(no subject)
Chapter Nine
Nicola Buys Some Matches
It didn't take Peter long to show George that he could handle a boat. Alf, the fisher boy, had brought the Saucy Jane down to the water and tied it next to George's dinghy, both of them good, seaworthy little boats, well looked after. Alf's was painted in serviceable brown while George had chosen more cheerful reds and blacks with a broad yellow stripe running all round it.
"That's so Mother can see me if she's having an anxious fit," George explained. "I don't like it much but Mother insisted."
"I like it," said Anne. "It always reminds me of a beetle."
The others laughed. George's boat did look remarkably like a floating beetle bobbing about on the waves. Anne was right!
"Let's get everything stowed in," said Julian. "Or we'll have hardly any time on the island before we have to come back again. Gosh, these food baskets are a weight! Feels like Joanna has packed the entire contents of the larder."
"Well, they'll be nice and light on the way back," said Dick. "I suppose this one is Timmy's picnic, George? What's in it?"
"Oh, some biscuits and bones," said George. "And the butcher left some lights for him - but I didn't have time to cook them so don't open that basket, Dick, they're a bit smelly."
"Honestly, George, old thing, does Tim actually need all this?" Dick said. "We don't want him to sink the boat on the way back."
"Don't be mean," said George instantly. "You're more likely to sink the boat the amount you eat."
"You spoil that dog," Dick said with a grin. "He'll be too fat to run soon!"
"Timmy is not fat!"
" Then he'll just lie about panting all day like some over indulged lap dog. Poor old Tim! No more adventures! No more games!"
George gave Dick a well aimed punch which he was too late to duck and Julian said impatiently:
"Oh, come on you two! Now have we got everything? Food, drink, macs, primus, matches? Matches - who remembered the matches?"
"Blow," said George. "I meant to get some when I was doing Timmy's basket and I forgot. Blow."
"I'll run back for them," said Nicola obligingly.
"One of us boys ought to go - " began Julian.
"Nick's really fast," said Lawrie helpfully.
"Be quicker to buy some from the shop, wouldn't it?" said Nicola. "I've got some money. I won't be long."
She sped up the beach as fast as her gum boots and heavy jacket would allow, glad to be on her own for the few minutes it would take to buy the matches and run back down again.
The tobacconist was at the far end of the village street opposite the Seal's Head. There were two or three people in front of her to slow things up and then Mrs Banks, who ran the shop, was intensely interested in the visitors at Kirrin Cottage and had many questions to ask. By the time Nicola had finished being polite and had bought her matches she was inwardly seething with well controlled impatience and she almost ran out of the shop.
She was brought to a skidding halt by the sight of the Sinister Stranger who was standing outside the Seal's Head staring in the opposite direction and smoking a cigarette. No, Nicola thought as she identified the characteristic smell wafting gently in the still air. A cigar. Quite a strong one, too. He was wearing the navy blue trench coat and the dark glasses and the cigar added to his foreign appearance. She was about to walk past him when she saw Rodney Stone hurrying along the road, his eyes fixed on the Sinister Stranger. She ducked into the tucked in entrance of the tobacconist but she was too late.
"Hello, there! Now, is it Nicola or is it Lawrie? I'm not good at twin detecting so early in the morning!"
"Nicola," she said. "Hello
"What a coincidence seeing you here. I was on the phone to your uncle a short while ago and I'm calling in later to meet him."
Nicola was facing the Sinister Stranger and Rodney Stone had his back to him. Nicola was quite sure that he was listening intently to this exchange.
"I know," she said, making an effort to speak politely. "This afternoon, isn't it?"
"Yes," he said with his friendly smile. "Will you be there? You and the rest of your cousins?"
"If we're back in time."
"And where are you all off to?"
Something warned Nicola not to give away too much information. And it was none of his business anyway. She glanced again at the Sinister Stranger who was holding his cigar very still, not even, she thought, trying to hide his interest in their conversation.
"Oh, just exploring a bit."
"And how I envy you! A lovely bright day like today and not a care in the world. I often wish I was your sort of age again."
"Do you?" said Nicola, disliking him more and more. She jiggled the matches in her pocket and said, "Actually the others are waiting so … "
"Of course! Mustn't hold you up - have a lovely day exploring, won't you?"
She bid him goodbye and began to jog down the street towards the beach glancing behind her to check for traffic before she crossed the road. Rodney Stone had crossed the road too and had almost drawn level with the Sinister Stranger. She expected them to greet one another but Rodney Stone went straight into the Seal's Head without any acknowledgement of the other man. Nicola paused and took her time crossing the road, watching curiously. After a few seconds the Sinister Stranger dropped his half smoked cigar on the ground and stepped on it. Then he, too, went into the Guest House.
"Now there's a thing," she muttered under her breath and wasted no time at all in racing back down the village street to find the others.
She forgot about this odd encounter during the day in the excitement of pushing off from the shore, persuading George to let her take one of the oars - and earning her grudging respect for her competency - and the sheer enjoyment of the bright, windless morning making the scarcely moving waves sparkle and glitter where they caught the edge of the sun.
"You are lucky living in a place like this with your own island whenever you feel like rowing out here!" Nicola said to George. "I suppose in the summer you can come and camp out if you want to."
"We do come and camp," said George who couldn't help but warm to Nicola's enthusiasm. "And the best thing is knowing no-one else can get on to the island without us seeing. Look, we're getting near the rocks. Give me your oar, we'll just let the others catch up."
"Looks like they're having a bit of trouble," observed Lawrie from her vantage point in the stern of the little dinghy. "They're miles behind."
"It's all that arguing about taking turns," Anne said, pulling the rug more firmly round her legs. "I'm so glad I'm not a boy and have to prove things all the time. Aren't you, Lawrie?"
Lawrie had never given this particular gender issue a thought.
"You ought to come and live in our family for a bit," she said. "You constantly have to stand up for yourself or get trodden all over. And not just by brothers. If you had sisters like Ginty and Rowan you'd know exactly what it's like."
It was news to Nicola that Lawrie ever stood up for herself and she sent Lawrie a very sisterly look indeed.
"I don't know if I'd like to have a sister," said Anne thoughtfully. "A younger one, perhaps but I don't think I'd like being bossed about by a girl. My brothers are bad enough!"
"I'd hate to have a sister," said George very decisively, her blue eyes flashing. "I can't think of anything worse."
"I suppose it's what you're used to," Nicola said peaceably. "Look, they're quite close now. Close enough to follow you, d'you think?"
The water was clear and clean. As George guided her boat skilfully towards the island with Peter following her very precisely behind, Lawrie gasped at the dark menacing rocks, some just below the surface, others rising above them.
"I can't believe you don't go crashing into them," she said frankly. "Supposing you did?"
"Then I'd get a whacking hole in the side of the boat."
"And then what?"
"The water would come in and we'd all drown, of course," said George impatiently. "Can you shut up asking stupid questions, d'you think, while I concentrate?"
Lawrie subsided. Anne gave her a sympathetic nudge.
"It's all right," she said kindly. "George never makes a mistake. Although it is frightening. I was terrified the first few times so I know how you feel."
"I'm not terrified," said Lawrie. "Just amazed. I'd never be able to do this in a hundred years. Are you all right, Nick? You look a bit green."
"Fine," said Nicola through gritted teeth. She had had every hope that the calmness of the water and her concentration on the rowing would keep her seasickness at bay. After all it wasn't that far. But the change to a choppy, bobbing motion as George steered the boat in was threatening to overtake her. To be sick now would be … Her stomach heaved and she used every ounce of will power to keep it in check but it was no good. Most of her breakfast began, with urgent thoroughness to force its way up and out and she leant over the side as far as possible in an effort to be as neat as possible about the whole grisly business.
"Thanks!" Peter shouted cheerfully. "Wonderful aim - just what I want to paddle through! So thoughtful!"
"Oh, dear," said Anne moving a little away from her. "We didn't realise you felt sick. You should have said."
Said what exactly?, Nicola thought, searching for her handkerchief.. Stop the boat, I have to get off? George, who'd barely glanced up from her rowing said:
"Wasn't Nelson always seasick?"
Nicola, wetting her hanky to rinse icy salt water over her face, was both surprised and pleased. Of all of them she would have expected George to be the least sympathetic. Part of the embarrassment of it all was the idea of meeting the outright scorn in George's fearless countenance. George would, she had been sure, think that being seasick was feeble beyond anything.
"Yes," she said, as matter of factly as George. "He was."
They were through the rocks now and, with Peter and his crew still close behind, the boat was running into a sandy cove.
"We're here!" said George unable to keep the excitement out of her voice. "Well done Peter! You did it! We're here! Welcome to Kirrin Island everyone!"
Nicola Buys Some Matches
It didn't take Peter long to show George that he could handle a boat. Alf, the fisher boy, had brought the Saucy Jane down to the water and tied it next to George's dinghy, both of them good, seaworthy little boats, well looked after. Alf's was painted in serviceable brown while George had chosen more cheerful reds and blacks with a broad yellow stripe running all round it.
"That's so Mother can see me if she's having an anxious fit," George explained. "I don't like it much but Mother insisted."
"I like it," said Anne. "It always reminds me of a beetle."
The others laughed. George's boat did look remarkably like a floating beetle bobbing about on the waves. Anne was right!
"Let's get everything stowed in," said Julian. "Or we'll have hardly any time on the island before we have to come back again. Gosh, these food baskets are a weight! Feels like Joanna has packed the entire contents of the larder."
"Well, they'll be nice and light on the way back," said Dick. "I suppose this one is Timmy's picnic, George? What's in it?"
"Oh, some biscuits and bones," said George. "And the butcher left some lights for him - but I didn't have time to cook them so don't open that basket, Dick, they're a bit smelly."
"Honestly, George, old thing, does Tim actually need all this?" Dick said. "We don't want him to sink the boat on the way back."
"Don't be mean," said George instantly. "You're more likely to sink the boat the amount you eat."
"You spoil that dog," Dick said with a grin. "He'll be too fat to run soon!"
"Timmy is not fat!"
" Then he'll just lie about panting all day like some over indulged lap dog. Poor old Tim! No more adventures! No more games!"
George gave Dick a well aimed punch which he was too late to duck and Julian said impatiently:
"Oh, come on you two! Now have we got everything? Food, drink, macs, primus, matches? Matches - who remembered the matches?"
"Blow," said George. "I meant to get some when I was doing Timmy's basket and I forgot. Blow."
"I'll run back for them," said Nicola obligingly.
"One of us boys ought to go - " began Julian.
"Nick's really fast," said Lawrie helpfully.
"Be quicker to buy some from the shop, wouldn't it?" said Nicola. "I've got some money. I won't be long."
She sped up the beach as fast as her gum boots and heavy jacket would allow, glad to be on her own for the few minutes it would take to buy the matches and run back down again.
The tobacconist was at the far end of the village street opposite the Seal's Head. There were two or three people in front of her to slow things up and then Mrs Banks, who ran the shop, was intensely interested in the visitors at Kirrin Cottage and had many questions to ask. By the time Nicola had finished being polite and had bought her matches she was inwardly seething with well controlled impatience and she almost ran out of the shop.
She was brought to a skidding halt by the sight of the Sinister Stranger who was standing outside the Seal's Head staring in the opposite direction and smoking a cigarette. No, Nicola thought as she identified the characteristic smell wafting gently in the still air. A cigar. Quite a strong one, too. He was wearing the navy blue trench coat and the dark glasses and the cigar added to his foreign appearance. She was about to walk past him when she saw Rodney Stone hurrying along the road, his eyes fixed on the Sinister Stranger. She ducked into the tucked in entrance of the tobacconist but she was too late.
"Hello, there! Now, is it Nicola or is it Lawrie? I'm not good at twin detecting so early in the morning!"
"Nicola," she said. "Hello
"What a coincidence seeing you here. I was on the phone to your uncle a short while ago and I'm calling in later to meet him."
Nicola was facing the Sinister Stranger and Rodney Stone had his back to him. Nicola was quite sure that he was listening intently to this exchange.
"I know," she said, making an effort to speak politely. "This afternoon, isn't it?"
"Yes," he said with his friendly smile. "Will you be there? You and the rest of your cousins?"
"If we're back in time."
"And where are you all off to?"
Something warned Nicola not to give away too much information. And it was none of his business anyway. She glanced again at the Sinister Stranger who was holding his cigar very still, not even, she thought, trying to hide his interest in their conversation.
"Oh, just exploring a bit."
"And how I envy you! A lovely bright day like today and not a care in the world. I often wish I was your sort of age again."
"Do you?" said Nicola, disliking him more and more. She jiggled the matches in her pocket and said, "Actually the others are waiting so … "
"Of course! Mustn't hold you up - have a lovely day exploring, won't you?"
She bid him goodbye and began to jog down the street towards the beach glancing behind her to check for traffic before she crossed the road. Rodney Stone had crossed the road too and had almost drawn level with the Sinister Stranger. She expected them to greet one another but Rodney Stone went straight into the Seal's Head without any acknowledgement of the other man. Nicola paused and took her time crossing the road, watching curiously. After a few seconds the Sinister Stranger dropped his half smoked cigar on the ground and stepped on it. Then he, too, went into the Guest House.
"Now there's a thing," she muttered under her breath and wasted no time at all in racing back down the village street to find the others.
She forgot about this odd encounter during the day in the excitement of pushing off from the shore, persuading George to let her take one of the oars - and earning her grudging respect for her competency - and the sheer enjoyment of the bright, windless morning making the scarcely moving waves sparkle and glitter where they caught the edge of the sun.
"You are lucky living in a place like this with your own island whenever you feel like rowing out here!" Nicola said to George. "I suppose in the summer you can come and camp out if you want to."
"We do come and camp," said George who couldn't help but warm to Nicola's enthusiasm. "And the best thing is knowing no-one else can get on to the island without us seeing. Look, we're getting near the rocks. Give me your oar, we'll just let the others catch up."
"Looks like they're having a bit of trouble," observed Lawrie from her vantage point in the stern of the little dinghy. "They're miles behind."
"It's all that arguing about taking turns," Anne said, pulling the rug more firmly round her legs. "I'm so glad I'm not a boy and have to prove things all the time. Aren't you, Lawrie?"
Lawrie had never given this particular gender issue a thought.
"You ought to come and live in our family for a bit," she said. "You constantly have to stand up for yourself or get trodden all over. And not just by brothers. If you had sisters like Ginty and Rowan you'd know exactly what it's like."
It was news to Nicola that Lawrie ever stood up for herself and she sent Lawrie a very sisterly look indeed.
"I don't know if I'd like to have a sister," said Anne thoughtfully. "A younger one, perhaps but I don't think I'd like being bossed about by a girl. My brothers are bad enough!"
"I'd hate to have a sister," said George very decisively, her blue eyes flashing. "I can't think of anything worse."
"I suppose it's what you're used to," Nicola said peaceably. "Look, they're quite close now. Close enough to follow you, d'you think?"
The water was clear and clean. As George guided her boat skilfully towards the island with Peter following her very precisely behind, Lawrie gasped at the dark menacing rocks, some just below the surface, others rising above them.
"I can't believe you don't go crashing into them," she said frankly. "Supposing you did?"
"Then I'd get a whacking hole in the side of the boat."
"And then what?"
"The water would come in and we'd all drown, of course," said George impatiently. "Can you shut up asking stupid questions, d'you think, while I concentrate?"
Lawrie subsided. Anne gave her a sympathetic nudge.
"It's all right," she said kindly. "George never makes a mistake. Although it is frightening. I was terrified the first few times so I know how you feel."
"I'm not terrified," said Lawrie. "Just amazed. I'd never be able to do this in a hundred years. Are you all right, Nick? You look a bit green."
"Fine," said Nicola through gritted teeth. She had had every hope that the calmness of the water and her concentration on the rowing would keep her seasickness at bay. After all it wasn't that far. But the change to a choppy, bobbing motion as George steered the boat in was threatening to overtake her. To be sick now would be … Her stomach heaved and she used every ounce of will power to keep it in check but it was no good. Most of her breakfast began, with urgent thoroughness to force its way up and out and she leant over the side as far as possible in an effort to be as neat as possible about the whole grisly business.
"Thanks!" Peter shouted cheerfully. "Wonderful aim - just what I want to paddle through! So thoughtful!"
"Oh, dear," said Anne moving a little away from her. "We didn't realise you felt sick. You should have said."
Said what exactly?, Nicola thought, searching for her handkerchief.. Stop the boat, I have to get off? George, who'd barely glanced up from her rowing said:
"Wasn't Nelson always seasick?"
Nicola, wetting her hanky to rinse icy salt water over her face, was both surprised and pleased. Of all of them she would have expected George to be the least sympathetic. Part of the embarrassment of it all was the idea of meeting the outright scorn in George's fearless countenance. George would, she had been sure, think that being seasick was feeble beyond anything.
"Yes," she said, as matter of factly as George. "He was."
They were through the rocks now and, with Peter and his crew still close behind, the boat was running into a sandy cove.
"We're here!" said George unable to keep the excitement out of her voice. "Well done Peter! You did it! We're here! Welcome to Kirrin Island everyone!"