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[¹⁷] The end of the term came quickly. Anne and George packed up their trunks, and put on the labels, enjoying the noise and excitement of the last two days. The big school coaches rolled up to the door, and the girls clambered in.

[¹⁸] 'Off to Kirrin again!' said Anne. 'Come on, Timothy darling, you can sit between me and George.'

[¹⁹] Gaylands School allowed the children to keep their own pets, and Timothy, George's big mongrel dog, had been a great success. Except for the time when he had run after the dustman, and dragged the dustbin away from him, all the way up the school grounds and into George's classroom, he had really behaved extremely well.

[²⁰] 'I'm sure you'll have a good report, Tim,' said George, giving the dog a hug. 'We're going home again. Will you like that?'

[²¹] 'Woof,' said Tim, in his deep voice. He stood up, wagging his tail, and there was a squeal from the seat behind.

[²²] 'George! Make Tim sit down. He's wagging my hat off!'

[²³] It was not very long before the two girls and Timothy were in London, being put into the train for Kirrin.

[²⁴] 'I do wish the boys broke up today too,' sighed Anne. 'Then we could all have gone down to Kirrin together. That would have been fun.'

[²⁵] Julian and Dick broke up the next day and were to join the girls then at Kirrin Cottage. Anne was very much looking forward to seeing them again. A term was a long time to be away from one another. She had been glad to have her cousin George with her. The three of them had stayed with George in the summer, and had had some exciting adventures together on the little island off the coast. An old castle stood on the island and in the dungeons the children had made all kinds of wonderful discoveries.

[²⁶] 'It will be lovely to go across to Kirrin Island again, George,' said Anne, as the train sped off towards the west.

[²⁷] 'We shan't be able to,' said George. 'The sea is terribly rough round the island in the winter. It would be too dangerous to try and row there.'

[²⁸] 'Oh, what a pity,' said Anne disappointed. 'I was looking forward to some more adventures there.'

[²⁹] 'There won't be any adventures at Kirrin in the winter,' said George. 'It's cold down there - and when it snows we sometimes get frozen up completely - can't even walk to the village because the sea-wind blows the snow-drifts so high.'

[³⁰] 'Oooh - that sounds rather exciting!' said Anne.

[³¹] 'Well, it isn't really,' said George. 'It's awfully boring -nothing to do but sit at home all day, or turn out with a spade and dig the snow away.'

[³²] It was a long time before the train reached the little station that served Kirrin. But at last it was there steaming in slowly and stopping at the tiny platform. The two girls jumped out eagerly, and looked to see if anyone had met them. Yes - there was George's mother!