"Come at once! We must go now, for all have left the beach. A man with a megaphone is calling that the sea cannot be kept back much longer... I am going... I shall take the car... If you are coming, come now..." and his voice died away in a miserable wail. Jon and David looked him up and down with disdain. He was a contemptible figure with his smart grey suit creased, damp and dirty, and his shiny black hair hanging loosely over his narrow forehead. His eyes were wild and frightened and his fingers plucked nervously at his mouth and little black moustache.

"You coward," Jon said bitterly. "You miserable coward! If you don't tell me where the others are and get them away at once you'll be responsible and I'll tell everyone - and you'd better not go back to the Dolphin else it will be the worse for you. We all know what part you've played in this."

Mr. Grandon glared at them, ran his fingers through his tousled hair and bolted out of the room. Miss Ballinger seemed to catch something of his panic for she grabbed her niece by the arm and drew her towards the door.

"Get out!" she snapped. "We've got to go."

"But you can't leave them all here like this," Valerie began and then turned to the boys. "Don't be such a fool, Jon. Give your promise and we'll all get out of here."

"Get out yourself," Miss Ballinger roared, "and keep quiet, too."

She pushed her out into the hall, and before the boys could move the door was slammed and locked.

Jon and David stared at each other and then the latter's face broke into a broad grin.

"Well, well!" he said. "We're in for it now... Come on, Jon. Try the door first and then the window. We've got to search the house for the others."

They rushed to the door, but it was locked fast, and while they were tugging at the handle they heard the front door slam.

"What dirty tykes they are!" Jon gasped. "Get a chair, David, and we'll smash the panels in... I wish I knew whether those kids were safe."

"Just a sec., Jon... Let's try the windows first... We can open them easily enough from here, but the shutters are fastened from the outside. P'raps the door will be less trouble, but let's hurry... Can you smell water? I can sniff something damp and the storm is worse than ever. The house will collapse if we're not quick."

Jon reached for the poker and had dealt the first smashing blow to the panel when there was a noise behind them.