Chapter 18 BACK IN THE LIGHT-HOUSE - AND AN EXCITING TALK!
Old Jeremiah was as excited as the others, but he said very little. He was angry to think that Ebenezershould have been there to see the find. He didn't trust that Ebby - nor that Jacob either! They'd beferreting after that treasure as sure as nuts were nuts, and monkeys were monkeys! Ha - wouldn't theylike to know where it was! He stumped¹ on, up the old tunnels, thinking hard, and at last they cameout into the welcome daylight again!
'Here, Jeremiah - buy yourself some more baccy,' said Julian, putting twenty pence into the old man'shand. 'And don't count too much on that treasure! I expect it's just an odd coin that Mischief² found ina dry corner somewhere!'
'Thank you, young sir,' said the old man. 'I'm not wanting the treasure myself - I'm just hoping thatEbby and Jacob don't find it. They'll be hunting all the time for it now!'
They were glad to be out in the open again. The sun had gone now, and the wind had whipped up. Itwas raining hard.
'I say - we'd better buck³ up, else we shan't be able to walk back to the light-house over the rocks!' saidJulian, worried. But fortunately the wind was against the tide and they just had time to wade⁴ over tothe light-house steps.
'There's our little boat bobbing-about,' said Tinker. 'And hark - I can hear old Timmy barking!
He's heard us coming!'
So he had. He had been lying on the door-mat, his ears glued to the crack under the door, listening,listening. Nobody had come near the light-house and not a sound did old Timmy hear but the windand the sea, and a few gulls⁶ gliding⁷ by.
'We're back, Timmy!' yelled George, and she pushed at the door. It opened, and Timmy leapt out,almost knocking her over. Mischief sprang on to the dog's back, and chattered⁸ at him withoutstopping.
'He's telling him about the gold coin he found,' said Tinker, with a laugh. 'Oh, I wish you'd been withus, Timmy. It was grand!'
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'It feels as if we've been away for ages,' said George. 'But it isn't very late after all - unless my watchis slow! I'm hungry. Let's have something to eat and talk about everything - and what we're going todo!'

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