all was ready and sitting down by Mrs.
Cartwright narrated what she had done. After she stopped Mrs. Cartwright
put her hand gently on the girl's arm.

"It's lucky you came out with me," she said. "I would not have known
what to do, and I doubt if Mortimer--"

Barbara laughed. "Mortimer would have calculated, weighed one thing
against another, and studied his plans for a week. Mine are rude, but in
the morning they'll begin to work. After all, in a sense, I have not
done much. I have sent others, when I want to go myself."

"It's impossible, my dear," said Mrs. Cartwright, firmly.

"Well, I expect I must be resigned. One is forced to pay for breaking
rules! I have paid; but we'll talk about something else."

"The tug and supplies have, no doubt, cost much," Mrs. Cartwright
remarked. "You must let me give you a check."

"No," said Barbara in a resolute voice. "I will take no money until
mine's all gone. Father's a dear, I owe him much, and now I can help I'm
going to help. I have sent a cablegram he had better come out but in the
meantime he needn't be anxious because I have taken control."

Mrs. Cartwright let her go presently and Barbara went to her room. She
had borne a heavy strain, but the reaction had begun, and throwing
herself on a couch she covered her face with her hands and cried.

CHAPTER XI

LISTER'S REWARD

Signal flags fluttered in the breeze at the top of the Isleta and a
smoke cloud stained the blue horizon. For a few minutes the cloud
vanished, and then rolled up again, thicker than before. Cartwright
studied it carefully and gave the glasses to Barbara, who stood near him
on the Catalina mole.

"Is that _one_ trail of smoke?" he asked.

"I think I see two. Sometimes they melt, but they're getting distinct
now. There _are_ two!"

"Ah!" said Cartwright. "Then it's _Arcturus_. I expect your tug has
saved the situation."

"Lister saved _Arcturus_ before I meddled," Barbara declared with a
blush. "However, I'm glad I could help. You have often helped me."

Cartwright's eyes twinkled. "All I gave I have got back, but I'm not
persuaded you didn't mean to help another. Well, perhaps, the other
deserves your interest. Brown's a useful man, but he has some drawbacks
and I doubt if he could have carried through the undertaking."

"If you'll wait in the shade, I'll get a jacket," Barbara replied.
"There's a fresh breeze, the launch splashes, and I'm going with you to
meet _Arcturus_."

Wh