Chapter Three A QUEER STORY — AND A NEW FRIEND
　　The three children stared at George in the greatest surprise.
　　George stared back at them.
　　"What do you mean?" said Dick, at last. "Kirrin Island can't belong to you. You're just boasting.""No, I'm not," said George. "You ask Mother. If you're not going to believe what I say I won't tellyou another word more. But I don't tell untruths. I think it's being a coward if you don't tell the truth— and I'm not a coward."
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　　Julian remembered that Aunt Fanny had said that George was absolutely truthful¹, and he scratchedhis head and looked at George again. How could she be possibly telling the truth?
　　"Well, of course we'll believe you if you tell us the truth," he said. "But it does sound a bitextraordinary, you know. Really it does. Children don't usually own islands, even funny little oneslike that."
　　"It isn't a funny little island," said George, fiercely. "It's lovely. There are rabbits there, as tame as canbe— and the big cormorants² sit on the other side— and all kinds of gulls³ go there. The castle iswonderful too, even if it is all in ruins.""It sounds fine," said Dick. "How does it belong to you, Georgina?"George glared at him and didn't answer.
　　"Sorry," said Dick, hastily. "I didn't mean to call you Georgina. I meant to call you George.""Go on, George— tell us how the island belongs to you," said Julian, slipping his arm through hissulky little cousin's.
　　She pulled away from him at once.
　　"Don't do that," she said. "I'm not sure that I want to make friends with you yet.""All right, all right," said Julian, losing patience. "Be enemies or anything you like. We don't care.
　　But we like your mother awfully⁴, and we don't want her to think we won't make friends with you.""Do you like my mother?" said George, her bright blue eyes softening⁵ a little. "Yes— she's a dear,isn't she? Well— all right— I'll tell you how Kirrin Castle belongs to me. Come and sit down here inthis corner where nobody can hear us."

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