i waited until midnight, but there was no sign of his return, so i retired to my room. it was no uncommon thing for him to be away for days and nights on end when he was hot upon a scent, so that his lateness caused me no surprise. i do not know at what hour he came in, but when i came down to breakfast in the morning there he was with a cup of coffee in one hand and the paper in the other, as fresh and trim as possible.