“I must say good-bye,” said Dimmy hurriedly. “Don’t push off yet, George - you’ve forgotten I’m not going with you!”
“Oh, Dimmy, I wish you were coming too,” said Peggy, sad to say good-bye to her, “I hope you’ll be all right. Anyway, George will be with you as soon as he rows the boat back from Longrigg.”
“Good-bye, dears,” whispered Dimmy. She got out of the boat. “Take care of yourselves. I’ll let you know as soon as we have found out about Prince Paul, and what we must do with him, Good luck!”
“Good luck!” whispered the children. George pushed off from the little wooden jetty. The boat floated out on the water. George bent to the oars and began to row away. Soon nothing could be seen of Dimmy at all - she had vanished into the darkness.
The boat went on and on over the dark, restless sea. Jack had found the second pair of oars and was rowing too, to help George. The children spoke to one another in whispers, because George said voices carried so far over the water.
“Well, we’ve rescued you, Paul!” said Jack. “You’re safe with us now! And I don’t somehow think that dear Mr. Diaz will be able to find you on our secret island! We’ll have a nice little holiday there for a few days - and oh, won’t it be lovely to be back there again, all by ourselves!”
“Lovely, lovely, lovely!” said the others, and began to dream about their island. Soon, soon, they would be there!
Off to the Secret Island
George rowed the boat silently over the calm sea towards the little fishing village of Longrigg. Jack helped him, and the children sat quietly in the boat until George said it was safe to talk.
“No one can hear you now,” he said. “So talk away!”