Post-Office officials when on duty may not leave the premises for
any purpose whatever, _except_ duty, and must sign books specifying to
the minute when, where, and why, they come and go. In this basement
also, as in the other, were long rows of numbered cupboards or large
pigeon-holes with lockable doors, one of which was appropriated to each
man for the safe depositing of his victuals and other private property.

Here, too, were whitewashed lavatories conveniently and plentifully
distributed, with every appliance for cleanliness and comfort, including
a large supply of fresh and good water. Of this, 49,000 gallons a day
is supplied by an artesian well, and 39,000 gallons a day by the New
River Company, in the new building. In the old building the 27,000
gallons consumed daily is supplied by the New River Company. It is,
however, due to the 5900 human beings who labour in both buildings to
state that at least 55,000 of these gallons are swallowed by
steam-engines on the premises.

To all these things Mr Bright directed attention with professional
zeal, and the man in grey observed with much interest all that he saw
and heard, until he came to the letter-carriers' kitchen, where several
of the men were cooking food at the fire, while others were eating or
chatting at the tables.

Happening to mention the dog here, he found that Mr Bright was
partially acquainted with the incident.

"It was down these stairs it ran," he said, "and was knocked on the head
in this very room by the policeman. No one knows where he took the body
to, but he went out at that door, in the direction, it is supposed, of
the boiler-house."

The detective had at last got hold of a clew. He was what is styled, in
a well-known game, "getting warm."

"Let us visit the boiler-house," he said.

Again, for the nonce, he became an engineer. Like Paul, he was all
things to all men. He was very affable to the genial stoker, who was
quite communicative about the boilers. After a time the detective
referred to the dog, and the peculiar glance of the stoker at once
showed him that his object was gained.

"A policeman brought it?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, a policeman brought it," said the stoker suspiciously.

The man in grey soon, however, removed his suspicions and induced him to
become confidential. When he had obtained all the information that the
stoker could give--in addition to poor Floppart's collar, which had no
name on it, but wa