t was the _Martha Corvet_ you laid up, wasn't it?" Alan cried
quickly. "Tell me--that time on the 5th--it was the _Martha Corvet_?"

Burr jerked away; Alan caught him again and, with physical strength,
detained him. "Wasn't it that?" he demanded. "Answer me; it was the
_Martha Corvet_?"

The wheelsman struggled; he seemed suddenly terrified with the terror
which, instead of weakening, supplied infuriated strength. He threw
Alan off for an instant and started to flee back toward the ferry; and
now Alan let him go, only following a few steps to make sure that the
wheelsman returned to Number 25.

Watching old Burr until he was aboard the ferry, Alan spun about and
went back to the _Stoughton_.

Work of laying up the big steamer had been finished, and in the
snow-filled dusk her crew were coming ashore. Alan, boarding, went to
the captain's cabin, where he found the _Stoughton's_ master making
ready to leave the ship. The captain, a man of forty-five or fifty,
reminded Alan vaguely of one of the shipmasters who had been in
Spearman's office when Alan first went there in the spring. If he had
been there, he showed no recollection of Alan now, but good-humoredly
looked up for the stranger to state his business.

"I'm from Number 25," Alan introduced himself. "This is a Corvet,
Sherrill, and Spearman ship. Do you know Mr. Corvet when you see him,
sir?"

"Know Ben Corvet?" the captain repeated. The manner of the young man
from the car ferry told him it was not an idle question. "Yes; I know
Ben Corvet. I ain't seen him much in late years."

"Will you come with me for a few minutes then, Captain?" Alan asked.
As the skipper stared at him and hesitated, Alan made explanation, "Mr.
Corvet has been missing for months. His friends have said he's been
away somewhere for his health; but the truth is, he's been missing.
There's a man I want you to look at, Captain--if you used to know Mr.
Corvet."

"I've heard of that." The captain moved alertly now. "Where is he?"

Alan led the master to the Ferry. Old Burr had left the car deck; they
found him on his way to the wheelhouse.

The _Stoughton's_ skipper stared. "That the man?" he demanded.

"Yes, sir. Remember to allow for his clothes and his not being shaved
and that something has happened."

The _Stoughton's_ skipper followed to the wheelhouse and spoke to Burr.
Alan's blood beat fast as he watched this conversation. Once or twice
more the skipper see