me feel I am out-of-date."

"Grace is not modern and to talk to her makes you tired," Barbara
rejoined. "But I'll tell you about the tea-party in the mess-room if you
like."

"Then you got tea in the cattle boat's mess-room?"

"Of course," said Barbara. "Black tea and condensed milk, and a ruffian
with red hair whom they called Mike had made some doughnuts with lard
like engine-grease. For all that, they were very nice people, and if you
don't interrupt, I'll tell you--"

She told him about the party and Cartwright chuckled. He pictured her in
the dirty mess-room, looking exotic in her fashionable clothes and
expensive furs, but no doubt quite serene. She said the other girl was
pretty, but Cartwright admitted that Barbara was beautiful. He rather
sympathized with Lister's embarrassment, and wondered whether Barbara
meant to throw some light on the young man's character.

When she stopped, he asked: "Did they talk about some burst boiler
tubes?"

"No," said Barbara. "We talked about gas-stoves and kitchen pans." Then
she gave Cartwright a keen glance. "But what are boiler tubes? Do they
sometimes burst?"

"They carry the flame from the furnace through the water. If you're much
interested, Gavin will show you a plan of a ship's boiler when you come
to the office. In the meantime, have you found out all you want to
know?"

"You really are keen!" Barbara rejoined.

"I was a little curious about what you said to Mr. Lister."

"Ah," said Cartwright, "I imagined something like this. I told him if he
wanted to see my family, he must come to the house."

Barbara looked thoughtful. "This was all? Was it worth while to tell him
to come to the office? To order him, in fact?"

"It was all that's important. I think it was important and expect you to
agree."

"Well, you have carried out your duty and ought to be satisfied," said
Barbara, who got up and gave Cartwright a smiling glance. "All the same,
if you want a man for an awkward job, I think you can trust Mr. Lister!"

She went off and Cartwright laughed. Barbara was clever. The strange
thing was, she had been cheated by a theatrical rogue, but clever girls
were sometimes like that. He imagined she liked Lister, but this was
perhaps all, since she had been frank. In one sense, Lister was the man
for Barbara; he was honest, sober, and resolute, and she needed firm
control. The girl was as wild as a hawk, and although she was marked by
a fine fastidiousness, would