That was supposed to inform me that he had picked up Lew Yard at two the previous afternoon; had shadowed him to Willsson’s at three-thirty, where Mickey had tailed Pete; had followed Yard away at five, to his residence; had seen people going in and out of the house, but had not shadowed any of them; had watched the house until three this morning, and had returned to the job at seven; and since then had seen nobody go in or out.

“You’ll have to drop this and take a plant on Willsson’s,” I said. “I hear Whisper Thaler’s holing up there, and I’d like an eye kept on him till I make up my mind whether to turn him up for Noonan or not.”

Dick nodded and started the engine grinding. I got out and returned to the hotel.

There was a telegram from the Old Man: