Chapter 25 EVERYTHING OKAY
　　It was getting dark as George's boat came into Kirrin Bay. It had seemed a very long pull indeed, andeveryone was tired out. The girls had helped in the rowing when the boys had almost collapsed¹ fromexhaustion, and Timmy had cheered everyone up by his sudden high spirits.
　　'Honestly, his tail hasn't stopped wagging since he got into the boat,' said George. 'He's so pleased tobe himself again!'
　　A small figure was on the beach as they came in, half-lost in the darkness. It was Anne. She calledout to them in a trembling voice.
　　'Is it really you? I've been watching for you all day long! Are you all right?'
　　'Rather! And we've got George and Timmy, too!' shouted back Dick, as the boat scraped on theshingle. 'We're fine!'
　　They jumped out, Timmy too, and hauled the boat up the beach. Anne gave a hand, almost cryingwith joy to have them all again.
　　'It's bad enough being in the middle of an adventure,' she said, 'but it's much, much worse whenyou're left out. I'll never be left out again!'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy, wagging his tail in full agreement. He never wanted to be left out of adventureseither!
　　They all went home - rather slowly, because they were so tired. Joan was on the look-out for them, asshe had been all day. She screamed for joy when she saw George. 'George! You've got George atlast! Oh, you bad children, you've been away all day and I didn't know where and I've been worriedto death. George, are you all right?'
　　'Yes, thank you,' said George, who felt as if she was about to fall asleep at any moment. 'I just wantsomething to eat before I fall absolutely sound asleep!'
　　'But where have you been all day? What have you been doing?' cried Joan, as she bustled² off to getthem a meal.
　　'I got so worked up I went to the police - and what a silly I felt - I couldn't tell them where you'd goneor anything. All I could say was you'd gone to find a man called Red, and had rowed away inGeorge's boat!'
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　　'The police have been up and down the coast in a motor-boat ever since,' said Anne. 'Trying to spotyou, but they couldn't.'
　　'No. Our boat was well hidden,' said Dick. 'And so were we! So well hidden that I began to thinkwe'd stay hidden for the rest of our lives.'
　　The telephone bell rang. Julian jumped. 'Oh, good - you've had the telephone mended. I'll go andphone the police when you've answered this call, Joan.'
　　But it was the police themselves on the telephone, very pleased to hear Joan saying excitedly that allthe children were back safely. 'We'll be up in ten minutes,' they said.

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