“John, we must go at once to them,” said Mrs. Arnold, who was almost crying with joy. “Quickly, this very minute. I can’t wait!”
“We’d better get a proper boat,” said Jack. “Our old boat is a leaky old thing now.”
It wasn’t long before a car was brought round to the door, and Jack, Captain and Mrs. Arnold were motoring to the lakeside. They hired a big boat from a fisherman there, and set off to the secret island. Jack wondered and wondered what the children would say!
Meanwhile the three children were getting more and more worried! It was past tea-time now, and getting dark. Where could Jack be?
“I can hear the splash of oars!” cried Peggy at last. They ran down to the beach, and saw the outline of the boat in the twilight coming near to the island. And then Mike saw that it was a bigger boat than their own - and there were three people in it, instead of one!
“That means Jack’s been caught - and these people have been sent to get us!” he thought, and his heart sank. But then, to his amazement, he heard Jack’s clear voice ringing out over the darkening water.
“Mike! Peggy! Nora! It’s all right! I’ve brought a Christmas present for you!”
The three children stared. Whatever could Jack mean? But when the boat landed, and Captain and Mrs. Arnold sprang out, they soon knew!
“Mummy! Oh, Mummy! And Daddy!” shrieked the children, and flung themselves at their father and mother. You couldn’t tell which were children and which were grown-ups, because they were all so mixed up. Only Jack was alone. He stood apart, looking at them - but not for long. Nora stretched out her hand and pulled him into the crowd of excited, happy people.
“You belong, too, Jack,” she said.