ng wave rushed
closer! By now it was a twelve-foot wall of water!

Tom and the others had just put on the jackets and the engine had barely
gunned into life when disaster struck. The mammoth wave swept up the
_Sunspot_ and heeled it far over into the trough like a toy bark. The
next instant a cataract of water poured over the deck with stunning
force!

"We're going under!" Phyl screamed.

All four were swept overboard in the maelstrom! Under the smashing
impact of the water, the ketch's mainmast bent and groaned. A moment
later came a crack like a gunshot. The mast broke off, hung teetering by
shreds, then toppled into the water. As it fell, the mast struck Sandy a
grazing blow on the head!

"Sandy!" Bud cried fearfully as he struggled in the swirling torrent.

Calling on every ounce of strength, he swam with powerful strokes toward
the girl. Sandy was dazed and limp. Bud's husky arm circled her tightly.
Then he began to fight his way toward shore. Tom and Phyl--each
struggling in the turbulent water--could only breathe a prayer of thanks
as they watched the rescue.

[Illustration (a huge wave capsizes the Sunspot)]

As the huge wave raced shoreward, the lake water gradually became calmer
in its wake. Tom was able to assist Phyl, and Sandy by now had recovered
her faculties.

The _Sunspot_ had capsized but could still be seen afloat, some distance
away. Rather than swim to it and cling to the hulk in the hope that a
rescue boat would arrive, the four decided to continue on toward shore.
They knew that the aftermath of the tidal wave would keep all shore
facilities in an uproar for hours to come.

As they neared the beach, the young people could see other overturned
craft and heads bobbing in the water. A few daring persons finally began
putting out in motorboats and rowboats to pick up the survivors.

A hundred yards from shore, one of the boats took Tom's group aboard.
Minutes later, they were scrambling out onto a dock.

"Are you all right, Sandy?" Bud asked, his arm still around her.

"I--I think so," she gasped weakly, "but I must have swallowed half the
lake!"

"Take it easy, Sis!" Tom added, as Sandy swayed and shuddered from the
shock of her recent ordeal.

Gently he made Sandy lie down and pillowed her head on a folded
tarpaulin provided by the sympathetic boatman. Phyl, though wan and
white-faced, was in somewhat better shape.

"Tom, we must get these girls home as soon as possible," Bud de