“Oh, Teddy, come out! Oh, Teddy, come out! Oh, Teddy!”
Not that this shouting did any good, but Janet just couldn’t help it. She knew that if Ted stayed under the sand long he would smother, just as he would drown if he remained too long under water.
As Janet dug away to get the sand off Ted’s face she could feel a movement in the shifting pile below her. She knew that Ted was also trying to dig himself out.
Janet was on her knees, digging with both hands as she had, more than once, seen dogs digging holes in the sand on the beach. Janet tossed the grains away on either side of her. She wanted to dig down until she could uncover Ted’s face. Once his mouth and nose were open to the air, he could breathe and he would be saved.
So Janet dug furiously, and she did not hear footsteps coming up behind her. She did not know any one was on the beach near her until she heard a voice ask:
“What are you playing, Janet, my dear?”
Janet gave one look over her shoulder and saw Mrs. Keller standing there.
“If you are looking for the lost keys and ring, my dear, this isn’t the place they were lost,” went on Mrs. Keller.
“I’m not—digging for keys!” panted Janet. “I’m digging up my brother Teddy!”
“You don’t mean to tell me Teddy is under there!” gasped the white-haired lady.