attentive enough all through the
course of our visitor's story, but I saw that his attention had
redoubled since the last few words.

"A Chinaman!" he said in a low voice. "With--him!"

"As I say, master, a Chinee, and with that there man, what, when all's
said and done, I'm certain was and is Netherfield Baxter," reiterated
Fish. "But mind you, and here's the queer part of it, he wasn't no
common Chinaman. Not the sort that you'll see by the score down in
Limehouse way, or in Liverpool, or in Cardiff--not at all. Lord bless
you, this here chap was smarter dressed than t'other two! Swell-made
dark clothes, gold-handled umbrella, kid gloves on his blooming hands,
and a silk top-hat--a reg'lar dude! But--a chink!"

"Well?" said Scarterfield, after a pause, during which he seemed to be
thinking a good deal. "Anything happen?"

"Nothing happened, master--what should happen?" replied Fish. "Them
here were in their corner, and Jim Shanks and me, we was in ours. They
were busied talking amongst themselves--of course, we heard nothing.
And at last all three went out."

"Did the man you take to be Baxter look at you?" asked Scarterfield.

"Never showed a sign of it!" declared Fish. "Him and t'other passed us
on their way to the door, but he took no notice."

"See him again anywhere?" inquired Scarterfield.

"No, I didn't" replied Fish. "I left Hull early next morning, and went
to see relatives o' mine at South Shields. Only came home a day or two
since, and happening to pass the time o' day with widow Ormthwaite
this morning, I told her what I've told you. Then she told me that you
was inquiring about Baxter, guv'nor--so I comes along here to see you.
What might you be wanting with my gentleman, now?"

Scarterfield told Fish enough to satisfy and quieten him; and
presently the man went away, having first told us that he would be at
home for another month. When he had gone Scarterfield turned to me.

"There!" he said. "What d'you think of that, Mr. Middlebrook?"

"What do you think of it?" I suggested.

"I think that Netherfield Baxter is alive and active and up to
something," he answered. "And I'd give a good deal to know who that
Chinaman is who was with him. But there's ways of finding out a lot
now that I've heard all this, Mr. Middlebrook!--I'm off to Hull. Come
with me!"

Until that instant such an idea had never entered my head. But I made
up my mind there and then.

"I will!" said I. "We'll see this throu