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Pitt was elated and nuood to be true: The wreck of the Princess Dou Wan and its priceless treasure were lying only twenty-five her "You and Mrs Gallagher must have been cast ashore nearby"
"Not close by," Gallagher said, s "This exact spot where the pier sits We tried for years to buy this property for sentimental reasons, but the owners wouldn't sell Only after they died did their kids let us have it We tore down the old cabin they used for family vacations on the lake, the same cabin that saved Katie and me from freezin' to death It was in poor shape, so we tore it down and built the house you see We figured as given a second chance in life and it would be a good idea to spend our re years at the very spot ere reborn"
"Why didn't you look for the wreck and salvage the artifacts yourself?"
Gallagher gave a short laugh and slowly shook his head "What good would it do? The Communists still run China They would claim it as theirs I'd be lucky to keep a nail out of one of the crates they rest in"
"You ht have filed a claim for yourself and become a very rich man"
"The Coatherin' around Theup them antiques, the bureaucrats froovernment would have coattorneys more than I'd make out of it"
"You're probably right," said Pitt
"You bet I'It never paid off You overnment, other treasure hunters appear like locusts to rape your wreck No, Mr Pitt, h alone The treasure ain't goin' anywhere When the proper tiood of the people In the meantime, I've been perfectly content without it"
"There aren't her," said Pitt with respect
"Son, when you're as old as I a a fancy yacht and a jet plane"
Pitt sher, I like your style"
lan cleaned his catch of fish, and Katie insisted Dirk and Julia stay for dinner They also offered to put theht, but Pitt was anxious to return to Manitowoc, find a place to use as a headquarters for the search-and-salvage project, and call Sandecker with the news During dinner, the tomen happily chatted away in Mandarin Chinese while the men swapped sea stories
"Was Captain Hunt a good man?"
"No better seah theout onto the lake "He's still out there He went doith the ship I saw him standin' in the wheelhouse as calm as if he aitin' for a table at a restaurant" He turned back to Pitt "I hear the cold fresh water preserves things, unlike salt water and sea creatures that eat bodies and ships until there's nothing left"
Pitt nodded "Not long ago, divers brought up an automobile from a car ferry that had been on the bottom of this same lake for nearly seventy years The upholstery was still sound, the tires still held air, and after drying out the engine and carburetor, and changing the oil, they charged the original battery and started the car It was then driven to an auto museum in Detroit"