“I shall pay you, of course; that is, I will pay you fairly. We will speak of that hereafter.”
“What do you want me to do? Is there anybody you want to disappear?”
“Hush! You go too far, sir. I want to find out the whereabouts of Gilbert Huet. It is important for me to know where he is.”
“Can you give me a clew?”
“If I could I should not need to employ you. Come up to my room and I will communicate further with you.”
The two left the reading room and Robert was left to digest the important information he had received.
“What a rascal that man is!” he reflected. “After stealing Mr. Huet’s boy, he wants to put him in a madhouse. I must let him know, so that he may be on his guard. I don’t believe they will think of looking for him at Cook’s Harbor.”
By a curious coincidence the room assigned to Robert was next to that occupied by Mr. Waldo, and when the boy was about entering it, some hours later, he saw the gentleman going in just ahead of him.
As the latter placed one hand upon the door he drew his handkerchief from his coat pocket, and in so doing brought out a letter, which fell upon the floor, without his seeing it.
Passing into his room, he slammed the door, leaving the missive lying in the hall.