Nan, doing the crawl with her head under water, came up directly in front of this unpleasant-looking person and was so startled and surprised in consequence that she almost forgot to keep herself afloat.
Her paralysis remained only a moment, however, and in a flash of time she was swimming back toward her companions.
As for the man, having given Nan a careful look, he suddenly made a dash for the shore and one of the bathhouses.
"I reckon this is my chance," he said, as he got into his clothing with all speed. "I'll do the trick while she is in bathing."
Nan was almost out of breath when she reached her chums.
"Listen to me!" she gasped. "I've got to get up to the hotel—and at once!"
"Nan Sherwood, is it serious this time, or is this only another of your attacks?" asked Bess impatiently. "Here you are the one who dragged us into the water at this early hour, and now you want to spoil all the fun by breaking up the party. For goodness' sake, listen to reason," she wailed, as Nan, with a determined shake of her red-capped head, started in toward shore.
"Haven't time," she flung back.
"You can at least tell us what the matter is," called Grace, as reluctant as Bess to cut short the fun.