“Yes, and see Freda’s hair floating out from under that rubber hat!” insisted Bess. “Oh, I know it’s Freda, and I can see Denny plainly!”
The boat was coming nearer. On the crest of a roller it fairly soared towards them. Then Cora saw it was Denny and Freda, with another man whom they did not know.
“Head up into it!” came a voice from the dory, for even in a storm Denny knew how to make his voice carry over the water.
Jack heard, and swung the wheel toward the left. That would put them “into the storm,” instead of on the edge of it.
At that moment the Dixie shot past and dashed right up to the dory.
“Here,” called Jack, “can you make it to get in here?” This was called to those in Denny’s boat.
“Not now!” shouted back the man. “Keep close!”
The roar of the storm increased. Just as Cora had predicted, the new squall was worse than the first. For some moments all three boats tossed and tumbled as if they had neither master nor man, but it was the Chelton that righted herself first.
By an ungiven signal the three boats got into line. The dory was directly in the center and the two motor boats served to shield it from the waves that lashed them on either side.
“Quick! Freda!” yelled Cora, grasping the line Denny tossed to her. “You can climb in! We can hold it tight!”