"DADDY! Oh, DADDY! It's YOU!"
The grave-faced man stared at Tom as if he couldn't believe his eyes. Then he took the boy into his arms and gave him such a bear-like hug that Tom felt as it his bones would break!
"Tom! We've been hunting for you ever since we heard you had gone off in that boat and hadn't come back!" he said. "Where are the girls—quick, tell me f"
"They're safe," said Tom. "We left them on the island. They're quite safe. Oh, Daddy—isn't this too good to be true I Daddy, this is Andy. He's been such a brick. Weld never have escaped if it hadn't been for him."
"What do you mean—escaped!" said Tom's father, in surprise. "Escaped from what?"
"We've got a big secret to tell you," said Tom. "We've found out something queer. You tell him. Andy."
"Well, sir," said Andy, "we got thrown off up the coast of some desolate islands where nobody lives now. The enemy are using them for their submarines and seaplanes. There are caves stored with food—and there" must be stores of fuel somewhere, too."
"What!" shouted Tom's father. He called his men near and they all listened to Andy's tale. The boy told it well.
"And we were just escaping on the raft we had made when we saw you," finished Andy. "We slipped over the side of the raft to hide—but you must have seen us."
"We didn't," said Tom's father. "But we were puzzled about the empty raft and came down to examine it. Little did we think you and Andy were there! This seaplane and two others have been scouring the seas about here looking for the sailing-ship you went off in. We were afraid you might be drifting about in it, half-starving. Your poor mother has been dreadfully upset."