"Perhaps her little brother is in the water again," said Belle.

"No, she doesn't seem excited enough for that," spoke Eline.

"We'll go see," was Cora's decision.

The _Pet_ circled up to the float and came to a stop at its side, not a jar marring the landing.

"Well done!" said Rosalie to Cora. "There are not many girls who can run a motor boat like that."

"I have had some practice," was the modest reply.

"Father will be glad to see you," went on the mermaid, with a smile. "He has just been polishing the light, and I know he'll be glad to show you through."

She glanced meaningly at Cora, who returned the look.

"Welcome, ladies!" greeted Mr. Haley. "I'm real glad to see you. Visitors are always welcome. Are you good climbers?"

"Why?" asked Eline.

"Because we have no elevator, and it's quite a step to the top of the tower."

"Oh, we can do it," Cora declared.

They were shown through the light, and the keeper explained how, by means of clock-work, propelled by heavy weights, the great lens was revolved, making the flashing light. It turned every five seconds, sending out a signal that all the mariners knew, each lighthouse being in a different cla.s.s, and the signals they gave, either fixed or stationary, being calculated to distinguish different parts of the coast where danger lies.

On their return to the neat parlor, on the appearance of which the girls complimented Rosalie, who kept house for her father--his wife being dead--Cora saw a photograph lying on the centre table. At the sight of it she exclaimed:

"That is she!"

"Who? What do you mean?" cried Mr. Haley. "That is my sister!"

"And it is the woman who was in our barn!" Cora said. "I have thought all along it was. Now I am sure of it. Mr. Haley, I am sure I do not want to pry into your family affairs, but your daughter said something about her aunt being missing, and how worried you were. I am sure we have met her since--since her trouble. Perhaps we can help you."

"Oh, if you only could!" exclaimed the light keeper. "My poor sister!

Where can she be?"

"Suppose you tell me a little about her, and then I--and my friends--can decide whether the woman we met is the one pictured there," and Cora pa.s.sed the photograph to Bess.

"There isn't much to tell," said the keeper of the light, slowly. "My sister is a widow. After her husband died she went to Westport to work in an office. She had been a clerk before her marriage. Everything seemed to go well for a time and she occasionally wrote to me how much she liked it. A friend of hers was in the same building.

"Then my sister's letters ceased suddenly. I got worried and wrote to her friend. I got an answer, saying there had been a robbery in the office where my sister worked, and that my sister had disappeared. A young girl left at the same time, and there was some doubt about the robbery, though two men were mentioned as being concerned in it. But my poor sister must have felt that they would suspect her--and she never would take a pin belonging to anyone else. But she went away, and I've tried all means to locate her, but I can't. It has me worried to death, nearly."

"What was your sister's name?" asked Cora.

"Margaret Raymond."

"That is the same woman!" spoke Cora, firmly. "Oh, to think we didn't ask her more about herself!"

By degrees she and the other girls told the story of the woman in the burning barn. They did not so much as hint of their first suspicions about the fire.

"And what was the name of the girl who worked in the office with her?"

asked Belle.

"Nancy Ford," answered Mr. Haley.

"There can be no doubt of it," declared Cora. "That settles it. What a coincidence! That we should find her brother here!"

"Oh, can you tell me where my sister is?" asked the light keeper.

"I am very sorry, but she went away in a hurry from my house," said Cora, "and we have not seen her since. We feel sure she was the woman the sheep herder met that same night," and she told about that incident.

"Bless that kind man--he helped her some, anyhow, and bless you girls,"

said Mr. Haley, fervently. His eyes were moist, and those of the girls were not altogether dry.

"How can we trace her?" asked Bess.

"The only way I see," spoke Cora, "is to write to the town toward which she went after the sheep man saw her. The authorities there might give some information."

"I'll do it!" cried the light keeper, as he made a note of the place. "I can't thank you enough."

"Oh, we have done scarcely anything," answered Cora. "We wish it were much more."

Further details and forgotten incidents were mentioned as bearing on the case, and then the girls departed in the boat. It was a little rough going back, and the spray flew over them.

"Isn't it strange?" observed Belle.

"Very queer how it all turned out," agreed Eline.

"Poor woman," said Cora. "I feel so sorry for her!"

The boys remained out fishing nearly all day, and when they returned, not having had exceptional luck, Cora took Jack to one side and asked:

"What was the name of the girl you and Ed met on the road the time of our break-down?"

"She didn't say."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, Sis. If I knew I'd have sent her a souvenir postal. What's the answer?"

"Oh, nothing, I thought perhaps she had mentioned it."

"Nary a word. Did you have a nice ride?"

"Yes, we went to the lighthouse. And, Jack, what do you think? That woman--the one in our garage--is Mr. Haley's sister!"

Jack was properly astonished, and he and the other boys listened with interest to the story of the identification.

"Say," drawled Norton, "if we find Nancy Ford and Mrs. Raymond we'll be doing a good thing."