Tom Disappears
The children looked at one another in the greatest dismay. To think the seaplane should have flown over just at that very moment! It was too bad.
"Well, we can't sit here looking at one another," said Andy, in a brave voice. "We've got to do something quickly. But what? I can't seem to think!"
Nobody could think what to do. Andy longed desperately for some grown-up who could take command and tell him what would be the best thing to do. But there was no grown-up. This was something he had to decide himself—and he must decide well, because the two girls were in his care.
"We had better row straight round to the store-cave and fill the boat with food whilst we can," he said at last. "Then we'll start out straightaway and hope that the seaplane won't spot us out on the sea. It's the only thing to do."
It was a long row round to the cave, but they got there at last, quite tired out. There was nobody about. They beached the boat and jumped out. It was not long before they were in the Round Cave, carrying out stacks of tins and boxes to the boat.
"Golly! We've got enough food to last for weeks!" said Tom.
"We may need it!" said Andy. "Goodness knows how far it is back home. I've not much idea of the right direction either, but I shall do my best."
Tom staggered out to the boat with heaps of things. Andy looked at the pile of food at the end of the boat and nodded bis head.
"That's enough," he said. "We don't want to make the boat too heavy to row! Get in!"