d Kayak Bill set to work repairing the roof of the cabin and
the porch. From his position astride the peak Harlan could hear Ellen
busy at her tasks indoors. As the tide began to run in he saw her come
to the door from time to time and walk down onto the beach to look for
the absent ones. Apparently she was vaguely uneasy. The Island's
possibilities for good or bad were yet unknown to her and she was
evidently never quite secure in her mind when any of her household was
out of her sight. After one of the last excursions to the beach she
had spoken of the fact that the waves had reached the base of the cliff.

"They won't be able to come now for a while," she said, addressing the
men on the roof. And then she added: "Could two of you give me a
little help inside, Shane? I need to move the bed."

Kayak and Boreland accordingly slid down from the ridge and followed
her into the house.

Gregg paused in his work of nailing tar-paper over the boards, and
stretched wide his arms. He was taking a cursory glance toward the
incoming tide when his attention was attracted by the figure of Kobuk
ambling up the trail from the beach. The dog was dripping wet and at
intervals he stopped to shake himself violently. Kobuk must have been
playing along the edge of the surf, Harlan thought. And yet, he must
have crossed the sands below the bluff . . . and the tide was only an
hour from the flood. . . . But of course Jean would not dream of
attempting a crossing now. He took up his hammer again. . . .
Suddenly he hooked it over the ridge. At any rate, he would go down
and make certain. . .

Slipping off the roof he ran down to the beach. There he sped along
its curve until his eye could command the length of the bluff. . . .
He stopped aghast. Midway Jean and the boy were coming on, stumbling
across the sand left bare by a receding wave, dashing to the ragged
base of the cliff and clinging to it while the incoming comber broke
and seethed about them, then rushing on again! Owing to the storm of
the past days the billows were higher than usual. Also there was yet
the most dangerous portion of the way to be traversed.

With a call for help Harlan started toward them, he also racing as the
breakers ran out, and climbing the cliff out of their reach as they
broke.

He shouted to Jean to attract her attention. If he could only sign to
her to ascend the bluff and hold fast till he came! Vainly he tried to
make his voice