“He saw us!” Jane declared in a shrill voice. “How mean of him not to help!”
“We’ll never get out now,” Mrs. Williams said. She was deeply discouraged.
Each huge wave that swept in came a little closer to the car. Finally a big one actually lapped at one of the rear tires.
“We may as well take our belongings and climb back on one of the dunes,” Miss Gordon said. “The sea will not rise higher than the rim of seaweed.”
“Wait a minute!” exclaimed Connie. “I see someone coming down the beach!”
She had noticed a man with a cane, strolling along the sand toward the lighthouse.
“Why, it’s Captain Tarwell,” she recognized him.
The old seaman came closer, gazing toward the group of Brownies. Observing how near their car was to the foaming sea, he began to walk faster.
“Ahoy,” he greeted the girls. “What’s wrong here? Aground, eh, and with a strong tide running.”
The Brownies, all talking at once, tried to explain what had happened.