n '95," he
repeated.

"You lost a nephew with her, didn't you?"

"A nephew--no. That is a mistake. I lost a brother."

"Where were you living then?"

"In Emmet County, Michigan."

"When did you move to Point Corbay, Ontario?"

"I never lived at Point Corbay."

"Did any of your family live there?"

"No." Old Burr looked away from Alan, and the queer cloudiness of his
eyes became more evident.

"Why, do you ask all this?" he said irritably. "What have they been
telling you about me? I told you about myself; our farm was in Emmet
County, but we had a liking for the lake. One of my brothers was lost
in '95 with the _Miwaka_ and another in '99 with the _Susan Hart_."

"Did you know Benjamin Corvet?" Alan asked.

Old Burr stared at him uncertainly. "I know who he is, of course."

"You never met him?"

"No."

"Did you receive a communication from him some time this year?"

"From him? From Benjamin Corvet? No." Old Burr's uneasiness seemed
to increase. "What sort of communication?"

"A request to send some things to Miss Constance Sherrill at Harbor
Point."

"I never heard of Miss Constance Sherrill. To send what things?"

"Several things--among them a watch which had belonged to Captain
Stafford of the _Miwaka_."

Old Burr got up suddenly and stood gazing down at Alan. "A watch of
Captain Stafford's?--no," he said agitatedly. "No!"

He moved away and left the place; and Alan sprang up and followed him.

He was not, it seemed probable to Alan now, the James Burr of Corvet's
list; at least Alan could not see how he could be that one. Among the
names of the crew of the _Miwaka_ Alan had found that of a Frank Burr,
and his inquiries had informed him that this man was a nephew of the
James Burr who had lived near Port Corbay and had "disappeared" with
all his family. Old Burr had not lived at Port Corbay--at least, he
claimed not to have lived there; he gave another address and assigned
to himself quite different connections. For every member of the crew
of the _Miwaka_ there had been a corresponding, but different name upon
Corvet's list--the name of a close relative. If old Burr was not
related to the Burr on Corvet's list, what connection could he have
with the _Miwaka_, and why should Alan's questions have agitated him
so? Alan would not lose sight of old Burr until he had learned the
reason for that.

He followed, as the old man crossed the bridge and turned to his left
among th