Part 5 (1/2)

THE boat was still some distance away, tied to the jagged rock. Nancy knew that she and George never could reach it before the water struck them. But Bess, who stood on the ledge of the cave beside the craft, might escape.

”Get in the boat! Cast off!” Nancy shouted frantically.

It took Bess only a second to realize her great danger. She bent down to loosen the rope.

The next instant the great wall of water rushed through the cave, sweeping everything before it. Nancy and George, struggling desperately, were engulfed.

Instinctively Bess clung to the painter of the boat. As the water struck her, the rope snapped free of the rock. The craft raced toward the cave entrance.

Bess, holding fast to the rope, was carried face downward through the torrent.

Almost suffocated, Bess clung with all her strength to the rope as the boat shot from the mouth of the cave. Finally, when the speed of the craft lessened, she was able to raise her head to take a deep breath of air and grasp the gunwale.

The motorboat was half-filled with water. Bess knew if she climbed aboard, it probably would sink. Swimming with one hand, the girl tried to tow the boat toward sh.o.r.e. It was difficult going.

Frantically her eyes darted toward the cave entrance. Water still boiled from the cavern's gaping mouth. What had happened to her friends?

”Nancy! George!” she shouted.

There was no answer. Bess did not try to call out again. She concentrated all her efforts upon reaching the rocky beach.

Presently her feet struck bottom. Standing upright, she pulled the boat in so it could not float away, and began bailing water. As she worked, the distressed girl kept scanning the bay, hoping she might see Nancy or George.

”They're both good swimmers. I'm sure they reached safety,” she told herself hopefully.

But in a moment panic seized her again. Possibly the girls had not been swept from the cave. They might have been caught inside and drowned!

Her mind numbed by fear, Bess worked automatically on the boat, hardly taking her gaze from the water. She suddenlv detected an object some distance away. Could it be a swimmer?

Leaping to a high rock, Bess shaded her eyes against the glare of the sun. Yes, someone was swimming feebly. Even as she looked, the person disappeared.

”Hold on! Don't give up!” she shouted as the swimmer reappeared. ”I'll reach you in a minute, George.”

Bess rushed to the boat and tried to start the motor. It was waterlogged and refused to catch. The oars had been washed overboard. After kicking off her shoes, Bess plunged into the water.

”I'm coming!” she screamed.

Bess reached her cousin not a moment too soon.

”I'mallin,” George gasped. ”Hurt my arm.”

Bess, realizing the other girl could no longer help herself, grasped her in the cross-chest carry and pulled her through the water. But it seemed as if she could not possibly reach the sh.o.r.e. Burdened by George's weight, and with her own strength giving out, she found it harder and harder to keep going.

But just as Bess was about to give up in despair, her feet came in contact with the bottom. Standing up, she discovered that the water was only a little above her waist.

Bess pulled the exhausted George to safety. It was several moments before either of them could speak. Finally George mumbled:

”Nancy-Is-she-safe?”

Fear for their missing friend drove Bess into a panic. Anxiously she looked about. Nancy was not in sight.