"Warships!" cried the boys. "I say! What a shock for the enemy!"
"It's a shock they deserve," said Tom's father grimly. "We are sending three warships and some aeroplanes to deal with the submarines and seaplanes. So, you see, we want to get the girls off as quickly as possible."
"Oh, golly, wouldn't I like to join the fight!" groaned Andy. "Oh, couldn't I, sir?"
"No," said Tom's father. But he smiled at the eager boy and clapped him on the shoulder. "You're a good lad, Andy," he said, "and I'm glad that my three children had your help in their amazing adventures!"
Andy went red with pleasure. He thought Tom's father was a fine man, dressed in his grand uniform. He wondered what his own father would say when he heard all their adventures—and in his secret mind he felt a little uncomfortable because his father would have to hear the news that his fishing-boat had been lost.
The boys kept a watch for the islands—and as soon as they caught sight of them, lying flat in the sea, they both shouted loudly:
"There they are!"
"The islands, the islands!"
"Which is UK one the girls are on?" asked Tom's father eagerly. Tom showed him.
"The first one," he said. "And the next one is where the food-cave is, and the third one is where the submarines are. I don't know anything about the others further off. We didn't explore those."