The hens clucked in the hen-yard. Daisy the cow mooed once or twice, feeling rather strange and lonely - but she seemed to be settling down very well.
I hope she wont moo too much, thought Peggy, her needle flying in and out busily. She might give us away with her mooing if anyone came up the lake in a boat. But thank goodness no one ever does'
Everyone felt very fresh after their rest. They decided to have a walk round the island. Nora fed the hens and then they set off.
It was a fine little island. Trees grew thickly down to the water-side all round. The steep hill that rose in the middle was a warm, sunny place, covered with rabbit runs and burrows. The grassy piece beyond the hill was full of little wild flowers, and birds sang in the bushes around. The children peeped into the dark caves that ran into the hillside, but did not feel like exploring them just then, for they had no candles with them.
Ill take you to the place where wild raspberries grow, said Jack. He led them round the hill to the west side, and there, in the blazing sun, the children saw scores of raspberry canes, tangled and thick.
Jack! There are some getting ripe already! cried Nora, in delight. She pointed to where spots of bright red dotted the canes. The children squeezed their way through and began to pick the raspberries. How sweet and juicy they were!
Well have some of these with cream each day, said Peggy. I can skim the cream off the cows milk, and we will have raspberries and cream for suppers. Oooh!
Oooh! said everyone, eating as fast as they could.
Are there any wild strawberries on the island, too? asked Nora.
Yes, said Jack, but they dont come till later. Well look for those in August and September.
I do think this is a lovely island, said Peggy happily. Weve a splendid house of our own - hens - a cow, wild fruit growing - fresh water each day!
Its all right now its warm weather, said Jack. It wont be quite so glorious when the cold winds begin to blow! But winter is a long way off yet.
They climbed up the west side of the hill, which was very rocky. They came to a big rock right on the very top, and sat there. The rock was so warm that it almost burnt them. From far down below the blue spire of smoke rose up from their fire.
Lets play a game, said Jack. Lets play...
But what game Jack wanted the others never knew - for Jack suddenly stopped, sat up very straight, and stared fixedly down the blue, sparkling lake. The others sat up and stared, too. And what they saw gave them a dreadful shock!
Some people in a boat! said Jack. Do you see them? Away down there!
Yes, said Mike, going pale. Are they after us, do you think?
No, said Jack, after a while. I think I can hear a gramophone - and if it was anyone after us they surely wouldnt bring that! They are probably just trippers, from the village at the other end of the lake.
Do you think theyll come to the island? asked Peggy.
I dont know, said Jack. They may - but anyway it would only be for a little while. If we can hide all traces of our being here they wont know a thing about us.
Come on, then, said Mike, slipping off the rock. Wed better hurry. It wont be long before theyre here.
The children hurried down to the beach. Jack and Mike stamped out the fire, and carried the charred wood to the bushes. They scattered clean sand over the place where they had the fire. They picked up all their belongings and hid them.
I dont think anyone would find Willow House, said Jack. The trees really are too thick all round it for any tripper to bother to squeeze through.
What about the hens? said Peggy.
Well catch them and pop them into a sack just for now, said Jack. The hen-yard will have to stay. I dont think anyone will find it - its well hidden. But we certainly couldnt have the hens clucking away there!
And Daisy the cow? said Peggy, looking worried.
Well watch and see which side of the island the trippers come, said Jack. As far as I know, there is only one landing-place, and that is our beach. As Daisy is right on the other side of the island, they are not likely to see her unless they go exploring. And lets hope they dont do that!
Where shall we hide? said Nora.
Well
keep a look-out from the hill, hidden in the bracken, said Jack. If the trippers begin to wander about, we must just creep about in the bracken and trust to luck they wont see us. Theres one thing - they wont be looking for us, if they are trippers. They wont guess there is anyone else here at all!
Will they find the things in the cave-larder? asked Nora, helping to catch the squawking hens.
Peggy, get some heather and bracken and stuff up the opening to the cave-larder, said Jack. Peggy ran off at once. Jack put the hens gently into the sack one by one and ran up the hill with them. He went to the other side of the hill and came to one of the caves he knew. He called to Nora, who was just behind him.
Nora! Sit at the little opening here and see that the hens dont get out! Im going to empty them out of the sack into the cave!