The Secret Island Read Free Page A

glee. A house of wood, built by themselves - and a cave! How lucky they were to have a friend like Jack, who had a boat and a secret island!
    They went back to the little landing-place, hungry and happy. They sat down and ate their bread and ham, carrots and peas, cherries and lettuces, and cake. It was the loveliest meal they had ever had in their lives, they thought. A little moorhen walked up to them and seemed surprised to see so many people in its home. But it did not run away. It ran round, pecking at the lettuce leaves; saying, “Fulluck, fulluck!” in its loud voice.
    “If I could live here on this secret island always and always and always, and never grow up at all, I would be quite happy,” said Nora.
    “Well, we’ll have a shot at living here for a good while at least!” said Jack. “Now, when shall we come?”
    “And what shall we bring?” said Mike.
    “Well, we don’t really need a great deal at present,” said Jack. “We can make soft beds of heather and bracken to lie on at night. What would be useful would be things like enamel mugs and plates and knives. I’ll bring an axe and a very sharp woodman’s knife. We’ll need those when we build our house. Oh - and matches would be most useful for lighting fires. We shall have to cook our meals. I’ll bring my fishing-line along, too.”
    The more the children talked about their plan, the more excited they got. At last they had arranged what to bring. They were gradually to hide things in a hollow tree by the lakeside, and then, when the time came, they could carry them to the boat and row off to the secret island, ready to set up house there.
    “A frying-pan would be useful,” said Nora.
    “And a saucepan or two,” said Peggy, “and a kettle. Oh! What fun it will be. I don’t care how much we are slapped or scolded now - I shall think of this exciting plan all day long!”
    “We had better fix a day for starting off,” said Jack. “What about a week from now? Sunday would be a good day for running away, because no one will come to look for us until night-time, when we don’t go home!”
    “Yes! A week to-day!” cried everyone. “Oooh! How happy we shall be!”
    “Now we must go home,” said Jack, setting off to the boat. “You can row if you like, Mike, and I’ll bale out the water as we go. Get in, you girls.”
    “Ay, ay, Captain!” they sang out, full of joy to think they had such a fine captain as Jack! Off they all went, floating across the water in the evening light. What would they be doing next Sunday?

The Escape

    All that week the three children carried out their plans. Aunt Harriet and Uncle Henry could not understand what was different about the children - they did not seem to mind being scolded at all. Even Nora took a slapping without tears. She was so happy when she thought of the secret island that she couldn’t shed a tear!
    The children took all the clothes they possessed down to the hollow tree by the lakeside. Mike took four enamel cups, some enamel plates, and two enamel dishes. Nora smuggled down an old kettle that Aunt Harriet had put away in a cupboard. She did not dare to take one of those on the stove. Peggy took a frying-pan and a saucepan to the hollow tree, and had to put up with a dreadful scolding when her aunt could not find them.
    Jack took a saucepan too, and an axe and a fine sharp knife. He also took some small knives and forks and spoons, for the other children did not dare to take these. There were only just enough put out for them and their aunt and uncle to use. So they were glad when Jack found some and brought them along.
    “Can you get some empty tins to store things in?” asked Jack. “I am trying to get sugar and things like that, because we must have those, you know. Grandad gave me some money the other day, and I’m buying a few things to store.”
    “Yes, I’ll get some empty tins,” said Mike. “Unde has plenty in the shed. I can wash them out and dry them. And could you get matches, Jack? Aunt only leaves one box out, and