“Not heard of, eh?”
“No. To make use of a nautical phrase, he slipped his moorings, and was not seen any more.”
“Perhaps he’s dead?”
“And perhaps he aint,” said Mr. Shearman. “That all depends. You see, I have paid a visit to this country for the purpose of finding him out.”
“Oh, indeed! I hope you may be successful.”
“Tha—ank you.” Mr. Shearman rolled the end of his cigar in his mouth. “I think I shall go away wiser than I came, but that don’t matter.”
“And what do you want to ‘find out’—this man, Wagster, did you say?”
“Wagstaff.”
“Ah, just so. What do you want to find this Wagstaff out for, then?”
“We must not jump at conclusions,” returned Mr. Shearman; “that would never do. You have as yet only heard part of my story.”