ind had almost died out.
But the tide heaved and seemed to moan, as though in sorrow for what it
had done.

It was the morning after the wreck, and Cora and the girls had gone to
the lighthouse to look out over the ocean. All vestige of the schooner
had disappeared. The sea had eaten her up.

"Where are the boys?" asked Eline, as she walked along beside Bess. The
girls had on rather make-shift garments, for they had become so drenched
in the rain that their clothes needed drying.

"I guess they are--pressing their trousers," remarked Cora. "Jack said he
was going to, anyhow."

"Vain creatures!" mocked Bess.

"I noticed you doing your hair up more elaborately than usual," remarked
Belle, with a glance at her sister.

"Oh, well, no wonder. It looked frightful--all wet as it was."

"Vain creatures--all of us," murmured Cora.

"Then the boys won't be out for some time," suggested Eline.

"I think not," answered Jack's sister. "I wonder what has become of all
the shipwrecked people?"

"A good many of them went on to New York last night," said Belle. "I met
Rosalie early this morning and she said only two of the women were over
at her place now. How did so many women, and those girls, come to be on
the schooner?"

"It was a sort of excursion party," explained Cora. "The schooner had an
auxiliary gasoline engine. The company that owns it does a small freight
business, and also takes passengers who like to go for a cruise. It seems
that a party was made up, and tickets sold. Quite a number of women and
girls, as well as some men, went along."

"I guess they are sorry they did," said Belle. "Oh, the dreadful sea. I'm
never going in bathing again."

"Oh, it's safe in Sandy Point Cove," exclaimed Eline.

"I wonder what happened to the missing girl?" asked Bess.

"Missing girl?" echoed Belle.

"Yes. Didn't you hear one of the sailors say a girl was missing--perhaps
swept overboard?"

"Oh yes! Poor thing!" and Cora sighed. "She may be--out--there!" and she
waved her hand to the heaving ocean.

The girls were on the beach where the rescue had been made. The waves were
still pounding away, but a life-guard who went past on his patrol remarked:

"She'll be down a lot by night."

"Were any of your friends hurt?" asked Belle.

"Working yesterday, you mean, miss?"

"Yes."

"No. Bill Smith got his hand jammed a bit, but that was all. We get used
to rough treatment."

"I suppose so. The sea is very rough--it'