But just as Nancy turned in to a clear little corner to make her landing, she heard a muffled call.
“Help! Help!” came the indistinct cry.
Ted was abreast of her and he too heard the call.
“It’s over in the sand dunes,” he yelled, as Nancy stepped ashore and shook some of the heavy water from her clothing. “Quick, Nancy, the fellows went to play Indian there!”
CHAPTER XVII
THE CAVE-IN
There was no time to think of wet garments as Nancy raced after Ted toward the sand dunes.
“Quick,” he urged. “They’re the little fellows, Billy and Jack, and they must be under the sand.”
Just beyond the trees and undergrowth that surrounds Oak’s Pond, a stretch of sand hills offered the youngsters an ideal playground. A few scrubby pines managed to draw from the dry soil enough vitality for a very much impoverished growth, and it was from the direction of the trees that the feeble call was now heard, at protracted intervals.
“There!” pointed out Ted. “There’s the shack. They must be in a cave-in near it.”
His surmise proved correct, for quickly as brother and sister could reach the spot, they found every evidence of a cave-in and a sand deluge.