Release Message:  Having escaped their imprisonment, the kids follow the mysterious girl back to a tree house where they find the remains of their ship and most of their belongings.

Description:  Having escaped their imprisonment, the kids follow the mysterious girl back to a tree house where they find the remains of their ship and most of their belongings. The girl introduces herself as Helen Quinn, telling them that the people on the island live in a valley, that they must remain in, and that only she and her brother know the way to the tree house. Taking the kids back to her village, Helen explains that her people came to the island almost 190 years ago on a convict ship headed from Portsmouth harbour to New Holland. There was a mutiny and during a storm the ship was wrecked on Tambu. Today is tax day and their leader, the Q, who is more than 200 years old, comes to the valley. The kids hide in the bushes and witness the tax collectors at work. Later, Helen tells them that her brother, Jason, refused to pay his taxes and is about to be sent to Malo, another island, from where no one returns alive. The kids again meet Jeremiah Quizzel, who they learn is the personal servant of the Q. After hearing Jeremiah tell them about Malo and the Q, Tony and David follow Jeremiah hoping to discover where the Q lives, but the path is a dangerous one with many traps...