Raising the stick carefully they did, at last, lay hold of one of the collapsed boards, the “roof” under which the youngsters had been caught.
“Care-ful,” warned Ted. “Raise it! Don’t pull it out!”
It was heavy, for sand pressed itself into great weight, in spite of its infinitesimal atoms. At last the rescuers were able, with care and skill, to raise the board, then another, until finally the bare feet of two small badly frightened boys, led directly to the entire persons of the same little victims.
“Oh my! Mercy me!” gasped Nancy. “They do look awful, Ted! Quick let’s get them water!”
“Jack is the worst,” replied her brother. “Nan, see if your skirt is wet yet. You could squeeze a little water on his face—”
The garment that had been dripping a few minutes before was still damp enough to permit of being “squeezed,” and standing over the pale face of little Jack Baker, Nancy managed to extract some drops at least, to coax back life into the almost unconscious boy.
Billy dragged himself out, although he was barely able to do so, and as quickly as little Jack showed signs of life, Ted and Nancy between them carried him down to the water’s edge.
They were just about to bathe his face and hands when a canoe drifted into sight around the cove.
“Mr. Sanders!” called Ted. “There’s Mr. Sanders,” he repeated, and his voice was reaching the occupant of the canoe, for the bark was now headed directly for land.
First aid and other common sense treatment was soon being administered to both Billy and Jack by Mr. Sanders, Ted and Nancy, and when the cave-in victims were finally entirely resuscitated, it was decided that Mr. Sanders should carry them up stream in his boat, and so enable them to easily reach their homes, at the head of the pond.