Unless anyone knew exactly the way to take, no boat or ship could possibly land on the shore of the rocky little island.
In the very middle of it, on a low hill, rose the ruined castle. It had been built of big white stones.
Broken archways, tumbledown towers, ruined walls— that was all that was left of a once beautiful castle, proud and strong.
Now the jackdaws nested in it and the gulls sat on the topmost stones.
"It looks awfully mysterious," said Julian.
"How I'd love to land there and have a look at the castle.
Wouldn't it be fun to spend a night or two here!"
George stopped rowing.
Her face lighted up.
"I say!" she said, in delight.
"Do you know, I never thought how lovely that would be!
To spend a night on my island!
To be there all alone, the four of us.
To get our own meals, and pretend we really lived there.
Wouldn't it be grand?"
"Yes, rather," said Dick, looking longingly at the island.
"Do you think— do you suppose your mother would let us?"
"I don't know," said George.
"She might.
You could ask her."
"Can't we land there this afternoon?" asked Julian.
"No, not if you want to see the wreck," said George.
"We've got to get back for tea today, and it will take all the time to row round to the other side of Kirrin Island and back."
"Well— I'd like to see the wreck," said Julian, torn between the island and the wreck.
"Here, let me take the oars for a bit, George.
You can't do all the rowing."
"I can," said George.
"But I'd quite enjoy lying back in the boat for a change!
Look— I'll just take you by this rocky bit— and then you can take the oars till we come to another awkward piece.
Honestly, the rocks around this bay are simply dreadful!"
George and Julian changed places in the boat.
Julian rowed well, but not so strongly as George.
The boat sped along rocking smoothly.
They went right round the island, and saw the castle from the other side.
It looked more ruined on the side that faced the sea.
"The strong winds come from the open sea," explained George. "There's not really much left of it this side, except piles of stones.
But there's a good little harbour in a little cove, for those who know how to find it."
George took the oars after a while, and rowed steadily out a little beyond the island.
Then she stopped and looked back towards the shore.
"How do you know when you are over the wreck?" asked Julian, puzzled. "I should never know!"
"Well, do you see that church tower on the mainland?" asked George.
"And do you see the tip of that hill over there?
Well, when you get them exactly in line with one another, between the two towers of the castle on the island, you are pretty well over the wreck!
I found that out ages ago."
The children saw that the tip of the far-off hill and the church tower were practically in line, when they looked at them between the two old towers of the island castle.
They looked eagerly down into the sea to see if they could spy the wreck.
The water was perfectly clear and smooth.
There was hardly a wrinkle.
Timothy looked down into it too, his head on one side, his ears cocked, just as if he knew what he was looking for!
The children laughed at him.