midday
`` The whole proceeding is a very strange one , and you see the description of the man with Carthew exactly answers to that of the man who found out from the boat 's crew that Dr. Maddison was attending Lady Greendale ; and now you see that it is quite possible that the Phantom is somewhere near , or was somewhere near yesterday afternoon . Carthew may have hired a foreign crew , and sailed in her a couple of days after her own crew came over ; or he may have hired another craft either abroad or here . At any rate , there is something to do . I will go up to town by the midday train , and then down to Dover , and cross to Ostend tonight . '' `` Begging your pardon , Major , could not you telegraph to the harbour master at Ostend , asking if the Phantom is there ? '' `` I might do that , George , but if I go over there I may pick up some clue . I may find out what hotel he stopped at after the crew had left , and if so , whether he crossed to England or left by a train for France .