A man wants to buy it, rebuild the castle as a hotel, and make it into a proper holiday place!
What do you think of that?"
All four children stared at the smiling man, shocked and horrified.
Somebody was going to buy the island!
Had their secret been discovered?
Did the man want to buy the castle because he had read the map, and knew there was plenty of gold hidden there?
George gave a curious choke.
Her eyes burned as if they were on fire.
"Mother! You can't sell my island!
You can't sell my castle!
I won't let them be sold."
Her father frowned.
"Don't be silly, Georgina," he said.
"It isn't really yours. You know that.
It belongs to your mother, and naturally she would like to sell it if she could.
We need the money very badly.
You will be able to have a great many nice things once we sell the island."
"I don't want nice things!" cried poor George.
"My castle and my island are the nicest things I could ever have.
Mother! Mother!
You know you said I could have them.
You know you did!
I believed you."
"George dear, I did mean you to have them to play on, when I thought they couldn't possibly be worth anything," said her mother, looking distressed.
"But now things are different.
Your father has been offered quite a good sum, far more than we ever thought of getting— and we really can't afford to turn it down."
"So you only gave me the island when you thought it wasn't worth anything," said George, her face white and angry.
"As soon as it is worth money you take it away again.
I think that's horrid. It— it isn't honourable."
"That's enough, Georgina," said her father, angrily.
"Your mother is guided by me.
You're only a child.
Your mother didn't really mean what she said— it was only to please you.
But you know well enough you will share in the money we get and have anything you want."
"I won't touch a penny!" said George, in a low, choking voice.
"You'll be sorry you sold it."
The girl turned and stumbled out of the room.
The others felt very sorry for her.
They knew what she was feeling.
She took things so very seriously.
Julian thought she didn't understand grown-ups very well.
It wasn't a bit of good fighting grown-ups.
They could do exactly as they liked.
If they wanted to take away George's island and castle, they could.
If they wanted to sell it, they could!
But what Uncle Quentin didn't know was the fact that there might be a store of gold-ingots there!
Julian stared at his uncle and wondered whether to warn him.
Then he decided not to.
There was just a chance that the four children could find the gold first!
"When are you selling the island, Uncle?" he asked quietly.