They knew at once by the look on Dick's face that he had failed in what he had tried to do.
They pulled him out quickly.
"It was no good," said Dick, panting with his climb.
"I couldn't do it.
They burst the door open just as I was bolting it, and chased me.
I got into the shaft just in time."
"They're trying to get out of the entrance now!" cried Anne, suddenly.
"Quick!
What shall we do?
They'll catch us all!"
"To the boat!" shouted Julian, and he took Anne's hand to help her along.
"Come along!
It's our only chance.
The men will perhaps be able to move those stones."
The four children fled down the courtyard.
George darted into the little stone room as they passed it, and caught up an axe.
Dick wondered why she bothered to do that.
Tim dashed along with them, barking madly.
They came to the cove.
Their own boat lay there without oars.
The motor-boat was there too.
George jumped into it and gave a yell of delight.
"Here are our oars!" she shouted.
"Take them, Julian, I've got a job to do here!
Get the boat down to the water, quick!"
Julian and Dick took the oars.
Then they dragged their boat down to the water, wondering what George was doing.
All kinds of crashing sounds came from the motor-boat!
"George!
George!
Buck up.
The men are out!" suddenly yelled Julian.
He had seen the three men running to the cliff that led down to the cove.
George leapt out of the motor-boat and joined the others.
They pushed their boat out on to the water, and George took the oars at once, pulling for all she was worth.
The three men ran to their motor-boat. Then they paused in the greatest dismay— for George had completely ruined it!
She had chopped wildly with her axe at all the machinery she could see, and now the boat could not possibly be started!
It was damaged beyond any repair the men could make with the few tools they had.
"You wicked girl!" yelled Jake, shaking his fist at George.
"Wait till I get you!"
"I'll wait!" shouted back George, her blue eyes shining dangerously.
"And you can wait too!
You won't be able to leave my island now!"
Chapter Seventeen THE END OF THE GREAT ADVENTURE Contents— Prev
THE three men stood at the edge of the sea, watching George pull away strongly from the shore.
They could do nothing. Their boat was quite useless.
"The fishing-smack they've got waiting out there is too big to use that little inlet," said George, as she pulled hard at her oars.
"They'll have to stay there till someone goes in with a boat.
I guess they're as wild as can be!"
Their boat had to pass fairly near to the big fishing-boat.