Chapter Three OFF TO KIRRIN ISLAND
　　NEXT day was fine and warm.
　　'We can go across to the island this morning,' said Aunt Fanny. 'We'll take our own food, becauseI'm sure Uncle Quentin will have forgotten we're coming.'
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　　'Has he a boat there!' asked George. 'Mother – He hasn't taken my boat, has he?'
　　'No, dear,' said her mother. 'He's got another boat. I was afraid he would never be able to get it inand out of all those dangerous rocks round the island, but he got one of the fishermen to takehim, and had his own boat towed behind, with all its stuff in.'
　　'Who built the tower?' asked Julian.
　　'Oh, he made out the plans himself, and some men were sent down from the Ministry¹ ofResearch to put the tower up for him,' said Aunt Fanny. 'It was all rather hush-hush really. Thepeople here were most curious about it, but they don't know any more than I do! No local manhelped in the building, but one or two fishermen were hired to take the material to the island, andto land the men and soon.'
　　'It's all very mysterious,' said Julian. 'Uncle Quentin leads rather an exciting life, really, doesn'the? I wouldn't mind being a scientist myself. I want to be something really worthwhile when Igrow up. I'm not just going into somebody's office. I'm going to be on my own.'
　　'I think I shall be a doctor,' said Dick.
　　'Off to get my boat,' said George, rather bored with this talk. She knew what she was going to dowhen she was grown-up - live on Kirrin Island with Timmy!
　　Aunt Fanny had got ready plenty of food to take across to the island. She was quite lookingforward to the trip. She had not seen her husband for some days and was anxious to know that hewas all right.
　　They all went down to the beach, Julian carrying the bag of food. George was already there withher boat. James, a fisher-boy friend of George's, was there too, ready to push the boat out forthem.
　　He grinned at the children. He knew them all the old days he had looked after Timmy for Georgewhen her father had said the dog must be given away. George had never forgotten James'skindness to Timmy, and always went to see him every holidays.
　　'Going off to the island?' said James. 'That's a queer sort of thing in the middle of it, isn't it? Kindof lighthouse, it looks. Take my hand, Miss, and let me help you in.'
　　Anne took his hand and jumped into the boat. George was already there with Timmy. Soon theywere all in. Julian and George took the oars². James gave them a shove and off they went on thecalm, clear water. Anne could see every stone on the bottom! Julian and George rowed strongly.

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