He capered round her as she ran back to the others, almost tripping her up as she went.
He leapt into the boat as soon as he saw it, and stood at the stern, his red tongue out, his tail wagging violently.
"I wonder his tail keeps on," said Anne, looking at it.
"One day, Timothy, you'll wag it right off."
They set off to the island.
It was easy to row now, because the sea was so calm.
They came to the island, and rowed around it to the other side.
And there was the wreck, piled high on some sharp rocks!
It had settled down now and did not stir as waves slid under it.
It lay a little to one side, and the broken mast, now shorter than before, stuck out at an angle.
"There she is," said Julian, in excitement.
"Poor old wreck!
I guess she's a bit more battered now.
What a noise she made when she went crashing on to those rocks yesterday!"
"How do we get to her?" asked Anne, looking at the mass of ugly, sharp rocks all around.
But George was not at all dismayed.
She knew almost every inch of the coast around her little island.
She pulled steadily at the oars and soon came near to the rocks in which the great wreck rested.
The children looked at the wreck from their boat.
It was big, much bigger than they had imagined when they had peered at it from the top of the water.
It was encrusted with shellfish of some kind, and strands of brown and green seaweed hung down.
It smelt queer.
It had great holes in its sides, showing where it had battered against rocks.
There were holes in the deck too.
Altogether it looked a sad and forlorn old ship— but to the four children it was the most exciting thing in the whole world.
They rowed to the rocks on which the wreck lay.
The tide washed over them.
George took a look round.
"We'll tie our boat up to the wreck itself," she said.
"And we'll get on to the deck quite easily by climbing up the side.
Look, Julian!— throw this loop of rope over that broken bit of wood there, sticking out from the side."
Julian did as he was told.
The rope tightened and the boat was held in position.
Then George clambered up the side of the wreck like a monkey.
She was a marvel at climbing.
Julian and Dick followed her, but Anne had to be helped up.
Soon all four were standing on the slanting deck. It was slippery with seaweed, and the smell was very strong indeed.
Anne didn't like it.
"Well, this was the deck," said George, "and that's where the men got up and down." She pointed to a large hole.
They went to it and looked down.
The remains of an iron ladder were still there.
George looked at it. "I think it's still strong enough to hold us," she said.
I'll go first.
Anyone got a torch?
It looks pretty dark down there."
Julian had a torch.
He handed it to George.
The children became rather quiet.
It was mysterious somehow to look down into the dark inside of the big ship.
What would they find?