Part 30 (1/2)

Meanwhile the anxious motor girls hastened to offer what a.s.sistance they might be able to give.

”Lay her down here,” said Cora, as her brother escaped from the fury of one great, das.h.i.+ng mountain of water, that broke into foam as it spread out over the sand.

”I think we will have to take her into the bungalow,” he replied. ”But where is Ed? Look for Ed! He has not found the girl yet!”

And indeed neither Ed nor the girl could be seen!

Cora and Bess left Belle with Jack and Walter to attend to the woman, while they again stepped forward as far into the water as it seemed safe to go.

”There is Ed!” shouted Cora, and without doing more than unclasping the leather belt that confined her waist, she struck out boldly toward a point considerably farther out than the spot where the stalled car stood in the water.

”Oh, you can't swim--that way, Cora!” called Bess. ”Cora! Cora! come back!”

But with arms over her head Cora plowed her way through the waves, stroke after stroke, until she was beside Ed, who was struggling to beat back the rollers that fought for the very life of the girl he had just brought up from under the heavy blanket of smothering water.

”Mother! Mother!” wailed the girl. ”Let me get--mother. She is--down--down there!”

”No--she is--safe!” gasped Cora. ”Come! Let us help you--out!”

”Oh is--she safe! I--I am all right! I--can swim!”

”But you are too weak!” called Ed. ”Let us help you!”

A shriek--and the girl again disappeared.

Ed went down after her, and while Cora kept in motion to sustain herself, Ed came up with the girl again in his arms.

”Take hold!” he gasped to Cora. ”She is hurt and cannot swim.”

Cora, with one well trained arm, conquered the waves, while with the other she helped support the form of the almost fainting girl, as Ed, swimming in the same way, and almost carrying the girl with his free arm, made for the sh.o.r.e.

Forgetting everything but the danger to her friends, Bess, too, ran into the waves to meet the swimmers.

”Go back!” shouted Ed. ”If you lose your footing we can't help you.”

Scarcely had he uttered the words than Bess stumbled and fell, head foremost, into the roller that was rus.h.i.+ng up on the sh.o.r.e!

Fortunately the incoming water brought Bess in--fairly tumbling her out on the sand. The same power a.s.sisted Ed and Cora to land with the strange young girl. Meanwhile Jack and Walter had made their way to the bungalow, a.s.sisting the crippled woman.

”Oh!” shrieked Bess, scrambling to her feet. ”Oh, I--am smothered!”

”So are we!” Cora managed to say. ”Come, Bess. Help us revive the young lady.”

”Oh I--am--all--right now----” murmured the girl. ”Only let me--get to mother!”

A sorry looking sight indeed were the motor girls--all four of them, for the strange girl should be cla.s.sed with Bess, Belle and Cora, as she, too, owned a car and drove it. True she did allow it to get beyond control, and, by a sudden wrong turn of the wheel, sent it in the ocean. Still she was a motor girl for all her inexperience.

”Where are you hurt?” asked Ed, as they all stood for a moment on the beach. The strange girl was working her shoulder with evident painful effort.

”I must have injured my neck or shoulder blade when I dove under the machine,” she replied. ”Something--is very stiff.”