Flying Dutchman: indeed.... Hmm. I wonder if he is connected to one of the Crypto boat crew. I was certainly getting that impression. Something to do with them all having red hair, maybe?

It is a cigar box, and Rudy knew about it... But then, it may be a family secret type thing for them, presumably he is a descendant.

I re-read Crypto a few months ago (after Quicksilver, before Confusion). There's a brilliant line in Crypto - Enoch Root is explaining to (iirc) Bobby Shaftoe that he speaks some language (Italian, I suspect), but is a bit rusty and "would probably sound like a seventeenth century alchemist" to a local...