e of
those bad men had smuggled away under his coat.

Of course, this brought Bob to the front, and, growing garrulous now,
Elizabeth informed everybody that Bob was a regular limb, but evidently
a favourite; and since Bob had answered her out of the surgery regarding
his supper, Bob had not been seen or heard of, and it was her opinion
that he had been killed, so as not to tell all he knew.

Bob's bed had not been slept in; Bob's hat was hanging in the pantry,
and the police had not been able to discover where Bob had gone.

The mystery seemed to thicken, and Elizabeth was questioned till she
broke down sobbing once more, after declaring that Bob was the
mischievousest young imp as ever lived, but she was very fond of him;
and if it hadn't been for his wicked old tipsy mother, who was no better
than a thief, there weren't a dearer, more lovable boy in the "old
world."

The sergeant of police and John Whyley made notes, afterwards compared,
about Bob and his mother, and Elizabeth went off crying and refusing to
be comforted because of Bob.

Then the sergeant stated perspiringly in the hot room, buttoned up in
his coat, that the cabman had been found; and in due course a red-nosed,
prominent-eyed member of the four-wheeled fraternity corroborated John
Whyley's evidence as to the three men whom he took in his cab. He
reiterated the statement that "one on 'em was very tight;" told that he
drove them to an hotel in Surrey Street, close to the Embankment, and
corrected himself as to the driving, because "You see, gents, it was
like this here: the fog was that thick, if you sat on the box you
couldn't see the 'oss's tail, let alone his ears, and you had to lead
him all the way."

Did the men go into the hotel?

He couldn't say; they helped out the one as was so very tight, and they
gave him arf-suffrin--first money he'd took that night, and the last, on
account of the fog.

And where did the three men go--into the hotel?

He didn't know; they seemed to him to go into the fog. Everythink went
into the fog that night or come out on it. It was all fog as you might
'most ha' cut with a knife; and when he had a wash next morning, his
face was that black with the sut you might ha' took him for a sweep.

But the man who seemed to be drunk, did he say anything?

Not a word.

"Would he know the men again?"

Not likely; and besides, if he took notice of all parties as was very
tight, and as he took home in his keb,