Mollie shook the water from her eyes, gave one glance at Betty's face, then gave peremptory orders.
"Give her to me, Betty," she directed. "I guess you're about all in. That's it, Amy; grasp my shoulder with your other hand. Get a good grip before you let go of Betty. That's the way. Now we're all right. Between us we'll have you in in a jiffy. All right, Betty? Do you need help yourself?"
But Betty shook her head, her long steady strokes keeping her even with Mollie. In a moment Grace came up to them and directed Amy to put her free hand on her shoulder, and in this fashion they finally reached shallow water.
They found that they were not a moment too soon, for as they got to their feet and stooped to lift Amy, they found that she had fainted.
"Thank heaven that didn't happen out there," cried Betty, with a shuddering glance out over the treacherous water.
Between them, fatigued though they were with the ordeal they had just gone through, they got Amy to the shore and began to work over her.
It did not take very long to bring her back to consciousness, for Amy had a wonderful constitution and strong vitality. However, it seemed ages to the anxious girls who worked over her, and when at last she opened her eyes they were ready to cry with relief.
"H-how do you feel?" asked Betty tremulously, for she was beginning to feel the reaction. "Are you all right?"
"Don't try to get up," commanded Mollie, as Amy tried weakly to raise herself on her elbow.
"Just lie still and you'll feel better in a minute," Grace added, while Amy looked from one to the other of them with wide, bewildered eyes.