"We'll make out a list of all the things we shall need.
Let's begin now."
He took out a pencil and notebook.
The others looked at him.
"Things to eat," said Dick at once.
"Plenty because we'll be hungry."
"Something to drink," said George.
"There's no water on the island— though I believe there was a well or something, years ago, that went right down below the level of the sea, and was fresh water.
Anyway, I've never found it."
"Food," wrote down Julian, "and drink."
He looked at the others. "Spades," he said solemnly, and scribbled the word down.
Anne stared in surprise. "What for?" she asked.
"Well, we'll want to dig about when we're hunting for a way down to the dungeons," said Julian.
"Ropes," said Dick.
"We may want those too."
"And torches," said George.
"It'll be dark in the dungeons."
"Oooh!" said Anne, feeling a pleasant shiver go down her back at the thought.
She had no idea what dungeons were like, but they sounded thrilling.
"Rugs," said Dick.
"We'll be cold at night if we sleep in that little old room."
Julian wrote them down.
"Mugs to drink from," he said.
"And we'll take a few tools too— we may perhaps need them.
You never know."
At the end of half an hour they had quite a nice long list, and everyone felt pleased and excited.
George was beginning to recover from her rage and disappointment.
If she had been alone, and had brooded over everything, she would have been in an even worse sulk and temper—but somehow the others were so calm and sensible and cheerful.
It was impossible to sulk for long if she was with them.
"I think I'd have been much nicer if I hadn't been on my own so much," thought George to herself, as she looked at Julian's bent head.
"Talking about things to other people does help a lot.
They don't seem so dreadful then; they seem more bearable and ordinary.
I like my three cousins awfully.
I like them because they talk and laugh and are always cheerful and kind.
I wish I was like them.
I'm sulky and bad-tempered and fierce, and no wonder Father doesn't like me and scolds me so often.
Mother's a dear, but I understand now why she says I am difficult.
I'm different from my cousins— they're easy to understand, and everyone likes them.
I'm glad they came.
They are making me more like I ought to be."
This was a long thought to think, and George looked very serious while she was thinking it.
Julian looked up and caught her blue eyes fixed on him.
He smiled.
"Penny for your thoughts!" he said.
"They're not worth a penny," said George, going red.
"I was just thinking how nice you all are— and how I wished I could be like you."
"You're an awfully nice person," said Julian, surprisingly.
"You can't help being an only child.
They're always a bit queer, you know, unless they're mighty careful.
You're a most interesting person, I think."