The car started up and Jim set off up the cliff road. The children waved to George, and then the car turned a bend and was out of sight. They were on their way to Lake Wildwater - on their way to the island!
It was about forty miles away, and the car purred softly through the moonlit night. Paul was very sleepy and went sound asleep beside Peggy - but the others were too excited to sleep.
Jack watched the country flash by - five miles gone, ten, twenty, thirty, forty! They were almost there. Jim was to drive to where the children’s aunt and uncle had once lived, and then leave them. They could find their way then to the lake, and get their boat, which was always ready.
“Here we are,” said Jim. The car stopped. Jim got out. “I’ll give you a hand with the food down to the boat.” he said. So the six of them carried the food to where the boat was locked up in a small boat-house. Captain Arnold, the children’s father, had built them a little house for their boat in case they wished to visit their secret island at any time. Mike had the key on his key-ring. He got it out and unlocked the boat-house. There lay the boat, dreaming of the water. The moon shone into the boat-house, and Jack was able to see quite well, as he undid the rope and pushed the boat from the house.
The food was put in. Everyone but Jim got into the boat. Jim said good-bye and good luck and strode back over the fields to his waiting car. The five children were alone!
Jack and Mike took the oars. Paul was wide awake now and was full of excitement, longing to see this wonderful secret island that he had heard so much about.
“It won’t be long now,” said Nora, her eyes shining happily in the moonlight. The oars made a pleasant splashing sound in the silvery waters, and the boat glided along smoothly.
On and on they went - and then, rounding a corner of the wooded bank of the lake, they came suddenly in sight of their island!
“Look! There it is, Paul!” cried Peggy. Paul looked. He saw a small island floating on the moonlit lake, with trees growing down to the water’s edge. It had a hill in the middle of it, and it looked a most beautiful and enchanting place.
“Our secret island,” said Nora softly, her eyes full of happy tears, for she had loved their island with all her heart, and had spent many, many happy days there along with the others the year before.