water running at a rapid pace, and covering the sandy creek, where the eels had been found. Not aware of the danger, he said very quietly: "Oh, so it does; I suppose we had better be off!” “If we can,” said Cross. "By passing the rock, we may yet be in time." He looked rather pale as he spoke; and Hope, seeing his alarm, hastened to follow him. For the moment, Cross ceased speaking; he scrambled up the rocks, and began walking as rapidly as he could across them, towards the nearest shore; but the pace was necessarily slow, for the roughness in some parts, and the slipperiness in others, obliged them to pick their steps. The numberless chasms, which had been a source of amusement an hour before, now served still further to retard their progress, for they were forced to make many a detour to get past them. At last they reached the highest point, and could see before them. "Thank God!" said Cross, "the land is not yet covered! But we must run for it." The sand was, in fact, still visible; but small lines of blue water could be seen marking and breaking the surface. They hastened on, Hope looking at these lines, which seemed rapidly to increase in breadth; but he was soon obliged to keep his eyes on the ground, for, in looking up, he had placed his foot on a bunch of weed, slipped, fell, and got a severe shake, besides cutting his hands. In three minutes more, however, they were at the edge of the sand; but when they reached it they saw that it was now in stripes, the water in sheets. "We shall do yet," said Cross, " for here is a girl before us." He began to run rapidly, and Hope followed. They proceeded thus for about two hundred yards, when they saw coming hastily towards them the little girl, who turned out to be the same from whom Hope had bought the crabs. She reached them before they had advanced many more paces; and as she ran she called out something, which they could not at first understand, for she was so much out of breath. When she was close to them, they could distinguish that she said: "The wave! the wave! it is coming! Turn! turn and run or we are lost!" They did turn; and they saw, far out to sea, a large wave rolling towards the shore. Tired as they were, they yet increased their speed as they retraced their steps towards the rocks they had just left. The little girl passed them, and led the way; the two friends strained every nerve to keep pace with her, for, as they neared the rock, the wave still rolled on: the sand became gradually covered, and during their last ten steps they were up to their knees in water, but they were on the rock. "Quick! quick!" said the girl; "there is the passage to cross; and if the second wave comes, we shall be too late." She ran on for a hundred yards, till she came to a crack in the rock, six or seven feet wide, along which the water was rushing like a mill sluice. "We are lost!" said the girl. "I cannot cross it; it will carry me away!" "Is it deep?" asked Cross. "Not very," she said; "but it is too strong!" Cross lifted the girl in his arms, for he was a strong, big man, and plunged into the stream, which was up to his waist. With a few strides he was across, and set the girl down. He then held on by the rock, and stretched out his hand to Hope, who was following like an experienced wader, taking very short steps, and with his legs well stretched out, to prevent his being swept away by the force of the water. Hope grasped the hand thus held out to him, and in another second the two friends. were standing by the girl. "That is tremendous!" said Hope. "If I had not seen it, I never would have believed it!" "It is indeed," said Cross; "and in winter, or in stormy weather, the tide-wave comes in with far greater force than the one we have just seen." "Come on! come on!" cried the girl, as she again led the way to the higher point of light-colored rock, which Hope had remarked in the morning. When they had reached it she said: "We are safe now!" and kneeling down, she returned thanks to God for their deliverance. After a few minutes thus spent, the girl smilingly looked up to Cross. "Thank you," said she, "for lifting me over! I could not have crossed alone. And," she continued, "the second wave has come, and it is all water now!" The friends looked; all around them was the wide sea. They were on an island, which each moment became less; and this island was three quarters of a mile from the shore. "I am afraid, sir, you will be cold!" said the little girl. "We are quite safe here, for this point is always above water, except in a storm; but we shall have to remain here three or four hours before we can go to the shore." "Cold or hot," said Cross, "we may be thankful we are here! But what made you forget the tide, for you must know the coast so well?" "I did not forget it," she said; "but I feared you would be drowned, as you are strangers, and I thought I should be in time to tell you; but I was too late, and the wave came!" 66 'And did you risk your own life to save ours?” said Hope, the tears starting into his eyes. "I thought that at any rate I should get here,” she replied. "As you are strangers, I knew you would not know that it is always dry here; and on the strand you would be lost: so I came to help you; for the gentleman was kind, and gave me a good price for my crabs. So I hoped I should be in time to warn you, but I was very nearly too late!" "I Hope took the little girl in his arms, and kissed her. "We owe you our lives, brave little girl!" he said. thank you in the meantime, and hope to do more for you hereafter! I wonder what she would most like in the world?" "Ask her," said Cross. Hope did so. "To have a dress," she said, "just like the one Angela's sister had on last Sunday." "You must bring Angela to see us to-morrow, and she will help us to get the dress we have promised." "Oh, happy, happy day!" she said. "Angela will be so pleased." "If ever we get ashore," said Hope; for a wave at that moment rolled past, and the waters began to run along the little platform they were sitting on. They all rose, and mounted on the rocky points, where they clustered, supporting one another. Another wave came: it appeared only like a ripple; but when they looked down, the water was a foot deep where they had previously been seated. There was silence for awhile. Another wave came the water was within six inches of their feet. “It is a terribly high tide," said the girl; "but if we hold together we shall not be washed away." Hope's face was towards the shore. "There are a great many people on the point," he said. "It is always a comfort to know that our fellow-beings take an interest in us; and I suppose those people are watching us." The little girl turned to look. The faint sound of a cheer was heard, and they could see the people on shore wave their hats and handkerchiefs. 'They think the tide has turned," she said; " and they are shouting to cheer us." She was right; the tide had turned. Another wave came and wet their feet: but when it had passed, the water had fallen, and in five minutes more the platform was again dry. It was dark before the tide had receded far enough to admit of their wading across the sands to the shore. NOTES FOR COMPOSITION. Hope and Cross while examining the rocks on the sea-side are caught by the tide. They turn to go inland, but the frequent chasms impede their progress. While crossing the sands they meet a little girl. She points out a big wave rushing in. They run back to the high rocks. Cross has to lift the child and wade through the tide. They are now surrounded by water. The girl tells why she followed them. They see a great many people gathering on the shore. The tide at last turns and they escape at dark. Memorize : absorbed scrambled Lead, kindly light, amid th' encircling gloom, Lead thou me on! The night is dark, and I am far from home: Lead thou me on! Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant way: one step's enough for me. chasms stretched tremendous clustered previously |