The Sea of Adventure Read Online Free PDF Page B

Tremayne is coming to see to Mother — so . . ."
     
    "Hilda! Hill-da! Hilllll-da!" called a voice, and Hilda jumped.
     
    "My, that's the missus calling!" she said. "And you told me she was in bed! Coming, Madam!"
     
    But it was only Kiki, of course, doing one of her imitations. She cackled with laughter when Hilda came running into the dining-room.
     
    "Wipe your feet!" she ordered. "Don't sniff! How many times have I told you to . . ."
     
    Hilda went out and banged the door. "I don't mind taking orders from them as has the right to give them," she said to a giggling Dinah, "but take orders from that ridiculous bird I will not. I hope, Miss, that you're taking that parrot with you. I don't want the minding of her whilst you're gone. Drive me crazy, she would."
     
    "Oh, of course we'll take her!" said Dinah. "Jack would never dream of going without her."
     
    The doctor came. Miss Tremayne arrived Hilda agreed to sleep in. Everything seemed to be going well. Bill, ensconced in the spare room, whose door he kept locked in case Hilda should come barging in, made a few quick plans.
     
    "Pack up your things. Order a taxi for eight o'clock tomorrow night. We'll catch the night train to the north. I'll slip out tonight and make the rest of the plans for the journey and the holiday. I'll meet you at Euston, and it won't be as the Bill Smugs you know! I shall then be Dr. Walker, the naturalist. I'll come over and introduce myself in a loud voice as soon as I see you arrive, in case there's anyone about that knows you — or me either! Then off we'll go."
     
    It all sounded very thrilling. What a mysterious way to begin a holiday! It sounded as if they were setting off for a first-class adventure, but of course they weren't. It would be fun if they were, but what could happen on lonely bird-islands? Nothing at all except birds, and more birds and yet more birds.
     
    Bill slipped off that night. No one had known he was in the house, not even Miss Tremayne, who had been given the little dressing-room leading off Mrs. Mannering's room. Mrs. Mannering had promised not to say that Bill had been there, in case it meant danger to him. But she was so heavy and sleepy that day, that she really began to wonder if Bill had actually been there at all, or if she had dreamt it.
     
    The children packed. No need to take best dresses or anything like that! Shorts and jerseys, rubber shoes, bathing-suits and mackintoshes were the things they would want. And a few cardigans, some towels — and what about some rugs? Were they going to sleep under a roof or not? Bill hadn't said. For all they knew they might be sleeping in tents. What fun! They decided not to take rugs. Bill would be sure to take things like that if they needed them.
     
    "Field-glasses — note-books — pencils — my camera — and a rope," said Jack, trying to think of everything. Lucy-Ann looked astonished.
     
    "A rope?" she said. "Why a rope?"
     
    "We might want to go cliff-climbing if we want to examine nesting-places there," said Jack.
     
    "Well, you can go cliff-climbing if you like. I shan't!" said Lucy-Ann, with a shiver. "I'd hate to climb down steep cliffs with just a rope round me and hardly anything to put my feet on."
     
    "Kiki's taken your pencil," said Dinah. "Kiki, don't be such a nuisance. We shan't take you to see the puffins if you behave like this."
     
    "Huffin and puffin, puffin and huffin, muffin and puffin, muffins and crumpets," pronounced Kiki, and cracked her beak in delight at having said something new. "Huffin and puff — "
     
    "Oh stop huffing and puffing," called Dinah.
     
    "God save the King," said Kiki, and stood up very straight.
     
    "Goodness knows what the birds up there will think of you," said Lucy-Ann. "Jack, shall we put her into a basket to take her with us on the train? You know how she will keep shouting 'Guard, guard' and pretending to blow a whistle, and then telling everyone to wipe their feet."
     
    "She can go on my