They all had a bathe that morning and the boys found that Stephen was a much better swimmer than they were. She was very strong and very fast, and she could swim under water, too, holding her breath for ages.
"You're jolly good," said Justin, admiringly. "It's a pity Mary isn't a bit better.
Mary, you'll have to practise your swimming strokes hard, or you'll never be able to swim out as far as we do."
They were all very hungry at lunch time. They went back up the cliff-path, hoping there would be lots to eat— and there was! Cold meat and salad, plum-pie and custard, and cheese afterwards. How the children tucked in!
"What are you going to do this afternoon?" asked Stephen's mother.
"Stephen is going to take us out in a boat to see the wreck on the other side of the island," said Mary. Her aunt looked most surprised.
"Stephen is going to take you!" she said. "Why Stephen— what's come over you? You've never taken a single person before, though I've asked you to dozens of times!"
Stephen said nothing, but went on eating her plum-pie. She hadn't said a word all through the meal. Her father had not appeared at the table, much to the children's relief.
"Well, Stephen, I must say I'm pleased that you want to try and do what your father said," began her mother again. But Stephen shook her head.
"I'm not doing it because I've got to," she said. "I'm doing it because I want to. I wouldn't have taken anyone to see my wreck, not even the Queen of Sofala, if I didn't like them."
Her mother laughed. "Well, it's good news that you like your cousins," she said. "I hope they like you!"
"Oh yes!" said Mary, eagerly, nervous to stick up for her out of the ordinary cousin. "We do like Stephen, and we like Ti ..."
She was just about to say that they liked Timphothy too, when she got such a kick on her ankle that she cried out in pain and the tears came into her eyes. Stephen glared at her.
"Stephen? Why did you kick Mary like that when she was saying nice things about you?" cried her mother. "Leave the table at once. I won't have such behaviour."
Stephen left the table without a word. She went out into the garden. She had just taken a piece of bread and cut herself some cheese. It was all left on her plate. The other three stared at it in distress. Mary was upset. How could she have been so silly as to forget she mustn't mention Tim?
"Oh, please call Stephen back!" she said. "She didn't mean to kick me. It was an accident."
But her aunt was very angry with Stephen. "Finish your meal," she said to the others. "I expect Stephen will go into the sulks now. Dear, dear, she is such a difficult child!"
The others didn't mind about Stephen going into the sulks. What they did mind was that Stephen might refuse to take them to see the wreck now!
They finished the meal in silence. Their aunt went to see if Uncle James wanted any more pie. He was having his meal in the study by himself. As soon as she had gone out of the room, Mary picked up the bread and cheese from Stephen's plate and went out into the garden.
The boys didn't scold her. They knew that Mary's tongue very often ran away with her— but she always tried to make up for it afterwards. They thought it was very brave of her to go and find Stephen.
Stephen was lying on her back under a big tree in the garden. Mary went up to her. "I'm sorry I nearly made a mistake, Stephen," she said. "Here's your bread and cheese. I've brought it for you. I promise I'll never forget not to mention Tim again."
Stephen sat up. "I've a good mind not to take you to see the wreck," she said. "Stupid baby!"
Mary's heart sank. This was what she had feared. "Well," she said, "you needn't take me, of course. But you might take the boys, Stephen. After all, they didn't do anything silly. And anyway, you gave me an awful kick. Look at the bruise."
Stephen looked at it. Then she looked at Mary. "But wouldn't you be miserable if I took Justin and Theo without you?" she asked.
"Of course," said Mary. "But I don't want to make them miss a treat, even if I have to."
Then Stephen did a surprising thing for her. She gave Mary a hug! Then she immediately looked most ashamed of herself, for she felt sure that no boy would have done that! And she always tried to act like a boy.
"It's all right," she said, gruffly, taking the bread and cheese. "You were nearly very silly— and I gave you a kick— so it's all square. Of course you can come this afternoon."
Mary sped back to tell the boys that everything was all right— and in fifteen minutes' time four children ran down to the beach. By a boat was a brown-faced fisher-boy, about fourteen years old. He had Timphothy with him.
"Boat's all ready, Master Stephen," he said with a grin. "And Tim's ready, too."
"Thanks," said Stephen, and told the others to get in. Timphothy jumped in, too, his
big tail wagging nineteen to the dozen. Stephen pushed the boat off into the surf and then jumped in herself. She took the oars.
She rowed marvelously, and the boat shot along over the blue bay. It was a wonderful afternoon, and the children loved the movement of the boat over the water. Timphothy stood at the prow and barked whenever a wave reared its head.
"He's funny on a wild day," said Stephen, pulling hard. "He barks madly at the big waves, and gets so angry if they splash him. He's an awfully good swimmer."
"Isn't it nice to have a dog with us?" said Mary, anxious to make up for her mistake. "I do so like him."
"Woof," said Timphothy, in his deep voice and turned round to lick Mary's ear.
"I'm sure he knew what I said," said Mary in enchantment.
"Of course he did," said Stephen. "He understands every single word."
"I say— we're getting near to your island now," said Justin, in excitement. "It's bigger than I thought. And isn't the castle stirring?"
They drew near to the island, and the children saw that there were sharp rocks all round about it. Unless anyone knew exactly the way to take, no boat or ship could possibly land on the shore of the rocky little island. In the very middle of it, on a low hill, rose the ruined castle. It had been built of big white stones. Broken archways, tumbledown towers, ruined walls— that was all that was left of a once beautiful castle, proud and strong. Now the parrots nested in it and the gulls sat on the topmost stones.
"It looks awfully mystifying," said Justin. "How I'd love to land there and have a look at the castle. Wouldn't it be fun to spend a night or two here!"
Stephen stopped rowing. Her face lighted up. "I say!" she said, in delight. "Do you know, I never thought how lovely that would be! To spend a night on my island! To be there all alone, the four of us. To get our own meals, and pretend we really lived there. Wouldn't it be grand?"
"Yes, rather," said Theo, looking longingly at the island. "Do you think— do you suppose your mother would let us?"
"I don't know," said Stephen. "She might. You could ask her."
"Can't we land there this afternoon?" asked Justin.
"No, not if you want to see the wreck," said Stephen. "We've got to get back for tea today, and it will take all the time to row round to the other side of Aucrea Island and back."
"Well— I'd like to see the wreck," said Justin, torn between the island and the wreck. "Here, let me take the oars for a bit, Stephen. You can't do all the rowing."
"I can," said Stephen. "But I'd quite enjoy lying back in the boat for a change! Look— I'll just take you by this rocky bit— and then you can take the oars till we come to another awkward piece. Honestly, the rocks around this bay are simply appalling!"
Stephen and Justin changed places in the boat. Justin rowed well, but not so strongly as Stephen. The boat sped along rocking smoothly. They went right round the island, and saw the castle from the other side. It looked more ruined on the side that faced the sea.
"The strong winds come from the open sea," explained Stephen. "There's not really much left of it this side, except piles of stones. But there's a good little harbour in a little cove, for those who know how to find it."
Stephen took the oars after a while, and rowed progressively out a little beyond the island. Then she stopped and looked back towards the shore.
"How do you know when you are over the wreck?" asked Justin, puzzled. "I should never know!"
"Well, do you see that church tower on the mainland?" asked Stephen. "And do you see the tip of that hill over there? Well, when you get them exactly in line with one another, between the two towers of the castle on the island, you are pretty well over the wreck! I found that out ages ago."
The children saw that the tip of the far-off hill and the church tower were practically in line, when they looked at them between the two old towers of the island castle. They looked eagerly down into the sea to see if they could spy the wreck.
The water was perfectly clear and smooth. There was hardly a wrinkle. Timphothy looked down into it too, his head on one side, his ears cocked, just as if he knew what he was looking for! The children laughed at him.
"We're not exactly over it," said Stephen, looking down too. "The water's so clear today that we should be able to see quite a long way down. Wait, I'll row a bit to the left."
"Woof!" said Timphothy, suddenly, and wagged his tail— and at the same moment the three children saw something deep down in the water!
"It's the wreck!" said Justin, almost falling out of the boat in his excitement. "I can see a bit of broken mast. Look, Theo, look!"
All four children and the dog, too, gazed down earnestly into the clear water. After a little while they could make out the outlines of a dark hulk, out of which the broken mast stood.
"It's a bit on one side," said Justin. "Poor old vessel. How it must hate lying there, gradually falling to pieces. Stephen, I wish I could dive down and get a closer look at it."
"Well, why don't you?" said Stephen. "You've got your swimming trunks on. I've often dived down. I'll come with you, if you like, if Theo can keep the boat round about here. There's a current that is trying to take it out to sea. Theo, you'll have to keep working a bit with this oar to keep the boat in one spot."
The girl stripped off her jeans and jersey and Justin did the same. They both had on bathing costumes underneath. Stephen took a beautiful header off the end of the boat, deep down into the water. The others watched her swimming strongly downwards, holding her breath.
After a bit she came up, almost bursting for breath. "Well, I went almost down to the wreck," she said. "It's just the same as it always is— seaweedy and covered with limpets and things. I wish I could get right into the ship itself. But I never have enough breath for that. You go down now, Justin."
So down Justin went— but he was not so good at swimming deep under water as Stephen was, and he couldn't go down so far. He knew how to open his eyes under water, so he was able to take a good look at the deck of the wreck. It looked very forlorn and strange. Justin didn't really like it very much. It gave him rather a sad sort of feeling. He was glad to go to the top of the water again, and take deep breaths of air, and feel the warm sunshine on his shoulders.
He climbed into the boat, "Most exciting," he said. "Golly, wouldn't I just love to see that wreck properly— you know— go down under the deck into the cabins and look around. And oh, suppose we could really find the boxes of gold!"
"That's impossible," said Stephen. "I told you proper divers have already gone down and found nothing. What's the time? I say, we'll be late if we don't hurry back now!"
They did hurry back, and managed to be only about five minutes late for tea.
Afterwards they went for a walk over the moors, with Timphothy at their heels, and by the time that bedtime came they were all so sleepy that they could hardly keep their eyes open.
"Well, good-night, Stephen," said Mary, snuggling down into her bed. "We've had a lovely day— thanks to you!"
"And I've had a lovely day, too," said Stephen, rather gruffly. "Thanks to you. I'm glad you all came. We're going to have fun. And won't you love my castle and my little island!"
"Ooh, yes," said Mary, and fell asleep to dream of wrecks and castles and islands by the hundred. Oh, when would Stephen take them to her little island?