13
　　What happened in the night?
　　The next morning everything seemed all right. The children had forgotten their fears of the nightbefore, and Bill joked and laughed as merrily as the others.
　　But all the same he was worried – and when an aeroplane appeared and flew two or three timesover the islands, he made the children lie down flat, in the middle of the puffin colony, where theyhappened to be at that moment.
　　‘I don’t think our tents can be seen,’ he said. ‘I hope not, anyway.’
　　‘Don’t want anyone to know we’re here, Bill?’ asked Jack¹.
　　‘No,’ said Bill shortly. ‘Not at present, anyway. If you hear a plane, bob down. And we won’tlight a fire to boil a kettle. We’ll have ginger-beer or lemonade instead.’
　　The day passed happily enough. It was very hot again and the children went to bathe half adozen times, lying in the sun to dry afterwards. Kiki was jealous of Huffin and Puffin because theycould go into the water with the children. She stood on the sandy beach, her toes sinking in,shouting loudly.
　　‘Polly’s got a cold, send for the doctor! A-tish-ooooo!’
　　‘Isn’t she an idiot?’ said Jack, and splashed her. She was most annoyed and walked a bit fartherback. ‘Poor Kiki! What a pity! Poor pity, what a Kiki!’
　　‘Yes, what a Kiki!’ shouted Jack, and dived under the water to catch Bill’s legs.
　　They took a good many photographs, and Huffin and Puffin posed beautifully, staring straight atthe camera in a most solemn manner.
　　‘I almost feel they’ll suddenly put their arms round one another,’ said Jack, as he clicked thecamera. ‘Thank you, Huffin and Puffin. Very nice indeed! But I wish you’d smile next time. Kiki,get out of the way – and leave that tent peg² alone. You’ve already pulled up three.’
　　That night the sky was full of clouds and the sun could not be seen. ‘Looks as if that stormmight be coming soon,’ said Bill. ‘I wonder if our tents will be all right.’
　　‘Well, there’s nowhere else to go,’ said Jack. ‘Sleepy Hollow is about the most sheltered placeon this island. And, as far as I’ve seen, there are no caves or anything of that sort.’
　　‘Perhaps the storm will blow over,’ said Philip. ‘Phew, it’s hot! I really think I must have onelast bathe.’
　　‘You’ve had eight already today,’ said Dinah. ‘I counted.’

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