CHAPTER VII AT SUNSET LAKE
The day following proved to be one of those exceptionally warm days thatoccasionally come at the end of June, with the express purpose, it wouldseem, of making life unbearable for those engaged in finishing up a termat school. All the morning the Glenwood pupils lived on the thoughts ofthe promised swim, to come that afternoon. When dismissal hour didfinally drag around little attention was paid to luncheon, all minds andhearts being set on the jaunt to Sunset Lake. This was a summer resortnot far from the school, and there was a good sandy stretch for bathing.The season had hardly opened yet, and Mrs. Pangborn was thus able to hirefor that afternoon the exclusive right of the sandy shore for her pupils.
Dorothy and Tavia were to go, although neither expected to take the lakebath, for Dorothy was firm in her resolve to stay with Tavia, and soforego one of her favorite pastimes, for Dorothy Dale was counted anexcellent swimmer.
In high glee the party started off, under the chaperonage of Miss Higley,and even those pupils who insisted that she was "a bear" were forced toadmit that, on this occasion, she was "as meek as a lamb." The fact wasthat Miss Higley loved swimming, and knew she was expert at the exercise.So the promised sport was especially welcome to her.
Along the shady road to the lake Dorothy laughed and chatted as merrilyas did the others, but Tavia was inclined to pout. She had begged to beallowed to go into the water, declaring that she was entirely recoveredand that the swim would do her good. But Mrs. Pangborn would not consent,so Tavia was to take what enjoyment she could derive from watching theothers.
When the Glenwood girls reached Sunset Beach the entrance gate to thebathing grounds was locked against all outsiders. A row of bathing houseswas placed at the disposal of the young ladies, and there was a matron inattendance. In fact, the pleasure grounds were turned over entirely toMrs. Pangborn's pupils and the presence of the white-aproned attendantgave the place a look of the utmost propriety. On this occasion,likewise, the life guard was banished, and, as Dick expressed it, "therenever was a man in sight when the girls in brown took their annual."
While the others were "making themselves frog-like" in the aforementionedsuits, Dorothy and Tavia established themselves in an old boat on theshore of the lake.
It was their first visit to the resort as it was their first summer termat Glenwood, and the two girls were charmed with the pretty, picturesquesurroundings.
"Not much like our pond in Dalton," Tavia observed, viewing the placidlake with its great open expanse of sunlit waters.
"No, but that was a splendid little pond for swimming," Dorothy remindedher companion, never relishing any aspersions thrown in the direction of"dear old Dalton."
Soon some of the girls appeared on the little boardwalk bordering thelake, and, in unheard of politeness, waited for Miss Higley to come outand take the first plunge. That formality being over there was a wildrush for the water, each one of the girls expecting to have a better timethan any of the others.
Nita Brandt and Adele Thomas had not yet learned to swim, so these twowere provided with a pair of water-wings to support them, and they"floundered around like a couple of ferry boats," Tavia declared, as theymade all sorts of vain attempts to strike out like the others.
Dick and Cologne were soon engaged in a race, from one float to theother, doing the overhand stroke, and making a fine showing for the firstof the season efforts.
"You're exceeding the speed limit!" shouted Tavia from the boat, as shestood up in the stern and viewed the race with unconcealed interest.
"Get out of the way!" called a dozen voices as the twain with theirwater-wings anchored directly in Dick's course.
But the girls floating on the wings could not get upon their feet forthey were in water about up to their heads. Every effort they made totouch bottom seemed to send their faces down, while simultaneously twopair of stockings would shoot up above the surface of the lake.
Miss Higley instantly realized that Nita and Adele were out too far--thatthey were beyond their depth and therefore in danger should the wings(which were muslin bags blown up) burst or slip from under their arms.She did not wait to see the result of the race, but struck out for thenow thoroughly frightened girls, who were calling in vain for some one tohelp them to shore.
As Miss Higley reached them, Dick and Cologne, who had not grasped thesituation, came gliding up to the same spot, almost side by side, workingearnestly, each to outdistance the other in reaching the float which wasthe goal.
"Here!" shouted Miss Higley to them. "Stop! Never mind the race! Help getthese two girls in. They're exhausted!"
The two swimmers veered around to Nita and Adele. Yes, Nita was gasping!She had evidently swallowed considerable water. And Adele could notattempt another stroke--her limbs seemed paralyzed.
Without speaking, thinking to save her breath for the struggle, Colognetook a position between the badly frightened girls, while Miss Higley andDick swung around so that each could grasp an arm, one of Nita and theother of Adele. In this manner the three swimmers towed to shore thosewho had ventured too far on the water-wings.
For a few minutes there was plenty of excitement at Sunset Beach,everyone gathering around the rescued ones, suggesting both restorativesand punishments to close the incident.
Miss Higley quietly waited for the girls to recover their breaths andother faculties that had been temporarily suspended during the mishap,and then asked why they had ventured out so far.
"We didn't," gulped Nita. "We just stayed perfectly still and we keptgoing along."
"Well," finished Miss Higley, "you must not again get on those wingswithout some one at hand to help you, or until you can manage thembetter. I'm thankful nothing worse happened."
So Nita and Adele, much chagrined and more disappointed, were obliged tospend the remainder of their swimming time with Dorothy and Tavia on thebeach, as wading did not suit them after their attempt at swimming,unsuccessful as it had proven.
As the afternoon waned the interest in the water exercise grew keener,and those who could trust themselves were indulging in all sorts of"stunts," sliding down an inclined wooden chute, and diving from a springboard. Miss Higley posted herself near the danger line, realizing thatshe must act as guard and look out for the safety of the swimmers.
Presently some one suggested an endurance trial, and this attractedalmost all the girls away from the chute over toward the stretch of deepwater.
But Edna Black did not join the racers. She had never before tried"shooting the chutes" and was infatuated with the sport. Time after timeshe climbed the little ladder and as quickly slid down the curved,inclined plank into the water again. Dorothy and Tavia were watching herfrom the shore, calling to her in merry nonsense and joking about hersliding propensities.
"Going down!" called Tavia as Edna took one more slide.
They waited--but she did not come up!
Miss Higley, too, was watching for the young diver's re-appearance.
Ten--twenty--she counted, but Edna did not come up. Then, from the verytop of the slide, where she had taken her position some time before tobetter watch all the girls, Miss Higley dove into the water after Edna,cleaving the fifteen feet of distance from the surface like a flash.
Dorothy and Tavia stood breathless--watching for either Miss Higley orEdna to come to the top.
It seemed ages--yes, it was too long to stay under water. What hadhappened to Miss Higley? Where was Edna?
An instant later, Dorothy and Tavia--without exchanging a word--kickedoff their slippers and were in the water! There was no time to call tothe girls farther out. Not a swimmer was near enough to offer help!
Their light summer clothing seemed to make little difference to these twocountry girls, who had learned to swim in Dalton pond, and, in a fewseconds, both had reached the spot where Edna and the teacher haddisappeared.
Tavia was the first to dive, and, in a few seconds she came up with Edna,white an
d unconscious, in her arms.
"Hold her--while I try--for Miss Higley!" cried Dorothy, as Tavia,supporting her burden on one arm and grasped the cross bar of the chutewith her other and yelled for help.
Dorothy was now under water, groping for the other lost one. But she hadto come up for air without bringing Miss Higley.
Down she went again, taking a long breath and determining to remain underuntil she could get a grip on the clothing of the teacher. Now the otherswere close at hand to assist Tavia in caring for Edna. Down and downDorothy went, the water gurgling in her ears--down and down into thedepths.
It seemed as if she could not stand the strain and pressure. A trail ofbubbles and a swirl of the surface of the lake marked where she haddisappeared.
Rose-Mary and Dick were the first to reach Tavia, and they at once tookcharge of the unconscious one, floating her to shore between them. Thenothers came up to the chute, white, frightened and trembling at the newsTavia gasped out to them. So alarmed were they that none of them daredventure to help Dorothy down there in the blackness and silence, at hergrewsome task.
Tavia, as soon as she had recovered her breath, had started off to assistDick and Rose-Mary in bringing Edna to shore, as the task was no lightone for the three swimmers. Then, as she got into shallow water Taviaturned, suddenly remembering something, and shouted to the girls aboutthe chute:
"Go for Dorothy! She is under there, looking for Miss Higley!"
But, as one or two of the braver girls, feeling the need of action,prepared to dive, they saw the pale face of Dorothy Dale come to thesurface, and they saw that, in her arms, she held clasped the form ofMiss Higley. But the hand that Dorothy stretched out to grasp the bottomof the chute, that she might support herself and the inert burden, justfailed to catch hold of the wooden brace, and, amid a swirl of watersDorothy went down again, out of sight, with the unconscious teacher.