"How long do you think you'll be before we land at Mackinac Island?" inquired Fred. "Not knowing, I can't say," replied the captain. "My general feeling is that if we make it by day after to-morrow we'll be doing mighty well." "What do you mean?" demanded John blankly. "I mean just what I say. I'm not going to drive my boat very hard and by the time we have gone down St. Mary's River and into the North Channel and then around to Cockburn Island it will be some time before we can start for Mackinac." "But where will we stay nights?" inquired Fred. "We'll pick out a good place somewhere. I have got a canvas that stretches over the boat and will keep out the wind and we can crawl under that when it gets dark." "But you haven't enough for us to eat." "Haven't I?" said the skipper dryly. "That depends I guess a little on how much you want to eat. I have got some salt pork and potatoes and if you don't like that diet all I can say is that you might have brought your own stuff." The boys were silent as the reference to their poverty caused them both to realize how impossible it was for them to obtain even the common necessities of life, if they had no money with which to make their purchases. "Ever been over to Cockburn Island?" inquired the captain after a long silence. "Yes," said John. "It's a funny island." "It isn't so funny as the people on it." "That's what I thought," laughed Fred. "Well, you weren't thinking far wrong. I've been over to Cockburn Island every month ever since the ice went out of the lakes." "What do you go for?" asked John. "If I don't tell you then you won't know, will you?" said the captain glancing shrewdly at the boys as he spoke. "I don't suppose we shall," acknowledged John. "I don't mind tellin' you that I don't expect to go there many times more. I'm going to get even with that man." "What man?" "Why, Mr. Halsey." "Who is he?" "He's the man that stays summers on Cockburn Island. Leastwise he stays there part of the time." "Is he the man that has the little house that looks like an old shanty about a quarter of a mile back from the shore? Does he have a Japanese servant and is there a little barn back of the shanty?" "What do you know about that barn?" demanded the skipper turning abruptly about and staring at the boys. "We don't know anything about it. I'm just telling you about the place and asking you if Mr. Halsey is the name of the man who lives there." "I guess you're all correct," said the captain. "That's his name and I guess that's the place where he lives. He's the man I was tellin' you about." "The one who employs you?" inquired John. "I don't know whether he employs me or not. I work for him. He has got to live up to his promises better than he has though, or I'll put him where he won't do quite so much business as he has been doin' this summer." "What is his business?"