Five on a Treasure Island by Enid Blyton Read Free Book Online

indeed. It was queer to see what a change had come over them. They swelled up, turned over as soon as they came to rocks, and then rushed up the beach of the island with a great roar.
    "I think we'd better pull our boat up higher still," said George suddenly. "It's going to be a very bad storm indeed. Sometimes these sudden summer storms are worse than a winter one."
    She and Julian ran to the other side of the island where they had left the boat. It was a good thing they went, for great waves were already racing right up to it. The two children pulled the boat up almost to the top of the low cliff and George tied it to a stout gorse bush growing there.
    By now the rain was simply pelting down, and George and Julian were soaked. "I hope the others have been sensible enough to shelter in that room that has a roof and walls," said George.
    They were there all right, looking rather cold and scared. It was very dark there, for the only light came through the two slits of windows and the small doorway.
    "Could we light a fire to make things a bit more cheerful?" said Julian, looking round.
    "I wonder where we can find some nice dry sticks?"
    Almost as if they were answering the question a small crowd of jackdaws cried out wildly as they circled in the storm. "Chack, chack, chack!"
    "Of course! There are plenty of sticks on the ground below the tower!" cried Julian.
    "You know— where the jackdaws nest. They've dropped lots of sticks there."
    He dashed out into the rain and ran to the tower. He picked up an armful of sticks and ran back.
    "Good," said George. "We'll be able to make a nice fire with those. Anyone got any paper to start it— or matches?"

    "I've got some matches," said Julian. "But nobody's got paper."
    "Yes," said Anne, suddenly. "The sandwiches are wrapped in paper. Let's undo them, and then we can use the paper for the fire."
    "Good idea," said George. So they undid the sandwiches, and put them neatly on a broken stone, rubbing it clean first. Then they built up a fire, with the paper underneath and the sticks arranged criss-cross on top.
    It was fun when they lighted the paper. It flared up and the sticks at once caught fire, for they were very old and dry. Soon there was a fine cracking fire going and the little ruined room was lighted by dancing flames. It was very dark outside now, for the clouds hung almost low enough to touch the top of the castle tower! And how they raced by!
    The wind sent them off to the northeast, roaring behind them with a noise like the sea itself.
    "I've never, never heard the sea making such an awful noise," said Anne. "Never! It really sounds as if it's shouting at the top of its voice."
    What with the howling of the wind and the crashing of the great waves all round the little island, the children could hardly hear themselves speak! They had to shout at one another.
    "Let's have our dinner!" yelled Dick, who was feeling terribly hungry as usual. "We can't do anything much while this storm lasts."
    "Yes, let's," said Anne, looking longingly at the ham sandwiches. "It will be fun to have a picnic round the fire in this dark old room. I wonder how long ago other people had a meal here. I wish I could see them."
    "Well, I don't, said Dick, looking round half-scared as if he expected to see the old-time people walk in to share their picnic. "It's quite a queer enough day without wanting things like that to happen."
    They all felt better when they were eating the sandwiches and drinking the ginger-beer. The fire flared up as more and more sticks caught, and gave out quite a pleasant warmth, for now that the wind had got up so strongly, the day had become cold.
    "We'll take it in turn to fetch sticks," said George. But Anne didn't want to go alone.
    She was trying her best not to show that she was afraid of the storm— but it was more than she could do to go out of the cosy room into the rain and thunder by herself.
    Tim didn't seem to like the storm either. He sat close by George, his