Read Online The Sea of Adventure by Enid Blyton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Enid Blyton
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to a rock. We'll put out the fenders, so that she doesn't bump against the rocky sides."
The boat nosed into the channel. As Philip said, the water was deep there — it was a natural little harbour. There was a ledge of rock on which they could land. Could anything be better? — Hurrah for Puffin Island!
Chapter 10
A LITTLE EXPLORING
"ISN'T this a gorgeous place?" said Jack, as the boat glided gently into the little channel. There was just room for it. "It might be a boat-house made specially for the Lucky Star."
Bill leapt out on to the rocky ledge, which did very well for a landing-stage. Sheer above them on each side rose rocky cliffs. Rows and rows of birds sat on the ledges, and there was a continual coming and going. There was also a continual dropping of eggs, knocked off by the careless birds. One broke near Bill, and splashed its yellow yolk over his foot.
"Good shot!" he yelled up to the circling birds, and the children roared.
They made the boat fast by tying the mooring-rope round a convenient rock. The boat bobbed up and down gently as waves ran up the little channel and back.
"Tide's up now," said Bill. "When it goes down there will still be plenty of water in this channel. The boat will look much lower down then. Now — is there a way up the cliff from here? We don't want to have to walk down the ledge and clamber round the cliff over hundreds of rocks before we get on to the island proper."
They looked round. Jack ran up the rocky ledge, and then turned and gave a shout. "Hi! We can get up here, I think. There are rocky shelves, like rough steps, going up the cliff — and there's a break in it a bit above. We could probably clamber out all right, and find ourselves right on the island."
"Well, you four go and explore," said Bill. "I'd better stay with the boat and see that she doesn't get her sides smashed in against these rocks. You look round the island and see if you can spot a sheltered cove somewhere, that I can take the boat round to."
The four children left the boat and followed Jack. Kiki flew on ahead, calling like a gull. Up the rocky ledges went Jack. They were almost like giant steps, roughly hewn by the great wintry seas for century after century.
As Jack said, the cliff had a deep cleft in it just there, and the children found that they could make their way through it, and come out on to the cushions of sea-pinks beyond. It needed a bit of clambering, and they were out of breath when they reached the top — but it was worth it.
The sea spread bright blue all round the island. The sky looked enormous. Other islands, blue in the distance, loomed up everywhere. A real colony of them it seemed — and their island was in the centre.
Then Jack gave such a yell that everyone jumped. "Puffins! Look! Hundreds and hundreds of them!"
The children looked to where Jack pointed and there, among the sea-pinks and the old heather tufts, were the most curious-looking birds they had ever seen.
They were dressed in black and white. Their legs were orange — but it was their extraordinary bills that held the children's attention.
"Look at their beaks!" cried Dinah, laughing. "Blue at the base — and then striped red and yellow!"
"But what enormous beaks!" cried Lucy-Ann. "They remind me a bit of Kiki's."
"Puffins are called sea parrots," remarked Jack, amused to see the crowd of solemn-looking puffins.
"Their eyes are so comical," said Philip. "They stare at us with such a fixed expression! And look at the way they walk — so upright!"
The colony of puffins was as good as a pantomime to watch. There were hundreds, thousands of birds there. Some stood about, watching, their crimson-ringed eyes fixed seriously on their neighbours. Others walked about, rolling from side to side like a sailor. Some took off like small aeroplanes, eager to get to the sea.
"Look! — what's that one
The boat nosed into the channel. As Philip said, the water was deep there — it was a natural little harbour. There was a ledge of rock on which they could land. Could anything be better? — Hurrah for Puffin Island!
Chapter 10
A LITTLE EXPLORING
"ISN'T this a gorgeous place?" said Jack, as the boat glided gently into the little channel. There was just room for it. "It might be a boat-house made specially for the Lucky Star."
Bill leapt out on to the rocky ledge, which did very well for a landing-stage. Sheer above them on each side rose rocky cliffs. Rows and rows of birds sat on the ledges, and there was a continual coming and going. There was also a continual dropping of eggs, knocked off by the careless birds. One broke near Bill, and splashed its yellow yolk over his foot.
"Good shot!" he yelled up to the circling birds, and the children roared.
They made the boat fast by tying the mooring-rope round a convenient rock. The boat bobbed up and down gently as waves ran up the little channel and back.
"Tide's up now," said Bill. "When it goes down there will still be plenty of water in this channel. The boat will look much lower down then. Now — is there a way up the cliff from here? We don't want to have to walk down the ledge and clamber round the cliff over hundreds of rocks before we get on to the island proper."
They looked round. Jack ran up the rocky ledge, and then turned and gave a shout. "Hi! We can get up here, I think. There are rocky shelves, like rough steps, going up the cliff — and there's a break in it a bit above. We could probably clamber out all right, and find ourselves right on the island."
"Well, you four go and explore," said Bill. "I'd better stay with the boat and see that she doesn't get her sides smashed in against these rocks. You look round the island and see if you can spot a sheltered cove somewhere, that I can take the boat round to."
The four children left the boat and followed Jack. Kiki flew on ahead, calling like a gull. Up the rocky ledges went Jack. They were almost like giant steps, roughly hewn by the great wintry seas for century after century.
As Jack said, the cliff had a deep cleft in it just there, and the children found that they could make their way through it, and come out on to the cushions of sea-pinks beyond. It needed a bit of clambering, and they were out of breath when they reached the top — but it was worth it.
The sea spread bright blue all round the island. The sky looked enormous. Other islands, blue in the distance, loomed up everywhere. A real colony of them it seemed — and their island was in the centre.
Then Jack gave such a yell that everyone jumped. "Puffins! Look! Hundreds and hundreds of them!"
The children looked to where Jack pointed and there, among the sea-pinks and the old heather tufts, were the most curious-looking birds they had ever seen.
They were dressed in black and white. Their legs were orange — but it was their extraordinary bills that held the children's attention.
"Look at their beaks!" cried Dinah, laughing. "Blue at the base — and then striped red and yellow!"
"But what enormous beaks!" cried Lucy-Ann. "They remind me a bit of Kiki's."
"Puffins are called sea parrots," remarked Jack, amused to see the crowd of solemn-looking puffins.
"Their eyes are so comical," said Philip. "They stare at us with such a fixed expression! And look at the way they walk — so upright!"
The colony of puffins was as good as a pantomime to watch. There were hundreds, thousands of birds there. Some stood about, watching, their crimson-ringed eyes fixed seriously on their neighbours. Others walked about, rolling from side to side like a sailor. Some took off like small aeroplanes, eager to get to the sea.
"Look! — what's that one
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