Ben was the last to leave the boat and when he landed from his jump he was wet to the knees by a swift unexpected sweep of undertow from the rising tide. He ran clear of the water, but the next wave, chasing him, met him around the bow of the boat. Not that a little fresh wetness mattered to a soaked-to-the-skin Ben; the interest lay in the fact that the Seymours never had seen the water so high on the beach.
Fred Bailey had offered to lend Jerry to Bain so that he could drive his prisoners to the village instead of having to walk all that distance in the stormy night and Bailey had offered, too, to go with him.
Jo went ahead to hitch Jerry for the trip. “Shall I tell Mrs. Seymour that everything is all right?” he asked.
“Thank you, Jo, yes,” said Mr. Seymour. “Just call out to her as you go by and let her know that we are coming.”
Away went Jo, with the black dog at his heels.
“Jo’s found a new friend,” said Warren Bain with a smile.
“Jo!” called Ann, for she had just remembered. “Has Jerry another harness?”
“Sure!”
When they reached the house door Jerry stood waiting for his load while Jo talked with Helen and Mrs. Seymour, who, in raincoats, were standing on the porch.
“You haven’t told mother everything before we came?” asked Ann, greatly disappointed that such exciting news should be told without her having been there to share the thrill.