“Wait up for me,” he said to the others, “and keep a small fire going - not big, in case the glow could be seen.”
The other three waited patiently for Jack to come back. He seemed a long, long time. Nora stretched herself out on the old rug and fell asleep. But Mike and Peggy kept awake. They saw the moon come up and light everything. The secret island seemed mysterious again in the moonlight. Dark shadows stretched beneath the trees. The water lapped against the sand, black as night, close by them, but silvered where the moon caught it beyond. It was a warm night, and the children were hot, even though they had no covering.
It seemed hours before they heard the splash of oars. Mike ran down to the edge of the water and waited. He saw the boat coming softly over the water in the moonlight. He called Jack.
“Hallo, there, Jack! Are you all right?”
“Yes,” said Jack’s voice. “I’ve got plenty of news too!”
The boat scraped on the sand and stones. Mike pulled it up the beach, and Jack jumped out.
“I’ve got something here for us!” said Jack, and they saw his white teeth in the moonlight as he grinned at them. “Put your hands down there in the boat, Nora.”
Nora did - and squealed!
“There’s something soft and warm and feathery there!” she said. “What is it?”
“Six of my hens!” said Jack; I found them roosting in the hedges! I caught them and trussed them up so that they couldn’t move! My word, they were heavy to carry! But we shall have plenty of eggs now! They can’t escape from the island!”