The Outdoor Girls at Bluff Point

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"We're all Outdoor Girls," said Grace stoutly.

"And we'll show you," Amy added, with a ring in her voice, "that we are
not afraid to go any where that you can go."

"Fine!" cried the Little Captain, her eyes shining. "Come on, then. What
chance has a pesky old wind against four Outdoor Girls, I'd like to
know!"

She opened the door again, and this time, being prepared for the
onslaught of the wind, merely gritted her teeth and ducked her head and
plunged gamely into it. And without a minute's hesitation, the others,
who were "also Outdoor Girls," followed her.

The fight with the wind that followed was all they had expected it would
be--and more. Their clothes were whipped about their legs as if about to
disengage themselves and fly away from their owners forever. And several
times they were forced to stop and turn their backs to catch their
breath and gather strength to go on.

But on they did go until the welcome vision of a gaunt old farmhouse
rising ghostily from the early morning mist rewarded them and set their
hearts to beating high with hope.

As they fought their way step by step up to the porch, they tried to
call out, but found that whatever sound they were able to make was
drowned in the roar of the wind.

They found an old-fashioned knocker on the big front door, and worked it
with all their strength. After what seemed to them an age of waiting,
the door itself opened and a head popped out at them.

"Well, what in time--" the owner of the voice was beginning, when Betty
pushed impatiently past him, the girls following close behind her.

It took a surprisingly short time--seeing that the girls all insisted
upon talking at once--to make the farmer understand the situation.

"We're going on to the life-saving station," Betty told him, trembling
with excitement.

"All right, but my boys'll beat 'em to it," he promised, a glint in his
grey eyes.

Then the girls were on their way again, pushing desperately against a
wind that seemed to rise higher and higher with every minute, while in
the east the greying sky grew light.

"A--clear--day!" Mollie gasped, pushing back the wind-blown hair from
her face. "At last!"

"Do you hear anything?" Betty shouted back. "It seems to me I--"

They listened, and then, above the wind, it came to them
unmistakably--the sound of voices, masculine voices.

"The life-savers!" gasped Grace. "We don't have to go any farther.
Let's--let's--wait for them."

They had not long to wait, for almost before Grace had finished speaking
half a dozen men carrying life-saving paraphernalia broke through the
underbrush and came running down the path toward them.

They stopped at sight of the panting girls, but Betty waved them on
impatiently.

"The wreck!" she cried. "We came for you! Hurry!" and without another
word the men hurried on, leaving the girls to follow them more slowly.

However, they accomplished the return trip in about half the time it had
taken them to fight their way against the wind, and as the first bright
rays of the sun gilded the country side, they found themselves back at
the house, where Mrs. Ford was anxiously awaiting them.

She had some breakfast prepared for them, which they ate standing, then
rushed headlong down to the beach. The life-savers were already busily
at work launching their sturdy boats, and as the girls followed the
direction they were taking out to sea they suddenly saw the wrecked
ship.

Driven by the hurricane wind, it had been caught on one of those
treacherous bars so common along this part of the coast. Part of the
bottom had been torn away, and if the ship had not been so tightly
wedged upon the bar it must certainly have sunk hours before. As it was,
the starboard deck stood high in the air while the port side almost
touched the water and was constantly swept by mountainous combers.

The girls shivered as they looked.

"If the waves should wash it loose--" Betty began, then checked herself.
The possibility was too horrible to contemplate.

"Look!" cried Mollie, clutching her arm, "They are filling the first
boat. Oh, Betty, they'll certainly be swamped! I can't look!" She turned
away but the next minute her eyes were fixed strainingly upon the wreck
again.

"They're gone! They're gone!" cried Amy, jumping up and down in her
excitement as the boat sunk in the hollow between two huge combers and
was lost to view. "No, they're not! They're up again," as the boat,
looking pathetically tiny in comparison to the vastness of the ocean,
rose gallantly on the crest of a big wave and came rushing toward them,
reeling from side to side. The next moment they were lost to view again.

"Oh, they'll never make it, they'll never make it," moaned Grace. "It
isn't possible."

But the gallant little boat came on and out fighting its bitter fight
with the elements, till, rising on one last long comber, it swept
magnificently in and grounded on the shore.

The girls were already racing eagerly toward it, and a few minutes later
were welcoming the poor bedraggled survivors back to safety. There were
nine of them in all, four women, one young girl, three men and a little
boy. The child was sobbing and clung to his mother's skirts, terrified.

Betty drew Grace aside.

"Some one will have to take them up to the house, let them dry out, and
give them something to eat," she whispered. "Will you do that, Grace?"

Grace nodded, and Amy, who had overheard the request, begged to go with
her. Mollie and Betty remained behind to watch the rest of the rescue
work.

Luckily the ship was a merchant vessel and carried very few passengers,
so that the life-savers were confident of saving all those on board.
Also the wind was beginning to abate and the sea was becoming less
angry--all of which helped them in their work.

The two girls were standing side by side, eagerly watching the progress
of the second boat, when they were startled by a hail from behind and
turned to find Grace and Amy flying down toward them.

"Mollie!" Amy gasped, trying to catch her breath while her cheeks flamed
with excitement, "we just heard something we thought you ought to know.
You know the woman with the little boy," she hurried on as Mollie was
about to speak, "well, while she was comforting her own child, she
happened to speak of two other children on board--"

"Who cry a great deal," Grace put in eagerly. "They are in charge of a
man who looks like a Spaniard, and they seem to be in mortal terror of
him--"

"Girls," the word burst through dry lips as Mollie took a step toward
them, "what are you telling me? Oh, I can't bear to hope if--" she
grasped Grace's arm and shook it, not realizing how she hurt. "Tell me,"
she cried, "are they boy and girl--"

"Yes," Grace answered trembling. "I don't know, Mollie, dear, of course,
but from her description, those two children sounded an awful lot like
the twins!"

Mollie waited to hear no more, but was off like a whirlwind down the
beach toward the second boat that was just coming in to shore. And while
she ran she was praying with all her fervent young heart.

"Oh, Lord, give me back those babies!" she cried sobbingly. "If you only
will I'll never, never, _never_ ask you for anything again as long as I
live."

Then she saw them!

A big, vicious looking man with black hair and black bushy eyebrows was
lifting Dodo--her little Dodo--out of the boat. And while she looked,
her heart beating wildly, hardly able to believe the evidence of her
eyes, the man stretched out his hand for the boy, who sat crouched in
the back of the boat. Then followed something that made Mollie cry out
in rage.

Because the boy hung back in evident terror, the man struck him across
the face, and, seizing his hand, jerked him roughly out of the boat.

"Dodo! Paul!" screamed Mollie, racing down toward them, unmindful of wet
feet and sodden clothing. "Babies, it's Mollie! Your own Mollie who--"

But her voice was drowned in a shriek from the twins as they tore
themselves loose from the man and flung themselves upon her. She dropped
to her knees in the sand and strained them to her, laughing, crying,
sobbing out endearments while they clung to her frantically, burying
their faces in her neck.

"Don't let wicked man get Dodo!" sobbed the little girl. "He's bad man!
He hurt Dodo."

With a cry Mollie jumped to her feet, an arm about each of the twins,
and looked about for the man. The passengers who had also come ashore in
the boat stood looking on in bewilderment. But the Spaniard had
disappeared.

"Where did that man go?" cried Mollie frantically. "There he is!" she
added, as she caught sight of him just approaching the foot of the
bluff, evidently bent on flight. "Don't let him get away! He's a
kidnapper!"

Several of the men were already racing off in pursuit, and as the
Spaniard was a heavy man and not over agile, the foremost of them soon
overtook him.

He seemed to put up little resistance, evidently realizing that he was
too heavily out-numbered. He surrendered to the inevitable and contented
himself with merely glowering.

"Come on," cried Mollie, taking the beloved twins by the hand and
starting back along the beach while the girls joyfully accompanied her,
talking and ejaculating all at the same time, no one knowing what the
other was saying--nor caring. The wonderful fact was enough for them.

When they scrambled up to the top of the bluff they found the men
awaiting them with the sullen captive in their midst.

"What'll we do with him, Miss?" asked one of them respectfully, touching
his cap to Mollie.

"Do with him?" cried Mollie, regarding the Spaniard with flashing eyes.
"There isn't anything bad enough to do to him. But for the present,
we'll have to be satisfied with locking him up. We have plenty of
evidence," she added, waving that part of it aside with a motion of her
hand. "Letters and things, you know. He kidnapped my little brother and
sister," indicating the twins, who snuggled close against her and
regarded their former captor with terrified eyes, "and then demanded
twenty thousand dollars of my mother for their return."

"Blackmail, eh?" growled one of the men, throwing a scornful look at the
Spaniard. "Well, you'll get paid up this time, old boy. Get on there,
will you?"

* * * * *

It was many hours later and the dusk was falling softly over the land.
The passengers of the wrecked ship had long ago started villageward,
there to entrain for the city, leaving two of their number behind.

These two were seated at the head of a long table in the little house at
Bluff Point, devouring chicken and rice before an audience of admiring
and joyful Outdoor Girls. Only Mollie very often could not see them for
the tears that dimmed her eyes.

Quite suddenly Betty stopped in the very middle of a sentence to stare
at Mollie.

"Your mother!" she cried. "You forgot to let her know!"

"Oh, no, I didn't," Mollie answered. "I sent a telegram by one of the
boys who took that dirty Spaniard to the station. And, oh, girls," she
leaned forward suddenly while the tears overflowed and slowly trickled
down her face, "if she does as I begged her to, she will be here
to-morrow. Darling little mother!"

At the love in her voice the girls felt their own eyes grow wet.

"What a difference!" said Betty softly, looking around the table. "A few
nights ago we were utterly miserable. Now we are wildly happy. We have
the darling twins back again, and our boys 'over there' are safe.
Girls," she cried, suddenly springing to her feet and raising her cup on
high, "let's drink a toast--"

"To what?" they cried, rising with one motion.

"To the time when our boys come home!"

And so, in the midst of their happiness, with the dark clouds rolled
away and the sun shining through, we will once more wave farewell to our
Outdoor Girls.

THE END

* * * * *

_This Isn't All!_

Would you like to know what became of the good friends you have made in
this book?

Would you like to read other stories continuing their adventures and
experiences, or other books quite as entertaining by the same author?

On the _reverse side_ of the wrapper which comes with this book, you
will find a wonderful list of stories which you can buy at the same
store where you got this book.

_Don't throw away the Wrapper_

_Use it as a handy catalog of the books you want some day to have. But
in case you do mislay it, write to the Publishers for a complete
catalog._

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS SERIES

By LAURA LEE HOPE

Author of "The Blythe Girls Books"

Every Volume Complete in Itself.

These are the adventures of a group of bright, fun-loving, up-to-date
girls who have a common bond in their fondness for outdoor life,
camping, travel and adventure. There is excitement and humor in these
stories and girls will find in them the kind of pleasant associations
that they seek to create among their own friends and chums.

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS OF DEEPDALE
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT RAINBOW LAKE
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A MOTOR CAR
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A WINTER CAMP
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN FLORIDA
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT OCEAN VIEW
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN ARMY SERVICE
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS ON PINE ISLAND
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT THE HOSTESS HOUSE
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT BLUFF POINT
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT WILD ROSE LODGE
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN THE SADDLE
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AROUND THE CAMPFIRE
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS ON CAPE COD
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT FOAMING FALLS
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS ALONG THE COAST
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT SPRING HILL FARM
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT NEW MOON RANCH
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS ON A HIKE
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS ON A CANOE TRIP
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT CEDAR RIDGE

GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK

THE BLYTHE GIRLS BOOKS

By LAURA LEE HOPE

Author of The Outdoor Girls Series

Illustrated by Thelma Gooch

The Blythe Girls, three in number, were left alone in New York City.
Helen, who went in for art and music, kept the little flat uptown, while
Margy, just out of business school, obtained a position as secretary and
Rose, plain-spoken and business like, took what she called a "job" in a
department store. The experiences of these girls make fascinating
reading--life in the great metropolis is thrilling and full of strange
adventures and surprises.

THE BLYTHE GIRLS: HELEN, MARGY AND ROSE
THE BLYTHE GIRLS: MARGY'S QUEER INHERITANCE
THE BLYTHE GIRLS: ROSE'S GREAT PROBLEM
THE BLYTHE GIRLS: HELEN'S STRANGE BOARDER
THE BLYTHE GIRLS: THREE ON A VACATION
THE BLYTHE GIRLS: MARGY'S SECRET MISSION
THE BLYTHE GIRLS: ROSE'S ODD DISCOVERY
THE BLYTHE GIRLS: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF HELEN
THE BLYTHE GIRLS: SNOWBOUND IN CAMP
THE BLYTHE GIRLS: MARGY'S MYSTERIOUS VISITOR
THE BLYTHE GIRLS: ROSE'S HIDDEN TALENT

GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK

THE LILIAN GARIS BOOKS

Illustrated. Every Volume Complete in Itself.

Among her "fan" letters Lilian Garis receives some flattering
testimonials of her girl readers' interest in her stories. From a class
of thirty comes a vote of twenty-five naming her as their favorite
author. Perhaps it is the element of live mystery that Mrs. Garis always
builds her stories upon, or perhaps it is because the girls easily can
translate her own sincere interest in themselves from the stories. At
any rate her books prosper through the changing conditions of these
times, giving pleasure, satisfaction, and, incidentally, that tactful
word or inspiration, so important in literature for young girls. Mrs.
Garis prefers to call her books "juvenile novels" and in them romance is
never lacking.

JUDY JORDAN
JUDY JORDAN'S DISCOVERY
SALLY FOR SHORT
SALLY FOUND OUT
A GIRL CALLED TED
TED AND TONY, TWO GIRLS OF TODAY
CLEO'S MISTY RAINBOW
CLEO'S CONQUEST
BARBARA HALE
BARBARA HALE'S MYSTERY FRIEND
NANCY BRANDON
NANCY BRANDON'S MYSTERY
CONNIE LORING
CONNIE LORING'S GYPSY FRIEND
JOAN: JUST GIRL
JOAN'S GARDEN OF ADVENTURE
GLORIA: A GIRL AND HER DAD
GLORIA AT BOARDING SCHOOL

GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK

CAROLYN WELLS BOOKS

Attractively Bound. Illustrated. Colored Wrappers.

THE PATTY BOOKS

Patty is a lovable girl whose frank good nature and beauty lend charm to
her varied adventures. These stories are packed with excitement and
interest for girls.

PATTY FAIRFIELD
PATTY AT HOME
PATTY IN THE CITY
PATTY'S SUMMER DAYS
PATTY IN PARIS

THE MARJORIE BOOKS

Marjorie is a happy little girl of twelve, up to mischief, but full of
goodness and sincerity. In her and her friends every girl reader will
see much of her own love of fun, play and adventure.

MARJORIE'S VACATION
MARJORIE'S BUSY DAYS
MARJORIE'S NEW FRIEND
MARJORIE IN COMMAND
MARJORIE'S MAYTIME
MARJORIE AT SEACOTE

THE TWO LITTLE WOMEN SERIES

Introducing Dorinda Fayre--a pretty blonde, sweet, serious, timid and a
little slow, and Dorothy Rose--a sparkling brunette, quick, elf-like,
high tempered, full of mischief and always getting into scrapes.

TWO LITTLE WOMEN
TWO LITTLE WOMEN AND TREASURE HOUSE
TWO LITTLE WOMEN ON A HOLIDAY

THE DICK AND DOLLY BOOKS

Dick and Dolly are brother and sister, and their games, their pranks,
their joys and sorrows, are told in a manner which makes the stories
"really true" to young readers.

DICK AND DOLLY
DICK AND DOLLY'S ADVENTURES

GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK

THE NANCY DREW MYSTERY STORIES

By CAROLYN KEENE

Illustrated. Every Volume Complete in Itself.

Here is a thrilling series of mystery stories for girls. Nancy Drew,
ingenious, alert, is the daughter of a famous criminal lawyer and she
herself is deeply interested in his mystery cases. Her interest involves
her often in some very dangerous and exciting situations.

THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK

Nancy, unaided, seeks to locate a missing will and finds herself in the
midst of adventure.

THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE

Mysterious happenings at an old stone mansion lead to an investigation
by Nancy.

THE BUNGALOW MYSTERY

Nancy has some perilous experiences around a deserted bungalow.

THE MYSTERY AT LILAC INN

Quick thinking and quick action were needed for Nancy to extricate
herself from a dangerous situation.

THE SECRET AT SHADOW RANCH

On a vacation in Arizona Nancy uncovers an old mystery and solves it.

THE SECRET OF RED GATE FARM

Nancy exposes the doings of a secret society on an isolated farm.

THE CLUE IN THE DIARY

A fascinating and exciting story of a search for a clue to a surprising
mystery.

GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK

TED SCOTT FLYING STORIES

By FRANKLIN W. DIXON

Illustrated. Each Volume Complete in Itself.

No subject has so thoroughly caught the imagination of young America as
aviation. This series has been inspired by recent daring feats of the
air, and is dedicated to Lindbergh, Byrd, Chamberlin and other heroes of
the skies.

OVER THE OCEAN TO PARIS;
_or, Ted Scott's Daring Long Distance Flight_.

RESCUED IN THE CLOUDS;
_or, Ted Scott, Hero of the Air_.

OVER THE ROCKIES WITH THE AIR MAIL;
_or, Ted Scott, Lost in the Wilderness_.

FIRST STOP HONOLULU;
_or, Ted Scott Over the Pacific_.

THE SEARCH FOR THE LOST FLYERS;
_or, Ted Scott Over the West Indies_.

SOUTH OF THE RIO GRANDE;
_or, Ted Scott On a Secret Mission_.

ACROSS THE PACIFIC;
_or, Ted Scott's Hop to Australia_.

THE LONE EAGLE OF THE BORDER;
_or, Ted Scott and the Diamond Smugglers_.

FLYING AGAINST TIME;
_or, Breaking the Ocean to Ocean Record_.

OVER THE JUNGLE TRAILS;
_or, Ted Scott and the Missing Explorers_.

LOST AT THE SOUTH POLE;
_or, Ted Scott in Blizzard Land_.

THROUGH THE AIR TO ALASKA;
_or, Ted Scott's Search in Nugget Valley_.

FLYING TO THE RESCUE;
_or, Ted Scott and the Big Dirigible_.

DANGER TRAILS OF THE SKY;
_or, Ted Scott's Great Mountain Climb_.

FOLLOWING THE SUN SHADOW;
_or, Ted Scott and the Great Eclipse_.

GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK

THE REX LEE FLYING STORIES

By THOMSON BURTIS

Illustrated. Every Volume Complete in Itself.

The author of this series of exciting flying stories is an experienced
aviator. He says, "During my five years in the army I performed nearly
every sort of flying duty--instructor, test pilot, bombing,
photographing pilot, etc., in every variety of ship, from tiny scout
planes to the gigantic three-motored Italian Caproni."

Not only has this author had many experiences as a flyer; a list of his
activities while knocking around the country includes postal clerk,
hobo, actor, writer, mutton chop salesman, preacher, roughneck in the
oil fields, newspaper man, flyer, scenario writer in Hollywood and
synthetic clown with the Sells Floto Circus. Having lived an active,
daring life, and possessing a gift for good story telling, he is well
qualified to write these adventures of a red-blooded dare-devil young
American who became one of the country's greatest flyers.

REX LEE; GYPSY FLYER
REX LEE; ON THE BORDER PATROL
REX LEE; RANGER OF THE SKY
REX LEE; SKY TRAILER
REX LEE; ACE OF THE AIR MAIL
REX LEE; NIGHT FLYER
REX LEE'S MYSTERIOUS FLIGHT
REX LEE; ROUGH RIDER OF THE AIR
REX LEE; AERIAL ACROBAT
REX LEE; TRAILING AIR BANDITS
REX LEE; FLYING DETECTIVE

GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK

GREAT SPORT STORIES

For Every Sport Season

By HAROLD M. SHERMAN

Here's an author who knows his sports from having played them. Baseball,
football, basketball, ice hockey, tennis, track--they're all the same to
Harold M. Sherman. He puts the most thrilling moments of these sports
into his tales. Mr. Sherman is today's most popular writer of sport
stories--all of which are crowded with action, suspense and clean,
vigorous fun.

The Home Run Series The Gridiron Series

Bases Full! Goal to Go
Hit by Pitcher Hold That line!
Safe! Touchdown
Hit and Run Block That Kick!
Double Play One Minute to Play
Batter Up! Fight 'Em, Big Three

The Basketball Series The Ice Hockey Series

Mayfield's Fighting Five Flashing Steel
Get 'Em Mayfield Flying Heels
Shoot That Ball! Slashing Sticks

Other Stories of Sport and Adventure

The Land of Monsters Ding Palmer Air Detective
Beyond the Dog's Nose
Cameron McBain Backwoodsman Don Rader, Trail Blazer No. 44

GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK

BUDDY BOOKS FOR BOYS

Illustrated. Individual Colored Wrappers

Tales of Western pioneer days and the California gold fields; tales of
mystery, humor, adventure; thrilling stories of sports and aviation.
There is a wide range of subjects in this list of titles--all by
well-known authors of books for boys.

HOT DOG PARTNERS By William Heyliger
YOUNG EAGLE OF THE TRAIL By J. Allan Dunn
THE LAND OF MONSTERS By Harold M. Sherman
QUARTERBACK HOTHEAD By William Heyliger
LEFTY LEIGHTON By Percy Keese Fitzhugh
NUMBER 44 By Harold M. Sherman
BILL DARROW'S VICTORY By William Heyliger
THE STORY OF TERRIBLE TERRY By Percy Keese Fitzhugh
BEYOND THE DOG'S NOSE By Harold M. Sherman
DING PALMER, AIR DETECTIVE By Harold M. Sherman
BEAN-BALL BILL By William Heyliger
CAMERON MacBAIN, BACKWOODSMAN By Harold M. Sherman
FLYING HEELS By Harold M. Sherman
FLASHING STEEL By Harold M. Sherman
BUFFALO BOY By J. Allan Dunn
THE CLOUD PATROL By Irving Crump
SPIFFY HENSHAW By Percy Keese Fitzhugh
THE PILOT OF THE CLOUD PATROL By Irving Crump
DON RADER, TRAIL BLAZER By Harold M. Sherman
TUCK SIMMS, FORTY-NINER By Edward Leonard
WIGWAG WEIGAND By Percy Keese Fitzhugh
HERVEY WILLETTS By Percy Keese Fitzhugh
SKINNY McCORD By Percy Keese Fitzhugh

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