midnight
First we examined the playbills at the various places of entertainment . Ras Fendihook was not playing in Southampton . We went round the hotels , the South-Western , the Royal , the Star , the Dolphin , the Polygon -- and found no trace of the runaways . Jaffery interviewed officials at the stations and docks , dapper gentlemen with the air of diplomatists , tremendous fellows in uniform , policemen , porters , with all of whom he seemed to be on terms of familiar acquaintance ; but none of them could trace or remember such a couple having crossed by the midnight boats of Thursday or Friday . Nor were their names down on the list of those who had secured berths in advance for this Saturday night . `` You 're rather at fault , '' said I , rather maliciously , not displeased at my masterful friend 's failure . `` Not a bit , '' said he .