Five Go Back to Kirrin Island

©2006 Enid Blyton Yahoo Group

Every once in a while, regular members of the Enid Blyton Yahoo Group join forces and write a Round Robin. If you've never heard of a Round Robin, well, in this case it's a brand new story written by a group of fans, with each member writing a chapter and making it up as they go along. Nobody knows where the story will lead; there's no plot to follow, and the direction of the next chapter is decided by the end of the last one. It's a lot of fun, and the result is either a wonderful new story—or a complete mess!

What follows is the Famous Five in a brand new exciting adventure. There are over 20 members uniting to write this story, so this section will grow one chapter at a time over the next few months...

Chapter 6: Down at the beach
by Harikrishnan Menon (February 20, 2006)

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"Where's George?" repeated Aunt Fanny anxiously, even as Anne started sobbing loudly. "What's the matter, Julian? Why is Anne upset? Is George ill? Why isn't she with you?"

"We don't know, Aunt Fanny," said Julian, trying to sound nonchalant, though his voice hinted that he was distressed too. "George is missing. We think she may have gone to the island to see what was up."

"She wasn't at all keen on all of us going to the island tomorrow, though we'd suggested it to her. We didn't know she was planning to go alone," wailed Anne.

"Do stop it, Anne," said Dick. "I'm sure she's all right. It reminds me of the time she took off with Timmy during the time those horrid Sticks were here. She had bought stuff to last her a couple of weeks, and had stocked her little boat with it. We just managed to grab her before she set off."

"Well it's too late for that," said Julian shortly. "She had it all planned this time, and must be on the island by now. I should have wondered when we didn't see her around in the evening, but I assumed she was moping in her bedroom. She does have these little sulks from time to time, so we didn't take it seriously."

"What do we do, Julian?" asked Aunt Fanny in a panic. "Quentin isn't on the island anymore—he's home for the night. Mr Lenoir's arriving tomorrow, and he was to meet him to discuss plans for that causeway. In fact, I believe it's a tunnel, not a causeway. Oh, I'd better wake him and tell him George's missing!" She hurried off, looking very upset indeed.

"What do we do, Julian?" asked Dick in a low voice. "Let's go into our bedroom so we can talk freely," said Julian. "I don't want Aunt Fanny to hear us. You come too, Anne."

Off they trooped into the boys' bedroom, the window of which overlooked Kirrin Bay. The island could be seen in the distance, but it was shrouded in darkness. The tower couldn't be seen even when the moon came out from behind the clouds—but of course, that had collapsed some time ago.

"Are you sure George is safe, Julian?" implored Anne, but Julian was lost in thought, with a frown on his face.

"Let's think of a plan," he said. "We can't take the boat because George's gone off in it, and we can't very well go out and steal a boat that doesn't belong to us. We'll have to wait till morning and ask Alf—James, I mean—to take us over.

"But morning may be too late," protested Dick. "What if George is hurt? We can't wait that long. I suggest we go down to the beach to see if her boat's there or not."

"We could do that if you like," said Julian. "But mark my words, the boat won't be there! But what's that noise? It sounds like a car starting up."

"It's Aunt Fanny, with Uncle Quentin," said Anne, leaning out of the window. "Do you think they're going to fetch the police?"

"Possibly," said Julian. "Now what do you suggest we do? Explore the beach?"

"Oh, do let's," said Dick, and even Anne bravely nodded yes. So off they all went, after wrapping themselves warmly first, for there was a nip in the air even though it was a summer night.

#

A half-moon struggled among the clouds to throw a little light on Kirrin Bay, as the three children hurried down the path they knew so well. The reached the little cove where George kept her boat, and saw it was no longer there.

"Blow!" said Julian, though he was expecting the boat to be missing all along. "Old George's gone off in her boat all right, and with Timmy too. That's perhaps the only saving grace—he'll keep her safe."

"Do you think Jo's gone with her?" asked Dick suddenly. "I know they aren't the best of friends, but I did notice George was being unusually friendly with Jo when she was telling us about Pottersham's escape, and how he's interested in the island."

"Look, on the island!" cried Anne suddenly. Even as they watched, a faint greenish glow hung above the island and vanished in wisps. "What is it, Julian? I don't like it!"

"It reminds me of something we've seen before. Do you remember where, Ju?" asked Dick, frowning.

"Didn't Uncle's previous experiments involve neutrinos?" exclaimed Julian. "That means radioactivity. Could it have been a radioactive flare? If it was, I wouldn't give old George much chance!"

"Oh no," cried Anne in panic. "We must go over to the island and help her. We can't wait around like this when she could be in danger!"

"Now listen, Anne," said Julian gently. "If the island's radioactive it wouldn't do a bit of good if we were to land on it. It could be very dangerous, in fact. Let's wait till Uncle and Aunt are back."

"What are neutrinos anyway?" asked Dick curiously. "Atomic particles of some sort?"

"Yes," said Julian. "Neutrinos are similar to electrons, which you'd have studied about in school, but with a crucial difference: they do not possess an electrical charge. This makes them much less vulnerable to external forces, and so they are therefore able to pass easily through great distances in matter without being deflected. The neutrinos detected here on earth were produced deep inside the sun."

"Incidentally," he went on, "experiments with neutrinos have to be performed well under the ground, because on the earth's surface a shower of cosmic rays and other high-energy particles can drown them out. That explains why Uncle Quentin wanted a laboratory deep under the earth, surrounded by water. It makes neutrinos much easier to detect, and also makes scientists less vulnerable to the effects of radioactivity!"

"You're brilliant, Julian," said Anne, who had only half-understood this long speech. "Do you intend to be a scientist like Uncle Quentin when you're grown up?"

"I might, Anne," said Julian, forcing a smile. "Now, do any of you have any idea what's the best way to find old George?"

"You said it's safer to remain underground in case of radioactivity," said Anne. "Well, why don't we take the tunnel to Kirrin Island instead? I mean the underground passage we explored the last time Uncle Quentin built his funny tower on the island. We'd be safe then, won't we?"

"Now that's an idea," said Julian frowning. "I just hope George will have had the good sense to remain underground, or in the dungeons, instead of wandering around in the courtyard. I wouldn't put it past her to take risks like that."

"If she's aware of the danger, I'm sure she wouldn't," said Dick. "Let's check out the tunnel," he added enthusiastically. "It begins in the old quarry, right? I hope it hasn't caved in."

"Let's do that," agreed Julian. "Ever since they cut those steps down into the quarry, it's been a relatively safe descent, even in the dark. Otherwise one can easily fall and break an ankle. I believe someone did too, once."

"Ooh, yes, that was that horrid Mr Curton, Martin's father," said Anne. "I was the one who saw him fall, but I didn't go to help him because I knew he was a wicked man. And I told him so!"

"Good for you, Anne," said Julian absently, ruffling her hair. "Now, before we make this little expedition, let's leave a note for Uncle and Aunt, so they don't worry too much. They'll see it only in the morning, and we should be on the island by then."

"We'll need to go back to Kirrin Cottage and get another torch," said Dick suddenly, as his torch flickered. "This one is almost dead!"

"Good idea," said Julian, "We'll get a nice stout rope as well—unless you have one wound around your waist already, Dick?"

"Did you really think I go to bed every night with a rope around my waist? Don't be daft, Ju," said Dick. "Sometimes your jokes really kill me."

"Oh, don't let's argue now," said Anne. "I'll raid the larder and stuff a bag full of food as well, because we don't know how long we'll be gone!"

#

Twenty minutes later, three shadowy figures made their way across the moor at the back of Kirrin cottage. Arden Hall stood dark and brooding in the distance, and there were no lights to be seen.

"It's a stroke of luck Uncle and Aunt weren't back, so we could slip away without being seen," said Anne. "But where do you think they are now?"

"Haven't a clue," panted Dick as he hauled along a small sack of what Julian called 'essentials'. "I only hope they won't come back right away and see the note we left on the kitchen table. They might try to stop us."

"There's little fear of that," said Julian. They're going to be too preoccupied to even look into the kitchen until morning. I only hope Aunt Fanny doesn't come upstairs to check on us. But I expect she'll not want to disturb us because she'll think we're asleep."

"What's in that sack you're carrying, Dick?" asked Anne. "It looks too heavy to be just food, though I did pack a fair bit."

"Well," said Julian, before Dick could catch his breath and reply. "There's the food of course. There are also ropes, spare batteries, rugs, and a couple of small spades and trowels. I've even packed a bone for old Timmy."

"Everything but the kitchen sink," muttered Dick. "Give me a hand, Ju."

It was past midnight, but the moon provided some light. At one time Julian paused for a moment when he thought he heard a horse whinny in the distance, but decided it was just his ears playing tricks.

The old quarry was only a quarter of a mile away, so they made it without much effort. It was like a huge bowl, but as it has been abandoned years ago, it was overgrown with bushes and weeds. The Five had had great fun the last time they explored the place, and Timmy had even unearthed a prehistoric arrow head for them! But that was during the day, of course. The place looked very different at night.

"Here we are," said Julian. "As I said, someone's hewn rough steps along the edge, so it's quite safe to walk down. I'll go first with the sack; then you follow me, Anne. Dick can bring up the rear. Do hold on to each other!"

In a few minutes they were at the cave. It was overgrown with gorse and brambles, but the spades came in useful, and the mouth of the cave was soon cleared. It seemed to yawn menacingly at them, thought Anne with a shiver.

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