"What ticket?" asked Soapy wearily.
The butler was only too glad to reply. He had feared that this talk of theirs might be about to end all too quickly, and these explanations helped to prolong it. And, now that he knew that there was no need to go on searching for John, his time was his own again.
"It was a ticket for a bag which Mr. Carmody sent Bolt to leave at the cloak room at Shrub Hill station, in Worcester, this morning, sir. I now ascertain from Bolt that he gave it to Mr. John to give to Mr. Carmody."
"What!" cried Soapy.
"And Mr. John has apparently gone off without giving it to him. However, no doubt it is quite safe. Did you make satisfactory progress with the hutch, sir?"
"Eh?"
"The robert hutch, sir."
"What?"
A look of concern came into Sturgis's face. His companion's manner was strange.
"Is anything the matter, sir?"