"Quickly! Up the hill!"

They stood helpless and watched the tiny figures of men scatter along the top of the bank; they saw the other men, from the lorry which had just passed them, jump out, run and climb the bank to join those already flying from that one spot where they had been working with planks and clay and bundles of faggots to repair the breach. They saw this part of the bank move - rather as an elephant might stir in his sleep - and surge a little forward. In the lights of the headlights they saw the top of the bank sink a trifle and then, in a mighty cloud of spray, a hundred feet or more of shingle collapsed under the weight of the waves. For the first time in hundreds of years, the sea came surging through the gap, spread hungrily over the nearby levels and crept slowly inland to take back its own.

At Jon's shout they all came out of their dream and followed him in a mad scramble up the sides of the little hill. Jon stopped, after a few steps, and held out his hand to Penny, who had stumbled and was limping with the pain in her knee.

Jon paused for breath and pulled Penny up beside him. She slipped an arm through his and said:

"Let's wait here a sec. The water can't reach us here, anyway, and I want to see what those men are going to do."

David flung himself down at their feet.

"What are those men going to do?" Jon broke in. "Some of them are going down the bank to try and start the lorry. I s'pose it's not too deep there and if they could get it on the track down here the water may be shallow enough for them to get through."

They watched them struggle through the rushing water, climb up and then the lorry came back towards them. The driver was obviously making for the track, and after two attempts with the water swirling round the axles he managed to reach the higher level and turn the lorry inland. The man saw them and leaned out of his cabin.

"Can't wait now, but don't worry, kids!" he shouted. "I've got to go back for help, but I'll send the lifeboat for you if need be!" and they saw his teeth gleam in a friendly grin in the moonlight... "Don't fret... You're like old Noah in his Ark!" and he pointed up behind them and the children saw that the little black hut which crowned the hill did look rather like a toy ark with its pointed roof.