nearly six o'clock before
`` He certainly had no idea of such a thing this morning , and , as I take it , you did not travel under your own name he would scarcely have penetrated the mystery of your alias . '' In the interval , clerks had been sent out in all directions , in the hope that one of them might find him . They invariably returned , however , with the same reply : he was not at the place where they had searched . It was nearly six o'clock before we were confirmed in our belief that there was something more in his absence than met the eye . Our minds , mine especially , were filled with the gloomiest forebodings . At last , just as Brockford was beginning to wonder whether Max could have been taken ill , and have chartered a boat and returned to the Island before his time , a small nigger made his appearance in the outer office . He carried in his hand a letter , which was addressed to Señor de Montezma .