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 wreck1, 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 racing2 through her mind.
Then she turned to Julian.
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"If only the wreck is still mine now it's thrown up like this!" she said. "I don't know if wrecks3 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 thoroughly4 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 wade5 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 divers6 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 scampering7 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 vowed8 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 awfully9 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."
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It wasn't long before all four were sitting down to a good tea. Aunt Fanny had baked new scones10 forthem, and had made a ginger11 cake with black treacle12. 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 bruises13. What did the seathrow up, dear?"
"It threw up the most enormous waves," said Anne, looking defiantly14 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 perfectly15 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.
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"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 steadily16, 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!
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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wrecks
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| n.沉船( wreck的名词复数 )；（事故中）遭严重毁坏的汽车（或飞机等）；（身体或精神上）受到严重损伤的人；状况非常糟糕的车辆（或建筑物等）v.毁坏[毁灭]某物( wreck的第三人称单数 )；使（船舶）失事，使遇难，使下沉 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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wade
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| v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉 | |
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divers
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| adj.不同的；种种的 | |
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scampering
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| v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的现在分词 ) | |
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vowed
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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scones
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| n.烤饼，烤小圆面包( scone的名词复数 ) | |
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ginger
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| n.姜，精力，淡赤黄色；adj.淡赤黄色的；vt.使活泼，使有生气 | |
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treacle
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| n.糖蜜 | |
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bruises
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| n.瘀伤，伤痕，擦伤( bruise的名词复数 ) | |
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defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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