Another rumble came.
It sounded like a big dog growling in the sky.
Tim heard it and growled back, sounding like a small roll of thunder himself.
"My goodness, we're in for it now," said George, half-alarmed.
"We can't get back in time, that's certain.
It's blowing up at top speed.
Did ever you see such a change in the sky?"
The sky had been blue when they started.
Now it was overcast, and the clouds seemed to hang very low indeed.
They scudded along as if someone was chasing them— and the wind howled round in such a mournful way that Anne felt quite frightened.
"It's beginning to rain," said Julian, feeling an enormous drop spatter on his outstretched hand.
"We had better shelter, hadn't we, George?
We shall get wet through."
"Yes, we will in a minute," said George.
"I say, just look at these big waves coming!
My word, it really is going to be a storm.
Golly— what a flash of lightning!"
The waves were certainly beginning to run very high indeed.
It was queer to see what a change had come over them. They swelled up, turned over as soon as they came to rocks, and then rushed up the beach of the island with a great roar.
"I think we'd better pull our boat up higher still," said George suddenly.
"It's going to be a very bad storm indeed.
Sometimes these sudden summer storms are worse than a winter one."
She and Julian ran to the other side of the island where they had left the boat.
It was a good thing they went, for great waves were already racing right up to it.
The two children pulled the boat up almost to the top of the low cliff and George tied it to a stout gorse bush growing there.
By now the rain was simply pelting down, and George and Julian were soaked.
"I hope the others have been sensible enough to shelter in that room that has a roof and walls," said George.
They were there all right, looking rather cold and scared.
It was very dark there, for the only light came through the two slits of windows and the small doorway.
"Could we light a fire to make things a bit more cheerful?" said Julian, looking round.
"I wonder where we can find some nice dry sticks?"
Almost as if they were answering the question a small crowd of jackdaws cried out wildly as they circled in the storm.
"Chack, chack, chack!" "Of course!
There are plenty of sticks on the ground below the tower!" cried Julian.
"You know— where the jackdaws nest.
They've dropped lots of sticks there."
He dashed out into the rain and ran to the tower. He picked up an armful of sticks and ran back.
"Good," said George.
"We'll be able to make a nice fire with those.
Anyone got any paper to start it— or matches?"
"I've got some matches," said Julian.
"But nobody's got paper."
"Yes," said Anne, suddenly.
"The sandwiches are wrapped in paper.
Let's undo them, and then we can use the paper for the fire."
"Good idea," said George.
So they undid the sandwiches, and put them neatly on a broken stone, rubbing it clean first.
Then they built up a fire, with the paper underneath and the sticks arranged criss-cross on top.
It was fun when they lighted the paper.
It flared up and the sticks at once caught fire, for they were very old and dry. Soon there was a fine cracking fire going and the little ruined room was lighted by dancing flames.