" said Pauline.

"What about?"

"The rocks--those rocks out there."

The words had scarcely passed her lips before Harry darted back. A wave
from the incoming tide had rolled over his feet.

Pen uttered a sudden cry:

"I am frightened. I won't drown. I am awful frightened."

She began to shriek.

"Try and keep up your courage, darling," said Pauline. "It won't be long.
It will be quickly over, and I will stay close to you. Paulie will be
close to you."

"Let us get her to stand on our two shoulders, and we'll lean up against
the rocks," said Harry. "She can steady herself against the rock, and I
will support you both. Here, I will hoist her up. Now, missy, you look
slippy. That's it."

Harry was a very active boy, and he did manage to lift Pen, who was stiff
with cold and fright, and miserable with a sense of her own naughtiness,
on to Pauline's and his shoulders. When she was established in that
position she was propped up against the rocks.

"Now you are safe," said Harry, looking back at her and trying to laugh.
"We'll both drown before you. See how safe you are."

Just for a moment Pen was somewhat consoled by this reflection. But
presently a fresh terror seized her. It would be so awful when she was
left alone and there was only a dead Pauline and a dead Harry to keep her
company. She had never seen anybody die, and had not the least idea what
death meant. Her terrors grew worse each moment. She began to cry and
whimper miserably, "I wish that boat would come."

Another wave came in and washed right over both Pauline's and Harry's
ankles. They were jammed up against the rocks now. This big wave was
followed by a second and a third, and soon the children were standing in
water very nearly up to their knees.

"Seems to me," said Harry in a choky voice, "that it is about time we
began our prayers. It is like going to sleep at night. Just when you are
preparing to sleep you say your prayers, and then you dump your head down
on your pillow and off you go to by-bye land. Then mother comes and
kisses you, and she says---- Oh, bother! I don't want to think of that.
Let's try and fancy that it is night. Let's begin our prayers. Oh, what a
wave that is! Why, it has dashed right into my eyes."

"How far up is the water now, Pauline?" asked Penelope from her position.

"It is not very far up yet," replied Pauline in as cheerful a tone as she
could. "We had better do what Harry says, and say our prayers."

"