er. She saw that Tania's dress was caught fast. She would have to tug
at it valiantly to get it away. First, she pulled desperately at Tania's
shoe, hoping she could free her body. A suffocating weight had begun to
press down on her chest. She could hear a roaring and buzzing in her
ears. She knew enough of the water to realize that she had been too long
underneath; she should rise to the surface again to get her breath. But
she dared not wait so long to release Tania. Nor did she know that she
could find the child again when she returned. She must do her work now.

So Madge pulled more slowly and carefully at Tania's frock, unwinding it
from the spar that held it. With a few gentle tugs she released it and
Tania's slender body rose slowly. The child's eyes were closed, her face
was as still and white as though she were dead. Madge was glad of Tania's
unconsciousness. She knew that in this lay the one chance of safety for
herself and the child. If Tania came to consciousness and began to
struggle the little captain knew that her strength was too far gone for
her to save either the child or herself. She would not leave her. She
would have to drown with her.

She caught the little girl by her black hair, and swam out feebly with
her one free arm. At this moment Tania's black eyes opened wide. She
realized their awful peril. She was only a child, and the fear of the
drowning swept over her. She gave a despairing clutch upward, threw both
her thin arms about Madge's neck and held her in a grasp of steel. For a
second Madge tried to fight Tania's hands away. Then her strength gave
out utterly. She realized that the end had come for them both.

CHAPTER IX

THE OWNER OF THE DISAGREEABLE VOICE

It may be that Madge had another second of consciousness. Afterward she
thought she could recall being caught up by a giant, who unloosed Tania's
hands from about her throat. Quietly the three of them began to float
upward with such steadiness, such quietness, that she had that blessed
sense of security and release from responsibility that a child must feel
who has fallen asleep in its father's arms.

The first thing that she actually knew was, when she opened her eyes, to
look into a pair of deep blue, kindly ones that were smiling bravely and
encouragingly into hers. Near her were her three friends, looking very
wet and miserable, and one little, dark-eyed elf who was sobbing
bitterly. Farther away were two strange girls a