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live in a house that’s growing over me - putting out roots and shoots and buds and leaves! What shall we call our house, Jack?”
    “Willow House!” said Jack. “That’s the best name for it!”
    “It’s a good name,” said Peggy. “I like it. I like everything here. It’s glorious. Just us four - and our secret island. It’s the loveliest adventure that ever was!”
    “If only we had more to eat!” said Mike, who seemed to feel hungry every hour of the day. “That’s the only thing I don’t like about this adventure!”
    “Yes,” said Jack. “We’ll have to put that right! Don’t worry. We shall get over it somehow!”
    That night there was nothing much to eat but potatoes. Jack said he would go off in the boat as soon as it was dark, to see what he could find at his old farm.
    So he set off. He took with him a candle, set in the lantern, but he did not light it in case he should be seen.
    “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!”
    “Hurrah!” cried Peggy. “We can have eggs for breakfast, dinner, and tea!”
    “What else have you brought?” asked Mike.
    “Corn for the hens,” said Jack. “And packets of seeds of all kinds from the shed. And some tins of milk. And a loaf of bread, rather stale. And lots more vegetables!”
    “And here are some cherries,” said Nora, pulling out handfuls of red cherries from the boat. “Did you pick these, Jack?”
    “Yes,” said Jack. “They are from the tree in our garden. It’s full of them now.”
    “Did. you see your grandfather?” asked Mike.
    “Yes,” grinned Jack, “but he didn’t see me! He’s going away - to live with my aunt. The farm is to be shut up, and someone is to feed the animals until it’s sold. So I think I shall try and get my own cow somehow, and make her swim across the lake to the island!”
    “Don’t be silly, Jack,” said Peggy. “You could never do that!”
    “You don’t know what I can do!” said Jack. “Well, listen - I heard my Granddad talking to two friends of his, and everyone is wondering where we’ve all gone! They’ve searched everywhere for us - in all the nearby towns and villages, and in all the country round about!”
    “Oooh!” said the three children, feeling rather frightened. “Do you suppose they’ll come here?”
    “Well, they may,” said Jack. “You never know. I’ve always been a bit afraid that the smoke from our fire will give the game away to someone. But don’t let’s worry about that till it happens.”
    “Are the police looking for us, too?” asked Peggy.
    “Oh yes,” said Jack.