The porter, a venal creature in uniform, looked at the half sovereign and the address of the Guelph Hotel in Jermyn Street. He promised faithfully to send a wire the moment Mr. Joyce returned, and Dr. Jim went away, very well satisfied that he had done right in having Robin watched. "Damned little scoundrel!" growled Herrick. "What is the use of sparing him? But that he is in the hands of a stronger villain, I would lay him by the heels straight off. But I shall deal with Santiago this time. I expect he and Joyce are plotting together in some hole."
In another hour Herrick was climbing a flight of dingy stairs in the neighbourhood of the Strand. He stopped at the second landing and before a door, which bore the name of Kidd, Belcher & Co, Private Inquiry Office. On entering he was confronted by a dirty undersized boy. Kidd was absent on business, but Belcher was in, and on giving his card, Dr. Jim was shown into the next room. Here at a table near the window sat a man. That is he stood on two legs, he was neatly dressed, and he talked in a prim precise voice. But going by his face he was a ferret. The long face and nose, the broad forehead and small receding chin, and above all the red-rimmed eyes without eyebrows or eyelashes. All this made him look very much like a ferret. And his nature was also of the beast. He was a sly, silent, cunning tracker, relentless when once he had hunted down his prey. A dangerous man, a deadly man, who had elected to place himself on the side of the law, as offering the better price. Had he chosen to be one of the great criminal profession, Mr. Belcher would have been a dangerous opponent to the police. Luckily he found that honesty paid better than roguery, therefore he was at the disposal of Dr. Jim, for the watching of Santiago and Joyce. He talked freely on this point. "It's all right sir," he said in his whispering voice and arranging his neat white tie. "Kidd caught him at the Paddington station, and followed him to Pimlico."
"Oh, he is in Pimlico is he?"
"Watched by three boys, and Kidd himself. Four kids I call them," said Mr. Belcher with a silent laugh. "You see sir that Mexican gent prefers to live at Pimlico because it is near the Gambling Club. We need not mention names sir, as I have an interest in that club and don't want the police to know of it. I hunt with the hounds and run with the fox you see," and Belcher gave another of his silent laughs.
"Humph!" said Jim taking no notice of the joke, "so Joyce is at Santiago's lodgings is he?"
"Drove straight therefrom Paddington, and has not been out of doors since. The Don has been sir. He never thinks you are after _him_."
"I fancy he has rather a contempt for my brains," said Jim. "However we shall see about that. I'll go to those lodgings."
"Would you mind telling me what the Mexican has done sir?"
"I would mind very much Mr. Belcher. When I want to tell you my business you won't have to help me. It is a private matter. But later on there may be something in it likely to pay you. At present all I want you to do is to keep an eye on Joyce and Santiago. I will pay you well for it."
"Yes sir, thank you, sir. Excuse my curiosity. Quite professional."