirrin Island became anobject of great interest too. Sightseers from the places all around came to see it, and the fishermenmanaged to find the little inlet and land the people there. George sobbed with rage, and Julian tried tocomfort her.
　　"Listen, George! No one knows our secret yet. We'll wait till this excitement has died down, and thenwe'll go to Kirrin Castle and find the ingots.""If someone doesn't find them first," said George, drying her eyes. She was furious with herself forcrying, but she really couldn't help it.
　　"How could they?" said Julian. "No one has seen inside the box yet! I'm going to wait my chance andget that map out before anyone sees it!"
　　But he didn't have a chance, because something dreadful happened. Uncle Quentin sold the old boxto a man who bought antique things! He came out from his study, beaming, a day or two after theexcitement began, and told Aunt Fanny and the children.
　　"I've struck a very good bargain with that man," he said to his wife. "You know that old tin-lined boxfrom the wreck? Well, this fellow collects curious things like that, and he gave me a very good pricefor it. Very good indeed. More even than I could expect for the writing of my book!
　　As soon as he saw the old map there and the old diary he said at once that he would buy the wholecollection."
　　The children stared at him in horror. The box was sold! Now someone would study that map andperhaps jump to what 'ingots' meant. The story of the lost gold had been put into all the newspapersnow. Nobody could fail to know what the map showed if they studied it carefully.
　　The children did not dare to tell Uncle Quentin what they knew. It was true he was all smiles now,and was promising to buy them new shrimping-nets, and a raft for themselves— but he was such achangeable person. He might fly into a furious temper if he heard that Julian had taken the box andopened it himself, while his uncle was sleeping.
　　When they were alone the children discussed the whole matter. It seemed very serious indeed tothem. They half-wondered if they should let Aunt Fanny into the secret—but it was such a precioussecret, and so marvellous, that they felt they didn't want to give it away to anyone at all.
　　51
　　"Now listen!" said Julian, at last. "We'll ask Aunt Fanny if we can go to Kirrin Island and spend a dayor two there— sleep there at night too, I mean. That will give us a little time to poke round and seewhat we can find. The sightseers won't come after a day or two, I'm sure. Maybe we'll get in beforeanyone tumbles to our secret. After all, the man who brought the box may not even guess that themap shows Kirrin Castle."
　　They felt more cheerful. It was so awful to do nothing. As soon as they had planned to act, they feltbetter. They decided to ask their aunt the next day if they might go and spend the week-end at thecastle. The weather was gloriously fine, and it would be great fun. They could take plenty of foodwith them.
　　When they went to ask Aunt Fanny, Uncle Quentin was with her. He was all smiles again, and evenclapped Julian on the back. "Well!" he said. "What's this deputation for?""We just wanted to ask Aunt Fanny something," said Julian, politely. "Aunt Fanny, as the weather isso fine, do you think you would let us go for the week-end to Kirrin Castle, please, and spend a dayor two there on the island? You can't think how we would love to!""Well— what do you think, Quentin?" asked their aunt, turning to her husband.
　　"If they want to, they can," said Uncle Quentin. "They won't have a chance to, soon. My dears, wehave had a marvellous offer for Kirrin Island! A man wants to buy it, rebuild the castle as a hotel, andmake it into a proper holiday place! What do you think of that?"All four children stared at the smiling man, shocked and horrified. Somebody was going to buy theisland! Had their secret been discovered? Did the man want to buy the castle because he had read themap, and knew there was plenty of gold hidden there?
　　George gave a curious choke. Her eyes burned as if they were on fire. "Mother! You can't sell myisland! You can't sell my castle! I won't let them be sold."Her father frowned. "Don't be silly, Georgina," he said. "It isn't really yours. You know that. Itbelongs to your mother, and naturally she would like to sell it if she could. We need the money verybadly. You will be able to have a great many nice things once we sell the island.""I don't want nice things!" cried poor George. "My castle and my island are the nicest things I couldever have. Mother! Mother! You know you said I could have them. You know you did! I believedyou."
　　"George dear, I did mean you to have them to play on, when I thought they couldn't possibly beworth anything," said her mother, looking distressed. "But now things are different. Your father 52has been offered quite a good sum, far more than we ever thought of getting— and we really can'tafford to turn it down."
　　"So you only gave me the island when you thought it wasn't worth anything," said George, her facewhite and angry. "As soon as it is worth money you take it away again. I think that's horrid.
　　It— it isn't honourable."
　　"That's enough, Georgina," said her father, angrily. "Your mother is guided by me. You're only achild. Your mother didn't really mean what she said— it was only to please you. But you know wellenough you will share in the money we get and have anything you want.""I won't touch a penny!" said George, in a low, choking voice. "You'll be sorry you sold it."The girl turned and stumbled out of the room. The others felt very sorry for her. They knew what shewas feeling. She took things so very seriously. Julian thought she didn't understand grownups verywell. It wasn't a bit of good fighting grown-ups. They could do exactly as they liked. If they wantedto take away George's island and castle, they could. If they wanted to sell it, they could! But whatUncle Quentin didn't know was the fact that there might be a store of gold-ingots there! Julian staredat his uncle and wondered whether to warn him. Then he decided not to. There was just a chance thatthe four children could find the gold first!
　　"When are you selling the island, Uncle?" he asked quietly.
　　"The deeds will be signed in about a week's time," was the answer. "So if you really want to spend aday or two there, you'd better do so quickly, for after that you may not get permission from the newowners."
　　"Was it the man who bought the old box who wants to buy the island?" asked Julian.
　　"Yes", said his uncle. "I was a little surprised myself, for I thought he was just a buyer of old things.
　　It was astonishing to me that he should get the idea of buying the island to rebuild the castle as ahotel. Still, I dare say there will be big money in running an hotel there— very romantic, staying on alittle island like that— people will like it. I'm no businessman myself, and I certainly shouldn't care toinvest my money in a place like Kirrin Island. But I should think he knows what he is doing allright."
　　"Yes, he certainly does," thought Julian to himself, as he went out of the room with Dick and Anne.
　　"He's read that map— and has jumped to the same idea that we did—the store of hidden ingots issomewhere on that island—and he's going to get it! He doesn't want to build an hotel!
　　53
　　He's after the treasure! I expect he's offered Uncle Quentin some silly low price that poor old unclethinks is marvellous! Oh dear— this is a horrible thing to happen."He went to find George. She was in the tool-shed, looking quite green. She said she felt sick.
　　"It's only because you're so upset," said Julian. He slipped his arm round her. For once in a wayGeorge didn't push it away. She felt comforted. Tears came into her eyes, and she angrily tried toblink them away.
　　"Listen, George!" said Julian. "We mustn't give up hope. We'll go to Kirrin Island tomorrow, andwe'll do our very, very best to get down into the dungeons somehow and find the ingots. We'll jollywell stay there till we do. See? Now cheer up, because we'll want your help in planning everything.
　　Thank goodness we took a tracing of the map."George cheered up a little. She still felt angry with her father and mother, but the thought of going toKirrin Island for a day or two, and taking Timothy too, certainly seemed rather good.
　　"I do think my father and mother are unkind," she said.
　　"Well, they're not really," said Julian, wisely. "After all, if they need money badly, they would besilly not to part with something they think is quite useless. And you know, your father did say youcould have anything you want. I know what I would ask for, if I were you!""What?" asked George.
　　"Timothy, of course!" said Julian. And that made George smile and cheer up tremendously!
10.再生枝节
　　再生枝节
　　第二天早晨，大街小巷的报纸都报道了一艘失事多年的沉船突现海面的新闻。记者们从昆廷叔叔嘴里了解了那艘沉船的故事和金子丢失的传说。有些人甚至想办法登上了科林岛，并拍了城堡废墟的照片。
　　乔治愤怒不已。“那是我的城堡！”她生气地对妈妈说，“那是我的岛屿，你说过那是我的小岛。你说过，你说过！”
　　“我知道，亲爱的乔治，”妈妈说，“但是你要理智一点。人们到小岛上去又不会弄坏你的小岛，拍拍照又不会毁坏你的城堡。”
　　“但我就是不想让他们这么做，”乔治黑着脸说，“那是我的。那艘沉船也是我的。你说过的。”
　　“我又不知道那艘沉船会被海水冲上来，”妈妈说，“冷静点，乔治。人们去看看那艘沉船又能怎样？你又阻止不了他们。”
　　乔治的确无法阻止他们，这让她更生气。孩子们惊奇地发现，这艘浮出水面的沉船引起人们如此大的兴趣，因此科林岛也成为人们关注的对象。游客们从四面八方赶来参观，渔民们也在想办法寻找可以着陆的港口，把人们带到岛上。乔治被气哭了，朱利安试着安慰她。
　　“乔治，听着！还没有人知道我们的秘密。等人们的热情平息下来，我们就上科林岛去找金锭。”
　　“要是有人先发现了，怎么办？”乔治说着，擦干了眼泪。对于自己哭出来这件事，她也很气愤，但她还是控制不住。
　　“他们怎么可能找到？”朱利安说，“还没有人看过盒子里的东西！我会等待机会，在别人看到之前把地图拿出来！”
　　然而，他并没有等到机会，糟糕的事发生了。昆廷叔叔把盒子卖给了一个收藏古董的人！在新闻发布的一两天后，他满脸笑容地从书房里走了出来，把这件事告诉了范妮婶婶和孩子们。
　　“我捡了一个大便宜，”他对妻子说，“你还记得那个从船上拿下来、被锡纸包裹的盒子吗？这个人专门收集这样的玩意儿，他出了一个很高的价格，非常好的价格，比我写的任何一本书的价格都高！他一看到那张破地图和日记本，就说要把所有的东西都买下来。”
　　孩子们惊恐地看着他。他把盒子卖了！那么，就一定会有人研究那幅地图，而且很快就会弄明白那个“錠”字意味着什么。金子失踪的消息已遍布各大报纸了，只要认真研究地图，没人不知道那意味着什么。
　　孩子们不敢告诉昆廷叔叔他们知道的一切。他现在面带微笑，答应会给他们买新的捕虾网、皮筏子。这的确不假，可他是个非常善变的人，他要是听到朱利安曾趁他睡着时把盒子偷走并打开了，他一定会大发雷霆。
　　等大人们离开后，孩子们一起讨论了整件事。对他们来说，这是一件非常严肃的事。他们甚至在想要不要把这个秘密告诉范妮婶婶。但这个如此珍贵、如此惊人的秘密，他们又不想再让任何人知道。
　　“听着！”朱利安最后说，“我们可以问问范妮婶婶，我们能不能到科林岛去待上一两天，我是说晚上住在那里。这样我们就有时间去寻找，看能不能找到什么。我敢肯定，游客在一两天内是不会来的。我们要赶在有人把秘密揭露出来之前到岛上去。再说，那个买盒子的人不一定能猜出来地图上指的就是科林城堡。”
　　听他这样一说，大家感觉好受一些了。束手无策的感觉太痛苦了，现在有了可以行动的计划，他们感觉好多了。他们决定第二天就去问问范妮婶婶能否在城堡里度过周末。这几天天气也不错，岛上应该很有意思，他们会带足够的食物。
　　当他们去问范妮婶婶时，昆廷叔叔也在旁边。他又面带微笑，还拍了拍朱利安的背。“嘿！”他说，“你们来干什么？”
　　“我们想问范妮婶婶一点事，”朱利安礼貌地说，“范妮婶婶，您看天气这么好，您能让我们在科林城堡里过周末吗，在小岛上待上一两天？您不知道我们有多想去！”
　　“嗯……昆廷，你觉得行吗？”范妮婶婶转身问她的丈夫。
　　“他们要想去，就去吧，”昆廷叔叔说，“以后就没机会了。亲爱的，有人要购买科林岛！一个人想买下这座岛，重建城堡当作酒店，把那里建成一个美丽的度假圣地！你们觉得怎么样？”
　　四个孩子看着这个面带微笑的人，又惊又怕。有人要买这座小岛！难道他们的秘密被发现了？那个人想买小岛，是因为他看了地图，知道那里藏着许多金子吗？
　　乔治哽咽了一下，眼睛红得像着了火一样：“妈妈！你不能卖掉我的小岛！你不能卖掉我的小岛！我不会让你们卖掉我的小岛的。”
　　她爸爸皱起了眉头。“乔治娜，别傻了，”他说，“那又不是真的属于你的。你知道的，那是属于你妈妈的，她要是想卖当然可以卖了。我们现在非常需要钱。我们卖掉了小岛，就有钱给你买很多好东西。”
　　“我不要什么好东西！”可怜的乔治喊道，“我的城堡、我的小岛就是我最好的东西。妈妈！妈妈！你说过我可以拥有它们的。你说过的！我相信你。”
　　“亲爱的乔治，我的意思是你可以去上面玩，我原以为它不值钱，”乔治的妈妈沮丧地说，“但是现在情况不一样了。那个人给你爸爸出了很多钱，比我们想象的多得多，我们无法拒绝。”
　　“所以，你以为这座岛一文不值才给我的，”乔治说着，脸都气白了，“现在值钱了，你就要回去了。你太可怕了，你！你一点也不值得尊敬。”
　　“够了，乔治娜，”她爸爸愤怒地说，“是我让你妈妈这么做的。
　　你只是个孩子。你妈妈说的时候并不是认真的，只是为了让你高兴。但是你要知道，你是可以分享我们所得到的钱的，去买你想要的东西。”
　　“我一分都不要！”乔治哽咽着说，“卖掉它，你们会后悔的。”
　　小姑娘说完冲出了房间。其他人都为她感到难过，他们知道她的感受。她对任何事都非常认真，朱利安觉得她还不太懂大人们。
　　和大人们争论是没什么用的，大人们喜欢做什么就做什么。要是他们想拿走乔治的小岛和城堡，他们就会拿走。他们想要卖掉，他们就会卖掉！不过昆廷叔叔还不知道城堡下可能藏着金锭！朱利安看着昆廷叔叔，不知道该不该提醒他。最后他决定不告诉他，因为有可能他们四个会先找到那些金锭！
　　“叔叔，你准备什么时候卖掉小岛？”朱利安轻声地问。
　　“大概一周内就会签地契，”昆廷叔叔回答，“所以如果你们真想在上面玩一两天，最好快点，因为以后要去就必须得到新主人的许可才行。”
　　“买小岛的人就是那个买盒子的人吗？”朱利安问。
　　“是的，”昆廷叔叔说，“我自己也感到吃惊，我以为他只是喜欢古董。他说他要买下小岛，把城堡建成酒店，我也感到非常震惊。
　　不过，我敢说在那里建酒店一定很挣钱。在小岛上住一两晚，多么浪漫，人们会喜欢的。我不是商人，我是不会投资科林岛那样的地方的。不过，我认为他知道自己在做什么。”
　　“是啊，他当然知道，”朱利安心里想，和迪克、安妮一起走出了房间，“他看了地图之后，产生了和我们一样的想法——小岛的某个地方藏着金子，他要找出来！他才不想建什么酒店！他是冲着财宝来的！他给昆廷叔叔那么点钱，可怜的叔叔就觉得多得不得了了！噢，天哪！可怕的事要发生了。”
　　他去找乔治。她在工具棚里，脸色铁青。她说她不舒服。
　　“那是因为你太伤心了。”朱利安说着，抱了抱她。第一次，乔治没有推开他。她感到很欣慰，但眼泪还是止不住流了下来，她愤怒地想把眼泪止住。
　　“乔治，听着！”朱利安说，“我们不能放弃希望。我们明天就去科林岛，我们要想办法到地牢里去，找到金锭。我们想在那里待多久就待多久。怎么样？振作点，因为我需要你帮我计划一切。幸亏我们把地图复制了一份。”
　　乔治感觉好受些了。她还是对自己的爸爸妈妈感到生气，但是想到能在科林岛上待上一两天，还能带上蒂米，她感觉好多了。
　　“我觉得我的爸爸妈妈一点都不好。”她说。
　　“嗯，也不是完全不好，”朱利安安慰她说，“毕竟，他们非常需要钱，连他们认为没用的东西都舍不得卖，那他们也太傻了。再说，你爸爸说你可以要你想要的一切。如果我是你，你知道我会要什么吗？”
　　“要什么？”乔治问。
　　“当然是蒂米了！”朱利安说。乔治笑了，彻底振作起来了！
Chapter Eleven OFF TO KIRRIN ISLAND
Chapter Eleven OFF TO KIRRIN ISLAND
　　JULIAN and George went to find Dick and Anne. They were waiting for them in the garden, lookingrather upset. They were glad to see Julian and George and ran to meet them.
　　Anne took George's hands. "I'm awfully sorry about your island, George," she said.
　　"So am I," said Dick. "Bad luck, old girl—I mean, old boy!"George managed to smile. "I've been behaving like a girl," she said, half-ashamed. "But I did get anawful shock."
　　Julian told the others what they had planned. "We'll go tomorrow morning," he said. "We'll make outa list of all the things we shall need. Let's begin now."54
　　He took out a pencil and notebook. The others looked at him.
　　"Things to eat," said Dick at once. "Plenty because we'll be hungry.""Something to drink," said George. "There's no water on the island— though I believe there was awell or something, years ago, that went right down below the level of the sea, and was fresh water.
　　Anyway, I've never found it."
　　"Food," wrote down Julian, "and drink." He looked at the others.
　　"Spades," he said solemnly, and scribbled the word down.
　　Anne stared in surprise.
　　"What for?" she asked.
　　"Well, we'll want to dig about when we're hunting for a way down to the dungeons," said Julian.
　　"Ropes," said Dick. "We may want those too.""And torches," said George. "It'll be dark in the dungeons.""Oooh!" said Anne, feeling a pleasant shiver go down her back at the thought. She had no idea whatdungeons were like, but they sounded thrilling.
　　"Rugs," said Dick. "We'll be cold at night if we sleep in that little old room."Julian wrote them down. "Mugs to drink from," he said. "And we'll take a few tools too— we mayperhaps need them. You never know."
　　At the end of half an hour they had quite a nice long list, and everyone felt pleased and excited.
　　George was beginning to recover from her rage and disappointment. If she had been alone, and hadbrooded over everything, she would have been in an even worse sulk and temper—but somehow theothers were so calm and sensible and cheerful. It was impossible to sulk for long if she was withthem.
　　"I think I'd have been much nicer if I hadn't been on my own so much," thought George to herself, asshe looked at Julian's bent head. "Talking about things to other people does help a lot.
　　They don't seem so dreadful then; they seem more bearable and ordinary. I like my three cousinsawfully. I like them because they talk and laugh and are always cheerful and kind. I wish I was likethem. I'm sulky and bad-tempered and fierce, and no wonder Father doesn't like me and scolds me sooften. Mother's a dear, but I understand now why she says I am difficult. I'm different from mycousins— they're easy to understand, and everyone likes them. I'm glad they came. They are makingme more like I ought to be."
　　55
　　This was a long thought to think, and George looked very serious while she was thinking it.
　　Julian looked up and caught her blue eyes fixed on him. He smiled.
　　"Penny for your thoughts!" he said.
　　"They're not worth a penny," said George, going red. "I was just thinking how nice you all are—and how I wished I could be like you."
　　"You're an awfully nice person," said Julian, surprisingly. "You can't help being an only child.
　　They're always a bit queer, you know, unless they're mighty careful. You're a most interesting person,I think."
　　George flushed red again, and felt pleased. "Let's go and take Timothy for a walk," she said.
　　"He'll be wondering what's happened to us today."They all went off together, and Timothy greeted them at the top of his voice. They told him all abouttheir plans for the next day, and he wagged his tail and looked up at them out of his soft brown eyesas if he understood every single word they said!
　　"He must feel pleased to think he's going to be with us for two or three days," said Anne.
　　It was very exciting the next morning, setting off in the boat with all their things packed neatly at oneend. Julian checked them all by reading out aloud from his list. It didn't seem as if they had forgottenanything.
　　"Got the map?" said Dick, suddenly.
　　Julian nodded.
　　"I put on clean jeans this morning," he said, "but you may be sure I remembered to pop the map intomy pocket. Here it is!
　　He took it out— and the wind at once blew it right out of his hands! It fell into the sea and bobbedthere in the wind. All four children gave a cry of utter dismay. Their precious map!
　　"Quick! Row after it!" cried George, and swung the boat round. But someone was quicker than shewas! Tim had seen the paper fly from Julian's hand, and had heard and understood the cries ofdismay. With an enormous splash he leapt into the water and swam valiantly after the map.
　　He could swim well for a dog, for he was strong and powerful. He soon had the map in his mouth andwas swimming back to the boat. The children thought he was simply marvellous!
　　George hauled him into the boat and took the map from his mouth. There was hardly the mark of histeeth on it! He had carried it so carefully. It was wet, and the children looked anxiously at it 56to see if the tracing had been spoilt. But Julian had traced it very strongly, and it was quite all right.
　　He placed it on a seat to dry, and told Dick to hold it there in the sun.
　　"That was a narrow squeak!" he said, and the others agreed.
　　George took the oars again, and they set off once more to the island, getting a perfect shower-bathfrom Timothy when he stood up and shook his wet coat. He was given a big biscuit as a reward, andcrunched it up with great enjoyment.
　　George made her way through the reefs of rocks with a sure hand. It was marvellous to the othershow she could slide the boat in between the dangerous rocks and never get a scratch. They thoughtshe was really wonderful. She brought them safely to the little inlet, and they jumped out on to thesand. They pulled the boat high up, in case the tide came far up the tiny cove, and then began tounload their goods.
　　"We'll carry all the things to that little stone room," said Julian. "They will be safe there and won't getwet if it rains. I hope nobody comes to the island while we are here, George.""I shouldn't think they would," said George. "Father said it would be about a week before the deedswere signed, making over the island to that man. It won't be his till then. We've got a week, anyhow.""Well, we don't need to keep a watch in case anyone else arrives then," said Julian, who had halfthought that it would be a good idea to make someone stay on guard at the inlet, to give a warning tothe others in case anyone else arrived. "Come on! You take the spades, Dick. I'll take the food anddrink with George. And Anne can take the little things."The food and drink were in a big box, for the children did not mean to starve while they were on theisland! They had brought loaves of bread, butter, biscuits, jam, tins of fruit, ripe plums, bottles ofginger-beer, a kettle to make tea, and anything else they could think of! George and Julian staggeredup the cliff with the heavy box. They had to put it down once or twice to give themselves a rest!
　　They put everything into the little room. Then they went back to get the collection of blankets andrugs from the boat. They arranged them in the corners of the little room, and thought that it would bemost exciting to spend the night there.
　　"The two girls can sleep together on this pile of rugs," said Julian. "And we two boys will have thispile."
　　57
　　George looked as if she didn't want to be put with Anne, and classed as a girl. But Anne didn't wishto sleep alone in her corner, and she looked so beseechingly at George that the bigger girl smiled ather and made no objection. Anne thought that George was getting nicer and nicer!
　　"Well, now we'll get down to business," said Julian, and he pulled out his map. "We must study thisreally carefully, and find out exactly under what spot the entrances to the dungeons are.
　　Now— come around and let's do our best to find out! It's up to us to use our brains— and beat thatman who's bought the island!"
　　They all bent over the traced map. It was quite dry now, and the children looked at it earnestly. It wasplain that in the old days the castle had been a very fine place.
　　"Now look," said Julian, putting his finger on the plan of the dungeons. "These seem to run all alongunder the castle— and here— and here— are the marks that seem to be meant to represent steps orstairs."
　　"Yes," said George. "I should think they are. Well, if so, there appear to be two ways of getting downinto the dungeons. One lot of steps seems to begin somewhere near this little room— and the otherseems to start under the tower there. And what do you suppose this thing is here, Julian?"She put her finger on a round hole that was shown not only in the plan of the dungeons, but also inthe plan of the ground floor of the castle.
　　"I can't imagine what that is," said Julian, puzzled. "Oh yes, I know what it might be! You said therewas an old well somewhere, do you remember? Well, that may be it, I should think. It would have tobe very deep to get fresh water right under the sea— so it probably goes down through the dungeonstoo. Isn't this thrilling?"
　　Everyone thought it was. They felt happy and excited. There was something to discover—something they could and must discover within the next day or two.
　　They looked at one another. "Well," said Dick, "what are we going to start on? Shall we try to findthe entrance to the dungeons— the one that seems to start round about this little room? For all weknow there may be a big stone we can lift that opens above the dungeon steps!"This was a thrilling thought, and the children jumped up at once. Julian folded up the precious mapand put it into his pocket. He looked round. The stone floor of the little room was overgrown withcreeping weeds. They must be cleared away before it was possible to see if there were any stones thatlooked as if they might be moved.
　　58
　　"We'd better set to work," said Julian, and he picked up a spade. "Let's clear away these weeds withour spades— scrape them off, look, like this— and then examine every single stone!"They all picked up spades and soon the little stone room was full of a scraping sound as the four ofthem chiselled away at the close-growing weeds with their spades. It wasn't very difficult to get thestones clear of them, and the children worked with a will.
　　Tim got most excited about everything. He hadn't any idea at all what they were doing, but he joinedin valiantly. He scraped away at the floor with his four paws, sending earth and plants flying high intothe air!
　　"Hi, Tim!" said Julian, shaking a clod of earth out of his hair. "You're being a bit too vigorous.
　　My word, you'll send the stones flying into the air too, in a minute. George, isn't Tim marvellous theway he joins in everything?"
　　How they all worked! How they all longed to find the entrance to the underground dungeons!
　　What a thrill that would be.
11.再探科林岛
　　再探科林岛
　　朱利安和乔治起身去找迪克和安妮。此刻，迪克和安妮正在花园里等他们，看上去很难过。看到朱利安和乔治，他们高兴地跑了过来。
　　安妮抓住乔治的手。“乔治，对于你的小岛，我感到很遗憾。”她说。
　　“我也是，”迪克说，“真不走运，可怜的女孩——我的意思是，男孩！”
　　乔治强装微笑。“我的行为确实像女孩一样，”她有点不好意思地说，“但是我确实受到了巨大的打击。”
　　朱利安把刚才的计划告诉了他们。“我们明天早晨就去，”他说，“我们可以把需要的东西列个清单，我们现在就开始。”
　　说着，他拿出了一支铅笔和一个笔记本，其他人都看着他。
　　“吃的东西，”迪克立刻说，“要带很多，因为我们会饿的。”
　　“喝的东西，”乔治说，“小岛上没有水。虽然我相信很多年前上面可能有口水井什么的，现在都被大海淹没了，因此也没有淡水了，而且我们也不大可能找到那口井了。”
　　“食物，”朱利安写着，“还有水。”写完后，他看着乔治他们。
　　“铁锹。”他表情严肃地说，然后写了下来。
　　安妮十分惊讶。
　　“用来做什么？”她问。
　　“我们要找地牢，可能要挖洞。”朱利安说。
　　“绳子，”迪克说，“我们可能会用得上。”
　　“还有手电筒，”乔治说，“地牢里一定很黑。”
　　“哇！”安妮一想到地牢，一阵快意袭入她的后背。她虽然不知道地牢是什么样的，但是听起来很刺激。
　　“毛毯，”迪克说，“晚上在那间老房子里睡觉会很冷的。”
　　朱利安把这些都写了下来。“喝水的杯子，”他说，“我们还要带一些其他的工具，可能也用得着。谁知道呢。”
　　半个小时后，他们列了一个很长的清单，每个人都感到开心不已。乔治也不那么生气和失望了。要是只有她一个人的话，一想到这些事情，她一定会更生气，更暴躁。但是不知为什么，其他人却非常冷静、理智甚至开心，和他们在一起，她很难继续生气。
　　乔治看着朱利安，低着头，心里想：“以前我要是有朋友的话，我应该会过得更开心，和朋友们一起说说话，感觉挺好的。他们并不是那么可怕，相反他们很宽容，很平和。我非常喜欢我的三个堂亲。我喜欢他们，是因为他们喜欢说、喜欢笑，而且总是那么乐观，那么善良。我希望我也能像他们一样。我爱生气、脾气不好，还很凶，怪不得爸爸一直不喜欢我，还经常责骂我。妈妈很爱我，我现在也终于明白了妈妈为什么总是说我很难带了。我和我的堂哥堂妹们不同——他们通情达理，惹人喜爱。我很庆幸他们来了，我也要像他们一样。”
　　她沉思了很久，一脸严肃。朱利安抬起头，发现她那蓝色的眼睛正看着他。他笑了一下。
　　“发什么呆呢！”他说。
　　“没想什么，”乔治红着脸说，“我在想，你们真好，我希望能和你们一样。”
　　“你也非常非常好啊，”朱利安有点吃惊，“又不是你自己想当独生女的。我觉得你是最有趣的一个人。”
　　乔治的脸又红了，她感到很开心。“走，我们带蒂米去散步吧，”她说，“它可能在想我们今天又怎么了。”
　　他们四个一起出发了，蒂米大声叫唤着迎接他们的到来。他们把明天的计划全盘说给它听。蒂米摇着尾巴，用一双褐色的眼睛温柔地看着他们，好像听懂了他们说的每一句话！
　　“知道要和我们待上两三天，它一定非常开心。”安妮说。
　　第二天早晨，大家非常激动，把准备好的所有东西放在船的一端，准备出发了。朱利安把清单上的物品全部核查了一遍，没忘什么东西。
　　“地图带了吗？”迪克突然问。
　　朱利安点点头。
　　“今天早晨我换了一条干净的牛仔裤，”他说，“不过我肯定我把地图放进了口袋里。找到了！”
　　他拿出地图。突然，一阵风吹来，把他手中的地图吹跑了！地图飘进水中，在水面飘荡着。四个孩子痛苦地大叫。那可是他们珍贵的地图啊！
　　“快！追上去！”乔治一边大喊，一边使劲划船。但是有人比她更快！蒂米看到一张纸从朱利安的手中飘落，听到他们痛苦的叫声，就什么都明白了。它一跃而起，跳进水中，朝地图拼命游去。
　　它强壮有力，游得飞快。很快，它就叼着地图，游回了小船。
　　孩子们觉得它太了不起了！
　　乔治拉它上船，从它嘴里取出了地图。地图上面竟然连牙印都没有！它是如此小心仔细。但是地图沾上水了，孩子们急切地检查上面的内容有没有被弄花。朱利安当时画得很清楚，还好，还能看清。他把地图放在小凳子上，让迪克拿着在太阳底下晒干。
　　“真是有惊无险！”他说。其他人也有同感。
　　乔治又拿起双桨，再一次朝小岛驶去。蒂米站在船上，使劲抖动身体甩掉身上的水，弄了大家一身。它得到一块饼干作为奖励，满足地两口就吃完了。
　　乔治稳健地穿过层层暗礁。她能如此娴熟地驾船穿梭于危险的暗礁，而且船上没有一道划痕，孩子们都钦佩不已。他们觉得她太了不起了。安全地到达港口后，他们从船上跳到了沙滩上。他们把船拉到了很高的位置，以防涨潮时海水把船冲走。然后，他们开始卸下船上的东西。
　　“我们把东西全都放进那个小石屋里，”朱利安说，“那里很安全，就算下雨也不会把东西淋湿。乔治，我希望这两天没人到岛上来。”
　　“我想不会有人来了，”乔治说，“爸爸说要把岛卖给那个人，签地契大约需要一个星期，所以现在这座岛还不属于他呢。我们还有一个星期的时间。”
　　“这样的话，我们就不用专门留人放哨了。”朱利安说。一开始他还觉得应该留个人在港口处放哨。这样，万一有人来，放哨的人就可以给他们报信了。“行动吧！迪克，你拿铁锹。我和乔治拿吃的和喝的东西。安妮，你拿这些小东西。”朱利安说。
　　吃的喝的东西装了满满一大箱，因为孩子们可不想在小岛上挨饿！他们带了面包、饼干、黄油、果酱、水果罐头、李子、姜汁汽水，还有烧茶的壶，他们想得很周全！朱利安和乔治抬着箱子，摇摇晃晃地上了矮崖，中间还停下来休息了一两次！
　　他们把所有的东西都放进了小屋，然后他们又回到船上去拿毯子和被子。他们把这些东西都放在了小屋的角落里，想着要在这里度过一晚，兴奋极了。
　　“你们两个女孩睡在那里，”朱利安说，“我们两个睡在这里。”
　　乔治看起来不太想和安妮睡在一起，因为她被划分到了女孩的行列。可是安妮又不敢一个人睡，她恳求地看着乔治，乔治对她笑了笑，也就不再反对了。安妮觉得乔治越来越好了！
　　“好了，现在我们就要开始干活儿了，”朱利安说着拿出了地图，“我们要仔细研究一下，找出进入地牢的入口。快来，我们一起找！现在就是开动脑筋的时候了。我们一定要赶在买小岛的那个人的前面！”
　　几个孩子围在一起，弯着腰研究着地图。地图已经干了，他们认真地看了起来。从地图上可以看出，这个城堡曾经是个非常壮观的地方。
　　“看这儿，”朱利安用手指着地牢的地图说，“城堡下面到处都是地牢。这里——还有这里，这些符号看着像台阶或楼梯。”
　　“对，”乔治说，“应该是的。如果是的话，那么就有两种方法可以进入地牢。这些台阶好像就在这个小屋附近，而那些楼梯好像是在塔楼下面。朱利安，你觉得这里的这个东西是什么？”
　　她指的是一个圆洞。这个圆洞不仅在地牢的平面图上有，在城堡第一层的平面图上也有。
　　“我想象不出这是什么，”朱利安疑惑地说，“哦，我知道是什么了！你说过城堡里有一口古老的水井，还记得吗？我猜这就是那口水井。要从海底获取淡水，这井一定很深，所以很有可能要穿过地牢。是不是很刺激？”
　　的确很刺激！孩子们又开心又激动。他们有了希望，有了信心，他们相信在一两天内就能找到想要的东西。
　　几个孩子你看着我，我看着你。“好了，”迪克说，“那我们从哪里入手？我们先去找那些地牢的入口吗？就在这个小屋附近的入口。我觉得只要搬开那块大石头，就能找到通往地牢的台阶！”
　　这还真是个激动人心的想法，孩子们都跃跃欲试。朱利安把地图折好，放进了口袋。他环顾四周，发现小屋里的石地板上长满了杂草。要想找到那块能移动的大石头，首先要把这些杂草清理干净。
　　“我们最好现在就动手，”朱利安说着拿起了铁锹，“我们先把这些杂草清理干净。看，像这样，铲干净——然后再检查每一块石头！”
　　孩子们拿起了铁锹，用铁锹铲掉地上密密麻麻的杂草，小屋里充满了“锵锵锵”的声音。清理杂草并不难，孩子们兴致勃勃地干得很起劲。
　　蒂米也兴奋不已。它虽然不知道他们在干什么，但是也兴高采烈的。它用四只爪子在地上一顿乱刨，弄得满屋子尘土飞扬！
　　“嘿，蒂米！”朱利安一边说，一边抖掉耳朵上的土，“你也太兴奋了吧。要我说，你一会儿可能要把这里的石头弄到天上去。乔治，蒂米也帮我们干活儿，它是不是很了不起？”
　　他们干得可真认真！他们是多么迫切地想找到地牢的入口啊！
　　要是找到了该有多刺激。
Chapter Twelve EXCITING DISCOVERIES
Chapter Twelve EXCITING DISCOVERIES
　　SOON the stones of the little room were clear of earth, sand and weeds. The children saw that theywere all the same size— big and square, fitted well together. They went over them carefully withtheir torches, trying to find one that might move or lift.
　　"We should probably find one with an iron ring handle sunk into it," said Julian. But they didn't.
　　All the stones looked exactly the same. It was most disappointing.
　　Julian tried inserting his spade into the cracks between the various stones, to see if by any chance hecould move one. But they couldn't be moved. It seemed as if they were all set in the solid ground.
　　After about three hours hard work the children sat down to eat a meal.
　　They were very hungry indeed, and felt glad to think there were so many things to eat. As they atethey discussed the problem they were trying to solve.
　　"It looks as if the entrance to the dungeons was not under this little room after all," said Julian.
　　"It's disappointing— but somehow I don't think now that the steps down to the dungeon started fromhere. Let's measure the map and see if we can make out exactly where the steps do start. It 59may be, of course, that the measurements aren't correct and won't be any help to us at all. But we cantry."
　　So they measured as best they could, to try and find out in exactly what place the dungeon stepsseemed to begin. It was impossible to tell, for the plans of the three floors seemed to be done todifferent scales. Julian stared at the map, puzzled. It seemed rather hopeless. Surely they wouldn'thave to hunt all over the ground floor of the castle! It would take ages.
　　"Look," said George, suddenly, putting her finger on the hole that they all thought must be meant torepresent the well. "The entrance to the dungeons seems to be not very far off the well. If only wecould find the well, we could hunt around a bit for the beginning of the dungeon steps. The well isshown in both maps. It seems to be somewhere about the middle of the castle.""That's a good idea of yours," said Julian, pleased. "Let's go out into the middle of the castle—we can more or less guess where the old well ought to be, because it definitely seems to be about themiddle of the old yard out there."
　　Out they all went into the sunshine. They felt very important and serious. It was marvellous to belooking for lost ingots of gold. They all felt perfectly certain that they really were somewhere beneaththeir feet. It didn't occur to any of the children that the treasure might not be there.
　　They stood in the ruined courtyard that had once been the centre of the castle. They paced out themiddle of the yard and then stood there, looking around in vain for anything that might perhaps havebeen the opening of an old well. It was all so overgrown. Sand had blown in from the shore, andweeds and bushes of all kinds grew there. The stones that had once formed the floor of the bigcourtyard were now cracked and were no longer lying flat. Most of them were covered with sand orweeds.
　　"Look! There's a rabbit!" cried Dick, as a big sandy rabbit lollopped slowly across the yard. Itdisappeared into a hole on the other side. Then another rabbit appeared, sat up and looked at thechildren, and then vanished too. The children were thrilled. They had never seen such tame rabbitsbefore.
　　A third rabbit appeared. It was a small one with absurdly big ears, and the tiniest white bob of a tail.
　　It didn't even look at the children. It bounded about in a playful way, and then, to the children'senormous delight, it sat up on its hind legs, and began to wash its big ears, pulling down first one andthen another.
　　60
　　But this was too much for Timothy. He had watched the other two bound across the yard and thendisappear without so much as barking at them. But to see this youngster actually sitting there washingits ears under his very nose was really too much for any dog. He gave an excited yelp and rushed full-tilt at the surprised rabbit.
　　For a moment the little thing didn't move. It had never been frightened or chased before, and it staredwith big eyes at the rushing dog. Then it turned itself about and tore off at top speed, its white bobtailgoing up and down as it bounded away. It disappeared under a gorse bush near the children. Timothywent after it, vanishing under the big bush too.
　　Then a shower of sand and earth was thrown up as Tim tried to go down the hole after the rabbit andscraped and scrabbled with his strong front paws as fast as he could. He yelped and whined inexcitement, not seeming to hear George's voice calling to him. He meant to get that rabbit! He wentalmost mad as he scraped at the hole, making it bigger and bigger.
　　"Tim! Do you hear me! Come out of there!" shouted George. "You're not to chase the rabbits here.
　　You know you mustn't. You're very naughty. Come out!"But Tim didn't come out. He just went on and on scraping away madly. George went to fetch him.
　　Just as she got up to the gorse bush the scraping suddenly stopped. There came a scared yelp— andno more noise was heard. George peered under the prickly bush in astonishment.
　　Tim had disappeared! He just simply wasn't there any more. There was the big rabbit-hole, madeenormous by Tim— but there was no Tim.
　　"I say, Julian— Tim's gone," said George in a scared voice. "He surely can't have gone down thatrabbit's hole can he? I mean— he's such a big dog!"The children crowded round the big gorse bush. There came the sound of a muffled whine fromsomewhere below it. Julian looked astonished.
　　"He is down the hole!" he said. "How queer! I never heard of a dog really going down a rabbit-holebefore. However are we going to get him out?""We'll have to dig up the gorse bush, to begin with," said George, in a determined voice. She wouldhave dug up the whole of Kirrin Castle to get Tim back, that was certain! "I can't have poor old Timwhining for help down there and not do what we can to help him."The bush was far too big and prickly to creep underneath. Julian was glad they had brought tools ofall kinds. He went to fetch an axe. They had brought a small one with them and it would do to 61chop away the prickly branches and trunk of the gorse bush. The children slashed at it and soon thepoor bush began to look a sorry sight.
　　It took a long time to destroy it, for it was prickly, sturdy and stout. Every child's hands werescratched by the time the bush had been reduced to a mere stump. Then they could see the hole quitewell. Julian shone his torch down it.
　　He gave a shout of surprise. "I know what's happened! The old well is here! The rabbits had a hole atthe side of it— and Tim scraped away to make it bigger and uncovered a bit of the well-hole— andhe's fallen down the well!"
　　"Oh no, oh no," cried George, in panic. "Oh Tim, Tim, are you all right?"A distant whine came to their ears. Evidently Tim was there somewhere. The children looked at oneanother.
　　"Well, there's only one thing to do," said Julian, "We must get our spades now and dig out the hole ofthe well. Then maybe we can let a rope down or something and get Tim."They set to work with their spades. It was not really difficult to uncover the hole, which had beenblocked only by the spreading roots of the big gorse bush, some fallen masonry, earth, sand and smallstones. Apparently a big slab had fallen from part of the tower across the well-hole, and partly closedit. The weather and the growing gorse bush had done the rest.
　　It took all the children together to move the slab. Underneath was a very rotten wooden cover, whichhad plainly been used in the old days to protect the well. It had rotted so much that when Tim'sweight had been pressed on it, it had given just there and made a hole for Tim to fall through.
　　Julian removed the old wooden cover and then the children could see down the well-hole. It was verydeep and very dark. They could not possibly see the bottom. Julian took a stone and dropped it down.
　　They all listened for the splash. But there was no splash. Either there was no longer any water there,or the well was too deep even to hear the splash!
　　"I think it's too deep for us to hear anything," said Julian. "Now— where's Tim?"He shone his torch down— and there was Tim! Many years before a big slab had fallen down thewell itself and had stuck a little way down, across the well-hole— and on this old cracked slab satTim, his big eyes staring up in fright. He simply could not imagine what had happened to him.
　　62
　　There was an old iron ladder fastened to the side of the well. George was on it before anyone elsecould get there! Down she went, not caring if the ladder held or not, and reached Tim. Somehow shegot him on to her shoulder and, holding him there with one hand, she climbed slowly up again. Theother three hauled her out and Tim jumped round her, barking and licking for all he was worth!
　　"Well, Tim!" said Dick, "you shouldn't chase rabbits—but you've certainly done us a good turn,because you've found the well for us! Now we've only got to look around a little to find the dungeonentrance!"
　　They set to work again to hunt for the dungeon entrance. They dug about with their spades under allthe bushes. They pulled up crooked stones and dug their spades into the earth below, hoping that theymight suddenly find them going through into space! It was really very thrilling.
　　And then Anne found the entrance! It was quite by accident. She was tired and sat down to rest.
　　She lay on her front and scrabbled about in the sand. Suddenly her fingers touched something hardand cold in the sand. She uncovered it— and lo and behold, it was an iron ring! She gave a shout andthe others looked up.
　　"There's a stone with an iron ring in it here!" yelled Anne, excitedly. They all rushed over to her.
　　Julian dug about with his spade and uncovered the whole stone. Sure enough, it did have a ring in it— and rings are only let into stones that need to be moved! Surely this stone must be the one thatcovered the dungeon entrance!
　　All the children took turns at pulling on the iron ring, but the stone did not move. Then Julian tiedtwo or three turns of rope through it and the four children put out their full strength and pulled for allthey were worth.
　　The stone moved. The children distinctly felt it stir. "All together again!" cried Julian. And alltogether they pulled. The stone stirred again and then suddenly gave way. It moved upwards—and the children fell over on top of one another like a row of dominoes suddenly pushed down!
　　Tim darted to the hole and barked madly down it as if all the rabbits of the world lived there!
　　Julian and George shot to their feet and rushed to the opening that the moved stone had disclosed.
　　They stood there, looking downwards, their faces shining with delight.
　　They had found the entrance to the dungeons! A steep flight of steps, cut out of the rock itself, leddownwards into deep darkness.
　　63
　　"Come on!" cried Julian, snapping on his torch. "We've found what we wanted! Now for thedungeons!"
　　The steps down were slippery. Tim darted down first, lost his foot-hold and rolled down five or sixsteps, yelping with fright. Julian went after him, then George, then Dick and then Anne. They wereall tremendously thrilled. Indeed, they quite expected to see piles of gold and all kinds of treasureeverywhere around them!
　　It was dark down the steep flight of steps, and smelt very musty. Anne choked a little.
　　"I hope the air down here is all right," said Julian. "Sometimes it isn't good in these undergroundplaces. If anyone feels a bit funny they'd better say so and we'll go up into the open air again."But however funny they might feel nobody would have said so. It was all far too exciting to worryabout feeling queer.
　　The steps went down a long way. Then they came to an end. Julian stepped down from the last rock-stair and flashed his torch around. It was a weird sight that met his eyes.
　　The dungeons of Kirrin Castle were made out of the rock itself. Whether there were natural cavesthere, or whether they had been hollowed out by man the children could not tell. But certainly theywere very mysterious, dark and full of echoing sounds. When Julian gave a sigh of excitement it fledinto the rocky hollows and swelled out and echoed around as if it were a live thing. It gave all thechildren a very queer feeling.
　　"Isn't it strange?" said George, in a low voice. At once the echoes took up her words, and multipliedthem and made them louder— and all the dungeon caves gave back the girl's words over and overagain. "Isn't it strange, ISN'T IT STRANGE, ISN'T IT STRANGE."Anne slipped her hand into Dick's. She felt scared. She didn't like the echoes at all. She knew theywere only echoes— but they did sound exactly like the voices of scores of people hidden in thecaves!
　　"Where do you suppose the ingots are?" said Dick. And at once the caves threw him back his words.
　　"INGOTS! Ingots are! INGOTS ARE! ARE! ARE!"Julian laughed— and his laugh was split up into dozens of different laughs that came out of thedungeons and spun round the listening children. It really was the queerest thing.
　　"Come on," said Julian. "Maybe the echoes won't be so bad a little farther in.""FARTHER IN," said the echoes at once. "FARTHER IN!"64
　　They moved away from the end of the rocky steps and explored the nearby dungeons. They werereally only rocky cellars stretching under the castle. Maybe wretched prisoners had been kept theremany, many years before, but mostly they had been used for storing things.
　　"I wonder which dungeon was used for storing the ingots," said Julian. He stopped and took the mapout of his pocket. He flashed his torch on to it. But although it showed him quite plainly the dungeonwhere INGOTS were marked, he had no idea at all of the right direction.
　　"I say— look— there's a door here, shutting off the next dungeon!" suddenly cried Dick. "I bet this isthe dungeon we're looking for! I bet there are ingots in here!"
12.大发现
　　大发现
　　很快，小屋里石地板上的尘土、沙子和杂草都被清理干净了。
　　用来铺地板的石头大小均匀，四四方方的，严丝合缝。在手电筒的照耀下，孩子们仔细地检查每一块石头，希望找到一块能活动的。
　　“我们找一找，看有没有哪块石头上有铁把手什么的。”朱利安说。可惜他们没有找到，所有的石头看上去都一模一样，他们失望极了。
　　朱利安试着把铁锹插入石缝之间，看看能不能撬开某块石头。
　　但是这些石头都纹丝不动。这些石头好像都牢牢地镶嵌在地上了。
　　连续干了三个小时的活儿后，孩子们决定吃点东西。
　　他们已经饿坏了，带了那么多吃的，他们很开心。他们边吃边讨论解决问题的办法。
　　“好像通往地牢的入口根本就不在这个小屋里，”朱利安说，“真让人失望，我觉得到地牢的台阶不在这个房间的下面。我们来测量一下地图，看看台阶究竟从哪里开始。也许我们量的不准，也没什么用，不过我们可以试一试。”
　　于是他们开始认真测量地图，尽可能精确，试图量出通往地牢的台阶的准确位置。然而，他们却遇到了困难，因为这三幅平面图使用的比例好像都不一样。朱利安一脸困惑地盯着地图。好像没什么希望了。他们不可能把城堡里的每一寸土地都翻一遍！那不知需要多少年。
　　“看这儿，”乔治突然说，用手指着代表水井的那个洞。“通往地牢的入口好像离水井不远。要是我们能找到那口水井，就可以在周围找到通往地牢的台阶了。这两幅地图里都有水井，好像在城堡中心的某个地方。”
　　“是个好主意，”朱利安高兴地说，“我们现在就到城堡中心去——我们能大致猜出那口水井的位置，因为它肯定就在那个院子的某个地方。”
　　说完，他们都走出了小屋，一个个显得认真又严肃。寻找失踪的金锭的旅程充满了刺激。他们肯定金锭就在他们脚下的某个地方，他们从来没有怀疑过这个想法。
　　他们到了已成为废墟的庭院中，这里曾是城堡的中心。他们用步子测量了整个院子，然后站在那里，毫无方向地寻找着那口古井的井口。然而，院子里到处都是杂草，还有从沙滩上吹来的沙子，各种各样的灌木长得到处都是。曾经用来铺地面的石头早已裂痕斑驳，坑洼不平，大部分石板都被沙子和杂草所覆盖。
　　“快看！那儿有只兔子！”迪克大喊，一只满身是沙的兔子慢悠悠地一蹦一跳地穿过庭院，然后钻进另一边的一个洞里，不见了。
　　接着又出现一只兔子，它直立着看了看孩子们，然后也消失了。孩子们兴奋起来。他们从来没见过这么温驯的兔子。
　　第三只兔子出现了。这只兔子体形很小，耳朵却十分大，尾巴又短又小。它看都不看孩子们一眼，欢快地跳了几下。让孩子们感到好笑的是，它坐在自己的后腿上，开始洗自己的大耳朵，洗完一只洗另一只。
　　这让蒂米受不了了。它已经看着两只兔子慢悠悠地穿过庭院消失不见了，它一声都没有叫。而现在这只小兔子竟然在他的鼻子底下洗耳朵，作为一只狗，它无法容忍。它兴奋地大叫一声，猛地冲向小兔子。
　　小兔子惊呆了，一动不动地待在原地。它从来没有被恐吓过、追赶过，眼睛瞪得大大的，吃惊地看着朝它冲来的狗。然后它突然转身，飞速地跑开了，白色的小尾巴一上一下地抖动着。很快，它就消失在孩子们身旁的金雀花灌木丛中。蒂米跟着追了过去，也消失在灌木丛中。
　　蒂米也想跟着兔子钻进洞里，它用它锋利的前爪快速地刨着、抓着洞口，沙子、尘土满天飞。它兴奋地叫着、嚎着，根本没听见乔治喊它的声音。它坚决要抓住那只兔子！它疯狂地刨着洞口，洞口越来越大。
　　“蒂米！你听不见吗？！快出来！”乔治大喊，“不许追这里的兔子。停下！你太调皮了。快出来！”
　　然而，蒂米没有出来。它依然疯狂地刨着洞口。乔治过去抓它。就在她走进金雀花灌木丛时，刨地的声音突然停止了。而后传来一声惊恐的叫声，之后就什么声音也没有了。乔治朝带刺的灌木丛下望了一眼，惊呆了。
　　蒂米不见了！它不在那里了。那里只有一个很大的兔子洞——被蒂米刨得很大，但是却没有蒂米的踪影。
　　“嗨，朱利安，蒂米不见了，”她的声音有些颤抖，“它肯定不会钻进兔子洞里了，对吧？它是那么大的一只狗！”
　　孩子们都挤到灌木丛周围。这时不知从哪里隐隐约约传来了哀嚎声，朱利安惊奇地四处找寻着。
　　“它在洞里！”他说，“太奇怪了！我从没听说过狗能钻进兔子洞里。我们怎样才能把它弄出来？”
　　“我们先要把灌木丛挖掉。”乔治坚定地说。为了把狗救出来，就算是把整个科林城堡都挖掉，她也不会犹豫！“我们不能任由可怜的蒂米在下面哀嚎而不去帮助它。”
　　灌木丛太大了，下面还长满了刺。朱利安很庆幸他们带了各种工具。他去拿了一把斧头过来。这把小斧头足以砍掉金雀花灌木上带刺的枝条和枝干。孩子们快速地砍断枝条，很快，可怜的灌木丛就变得光秃秃的了。
　　因为灌木丛长满了又粗又硬的刺，孩子们的手都被扎破了，不过好在灌木丛也被他们砍得只剩一点残根了。这样他们就能清楚地看到那个洞了。朱利安拿着手电筒朝里面照了照。
　　他吃惊地喊了出来：“我知道怎么回事了！那口水井就在这儿！
　　兔子在水井的一侧打的洞，蒂米把洞刨得很大，也刨开了井口，然后就掉进去了！”
　　“哦，不，哦，不，”乔治难过地喊着，“哦，蒂米，蒂米，你怎么样了？”
　　他们又听见一阵哀嚎声。显然蒂米就在下面。孩子们你看我，我看你。
　　“现在只有一个办法了，”朱利安说，“我们去把铁锹拿来，把井口挖开。然后我们把绳子放下去，把蒂米弄上来。”
　　于是他们把铁锹拿来了。把井口挖开并不难，井口只不过是被金雀花蔓延的根、掉落的砖石、尘土、沙子和碎石堵住了。很显然，有一块从塔楼上掉下来的石板横在了井口，把一半的井口封住了。井口的另一半则被长年累月积聚的沙石、尘土以及不断生长的金雀花的根堵住了。
　　四个孩子一起上阵才把石板挪开。石板下面是一个已经腐朽了的木盖，显然是过去用来保护水井用的。木头已经腐朽得很厉害，因此蒂米站到上面时，木盖承受不了它的重量，破了一个洞，它就掉进去了。
　　朱利安揭掉木盖，孩子们同时朝井里望去。水井里面又深又黑，根本看不到底。朱利安捡了一块石头扔了进去。他们等待着石头落进水里的声音，然而他们并没有听到。要么是水井里没有水，要么就是水井太深，所以听不到石头落水的声音。
　　“我觉得是因为水井太深的缘故，”朱利安说，“可是，蒂米在哪里？”
　　他用手电筒朝水井里照了照——蒂米在那里！许多年前，一块石板从空中落下，卡在了半中腰，横跨井洞，蒂米就站在这块石板上，瞪着双眼，充满了恐惧。它根本不知道发生了什么。
　　水井的一侧固定着一把铁梯。不知什么时候，乔治已经爬上了铁梯！
　　她顺着铁梯往下爬，一心想着把蒂米弄上来，根本不管铁梯是否结实。她设法把蒂米放在肩上，用手托着它，慢慢地爬了上来。
　　其他三人把她拉了出来。蒂米围着她不停地跳，一边叫着，一边感激地舔着她！
　　“好了，蒂米，”迪克说，“你虽然不应该追那些兔子，但是显然你也帮了我们一个大忙，你为我们找到了水井！现在我们在这儿好好找找，看能不能找到地牢的入口！”
　　他们立刻开始寻找地牢的入口。他们用铁锹在灌木丛底下挖了个遍。他们铲除了上面的石子，然后开始挖下面的土，恨不得立刻就找到入口！真是刺激无比！
　　不一会儿，安妮真的找到了入口！事情发生得非常偶然。她当时很累，于是坐下来休息，趴在地上玩沙子。突然，她的手指在沙子里碰到了一个硬硬的、凉凉的东西。她把它刨出来，发现原来是一个铁环！她大喊一声，其他人都抬起头看着她。
　　“我找到一块带铁环的石板！”安妮激动地喊道。他们朝她冲过来。朱利安用铁锹铲开石板周围的杂物，整块石板就露出来了。石板的上面确实有一个铁环，铁环就是用来挪动石板的！显然，这块石板下面就是地牢的入口！
　　几个孩子轮流拉着铁环，但是石板纹丝不动。朱利安在铁环上绑了两三圈绳子，四个孩子使出全身的力气，一起奋力拉。石板动了一下。孩子们明显地感觉到了石板的震动。
　　“再来一次！”朱利安大声说。他们又一起全力以赴地拉。石板动了动，终于打开了。石板翘了起来，孩子们像突然被推倒的多米诺骨牌一样一个叠一个地摔倒在地。蒂米冲到洞口，朝里面拼命地叫喊，好像全世界的兔子都在里面似的！
　　朱利安和乔治爬起来，走到石板下的洞口处。他们站在那里，朝下面望去，脸上闪耀着喜悦的光芒。他们找到了地牢的入口！下面有一段很陡的台阶，是直接在岩石上凿出来的，通往黑暗的深处。
　　“快来！”朱利安喊着，打开了手电筒，“我们找到了！现在下地牢去！”
　　台阶非常湿滑。蒂米第一个冲了下去，谁知脚下一滑，滚下了五六级台阶，吓得它直叫唤。朱利安紧随其后，后面跟着乔治，然后是迪克，最后是安妮。他们一个个无比兴奋，都期望着看到一堆堆的金子和各种各样的财宝！
　　越往下走，里面就越黑，还散发着浓烈的霉味。安妮被呛得咳嗽了几下。
　　“我希望下面的空气能好一点，”朱利安说，“有时地下的空气很不好。如果有人感觉不舒服，就说出来，我们可以上去喘口气。”
　　然而，不论他们感觉多么不舒服，都没人吭声。他们太兴奋了，根本顾不上身体上的难受。
　　通往地牢的台阶很长。他们终于走到底了。朱利安跳下最后一级台阶，用手电筒照了照四周，发现这里真的很古怪。
　　科林城堡下面的地牢，都是直接在悬崖上凿出来的。究竟是天然的岩洞，还是人工凿出来的，孩子们也分不清。但是这些地牢充满了神秘感，黑得伸手不见五指，回声起伏不断。朱利安发出激动的叹息声。声音首先传进空空的岩洞，在里面膨胀，然后在空中回荡着，像是一种有生命的活物。孩子们都感觉阴森森的。
　　“是不是有点恐怖？”乔治低声说。刚说完，她的话就出现了回音，无限增加，声音也越来越大。地牢中的每个洞穴一遍一遍地重复着乔治刚说的话：“是不是有点恐怖，是不是有点恐怖，是不是有点恐怖……”
　　安妮一把抓住了迪克的手。她害怕极了，她不喜欢这样的回音。虽然她心里明白这其实只是回音，但是听起来却像藏在洞里的几十个人在低语。
　　“你们觉得金锭藏在哪里？”迪克说。洞穴立刻响起了回音：“金锭藏在哪里！金锭藏在哪里！在哪里！在哪里！”
　　朱利安忍不住笑了——他的笑声立刻被分解成几十段笑声，从地牢中传出，在孩子们耳边回荡。这是最瘆人的。
　　“别怕，”朱利安说，“我们再往里走一点，回声可能会小一点。”
　　“小一点，”回音响起，“小一点！”
　　他们下了台阶，开始探查附近的几间地牢。这些地牢其实就是城堡底下的岩石洞穴。也许很久很久以前，那些十恶不赦的罪犯就被关押在这些地牢里，但是主要是用于储物的。
　　“我在想哪间地牢是用来存放金锭的。”朱利安说。他停了下来，拿出了地图，用手电筒照了照。虽然地图上明确地标出了金锭所在的那间地牢，但是朱利安完全不知道究竟在哪个方位。
　　“嘿！看！旁边的那间地牢上有扇门，还是关着的！”迪克突然说，“我想这就是我们要找的地牢！金锭肯定就在里面。”
Chapter Thirteen DOWN IN THE DUNGEONS
Chapter Thirteen DOWN IN THE DUNGEONS
　　FOUR torches were flashed on to the wooden door. It was big and stout, studded with great ironnails. Julian gave a whoop of delight and rushed to it. He felt certain that behind it was the dungeonused for storing things.
　　But the door was fast shut. No amount of pushing or pulling would open it. It had a great keyhole—but no key there! The four children stared in exasperation at the door. Bother it! Just as they reallythought they were near the ingots, this door wouldn't open!
　　"We'll fetch the axe," said Julian, suddenly. "We may be able to chop round the keyhole and smashthe lock."
　　"That's a good idea!" said George, delighted. "Come on back!"They left the big door, and tried to get back the way they had come. But the dungeons were so bigand so rambling that they lost their way. They stumbled over old broken barrels, rotting wood, emptybottles and many other things as they tried to find their way back to the big flight of rock-steps.
　　"This is sickening!" said Julian, at last. "I simply haven't any idea at all where the entrance is.
　　We keep on going into one dungeon after another, and one passage after another, and they all seem tobe exactly the same—dark and smelly and mysterious.""Suppose we have to stay here all the rest of our lives!" said Anne, gloomily.
　　"Idiot!" said Dick, taking her hand. "We shall soon find the way out. Hallo!— what's this—"65
　　They all stopped. They had come to what looked like a chimney shaft of brick, stretching down fromthe roof of the dungeon to the floor. Julian flashed his torch on to it. He was puzzled.
　　"I know what it is!" said George, suddenly. "It's the well, of course! You remember it was shown inthe plan of the dungeons, as well as in the plan of the ground floor. Well, that's the shaft of the wellgoing down and down. I wonder if there's any opening in it just here—so that water could be takeninto the dungeons as well as up to the ground floor."They went to see. On the other side of the well-shaft was a small opening big enough for one child ata time to put his head and shoulders through and look down. They shone their torches down and up.
　　The well was so deep that it was still impossible to see the bottom of it. Julian dropped a stone downagain, but there was no sound of either a thud or a splash. He looked upwards, and could see the faintgleam of daylight that slid round the broken slab of stone lying a little way down the shaft— the slabon which Tim had sat, waiting to be rescued.
　　"Yes," he said, "this is the well all right. Isn't it queer? Well— now we've found the well we knowthat the entrance to the dungeons isn't very far off!"That cheered them all up tremendously. They took hands and hunted around in the dark, their torchesmaking bright beams of light here and there.
　　Anne gave a screech of excitement. "Here's the entrance! It must be, because I can see faint daylightcoming down!"
　　The children rounded a corner and sure enough, there was the steep, rocky flight of steps leadingupwards. Julian took a quick look round so that he might know the way to go when they came downagain. He didn't feel at all certain that he would find the wooden door!
　　They all went up into the sunshine. It was delicious to feel the warmth on their heads and shouldersafter the cold air down in the dungeons. Julian looked at his watch and gave a loud exclamation.
　　"It's half-past six! Half-past six! No wonder I feel hungry. We haven't had any tea. We've beenworking, and wandering about those dungeons for hours.""Well, let's have a kind of tea-supper before we do anything else," said Dick. I don't feel as if I've hadanything to eat for about twelve months.""Well, considering you ate about twice as much as anyone else at dinner- time," began Julian,indignantly. Then he grinned. "I feel the same as you," he said. "Come on!—let's get a really 66good meal. George, what about boiling a kettle and making some cocoa, or something? I feel coldafter all that time underground."
　　It was fun boiling the kettle on a fire of dry sticks. It was lovely to lie about in the warmth of theevening sun and munch bread and cheese and enjoy cake and biscuits. They all enjoyed themselvesthoroughly. Tim had a good meal too. He hadn't very much liked being underground, and hadfollowed the others very closely indeed, his tail well down. He had been very frightened, too, of thecurious echoes here and there.
　　Once he had barked, and it had seemed to Tim as if the whole of the dungeons were full of otherdogs, all barking far more loudly than he could. He hadn't even dared to whine after that! But now hewas happy again, eating the tit-bits that the children gave him, and licking George whenever he wasnear her.
　　It was past eight o'clock by the time that the children had finished their meal and tidied up. Julianlooked at the others. The sun was sinking, and the day was no longer so warm.
　　"Well," he said, "I don't know what you feel. But I don't somehow want to go down into thosedungeons again today, not even for the sake of smashing in that door with the axe and opening it!
　　I'm tired, and I don't like the thought of losing my way in those dungeons at night."The others heartily agreed with him, especially Anne, who had secretly been dreading going downagain with the night coming on. The little girl was almost asleep; she was so tired out with hard workand excitement.
　　"Come on, Anne!" said George, pulling her to her feet. "Bed for you. We'll cuddle up together in therugs on the floor of that little room— and in the morning when we wake we'll be simply thrilled tothink of opening that big wooden door."
　　All four children, with Tim close behind, went off to the little stone room. They curled up on theirpiles of rugs, and Tim crept in with George and Anne. He lay down on them, and felt so heavy thatAnne had to push him off her legs.
　　He sat himself down on her again, and she groaned, half-asleep. Tim wagged his tail and thumped ithard against her ankles. Then George pulled him on to her own legs and lay there, feeling himbreathe. She was very happy. She was spending the night on her island. They had almost found theingots, she was sure. She had Tim with her, actually sleeping on her rugs.
　　Perhaps everything would come right after all— somehow.
　　67
　　She fell asleep. The children felt perfectly safe with Tim on guard. They slept peacefully until themorning, when Tim saw a rabbit through the broken archway leading to the little room, and spedaway to chase it. He awoke George as he got up from the rugs, and she sat up and rubbed her eyes.
　　"Wake up!" she cried to the others. "Wake up, all of you! It's morning! And we're on the island!"They all awoke. It was really thrilling to sit up and remember everything. Julian thought of the bigwooden door at once. He would soon smash it in with his axe, he felt sure. And then what would theyfind?
　　They had breakfast, and ate just as much as ever. Then Julian picked up the axe they had brought andtook everyone to the flight of steps. Tim went too, wagging his tail, but not really feeling verypleased at the thought of going down into the queer places where other dogs seemed to bark, and yetwere not to be found. Poor Tim would never understand echoes!
　　They all went down underground again. And then, of course, they couldn't find the way to thewooden door! It was most tiresome.
　　"We shall lose our way all over again," said George, desperately. "These dungeons are about the mostrambling spread-out maze of underground caves I've ever known! We shall lose the entrance againtoo!"
　　Julian had a bright idea. He had a piece of white chalk in his pocket, and he took it out. He went backto the steps, and marked the wall there. Then he began to put chalk-marks along the passages as theywalked in the musty darkness. They came to the well, and Julian was pleased.
　　"Now," he said, "whenever we come to the well we shall at least be able to find the way back to thesteps, because we can follow my chalk-marks. Now the thing is— which is the way next?
　　We'll try and find it and I'll put chalk-marks along the walls here and there— but if we go the wrongway and have to come back, we'll rub out the marks, and start again from the well another way."This was really a very good idea. They did go the wrong way, and had to come back, rubbing outJulian's marks. They reached the well, and set off in the opposite direction. And this time they didfind the wooden door!
　　There it was, stout and sturdy, its old iron nails rusty and red. The children stared at it in delight.
　　Julian lifted his axe.
　　68
　　Crash! He drove it into the wood and round about the keyhole. But the wood was still strong, and theaxe only went in an inch or two. Julian drove it in once more. The axe hit one of the big nails andslipped a little to one side. A big splinter of wood flew out— and struck poor Dick on the cheek!
　　He gave a yell of pain. Julian jumped in alarm, and turned to look at him. Dick's cheek was pouringwith blood!
　　"Something flew out of the door and hit me," said poor Dick. "It's a splinter, or something.""Golly!" said Julian, and he shone his torch on to Dick. "Can you bear it a moment if I pull thesplinter out? It's a big one, and it's still sticking into your poor cheek."But Dick pulled it out himself. He made a face with the pain, and then turned very white.
　　"You'd better get up into the open air for a bit," said Julian. "And we'll have to bathe your cheek andstop it bleeding somehow. Anne's got a clean hanky. We'll bathe it and dab it with that. We broughtsome water with us, luckily."
　　"I'll go with Dick," said Anne. "You stay here with George. There's no need for us all to go."But Julian thought he would like to see Dick safely up into the open air first, and then he could leavehim with Anne while he went back to George and went on with the smashing down of the door. Hehanded the axe to George.
　　"You can do a bit of chopping while I'm gone," he said. "It will take some time to smash that big doorin. You get on with it— and I'll be down in a few minutes again. We can easily find the way to theentrance because we've only got to follow my chalk-marks.""Right!" said George, and she took the axe. "Poor old Dick— you do look a sight."Leaving George behind with Tim, valiantly attacking the big door, Julian took Dick and Anne up tothe open air. Anne dipped her hanky into the kettle of water and dabbed Dick's cheek gently. It wasbleeding very much, as cheeks do, but the wound was not really very bad. Dick's colour soon cameback, and he wanted to go down into the dungeons again.
　　"No, you'd better lie down on your back for a little," said Julian. "I know that's good for nose-bleeding— and maybe it's good for cheek-bleeding too. What about Anne and you going out on therocks over there, where you can see the wreck, and staying there for half an hour or so?
　　Come on— I'll take you both there, and leave you for a bit. You'd better not get up till your cheek'sstopped bleeding, old boy."
　　69
　　Julian took the two out of the castle yard and out on to the rocks on the side of the island that facedthe open sea. The dark hulk of the old wreck was still there on the rocks. Dick lay down on his backand stared up into the sky, hoping that his cheek would soon stop bleeding. He didn't want to missany of the fun!
　　Anne took his hand. She was very upset at the little accident, and although she didn't want to miss thefun either, she meant to stay with Dick till he felt better. Julian sat down beside them for a minute ortwo. Then he went back to the rocky steps and disappeared down them. He followed his chalk-marks,and soon came to where George was attacking the door.
　　She had smashed it well round the lock— but it simply would not give way. Julian took the axe fromher and drove it hard into the wood.
　　After a blow or two something seemed to happen to the lock. It became loose, and hung a littlesideways. Julian put down his axe.
　　"I think somehow that we can open the door now," he said, in an exited voice. "Get out of the way,Tim, old fellow. Now then, push, George!"They both pushed— and the lock gave way with a grating noise. The big door opened creakingly, andthe two children went inside, flashing their torches in excitement.
　　The room was not much more than a cave, hollowed out of the rock— but in it was something quitedifferent from the old barrels and boxes the children had found before. At the back, in untidy piles,were curious, brick-shaped things of dull yellow-brown metal. Julian picked one up.
　　"George!" he cried. "The ingots! These are real gold! Oh, I know they don't look like it— but theyare, all the same. George, oh George, there's a small fortune here in this cellar— and it's yours! We'vefound it at last!"
13.地牢中的秘密
　　地牢中的秘密
　　四把手电筒同时照在那扇木门上。木门又大又硬，用大铁钉固定着。朱利安开心地“嘘”了一声，冲向大木门。他肯定门后的地牢一定是用来存储东西的。
　　但是大木门关得很严实。无论他们怎么推怎么拉，大木门都打不开。大木门上面有个很大的钥匙孔，但是却没有钥匙！四个孩子愤恨地盯着大木门。真是好事多磨！就在他们以为金锭垂手而得时，门却打不开！
　　“我们去把斧头拿来！”朱利安突然说，“我们可以对着钥匙孔砍几下，或许能把锁打开。”
　　“好主意！”乔治高兴地说，“一会儿再回来！”
　　他们暂时离开这里，打算按原路返回。然而地牢太大了，像个迷宫一样，他们很快就迷路了。他们一路寻找那段岩石台阶，差点被破木桶、烂木头、空瓶子和其他东西绊倒。
　　“可恶！”朱利安最后说，“我实在想不起来入口在哪里了。我们进了一个又一个地牢，经过了一个又一个通道，这些通道和地牢都是一模一样，又黑又难闻还很神秘。”
　　“我们要在这儿待一辈子了！”安妮沮丧地说。
　　“傻瓜！”迪克说着抓住了她的手，“我们很快就能找到出口的。
　　哇呜！这是什么？”
　　他们都站住了。他们眼前出现了一个像烟囱一样的砖砌建筑物，从地牢的屋顶延伸到地板。朱利安用手电筒照了一下，感到疑惑不解。
　　“我知道这是什么了！”乔治突然说，“这是那口水井！你不记得了吗，地牢平面图和一层平面图上都有。这就是通往地下的井体。
　　我不知道这里有没有出口，可以让人们从这里取水送往地牢或者地上。”
　　他们一起去找。井体的另一面有一个出口，足够一个孩子把头和肩都伸进去。他们用手电筒朝里面照了照。水井太深了，根本见不到底。朱利安朝里面扔了一块石头，但是还是没有听到石头落水的声音。他向上望去，看到一缕微弱的阳光照在一块破石板上——正是蒂米落井等待救援时坐过的那块石板。
　　“对，”他说，“这就是那口水井。很神奇吧？这样的话，我们离入口就不远了！”
　　这让几个孩子无比兴奋。他们手牵着手，手电筒一会儿照一下这里，一会儿照一下那里，在黑暗中摸索着。
　　突然，安妮异常兴奋地叫起来：“找到入口了！肯定就是这里了，我看到光了！”
　　孩子们涌了过来，看到了一段陡峭的台阶通向上方。朱利安快速地看了一眼四周，记住了方向，这样他们再次下来时，就知道往哪儿走了。他都不确定还能不能找到那扇大木门了！
　　很快，他们走出了地牢。在冰冷的地牢里待久了，现在感受到温暖的阳光照射在头上和肩上，他们觉得美好极了。朱利安看了一下表，惊呼起来。
　　“已经六点半了！六点半了！怪不得我都感觉饿了。我们连下午茶都没喝。我们在地牢里转了几个小时了。”
　　“那就让我们喝下午茶吃晚饭吧，”迪克说，“我感觉我好像快一年没吃东西了。”
　　“你晚饭吃的比我们任何人都要多两倍。”朱利安假装愤慨地说，然后他又笑了起来。“实际上，我和你有同感。”他说，“快走！
　　我们去大吃一顿。乔治，烧壶开水，煮点可可什么的。在地牢里待了那么久，我觉得全身发冷。”
　　用篝火烧水很有趣。躺在傍晚温暖的阳光下，吃着面包、奶酪、蛋糕和饼干，真是十分惬意。他们都十分享受。蒂米也美美地吃了一顿。它也不怎么喜欢地牢，一路上耷拉着尾巴，紧紧跟着孩子们。听到地牢里时不时传来的回声，它也非常害怕。
　　在地牢时，只要它叫一声，整个地牢里就好像有无数只狗跟着它一起叫，声音比它的还大。之后，它就再也不敢叫了！不过，现在它又开心起来，吃着孩子们给它的好吃的，还不时地舔一舔乔治。
　　当孩子们吃完饭，收拾好，就八点了。朱利安看看其他人。太阳已经落山，天气也冷起来。
　　“嗯，”他说，“我不知道你们是什么感觉。今天我是不想再进那个地牢了，哪怕是用斧头把门打开！我累了，我可不想大晚上的在里面迷路！”
　　其他人一致表示赞同，特别是安妮，她其实很怕晚上进入地牢里。小姑娘累了一天，又一直处于兴奋之中，此时都快睡着了。
　　“哦，安妮！”乔治说着拉了拉她的腿，“我给你铺床。我们在小屋里铺上毯子，挤着睡一晚，醒来再去打开那扇大木门。”
　　于是四个孩子走进了小石屋，蒂米跟在后面。孩子们蜷在一起躺下了，蒂米爬到乔治和安妮身上，在她们身上躺了下来。但是安妮觉得它太重了，推开了它的四肢。它又挪回安妮身上，安妮迷迷糊糊地哼哼了两声。它摇着尾巴，重重地搭在安妮的脚踝上，乔治把它拉到自己的腿上。乔治躺在那里，静静地感受着蒂米的呼吸。
　　她很开心，她终于在自己的岛上度过了一晚。他们就要找到金锭了，她对此很有信心。她还和蒂米在一起，此刻它就躺在她身上。
　　也许一切都会好起来。
　　想着想着，她睡着了。有蒂米在这里站岗，孩子们感到很安心。他们平静地睡到第二天早晨。当蒂米看见一只兔子穿过小屋的破拱门时，它从毯子里冲了出来，吵醒了乔治，她坐了起来，揉揉眼睛。
　　“快醒醒！”她对其他人喊道，“你们快醒醒！已经天亮了！我们在岛上！”
　　孩子们都醒来了。一觉醒来，他们想起了昨天发生的一切，于是又兴奋起来。朱利安一下想起那扇大木门。他真想立刻拿起斧头把那扇门砸开。他们会发现什么呢？
　　他们吃了早饭，每个人都饱饱的。随后，朱利安拿起斧头，带着大家来到地牢入口的台阶处。蒂米也跟来了，在那儿摇着尾巴。
　　想到又要进入下面阴森森的地方，还有无数的狗叫声，它还是有点害怕。可怜的蒂米永远也不明白那只是回声！
　　他们又一同来到了地牢里。然而，他们却找不到那扇大木门了！这太烦人了。
　　“我们又要迷路了，”乔治绝望地说，“这些地牢是我见过的最错综复杂的地下迷宫！我们一会儿又会找不到入口了！”
　　朱利安想到一个好主意。他从口袋里拿出一支粉笔，然后走回台阶，在那里做了一个记号。之后，在这黑暗的、发着霉味的地牢里，每走一段，他就做一个记号。他们终于走到了水井边，大家都很高兴。
　　“现在，”朱利安说，“不管我们什么时候想到水井边，我们都能找到回台阶的路了，因为我都做了记号。问题是，现在我们该怎么走？我们先选一条路去找那扇大木门，我会一路在墙上做记号，要是我们走错路了，我们再原路返回，擦掉记号，再试另一条路。”
　　这真是个不错的主意。第一次他们确实走错了，只得原路返回，擦掉记号。他们回到水井边，沿相反的方向走去，这次他们找到那扇大木门了！
　　大木门矗立在那里，结实而坚硬，上面的铁钉已生锈发红。孩子们高兴地看着大木门，朱利安抡起斧头。
　　哐！他一斧头砍在钥匙孔的旁边。然而大木门非常结实，斧头只砍进了一两英寸。朱利安又砍了几斧头。斧头砍到了一个大钉子上，滑到了一边。一大块木条飞了起来，扎在可怜的迪克的脸颊上。
　　他疼得大叫一声。朱利安惊慌地跳了起来，转身看着迪克。迪克满脸是血！
　　“门上飞来了个什么东西，扎到我脸上了，”可怜的迪克说，“是块木条之类的。”
　　“天哪！”朱利安说着拿手电筒照向他，“我把它拔出来，你能忍受吗？很大的一块木条，还扎在你的脸上呢。”
　　不过，迪克自己把木条拔了出来。他痛苦地抽搐了一下，脸色苍白。
　　“你还是上去吧，”朱利安说，“上去清洗一下你的脸，得想办法止血。安妮有一块干净的手帕，把手帕弄湿，先敷在脸上。幸好我们带着水。”
　　“我和迪克一起去，”安妮说，“你和乔治待在一起，没必要都去。”
　　朱利安还是不放心，他决定先把迪克和安妮安全地送上去后，再回来找乔治一起砸开大木门。他把斧头递给乔治。
　　“你可以先砍一会儿，”他说，“把大木门砍开还需要一些时间。
　　你先砍着，我很快就回来。我们沿着记号走，很快就能找到出口。”
　　“好的！”乔治说着接过斧头，“可怜的迪克，你的脸真惨。”
　　朱利安带着迪克和安妮朝入口走去，留下乔治和蒂米，乔治使出全身力气朝大木门砍去。
　　安妮用蘸了水的手帕，敷在迪克的脸上。迪克的脸颊虽然流了很多血，不过伤口不是很严重。他的脸色很快恢复了正常，他又想到地牢里去。
　　“不，你最好还是躺一会儿，”朱利安说，“我知道流鼻血时要躺下，脸颊流血应该也要这样。不如你和安妮到那块岩石那里去，在那里你们可以看到那艘沉船，在那里待上半个小时，怎么样？走吧，我把你们送过去，你们在那里待一会儿。兄弟，你最好一直躺到脸不流血为止。”
　　于是，朱利安把他们俩带出城堡的庭院，走到面朝大海的岩石处。那个黑色的船影依然在那里。迪克躺在岩石上，凝视着天空，希望脸颊上的血能早点止住。他可不想错过发现金锭的惊喜！
　　安妮握着他的手。看到迪克受伤了，她很难过。虽然她也不想错过惊喜，但她还是想留下来陪迪克。朱利安陪他们坐了一会儿，然后又回到陡峭的台阶处，从他们的视线中消失了。他沿着记号找到了乔治，乔治还在砸那扇大木门。
　　她一直在锁周围砍着，但是锁就是打不开。朱利安从她手中接过斧头，使劲砍了起来。
　　砍了一两下后，那把锁好像动了一下。是的，它松动了，挂在一边，朱利安放下斧头。
　　“我觉得我们可以打开门了，”他激动地说，“蒂米，别挡在那里。乔治，来，一起推！”
　　两人一起使劲推大木门，锁发出了刺耳的声音。
　　大木门吱吱呀呀地打开了，两个孩子走进去，兴奋地用手电筒朝里面照去。
　　房间其实只是一个洞穴，不过里面有点不同，他们没有看到其他屋存放的木桶和箱子之类的东西。在洞穴后面，乱七八糟地堆着棕黄色像砖一样的金属。朱利安捡起了一块。
　　“乔治！”他大喊，“是金锭！真的是金子！虽然看着不像，但是真的是金子。乔治，哦，乔治，这里的财富，都是你的！我们终于找到了！”
Chapter Fourteen PRISONERS!
Chapter Fourteen PRISONERS!
　　GEORGE couldn't say a word. She just stood there, staring at the pile of ingots, holding one in herhand. She could hardly believe that these strange brick-shaped things were really gold. Her heartthumped fast. What a wonderful, marvellous find!
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　　Suddenly Tim began to bark loudly. He stood with his back to the children, his nose towards the door— and how he barked!
　　"Shut up, Tim!" said Julian. "What can you hear? Is it the others coming back?"He went to the door and yelled down the passage outside. "Dick! Anne! Is it you? Come quickly,because we've found the ingots! WE'VE FOUND THEM! HURRY! HURRY!"Tim stopped barking and began to growl. George looked puzzled. "Whatever can be the matter withTim?" she said. "He surely can't be growling at Dick and Anne."Then both children got a most tremendous shock— for a man's voice came booming down the darkpassage, making queer echoes all around.
　　"Who is here? Who is down here?"
　　George clutched Julian in fright. Tim went on growling, all the hairs on his neck standing up straight.
　　"Do be quiet, Tim!" whispered George, snapping off her torch.
　　But Tim simply would not be quiet. He went on growling as if he were a small thunderstorm.
　　The children saw the beam of a powerful torchlight coming round the corner of the dungeon passage.
　　Then the light picked them out, and the holder of the torch came to a surprised stop.
　　"Well, well, well!" said a voice. "Look who's here! Two children in the dungeons of my castle.""What do you mean, your castle!" cried George.
　　"Well, my dear little girl, it is my castle, because I'm in the process of buying it," said the voice.
　　Then another voice spoke, more gruffly.
　　"What are you doing down here? What did you mean when you shouted out ‘Dick’ and ‘Anne,’
　　and said you had found the ingots? What ingots?""Don't answer," whispered Julian to George. But the echoes took his words and made them very loudin the passage."DON'T ANSWER! DON'T ANSWER!""Oh, so you won't answer," said the second man, and he stepped towards the children. Tim bared histeeth, but the man didn't seem at all frightened of him. The man went to the door and flashed his torchinside the dungeon. He gave a long whistle of surprise.
　　"Jake! Look here!" he said. "You were right. The gold's here all right. And how easy to take away!
　　All in ingots —my word, this is the most amazing thing we've ever struck.""This gold is mine," said George, in a fury. "The island and the castle belong to my mother—and so does anything found here. This gold was brought here and stored by my great-great-great-grandfather before his ship got wrecked. It's not yours, and never will be. As soon as I get back 71home I shall tell my father and mother what we've found— and then you may be sure you won't beable to buy the castle or the island! You were very clever, finding out from the map in the old boxabout the gold -but just not clever enough for us. We found it first!"The men listened in silence to George's clear and angry voice. One of them laughed. "You're only achild," he said. "You surely don't think you can keep us from getting our way? We're going to buythis island— and everything in it— and we shall take the gold when the deeds are signed. And if byany chance we couldn't buy the island, we'd take the gold just the same. It would be easy enough tobring a ship here and transfer the ingots from here by boat to the ship.
　　Don't worry— we shall get what we want all right.""You will not!" said George, and she stepped out of the door. "I'm going straight home now—and I'll tell my father all you've said.""My dear little girl, you are not going home," said the first man, putting his hands on George andforcing her back into the dungeon. "And, by the way, unless you want me to shoot this unpleasantdog of yours, call him off, will you?"
　　George saw, to her dismay, that the man had a shining revolver in his hand. In fright she caught holdof Tim's collar and pulled him to her. "Be quiet, Tim," she said. "It's all right."But Tim knew quite well that it wasn't all right. Something was very wrong. He went on growlingfiercely.
　　"Now listen to me," said the man, after he had had a hurried talk with his companion. "If you aregoing to be sensible, nothing unpleasant will happen to you. But if you want to be obstinate, you'll bevery sorry. What we are going to do is this— we're going off in our motor-boat, leaving you nicelylocked up here— and we're going to get a ship and come back for the gold. We don't think it's worthwhile buying the island now we know where the ingots are.""And you are going to write a note to your companions above, telling them you've found the gold andthey are to come down and look for it," said the other man. "Then we shall lock up all of you in thisdungeon, with the ingots to play with, leaving you food and drink till we come back. Now then—here is a pencil. Write a note to Dick and Anne, whoever they are, and send your dog up with it.
　　Come on."
　　"I won't," said George, her face furious. "I won't. You can't make me do a thing like that. I won't getpoor Dick and Anne down here to be made prisoners. And I won't let you have my gold, just whenI've discovered it."
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　　"We shall shoot your dog if you don't do as you're told," said the first man, suddenly. George's heartsank down and she felt cold and terrified.
　　"No, no," she said, in a low, desperate voice.
　　"Well, write the note then," said the man, offering her a pencil and paper. "Go on. I'll tell you what tosay."
　　"I can't!" sobbed George. "I don't want to get Dick and Anne down here to be made prisoners.""All right— I'll shoot the dog then," said the man, in a cold voice and he levelled his revolver at poorTim. George threw her arms round her dog and gave a scream.
　　"No, no! I'll write the note. Don't shoot Tim, don't shoot him!"The girl took the paper and pencil in a shaking hand and looked at the man. "Write this," he ordered.
　　"Dear Dick and Anne. We've found the gold. Come on down at once and see it." Then sign yourname, whatever it is."
　　George wrote what the man had said. Then she signed her name. But instead of writing ‘George’
　　she put ‘Georgina.’ She knew that the others would feel certain she would never sign herself that—and she hoped it would warn them that something queer was up. The man took the note and fastenedit to Tim's collar. The dog growled all the time, but George kept telling him not to bite.
　　"Now tell him to go and find your friends," said the man.
　　"Find Dick and Anne," commanded George. "Go on, Tim. Find Dick and Anne. Give them the note."Tim did not want to leave George, but there was something very urgent in her voice. He took one lastlook at his mistress, gave her hand a lick and sped off down the passage. He knew the way now. Upthe rocky steps he bounded and into the open air. He stopped in the old yard, sniffing.
　　Where were Dick and Anne?
　　He smelt their footsteps and ran off, his nose to the ground. He soon found the two children out onthe rocks. Dick was feeling better now and was sitting up. His cheek had almost stopped bleeding.
　　"Hallo," he said in surprise, when he saw Tim. "Here's Timothy! Why, Tim, old chap, why have youcome to see us? Did you get tired of being underground in the dark?"73
　　"Look, Dick— he's got something twisted into his collar," said Anne, her sharp eyes seeing the paperthere. "It's a note. I expect it's from the others, telling us to go down. Isn't Tim clever to bring it?"Dick took the paper from Tim's collar. He undid it and read it.
　　"Dear Dick and Anne," he read out aloud, "We've found the gold. Come on down at once and see it.
　　Georgina."
　　"Oooh!" said Anne, her eyes shining. "They've found it. Oh Dick— are you well enough to comenow? Let's hurry."
　　But Dick did not get up from the rocks. He sat and stared at the note, puzzled.
　　"What's the matter?" said Anne, impatiently.
　　"Well, don't you think it's funny that George should suddenly sign herself ‘Georgina’?" said Dick,slowly. "You know how she hates being a girl, and having a girl's name. You know how she willnever answer if anyone calls her Georgina. And yet in this note she signs herself by the name shehates. It does seem a bit funny to me. Almost as if it's a kind of warning that there's somethingwrong."
　　"Oh, don't be so silly, Dick," said Anne. "What could be wrong? Do come on.""Anne, I'd like to pop over to that inlet of ours to make sure there's no one else come to the island,"said Dick. "You stay here."
　　But Anne didn't want to stay there alone. She ran round the coast with Dick, telling him all the timethat she thought he was very silly.
　　But when they came to the little harbour, they saw that there was another boat there, as well as theirown. It was a motor-boat! Someone else was on the island!
　　"Look," said Dick, in a whisper. "There is someone else here. And I bet it's the men who want to buythe island. I bet they've read that old map and know there's gold here. And they've found George andJulian and want to get us all together down in the dungeons so that they can keep us safe till they'vestolen the gold. That's why they made George send us that note— but she signed it with a name shenever uses— to warn us! Now— we must think hard. What are we going to do?"
14.沦为囚犯！
　　沦为囚犯！
　　乔治惊得瞠目结舌。她怔怔地站在那里，手里拿着一块金锭，盯着那堆金子。她简直不敢相信这些砖块一样的东西竟然真的是金子。她心跳加快，这是多么惊人又奇妙的发现啊！
　　突然，蒂米大叫起来。它背对着两个孩子，鼻子朝着门口，拼命地大叫！
　　“蒂米，别叫！”朱利安说，“你听见什么了？是他们俩回来了吗？”
　　他走到门口，朝外大喊：“迪克！安妮！是你们吗？快进来，我们找到金子了！我们找到了！快来！快来！”
　　蒂米不叫了，反而咆哮起来。乔治感到有点蹊跷，“蒂米，你怎么了？”她说，“它肯定不会对迪克和安妮咆哮。”
　　两个孩子突然惊住了，一个男人的声音从通道传来，到处响起了回音。
　　“是谁？谁在那儿？”
　　乔治吓得一把抓住朱利安的手。蒂米不停地咆哮，脖子上的毛都竖了起来。“蒂米，安静！”乔治小声地说，同时关掉了手电筒。
　　但是蒂米就是不肯安静。它不停地咆哮着，就像打雷一般。
　　两个孩子看见地牢通道的角落传来一缕很强的手电筒的光。光照在了他们身上，持手电筒的人停了下来，一脸吃惊。
　　“哈，哈，哈！”一个声音传来，“看看这是谁啊！两个孩子在我城堡的地牢里。”
　　“你的城堡？你什么意思！”乔治大喊。
　　“哦，小姑娘，这是我的城堡，因为我把它买下来了。”那个声音说。
　　接着又一个粗暴的声音传来：“你们在这儿干什么？你们刚才喊‘迪克，安妮’，然后说你们找到金子了，是什么意思？什么金子？”
　　“别回答！”朱利安悄悄对乔治说。但是回音把他的声音放得很大，在通道里回荡：“别回答！别回答！”
　　“哦，你们不想说。”第二个人说着，朝孩子们走近了一步。蒂米露出了它的牙齿，但是那个人一点也不怕它。他走进屋里，用手电筒朝里面照了照，长长地吹了一声口哨。
　　“杰克！过来看！”他说，“你说得对，金子就在这儿。得来全不费工夫！全是金锭！我说，这是我遇到的最了不起的事了。”
　　“金子是我的，”乔治愤怒地说，“这个小岛和城堡是属于我妈妈的，所以这上面的东西也是。这些金子是我的曾曾曾祖父在船失事之前带到这里、储存在这里的。这不是你的，永远也不会是你的。
　　我回家就告诉我爸爸妈妈我们的发现——那样他们肯定不会把小岛和城堡卖给你！你很聪明，从那个盒子里找到地图，发现金子。但是你们没有我们聪敏，是我们先找到的！”
　　两个人静静地听完乔治愤怒但是清晰的宣言。其中一个突然笑了起来。“你还只是一个孩子，”他说，“你有什么能力阻挡我们？我们会买下这个小岛和小岛上所有的东西。地契一签，我们就把金子运走。就算我们买不了小岛，我们也一样会把金子拿走。我们只需要开船过来，用小舟把金子运到船上就行了。别担心，我们会得到我们想要的。”
　　“你不会！”乔治说着走出门外，“我现在就回家，告诉我爸爸你刚说的一切。”
　　“亲爱的小姑娘，你现在还不能回家，”第一个人说着把双手放在乔治肩上，强迫她退回了地牢，“还有，你要是不想让我一枪把这只狗打死，最好让它安静点，听见了吗？”
　　乔治沮丧地发现，这个人的手里拿着一把银光闪闪的手枪。她吓得一把抓住蒂米，把它拉了过来。“蒂米，安静点，”她说，“没事的。”
　　但是蒂米很清楚一定有事，事情不对劲，它继续猛烈地咆哮。
　　“现在听我说，”那个人和他的同伴匆忙地说了几句话后说，“你们要是理智一点，就不会发生不愉快的事。但是你们要是太顽固，就会后悔的。接下来，我们要做的就是把你们锁在地牢里，然后开着我们的摩托艇去找艘大船，再回来取金子。现在既然找到金子了，就没必要再买这座小岛了。”
　　“现在，你们给你们上面的同伴写纸条，告诉他们你们找到了金子，让他们下来找你们。”另一个人说，“然后，我们把你们都锁在地牢里面，你们可以玩玩金子，我们会给你们留一些吃的和喝的，等我们回来。现在给你铅笔，你给迪克和安妮——管他什么名字呢——写纸条，让你们的狗送上去。快点！”
　　“我不写，”乔治愤怒地说，“我不写。你不能逼我这样做，我不会把可怜的迪克和安妮骗下来当囚犯。我也不会让你拿走我的金子，我们才刚刚找到。”
　　“你要是不按我说的做，我就一枪崩了你的狗。”第一个人恶狠狠地说。乔治的心沉了一下，感觉又冷又怕。
　　“不……不要。”她声音微弱，绝望至极。
　　“好，那就写纸条。”那个人说，递给了她一张纸和一支笔，“快点，我说你写。”
　　“我不写！”乔治哭着说，“我不能让迪克和安妮下来当囚犯。”
　　“那好，我先毙了你的狗。”那个人冷冷地说，把手枪指向了可怜的蒂米。乔治展开双臂抱着狗，尖叫起来。
　　“不，不！我写。不要杀了我的蒂米，不要杀它！”
　　小姑娘双手颤抖着接过纸和笔，瞪着那个男人。“这样写，”他命令道，“‘亲爱的迪克、安妮，我们找到金子了，赶快下来看看。’签上你的名字，不管是什么。”
　　乔治按他说的写了纸条，并签上了名字。不过，她写的不是“乔治”，而是“乔治娜”。她明白，他们一定知道她绝不会这样写自己的名字。她希望以这样的方式来提醒他们——下面发生了紧急情况。
　　那个人接过纸条，绑在了蒂米身上。蒂米一直在咆哮，乔治不停地告诉它不要咬人。
　　“现在让它去找你的朋友们。”那个人说。
　　“去找迪克和安妮，”乔治命令道，“去吧，蒂米。去找迪克和安妮，把纸条交给他们。”
　　蒂米虽然不想离开乔治，但是它感觉到乔治声音中的紧迫性。
　　最后，它看了一眼它的主人，舔了一下她的手，迅速跑出了通道。
　　它知道怎么走，它跳上陡峭的台阶，走出了地牢。它在庭院中停了下来，仔细嗅了嗅。迪克和安妮在哪儿呢？
　　它嗅到了他们的脚印，鼻子抵着地面，沿着脚印跑去。很快，它就在岩石上找到了那两个孩子。此时迪克感觉好点了，坐了起来，脸上已经不流血了。
　　“嘿！”看见蒂米跑过来，他惊讶不已，“蒂米来了！蒂米，老朋友，你怎么来了？你也不想待在黑乎乎的地牢里了吗？”
　　“瞧，迪克——蒂米这里有东西，”安妮说，眼睛敏锐地看到了那张纸，“是张纸条。我猜是他们俩写的，让我们下去。让蒂米给我们捎信，聪明！”
　　迪克取下纸条，打开读了起来。
　　“亲爱的迪克、安妮，”他读了出来，“我们找到金子了，赶快下来看看。乔治娜。”
　　“哇呜！”安妮眼里闪着光，“他们找到了。哦，迪克，你现在能走吗？我们快去吧。”
　　然而迪克却没有起身。他坐在那里，一脸疑惑地盯着纸条。
　　“怎么了？”安妮不耐烦地问。
　　“乔治的签名突然变成了乔治娜，你不觉得奇怪吗？”迪克慢慢地说，“你知道她是多么讨厌做一个女孩，多么讨厌女孩的名字。你也知道要是有人叫她乔治娜，她根本不会答应。可这张纸条上，她的签名却是她讨厌的那个名字。我觉得很奇怪，感觉她好像在提醒我们发生了什么事。”
　　“哦，迪克，别傻了，”安妮说，“能有什么事？快走吧。”
　　“安妮，我想到港口去看看有没有人到我们的小岛上来，”迪克说，“你就待在这里。”
　　可是安妮不想一个人待在这里。她和迪克一起朝海岸跑去，一路上不停地说他太傻了。
　　可是，到达港口时，他们看到了另一艘船，与他们的船停在一起。是艘摩托艇！有人上岛了！
　　“看，”迪克低声说，“有人上岛了。我肯定是那个要买小岛的人。他们一定是看到了地图，知道金子在这里。他们一定是发现了乔治和朱利安，想让我们下去，把我们都关起来，这样他们就可以把金子偷走了。这也是他们逼乔治给我们写纸条的原因。但是她却用了她绝不会用的名字来提醒我们！现在，我们要好好想想，我们该怎么办？”
Chapter Fifteen DICK TO THE RESCUE!
Chapter Fifteen DICK TO THE RESCUE!
　　DICK caught hold of Anne's hand and pulled her quickly away from the cove. He was afraid thatwhoever had come to the island might be somewhere about and see them. The boy took Anne to thelittle stone room where their things were and they sat down in a corner.
　　"Whoever has come has discovered Julian and George smashing in that door, I should think,"said Dick, in a whisper. "I simply can't think what to do. We mustn't go down into the dungeons orwe'll most certainly be caught. Hallo— where's Tim off to?"The dog had kept with them for a while but now he ran off to the entrance of the dungeons. Hedisappeared down the steps. He meant to get back to George, for he knew she was in danger.
　　Dick and Anne stared after him. They had felt comforted while he was there, and now they weresorry he had gone.
　　They really didn't know what to do. Then Anne had an idea. "I know!" she said, "we'll row back tothe land in our boat and get help."
　　"I'd thought of that," said Dick, gloomily. "But you know perfectly well we'd never know the way inand out of those awful rocks. We'd wreck the boat. I'm sure we're not strong enough either to row allthe way back. Oh, dear— I do wish we could think what to do."They didn't need to puzzle their brains long. The men came up out of the dungeons and began to huntfor the two children! They had seen Tim when he came back and had found the note gone.
　　So they knew the two children had taken it— and they couldn't imagine why they had not obeyedwhat George had said in the note, and come down to the dungeons!
　　Dick heard their voices. He clutched hold of Anne to make her keep quiet. He saw through thebroken archway that the men were going in the opposite direction.
　　"Anne! I know where we can hide!" said the boy, excitedly. "Down the old well! We can climb downthe ladder a little way and hide there. I'm sure no one would ever look there!"Anne didn't at all want to climb down the well even a little way. But Dick pulled her to her feet andhurried her off to the middle of the old courtyard. The men were hunting around the other side of thecastle. There was just time to climb in. Dick slipped aside the old wooden cover of the well andhelped Anne down the ladder. She was very scared. Then the boy climbed down himself and slippedthe wooden cover back again over his head, as best he could.
　　75
　　The old stone slab that Tim had sat on when he fell down the well was still there. Dick climbed downto it and tested it. It was immovable.
　　"It's safe for you to sit on, Anne, if you don't want to keep clinging to the ladder," he whispered.
　　So Anne sat shivering on the stone slab across the well-shaft, waiting to see if they were discoveredor not. They kept hearing the voices of the men, now near at hand and now far-off.
　　Then the men began to shout for them.
　　"Dick! Anne! The others want you! Where are you? We've exciting news for you.""Well, why don't they let Julian and George come up and tell us then?" whispered Dick. "There'ssomething wrong, I know there is. I do wish we could get to Julian and George and find out what hashappened."
　　The two men came into the courtyard. They were angry. "Where have those kids got to?" said Jake.
　　"Their boat is still in the cove, so they haven't got away. They must be hiding somewhere.
　　We can't wait all day for them."
　　"Well, let's take some food and drink down to the two we've locked up," said the other man.
　　"There's plenty in that little stone room. I suppose it's a store the children brought over. We'll leavehalf in the room so that the other two kids can have it. And we'll take their boat with us so that theycan't escape."
　　"Right," said Jake. "The thing to do is to get the gold away as quickly as possible, and make sure thechildren are prisoners here until we've made a safe getaway. We won't bother any more about tryingto buy the island. After all, it was only the idea of getting the ingots that put us up to the idea ofgetting Kirrin Castle and the island."
　　"Well—come on," said his companion. "We will take the food down now, and not bother about theother kids. You stay here and see if you can spot them while I go down."Dick and Anne hardly dared to breathe when they heard all this. How they hoped that the menwouldn't think of looking down the well! They heard one man walk to the little stone room. It wasplain that he was getting food and drink to take down to the two prisoners in the dungeons below.
　　The other man stayed in the courtyard, whistling softly.
　　After what seemed a very long time to the hidden children, the first man came back. Then the twotalked together, and at last went off to the cove. Dick heard the motor-boat being started up.
　　"It's safe to get out now, Anne," he said. "Isn't it cold down here? I'll be glad to get out into thesunshine."
　　76
　　They climbed out and stood warming themselves in the hot summer sunshine. They could see themotor-boat streaking towards the mainland.
　　"Well, they're gone for the moment," said Dick. "And they've not taken our boat, as they said. If onlywe could rescue Julian and George, we could get help, because George could row us back.""Why can't we rescue them?" cried Anne, her eyes shining. "We can go down the steps and unboltthe door, can't we?"
　　"No— we can't," said Dick. "Look!"
　　Anne looked to where he pointed. She saw that the two men had piled big, heavy slabs of brokenstone over the dungeon entrance. It had taken all their strength to put the big stones there.
　　Neither Dick nor Anne could hope to move them.
　　"It's quite impossible to get down the steps," said Dick. "They've made sure we shan't do that!
　　And you know we haven't any idea where the second entrance is. We only know it was somewherenear the tower."
　　"Let's see if we can find it," said Anne eagerly. They set off to the tower on the right of the castle—but it was quite clear that whatever entrance there might have been once, it was gone now! The castlehad fallen in very much just there, and there were piles of old broken stones everywhere, quiteimpossible to move. The children soon gave up the search.
　　"Blow!" said Dick. "How I do hate to think of poor old Julian and George prisoners down below, andwe can't even help them! Oh, Anne— can't you think of something to do?"Anne sat down on a stone and thought hard. She was very worried. Then she brightened up a littleand turned to Dick.
　　"Dick! I suppose— I suppose we couldn't possibly climb down the well, could we?" she asked.
　　"You know it goes past the dungeons— and there's an opening on the dungeon floor from the well-shaft, because don't you remember we were able to put in our heads and shoulders and look right upthe well to the top? Could we get past that slab, do you think— the one that I sat on just now, that hasfallen across the well?"
　　Dick thought it all over. He went to the well and peered down it. "You know, I believe you are right,Anne," he said at last. "We might be able to squeeze past that slab. There's just about room.
　　I don't know how far the iron ladder goes down though.""Oh, Dick— do let's try," said Anne. "It's our only chance of rescuing the others!"77
　　"Well," said Dick, 'I'll try it— but not you, Anne. I'm not going to have you falling down that well.
　　The ladder might be broken half-way down— anything might happen. You must stay up here and I'llsee what I can do."
　　"You will be careful, won't you?" said Anne, anxiously. "Take a rope with you, Dick, so that if youneed one you won't have to climb all the way up again.""Good idea," said Dick. He went to the little stone room and got one of the ropes they had put there.
　　He wound it round and round his waist. Then he went back to Anne.
　　"Well, here goes!" he said, in a cheerful voice. "Don't worry about me. I'll be all right."Anne was rather white. She was terribly afraid that Dick might fall right down to the bottom of thewell. She watched him climb down the iron ladder to the slab of stone. He tried his best to squeeze byit, but it was very difficult. At last he managed it and after that Anne could see him no more. But shecould hear him, for he kept calling up to her.
　　"Ladder's still going strong, Anne! I'm all right. Can you hear me?""Yes," shouted Anne down the well, hearing her voice echo in a funny hollow manner. "Take care,Dick. I do hope the ladder goes all the way down.""I think it does!" yelled back Dick. Then he gave a loud exclamation. "Blow! It's broken just here.
　　Broken right off. Or else it ends. I'll have to use my rope."There was a silence as Dick unwound the rope from his waist. He tied it firmly to the last but onerung of the ladder, which seemed quite strong.
　　"I'm going down the rope now!" he shouted to Anne. "Don't worry. I'm all right. Here I go!"Anne couldn't hear what Dick said after that, for the well-shaft made his words go crooked and shecouldn't make out what they were. But she was glad to hear him shouting even though she didn'tknow what he said. She yelled down to him too, hoping he could hear her.
　　Dick slid down the rope, holding on to it with hands, knees and feet, glad that he was so good at gymat school. He wondered if he was anywhere near the dungeons. He seemed to have gone down a longway. He managed to get out his torch. He put it between his teeth after he had switched it on, so thathe might have both hands free for the rope. The light from the torch showed him the walls of the wellaround him. He couldn't make out if he was above or below the dungeons. He didn't want to go rightdown to the bottom of the well!
　　He decided that he must have just passed the opening into the dungeon-caves. He climbed back upthe rope a little way and to his delight saw that he was right. The opening on to the dungeons 78was just by his head. He climbed up till he was level with it and then swung himself to the side of thewell where the small opening was. He managed to get hold of the bricked edge, and then tried toscramble through the opening into the dungeon.
　　It was difficult, but luckily Dick was not very big. He managed it at last and stood up straight with asigh of relief. He was in the dungeons! He could now follow the chalk-marks to the room or cavewhere the ingots were— and where he felt sure that George and Julian were imprisoned!
　　He shone his torch on the wall. Yes— there were the chalk-marks. Good! He put his head into thewell-opening and yelled at the top of his voice.
　　"Anne! I'm in the dungeons! Watch out that the men don't come back!"Then he began to follow the white chalk-marks, his heart beating fast. After a while he came to thedoor of the store-room. As he had expected, it was fastened so that George and Julian couldn't getout. Big bolts had been driven home at the top and bottom, and the children inside could not possiblyget out. They had tried their hardest to batter down the door, but it was no good at all.
　　They were sitting inside the store-cave, feeling angry and exhausted. The man had brought them foodand drink, but they had not touched it. Tim was with them, lying down with his head on his paws,half-angry with George because she hadn't let him fly at the men as he had so badly wanted to. ButGeorge felt certain that Tim would be shot if he tried biting or snapping.
　　"Anyway, the other two had sense enough not to come down and be made prisoners too," saidGeorge. "They must have known there was something funny about that note when they saw I hadsigned myself Georgina instead of George. I wonder what they are doing. They must be hiding."Tim suddenly gave a growl. He leapt to his feet and went to the closed door, his head on one side. Hehad heard something, that was certain.
　　"I hope it's not those men back again already," said George. Then she looked at Tim in surprise,flashing her torch on to him. He was wagging his tail!
　　A great bang at the door made them all jump out of their skins! Then came Dick's cheerful voice.
　　"Hi, Julian! Hi, George! Are you here?"
　　"Wuffffff!" barked Tim, joyfully and scratched at the door.
　　"Dick! Open the door!" yelled Julian in delight. "Quick, open the door!"
15.迪克的营救
　　迪克的营救
　　迪克拉住安妮的手，拉着她快速离开了港口。他们担心附近还有其他人可能会发现他们。迪克把安妮带到他们放东西的小石屋，坐在了角落里。
　　“我想那些人一定是发现乔治和朱利安在砸门，”迪克小声说，“只是我不知道该怎么办。我们肯定不能到地牢里去，那样我们一定会被抓住。咦？蒂米去哪里了？”
　　蒂米在他们身后跟了一会儿后，又从入口跑到地牢里去了。它很快从台阶上消失了。它要去找乔治，因为它知道她有危险。迪克和安妮看着它跑开了。蒂米在这里时他们觉得挺安心，现在它走了，他们感到很害怕。
　　他们真的不知道该怎么办。最后安妮想到一个办法。“我有办法了！”她说，“我们划船回去找人帮忙。”
　　“我也想到了，”迪克沮丧地说，“可是我们根本不知道怎么才能从这些礁石中绕出去，我们会把船撞坏的。再说，我觉得我们也没有力气把船划回去。哦，天哪！真希望能想出好办法。”
　　然而他们没有太多思考的时间。那两个人从地牢里出来，到处找他们！他们看到蒂米回来了，它身上的纸条不见了。因此，他们知道那两个孩子把纸条拿走了。他们想不通，为什么那两个孩子没有按照乔治纸条里所说的——到地牢里来！
　　迪克听见了那两个人的声音。他抓住安妮，让她保持安静。他看见那两个人穿过拱门，朝相反的方向走去。
　　“安妮！我知道我们可以藏到哪里了，”迪克激动地说，“藏到水井里去！我们顺着梯子往下爬一点，然后藏在那儿，肯定没人会到那里来找我们！”
　　安妮一点也不想爬下去，哪怕是一点点。迪克拉着她，匆忙到了庭院中间。那两个人到城堡的另一边找他们去了，他们正好可以趁此机会爬进去。迪克把破木盖滑到一边，扶着安妮爬上了梯子。
　　她害怕极了。之后，迪克也爬上了梯子，然后尽可能地把盖子放回原位。
　　蒂米掉下去时踩的那块石板还在那里。迪克站上去试了试，石板纹丝不动。
　　“安妮，你要是不想站在梯子上，可以到石板上来，很安全。”他小声说。因此，安妮颤颤巍巍地坐到了石板上。他们不断地听到那两个人的说话声，时远时近，又听见那两个人在叫他们。
　　“迪克！安妮！你们的朋友在找你们！你们在哪儿？我们有好消息。”
　　“哼，他们为什么不让乔治和朱利安上来告诉我们？”迪克小声说，“一定是出什么事了，真希望能找到朱利安和乔治，问个究竟。”
　　那两个人走到庭院里，气急败坏。“这两个孩子躲到哪里了？”杰克说，“他们的船还在这里，所以他们不可能走远，一定是藏在什么地方了。我们不能一直在这里找他们。”
　　“好吧，我们给关起来的那两个送点吃的喝的，”另一个说，“那个石头房子里有不少吃的，我猜是那帮孩子们带来的。我们留一半给那两个孩子，再把他们的船弄走，这样他们就逃不掉了。”
　　“好，”杰克说，“最重要的是尽快把金子弄走，把这些孩子一直关到我们安全离开。我们已经没必要再买这座小岛了。当初就是为了得到这些金子，才要买科林城堡和小岛的。”
　　“好，快点，”他的同伴说，“我们把吃的拿下去，别管那两个小孩了。你在这儿待着，看能不能找到他们，我下去给他们送吃的。”
　　迪克和安妮听到了一切，吓得都不敢喘气。他们真担心那两个人会朝井下看！他们听到一个人朝小石屋走去，显然，他是去给关在地牢里的朱利安和乔治送吃的、喝的去了。另一个人留在庭院里，轻轻吹着口哨。
　　藏在井下的孩子们感觉过了很长时间，那个人才回来。那两个人说了几句话，就朝港口走去。迪克听到摩托艇发动的声音。
　　“安妮，现在应该可以出去了，”他说，“这里真冷！我想赶紧到太阳底下去。”
　　他们爬了出来，站在暖洋洋的太阳底下，看到摩托艇呼啸着朝陆地开去。
　　“他们暂时离开了，”迪克说，“他们没有像他们说的那样，把我们的船带走。要是我们能把朱利安和乔治救出来，乔治就可以划船把我们送回去。”
　　“我们现在就去救他们吧！”安妮大声说，眼里放着光，“我们可以走下台阶，打开门，对吗？”
　　“不！我们不能，”迪克说，“看！”
　　安妮朝他手指的方向望去。她看见那两个人在地牢的入口堆了几块沉重的大石板。他们一定是费了九牛二虎之力才把这些石板弄过来的。不管是迪克还是安妮，都不可能挪动这些石板。
　　“我们不可能从这里下去了，”迪克说，“他们确保了这一点！我们又不知道别的入口在哪里，只知道它在塔楼附近。”
　　“我们去看看能不能找到。”安妮急切地说。他们到了城堡右侧的塔楼，然而，不管以前的入口在哪里，现在都不见了！城堡就在这里倒塌的，到处是石堆，根本不可能挪开。孩子们很快放弃了搜寻。
　　“糟透了！”迪克说，“朱利安和乔治就关在下面，我们却无力救他们，太可恶了！安妮，你有没有什么办法？”
　　安妮坐在一块石头上，认真思索着。她非常着急，突然，她眼睛一亮，转向迪克。
　　“迪克！你觉得我们能不能顺着水井爬下去？”她问，“水井一直通往地牢，而且在地牢那一层有一个出口。你还记得吗？我们还把头和肩塞进去，向上看到了井口。我们能穿过那块石板吗？那块横在井里，我刚刚坐过的石板？”
　　迪克仔细思考起来。他走到水井边，朝下看了一眼。“知道吗，安妮，我觉得你说得没错，”他最后说，“我们应该能从那个石板挤过去，那里有足够的空间。不过我不知道梯子有多长。”
　　“哦，迪克，我们试试吧，”安妮说，“这是我们能救他们的唯一办法了！”
　　“好，”迪克说，“我去试试，但是安妮，你不能去。我可不想让你掉进那口水井里。梯子可能会在中途断掉——什么事都有可能发生。你留在这儿，我会尽力的。”
　　“你会小心的，对吗？”安妮担心地说，“迪克，带根绳子，免得你需要时还要再爬上来。”
　　“好的。”迪克说。他走到小石屋，拿了一根绳子，把绳子缠到腰上，然后回到安妮身边。
　　“好的，出发了！”他高兴地说，“不要担心我，我会没事的。”
　　安妮脸色苍白，她非常担心迪克会掉进井底去。她看着他爬上了铁梯，下到了石板，他努力从石板旁挤过去，但是非常困难。还好，最终他挤过去了，之后安妮就看不见他了。不过她还能听到他的声音，因为他一直在和她说话。
　　“安妮，梯子很结实！我很好，你能听见吗？”
　　“能，”安妮朝井里喊道。声音在井中回荡，“迪克，小心点，希望梯子够长。”
　　“我觉得够长了！”迪克喊道，然后他叫了一声，“糟糕！梯子就到这里了。在这里断了，或是就这么长。我得用绳子了。”
　　迪克把绳子从腰上解下来时，井里一片寂静。他把绳子牢牢地系在梯子的倒数第二级横档上，这一级横档看起来很结实。
　　“我现在顺着绳子下去了！”他对安妮喊道，“不要担心，我没事，下喽！”
　　之后，安妮就听不清楚他说什么了，水井越深，声音越模糊。
　　但就算听不清他在说什么，只要能听到他的喊声，她就很开心。她也对着他喊话，希望他能听到。
　　迪克双手抓着绳子，用膝盖和双脚夹着绳子，向下滑去，他很庆幸在学校时体育学得不错。
　　他不知道自己是不是已经快到地牢了，好像下了很长时间。他设法拿出手电筒，打开后，用牙咬着手电，这样他的双手就可以抓住绳子了。在手电筒的照射下，他看到了四周的井壁。他也分不清现在是在地牢上面还是在下面。他可不想到井底去！
　　他觉得自己已经爬过了那个通往地牢的出口，于是抓着绳子又往上爬了一段。他开心地发现自己的判断是对的。通往地牢的出口就在他头顶上。他爬到与出口齐平的位置，然后朝出口处荡去，他使劲抓住出口的边缘，努力从那个小洞口爬进地牢里。
　　洞口很小，幸亏迪克不胖。最终，他成功了。他站起来松了一口气。终于进地牢了！现在，他只需要沿着墙壁上的粉笔记号找到那个储存金锭的房间或洞穴，他肯定乔治和朱利安就关在里面！
　　他用手电筒照了照墙壁，上面果然有记号。太好了！他把头伸进水井里，使出全身力气大声喊。
　　“安妮！我到地牢了！注意看着那两个人，小心他们又回来了！”
　　然后他就沿着粉笔记号往前走，心跳不断加快，很快他就找到了储存金子的那个房间。如他所料，门被闩住了——以防乔治和朱利安逃跑。门上部和底部的门闩都闩住了，里面的人不可能跑出来。乔治和朱利安用尽了各种办法砸门，都无济于事。
　　他们只能坐在地牢里，愤怒不已，同时又精疲力竭。那个人给他们送来了吃的和喝的，但是他们俩谁都没有碰。蒂米和他们在一起，头放在爪子上，卧在地上。它有点生乔治的气，因为它特别想咬那两个人一口，但是她不让。乔治知道，要是蒂米咬了他们，他们一定会枪毙了它。
　　“好在他们俩感觉到出事了，没下来成为囚犯，”乔治说，“他们看到纸条上我的签名是乔治娜而不是乔治时，一定感觉到了蹊跷。
　　不知道他们现在在干什么？一定是藏起来了。”
　　蒂米突然咆哮了一声。它一跃而起，走到门口，歪着头，它一定是听到了什么。
　　“不会是那两个人又回来了吧。”乔治说。然后她用手电筒照了照蒂米，吃惊地看着它。它竟然摇着尾巴！
　　门口响起了“ ”的敲门声，把他俩吓得毛骨悚然。然后他们听到了迪克喜悦的声音：“嘿，朱利安！嘿，乔治！你们在里面吗？”
　　“汪！”蒂米叫了一声，开心地用爪子抓着门。
　　“迪克！快把门打开！”朱利安开心地喊道，“快点，打开门！”
Chapter Sixteen A PLAN — AND A NARROW ESCAPE
Chapter Sixteen A PLAN — AND A NARROW ESCAPE
　　DICK unbolted the door at the top and bottom and flung it open. He rushed in and thumped Georgeand Julian happily on the back.
　　"Hallo!" he said. "How does it feel to be rescued?""Fine!" cried Julian, and Tim barked madly round them.
　　George grinned at Dick.
　　"Good work!" she said. "What happened?"
　　Dick told them in a few words all that had happened. When he related how he had climbed down theold well, George and Julian could hardly believe their ears. Julian slipped his arm through hisyounger brother's.
　　"You're a brick!" he said. "A real brick! Now quick—what are we going to do?""Well, if they've left us our boat I'm going to take us all back to the mainland as quickly as possible,"said George. "I'm not playing about with men who brandish revolvers all the time.
　　Come on! Up the well we go and find the boat."They ran to the well-shaft and squeezed through the small opening one by one. Up the rope theywent, and soon found the iron ladder. Julian made them go up one by one in case the ladder wouldn'tbear the weight of all three at once.
　　It really wasn't very long before they were all up in the open air once more, giving Anne hugs, andhearing her exclaim gladly, with tears in her eyes, how pleased she was to see them all again.
　　"Now come on!" said George after a minute. "Off to the boat. Quick! Those men may be back at anytime."
　　They rushed to the cove. There was their boat, lying where they had pulled it, out of reach of thewaves. But what a shock for them!
　　"They've taken the oars!" said George, in dismay. "The beasts! They know we can't row the boataway without oars. They were afraid you and Anne might row off, Dick— so instead of bothering totow the boat behind them, they just grabbed the oars. Now we're stuck. We can't possibly get away."80
　　It was a great disappointment. The children were almost ready to cry. After Dick's marvellous rescueof George and Julian, it had seemed as if everything was going right— and now suddenly things weregoing wrong again.
　　"We must think this out," said Julian, sitting down where he could see at once if any boat came insight. "The men have gone off— probably to get a ship from somewhere in which they can put theingots and sail away. They won't be back for some time, I should think, because you can't charter aship all in a hurry— unless, of course, they've got one of their own.""And in the meantime we can't get off the island to get help, because they've got our oars," saidGeorge. "We can't even signal to any passing fishing-boat because they won't be out just now.
　　The tide's wrong. It seems as if all we've got to do is wait here patiently till the men come back andtake my gold! And we can't stop them."
　　"You know— I've got a sort of plan coming into my head," said Julian, slowly. "Wait a bit—don't interrupt me. I'm thinking."
　　The others waited in silence while Julian sat and frowned, thinking of his plan. Then he looked at theothers with a smile.
　　"I believe it will work," he said. "Listen! We'll wait here in patience till the men come back.
　　What will they do? They'll drag away those stones at the top of the dungeon entrance, and go downthe steps. They'll go to the store-room, where they left us— thinking we are still there, and they willgo into the room. Well, what about one of us being hidden down there ready to bolt them into theroom? Then we can either go off in their motor-boat or our own boat if they bring back our oars—and get help."
　　Anne thought it was a marvellous idea. But Dick and George did not look so certain. "We'd have togo down and bolt that door again to make it seem as if we are still prisoners there," said George.
　　"And suppose the one who hides down there doesn't manage to bolt the men in? It might be verydifficult to do that quickly enough. They will simply catch whoever we plan to leave down there, andcome up to look for the rest of us."
　　"That's true," said Julian, thoughtfully. "Well— we'll suppose that Dick, or whoever goes down,doesn't manage to bolt them in and make them prisoners— and the men come up here again. All right— while they are down below we'll pile big stones over the entrance, just as they did. Then theywon't be able to get out."
　　"What about Dick down below?" said Anne, at once.
　　81
　　"I could climb up the well again!" said Dick, eagerly. "I'll be the one to go down and hide. I'll do mybest to bolt the men into the room. And if I have to escape I'll climb up the well-shaft again.
　　The men don't know about that. So even if they are not prisoners in the dungeon room, they'll beprisoners underground!"
　　The children talked over this plan, and decided that it was the best they could think of. Then Georgesaid she thought it would be a good thing to have a meal. They were all half-starved and, now that theworry and excitement of being rescued was over, they were feeling very hungry!
　　They fetched some food from the little room and ate it in the cove, keeping a sharp look-out for thereturn of the men. After about two hours they saw a big fishing-smack appear in the distance, andheard the chug-chug-chug of a motor-boat too.
　　"There they are!" said Julian, in excitement, and he jumped to his feet. "That's the ship they mean toload with the ingots, and sail away in safety— and there's the motor-boat bringing the men back!
　　Quick, Dick, down the well you go, and hide until you hear them in the dungeons!"Dick shot off. Julian turned to the others. "We'll have to hide," he said. "Now that the tide is out we'llhide over yonder, behind those uncovered rocks. I don't somehow think the men will do any huntingfor Dick and Anne -but they might. Come on! Quick!"They all hid themselves behind the rocks, and heard the motor-boat come chugging into the tinyharbour. They could hear men calling to one another. There sounded to be more than two men thistime. Then the men left the inlet and went up the low cliff towards the ruined castle.
　　Julian crept behind the rocks and peeped to see what the men were doing. He felt certain they werepulling away the slabs of stone that had been piled on top of the entrance to prevent Dick and Annegoing down to rescue the others.
　　"George! Come on!" called Julian in a low tone. "I think the men have gone down the steps into thedungeons now. We must go and try to put those big stones back. Quick!"George, Julian and Anne ran softly and swiftly to the old courtyard of the castle. They saw that thestones had been pulled away from the entrance to the dungeons. The men had disappeared.
　　They had plainly gone down the steps.
　　The three children did their best to tug at the heavy stones to drag them back. But their strength wasnot the same as that of the men, and they could not manage to get any very big stones across.
　　They put three smaller ones, and Julian hoped the men would find them too difficult to move frombelow. "If only Dick has managed to bolt them into that room!" he said to the others.
　　82
　　"Gome on, back to the well now. Dick will have to come up there, because he won't be able to get outof the entrance."
　　They all went to the well. Dick had removed the old wooden cover, and it was lying on the ground.
　　The children leaned over the hole of the well and waited anxiously. What was Dick doing? Theycould hear nothing from the well and they longed to know what was happening.
　　There was plenty happening down below! The two men, and another, had gone down into thedungeons, expecting, of course, to find Julian, George and the dog still locked up in the storeroomwith the ingots. They passed the well-shaft not guessing that an excited small boy was hidden there,ready to slip out of the opening as soon as they had passed.
　　Dick heard them pass. He slipped out of the well-opening and followed behind quietly, his feetmaking no sound. He could see the beams made by the men's powerful torches, and with his heartthumping loudly he crept along the smelly old passages, between great caves, until the men turnedinto the wide passage where the storecave lay.
　　"Here it is," Dick heard one of the men say, as he flashed his torch on to the great door. "The gold's inthere— so are the kids!"
　　The man unbolted the door at top and bottom. Dick was glad that he had slipped along to bolt thedoor, for if he hadn't done that before the men had come they would have known that Julian andGeorge had escaped, and would have been on their guard.
　　The man opened the door and stepped inside. The second man followed him. Dick crept as close ashe dared, waiting for the third man to go in too. Then he meant to slam the door and bolt it!
　　The first man swung his torch round and gave a loud exclamation. "The children are gone! Howstrange! Where are they?"
　　Two of the men were now in the cave— and the third stepped in at that moment. Dick darted forwardand slammed the door. It made a crash that went echoing round and round the caves and passages.
　　Dick fumbled with the bolts, his hand trembling. They were stiff and rusty. The boy found it hard toshoot them home in their sockets. And meanwhile the men were not idle!
　　As soon as they heard the door slam they spun round. The third man put his shoulder to the door atonce and heaved hard. Dick had just got one of the bolts almost into its socket. Then all three menforced their strength against the door, and the bolt gave way!
　　Dick stared in horror. The door was opening! He turned and fled down the dark passage. The menflashed their torches on and saw him. They went after the boy at top speed.
　　83
　　Dick fled to the well-shaft. Fortunately the opening was on the opposite side, and he could clamberinto it without being seen in the light of the torches. The boy only just had time to squeeze throughinto the shaft before the three men came running by. Not one of them guessed that the runaway wassqueezed into the well-shaft they passed! Indeed, the men did not even know that there was a wellthere.
　　Trembling from head to foot, Dick began to climb the rope he had left dangling from the rungs of theiron ladder. He undid it when he reached the ladder itself, for he thought that perhaps the men mightdiscover the old well and try to climb up later. They would not be able to do that if there was no ropedangling down.
　　The boy climbed up the ladder quickly, and squeezed round the stone slab near the top. The otherchildren were there, waiting for him.
　　They knew at once by the look on Dick's face that he had failed in what he had tried to do. Theypulled him out quickly. "It was no good," said Dick, panting with his climb. "I couldn't do it.
　　They burst the door open just as I was bolting it, and chased me. I got into the shaft just in time.""They're trying to get out of the entrance now!" cried Anne, suddenly. "Quick! What shall we do?
　　They'll catch us all!"
　　"To the boat!" shouted Julian, and he took Anne's hand to help her along. "Come along! It's our onlychance. The men will perhaps be able to move those stones."The four children fled down the courtyard. George darted into the little stone room as they passed it,and caught up an axe. Dick wondered why she bothered to do that. Tim dashed along with them,barking madly.
　　They came to the cove. Their own boat lay there without oars. The motor-boat was there too.
　　George jumped into it and gave a yell of delight.
　　"Here are our oars!" she shouted. "Take them, Julian, I've got a job to do here! Get the boat down tothe water, quick!"
　　Julian and Dick took the oars. Then they dragged their boat down to the water, wondering whatGeorge was doing. All kinds of crashing sounds came from the motor-boat!
　　"George! George! Buck up. The men are out!" suddenly yelled Julian. He had seen the three menrunning to the cliff that led down to the cove. George leapt out of the motor-boat and joined theothers. They pushed their boat out on to the water, and George took the oars at once, pulling for allshe was worth.
　　84
　　The three men ran to their motor-boat. Then they paused in the greatest dismay— for George hadcompletely ruined it! She had chopped wildly with her axe at all the machinery she could see, andnow the boat could not possibly be started! It was damaged beyond any repair the men could makewith the few tools they had.
　　"You wicked girl!" yelled Jake, shaking his fist at George. "Wait till I get you!""I'll wait!" shouted back George, her blue eyes shining dangerously. "And you can wait too! Youwon't be able to leave my island now!"
16.死里逃生
　　死里逃生
　　迪克拉开门上面和下面的门闩，打开了门。他冲了进去，开心地拍着乔治和朱利安的背。
　　“嘿！”他说，“被营救的感觉如何？”
　　“好极了！”朱利安大声说。蒂米也围着他们疯狂地叫。
　　乔治对迪克笑了笑。
　　“干得好！”乔治说，“这是怎么回事？”
　　迪克三言两语地叙述了所发生的事。当迪克告诉他们他是怎样从水井里爬下来时，乔治和朱利安简直不敢相信他们的耳朵。朱利安搂着他的小弟弟。
　　“你真棒！”他说，“你真棒！可是现在，我们该怎么办？”
　　“既然他们把船给我们留下来了，我就尽我最大的努力把大家送回家，”乔治说，“我们不能和始终拿着枪的人硬来。快点！我们爬上去，去找我们的船。”
　　他们走到水井边，一个接一个地挤进了出口。他们拽着绳子爬了上去，找到了梯子。朱利安让他们一个一个地爬上去，以防梯子支撑不了三个人的重量。
　　没多久，他们都爬出了水井，激动地拥抱了安妮。安妮兴奋地高呼，眼里含着泪水，不知道见到他们有多开心！
　　过了一会儿，乔治说：“快来！到船那里去。快！这些人随时都有可能回来。”
　　他们朝港口跑去。船还在那里，远离海浪。但是意想不到的事发生了！
　　“他们拿走了船桨！”乔治难过地说，“禽兽！他们知道没有船桨，我们根本划不了船。迪克，他们是害怕你和安妮划船逃跑。把船拖走太麻烦，所以他们就把船桨拿走了。我们被困住了，哪里也去不了了。”
　　真令人失望。孩子们急得都快哭了。迪克英勇地救出朱利安和乔治后，一切似乎都正常了。然而，事情又发生了转折。
　　“我们得想想办法，”朱利安说着坐了下来，那里一眼就能看到海上往返的船，“那两个人走了，可能是去哪里取船来拉金锭。我觉得他们一时半会儿回不来，因为不可能在短时间里就能租到船，除非他们自己有船。”
　　“但是我们也无法上岸寻求帮助，因为他们拿走了我们的船桨，”乔治说，“我们也无法给过往的渔船发信号，因为这个时候渔船都没有出海——此时的潮汐不适合。好像我们现在能做的就是在这里耐心等着，等那两个人回来，拿走我的金锭！而我们却无法阻止他们。”
　　“嗯，我倒是有个主意，”朱利安慢慢地说，“等一下，别打扰我，我再想想。”
　　其他人静静地等待着，朱利安皱着眉头坐在那里，思索着自己的计划，然后他面带微笑地看看他们几个。
　　“我觉得能行，”他说，“听我说！我们在这里耐心等着那两个人回来。他们会干什么呢？他们首先要把地牢入口处的大石板挪走，然后从台阶那里下去。之后他们会去关押我们的那间储藏室——他们以为我们还在里面，于是他们会走进去。要是此时，我们中的一个人藏在下面，然后趁此把他们关在里面，怎么样？这样，他们也无法寻求帮助，他们无法回到摩托艇。如果他们把船桨带回来了，我们就能离开这里寻求帮助了。”
　　安妮认为这是个好主意，但是迪克和乔治却不这么认为。“那样的话，我们就必须到地牢里去，再把门闩上，假装我们还是囚犯，”乔治说，“而且，藏在下面的那个人能及时把门闩上吗？这一切很难在极短的时间里完成。那样，他们就会很容易抓住留在下面的人，然后再上来抓其他人。”
　　“这倒也是，”朱利安若有所思地说，“假如迪克，或我们中的某个人无法把门闩上，把那两个人关在里面，那么那两个人会上来抓其他人。要不，他们进地牢时，我们再用石板把入口堵住，就像他们一样。这样他们也就出不来了。”
　　“那在下面的迪克怎么办？”安妮立刻说。
　　“我可以再爬上来啊！”迪克急切地说，“我愿意下去藏起来。我会尽我最大的能力把他们锁在里面。要是我需要逃跑的话，我就从井里爬出来。那些人不知井里的秘密。这样的话，就算我们不能把他们关进地牢里，也能把他们关在地下面！”
　　孩子们认真探讨着这个计划，都认为这是最佳的行动方案。这时，乔治说，要是能吃点东西就好了。他们早就饥肠辘辘了，现在营救行动的焦虑和兴奋过后，他们都感到饿极了。
　　他们从小石屋拿了一些吃的，坐在港口一边吃一边警惕地看着那两个人是否回来。两个小时后，他们看见远处出现了一艘大渔船，还听到了“突突突”的摩托艇声。
　　“他们来了！”朱利安兴奋地跳起来，“那艘大渔船是用来装金锭的，平稳地航行着，那两个人坐着摩托艇！迪克快下去，听到他们进地牢就赶紧藏起来！”
　　迪克立刻出发了。朱利安转向其他人。“我们也要藏起来，”他说，“现在潮水已经退了，我们就藏在那边的礁石后面。我不知道他们一上来会不会先找迪克和安妮，但是这很有可能。快走！快！”
　　他们藏到了礁石的后面，很快听见摩托艇“突突突”地驶入港口，他们还能听见那些人的说话声。这次好像不止两个人。这些人随后离开了港口，爬上了矮崖，朝城堡走去。
　　朱利安趴在礁石后面，偷偷地观察那些人的动向。那些人先把堵在入口处的石板搬开——那些石板当初是用来防止迪克和安妮下去救朱利安他们的。
　　“乔治！快来！”朱利安低声说道，“我觉得他们已经走进地牢里的台阶了。我们必须过去把那些大石板放回去。快！”
　　乔治、朱利安和安妮神不知鬼不觉地跑到了城堡的庭院中。他们发现原来堵在入口处的大石板已经挪开了，那些人也不见了，显然是进了地牢。
　　三个孩子使出全身力气把大石板拖回来。但是他们的力气可比不上那些大人们，他们没法把石头交叉堵在入口。
　　最后，他们放了三块稍小一点的石头，朱利安只能盼望：他们很难从下面推开这些石头。“要是迪克能闩住地牢的门就好了！”他对其他两个孩子说，“走，到井边去。迪克不可能从入口出来，他只能从井里爬上来。”
　　于是他们去了井边。迪克已经把井盖移开，放在地上。孩子们斜靠在井口，焦急地等待着迪克。迪克在干什么？井里什么也听不到，他们急切地想知道他此时在干什么。
　　下面确实发生了很多事！那两个人和另外一个人走进地牢，以为朱利安、乔治还有狗还锁在那间储藏室里。他们经过水井，万万想不到里面藏着一个异常激动的孩子，等他们一走，就从水井的出口爬出来。
　　迪克听见他们走开了，就从井口爬出来，蹑手蹑脚地跟在他们后面。他能看见那些人的手电筒照出的光，他心惊胆战地在洞穴与洞穴之间散发着霉味的古老通道里悄悄前行，一直到了有储藏室的那个较宽敞的通道中。
　　“到了，”迪克听见其中一个人说，那个人还用手电筒朝大木门照了照，“金锭就在里面，那两个孩子也在！”
　　一个人打开了门上下的门闩。迪克很庆幸自己先溜进来把门闩插上了，否则他们就会发现乔治和朱利安已经逃跑了，因而提高警惕。
　　那个人打开门，走了进去。第二个人跟着进去了。迪克尽可能地靠近，盼着第三个人也赶紧进去。然后他就过去把门关上，闩住！
　　第一个进去的人用手电筒朝里照了照，惊呼了一声：“孩子们不见了！见鬼了！去哪儿了？”
　　已经有两个人进了洞穴，就在那个人惊呼的一瞬间，第三个人也进去了。说时迟那时快，迪克冲过去，猛地关上了门。关门声立时在洞穴和通道中产生了回音。迪克颤抖着双手去摸门闩。门闩已经生锈，很不灵活。小男孩费了很大劲也没把门闩插进孔里，而里面的人也不傻！
　　一听见关门声，第三个进去的人立刻用肩膀抵住门，使劲往外推。迪克差点就把一个门闩插进去了！但是里面的三个人同时向外使劲推门，门闩又开了！
　　迪克吓傻了。门开了！他转身跑进了黑暗的通道中。那些人用手电筒照过来，发现了他。他们全速朝小男孩奔去。
　　迪克跑到了水井边。幸亏井的出口在背面，他爬了进去，没被那些人发现。小男孩刚刚从出口挤进去，那些人就绕过来了。他们万万想不到小男孩会从水井里逃走！实际上，这些人根本就不知道这是口水井！
　　迪克吓得浑身瑟瑟发抖，抓住悬在梯子上的绳子往上爬。爬到梯子上后，他把绳子解下来，害怕万一那些人发现了这口井，也从这儿爬上来。要是没有绳子，他们就爬不上来了。
　　迪克迅速爬上梯子，从那块破石板边挤了上去。其他几个孩子就在那里，正等着他。
　　他们一看迪克的脸色，就知道他没有完成任务。他们立即把他拉了上来。“没办法，”他喘着粗气说，“我没办到。我刚要闩住门，他们就把门撞开了，一起追我，幸好我及时爬进了井里。”
　　“那他们现在一定要从入口出来了！”安妮突然说，“快！我们该怎么办？他们会把我们全部抓住！”
　　“到船上去！”朱利安大喊，一把拉住安妮，“快跑！这是我们唯一的机会。那些人可能会把石板挪开。”
　　四个孩子冲出庭院。路过小石屋时，乔治冲进去拿了一把斧头，迪克不明白她拿斧头干什么。蒂米也跟着他们跑，疯狂地叫着。
　　他们跑到了港口。他们的船就在那里，但是没有船桨。
　　摩托艇也在那里。乔治跳进去，高兴地喊了一声。
　　“我们的船桨！”她大喊，“朱利安，接住，我还要做一件事！快去把船拖到水里！”
　　朱利安和迪克一人接过一把船桨。然后他们把船拖进水里，猜不出乔治干什么去了，只听摩托艇上传来了“咚隆咚隆”的声音！
　　“乔治！乔治！快回来。他们出来了！”朱利安突然喊道。他看见三个人朝矮崖这边跑过来。乔治跳出摩托艇，进了自己的船。他们把船推进海中，乔治接过船桨，使出全身的力气把船划走。
　　那三个人跑到摩托艇前，他们都愣住了，一脸沮丧——原来乔治把他们的摩托艇砍了个稀烂！只要能看见的机器设备，全被她用斧头砍坏了，现在这艘摩托艇根本就发动不了了！就这些人手里现有的工具，根本不可能修好！
　　“你这个可恶的小孩！”杰克大喊，对着乔治挥舞着拳头，“小心我抓住你！”
　　“我等着！”乔治回应，眼里没有一丝畏惧！“你们也等着！你们就老老实实待在我的小岛上吧！”
Chapter Seventeen THE END OF THE GREAT ADVENTURE
Chapter Seventeen THE END OF THE GREAT ADVENTURE
　　THE three men stood at the edge of the sea, watching George pull away strongly from the shore.
　　They could do nothing. Their boat was quite useless.
　　"The fishing-smack they've got waiting out there is too big to use that little inlet," said George, as shepulled hard at her oars. "They'll have to stay there till someone goes in with a boat. I guess they're aswild as can be!"
　　Their boat had to pass fairly near to the big fishing-boat. A man hailed them as they came by.
　　"Ahoy there! Have you come from Kirrin Island?""Don't answer," said George. "Don't say a word." So no one said anything at all, but looked the otherway as if they hadn't heard.
　　"AHOY THERE!" yelled the man, angrily. "Are you deaf? Have you come from the island?"Still the children said nothing at all, but looked away while George rowed steadily. The man on theship gave it up, and looked in a worried manner towards the island. He felt sure the children hadcome from there—and he knew enough of his comrades' adventures to wonder if everything wasright on the island.
　　"He may put out a boat from the smack and go and see what's happening," said George. "Well, hecan't do much except take the men off— with a few ingots! I hardly think they'll dare to take any ofthe gold though, now that we've escaped to tell our tale!"85
　　Julian looked behind at the ship. He saw after a time that the little boat it carried was being loweredinto the sea. "You're right," he said to George. "They're afraid something is up. They're going torescue those three men. What a pity!"
　　Their little boat reached land. The children leapt out into the shallow water and dragged it up to thebeach. Tim pulled at the rope too, wagging his tail. He loved to join in anything that the childrenwere doing.
　　"Shall you take Tim to Alf?" asked Dick.
　　George shook her head. "No," she said, "we haven't any time to waste. We must go and telleverything that has happened. I'll tie Tim up to the fence in the front garden."They made their way to Kirrin Cottage at top speed. Aunt Fanny was gardening there. She stared insurprise to see the hurrying children.
　　"Why," she said, "I thought you were not coming back till tomorrow or the next day! Has anythinghappened? What's the matter with Dick's cheek?""Nothing much," said Dick.
　　The others chimed in.
　　"Aunt Fanny, where's Uncle Quentin? We have something important to tell him!""Mother, we've had such an adventure!"
　　"Aunt Fanny, we've an awful lot to tell you! We really have!"Aunt Fanny looked at the untidy children in amazement. "Whatever has happened?" she said.
　　Then she turned towards the house and called, "Quentin! Quentin! The children have something totell us!"
　　Uncle Quentin came out, looking rather cross, for he was in the middle of his work. "What's thematter?" he asked.
　　"Uncle, it's about Kirrin Island," said Julian, eagerly. "Those men haven't bought it yet, have they?""Well, it's practically sold," said his uncle. "I've signed my part, and they are to sign their parttomorrow. Why? What's that to do with you?""Uncle, those men won't sign tomorrow," said Julian. "Do you know why they wanted to buy theisland and the castle? Not because they really wanted to build an hotel or anything like that—butbecause they knew the lost gold was hidden there!""What nonsense are you talking?" said his uncle.
　　86
　　"It isn't nonsense, Father!" cried George indignantly. "It's all true. The map of the old castle was inthat box you sold— and in the map was shown where the ingots were hidden by my great-great-great-grandfather!"
　　George's father looked amazed and annoyed. He simply didn't believe a word! But his wife saw bythe solemn and serious faces of the four children that something important really had happened. Andthen Anne suddenly burst into loud sobs! The excitement had been too much for her and she couldn'tbear to think that her uncle wouldn't believe that everything was true.
　　"Aunt Fanny, Aunt Fanny, it's all true!" she sobbed. "Uncle Quentin is horrid not to believe us.
　　Oh, Aunt Fanny, the man had a revolver— and oh, he made Julian and George prisoners in thedungeons— and Dick had to climb down the well to rescue them. And George has smashed up theirmotor-boat to stop them escaping!"
　　Her aunt and uncle couldn't make head or tail of this, but Uncle Quentin suddenly seemed to thinkthat the matter was serious and worth looking into. "Smashed up a motor-boat!" he said.
　　"Whatever for? Come indoors. I shall have to hear the story from beginning to end. It seems quiteunbelievable to me."
　　They all trooped indoors. Anne sat on her aunt's knee and listened to George and Julian telling thewhole story. They told it well and left nothing out. Aunt Fanny grew quite pale as she listened,especially when she heard about Dick climbing down the well.
　　"You might have been killed," she said. "Oh, Dick! What a brave thing to do!"Uncle Quentin listened in the utmost amazement. He had never had much liking or admiration forany children— he always thought they were noisy, tiresome, and silly. But now, as he listened toJulian's tale, he changed his mind about these four children at once!
　　"You've been very clever," he said. "And very brave too. I'm proud of you. Yes, I'm very proud ofyou all. No wonder you didn't want me to sell the island, George, when you knew about the ingots!
　　But why didn't you tell me?"
　　The four children stared at him and didn't answer. They couldn't very well say, "Well, firstly, youwouldn't have believed us. Secondly, you are bad-tempered and unjust and we are frightened of you.
　　Thirdly, we didn't trust you enough to do the right thing.""Why don't you answer?" said their uncle. His wife answered for them, in a gentle voice.
　　87
　　"Quentin, you scare the children, you know, and I don't expect they liked to go to you. But now thatthey have, you will be able to take matters into your own hands. The children cannot do any more.
　　You must ring up the police and see what they have to say about all this.""Right," said Uncle Quentin, and he got up at once. He patted Julian on the back. "You have all donewell," he said. Then he ruffled George's short curly hair. "And I'm proud of you, too, George," hesaid. "You're as good as a boy any day!"
　　"Oh Father!" said George, going red with surprise and pleasure. She smiled at him and he smiledback. The children noticed that he had a very nice face when he smiled. He and George were reallyvery alike to look at. Both looked ugly when they sulked and frowned— and both were good to lookat when they laughed or smiled!
　　George's father went off to telephone the police and his lawyer too. The children sat and ate biscuitsand plums, telling their aunt a great many little details they had forgotten when telling the storybefore.
　　As they sat there, there came a loud and angry bark from the front garden. George looked up.
　　"That's Tim," she said, with an anxious look at her mother. "I hadn't time to take him to Alf, whokeeps him for me. Mother, Tim was such a comfort to us on the island, you know. I'm sorry he'sbarking now— but I expect he's hungry."
　　"Well, fetch him in," said her mother, unexpectedly. "He's quite a hero, too— we must give him agood dinner."
　　George smiled in delight. She sped out of the door and went to Tim. She set him free and he camebounding indoors, wagging his long tail. He licked George's mother and cocked his ears at her.
　　"Good dog," she said, and actually patted him. "I'll get you some dinner!"Tim trotted out to the kitchen with her. Julian grinned at George. "Well, look at that," he said.
　　"Your mother's a brick, isn't she?"
　　"Yes— but I don't know what Father will say when he sees Tim in the house again," said George,doubtfully.
　　Her father came back at that minute, his face grave. "The police take a serious view of all this,"he said, "and so does my lawyer. They all agree in thinking that you children have been remarkablyclever and brave. And George— my lawyer says that the ingots definitely belong to us. Are therereally a lot?"
　　88
　　"Father! There are hundreds!" cried George. "Simply hundreds— all in a big pile in the dungeon.
　　Oh, Father—shall we be rich now?"
　　"Yes", said her father. "We shall. Rich enough to give you and your mother all the things I've longedto give you for so many years and couldn't. I've worked hard enough for you— but it's not the kind ofwork that brings in a lot of money, and so I've become irritable and bad-tempered. But now you shallhave everything you want!"
　　"I don't really want anything I haven't already got," said George. "But Father, there is one thing I'dlike more than anything else in the world— and it won't cost you a penny!""You shall have it, my dear!" said her father, slipping his arm round George, much to her surprise.
　　"Just say what it is— and even if it costs a hundred pounds you shall have it!"Just then there came the pattering of big feet down the passage to the room they were in. A big hairyhead pushed itself through the door and looked inquiringly at everyone there. It was Tim, of course!
　　Uncle Quentin stared at him in surprise. "Why, isn't that Tim?" he asked. "Hallo, Tim!""Father! Tim is the thing I want most in all the world," said George, squeezing her father's arm.
　　"You can't think what a friend he was to us on the island— and he wanted to fly at those men andfight them. Oh, Father, I don't want any other present— I only want to keep Tim and have him herefor my very own. We could afford to give him a proper kennel to sleep in now, and I'd see that hedidn't disturb you, I really would."
　　"Well, of course you can have him!" said her father—and Tim came right into the room at once,wagging his tail, looking for all the world as if he had understood every word that had been said.
　　He actually licked Uncle Quentin's hand! Anne thought that was very brave of him.
　　But Uncle Quentin was quite different now. It seemed as if a great weight had been lifted off hisshoulders. They were rich now— George could go to a good school— and his wife could have thethings he had so much wanted her to have— and he would be able to go on with the work he lovedwithout feeling that he was not earning enough to keep his family in comfort. He beamed round ateveryone, looking as jolly a person as anyone could wish!
　　George was overjoyed about Tim. She flung her arms round her father's neck and hugged him, a thingshe had not done for a long time. He looked astonished but very pleased. "Well, well," he said, "thisis all very pleasant. Hallo— is this the police already?"89
　　It was. They came up to the door and had a few words with Uncle Quentin. Then one stayed behindto take down the children's story in his note-book and the others went off to get a boat to the island.
　　The men had gone from there! The boat from the fishing-smack had fetched them away!— and nowboth ship and boat had disappeared! The motor-boat was still there, quite unusable. The inspectorlooked at it with a grin.
　　"Fierce young lady, isn't she, that Miss Georgina?" he said. "Done this job pretty well— no one couldget away in this boat. We'll have to get it towed into harbour."The police brought back with them some of the ingots of gold to show Uncle Quentin. They hadsealed up the door of the dungeon so that no one else could get in until the children's uncle was readyto go and fetch the gold. Everything was being done thoroughly and properly— though far too slowlyfor the children! They had hoped that the men would have been caught and taken to prison— and thatthe police would bring back the whole of the gold at once!
　　They were all very tired that night and didn't make any fuss at all when their aunt said that they mustgo to bed early. They undressed and then the boys went to eat their supper in the girls'
　　bedroom. Tim was there, ready to lick up any fallen crumbs.
　　"Well, I must say we've had a wonderful adventure," said Julian, sleepily. "In a way I'm sorry it'sended -though at times I didn't enjoy it very much— especially when you and I, George, wereprisoners in that dungeon. That was awful."George was looking very happy as she nibbled her gingerbread biscuits. She grinned at Julian.
　　"And to think I hated the idea of you all coming here to stay!" she said. "I was going to be such abeast to you! I was going to make you wish you were all home again! And now the only thing thatmakes me sad is the idea of you going away— which you will do, of course, when the holidays end.
　　And then, after having three friends with me, enjoying adventures like this, I'll be all on my ownagain. I've never been lonely before— but I know I shall be now.""No, you won't," said Anne, suddenly. "You can do something that will stop you being lonely everagain."
　　"What?" said George in surprise.
　　"You can ask to go to the same boarding-school as I go to," said Anne. "It's such a lovely one—and we are allowed to keep our pets, so Tim could come too!"90
　　"Gracious! Could he really?" said George, her eyes shining. "Well, I'll go then. I always said Iwouldn't—but I will because I see now how much better and happier it is to be with others than all bymyself. And if I can have Tim, well that's simply wonderful!""You'd better go back to your own bedroom now, boys," said Aunt Fanny, appearing at the doorway.
　　"Look at Dick, almost dropping with sleep! Well, you should all have pleasant dreams tonight, foryou've had an adventure to be proud of. George— is that Tim under your bed?""Well, yes it is, Mother," said George, pretending to be surprised. "Dear me! Tim, what are you doinghere?"
　　Tim crawled out and went over to George's mother. He lay flat on his tummy and looked up at hermost appealingly out of his soft brown eyes.
　　"Do you want to sleep in the girls' room tonight?" said George's mother, with a laugh. "All right—just for once!"
　　" Mother!" yelled George, overjoyed. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! How did you guess thatI just didn't want to be parted from Tim tonight? Oh, Mother! Tim, you can sleep on the rug overthere."
　　Four happy children snuggled down into their beds. Their wonderful adventure had come to a happyend. They had plenty of holidays still in front of them— and now that Uncle Quentin was no longerpoor, he would give them the little presents he wanted to. George was going to school with Anne—and she had Tim for her own again! The island and castle still belonged to George— everything wasmarvellous!
　　"I'm so glad Kirrin Island wasn't sold, George," said Anne, sleepily. "I'm so glad it still belongs toyou."
　　"It belongs to three other people too," said George. "It belongs to me— and to you and Julian andDick. I've discovered that it's fun to share things. So tomorrow I am going to draw up a deed, orwhatever it's called, and put in it that I give you and the others a quarter-share each. Kirrin Island andCastle shall belong to us all!"
　　"Oh, George— how lovely!" said Anne, delighted. "Won't the boys be pleased? I do feel so ha..."
　　But before she could finish, the little girl was asleep. So was George. In the other room the two boysslept, too, dreaming of ingots and dungeons and all kinds of exciting things.
　　91
　　Only one person was awake — and that was Tim. He had one ear up and was listening to thechildren's breathing. As soon as he knew they were asleep he got up quietly from his rug. He creptsoftly over to George's bed. He put his front paws up and sniffed at the sleeping girl.
　　Then, with a bound he was on the bed, and snuggled himself down into the crook of her legs. Hegave a sigh, and shut his eyes. The four children might be happy— but Tim was happiest of all.
　　"Oh, Tim," murmured George, half waking up as she felt him against her. "Oh, Tim, you mustn't—but you do feel so nice. Tim— we'll have other adventures together, the five of us—won't we?"
　　They will— but that's another story!
　　THE END
17.意外之财
　　意外之财
　　三个人站在海边，眼睁睁地看着乔治划船离开。他们无能为力，因为摩托艇已经完全废了。
　　“他们带来的那艘渔船太大了，根本进不了港口，”乔治一边使劲划着双桨，一边说，“他们只能待在那里了，除非有人开船来接他们。我猜他们现在一定气疯了！”
　　他们的船要小心绕过那艘大渔船。他们经过时，大渔船上有个人朝他们打招呼。
　　“嘿！你们是从科林岛过来的吗？”
　　“别理他，”乔治说，“一句话也别说。”于是，他们几个什么都没说，把头扭到一边，假装没听见。
　　“嘿！”那个人又大喊一声，有点生气，“你们耳朵聋了吗？你们是从岛上过来的吗？”
　　孩子们还是一言不发，看着一边，乔治只顾划船。船上的人也不再追问了，担忧地朝科林岛望去。他肯定孩子们是从那里过来的，他也知道他的同伴们去岛上干什么，很担心是不是一切正常。
　　“他可能会从渔船上放一艘小船，到科林岛上看个究竟。”乔治说，“那样他也只能把那些人接出来，最多拿几块金锭！我怀疑他们根本就不敢拿走金锭，因为我们逃出来了！”
　　朱利安回头看了看那艘大渔船。不一会儿，他看见渔船上放下了一艘小船。“你说得没错，”他对乔治说，“他们感觉到了不对劲。
　　他们去救那三个人了。真可惜！”
　　他们到达了陆地。孩子们跳进浅水滩，把船拉到海滩上。蒂米摇着尾巴，帮着拉绳子。它喜欢孩子们做什么，它就跟着做什么。
　　“你是不是要先把蒂米送到阿尔夫那里去。”迪克问。
　　乔治摇了摇头。“不，”她说，“没时间了。我们必须现在就去把一切告诉我的爸爸妈妈。我一会儿把蒂米绑在花园的栅栏上。”
　　他们以最快的速度朝科林庄园跑去。范妮婶婶正在整理花园，看见孩子们匆忙跑回来，她很吃惊。
　　“怎么了，”她说，“我以为你们明天或后天才会回来！出什么事了吗？迪克的脸怎么了？”
　　“没事。”迪克说。
　　孩子们争相说了起来。
　　“范妮婶婶，昆廷叔叔在哪儿？我们有重要的事要告诉他！”
　　“妈妈，我们经历了一场大冒险！”
　　“范妮婶婶，我们有好多事要告诉你！真的！”
　　范妮婶婶看着一个个灰头土脸的孩子们，十分诧异。“究竟发生了什么事？”她问。然后她转向房子大声叫：“昆廷！昆廷！孩子们有事要告诉我们！”
　　昆廷叔叔走了出来，一脸愤怒，因为他正在工作。“怎么了？”他问。
　　“叔叔，是关于科林岛，”朱利安急切地说，“那些人还没买下来，对吗？”
　　“实际上已经卖掉了，”叔叔说，“我已经签字了，他们明天过来签字，你们问这个干什么？这和你们有什么关系？”
　　“叔叔，这些人明天不会来签字了，”朱利安说，“你知道他们为什么要买科林岛和城堡吗？不是因为他们想建什么酒店之类的，而是因为他们知道那批遗失的金子藏在那里！”
　　“你们胡说什么？”昆廷叔叔说。
　　“爸爸，他没有胡说！”乔治愤慨地说，“这些都是事实，你卖掉的那个古老的盒子里有一张地图，地图上标示了我曾曾曾祖父藏金锭的位置！”
　　昆廷叔叔又惊又气，他一个字都不相信！但是他的妻子看到孩子们一脸严肃，她知道真的发生了重要的事。这时，安妮突然大哭起来！昆廷叔叔竟然不相信她们说的话，她一时受不了，情绪失控了。
　　“范妮婶婶，范妮婶婶，这都是真的！”她哭着说，“昆廷叔叔怎么能不相信我们。范妮婶婶，一个人手里拿着手枪，他把乔治和朱利安关进了地牢，是迪克从水井里爬进去才把他们救出来。乔治还把他们的摩托艇砸坏了，他们才没有追上我们！”
　　她的叔叔婶婶虽然听得一头雾水，但是昆廷叔叔好像感觉到了事情的严重性，开始重视起来。“砸坏了摩托艇！”他说，“发生什么事了？进房子里来，一五一十地把事情说清楚，简直难以置信！”
　　所有人都进了房子。安妮坐在范妮婶婶的腿上，听着乔治和朱利安诉说发生的一切。他们事无巨细地把整件事说了一遍。范妮婶婶听得脸色发白，特别是听他们说迪克爬下水井的那部分。
　　“你有可能被他们杀掉的，”她说，“哦，迪克！你真是太勇敢了！”
　　昆廷叔叔倒是听得津津有味。他从来就不喜欢孩子，总是嫌他们又吵又烦还很笨，但是听了朱利安讲的故事，他对这四个孩子的态度立刻发生了转变！
　　“你们非常聪明，”他说，“而且非常勇敢，我为你们感到骄傲。
　　真的，我为你们感到骄傲。乔治，怪不得你不想让我把小岛卖掉，原来你知道里面有金子！可是你们为什么不告诉我呢？”
　　四个孩子看着他，什么也没说。他们不可能说：“首先，你不会相信我们；其次，你脾气不好，又不讲道理，我们都害怕你；最后，我们也不相信你会做出明智的事。”
　　“你们怎么不说话了？”昆廷叔叔说。
　　他的妻子很温柔地帮孩子们回答了这个问题：“昆廷，孩子们都怕你，当然不敢来找你了。但是现在他们来找你了，你就要好好处理这件事。孩子们经历的事已经够多了，你应该给警察打电话，看他们怎么处理。”
　　“好的，”昆廷叔叔说着站起身，拍了拍朱利安的背，“你做得很好。”
　　他又摸了摸乔治短短的鬈发。“我也为你感到骄傲，乔治，”他说，“你就是一个英勇的‘小男孩’！”
　　“哦，爸爸！”乔治听了又惊又喜，脸都红了。她对他笑了笑，他也对她笑了笑。孩子们发现他笑起来很好看。他和乔治长得很像，阴郁和皱眉时都很丑，但是微笑或大笑时都很美！
　　于是昆廷叔叔去给警察和他的律师打电话。孩子们坐下来吃着饼干和李子，给范妮婶婶讲述刚才落掉的细节。
　　正说着，从花园前面传来了蒂米愤怒的大叫声。乔治抬起头。“那是蒂米，”她说着担忧地看了妈妈一眼，“我还没来得及把它送到阿尔夫那里去，以前一直是他在帮我照顾。妈妈，你知道吗？
　　在岛上时，蒂米一直陪伴着我们。很抱歉它大叫起来，它一定是饿了。”
　　“那就把它牵进来吧，”范妮婶婶出人意料地说，“它也算是个英雄，我们应该犒劳它一些好吃的。”
　　乔治一听开心地笑了。她出了门，朝蒂米走去。她一解开绳子，蒂米就蹦着跳着进了屋内，摇着长尾巴。它舔了范妮婶婶，还用耳朵在她身上蹭了蹭。
　　“好样的，”范妮婶婶说着还拍了拍它，“我去给你拿吃的！”
　　蒂米跟着她跑进了厨房。朱利安对着乔治笑了笑。“瞧，”他说，“你妈妈也是个热心人，对吧？”
　　“是，可要是爸爸看见蒂米在房间里，不知他又会怎么说。”乔治说完，显得很不安。
　　就在这时，昆廷叔叔回来了，他脸色凝重。“警察们很重视这件事，”他说，“我的律师也是，他们一致认为我们的孩子们既机智又勇敢。对了，乔治，律师说那些金锭确实是属于我们的，有很多吗？”
　　“爸爸！有好几百块呢！肯定有好几百块，在地牢里堆了一大堆。哦，爸爸，我们是不是很有钱了？”
　　“是的，”昆廷叔叔说，“应该是吧。现在，我就能给你和你妈妈买一些东西了。很久以来，我就想买给你们，却一直无法兑现。我辛辛苦苦地工作，也是为了你们。但是我收入不高，所以我很容易生气，脾气也不好。现在好了，你想要什么都可以！”
　　“我也没什么特别想要的，”乔治说，“只是有一样东西对我来说胜过一切，而且不用花你一分钱！”
　　“那就一定满足你，亲爱的！”昆廷叔叔说着搂住了乔治，这让乔治吃惊不已，“你说吧，哪怕要花几百英镑，我都满足你！”
　　话音刚落，门外的走廊里传来了一阵轻轻的脚步声，门缝里探出来一只毛绒绒的大脑袋，好奇地看着里面的每一个人。当然是蒂米！
　　昆廷叔叔惊诧地看着它。“这不是蒂米吗？”他问，“嘿，蒂米！”
　　“爸爸！蒂米就是这个世界上我最想要的东西，”乔治说着摇了摇爸爸的手臂，“你不知道它在岛上是怎样帮助我们的，它对着那些坏人大叫，把他们吓坏了。哦，爸爸，我什么礼物都不要，我只要把蒂米留在身边。我们现在有钱给它修一个狗屋了，我保证它不会打扰你。”
　　“你当然可以把它留下！”昆廷叔叔说。蒂米立刻走进房间，摇着尾巴，它好像听懂了他们说的每一句话。它竟然还舔了一下昆廷叔叔的手！安妮觉得它真勇敢。
　　昆廷叔叔此时好像变了一个人似的。他感觉好像一下卸掉了肩上的重担。现在他们有钱了，乔治可以去好学校读书了，他也能给妻子买一些他一直想买的东西了，他也能继续做他热爱的工作，而不会有养家糊口的压力了。他对着屋里的人笑了一圈，感觉愉快极了！
　　能留下蒂米，乔治万分开心。她搂住爸爸的脖子，拥抱了他，她很久都没这样抱过爸爸了。昆廷叔叔虽然很吃惊，但是却感到很幸福。“好了，好了，”他说，“这样就皆大欢喜了。噢，警察们都到了？”
　　的确是警察到了。他们进来和昆廷叔叔简单地交流了几句，然后一个警察留下来给孩子们做笔录，其他人去找船上岛。
　　可是那些人已经不在岛上了！渔船上下来的那艘小船把他们接走了！现在那艘大渔船和小船都不见了！摩托艇还在那里，破烂不堪。警察们看着破摩托艇，竟然笑了起来。
　　“乔治娜小姐还真是个勇猛的孩子，不是吗？”他说，“她干得漂亮！没人能坐这样的摩托艇逃跑。现在我们要把这艘摩托艇拖回去。”
　　警察们从地牢里拿出了一些金锭给昆廷叔叔看。然后他们把地牢封锁了，等昆廷叔叔准备好了，就可以下去把金锭全部取出来。
　　一切进行得井然有序，可是孩子们却感觉度日如年！他们希望警察立刻就抓住那些坏人，把他们送进监狱，然后把金锭全部拿出来！
　　那天他们都累坏了，因此范妮婶婶让他们去睡觉时，大家都乖乖地听话。他们换好睡衣，两个男孩跑到女孩们的房间吃晚饭。蒂米也在，它等着舔掉在地上的面包渣。
　　“我觉得我们经历了一场奇妙的冒险，”朱利安略显倦意地说，“很遗憾就这样结束了，虽然有的经历我也不喜欢——特别是你和我被关进地牢时，太可怕了。”
　　乔治一口一口地嚼着姜饼，显得非常开心。她朝朱利安笑了笑。
　　“一开始，我竟然还很讨厌你们到我家里来！”她说，“我对你们的态度太恶劣了！现在我要让你们感觉在我家就像在自己家一样！
　　现在让我感到难过的是，你们终究会走的。假期结束，你们肯定就会走的。我才刚刚交了你们这三个朋友，又一起经历了这样的大冒险，你们走了，就又只剩下我一个人了。我以前从来没有感觉到孤单，现在你们要是走了，我一定会感到孤单。”
　　“不，不会的，”安妮突然说，“有一件事，你做了，就不会感到孤单了。”
　　“什么事？”乔治吃惊地说。
　　“你可以让你的爸爸妈妈把你送到我们的寄宿学校去上学，”安妮说，“那个学校特别好，还允许我们养宠物。这样，蒂米也可以去！”
　　“太好了！它真的可以去吗？”乔治说，眼里闪着光芒，“那样的话，我也要去。我一直说我不想去寄宿学校，可是，我现在愿意去，因为跟大家在一起，比我一个人时感觉开心多了。我还能带上蒂米，这简直太棒了！”
　　“孩子们，你们该回自己的房间睡觉了，”范妮婶婶突然出现在门口说，“看迪克，都困得快摔下去了！经历了这样令你们骄傲的冒险，今晚你们一定都能做个好梦。乔治，床底下的是蒂米吗？”
　　“哦，还真是它，妈妈，”乔治假装惊讶地说，“天哪！蒂米，你在这儿干什么？”
　　蒂米从床底下爬出来，朝范妮婶婶走去。然后，它平躺在地上，四脚朝天，用它温柔的褐色眼睛可怜兮兮地看着她。
　　“今天你是想睡在女孩们的房间吗？”范妮婶婶笑着说，“好吧，就这一次！”
　　“妈妈！”乔治惊喜过望，“真的吗，谢谢你，谢谢你，谢谢你！
　　你怎么猜到我今晚不想离开蒂米？哦，我的妈妈！蒂米，你今晚就睡在那边的地毯上。”
　　就这样，四个孩子很快进入了甜蜜的梦乡。奇妙的大冒险虽然画上了圆满的句号，但是他们的假期还很长。昆廷叔叔也有钱了，能给孩子们买礼物了。乔治决定去安妮的学校上学，而且还能一直和蒂米在一起！那座小岛和城堡还是属于乔治的，一切都如此美好！
　　“真高兴没有卖掉科林岛，乔治，”安妮打着哈欠说，“岛还是你的，我真开心。”
　　“这座岛还属于另外三个人，”乔治说，“它属于我，也属于你、朱利安和迪克。与人分享是一件很快乐的事，明天我就起草一份地契之类的，管它叫什么，总之上面写上我们各自拥有四分之一，科林岛和城堡属于我们四个人！”
　　“哦，乔治，你太好了！”安妮开心地说。“哥哥们一定也很开心！我真感到，啊……哈……”
　　小姑娘话还没有说完，就睡着了。乔治也睡着了。隔壁的两个小男孩也睡着了，他们梦见了金锭、地牢和各种刺激的事。
　　只有蒂米还没有睡。它竖着耳朵，听着孩子们的呼吸声。听到她们都睡着了，它从地毯上安静地起来，悄悄地走到乔治的床边。
　　它把前爪搭在床边，嗅了嗅熟睡的乔治，然后它一跃而起跳到了床上，躺在了乔治蜷起的腿边。它舒了口气，闭上了眼睛。孩子们非常开心，但是蒂米是他们中最开心的！
　　“哦， 蒂 米，”乔 治 嘟 囔 着， 迷 迷 糊 糊 地 感 觉 到 蒂 米 上 床了，“哦，蒂米，你不应该，不过你在我身边真好。蒂米，我们以后还要一起冒险，我们五个，好吗？”
　　他们会的，不过那就是另外一个故事了！