What had become of _le petit Monsieur_ he was not certain, but fancied he had eventually driven away in a cab accompanied by two other gentlemen.

He recollected this circumstance, because the face of the cabman was one that he knew; and it was now again in the station, for the _voiture_ had returned.

Would he point out the _cocher_ to me?
He would, and did, receiving a second franc for his pains.
The cab driver proved to be a dull and surly fellow, like many another _cocher_ of Paris, but the clink of silver and the sight of it mellowed him.

I began by saying that I was in search of three friends of mine whom I was to have met when the boat train came in, but whom I had unfortunately missed.

I asked him to describe the men he had driven away from the station at that time, and though he did it clumsily, betraying an irritating lack of observation when it came to details, still such information as I could draw from him sounded encouraging.