"We've made good time.
You'll see the bay soon— it's quite a big one— with a funny sort of island at the entrance of the bay."
The children looked out for it as they drove along the coast.
Then Julian gave a shout.
"There it is— that must be Kirrin Bay.
Look, Dick— isn't it lovely and blue?"
"And look at the rocky little island guarding the entrance of the bay," said Dick.
"I'd like to visit that."
"Well, I've no doubt you will," said Mother.
"Now, let's look out for Aunt Fanny's house.
It's called Kirrin Cottage."
They soon came to it.
It stood on the low cliff overlooking the bay, and was a very old house indeed.
It wasn't really a cottage, but quite a big house, built of old white stone.
Roses climbed over the front of it, and the garden was gay with flowers.
"Here's Kirrin Cottage," said Daddy, and he stopped the car in front of it.
"It's supposed to be about three hundred years old!
Now— where's Quentin?
Hallo, there's Fanny!"
Chapter Two THE STRANGE COUSIN
The children's aunt had been watching for the car.
She came running out of the old wooden door as soon as she saw it draw up outside.
The children liked the look of her at once.
"Welcome to Kirrin!" she cried.
"Hallo, all of you! It's lovely to see you.
And what big children!"
There were kisses all round, and then the children went into the house.
They liked it.
It felt old and rather mysterious somehow, and the furniture was old and very beautiful.
"Where's Georgina?" asked Anne, looking round for her unknown cousin.
"Oh, the naughty girl!
I told her to wait in the garden for you," said her aunt.
"Now she's gone off somewhere.
I must tell you, children, you may find George a bit difficult at first— she's always been one on her own, you know. And at first may not like you being here.
But you mustn't take any notice of that— she'll be all right in a short time.
I was very glad for George's sake that you were able to come.
She badly needs other children to play with."
"Do you call her
'George'?" asked Anne, in surprise.
"I thought her name was Georgina."
"So it is," said her aunt. "But George hates being a girl, and we have to call her George, as if she was a boy.
The naughty girl won't answer if we call her Georgina."
The children thought that Georgina sounded rather exciting.
They wished she would come. But she didn't.
Their Uncle Quentin suddenly appeared instead.
He was a most extraordinary looking man, very tall, very dark, and with a rather fierce frown on his wide forehead.
"Hallo, Quentin!" said Daddy.
"It's a long time since I've seen you.
I hope these three won't disturb you very much in your work."
"Quentin is working on a very difficult book," said Aunt Fanny.