That his wife should hit upon the precaution of sewing the boy's address inside his overcoat was the last thing Mr Verloc would have thought of.

One can't think of everything.

That was what she meant when she said that he need not worry if he lost Stevie during their walks.

She had assured him that the boy would turn up all right.

Well, he had turned up with a vengeance! "Well, well," muttered Mr Verloc in his wonder.