"Oh,  you  poor  old  man!'  said  Julia.  "We
must  help  you  home.  Where  do  you  live?"

"Couldn't  help  me  home/1  he  replied  with  a
sigh.  ' '  I  have  a  long  walk  along  the  sand,  and
then  the  boat.  Don't  see  how  I'm  going  to
make  it  though.  That  flash  just  did  me  up, ' '
and  he  stooped  to  gather  his  fishing  things  that
had  evidently  been  scattered  when  the  hose  was
run  down  the  pier.
"Where  do  you  live?'  again  asked  Louise.
* '  No  matter  how  far  away  it  is  we  can  help  you.
,We  can  take  you  in  a  car. ' '

"No  cars  go  out  that  way,"  said  the  fisher-
man, mistaking  Louise's  meaning.
"Oh,  we  mean  in  an  automobile,'  she  cor-
rected. "Let  us  see  if  you  can't  lean  on  some
of  us  while  the  others  go  for  a  car.  We  will


74          THE  GIRL.  SCOUTS  AT  SEA  CREST

be  glad  to  help  you,"  she  insisted,  feeling  the
Girl  Scout  pledge  surge  over  her.
It  was  quickly  decided  Grace  should  run  for
her  sister  Leonore,  to  get  their  car  out,  as
Eosabell  was  the  nearest  cottage,  and  while  she
hurried  off  with  Helen,  Cleo  and  Louise  assisted
the  old  man  to  his  feet.  Meanwhile  Mary  and
Julia  gathered  up  his  fishing  outfit.
He  was  old  and  feeble  at  best,  but  now,  after
his  fright  and  shock  from  the  lightning,  he
seemed  leaden,  as  he  leaned  on  Cleo  from  one
side,  with  Louise  at  the  other.
