Madge Morton's Victory

but they feared it would be after twelve before they could rejoin Miss Jenny Ann. The sun was so nearly overhead and shining so brilliantly that the effect was almost dazzling. Madge and Ph

t of these inlets, and the girls should h

"I hope they will arrive soon, before we have the responsibility of entertaining Mrs. Curtis's friend, Philip Holt. It won't be much fun to have a strange man following us about everywhere, even if

ou a pound of chocolates, Phil, that this goody-goody young man can't swim or row, or do anything like an ordinary person. He will just think every single thing we do is perfectly dreadful, and will frighten Tania to death with his preaching. I know he thinks her

s' low-voiced conversation. "If it is that Philip Holt, you need not think that he will trouble us very much when he comes to Cape May. He is just t

e water. But a moment since there had been no other boats in sight near them. Eleanor was resting in the prow wi

ard the distinct chug of a motor engine. Cutting down upon them was a pleasure yacht run by a gasoline motor. The prow of the yacht

d!" shoute

eed to her warning. He kept straight ahead, althou

most instantly, that the motor launch meant to make no effort to slow down

ter, nor to have their boat cut in two, so they pulled for

ed that the skiff would get safely by or else when he found out his mistake it was too late for him to slo

launch. Yet a second later, before any one of the girls could stir, the water rushed into the hole in its side and it

ared. But there was no sound from the little rowboat, save the gurgle of t

past, borne perhaps

ervous and timid in the water and was liable to sudden cramp. Madge knew that being hurled from a boat in such sudden fashion with her clothes on instead of a bathing suit would completely terrify Eleanor. She might lose her pres

he waves besides her own. Phyllis was swimming quietly toward Eleanor. Evidently she had entertained Madge's fear. "Make for the 'Water Witch,' Nellie," Madge heard Phil say in her calm, cool-headed

am along after Phil. But nowhere could Madge see a sign of a little, wi

her clothes were heavy and kept pulling her down; swimming in heavy shoes is an extremely difficult business, even for an experienced swimmer. All of a sudden it occurred to Ma

icult when she had no place from which to dive. Madge knew she must get all the way down to the very bottom of the bay t

here was no trace of Tania. For the second time she rose to the surface of the water. She hoped to see Tania's black head glistening among those of her older

to the slippery side of their overturned boat. Eleanor was numb with cold and shock. Altho

be a water witch herself, but when the little captain did not come to the skiff with the rest of them Phil's heart grew heavy. What could

relief when she saw Madge's curly, re

ed faintly, trying to reserve b

orse and terror. "No, I haven't, Madge. What

y this time to come back to their assistance. The boat had stopped, but it had not moved near to

ng to her chums that she was feeling a little tired and less sure of he

she chose a different place to make her des

as Tania's foot, swaying with the motion of the water. Caught on a spar, which might have once been part of a mast of an old ship, was Tania's dress. On the other side of her was a roc

a's shoe, hoping she could free her body. A suffocating weight had begun to press down on her chest. She could hear a roaring and buzzing in her ears. She knew enough of the water to realize that she had been too lo

closed, her face was as still and white as though she were dead. Madge was glad of Tania's unconsciousness. She knew that in this lay the one chance of safety for herself and the child. If Tania came

ril. She was only a child, and the fear of the drowning swept over her. She gave a despairing clutch upward, threw both her thin arms about Madge's neck and held h