Cora, with one well trained arm, conquered the waves, while with the other she helped support the form of the almost fainting girl, as Ed, swimming in the same way, and almost carrying the girl with his free arm, made for the shore.
Forgetting everything but the danger to her friends, Bess, too, ran into the waves to meet the swimmers.
“Go back!” shouted Ed. “If you lose your footing we can’t help you.”
Scarcely had he uttered the words than Bess stumbled and fell, head foremost, into the roller that was rushing up on the shore!
Fortunately the incoming water brought Bess in—fairly tumbling her out on the sand. The same power assisted Ed and Cora to land with the strange young girl. Meanwhile Jack and Walter had made their way to the bungalow, assisting the crippled woman.
“Oh!” shrieked Bess, scrambling to her feet. “Oh, I—am smothered!”
“So are we!” Cora managed to say. “Come, Bess. Help us revive the young lady.”
“Oh I—am—all—right now——” murmured the girl. “Only let me—get to mother!”
A sorry looking sight indeed were the motor girls—all four of them, for the strange girl should be classed with Bess, Belle and Cora, as she, too, owned a car and drove it. True she did allow it to get beyond control, and, by a sudden wrong turn of the wheel, sent it in the ocean. Still she was a motor girl for all her inexperience.
“Where are you hurt?” asked Ed, as they all stood for a moment on the beach. The strange girl was working her shoulder with evident painful effort.