Davina Dupree Puzzles a Pirate Read Free Page A

even though as Arabella says - his eyes don’t - but this morning he didn’t bother, just yelled at us in a moody way. I heard Mrs Fairchild remark to Mrs Pumpernickle that it was
such
a pity the Duke of Westchester couldn’t be with us as he had
real
a gift for public speaking.
    Mr Snap said we had to be all packed and ready to go within half an hour, no time wasters please. He said he’d ferry us all across to Ni Island in different groups, where we’d find luxury tents waiting for us. After his speech Mrs Fairchild stood up to thank him for all his help and said she was sure he’d be off home after that, and that she wouldn’t want to detain him on Ni Island for any longer than necessary and that perhaps he would be good enough to pick us all up again in ten days time. Mr Snap literally snapped back that on the contrary, he’d be happy to stay on the island in order to be of any assistance to us and that he’d already come across the week before to set the tents up, setting up a smaller less luxurious one for himself. Mrs Fairchild’s shoulders sagged. I don’t think she likes him.
    Anyway, after being ferried across to Ni Island by Moody Mr Snap, we set off in a large group through undergrowth, with Mrs Fairchild leading the way. Honestly, there are plants and bushes I’ve never seen before on this island, with such tiny leaves and dainty, colourful flowers. Mr Fossil hasn’t stopped smiling in a dreamy way since we got here.
    Soon, after climbing over a series of high sand dunes which made my legs ache, we saw a sandy clearing that gently sloped down to the most beautiful beach ever. The clearing was full of gold and red tents that looked like beautiful works of art. They’d been pitched right at the top of the beach, much higher than the still wet high tide mark so we knew our belongings would never be in danger of being washed away.
    Me and Arabella decided to explore our tent AT ONCE. It’s seriously massive, about the size of a small bungalow. The embroidered red and gold material that covers the outside is quite tough compared to the soft creamy gauze that lines the inside walls. The ‘front door’ is made up from two curtains that can be pulled aside and inside there are three sections – a living area, a washroom complete with shower and toilet (can you believe it!) and a bedroom with two hammocks (complete with duvets and pillows) suspended from the top of the tent. Utterly amazing.com . Mrs Fairchild said that her friend, the Duke of Westchester, had electricity specially installed on Ni Island, which he owns, as he likes to come camping here himself in the summer months. What a nice chap.
    I have to go now as Mrs Pumpernickle is organising a barbeque on the beach for lunch and by the smell of it, it’s nearly ready. Mmmm....
    Friday, 9 th January
    Morning Diary.
    Arabella and I have woken up to a blustery, sunny, salty smelling, FREEZING morning here on Ni Island. I’m currently wearing two layers of school uniform, two pairs of silver tights, pale pink leg warmers, white padded boots and my faux fur coat. Talk about frosty nose.com .
    All of us first years have unpacked and made ourselves at home, I know this for a fact because me and Arabella have been visiting all our friends’ tents to see if they’re the same as ours. To be honest, each tent is a bit different. Like Lottie and Erica’s tent is laid out differently to ours inside, their bedroom is off to the right not the left like ours, and their hammocks and duvets are deep green where as ours are midnight blue. Lottie and Erica have made their tent look almost like their dorm at school, by bringing their portable television and DVD player, laptops, and of course their new waterproof mobile phones. I can’t think when they’re going to have time to use all that stuff in between our nature studies! At least they’re not as silly as Cleo and Clarice, who seem to have brought their entire jewellery collections with them and insist on