estioned the oiler who had mentioned Burr. The man had met Burr
one night in Manitowoc with other men, and something about the old man
had impressed both his name and image on him; he knew no more than
that. At Manitowoc!--the place from which Captain Stafford's watch had
been sent to Constance Sherrill and where Alan had sought for, but had
failed to find, the sender! Had Alan stumbled by chance upon the one
whom Benjamin Corvet had been unable to trace? Had Corvet, after his
disappearance, found Burr? Had Burr been the sender, under Corvet's
direction, of those things? Alan speculated upon this. The man might
well, of course, be some other Jim Burr; there were probably many men
by that name. Yet the James Burr of Corvet's list must have been such
a one as the oiler described--a white haired old man.

Alan could not leave the _Pontiac_ and go at once to Manitowoc to seek
for Burr; for he was needed where he was. The season of navigation on
Lake Superior was near its close. In Duluth skippers were clamoring
for cargoes; ships were lading in haste for a last trip before ice
closed the lake's outlet at the Soo against all ships. It was fully a
week later and after the Pontiac had been laden again and had repassed
the length of Lake Superior that Alan left the vessel at Sault Ste.
Marie and took the train for Manitowoc.

The little lake port of Manitowoc, which he reached in the late
afternoon, was turbulent with the lake season's approaching close.
Long lines of bulk freighters, loaded and tied up to wait for spring,
filled the river; their released crews rioted through the town. Alan
inquired for the seamen's drinking place, where his informant had met
Jim Burr; following the directions he received he made his way along
the river bank until he found it. The place was neat, immaculate; a
score of lakemen sat talking at little tables or leaned against the
bar. Alan inquired of the proprietor for Jim Burr.

The proprietor knew old Jim Burr--yes. Burr was a wheelsman on
Carferry Number 25. He was a lakeman, experienced and capable; that
fact, some months before, had served as introduction for him to the
frequenters of this place. When the ferry was in harbor and his duties
left him idle, Burr came up and waited there, occupying always the same
chair. He never drank; he never spoke to others unless they spoke
first to him, but then he talked freely about old days on the lakes,
about ships which had been lo