The children were astonished at the interest that the cast-up wreck caused, and because of that, Kirrin Island became an object of great interest too.
Sightseers from the places all around came to see it, and the fishermen managed to find the little inlet and land the people there.
George sobbed with rage, and Julian tried to comfort her.
"Listen, George! No one knows our secret yet.
We'll wait till this excitement has died down, and then we'll go to Kirrin Castle and find the ingots."
"If someone doesn't find them first," said George, drying her eyes.
She was furious with herself for crying, but she really couldn't help it.
"How could they?" said Julian.
"No one has seen inside the box yet!
I'm going to wait my chance and get that map out before anyone sees it!"
But he didn't have a chance, because something dreadful happened. Uncle Quentin sold the old box to a man who bought antique things!
He came out from his study, beaming, a day or two after the excitement began, and told Aunt Fanny and the children.
"I've struck a very good bargain with that man," he said to his wife.
"You know that old tin-lined box from the wreck?
Well, this fellow collects curious things like that, and he gave me a very good price for it.
Very good indeed.
More even than I could expect for the writing of my book!
As soon as he saw the old map there and the old diary he said at once that he would buy the whole collection."
The children stared at him in horror.
The box was sold!
Now someone would study that map and perhaps jump to what 'ingots' meant.
The story of the lost gold had been put into all the newspapers now.
Nobody could fail to know what the map showed if they studied it carefully.
The children did not dare to tell Uncle Quentin what they knew.
It was true he was all smiles now, and was promising to buy them new shrimping-nets, and a raft for themselves— but he was such a changeable person.
He might fly into a furious temper if he heard that Julian had taken the box and opened it himself, while his uncle was sleeping.
When they were alone the children discussed the whole matter.
It seemed very serious indeed to them.
They half-wondered if they should let Aunt Fanny into the secret—but it was such a precious secret, and so marvellous, that they felt they didn't want to give it away to anyone at all.
"Now listen!" said Julian, at last.
"We'll ask Aunt Fanny if we can go to Kirrin Island and spend a day or two there— sleep there at night too, I mean.
That will give us a little time to poke round and see what we can find.
The sightseers won't come after a day or two, I'm sure.
Maybe we'll get in before anyone tumbles to our secret.
After all, the man who brought the box may not even guess that the map shows Kirrin Castle."
They felt more cheerful.
It was so awful to do nothing. As soon as they had planned to act, they felt better.
They decided to ask their aunt the next day if they might go and spend the week-end at the castle.
The weather was gloriously fine, and it would be great fun.
They could take plenty of food with them.
When they went to ask Aunt Fanny, Uncle Quentin was with her.
He was all smiles again, and even clapped Julian on the back. "Well!" he said.
"What's this deputation for?"
"We just wanted to ask Aunt Fanny something," said Julian, politely.
"Aunt Fanny, as the weather is so fine, do you think you would let us go for the week-end to Kirrin Castle, please, and spend a day or two there on the island?
You can't think how we would love to!"
"Well— what do you think, Quentin?" asked their aunt, turning to her husband.
"If they want to, they can," said Uncle Quentin.
"They won't have a chance to, soon.
My dears, we have had a marvellous offer for Kirrin Island!