FIVE RUN AWAY TOGETHER - by Enid Blyton

13 A DAY ON THE ISLAND

THE children hardly knew where they were the next day when they woke up. The sun was pouring into the cave entrance, and fell first of all on George's sleeping face. It awoke her and she lay half-dozing, wondering why her bed felt rather less soft than usual.

"But I'm not in my bed... I'm on Kirrin Island, of course!" she thought suddenly to herself. She sat up and gave Anne a punch. "Wake up, sleepy-head! We're on the island!"

Soon they were all awake rubbing the sleep from their eyes. "I think I'm going to get heather today for my bed, after all," said Anne. "The sand feels soft at first, but it gets hard after a bit."

The others agreed that they would all get heather for their beds, set on the sand, with rugs for covering. Then they would have really fine beds.

"It's fun to live in a cave," said Dick. "Fancy having a fine cave like this on our island, as well as a castle and dungeons! We arc really very lucky."

"I feel sticky and dirty," said Julian. "Let's go and have a bathe before we have breakfast. Then cold ham, bread, pickles and marmalade for me!"

"We shall be cold after our bathe," said George. "We'd better light my little stove and put the kettle on to boil while we're bathing. Then we can make some hot cocoa when we come back shivering!"

"Oh yes," said Anne, who had never boiled anything on such a tiny stove before. "Do let's. I'll fill the kettle with water from one of the containers. What shall we do for milk?"

"There's a tin of milk somewhere in the pile," said Julian. "We can open that. Where's the tin-opener?"

It was not to be found which was most exasperating. But at last Julian discovered it in his pocket, so all was well.

The little stove was filled with methylated spirit, and lighted. The kettle was filled and set on top. Then the children went off to bathe.

"Look! There's a simply marvellous pool in the middle of those rocks over there!" called Julian, pointing. "We've never spotted it before. Golly, it's like a small swimming-pool, made specially for us!"

"Kirrin Swimming Pool, five pence a dip!" said Dick. "Free to the owners, though! Come on... it looks gorgeous! And see how the waves keep washing over the top of the rocks and splashing into the pool. Couldn't be better!"

It really was a lovely rock-pool, deep, clear and not too cold. The children enjoyed themselves thoroughly, splashing about and swimming and floating. George tried a dive off one of the rocks, and went in beautifully.

"George can do anything in the water," said Anne, admiringly. "I wish I could dive and swim like George. But I never shall."

"We can see the old wreck nicely from here," said Julian, coming out of the water. "Blow! We didn't bring any towels."

"We'll use one of the rugs, turn and turn about," said Dick. "I'll go and fetch the thinnest one. I say... do you remember that trunk we saw in the wreck yesterday? Odd, wasn't it?"

"Yes, very odd," said Julian. "I don't understand it. We'll have to keep a watch on the wreck and see who comes to collect the trunk."

"I suppose the smugglers; -  if they are smugglers - will come slinking round this side of the island and quietly send off a boat to the wreck," said George, drying herself vigorously. "Well, we'd better keep a strict look-out, and see if anything appears on the sea out there in the way of a small steamer, boat or ship."

"Yes. We don't want them to spot us," said Dick. "We shan't find out anything if they see us and are warned. They'd at once give up coming to the island. I vote we each of us take turns at keeping a look-out, so that we can spot anything at once and get under cover."