the waves kept dashing in so quickly that there was no more chance for
conversation. Freddie ducked under as every wave came, but Flossie
was not always quick enough, and it was very hard for her to keep hold
of the ropes when a big splasher dashed against her. Dorothy had not
permission to swim out as far as she wanted to go, for her mother did
not allow her outside the lines, excepting when Mr. Minturn was
swimming near her, so she had to be content with floating around near
where the other girls bounced up and down, like the bubbles on the
billows.

"Look out, Nan!" called Dorothy, suddenly, as Nan stood for a moment
fixing her belt. But the warning came too late, for the next minute a
wave picked Nan up and tossed her with such force against a pier, that
everybody thought she must be hurt. Mrs. Bobbsey was quite
frightened, and ran out on the beach, putting Freddie and Flossie at a
safe distance from the water, while she made her way to where Nan had
been tossed.

For a minute or so, it seemed, Nan disappeared, but presently she
bobbed up, out of breath, but laughing, for Hal had her by the hand,
and was helping her to shore. The boys had been swimming around by
themselves near by, and Hal saw the wave making for Nan just in time
to get there first.

"I had to swim that time," laughed Nan, "whether I knew how or not."

"You made a pretty good attempt," Hal told her; "and the water is very
deep around those piles. You had better not go out so far again,
until you've learned a few strokes in the pools. Get Dorothy to teach
you."