You'll feel much better
then."
Mr. Swift managed to walk slowly to the ladder leading to
the conning tower, and thence to the deck. The others
followed him. As all emerged from the submarine they uttered
a cry of astonishment.
There, not one hundred yards away, was a great warship,
flying a flag which, in a moment. Tom recognized as that of
Brazil. The cruiser was lying off a small island, and all
about were small boats, filled with natives, who seemed to
be bringing supplies from land to the ship. At the
unexpected sight of the submarine, bobbing up from the
bottom of the ocean, the natives uttered cries of fright.
The attention of those on the warship was attracted, and the
bridge and rails were lined with curious officers and men.
"It's a good thing we didn't come up under that ship,"
observed Tom. "They would have thought we were trying to
torpedo her. Do you feel better, dad?" he asked, his wonder
over the sight of the big vessel temporarily eclipsed in his
anxiety for his parent.
"Oh, yes, much better. I'm all right now. But I wish we
hadn't disclosed ourselves to these people. They may demand
to know where we are going, and Brazil is too near Uruguay
to make it safe to tell our errand. They may guess it,
however, from having read of the wreck, and our departure.
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