So it was that one of the guards saw Janet knocked down by a wave and saw her tumbling about in the surf. He knew there was a strong undertow, or sea puss, running. That is why the bathers had been ordered from the water. The tide had turned, and the sea puss became very strong after Ted and Janet left the water to play with the little dog.
“One side! I’ll get her out!” shouted the life guard, a jolly, red-haired, strong swimmer, Jerry Condon by name. “One side!” he yelled, as he leaped from his perch on the high bench and dashed down the sand and into the water.
So rapidly did the guard rush down that he had to push aside Ted, who was about to go into the water to splash about with Janet. Teddy was knocked down on the sand, and to one side. He was not hurt, though he was much surprised. The little Curlytop boy did not know about the sea puss until his sister called to him.
So quickly did Jerry Condon act that, almost before Janet had a chance to swallow any water and choke, the guard had her in his arms and was running up the beach with her.
An excited crowd gathered around, as always happens when a swimmer or bather is pulled from the surf, and Teddy joined them, not knowing just how it had all happened, so quickly did it take place.
“Janet! Janet! Are you all right?” he called.
“Yes, she’s all right,” answered another of the life guards. So quickly had the guard acted that Janet was little the worse from the accident, except that she was much frightened.
She had felt the strange and terrible grip of the undertow, or sea puss, on her legs and feet almost as soon as she entered the surf. She did not intend to go very far out, and she grasped the rope, as her mother had told her to do. But no sooner were her hands on it than it was torn from her grasp by the power of the under-sweeping current, running down the sloping hill of the sandy beach. Then Janet had screamed and the guard had come to her rescue.
“Are you all right now, my dear?” asked a lady in the crowd. She was holding Janet in her arms.
“Yes, ma’am, I’m all right, I guess,” Janet answered in a choking voice, for the salt water seemed to stick in her throat. “Is Teddy all right?” she wanted to know.