The whole of the Sixth were to work at term finals from eleven o’clock until one that day, and they set off down to the beach at half-past nine, to bathe and get back for a little rest before the time for the exam. The Fourth Form girls had already gone down; the Fifth were sitting for their finals, and would go to bathe when their work was done.
As the group of girls with Miss Groome turned out of the school gates, they met Dr. Sedgewick coming in. Dorothy’s heart gave a great bound when she saw him, for he looked so tired and so very careworn.
Miss Groome stayed with her to speak to him, while the rest of the girls went on.
“I have not come to see you at this moment, Dorothy,” he said, with his hand on her shoulder, while his gaze travelled over her with great content. “Your Head has sent a message asking to see me, and I am going to her now. If you are back from the beach in good time, I may have a few minutes with you; and then later in the day, when your finals are over, we will have a great time together, and a regular pow-wow. You are looking fine; it is evident that work agrees with you.”
“Dorothy is a very good worker,” said Miss Groome graciously; and then she hurried on with Dorothy, to catch up with the girls who were in front, while Dr. Sedgewick walked on to the hall door for his interview with the Head.
CHAPTER XXIV
DOROTHY TO THE RESCUE
The girls of the Compton School bathed from the strip of beach just beyond the steps and in front of the lock-house. It was a steep and not very safe bit of shore. But all the girls could swim fairly well, while some of them were really expert.
The Fourth Form girls had two mistresses with them, and they were all in the water, splashing about with tremendous zest, when the Sixth, who had come to bathe, arrived on the scene.
Coming up the steps from the lock-house, they reached the Promenade, and were just going to spring down the wall to reach the tents when a shrill cry rang out that Cissie Wray was drowning.