"And to-morrow we will act a nice little play for the enemy!" said Andy with a chuckle. "We will pretend that in the storm which we can now hear rumbling round, our hut was blown in—and we will bandage up Jill's head as if the hut fell on top of her—and bandage my leg too. And we'll beg for a tent most humbly!"
"I hope I shan't giggle," said Mary.
"If you do you'll deserve a good slapping," began Andy fiercely—but Mary spoke hastily once more.
"I didn't mean it, Andy. I shan't giggle. I shall be frightened, really, though I won't show it."
"All right," said Andy, calming down. "Golly! What a loud clap of thunder!"
The storm began properly then. It was not a very bad one, but the children were glad of the protection of the big sail over the open side of the hut. The wind blew fiercely, and Andy and Tom had to weight the sail down to prevent it from being — blown away. The thunder rumbled and crashed and the lightning flickered round the islands. In an hour's time, however, the storm was gone, and the wind died down again.
In the morning the children took the sail and hid it safely, for Andy did not want the enemy to know he had an old sail. They made the shack look as if the wind had almost blown it down, and Jill broke a plate and threw the pieces about as if the storm had caused the accident.
"Now I'll tie up Jill's head in my big handkerchief," said Andy, taking out a rather dirty hanky. "And I'll use a rag to tie my leg up with. Well pretend we got hurt in the night."
When the man came to look at the children and go over the island as usual, he was surprised to find Jill bandaged up, and Andy limping.
Andy hailed him. "Hie! Our shack has fallen down! Come and see!"