"If," observed Ed, significantly.

CHAPTER XVIII

BELLE SWIMS

The tide was just right. In their newest bathing suits the motor girls had a.s.sembled on the beach in the hot sun. Their white arms and necks showed the winter of indoors, but their faces had already taken on the tan of the seaside. Soon arms and necks would be in accord.

The boys were out on the float, splashing about, occasionally "shooting the chutes" and diving from the pier.

"Is the water cold?" asked Cora, going down to where the waves splashed on the pebbles. Daintily she dipped in--just a toe. "How is it, Jack?"

Jack was tumbling about near the beach like a porpoise.

"Sw--swell!" he managed to gasp, the hesitancy being because a wave insisted on looking at his tongue, or trying to scrub his already white teeth--Cora could not decide which.

"Is it really warm?"

"Of course!"

"It feels cold."

"I know. That's because you stand there and stick one toe in. Get wet all over and--you'll feel----"

Jack was suddenly plunged under water by Walter, who had come swimming up, so the sentence was not finished. But Cora could guess it.

"I'm going in; come on, girls!" she cried.

"Oh, wait a little," pleaded Belle.

"And you said you were going to learn to swim to-day!" challenged Eline.

She looked particularly well in her dainty bathing costume.

"Well, I--I didn't know the water would be so deep!"

"Deep!" echoed Cora. "It's getting shallower all the while. The tide is going out. Come on."

She waded out a short distance, bravely repressing the spasmodic screams that sprang to her lips, and turning to the others said:

"It--it's--fi--fine--co--come on--in!"

"Listen to her!" cried Bess. "It must be like a refrigerator to make her stammer like that."

"It is not," said Cora. "It--it's real--real warm--when you--you--get used to it."

"I have heard said," remarked Eline with studied calmness, "that one can get used to anything--if one only makes up one's mind to it."

"Come--come on----"

Cora did not finish. A wave splashed up on her, taking her breath. Then, resolving to get it over with, she strode out, threw herself under water and a moment later was swimming beside Jack.

"Cora's in!" exclaimed Bess. "I'm going too."

"So am I," added Eline. "Come on, Belle!"

Belle hesitated.

"I can only swim a few strokes," she said. "I learned at Lake Dunkirk."

"It's much easier in salt water than fresh," insisted Eline, taking hold of Belle's arm. "Do try!"

Hesitatingly Belle waded out into the water. She gasped and choked as the chill struck through her, then, resolving to be brave, she plunged herself under. She gasped more than ever, but did not give up.

"You are doing fine!" cried Eline, as she struck out toward the float.

Suddenly Belle screamed.

"Are you going down?" asked Eline in alarm, yet they were not out beyond their depth.

"No, she's going up!" a.s.serted Walter, who was swimming near by.

"Don't make fun of her!" commanded Cora.

"I'm not. She's making fun of herself."

Again Belle screamed.

"Oh! Oh!" she cried. "Something has me! I--I'm sure it's a lobster."

"None of us boys missing!" joked Ed, as he splashed up.

"Lobsters are worth forty cents a pound! Save that one! Save it!"

commanded Norton, as he came alongside with strong, even strokes.

"Oh dear!" screamed Belle.

She really seemed in distress, but something nerved her to strike out as she never had before, and before she knew it she was swimming.

A figure in red guided to her side--a veritable mermaid. It was the girl from the lighthouse--Rosalie.

"Take it slowly--you are doing lovely!" she commended. "You are swimming!"

"Oh--Oh--I--I'm so glad!" cried Belle. "I've always wanted to, but they said I--I would be afraid!"

Rosalie was half supporting her, but really Belle was doing well, and gaining confidence every minute. As the lighthouse maid swam past Cora she managed to whisper: