y heart. Dear little friend, I am grateful for it now!

At last, leaning forward, I saw that the water was creeping into the
cave and covering the floor with shallow, foaming waves. Then, indeed,
we were frightened. What if the rising tide had covered the rocks
outside? We should have to stay all night in that lonely place; for,
though the tide went down before midnight, the way was long and
difficult, and we could not return in the darkness.

"Hurry, Allie!" cried Georgie, scrambling down the side of the cave. "We
can wade, may be."

I followed him, and we crept out upon the beach. The water had risen
breast high already, and I was nearly thrown down by the force with
which it met me.

"Lean on me, Allie," said Georgie, throwing his arm about me and
struggling onward. "We must get to the rocks as soon as we can."

It was with great difficulty that we passed over the narrow strip of
sand below the high cliffs. I clung wildly to Georgie, trying in vain to
keep a firm footing on the treacherous sand, that seemed slipping from
beneath my feet at every step.

The water had reached my neck. I cried out with terror as I felt myself
borne from my feet. But Georgie kept hold of me, and bracing ourselves
against the first low rock, we waited the coming of the great green wave
that rolled surging toward us, raising its whitening crest high over our
heads. It broke directly above us, and for a moment we stood dizzy with
the shock, and half blinded by the dashing salt spray. Then we ran on as
swiftly as was possible in the impeding water. Fortunately for us, the
next wave broke before it reached us, for in the rapidly rising tide we
could not have resisted it.

We were thoroughly exhausted when, after a few more struggles, we at
last climbed the first cliff and sat on the top, resting and looking
about us for a means of escape. It was impossible for us to scale the
precipice that stretched along the beach. We must keep to the lower
crags at its foot for a mile before we could reach the firm land. This,
in the gathering twilight, was a difficult and dangerous thing to
attempt. Yet there was no other way of escape. We could not return to
the cave. I shuddered as I looked at the foaming waves that rolled
between us and it.

"What shall we do, Georgie?" I cried. "I _can't_ be drowned!"

"Hush, Allie!" answered Georgie, bravely; "we must go right on, of
course. This place will be covered soon. Take off your shoes. You can
cli