"I'll see, she said.
"I don't make friends with people just because they're my cousins, or something silly like that.
I only make friends with people if I like them."
"So do we," said Julian.
"We may not like you, of course."
"Oh!" said George, as if that thought hadn't occurred to her.
"Well— you may not, of course.
Lots of people don't like me, now I come to think of it."
Anne was staring out over the blue bay.
At the entrance to it lay a curious rocky island with what looked like an old ruined castle on the top of it.
"Isn't that a funny place?" she said.
"I wonder what it's called."
"It's called Kirrin Island," said George, her eyes as blue as the sea as she turned to look at it.
"It's a lovely place to go to.
If I like you, I may take you there some day.
But I don't promise.
The only way to get there is by boat."
"Who does the funny island belong to?" asked Julian.
George made a most surprising answer.
"It belongs to me," she said.
"At least, it will belong to me— some day!
It will be my very own island— and my very own castle!"
Chapter Three A QUEER STORY — AND A NEW FRIEND
The three children stared at George in the greatest surprise. George stared back at them.
"What do you mean?" said Dick, at last.
"Kirrin Island can't belong to you.
You're just boasting."
"No, I'm not," said George.
"You ask Mother.
If you're not going to believe what I say I won't tell you another word more.
But I don't tell untruths.
I think it's being a coward if you don't tell the truth— and I'm not a coward."
Julian remembered that Aunt Fanny had said that George was absolutely truthful, and he scratched his head and looked at George again.
How could she be possibly telling the truth?
"Well, of course we'll believe you if you tell us the truth," he said.
"But it does sound a bit extraordinary, you know. Really it does.
Children don't usually own islands, even funny little ones like that."
"It isn't a funny little island," said George, fiercely. "It's lovely.
There are rabbits there, as tame as can be— and the big cormorants sit on the other side— and all kinds of gulls go there.
The castle is wonderful too, even if it is all in ruins."
"It sounds fine," said Dick.
"How does it belong to you, Georgina?"
George glared at him and didn't answer.
"Sorry," said Dick, hastily.
"I didn't mean to call you Georgina.
I meant to call you George."
"Go on, George— tell us how the island belongs to you," said Julian, slipping his arm through his sulky little cousin's.
She pulled away from him at once.
"Don't do that," she said.
"I'm not sure that I want to make friends with you yet."