ge of the narrow ledge on which she
stood. There might be another--perhaps even a bigger one--waiting down
there to seize upon the bait.

And just then Mary Cox, her hair tousled and a distressfully discontented
expression on her face, came around the corner of the big boulder.

"Oh! Hullo!" she said, discourteously. "You here?"

"Sh!" whispered Ruth, intent on the line and the pool of green water.

"What's the matter with you?" snapped The Fox. "Don't say you've
got a bite! I'm sick of hearing them say it over there----"

"I've caught one," said Ruth, with pride, pointing to the glistening
tautog lying on the rock.

"Oh! Of course, 'twould be you who got it," snarled Mary. "I bet he
gave you the best place."

"_Please_ keep still!" begged Ruth. "I believe I've got another
bite."

"Have a dozen for all I care," returned Mary. "I want to get past
you."

"Wait! I feel a nibble----"

But Mary pushed rudely by. She took the inside of the path, of course.
The ledge was very narrow, and Ruth was stooping over the deep pool,
breathlessly watching the line.

With a half-stifled scream Ruth fell forward, flinging out both hands.
Mary clutched at her--she _did_ try to save her. But she was not quick
enough. Ruth dropped like a plummet and the green water closed over her
with scarcely a splash.

Mary did not cry out. She was speechless with fear, and stood with
clasped hands, motionless, upon the path.

"She can swim! she can swim!" was the thought that shuttled back and
forth in The Fox's brain.

But moment after moment passed and Ruth did not come to the surface.
The pool was as calm as before, save for the vanishing rings that broke
against the surrounding rocks. Mary held her breath. She began to feel as
though it were a dream, and that her school companion had not really
fallen into the pool. It must be an hallucination, for Ruth did not
come to the surface again!

CHAPTER XV

TOM CAMERON TO THE RESCUE

The three boys were on the other side of the narrow inlet where the
_Miraflame_ lay. Phineas had told them that bass were more likely to
be found upon the ocean side; therefore they were completely out of sight.

The last Tom, Bob and Isadora saw of the girls, the fishermen were
placing them along the rocky path, and Mercy was lying in a deck chair
on the deck of the launch, fluttering a handkerchief at them as they
went around the end of the reef.

"I bet they don't get a fish," giggled Isado