Chapter Eleven GEORGE MAKES A HARD CHOICE
　　THERE was a horrified¹ silence. George stared at her father in complete dismay. Everyone waitedto see what she would say.
　　'But Father Timmy and I have never been separated once,' she said at last, in a pleading voice. 'Ido see you want him to guard you and you can have him but I'll have to stay here too!'
　　'Oh no!' said her father at once. 'You can't possibly stay, George. That's out of the question. Asfor never being separated from Timmy, well surely you wouldn't mind that for once? If it was toensure my safety?'
　　George swallowed hard. This was the most difficult decision she had ever had to make in herlife. Leave Timmy behind on the island where there was some unknown hidden enemy, likely toharm him if he possibly could! And yet there was Father too he might be in danger if there wasno one to guard him.
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　　'I shall just have to stay here, Father,' she said. 'I can't leave Timmy behind unless I stay too. It'sno good.'
　　Her father began to lose his temper. He was like George he wanted his own way, and if he didn'thave it he was going to make a fuss!
　　'If I'd asked Julian or Dick or Anne this same thing, and they'd had a dog, they would all havesaid yes, at once!' he raged. 'But you, George, you must always make things difficult if you can!
　　You and that dog anyone would think he was worth a thousand pounds!'
　　'He's worth much more than that to me,' said George, in a trembling voice. Timmy crept nearer toher and pushed his nose into her hand. She held his collar as if she would not let him go for amoment.
　　'Yes. That dog's worth more to you than your father or mother or anyone,' said her father, indisgust.
　　'No, Quentin, I can't have you saying things like that,' said his wife, firmly. 'That's just silly. Amother and father are quite different from a dog - they're loved in different ways. But you areperfectly right, of course -Timmy must stay behind with you and I shall certainly not allowGeorge to stay with him. I'm not going to have both of you exposed to danger. It's bad enough toworry about you, as it is.'
　　George looked at her mother in dismay. 'Mother! Do tell Father I must stay here with Timmy.'
　　'Certainly not,' said her mother. 'Now George, be unselfish. If it were left to Tim to decide, youknow perfectly² well that he would stay here - and stay without you. He would say to himself,"I'm needed here my eyes are needed to spy out enemies, my ears to hear a quiet footfall andmaybe my teeth to protect my master. I shall be parted from George for a few days - but she, likeme, is big enough to put up with that!" That's what Timmy would say, George, if it were left tohim.'

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