Giggling a little with excitement, Frances said, “Goodness, but I am glad we left our shoes on. These rocks would have simply killed our feet.”
Soon they were in deep water and they struck out with the strong double over arm that had been the envy of Ellen. In no time, they had wriggled over the side of the dinghy and were pulling for the island. This time the two girls dragged the dinghy clear of the receding tide to be sure that they would have no further misadventures.
Each one taking an oar and a skirt, they started the uphill climb.
“Suppose you hadn’t found him, Frances. Wouldn’t it have been awful?” and Jane shuddered a little at the thought. “What does he look like?”
“I didn’t have time to notice much but that he had on a heavy gray sweater and fearfully dirty white duck trousers. I don’t even know whether he is big or little.”
On reaching the rocky plateau, Jane exclaimed, “Frances, this is the most moving-picturey place to discover an injured gent I ever saw!”
Frances led her around the big rock and she looked down at the man. “How much do you weigh?” Jane asked by way of greeting.
The man smiled a little at this and answered, “One hundred and eighty, but, after no dinner or breakfast, I suppose I have wasted away to a mere nothing.”
“Well, Frances, that means each of us carries ninety pounds down the hill. But we can do it as long as we don’t have to do it every day.”
“Of course, I couldn’t think of letting you do such a thing,” objected the man.