Chapter Fifteen IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
　　GEORGE did not moan any more about her worries. She went about with an anxious look in herblue eyes, but she had the sense not to 'tell her mother how worried she was at not seeing Timmyin the glass room, when her father signalled.
　　She mentioned it, of course, but her mother took the same view as Julian did. 'There! I knew he'dforget to take Timmy up! He's so very forgetful when he's at work.' The children decided¹ to go tothe quarry² that afternoon and explore the tunnel under the shelf of rock. So they set off after theirlunch. But when they came to the quarry, they did not dare to climb down the steep sides. Theheavy rain of the day before had made them far too dangerous.
　　'Look,' said Julian, pointing to' where the bushes and smaller plants were ripped up and crushed.
　　'I bet that's where old Martin fell down yesterday! He might have broken his neck!'
　　'Yes. I vote we don't attempt to go down till it's as dry as it was the other day,' said Dick.
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　　It was disappointing. They had brought torches, and a rope; and had looked forward to a littleexcitement.
　　'Well, what shall we do?' asked Julian.
　　'I'm going back home,' said George, unexpectedly. 'I'm tired. You others go for a walk.'
　　Anne looked at George. She did seem rather pale. 'I'll come back with you, George,' said Anne,slipping her hand through her cousin's arm. But George shook it off.
　　'No thanks, Anne, I want to be alone?
　　'Well - we'll go over the cliff then,' said Julian. 'It'll be nice and blowy up there, See you later,George!'
　　They went off. George turned and sped back to Kirrin cottage. Her mother was out. Joanna wasupstairs in her bedroom. George went to the larder³ and took several things from it. She bundledthem into a bag and then fled out of the house.
　　She found James the fisher-boy. 'James! You're not to tell a soul. I'm going over to Kirrin Islandtonight because I'm worried about Timmy. We left him there. Have my boat ready at ten o'clock.'
　　James was always ready to do anything in the world for George. He nodded and asked noquestions at all.
　　'Right, Miss. It'll be ready. Anything you want put in it?'
　　'Yes, this bag,' said George. 'Now don't split, on me, James. I'll be back tomorrow if I find Tim'sall right?
　　She fled back to the house. She hoped Joanna would not notice the things she had taken from thelarder shelf. 'I can't help it if what I'm doing is wrong,' she kept whispering to herself. 'I knowsomething isn't right with Timmy. And I'm not at all sure about Father, either. He wouldn't haveforgotten his solemn promise to me about taking Timmy up with him. I'll have to go across to theisland. I can't help it if it's wrong!'

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