He reached the water slightly in advance of Hodge.
Two of the girls had waded out and were standing on the beach, wringing their hands and sobbing.
Several times the girls who were struggling in the water disappeared beneath the surface, but they came up each time, and it was seen that one of them was doing her best to support the other, who seemed frantic with fear.
“Save them! save them!” cried the girls on the shore, as Merriwell and Hodge plunged into the water.
It is not likely that either Frank or Bart heard this appeal.
The knowledge that Inza Burrage was in danger nerved Frank Merriwell to do his very utmost.
“I will save her or drown with her!” he thought.
Straight through the surf he dashed, hurled himself headlong through the crest of a big roller, and began to swim.
Hodge did the same trick with equal skill.
It seemed that the struggles of the two girls were growing weaker, and once they were beneath the surface so long that Frank feared they would not come up again.