"It is the beginning of the end," murmured Mr. Parker. "The island will soon disappear."
"Will you be quiet?" demanded Mr. Damon, giving the scientist a nudge in the ribs.
The lifeboats were close at hand now.
"Are you all there?" shouted some one, evidently in command.
"All here," answered Tom.
"Then hurry aboard. There seems to be something going on in these waters--perhaps a submarine volcano eruption. We must get away in a hurry!"
The boats came in to the shelving beach. There was a little stretch of water between them and the sand. Through this the castaways waded, and soon they were grasped by the sailors and helped in. In the reaction of their worriment Mrs. Anderson and Mrs. Nestor were both weeping, but their tears were those of joy.
"Give way now, men!" cried the mate in charge of the boats. "We must get back to the ship!"
The sea was now swirling angrily, but the sailors, who had been in worse turmoils than this, rowed on steadily.
"We feared you would not get here in time," said Tom to the mate.