Part 25 (1/2)

Jack let out a yell that could be heard all over the s.h.i.+p. He made a spring for the object, determined to discover what it was or die.

At that instant the whole s.h.i.+p seemed to rise in the air. It left the water and began moving skyward. Right out of the waves the _Porpoise_ was lifted until the big screw was clear of the water and it was churning around in the tunnel without any resistance, racing at top speed now that it had no water to thrust against.

Then the ghost seemed to vanish into thin air, and Jack felt himself falling down the hatchway.

CHAPTER XX

ON A VOLCANIC ISLAND

In an instant the s.h.i.+p was in confusion. The professor, followed by old Andy, Was.h.i.+ngton, Mark, Bill and Tom, came rus.h.i.+ng from their berths, all in their night clothing, to see what the trouble was. They met in a tangled ma.s.s, stumbling over Jack at the foot of the steps.

”Is the s.h.i.+p on fire?” called Mrs. Johnson from her cabin.

”I hope not!” called the professor. ”But something has happened. Don't be frightened!”

By this time Jack, who had been somewhat stunned, recovered his senses and worked his way out of the ma.s.s of bodies.

”The ghost! The ghost!” he cried. ”I saw him again!”

”Land a' ma.s.sy!” yelled Was.h.i.+ngton.

”What has happened to the s.h.i.+p?” cried the professor. ”Is it a tidal wave?”

”I was on deck,” panted Jack. ”I saw the white thing! I crept up on it!

All at once the s.h.i.+p rose in the air!”

”And it's still rising!” shouted the inventor. ”I must see what this means!”

He made his way to the deck, and his loud shout soon brought the others up to him.

”Shut off the engine!” Mr. Henderson called down to Was.h.i.+ngton, who hurried to obey.

”What has happened?” asked Andy, rus.h.i.+ng towards him.

”We have run upon an island,” answered the professor. ”This is the worst thing that has yet happened to us.”

”What sort of an island is it that shoots you up in the air?” asked the old hunter.

”It's hard to say,” replied Mr. Henderson. ”We will have to wait until morning to find out.”

The boys and men went up on deck and there beheld a curious sight. The _Porpoise_ had been lifted bodily from the surface of the ocean where she had been sailing and was now raised about ten feet above the crest of the billows. It was too dark to see the extent of the island she rested on, but, from the circle of foam around the outer edge it did not appear to be very big.

The excitement occasioned by the appearance of the ghost, Jack's yells and fall, and the rising of the s.h.i.+p, had subsided somewhat. Mrs.

Johnson and her daughter, who were much frightened, were a.s.sured there was no immediate danger, and the men and boys put on more substantial clothing than that of their night robes.

It seemed as if morning would never come, but at length there was a pale light in the east and soon it changed to a rosy glow, showing that the sun was coming.

The professor was early on deck, and Mark and Jack were not far behind.