12
　　A treat – and a surprise for Joe
　　Bill Smugs proved to be a fine friend. He was a jolly fellow, always readyfor a joke, patient with Kiki, and even more patient with Philip’s ever?changing collection of strange pets. He did not even say anything whenPhilip’s latest possession, an extra large spider, ran up the leg of his shorts.
　　He merely put his hand up, took hold of the wriggling¹ spider, and depositedit on Philip’s knee.
　　Dinah, of course, was nearly in hysterics, but mercifully the spiderdecided that captivity² was boring, ran into a rock crevice³ and disappeared.
　　The children visited Bill Smugs nearly every day. They went fishing inhis boat and brought home marvellous catches that made Joe’s mouth fallopen in amazement⁴. Bill showed them how to sail the boat too, and soon thefour children could manage it perfectly⁵ well themselves. It was great funsailing about in a good strong breeze.
　　‘Almost as fast as a motor-boat,’ said Philip in glee. ‘Bill, I am glad wefound you.’
　　To Jack⁶’s disappointment Bill Smugs did not seem to want to talkendlessly about birds, nor did he want to go off with Jack and watch thebirds on the cliffs or on the sea. He was quite willing to listen to Jack ravingabout birds, though, and produced many fine new bird books for him, whichhe said Jack could keep for himself.
　　‘But they’re new,’ protested Jack. ‘Look, the pages of this one haven’teven been cut – you’ve not read them yourself, sir. You read them first.’
　　‘No, you can have them,’ said Bill Smugs, lighting⁷ his cigarette. ‘There’sa bit about the Great Auk in one of them. I’m afraid we shall never find thatbird after all. No one has seen it for about a hundred years.’
　　‘It might be on the

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