CHAPTER XXV_The Outdoor Girls at Bluff Point; Or a Wreck and a Rescue

JOY

What happened in the next hour the girls never afterward clearly

remembered. In what seemed a nightmare, they found their clothes, and,

after turning things wrong side out, getting the left shoe on the right

foot, and various other mishaps calculated to wreck the most

well-balanced nervous system, they finally succeeded in getting them on.

"Where shall we go?" Mollie gasped out, as, clad in oilskins, they

rushed madly down the stairs.

"There's a farmhouse about a mile down the road," explained Grace, "and

all the farm hands sleep on the premises. We can get them. And there's

the life-saving station only a little way beyond. They may have seen the

signals and be on their way already."

"All right--let's go," said Betty grimly, as she flung open the door.

A terrific gust of wind greeted her and sent her staggering back upon

the other girls.

"It's even worse than I thought," she gasped, regaining her balance. "We

will have to do some fighting to get there, girls."

"A mile against that wind!" groaned Grace. "Betty, I don't think we can

ever make it."

"We've got to--or at least make the attempt," cried Betty, pulling her

coat more tightly about her. "If nobody else will come, I'm going

alone," she added, and the girls knew her well enough to be sure she

meant it.

"Come on," cried Mollie, who had never yet been known to ignore a

challenge. "We'll do our best, anyway, even if we die trying."

"Bravo! Spoken like an Outdoor Girl!" cried Betty, and at the challenge

in her voice, Grace and Amy instinctively straightened up.

"We're all Outdoor Girls," said Grace stoutly.

"And we'll show you," Amy added, with a ring in her voice, "that we are

not afraid to go any where that you can go."

"Fine!" cried the Little Captain, her eyes shining. "Come on, then. What

chance has a pesky old wind against four Outdoor Girls, I'd like to

know!"

She opened the door again, and this time, being prepared for the

onslaught of the wind, merely gritted her teeth and ducked her head and

plunged gamely into it. And without a minute's hesitation, the others,

who were "also Outdoor Girls," followed her.

The fight with the wind that followed was all they had expected it would

be--and more. Their clothes were whipped about their legs as if about to

disengage themselves and fly away from their owners forever. And several

times they were forced to stop and turn their backs to catch their

breath and gather strength to go on.

But on they did go until the welcome vision of a gaunt old farmhouse

rising ghostily from the early morning mist rewarded them and set their

hearts to beating high with hope.

As they fought their way step by step up to the porch, they tried to

call out, but found that whatever sound they were able to make was

drowned in the roar of the wind.

They found an old-fashioned knocker on the big front door, and worked it

with all their strength. After what seemed to them an age of waiting,

the door itself opened and a head popped out at them.

"Well, what in time--" the owner of the voice was beginning, when Betty

pushed impatiently past him, the girls following close behind her.

It took a surprisingly short time--seeing that the girls all insisted

upon talking at once--to make the farmer understand the situation.

"We're going on to the life-saving station," Betty told him, trembling

with excitement.

"All right, but my boys'll beat 'em to it," he promised, a glint in his

grey eyes.

Then the girls were on their way again, pushing desperately against a

wind that seemed to rise higher and higher with every minute, while in

the east the greying sky grew light.

"A--clear--day!" Mollie gasped, pushing back the wind-blown hair from

her face. "At last!"

"Do you hear anything?" Betty shouted back. "It seems to me I--"

They listened, and then, above the wind, it came to them

unmistakably--the sound of voices, masculine voices.

"The life-savers!" gasped Grace. "We don't have to go any farther.

Let's--let's--wait for them."

They had not long to wait, for almost before Grace had finished speaking

half a dozen men carrying life-saving paraphernalia broke through the

underbrush and came running down the path toward them.

They stopped at sight of the panting girls, but Betty waved them on

impatiently.

"The wreck!" she cried. "We came for you! Hurry!" and without another

word the men hurried on, leaving the girls to follow them more slowly.

However, they accomplished the return trip in about half the time it had

taken them to fight their way against the wind, and as the first bright

rays of the sun gilded the country side, they found themselves back at

the house, where Mrs. Ford was anxiously awaiting them.

She had some breakfast prepared for them, which they ate standing, then

rushed headlong down to the beach. The life-savers were already busily

at work launching their sturdy boats, and as the girls followed the

direction they were taking out to sea they suddenly saw the wrecked

ship.

Driven by the hurricane wind, it had been caught on one of those

treacherous bars so common along this part of the coast. Part of the

bottom had been torn away, and if the ship had not been so tightly

wedged upon the bar it must certainly have sunk hours before. As it was,

the starboard deck stood high in the air while the port side almost

touched the water and was constantly swept by mountainous combers.

The girls shivered as they looked.

"If the waves should wash it loose--" Betty began, then checked herself.

The possibility was too horrible to contemplate.

"Look!" cried Mollie, clutching her arm, "They are filling the first

boat. Oh, Betty, they'll certainly be swamped! I can't look!" She turned

away but the next minute her eyes were fixed strainingly upon the wreck

again.

"They're gone! They're gone!" cried Amy, jumping up and down in her

excitement as the boat sunk in the hollow between two huge combers and

was lost to view. "No, they're not! They're up again," as the boat,

looking pathetically tiny in comparison to the vastness of the ocean,

rose gallantly on the crest of a big wave and came rushing toward them,

reeling from side to side. The next moment they were lost to view again.

"Oh, they'll never make it, they'll never make it," moaned Grace. "It

isn't possible."

But the gallant little boat came on and out fighting its bitter fight

with the elements, till, rising on one last long comber, it swept

magnificently in and grounded on the shore.

The girls were already racing eagerly toward it, and a few minutes later

were welcoming the poor bedraggled survivors back to safety. There were

nine of them in all, four women, one young girl, three men and a little

boy. The child was sobbing and clung to his mother's skirts, terrified.

Betty drew Grace aside.

"Some one will have to take them up to the house, let them dry out, and

give them something to eat," she whispered. "Will you do that, Grace?"

Grace nodded, and Amy, who had overheard the request, begged to go with

her. Mollie and Betty remained behind to watch the rest of the rescue

work.

Luckily the ship was a merchant vessel and carried very few passengers,

so that the life-savers were confident of saving all those on board.

Also the wind was beginning to abate and the sea was becoming less

angry--all of which helped them in their work.

The two girls were standing side by side, eagerly watching the progress

of the second boat, when they were startled by a hail from behind and

turned to find Grace and Amy flying down toward them.

"Mollie!" Amy gasped, trying to catch her breath while her cheeks flamed

with excitement, "we just heard something we thought you ought to know.

You know the woman with the little boy," she hurried on as Mollie was

about to speak, "well, while she was comforting her own child, she

happened to speak of two other children on board--"

"Who cry a great deal," Grace put in eagerly. "They are in charge of a

man who looks like a Spaniard, and they seem to be in mortal terror of

him--"

"Girls," the word burst through dry lips as Mollie took a step toward

them, "what are you telling me? Oh, I can't bear to hope if--" she

grasped Grace's arm and shook it, not realizing how she hurt. "Tell me,"

she cried, "are they boy and girl--"

"Yes," Grace answered trembling. "I don't know, Mollie, dear, of course,

but from her description, those two children sounded an awful lot like

the twins!"

Mollie waited to hear no more, but was off like a whirlwind down the

beach toward the second boat that was just coming in to shore. And while

she ran she was praying with all her fervent young heart.

"Oh, Lord, give me back those babies!" she cried sobbingly. "If you only

will I'll never, never, _never_ ask you for anything again as long as I

live."

Then she saw them!

A big, vicious looking man with black hair and black bushy eyebrows was

lifting Dodo--her little Dodo--out of the boat. And while she looked,

her heart beating wildly, hardly able to believe the evidence of her

eyes, the man stretched out his hand for the boy, who sat crouched in

the back of the boat. Then followed something that made Mollie cry out

in rage.

Because the boy hung back in evident terror, the man struck him across

the face, and, seizing his hand, jerked him roughly out of the boat.

"Dodo! Paul!" screamed Mollie, racing down toward them, unmindful of wet

feet and sodden clothing. "Babies, it's Mollie! Your own Mollie who--"

But her voice was drowned in a shriek from the twins as they tore

themselves loose from the man and flung themselves upon her. She dropped

to her knees in the sand and strained them to her, laughing, crying,

sobbing out endearments while they clung to her frantically, burying

their faces in her neck.

"Don't let wicked man get Dodo!" sobbed the little girl. "He's bad man!

He hurt Dodo."

With a cry Mollie jumped to her feet, an arm about each of the twins,

and looked about for the man. The passengers who had also come ashore in

the boat stood looking on in bewilderment. But the Spaniard had

disappeared.

"Where did that man go?" cried Mollie frantically. "There he is!" she

added, as she caught sight of him just approaching the foot of the

bluff, evidently bent on flight. "Don't let him get away! He's a

kidnapper!"

Several of the men were already racing off in pursuit, and as the

Spaniard was a heavy man and not over agile, the foremost of them soon

overtook him.

He seemed to put up little resistance, evidently realizing that he was

too heavily out-numbered. He surrendered to the inevitable and contented

himself with merely glowering.

"Come on," cried Mollie, taking the beloved twins by the hand and

starting back along the beach while the girls joyfully accompanied her,

talking and ejaculating all at the same time, no one knowing what the

other was saying--nor caring. The wonderful fact was enough for them.

When they scrambled up to the top of the bluff they found the men

awaiting them with the sullen captive in their midst.

"What'll we do with him, Miss?" asked one of them respectfully, touching

his cap to Mollie.

"Do with him?" cried Mollie, regarding the Spaniard with flashing eyes.

"There isn't anything bad enough to do to him. But for the present,

we'll have to be satisfied with locking him up. We have plenty of

evidence," she added, waving that part of it aside with a motion of her

hand. "Letters and things, you know. He kidnapped my little brother and

sister," indicating the twins, who snuggled close against her and

regarded their former captor with terrified eyes, "and then demanded

twenty thousand dollars of my mother for their return."

"Blackmail, eh?" growled one of the men, throwing a scornful look at the

Spaniard. "Well, you'll get paid up this time, old boy. Get on there,

will you?"

* * * * *

It was many hours later and the dusk was falling softly over the land.

The passengers of the wrecked ship had long ago started villageward,

there to entrain for the city, leaving two of their number behind.

These two were seated at the head of a long table in the little house at

Bluff Point, devouring chicken and rice before an audience of admiring

and joyful Outdoor Girls. Only Mollie very often could not see them for

the tears that dimmed her eyes.

Quite suddenly Betty stopped in the very middle of a sentence to stare

at Mollie.

"Your mother!" she cried. "You forgot to let her know!"

"Oh, no, I didn't," Mollie answered. "I sent a telegram by one of the

boys who took that dirty Spaniard to the station. And, oh, girls," she

leaned forward suddenly while the tears overflowed and slowly trickled

down her face, "if she does as I begged her to, she will be here

to-morrow. Darling little mother!"

At the love in her voice the girls felt their own eyes grow wet.

"What a difference!" said Betty softly, looking around the table. "A few

nights ago we were utterly miserable. Now we are wildly happy. We have

the darling twins back again, and our boys 'over there' are safe.

Girls," she cried, suddenly springing to her feet and raising her cup on

high, "let's drink a toast--"

"To what?" they cried, rising with one motion.

"To the time when our boys come home!"

And so, in the midst of their happiness, with the dark clouds rolled

away and the sun shining through, we will once more wave farewell to our

Outdoor Girls.

THE END

* * * * *

_This Isn't All!_

Would you like to know what became of the good friends you have made in

this book?

Would you like to read other stories continuing their adventures and

experiences, or other books quite as entertaining by the same author?

On the _reverse side_ of the wrapper which comes with this book, you

will find a wonderful list of stories which you can buy at the same

store where you got this book.

_Don't throw away the Wrapper_

_Use it as a handy catalog of the books you want some day to have. But

in case you do mislay it, write to the Publishers for a complete

catalog._

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS SERIES

By LAURA LEE HOPE

Author of "The Blythe Girls Books"

Every Volume Complete in Itself.

These are the adventures of a group of bright, fun-loving, up-to-date

girls who have a common bond in their fondness for outdoor life,

camping, travel and adventure. There is excitement and humor in these

stories and girls will find in them the kind of pleasant associations

that they seek to create among their own friends and chums.

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS OF DEEPDALE

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT RAINBOW LAKE

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A MOTOR CAR

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A WINTER CAMP

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN FLORIDA

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT OCEAN VIEW

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN ARMY SERVICE

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS ON PINE ISLAND

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT THE HOSTESS HOUSE

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT BLUFF POINT

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT WILD ROSE LODGE

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN THE SADDLE

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AROUND THE CAMPFIRE

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS ON CAPE COD

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT FOAMING FALLS

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS ALONG THE COAST

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT SPRING HILL FARM

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT NEW MOON RANCH

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS ON A HIKE

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS ON A CANOE TRIP

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT CEDAR RIDGE

GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK

THE BLYTHE GIRLS BOOKS

By LAURA LEE HOPE

Author of The Outdoor Girls Series

Illustrated by Thelma Gooch

The Blythe Girls, three in number, were left alone in New York City.

Helen, who went in for art and music, kept the little flat uptown, while

Margy, just out of business school, obtained a position as secretary and

Rose, plain-spoken and business like, took what she called a "job" in a

department store. The experiences of these girls make fascinating

reading--life in the great metropolis is thrilling and full of strange

adventures and surprises.

THE BLYTHE GIRLS: HELEN, MARGY AND ROSE

THE BLYTHE GIRLS: MARGY'S QUEER INHERITANCE

THE BLYTHE GIRLS: ROSE'S GREAT PROBLEM

THE BLYTHE GIRLS: HELEN'S STRANGE BOARDER

THE BLYTHE GIRLS: THREE ON A VACATION

THE BLYTHE GIRLS: MARGY'S SECRET MISSION

THE BLYTHE GIRLS: ROSE'S ODD DISCOVERY

THE BLYTHE GIRLS: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF HELEN

THE BLYTHE GIRLS: SNOWBOUND IN CAMP

THE BLYTHE GIRLS: MARGY'S MYSTERIOUS VISITOR

THE BLYTHE GIRLS: ROSE'S HIDDEN TALENT

GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK

THE LILIAN GARIS BOOKS

Illustrated. Every Volume Complete in Itself.

Among her "fan" letters Lilian Garis receives some flattering

testimonials of her girl readers' interest in her stories. From a class

of thirty comes a vote of twenty-five naming her as their favorite

author. Perhaps it is the element of live mystery that Mrs. Garis always

builds her stories upon, or perhaps it is because the girls easily can

translate her own sincere interest in themselves from the stories. At

any rate her books prosper through the changing conditions of these

times, giving pleasure, satisfaction, and, incidentally, that tactful

word or inspiration, so important in literature for young girls. Mrs.

Garis prefers to call her books "juvenile novels" and in them romance is

never lacking.

JUDY JORDAN

JUDY JORDAN'S DISCOVERY

SALLY FOR SHORT

SALLY FOUND OUT

A GIRL CALLED TED

TED AND TONY, TWO GIRLS OF TODAY

CLEO'S MISTY RAINBOW

CLEO'S CONQUEST

BARBARA HALE

BARBARA HALE'S MYSTERY FRIEND

NANCY BRANDON

NANCY BRANDON'S MYSTERY

CONNIE LORING

CONNIE LORING'S GYPSY FRIEND

JOAN: JUST GIRL

JOAN'S GARDEN OF ADVENTURE

GLORIA: A GIRL AND HER DAD

GLORIA AT BOARDING SCHOOL

GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK

CAROLYN WELLS BOOKS

Attractively Bound. Illustrated. Colored Wrappers.

THE PATTY BOOKS

Patty is a lovable girl whose frank good nature and beauty lend charm to

her varied adventures. These stories are packed with excitement and

interest for girls.

PATTY FAIRFIELD

PATTY AT HOME

PATTY IN THE CITY

PATTY'S SUMMER DAYS

PATTY IN PARIS

THE MARJORIE BOOKS

Marjorie is a happy little girl of twelve, up to mischief, but full of

goodness and sincerity. In her and her friends every girl reader will

see much of her own love of fun, play and adventure.

MARJORIE'S VACATION

MARJORIE'S BUSY DAYS

MARJORIE'S NEW FRIEND

MARJORIE IN COMMAND

MARJORIE'S MAYTIME

MARJORIE AT SEACOTE

THE TWO LITTLE WOMEN SERIES

Introducing Dorinda Fayre--a pretty blonde, sweet, serious, timid and a

little slow, and Dorothy Rose--a sparkling brunette, quick, elf-like,

high tempered, full of mischief and always getting into scrapes.

TWO LITTLE WOMEN

TWO LITTLE WOMEN AND TREASURE HOUSE

TWO LITTLE WOMEN ON A HOLIDAY

THE DICK AND DOLLY BOOKS

Dick and Dolly are brother and sister, and their games, their pranks,

their joys and sorrows, are told in a manner which makes the stories

"really true" to young readers.

DICK AND DOLLY

DICK AND DOLLY'S ADVENTURES

GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK

THE NANCY DREW MYSTERY STORIES

By CAROLYN KEENE

Illustrated. Every Volume Complete in Itself.

Here is a thrilling series of mystery stories for girls. Nancy Drew,

ingenious, alert, is the daughter of a famous criminal lawyer and she

herself is deeply interested in his mystery cases. Her interest involves

her often in some very dangerous and exciting situations.

THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK

Nancy, unaided, seeks to locate a missing will and finds herself in the

midst of adventure.

THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE

Mysterious happenings at an old stone mansion lead to an investigation

by Nancy.

THE BUNGALOW MYSTERY

Nancy has some perilous experiences around a deserted bungalow.

THE MYSTERY AT LILAC INN

Quick thinking and quick action were needed for Nancy to extricate

herself from a dangerous situation.

THE SECRET AT SHADOW RANCH

On a vacation in Arizona Nancy uncovers an old mystery and solves it.

THE SECRET OF RED GATE FARM

Nancy exposes the doings of a secret society on an isolated farm.

THE CLUE IN THE DIARY

A fascinating and exciting story of a search for a clue to a surprising

mystery.

GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK

TED SCOTT FLYING STORIES

By FRANKLIN W. DIXON

Illustrated. Each Volume Complete in Itself.

No subject has so thoroughly caught the imagination of young America as

aviation. This series has been inspired by recent daring feats of the

air, and is dedicated to Lindbergh, Byrd, Chamberlin and other heroes of

the skies.

OVER THE OCEAN TO PARIS;

_or, Ted Scott's Daring Long Distance Flight_.

RESCUED IN THE CLOUDS;

_or, Ted Scott, Hero of the Air_.

OVER THE ROCKIES WITH THE AIR MAIL;

_or, Ted Scott, Lost in the Wilderness_.

FIRST STOP HONOLULU;

_or, Ted Scott Over the Pacific_.

THE SEARCH FOR THE LOST FLYERS;

_or, Ted Scott Over the West Indies_.

SOUTH OF THE RIO GRANDE;

_or, Ted Scott On a Secret Mission_.

ACROSS THE PACIFIC;

_or, Ted Scott's Hop to Australia_.

THE LONE EAGLE OF THE BORDER;

_or, Ted Scott and the Diamond Smugglers_.

FLYING AGAINST TIME;

_or, Breaking the Ocean to Ocean Record_.

OVER THE JUNGLE TRAILS;

_or, Ted Scott and the Missing Explorers_.

LOST AT THE SOUTH POLE;

_or, Ted Scott in Blizzard Land_.

THROUGH THE AIR TO ALASKA;

_or, Ted Scott's Search in Nugget Valley_.

FLYING TO THE RESCUE;

_or, Ted Scott and the Big Dirigible_.

DANGER TRAILS OF THE SKY;

_or, Ted Scott's Great Mountain Climb_.

FOLLOWING THE SUN SHADOW;

_or, Ted Scott and the Great Eclipse_.

GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK

THE REX LEE FLYING STORIES

By THOMSON BURTIS

Illustrated. Every Volume Complete in Itself.

The author of this series of exciting flying stories is an experienced

aviator. He says, "During my five years in the army I performed nearly

every sort of flying duty--instructor, test pilot, bombing,

photographing pilot, etc., in every variety of ship, from tiny scout

planes to the gigantic three-motored Italian Caproni."

Not only has this author had many experiences as a flyer; a list of his

activities while knocking around the country includes postal clerk,

hobo, actor, writer, mutton chop salesman, preacher, roughneck in the

oil fields, newspaper man, flyer, scenario writer in Hollywood and

synthetic clown with the Sells Floto Circus. Having lived an active,

daring life, and possessing a gift for good story telling, he is well

qualified to write these adventures of a red-blooded dare-devil young

American who became one of the country's greatest flyers.

REX LEE; GYPSY FLYER

REX LEE; ON THE BORDER PATROL

REX LEE; RANGER OF THE SKY

REX LEE; SKY TRAILER

REX LEE; ACE OF THE AIR MAIL

REX LEE; NIGHT FLYER

REX LEE'S MYSTERIOUS FLIGHT

REX LEE; ROUGH RIDER OF THE AIR

REX LEE; AERIAL ACROBAT

REX LEE; TRAILING AIR BANDITS

REX LEE; FLYING DETECTIVE

GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK

GREAT SPORT STORIES

For Every Sport Season

By HAROLD M. SHERMAN

Here's an author who knows his sports from having played them. Baseball,

football, basketball, ice hockey, tennis, track--they're all the same to

Harold M. Sherman. He puts the most thrilling moments of these sports

into his tales. Mr. Sherman is today's most popular writer of sport

stories--all of which are crowded with action, suspense and clean,

vigorous fun.

The Home Run Series The Gridiron Series

Bases Full! Goal to Go

Hit by Pitcher Hold That line!

Safe! Touchdown

Hit and Run Block That Kick!

Double Play One Minute to Play

Batter Up! Fight 'Em, Big Three

The Basketball Series The Ice Hockey Series

Mayfield's Fighting Five Flashing Steel

Get 'Em Mayfield Flying Heels

Shoot That Ball! Slashing Sticks