"No," shouted Hope, "not one of us will move."
"No, we promise," answered all.
"There is no time to be lost," said the young fellow; "but I can only take one of you at once, except the little ones. Which is it to be? Be quick, and come out beyond this first wave."
Fortunately it was tolerably calm, and in this little bay there was only a swell that day.
Hope and Nellie looked at each other, and then at Mary.
"The youngest first," said Nellie.
They sprang forward, and lifted her down, and waded in with her to the canoe, taking also the next little boy with them.
The young man directed them to place the children as near to him as possible—in front of him and behind him—and telling them to hold on tight, in a moment he was paddling off as fast as he dared.
Hope and Nellie retreated to the cliff, and told Alice to be ready; for it was tacitly understood that the next in age was to go first.
"Why did he turn that way?" said George. "It is nearer to the village to the left."