The Adventurous Four. Страница 26

"Let me see your tent," said the man. Andy's heart sank. It would be too bad if the raft was found just as it was finished. He took the man to the tent in silence.

The man looked inside. He saw the box in the middle covered with a rug. "What's that?" he asked.

"It's the box of food the man brought us the other day," said Andy, and he pulled off the rug. The man saw at once that it way only a box of food and he nodded. He did not go inside the tent, luckily, or his nailed boot might have gone through the heathery covering and struck against the wooden raft below. Then he would certainly have pulled aside the heather and seen the children's secret.

Jill and Mary watched, very pale and scared. Tom sat nearby and whistled. The man still stood looking into the tent, and all the children felt very anxious indeed—and then a great seaplane roared over the island, making a terrific noise.

"Look! Look!" yelled Tom, jumping up. "Isn't it a big one!"

The man looked up, at Tom's yell, and followed the seaplane with his eyes. "I must go," he said, and he went down the beach to the boat. "I will send men to put you up a rough hut for the winter. Be sensible children and you will be looked after—but if not, you will be,very sorry for yourselves."

The children were very thankful indeed when they saw the boat go off over the water. They heaved deep sighs of relief and looked at one another.

"Thank goodness, that seaplane came when it did and Tom let out that yell," said Jill. "It just took the man's attention away! I really thought he was going to go inside the tent and look at everything!"

"Well, I think we're safe to make our escape soon now," said Andy. "I don't expect any men will be sent for a while. We'll drag the raft down to the shore early to-morrow morning, and I'll set up the mast and rig the sail as best I can. Then Tom and I will start off."

The girls said nothing. They did not like being left alone on the island—and yet they knew that Andy was right, Somehow he must get home and tell the people there the secrets they had discovered. The raft would not really take four—and the girls were not strong enough to stand days and nights of tossing about on the sea.

"Well, Andy, it's very important that you should get back and tell the secret of these islands," said Jill at last. "So, for the sake of our country, Mary and I will stay behind here without any fuss and do the best we can, whilst you and Tom set off for home. But do rescue us as soon as possible!"

"Of course we shall," said Andy, glad to see that the girls were going to be brave and not male any fuss. "You are good sports, you two girls—I really do feel proud of you both—don't you, Tom?"

"Very proud," said Tom. And the girls went red with pleasure.

"We'll wish you luck to-morrow!" said Jill. "Oh, how I hope you'll soon get back home, Andy! Mary and I will watch every day till you come back."

They all went to bed early that night, for to-morrow was to be an important day! They did not sleep very well, for they were too excited.

And in the morning, early, they took down their tent, dragged off the heather that covered the raft, and tied ropes to it, to pull it down to the beach.

"Now we're off on another adventure!" said Andy, dragging the raft. "Heave-ho! Heave-ho! Down to the sea we go!"

Chapter 22

Away on the Sea

The raft was dragged right down to the sea. In the middle of it Andy fixed the post that was to be the mast. He rigged up the old sail very cleverly. The box of food was firm below the mast—they had enough to last them for some days. They took a big tin of water with them too, but expected to use the juice of the tins of fruit to quench their thirst after they had drunk all the water.

Andy had made two rough paddles to help the boat along and to guide it. The girls handed the boys the two warmest rugs to wrap themselves in at night, though Andy said they wouldn't be any use—they would get wet with the very first wave that splashed over the raft! But to please the girls he took the rugs.

"Andy, you can dry them in the sun in the daytime," said Jill, "and you might be glad of them. Mary and I have got plenty here."

The raft was ready to float off at last. The boys gave the girls a hug and said good-bye.

"Now don't worry," said Andy, jumping on to the raft. "You won't hear for days and days, because we've got to get back home, and then tell our tale and then ships have got to find their way here. So you'll have to wait a long time."

"What shall we say if the enemy want to know where you are?" asked Jill anxiously.

"Just say we have disappeared," said Andy. "And if you like to do another bit of pretending and make a fuss—well, do it!"

"All right," said Jill. "Anyway, you may be quite sure we shan't tell them you've gone off on a raft»

"No—we don't want their seaplanes hunting the sea for us!" said Andy, letting the sail unfurl. "Now—good-bye, Jill! Good-bye, Mary! See you soon!"

"Good-bye, Andy! Good-bye, Tom!" cried the girls, trying to smile cheerfully, though they felt very miserable and lonely to see the boys setting off together. "Good luck!"

Tom pushed out the raft and jumped up on it. He took a paddle and guided it. Andy let the sail billow out. The wind caught it and the little raft leapt along over the waves like a live thing f

"I say! It can get along, can't it!" cried Jill, jumping up and down in excitement. "Look how it bobs over the waves!"

The boys waved wildly to the girls. Little waves splashed over the deck of the raft and wetted the boys' legs. If they ran into a stormy sea they would soon be wet through—but at the moment they cared nothing for what might happen! They were very excited and very anxious to guide their little raft on the right course.

The sail flapped and billowed finely. Andy had rigged it most cleverly, and the wind shot the little craft along swiftly.

"It's going nearly as fast as the ship!" said Tom in delight.

"No—it isn't really," said Andy.-shaking his head. "No raft could ever equal a boat for speed—it's so clumsy and heavy. But I must say our raft isn't bad! Look out—there's a fat wave coming!"

The raft sailed into the wave—slap! It drenched Tom, and he laughed and shook himself like a dog. The sun was out and the boy's clothes soon dried.

The boys looked back at the shore of their island, which now seemed far away. They could just make out the two girls, who had now climbed to the top Of the cliff and were standing there, watching the raft out of sight.

"I hope Jill and Mary will be all right," said Tom. "Poor kids—it was awful having to leave them alone."

"Yes," said Andy. "But it was the only thing to be done. We've happened on very big things, Tom—and so we've got to be big enough and brave enough to meet them."

"Well—I'm not afraid," said Tom stoutly. "And as for you, Andy, I really don't believe anything in the world would frighten you!"

"Oh yes, it would," said Andy. "But I'd not show I was frightened! Look, Tom—you can see all the islands now!"

The boys stood on the raft, holding on to the mast and looked back on the cluster of islands. They lay in the sea together, and looked very small now that the boys were so far off. They could no longer see the girls. And soon even the islands too woukl disappear—then the boys would be quite alone on the wide sea.

"Do you really know which way to go, Andy?" said Tom.

"More or less," said Andy. "I can guide the raft by the sun in the day-time, and by the stars at night. It's a good thing for us that the wind is just in the right direction. I hope it lasts. It's easy enough now—but if the wind changes, things will be very difficult!"

Now the boys could no longer see any land at all. They were alone on the wide green sea. Below them the water was very, very deep. The sea was not rough, but a little choppy, and the raft bobbed like a cork over the waves. Every now and again a wave hopped over the side and wetted the deck of the raft. The boys got used to this and didn't even move when a wave reared its head to run across the raft.