Five on a Treasure Island Read Online Free Page A

sounded awful to the other children, who loved ice-creams, chocolates and sweets, and had a good many of them. They stared at George.
    "Well— I suppose the other children who play on the beach share their sweets and ices with you sometimes, don't they?" asked Julian.
    "I don't let them," said George. "If I can never give them any myself it's not fair to take them. So I say no."
    The tinkle of an ice-cream man's bell was heard in the distance. Julian felt in his pocket. He jumped up and rushed off, jingling his money. In a few moments he was back again, carrying four fat chocolate ice-cream bars. He gave one to Dick, and one to Anne, and then held out one to George. She looked at it longingly, but shook her head.
    "No, thanks," she said. "You know what I just said. I haven't any money to buy them, so I can't share mine with you, and I can't take any from you. It's mean to take from people if you can't give even a little back."
    "You can take from us," said Julian, trying to put the ice into George's brown hand.
    "We're your cousins."
    "No, thanks," said George again. "Though I do think it's nice of you."
    She looked at Julian out of her blue eyes and the boy frowned as he tried to think of a way to make the obstinate little girl take the ice. Then he smiled.
    "Listen," he said, "you've got something we badly want to share— in fact you've got a lot of things we'd like to share, if only you'd let us. You share those with us, and let us share things like ices with you. See?"
    "What things have I got that you want to share?" asked George, in surprise.
    "You've got a dog," said Julian, patting the big brown mongrel. "We'd love to share him with you, he's such a darling. And you've got a lovely island. We'd be simply thrilled if you'd share it sometimes. And you've got a wreck. We'd like to look at it and share it too. Ices and sweets aren't so good as those things— but it would be nice to make a bargain and share with each other."
    George looked at the brown eyes that gazed steadily into hers. She couldn't help liking Julian. It wasn't her nature to share anything. She had always been an only child, a lonely, rather misunderstood little girl, fierce and hot-tempered. She had never had any friends of her own. Timothy looked up at Julian and saw that he was offering something nice and chocolately to George. He jumped up and licked the boy with his friendly tongue.
    "There you are, you see— Tim wants to be shared," said Julian, with a laugh. "It would be nice for him to have three new friends."
    "Yes— it would," said George, giving in suddenly, and taking the chocolate bar.
    "Thank you, Julian. I will share with you. But promise you'll never tell anyone at home that I'm still keeping Timothy?"
    "Of course we'll promise," said Julian. "But I can't imagine that your father or mother would mind, so long as Tim doesn't live in their house. How's the ice? Is it nice?"
    "Ooooh— the loveliest one I've ever tasted!" said George nibbling at it. "It's so cold. I haven't had one this year. It's simply DELICIOUS!"
    Timothy tried to nibble it too. George gave him a few crumbs at the end. Then she turned and smiled at the three children.
    "You're nice," she said. "I'm glad you've come after all. Let's take a boat out this afternoon and row round the island to have a look at the wreck, shall we?"
    "Rather!" said all three at once— and even Timothy wagged his tail as if he understood!

Chapter Four
AN EXCITING AFTERNOON
    Contents— Prev/Next
    They all had a bathe that morning, and the boys found that George was a much better swimmer than they were. She was very strong and very fast, and she could swim under water, too, holding her breath for ages.
    "You're jolly good," said Julian, admiringly. "It's a pity Anne isn't a bit better. Anne, you'll have to practise your swimming strokes hard, or you'll never be able to swim out as far as we do."
    They were all very hungry at lunch time. They went back up the cliff-path, hoping there would be