We're going to buy this island— and everything in it— and we shall take the gold when the deeds are signed.
And if by any chance we couldn't buy the island, we'd take the gold just the same.
It would be easy enough to bring a ship here and transfer the ingots from here by boat to the ship.
Don't worry— we shall get what we want all right."
"You will not!" said George, and she stepped out of the door.
"I'm going straight home now— and I'll tell my father all you've said."
"My dear little girl, you are not going home," said the first man, putting his hands on George and forcing her back into the dungeon.
"And, by the way, unless you want me to shoot this unpleasant dog of yours, call him off, will you?"
George saw, to her dismay, that the man had a shining revolver in his hand.
In fright she caught hold of Tim's collar and pulled him to her.
"Be quiet, Tim," she said. "It's all right."
But Tim knew quite well that it wasn't all right.
Something was very wrong.
He went on growling fiercely.
"Now listen to me," said the man, after he had had a hurried talk with his companion.
"If you are going to be sensible, nothing unpleasant will happen to you.
But if you want to be obstinate, you'll be very sorry.
What we are going to do is this— we're going off in our motor-boat, leaving you nicely locked up here— and we're going to get a ship and come back for the gold.
We don't think it's worth while buying the island now we know where the ingots are."
"And you are going to write a note to your companions above, telling them you've found the gold and they are to come down and look for it," said the other man.
"Then we shall lock up all of you in this dungeon, with the ingots to play with, leaving you food and drink till we come back.
Now then— here is a pencil. Write a note to Dick and Anne, whoever they are, and send your dog up with it.
Come on."
"I won't," said George, her face furious.
"I won't.
You can't make me do a thing like that.
I won't get poor Dick and Anne down here to be made prisoners.
And I won't let you have my gold, just when I've discovered it."
"We shall shoot your dog if you don't do as you're told," said the first man, suddenly.
George's heart sank down and she felt cold and terrified.
"No, no," she said, in a low, desperate voice.
"Well, write the note then," said the man, offering her a pencil and paper.
"Go on. I'll tell you what to say."
"I can't!" sobbed George.
"I don't want to get Dick and Anne down here to be made prisoners."
"All right— I'll shoot the dog then," said the man, in a cold voice and he levelled his revolver at poor Tim.
George threw her arms round her dog and gave a scream.
"No, no!
I'll write the note.
Don't shoot Tim, don't shoot him!"
The girl took the paper and pencil in a shaking hand and looked at the man.
"Write this," he ordered. "
"Dear Dick and Anne.
We've found the gold.
Come on down at once and see it."
Then sign your name, whatever it is."
George wrote what the man had said. Then she signed her name.
But instead of writing
‘George’ she put
‘Georgina.’