Then one man, who could talk English, spoke to Tom. "How did you get to this island?"
"I set off in a sailing-boat and a storm blew up and wrecked me," said Tom. "You can see my boat off the coast of the next island, if you look."
"Is there anyone else with you on this island?" asked the man. "Speak the truth."
Tom could reply quite truthfully that there was no one else with him on the island! Thank goodness, the others were on the first island!
"There isn't anyone else here with me," he answered. "Search the cave, and see!"
The men did search the cave again, but found nobody, of course. They did not seem satisfied, however. Tom could see that they felt sure there were others to find.
"How did you find this cave?" asked the man who spoke English.
"By accident," said Tom.
"And I suppose you also found our boat by accident, and saw the submarines by accident?" said the man, in a very nasty voice. "Are you sure there is no one else here with you?"
"Quite sure," said Tom. "Wouldn't you see them in the cave, if there were?"