“Maybe the other dates also were connected with shipping accidents. Is there a record of such things?”

Bledsoe’s face twisted in thought. He shook his head. “That’s a pretty tall order. There are so many steamship lines and so many ports. The Great Lakes Underwriter discusses them if they’ve got anything to do with hull or cargo damage. That’d be the best place to start. Recent dates, one of us might be able to help you out.”

I was getting tired of all the legwork that didn’t lead in any real direction. I supposed I could track down the Great Lakes Underwriter and look for accidents to ships, but what would that tell me? Had Boom Boom uncovered some criminal ring vandalizing freighters? Just knowing that accidents had occurred wouldn’t tell me that.

Winstein had gone back down to the deck and Captain Bemis wandered over to join our group. “No further accidents are going to strike this ship. I’ve arranged for a security patrol on deck when they finish loading for the day.”

Bledsoe nodded. “I’ve been thinking maybe I’ll sail out with you.” He grinned. “No aspersion on your management of the ship, John, but the Lucella’s precious to all of us. I want to see her get this load to St. Catharines.”

“No problem, Martin. I’ll have the head cook get the stateroom ready.”

“We don’t run to people like stewards on freighters,” Bledsoe explained to me. “The head cook takes responsibility for the captain’s and the guest quarters. Everyone else fends for himself … What time do you figure to sail, John?”

The captain looked at his watch. “We’ve got about eleven more hours of loading, and Tri-State doesn’t want to pay overtime unless it’s just an hour or two. So anytime after nineteen hundred hours tomorrow.”

Bledsoe offered to give me a tour of the ship, if Bemis didn’t object. The captain gave his permission with a tolerant smile. Sheridan followed us down the narrow wooden stairs. “I get to show off the engine room,” he explained.

The bridge was perched on top of the pilothouse. There were four levels above deck, each smaller than the one below it. The captain and the chief engineer had their quarters on the third story, directly below the bridge. Sheridan opened his door so I could take a quick look inside.

I was surprised. “I thought everyone slept in narrow bunk beds with a tiny sink.” The chief engineer had a three-room suite, with an outsize bed in the bedroom, and an office cluttered with paper and tools.

Bledsoe laughed. “That was true in Dana’s day, but times have changed. The crew sleep six to a room but they have a big recreational lounge. They even have a Ping-Pong table, which provides its amusing moments in a high sea.”