In late autumn the little island of Lindisfarne was chilly and bare and quiet, with the tourists long gone. This was the time of year that Dan Reid loved best, when the island once more belonged only to its people and its wild creatures - the birds he loved to watch, and the grey seals his grandmother called 'the sea people'. Much as Dan loved autumn on the island, it could be a sad time too, for it was now the seal hunters culled the herds. Dan was a fisherman's son, and he knew that the seals could ruin his father's catch and were, as well, so crowded together that the colony faced slow starvation; all the same, he loved the graceful inquisitive creatures and hated to hear the shots across the water from the neighbouring Farne Islands. Next year he must join his sister Kate at the mainland school, staying there all week long; this was his last full autumn on Lindisfarne, and it turned out to be a time of secrets. Dan loved and trusted his family, but he couldn't tell even them about the hiding-place at Castle Point. His secret there swallowed up his pocket money, ate into his sleep, got him into trouble at school; but Dan couldn't give it up.

 

There are 160 pages in this book. This book was published 1979 by James Clarke & Co Ltd .

Kathleen Fidler was the author of over eighty books for children, many of which were broadcast on BBC Radio Children's Hour and Schools programmes. She had a long-standing affection for Scotland. The Fidler Award stands as a memorial to her deep interest in children and writers. She died in 1980.

This book has the following chapters: List of Maps 1. Dan for Short 2. The Story 3. Down by the Lime Kilns 4. Problems for Dan 5. Tom Watson Gets Suspicious 6. Adventures in the Night 7. Surprises for Tom Watson and Dan 8. Discovery 9. Bringing Up a Seal 10. Tom Watson Gets a Fright 11. Grace Completes Her Education Some Useful Books Some Useful Dates