“Oh, Bill — isn’t it grand!” said Lucy-Ann. “I can’t wait for tomorrow. Jack, Philip — we’re really going to see the treasure island after all! We really are!”
Chapter 17
TO THAMIS AT LAST!
BILL soon got all the information he wanted. “That’s the best of being grown-up,” said Dinah. “Grown-ups always seem to be able to find out anything, and get things cut and dried in no time.”
“Yes — Bill’s found out where Thamis is, has ferreted out a map of the route, and has even got the name of a Greek sailor who owns a motor-boat and knows the way!” said Jack, in admiration.
“How did he find all that out?” asked Lucy-Ann.
“Got hold of a Greek sailor below decks, and found he had a brother who runs one of the motor-boats,” said Philip.
It was the following morning. The children had had a big breakfast, and had been provided with enormous packets of food to take with them, by the steward who looked after them so well at table.
“I’ve packed a whole grape-fruit, two cherries and four bananas for Master Micky and Miss Kiki,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. Lucy-Ann went off into giggles.
“Oh — it does sound funny to call them that! Miss Kiki! Kiki, did you hear that? Miss Kiki!”
“Misskiki, kickmissy, missmicky,” began Kiki, and cackled loudly.
They all walked down the gangway to the pier. They found Tim waiting for them. He had heard the news.
“Hallo, sir,” he said to Bill. “Can I do anything for you today?”
“Well, we’re going off to have a look at Thamis,” said Bill. “I’ve hired a motor-boat from a Greek who apparently knows the route. Like to come with us?”
“Well, if you’ve made your own plans, sir, I won’t come today,” said Tim. “I’ve got a chappy here who wants a spot of flying. Can I take the plane up?”
“Yes, of course,” said Bill.
“And if you fly over Thamis, wave to us,” said Jack.
“Right,” said Tim, with a grin. “I’ll look it up and see where it is. Look out for us!”
He went off, and Bill turned to find the boat he had hired. A small dark Greek came up, with brilliant eyes and a shy smile. He saluted, and spoke in broken English.
“I Andros, sir, please. My brother, he say Mister want my boat. Mister, sir, she here.”
“Right. Thanks, Andros,” said Bill, and he looked at the spick and span little boat lying alongside. “Very nice boat. Now, you know the way to Thamis, don’t you?”
“Thamis. Yes, Mister. But Thamis poor place. Andros take you fine islands.”
“No, thanks. We want to go to Thamis,” said Bill firmly.
Andros seemed surprised at their wanting to go to Thamis. “Poor island,” he said again. “Visitors not go there, Mister, sir. I take you fine place.”
“Look here — don’t you know the way to Thamis?” said Bill. “Sounds as if you don’t. Oh, you do. Then, to Thamis, please, and let’s get on with it.”
“Thamis, Mister, sir,” agreed little Andros. “Yes, yes, Thamis. Old old island, but nothing there now, Mister, sir.” He glanced with interest at the parrot and the monkey. “They come too also?”
“Of course,” said Jack, stepping into the boat, and helping the girls in. “Come on, Bill, Mister, sir!”
“Mistersir, mistersir, mistersir,” screamed Kiki. “Pop goes the weasel! Bang, pop, God save the King.”
Andros gaped at her, open-mouthed. Micky leapt on to his shoulder and back to Philip’s, chattering. He was excited. He even pulled Kiki’s tail, a very silly thing to do, because Kiki would now watch for a good chance to nip Micky’s — and Micky had quite a long tail to nip!
Andros started up the engine. The motor-boat nosed out of the little harbour, leaving behind the great Viking Star, beautiful but silent. Soon they were out on the open sea, skimming along, bobbing up and down on the white horses that reared themselves every now and again. The sun was hot but the wind was strong. The girls’ hair streamed out straight, and they laughed in delight to feel so much wind in their faces. After the heat on the ship it was lovely.
“How far is Thamis?” asked Jack. Andros turned his curly head.
“Four hours, five hours,” he said.
“Do you go there much?” asked Bill.
“No, no, Mister, sir. Poor island. I go to Janos, the next one, where my sister lives,” said Andros. “Thamis dead island, Mister, sir.”
“What does he mean?” wondered Jack. “A poor dead island! Doesn’t sound much of a place, does it?”
“Well, there must be some sort of port or town there,” said Philip. “The one marked on the map. It looked quite a big one. There must be plenty of people living there and that means shops and things. It can’t be quite dead!”
It was a lovely journey to Thamis. The sea was choppy, and yet was full of glints and sparkles. The boat sped along like a live thing, the engines purring away. At twelve o’clock they all had a picnic lunch and blessed the steward who had packed them such a fine one.
“Five different sorts of sandwiches — four different kinds of cake — half a pound of sweet biscuits — rolls and butter and cheese and tomatoes — and the grape-fruit, cherries and bananas for Kiki and Micky,” said Jack.
Lucy-Ann sat contentedly eating, with the wind on her face. She looked very happy. The others looked at her and nudged one another. They waited. They knew exactly what she was going to say. She opened her mouth, and at once all the others chimed in together.
“You know, we always think food tastes much nicer when it’s eaten out of doors!”
Lucy-Ann stared at them in surprise. “How very queer! — I was just about to say exactly the same thing,” she said.
The others chuckled. “We knew you were,” said Philip. “You always do say it, Lucy-Ann. We watched for you to open your mouth and begin, and we said it for you!”
“Idiots,” said Lucy-Ann, and laughed. Andros laughed too. He liked these children and their queer pets. He had refused to share their food, and was eating his own lunch. It was made up of rather black bread, some very high-smelling cheese and a jug of some kind of drink.
Kiki and Micky ate their dinner solemnly together. Micky was not very pleased with the terrific breeze that blew every hair on his body backwards or forwards, depending on which way he sat. Nor was Kiki pleased when her feathers blew round her like an umbrella turning inside out. The two of them sat together in a little sheltered place, sharing the grape-fruit, the cherries and the bananas. Micky politely peeled a banana for Kiki and handed it to her.
“He skins it just like we do,” said Lucy-Ann. “I always think he’s so clever at that.”
“Clever,” said Andros, pointing to Micky. “Good and clever.”
Micky unfortunately spoilt Andros’s good opinion of him by throwing away the banana skin so carelessly that it landed on the sailor’s head, hanging ridiculously over his right eye. Kiki gave one of her rich chuckles, and was just about to add her banana skin to Micky’s when Jack took it away from her.
“Mistersir, mistersir, mister pollysir,” squawked Kiki, trying to snatch it back.
The boat went on and on, occasionally passing other islands, one or two large ones, but most of them small. Finally Andros raised his hands and pointed to the east.
“Thamis,” he said. “Mister, sir, Thamis.”
Everyone looked eagerly to where he pointed. They saw a small island, purple in the distance, rearing itself out of the waters as they sped nearer. Thamis! Was it really Thamis, the old island marked on the treasure map?
Eagerly the children leaned forward and watched it take shape as they raced nearer. Lucy-Ann’s imagination began to work. Long long ago, she thought, this is where the fleet of treasure-ships stole up to in the night. Soon we shall see the city marked on the map — the treasure-city!
“Perhaps,” she thought, “one of the ships was called the Andra like our own little Ship of Adventure. Perhaps it sailed into the very spot we’re making for now. We’re getting quite near. We shall see the city soon — the one marked on the map.”
“Is there a good harbour?” asked Bill, turning to Andros. The man looked surprised.
“Oh no, Mister sir. No harbour now. Only two places to land. I, Andros, know them both. I take you to old city port.”
“Good,” thought Jack. “Now we shall soon be therein the old city marked on the map. I hope it won’t be too modern, like the towns we’ve seen on some of the islands. Ah — now we’re getting in close.”