Tom soon found foothold on the rocks under the water. He felt better at once. He and Andy held hands iSarf together made their way very cautiously over tins i sunken rocks, bruising their poor feet, but getting gradually nearer to the shore. And at last they felt the rocks stop, and there was sand beneath their feet! Good,
"Golly! I didn't enjoy that very much," said Tom. "Sorry I was so feeble, Andy."
"It's all right," said Andy. "You did your best. We're all right now."
But in his own mind Andy didn't think they were at all all right! How in the world was he going to get Tom over that stretch of water back to the second island gain? He would never, never do it! Andy was very worried indeed.
But he didn't show it. He grinned at Tom, his blue eyes shining in his wet brown face. "We're here at last!" he said. "And maybe we shall get a few surprises!"
They lay on the sandy shore in the sun for a while, drying themselves. Tom felt very much better alter a meal out of the oilskin packet. He almost felt as if he could swim back home again! It was wonderful what food did to Tom.
"I feel a new man now," he said, leaping to his feet. "Come on, Andy, old chap. Let's go up to the cliff-top and go across to the other side of this island, to see if we can spy anything."
Andy got up too. The two boys climbed up the rough cliff and sat on the top to get back their breath. The island seemed to be about the same as the other two—covered with heather, bracken and grass, and with white gulls soaring over it.
They crossed the narrow width of the island and at last came to the cliff on the other side.
"Wriggle along on the ground now, just in case there's anyone about," said Andy. So both boys wriggled along on their fronts, and came at last to a lace where they could see down to the water far below.
And what they saw there filled them with such astonishment and alarm that for at least five minutes neither boy could say a word!
Submarines! A submarine base in those deserted islands! No wonder so many of our ships had been sent to the bottom in the waters around these islands!
"It's a real nest of submarines," whispered Andy at last. "Enemy submarines I I can't believe it. My word, Tom, we've stumbled on an amazing secret."
The boys lay looking down on the water. Some of the submarines lay like great grey crocodiles, humped out of the water. One or two were moving out of the harbour, their periscopes showing. It was a curiously silent place, considering that so many of these underwater ships were there. There was no noise of shouting—no noise of machinery—just a dull throbbing every now and again.
"They get fuel and food here," whispered Andy. They are the small submarines—this harbour can easily take a dozen or more. It's a perfect place for submarines. Do you see how they haven't built any jetties or piers—not a thing that anyone could see, if one of our own planes came over? All they would have to do then would be to sink under the water—and then there would be nothing to see. They store everything in the caves—golly, it's amazing."
For a very long time the two boys lay watching the Strange sight below. Two submarines slipped silently out of the harbour entrance—a way between two reefs of high rocks. A third submarine came in, and lay peacefully with the others, the men coming out on the deck and looking around.
At first Tom had been so full of surprise and alarm, go swept with excitement, that he could think of nothing but the sight of the queer vessels. Then another thought came into his head and he turned to Andy.
"Andy," he said. "We've got to get home and tell what we've seen."
"I know," said Andy. "I'm thinking that too, Tom. And we've got to get the girls off these islands. We are all in danger. If the enemy knew we were spying on them like this I don't know what would happen to us."
"I don't care how much danger we're in," said Tom, and he didn't. "All I know is that we've got to go and tell our people at home about this submarine base. It's got to be cleared away. Andy, it's serious."
Andy nodded. Both boys seemed to become men at that moment. They looked gravely into each other's eyes and what they saw there pleased them both. Each boy knew that the other would do his best and even more than his best.
"Do you think we shall be believed if we go home with a story like this?" said Tom. "Grown-ups have some funny ideas sometimes. They might think we had made it all up—or been mistaken."
"We'll get your camera and take a few photographs," said Andy. "Nobody can disbelieve photographs. And another thing we must do is to try to do something with our boat. We must get it off the rocks somehow and try to patch it up. It's our only way of getting back home."
They watched the harbour for a little while longer, and then wriggled along the top of the cliff till they came to some bushes. They went down by these and ran along till they came to the end of the harbour. Beyond lay a cove, and in it, drawn up to the sand, were a number of small boats. No one seemed to be about.
The sight of the little boats excited Andy. If only he could get hold of one! Then he and Tom could row round the third island, and get back to the second one safely. Andy knew perfectly well that Tom could not swim back—and he did not mean to leave the boy alone on this submarine island.
"Tom," he said, "see those boats? Well, what about waiting til night-time—and then stealing down to the cove and taking a boat? We could easily row it back to the second island. It would save us having to swim—and we might even fill it with food and water and try our luck at going home. I could fix up the sail somehow."
"Good idea, Andy," said Tom, his face glowing with excitement. "But I say! Won't the girls be awfully worried if we don't swim back before low tide tonight?"
"We'll go to the cliff on the other side of this island and wave to them," said Andy. "They've got the field-glasses and will see us quite clearly. We'll point and wave and nod and try to show them that our plans are altered, but that we're all light"
"Good," said Tom, "Let's go now. I feel so awfully excited that I really must do something!"
The boys went to the other side of the island. After a while the girls appeared and waved to them. Jill put the glasses to her eyes.
The boys seem frightfully pleased and excited about something!" she said. "They are waving and pointing and nodding like anything. They seem to want us to understand something."
"Well, it-can only be that they have found something exciting and are going to do something about it," said Mary, taking the glasses from Jill and looking through them. "Yes—Tom's like a mad thing. Well, we shall know when they come back to-night. I only hope Tom will be able to swim back all right. I was really afraid he'd drown this morning."
The boys disappeared after a time. They sat down in a little sunny hollow and finished the rest of the food. Andy found a stream of water and the boys drank from it. Then they sat talking quietly, waiting for the night to come.
At last it came. The moon was behind the clouds, and gave only a pate light now and again. The boys, slipped quietly to the top of the cliff that overlooked the small cove next to the harbour. They had already planned the easiest way down. Andy went first. He climbed like a cat. Tom followed him, trying not to send any stones clattering down the cliff.
They came to the shore. It was sandy and their feet made no noise. The boys stayed in the shadow of the cliffs for a few minutes, listening. They could hear no noise at all, except the small sound of little waves breaking on the sand. The boats were not far off, upturned in a row. No one was guarding them. Indeed, why should anyone? No one had ever set foot on the islands since the farm-folk had gone—save for the crews of enemy seaplanes and submarines.
The boys crept over the silvery sand. Take the boat on the left," whispered Andy. "It's just our size."
They came to the boat—and then they heard voices. They seemed to come from the far side of the cliff, and sounded clearly in the night. The boys could not hear any words—but the sound was enough to make them lie down Sat beside the boat they had chosen.
Tom was trembling. Suppose they were found out just as they were taking the boat! It would be too bad. The boys listened until the sound of voices died away and then they cautiously lifted their heads.
"When the moon gets into that very thick cloud we'll turn the boat over and run her into the water," whispered Andy. "You take this side and I'll take the other. Be ready."
"Right," whispered back Tom. So when the moon slipped behind the dark clouds the boys rose silently to their feet. They turned over the boat with hardly a sound, though it was awkward and heavy. Then they pulled it over the sand to the water. Tom got in and took the oars. Andy pushed the boat right out and leapt in himself. The moon was still hidden.
Silently the boys rowed away from the shore, hoping that the moon would remain behind the cloud until they had pulled out of sight. No shout was heard. No running feet. They were undiscovered, so far!
They rowed fast. When the moon came out again they were far from the little cove. "Look I Pull round a bit more," said Andy. "We're passing round the end of the island. We've done well to get here so quickly!"
Soon they were right round the narrow end of the third island. They rowed into the broad stretch of water between the second and third islands. Then across to the shore below the cliff where they had left the girls.
Jill and Mary were watching there. They had been very worried when night had come and brought with it no boys. They couldn't imagine what had happened. They were in a great state of alarm and fright.
And then Jill, looking through the glasses when the moon had swum out into a clear piece of sky, had seen a little boat coming into the stretch of water between the two islands. She clutched Mary's arm.
"Look! A boat! Is it the enemy?"
The girls looked and looked, their hearts w beating loudly. They could not see who was in the boat. It landed on the beach—and then the call of a sea gull floated up the cliff.
"Andy!" cried Jill, nearly falling down the cliff. "It's Andy! I'd know his sea gull call anywhere!"
The boys climbed up the cliff and came to the rocky ledge. The girls fell on them and hugged them like bears, they were so relieved to see them.
"The boat! Where did you get the boat?" cried Jill.
"What did you see? What did you find?" cried Mary.
"We'll tell you all about it," said Andy, and the four of them sat close together on the cold, windy ledge, quite forgetful of the chilly breeze, talking and listening eagerly. The girls could hardly believe the boys' story. It seemed quite impossible.
"And now that we've got a boat, we'll fill. It full of food and water, and see if we can get home," said Andy. "It's the only thing we can do—and we must do it."
"But, Andy." said Jill, "just suppose the enemy see their boat is missing—won't they take alarm and search the islands?"
"Yes—they certainly will," said Andy. "And so we must start to-morrow. We will have a good sleep to-night—take plenty of food from the cave—and see if we can make for home."
"If only we can get away before the enemy finds that boat is missing!" said Tom. "Oh, do you suppose we shall?"
They slept rather late the next morning, for not one of them had gone to sleep before midnight—and they were awakened by the throbbing noise that they had heard two nights before!
"The seaplane again!" said Andy, waking up at once and leaping to his feet. He ran to the open doorway of the hut, and was just in time to see the plane soar overhead. Then it went round in great circles ready to land on the smooth water outside the second island.
"That means we can't get away to-day," said Tom at once. "We simply must get food into the boat—and we can't if that plane is there."
"No—we can't," said Andy. "But I tell you what we might do, Tom. We might row to the third island, tie our boat up in a hidden place, creep to the top of that cliff, and try to take a few photographs of the submarine bay! We meant to take some photos, you know."
"Yes—we could do that." said Tom. "we'll have to be pretty careful, though."
"We will be," said Andy. "Jill, what is there for breakfast?"
There were tinned sausages and baked beans and tomato sauce. Jill proudly produced some little rolls of bread she had made, too. They all ate in silence, thinking over everything that had happened.
"That seaplane may not stay long," said Andy. "It didn't last time. I expect k has come to add to the stores—or maybe take away from them. It will be busy that side of the island—so we will row round the after side, where we wont be seen, go across to the third one. and tie up there. You girls must stay here."
"Oh, you always have the exciting things to do." sighed Mary. "Can't we really come with you? I don't see why we can't."
"Well, if you promise to do exactly what you're told, you can come," said Andy, after a minute's thought. He didn't really like the idea of leaving the girls all alone again. Perhaps it would be better if they came.
The girls were thrilled. They cleared away the breakfast-things and washed up. They prepared a meal to take with them. It was a very good thing they had discovered that store cave—they now had plenty of food of all kinds. They did hope the seaplane wouldn't take everything away!
They all got into the boat. The boys rowed off, and were careful to keep to the side opposite the cave when they came to the second island. They rowed quickly over the space of water separating that island from the third one, and came to the farthest tip of ft. Here there was a tiny beach with steep, overhanging cliffs—so overhanging that it almost seemed as if a big piece was about to fall off!
"Just the place." said Andy, pulling into the tiny beach. "Jump out girls. Take the food with you. "Give a hand with the boat. Tom. we'll run it up the beach and put it right under that dangerous piece of cliff. It will be well hidden there."
They put the boat there and looked at it. The end of It jutted out and could be seen. Jill ran,to a seaweed-covered rock and pulled off handfuls of the weed.
"Let's make the boat into a rock!" she said, with a laugh. "Cover it with seaweed!"
"Jolly good idea!" said Andy. "I didn't know girls could have such good ideas!"
"You wait and see what fine ideas we have!" said Mary. They an pulled at the seaweed, and soon the boat was nicely draped and looked so exactly like a seaweed-covered rock that no one could possibly guess it wasn't, even as they passed quite near it.
"That's good." said Andy. "Now we'll make our way very carefully across this end of the island till we come to the little cove where we took our boat from. We'll just peep over the cttff and see if there's anyone there looking as though they have missed the boat! Then we'll crawl to the top of the next cliff that overlooks the submarine bay, and Tom shall take a few pictures."
Everything went well. Keeping close to tall bushes of gone and bramble, the four children crept over the tip of the island and soon came to the cliff below which was the boat-cove. Cautiously Andy parted some bramble sprays and peeped down to the beach below.