"But we must save her!"
"Then let me try. I"ll dive overboard and swim to the raft. Then I can loosen the ropes and we"ll see what can be done toward getting her aboard.
But be careful of your boat."
It was good advice and Cora followed it. Rosalie stood on the stern, poised for a moment as Cora cut down the speed, and then gracefully dived overboard.
Up she came, shaking the water from her eyes, and struck out for the raft
"She"s alive--and--that"s all!" called Rosalie to the girls in the motor boat, as she bent over the one on the raft. "We must get her to a doctor quick!"
"How can we get her into the boat?" asked Cora.
"I"ll loosen the ropes, and then you can come up on this side. The spars are smooth here and your boat won"t be damaged!"
"Poor creature!" murmured Belle, as she watched Rosalie in her dripping bathing suit bending over the girl on the raft.
The ropes were soon loosed, and then, with no small skill, Cora brought the _Pet_ alongside the raft. It was not an easy matter to get the limp and unconscious figure into the boat, but the girls managed it.
"Now for sh.o.r.e and the doctor!" cried Eline.
"Here is her valise," called Rosalie, casting loose a rope that held a small suit case to the raft. "May as well take that, but I guess the things in it are pretty well soaked. She must have been adrift ever since the wreck went to pieces."
She tossed the bag into the boat, and clambered in herself. Then Cora steered away from the raft, as Belle started the motor. They covered the rescued girl with her own wet rugs--it was all they could do. She was breathing--that was all.
Half an hour later they were safe ash.o.r.e, and two fishermen on the beach had carried the girl up to the bungalow. A doctor was telephoned for in haste.
CHAPTER XXV
A SURPRISE
"Poor, poor girl!" murmured Cora. She was bending over the unknown who had been rescued from the raft. The girl lay in a stupor on a couch in the living room, having been made as comfortable as possible under the circ.u.mstances, the girls having ministered to her with the aid of Mrs.
Chester.
"I wonder who she can be?" said Belle.
"We shall have to interview some of those who were saved from the wreck,"
spoke Bess. "One or two of the women, and two of the men are still here, staying with some of the fishermen, I think."
"They might know," remarked Eline, "but if we could look at the pa.s.senger list that would tell."
"Where could we get it?" asked Cora.
"The captain may have saved it, but of course he is gone. Perhaps he took it with him."
"I"ll ask my father," said Rosalie. "The captain may have left it, or a copy of it, at the lighthouse. I"ll ask Daddy."
The lighthouse maid had gotten out of her bathing suit on the arrival of the motor boat in the cove, and, in her ordinary attire had come over to the bungalow where the rescued girl was still in a state of unconsciousness.
"That will be a good idea," said Cora. "I wish you would. But I don"t see why that doctor doesn"t hurry. Perhaps we had better telephone again."
"I"ll do it," offered Belle. "But perhaps we ought to try and revive her ourselves--some ammonia--" and she looked at Cora questioningly.
"I had rather not," was the answer. "We don"t know what injury we might do her. She may have been struck on the head, or something like that. I had rather a doctor would examine her. Poor creature. Who can she be?"
No one could tell. The strange girl was pretty, and her light brown hair, now drying out, cl.u.s.tered around her pale face that looked so much like death that the motor girls were greatly affected by it.
"Her people must be terribly worried about her," said Eline, softly.
"Just think of it! They will read of the wreck in the newspapers, and see the list of those saved. Her name will not be among them, and they will think her drowned."
"That is so," agreed Cora. "Oh, why doesn"t that doctor hurry? If we could revive her she would tell her name and we could notify her folks. I"ve a good notion----"
Cora started for the telephone just as the bell rang. Cora snapped the receiver down from the hook.
"Yes--yes!" the others heard her say eagerly. "Oh, that is too bad! Your car has broken down while you were coming here? Yes, of course we want you! We have a strange case here. Wait! I"ll tell you what I"ll do. I"ll come for you in my own car!"
Cora turned to her friends.
"Just think of it!" she cried. "Dr. Brown"s car broke down while he was on his way here. He"s over at Siconset and I"ll go over and get him."
"Then take our car!" suggested Bess. "It"s just been filled with oil and gasoline. Yours may not have any in."
"I will, thank you. You come with me, Bess; Belle and Eline can look after things until we get back. It isn"t far."
"Oh dear!" exclaimed Belle. "What--what will I do if she wakes up?"
"Oh, don"t be nervous!" exclaimed Cora, vigorously. "If she comes to her senses so much the better. Get her something warm to drink. She may be starving."
"Very likely she is," said Mrs. Chester. "Run along, Cora. We"ll look after things here. Bring the doctor as soon as you can."
Outside Cora found Jack and the other boys anxiously waiting news of what was going on. They cried:
"Who is she?"
"Has she come to yet?"
"How did she happen to be on the raft?"
"Has she told you her story?"
"I can"t stop to talk now!" she replied. "I"ve got to go for the doctor.
Jack, be a good boy, and run the _Flyaway_ out for me. Bess and I are going in that for Dr. Brown. He----"
"Didn"t you telephone for him long ago?"
"Yes, but his car broke down."