“Oh, ho! You will not beat! You will not beat!” laughed Janet, as she raced off ahead of him.
She had seen that Teddy was not hurt, or she would not have laughed. Ted himself had to chuckle, but a moment later he got up and was off at top speed for the line of breakers.
However, Janet had gotten too much of a start for Teddy to overtake her, and she was first in the water.
The children were so eager about the little race that they did not see the life guards ordering swimmers from the water. And the guard who floated about in the boat, some distance from the breakers, was bringing in several young men who had ventured out too far.
As Ted and Janet splashed in the waves there was a cry of alarm, and one of the guards shouted:
“Come back! Come back! Don’t go out now! It’s dangerous!”
Janet, however, was pretty well out. She had hold of the life ropes, and Ted was about to follow her when, suddenly, Janet’s hands were torn from the cable and she went down beneath the white, foaming crests. But before her head went under she screamed:
“Oh, the sea puss has me! The sea puss has me!”
CHAPTER XIV
A SAND TUNNEL
Life guards at the sea beaches are trained to act quickly in times of danger. Perched on their high bench, and ready with life lines, they are always on the alert to pull from the waves those who are likely to drown.