They all rubbed their eyes, scarcely believing what they saw. They had been traveling along beneath the dark ocean, unaware that they were approaching land, and they had suddenly come upon the island.
“We—we might have run into it, and smashed all to pieces,” spoke Ned, in a low voice.
“No, the detectors would have given us warning in time,” replied Bob. “They probably did, but we were so busy over other matters that we didn’t notice them. I wonder what place this is?”
“We’ll have to look it up on the maps,” said Jerry. “Just now we’ll have to attend to Dr. Klauss. He seems in a bad way.”
Indeed the poor, mad commander appeared to be very ill. Probably he had remained in the small pilot house until it had been almost filled with the chlorine fumes, and had then rushed out.
But gradually, as the fresh air entered his lungs, and dispelled the poison, his eyelids fluttered and his breathing became stronger.
“He’s coming around all right,” said Ned, with a sigh of relief.
“What about those other two old men?” asked Mr. Sheldon. “We ought to see to them.”
They were found to be nearly overcome, and were helped out on deck. There they, too, were revived.