en his
doctor, who knows nothing about this, said he was evidently worrying
about something, and if the cause of worry were not removed, he doubted
the possibility of recovery. Tonight I stayed with him later than usual,
and in returning, actually did lose my way in the storm. But when I at
last discovered where I was, I knew that it was not far from here and
could not resist the temptation to come over and see if anything was
happening. I found Ted also scouting around, and suddenly we realized
that some one else was on the ground too, though we could not tell _who_,
in the darkness and rain. But Ted thought it very dangerous for me to be
out there, so he made me come in here, as I did. And I need not tell you
what happened after that!"

Eileen ceased speaking, and Phyllis had just opened her lips to say
something when there was a knock at the door. All four jumped nervously,
but Ted got up and went to open it.

To their immense alarm, the opened door revealed the figure of--"the man
with the limp!"

CHAPTER XVIII

THE DRAGON GIVES UP THE SECRET

THE man also started back at the sight of all four of them together. And
Rags, who had been drying himself quietly by the fire, rose with a snarl
and leaped toward his enemy of the earlier part of the evening.

"Heavens! don't let that animal loose on me again!" cried the man,
backing off. "I've just been down to the village doctor and had my arm
cauterized, as it is. I stopped in to tell you something you'd better
know. Probably you haven't noticed it, if you haven't looked out
recently. The water is rising rapidly and will soon be very nearly up to
your bungalow. You may want to get out before it sweeps under it!"

With a cry of alarm, they all leaped toward the door, Ted grasping Rags
firmly by the collar. It was even as the man had said. Peering through
the darkness, they could see the water spreading inward from a recent
breaker, only about twenty-five feet from the veranda. And the next
breaker spread in even a few inches further.

"What _shall_ we do?" cried Leslie. "Aunt Marcia will be frightened to
death if she knows it, and how I'm to get her out of here in this howling
storm, or where I can take her, I can't imagine!"

But Ted had been critically examining the weather. "Don't worry, Leslie!"
he soothed her. "The wind is shifting. I noticed just now that it seemed
to be around to the north and is ge