ld 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 ship, had subsided somewhat. Mrs.
Johnson and her daughter, who were much frightened, were assured 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.
As soon as it was light enough they could see that the ship was held
fast on top of a small rocky isle, about one hundred feet in diameter,
which rose abruptly from the water.

"It's a volcanic island," decided the professor. "We are in the midst of
subterranean disturbances and this is probably one of the effects of
some under-sea eruption. The pinnacle of rock rose from the ocean,
forced up by some power underneath, just as our ship came over it. That
accounts for the sudden rising into the air of the _Porpoise_. No wonder
we were all scared."

"The next question," began old Andy, "is how are we to get off?"

"That's the point," agreed Mr. Henderson. "Here we are, high and dry,
and we might as well be a broken flying machine as a submarine for all
the power we have."

"Will we have to stay here forever?" asked Nellie, who had come up on
deck.

"I hope not," answered the professor, smiling for the first time since
the accident. "We will find a way to get down, never fear, little girl."

"I suppose we might dig some sort of a canal down to the water,"
remarked Jack. "If we could we might float the ship."

"I'm afraid you'd find it slow digging through this volcanic rock,"
answered Andy. "It's like flint."

"Well, there's no use worrying over it," went on the professor in as
calm a tone as he could muster. "It's time for breakfast, and we have to
eat whether we're on the top of an island that shoots out of the water
when you least expect it, or sailing along as we ought to."

Accordingly Washington prepared the morning meal, and they all fo