"The old tub didn't get in until a quarter to nine," the taller of the
two new-comers replied. "When did you arrive?"

"This afternoon," said Hayle, and for a moment volunteered no further
information. A good poker-player is always careful not to show his hand.

"I suppose this place is not full?" inquired the man who had last
spoken.

"Full?" asked Hayle scornfully. "It's full of cockroaches and mildew, if
that's what you mean?"

"The best company we could possibly have," said the taller man.
"Cockroaches and blackbeetles don't talk and they don't listen at
keyholes. What's more, if they trouble you, you can put your heel on
them. Now let's see the landlord and see what he's got to offer us in
the way of rooms. We don't want any dinner, because we had it on board
the steamer."

Hayle accompanied them into the bar, and was a witness of the
satisfaction the landlord endeavoured, from business motives, to
conceal. In due course he followed them to the small, stifling rooms in
the yard at the back, and observed that they were placed on either side
of himself. He had already taken the precaution of rapping upon the
walls in order to discover their thickness, and to find out whether the
sound of chinking money was to be heard through them.

"I must remember that thirty-seven and sixpence and two Mexican dollars
are all I have in the world," he said to himself. "It would be bad
business to allow them to suppose that I had more, until I find out what