“My friend’s a long time coming down,” I said, “I hope he has not gone out to breakfast?”

“You must be mistaken,” she answered.  “I saw him come down-stairs nearly a quarter of an hour ago.  He went into the dining-room, and I felt sure you must have seen him.  If you will follow me I’ll show him to you.”

So saying she led the way along the dingy passage until she arrived at a green baize door with two glass panels.  Here she stopped and scanned the dining-room.  The boots, who had just come upstairs from the lower regions, assisted in the operation, and seemed to derive considerable satisfaction from it.

“There he is,” said the girl, pointing to a table in the furthest corner of the room; “the tall man with the black moustache.”

I looked and was consumed with disappointment.  The individual I saw there was no more like Hayle than he was like the man in the moon.

“Do you mean to tell me that he is the man who arrived late last night in a cab, and whose luggage consisted of a small brown bag and a travelling rug?” I asked.  “You’ve been having a game with me, young woman, and I should advise you to be careful.  You don’t realize who I am.”

“Hoighty toity,” she said, with a toss of her head that sent her curl-papers dancing.  “If you’re going to be nasty, I am going.  You asked for the gentleman who came late last night with a bag, and there he is.  If he’s not the person you want, you mustn’t blame me.  I’m sure I’m not responsible for everybody’s friends.  Dear me, I hope not!”

The shock-headed boots had all this time been listening with the greatest interest.  He and the barmaid, it appeared, had had a quarrel earlier in the morning, and in consequence were still far from being upon the best of terms.

“The cove as the gent wants, miss, must be ’im as came close upon eleven o’clock last night,” he put in.  “The toff with the bag and blanket.  Why I carried his bag up to number forty-seven with my own ’ands, and you know it.”

The girl was quite equal to the occasion.

“You’d better hold your tongue,” she said.  “If you don’t you’ll get into trouble.”

“What for?” he inquired.  “It’s a free country, I ’ope.  Nice sort of toff ‘e was, forgot all about the boots, and me a-doin’ ’is browns as slap-up as if ‘e was a-goin’ out to dinner with the Queen.  But p’reaps he’s left a ’arf-sovereign for me with you.  It ain’t likely.  Oh no, of course it isn’t likely he would.  You wouldn’t keep it carefully for me, would you?  Oh no, in course not?  What about that two bob the American gent give you?”

The girl did not wait to hear any more, but with a final toss of her head, disappeared into the bar.

“Now, look here, my friend,” I said to the boots, “it is quite evident that you know more about this gentleman than that young lady does.  Tell me all about him, and I’ll make it worth your while.”

“There ain’t much to tell,” he answered.  “Leastways, nothin’ particular.  He was no end of a toff, great-coat with silk collar, neat browns, gloves, and a bowler ’at.”