Chapter 12 VERY SUSPICIOUS
The children, with the two dogs barking excitedly, ran to the other, seaward side of the island.
Great rocks lay out there, and the sea splashed over them.
'There it is - a motor-boat!' cried Dick. They all stood and watched the boat riding over the sea at avery fast speed.
'Where are the glasses - did we bring them with us?' said Julian. 'I'd like to focus them on the boatand see if I can read the name - or even see the men in it!'
But the glasses had been left behind at Kirrin Cottage - what a pity!
'They must have anchored their motor-boat out there, and somehow clambered inshore over therocks,' said George. 'It's a dangerous thing to do if you don't know the best way.'
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'Yes - and if they came last night, as I think they must have done, because I'm sure now it was theengine of the motor-boat that I heard,' said Anne, 'if they came last night, they must have clamberedto the shore in the dark. I wonder they managed it!'
'It must have been the light of a lantern or a torch you saw on the island in the night,' said Julian.
'They probably didn't want to be seen arriving on the island, and that's why they went to the otherside, the seaward side. I wonder if they were men spying to find out if Berta is with us or not.'
'Let's snoop around a bit more and see if we can find anything else,' said Anne. 'The motor-boat isalmost out of sight now.'
They went back to the other side of the island. Berta looked with awe¹ at the old ruined castle in themiddle. Jackdaws circled round a tower, calling loudly. 'Chack-chack-chack!'
'Once upon a time my castle had strong walls all round it,' said George. 'And there were two greattowers. One's almost in ruins, as you can see, but the other is fairly good. Come right into the castle.'
Berta followed the others in, struck dumb with awe. To think that this island, and this wonderful oldruined castle, belonged to George! How very, very lucky she was!
She went through a great doorway², and found herself in a dark room, with stone walls enclosing it.
Two narrow, slit-like windows brought in all the light there was.
'It's strange and old and mysterious,' said Berta, half to herself. 'It's asleep and dreaming of the olddays when people lived here. It doesn't like us being here!'
'Wake up!' said Dick. 'You look quite dopey!' Berta shook herself and looked round again. Then shewent on through the castle and looked at other rooms, some without roofs, some without one or twoof their walls.
'It's a honey of a castle!' she said to George. 'A real honey. Wunnerful. WonDERful.'
They wandered all round, showing the awe-struck Berta everything. 'We'll show you the dungeonstoo,' said George, very pleased to be impressing Berta so much.

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