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In the daytime Wild Cat Island was practically a second home to the Blackett girls, and Peggy had been as excited as her sister when their mother at last agreed to let them spend the night there. They'd bolted down their dinner as quickly as they could and rushed to the boathouse, waiting impatiently for Uncle Jim to catch up so he could help row across. Nancy was a little sore at having to have a grown-up's eye kept on things, but he had stayed mostly out of the way until it started to get late, accepting a mug of hot chocolate and telling them such good stories from his last voyage to South America that she'd almost forgotten about it. Peggy had hardly even noticed night falling, busying herself with the last of the washing up, and had crawled into the tent with Nancy sure they would both fall fast asleep in moments.
Once the lanterns were put out, though, the quiet darkness of the island seemed somehow not so quiet after all. The occasional snoring sound from outside was probably only Uncle Jim in the next tent, but what if it were really a bear? She shivered, burrowing deeper into her blankets, imagining some wild animal was about to attack them every time she heard the rustle of leaves.
Somewhere, an owl screeched, making her jump again. She heard Nancy roll over towards her, apparently realising that something was wrong.
"What's the matter? Can't you sleep?"
"It's too quiet," she admitted, at once feeling foolish for doing so.
"Peggy, you donkey. Can't you just put your hands over your ears?"
The tone of her older sister's voice, exasperated, amused and affectionate all at once, was so familiar that she couldn't help smiling. She tried covering both ears, then shook her head, before remembering Nancy couldn't see her.
"Not really. Not and lie down at the same time -- my elbow sticks into the side of the tent."
"Try putting your head under your pillow, then," came the sleepy retort.
Peggy laughed, then heard her sister shifting about again, trying to get back to sleep herself. She turned over onto her other side and tried to relax, glad when she heard a light rain start to fall. Bad weather always sounded so much louder when there were only the sides of your tent keeping you dry, she thought, but at least it blocked out everything else. She closed her eyes, and started to count sheep.