He called them into his study. They came in, feeling sure that they were to hear bad news – probably they were all to return to school!
‘You remember that boy I spoke to you about last
night?’ began Uncle Quentin. Pierre Lenoir. You had some absurd name for him.’
‘Sooty,’ said Dick and Julian together.
‘Ah yes, Sooty. Well, his father has kindly invited you all to go and stay with him at Smuggler’s Top,’ said Uncle Quentin.
The children were astonished.
‘Smuggler’s Top!’ said Dick, his fancy caught by the queer name. ‘What’s Smuggler’s Top?’
‘The name of his house/ said Uncle Quentin. ‘It’s very old, built on the top of a queer hill surrounded by marshes over which the sea once flowed. The hill was once an island, but now it’s just a tall hill rising up from the marsh. Smuggling went on there in the old days. It’s a very peculiar place, so I’ve heard.’
All this made the children feel excited. Also Julian and Dick had always liked Sooty Lenoir. He was quite mad, but awfully good fun. They might have a first-rate time with him.
‘Well – would you like to go? Or would you rather go back to school for the holidays?’ asked Uncle Quentin impatiently.
‘Oh no – not back to school!’ said everyone at once.
‘I’d love to go to Smuggler’s Top,’ said Dick. ‘It sounds a thrilling place. And I always liked old Sooty, especially since he sawed half through one of the legs of our form-master’s chair. It gave way at once when Mr. Toms sat down!’
‘H’m. I don’t see that a trick like that is any reason for liking someone,’ said Uncle Quentin, beginning to feel a little doubtful about Master Lenoir. ‘Perhaps, on the whole, school would be best for you.’
‘Oh no, no!’ cried everyone. ‘Let’s go to Smuggler’s Top! Do, do let’s!’
‘Very well,’ said “Uncle Quentin, pleased at their eagerness to follow his plan. ‘As a matter of fact, I have already settled it. I telephoned a few minutes ago. Mr. Lenoir was very kind about it all.’
‘Can I take Timmy?’ asked George, suddenly.
‘No,’ said her father. I’m afraid not. Mr. Lenoir doesn’t like dogs.’
‘Then I shouldn’t like him’ said George, sulkily. ‘I won’t go without Timmy.’
‘You’ll have to go back to school, then,’ said her father, sharply. ‘And take off that sulky expression, George. You know how I dislike it.’
But George wouldn’t. She turned away. The others looked at her in dismay. Surely old George wasn’t going to get into one of her moods, and spoil everything! It would be fun to go to Smuggler’s Top. But, of course, it certainly wouldn’t be so much fun without Timmy. Still – they couldn’t all go back to school just because George wouldn’t go anywhere without her dog.
They all went into the sitting-room. Anne put her arm through George’s. George shook it off.
‘George! You simply must come with us,’ said Anne, ‘I can’t bear to go without you – it would be awful to see you going back to school all alone.’
‘I shouldn’t be all alone,’ said George. ‘I should have Timmy.’
The others pressed her to change her mind, but she shook them off. ‘Leave me alone,’ she said. ‘I want to think. How are we supposed to get to Smuggler’s Top, and where is it? Which road do we take?’
‘We’re going by car, and it’s right up the coast somewhere, so I expect we’ll take the coast-road,’ said Julian. ‘Why, George?’
‘Don’t ask questions,’ said George. She went out with
Timmy. The others didn’t follow her. George was not very nice when she was cross.
Aunt Fanny began to pack for them, though it was impossible to get some of the things from the girls’ room. After a time George came back, but Jimmy was not with her. She looked more cheerful.
‘Where’s Tim?’ asked Anne, at once.
‘Out somewhere,’ said George.
‘Are you coming with us, George?’ asked Julian, looking at her.
‘Yes. I’ve made up my mind to,’ said George, but for some reason she wouldn’t look Julian in the eyes. He wondered why.
Aunt Fanny gave them all an early lunch, and then a big car came for them. They packed themselves inside. Uncle Quentin gave them all sorts of messages for Mr. Lenoir, and Aunt Fanny kissed them good-bye. ‘I do hope you have a nice time at Smuggler’s Top,’ she said. ‘Mind you write at once and tell me all about it.’
‘Aren’t we going to say good-bye to Timmy?’ said Anne, her eyes opening wide in amazement at George forgetting. ‘George, surely you’re not going without saying good-bye to old Timmy!’
‘Can’t stop now,’ said Uncle Quentin, afraid that George might suddenly become awkward again. ‘Right, driver! You can go off now. Don’t drive too fast, please.’
Waving and shouting the children drove away from Kirrin Cottage, sad when they looked back and saw the smashed roof under the fallen tree. Never mind – they had not been sent back to school. That was the main thing. Their spirits rose as they thought of Sooty and his queerly-named home, Smuggler’s Top.
‘Smuggler’s Top! It sounds too exciting for words!’ said Anne. ‘I can picture it, an old house right on the top
of a hill. Fancy being an island once. I wonder why the sea went back and left marshes instead.3
George said nothing for a while, and the car speeded on. The others glanced at her once or twice, but came to the conclusion that she was grieving about Timmy. Still she didn’t look very sad!
The car went over a hill and speeded down to the bottom. When they got there George leaned forward and touched the driver’s arm.
‘Would you stop a moment, please? We have to pick somebody up here.’
Julian, Dick and Anne stared at George in surprise. The driver, also rather surprised, drew the car to a standstill. George opened the car door and gave a loud whistle.
Something shot out of the hedge and hurled itself joyfully into the car. It was Timmy! He licked everyone, trod on everyone’s toes, and gave the little short barks that showed he was excited and happy.
‘Well,’ said the driver, doubtfully, ‘I don’t know if you’re supposed to take that dog in, Miss. Your father didn’t say anything about him.’
‘It’s all right,’ said George, her face red with joy. ‘Quite all right. You needn’t worry. Start the car again, please.’
‘You are a monkey!’ said Julian, half-annoyed with George, and half-pleased because Timmy was with them after all. ‘Mr. Lenoir may send him back, you know.’
‘Well, he’ll have to send me back too,’ said George, defiantly. ‘Anyhow, the main thing is, we’ve got Timmy after all, and I am coming with you.’
‘Yes – that’s fine,’ said Anne, and gave first George and then Timmy a hug. I didn’t like going without Tim either.’
‘On to Smuggler’s Top!’ said Dick, as the car started off again. ‘On to Smuggler’s Top. I wonder if we shall have any adventures there!’
Chapter Four SMUGGLER’S TOP
THE car sped on, mostly along the coast, though it sometimes went inland for a few miles. But, sooner or later it was in sight of the sea again. The children enjoyed the long drive. They were to stop somewhere for lunch, and the driver told them he knew of a good inn.
At half past twelve he drew up outside an old inn, and they all trooped in. Julian took charge, and ordered lunch. It was a very good one, and all the children enjoyed it. So did Timmy. The innkeeper liked dogs, and put down such a piled-up plate for Timmy that the dog hardly liked to begin on his meal in case it was not for him!
He looked up at George and she nodded to him. ‘It’s your dinner, Timmy. Eat it up.’
So he ate it, hoping that if they were going to stay anywhere they might be staying at the inn. Meals like this did not arrive every day for a hungry dog!
But after lunch the children got up. They went to find the driver, who was having his lunch in the kitchen with the innkeeper and his wife. They were old friends of his.
‘Well, I hear you’re going to Castaway,’ said the innkeeper, getting up. ‘You be careful there!’
‘Castaway!’ said Julian. ‘Is that what the hill is called, where Smuggler’s Top is?’
‘That’s its name,’ said the innkeeper.
‘Why is it called that?’ said Anne. ‘What a funny name! Were people cast away on it once, when it was an island?’
‘Oh no. The old story goes that the hill was once joined to the mainland,’ said the innkeeper. ‘But it was the haunt of bad people, and one of the saints became angry with the place, and cast it away into the sea, where it became an island.’