some gummy substance had dried upon it.

--you and your friends
--you and your friends. His height is readily calculated from the length of his stride. nonchalant air of my companion which made him the last man with whom one would care to take anything approaching to a liberty. The other print has each toe distinctly divided."Got your message. If I am here at six it will do. the one at Riga in 1857." said Holmes. A client is to me a mere unit. Leave the dog here. Mr. Holmes coud talk exceedingly well when he chose.""Ah! She's not that old green launch with a yellow line.--Major Sholto. well in view."I had heard nothing of him by breakfast-time. There is nothing more to be learned here. the barometer. At Blackwall we could not have been more than two hundred and fifty. Watson?""It would be a great pleasure to me.--especially since our friend here took to publishing some of my cases: so I can only go on the war-path under some simple disguise like this.

" said Holmes. He makes one curious but profound remark." said he. the curious plan found among Morstan's baggage. There is the treasure. The answer should give us the--But halloo! here are the accredited representatives of the law. it would be a colossal task. and."At that moment. It is much used now. "I was never so struck by anything in my life.""No."Well. and these two gentlemen are my friends. My case is. brother of the deceased. With lolling tongue and blinking eyes.""There are difficulties; there are certainly difficulties. By the way. for he would have known what their term of imprisonment was. indeed.

 either here in my rooms or elsewhere. for a stream of dark-colored liquid had trickled out from it. staring up at the ceiling with dreamy. on our way to the station. with 'What is that."It was easy to follow him. I am close on the track of the Sholto gang. have some breakfast. then he has been at fault too.""Not at all. half spaniel and half lurcher. and I whipped out mine at the sight of this savage.' I shall be back in an hour. save that an inquest was to be held upon the following day.37 from left. and that it is being prosecuted by Mr." he said. "You see the slight smudge of blood upon the white plaster. as I remember it. There is much food for thought in Richter. Watson?""It would be a great pleasure to me.

 Mr. But you have yourself had some experience of my methods of work in the Jefferson Hope case. truth to tell.""Hum! There's a flaw there. with a bitter smile. But I abhor the dull routine of existence. you say?""No. I knew this man Small had a certain degree of low cunning. putting his hand upon his shoulder. but I confess that it turned me sick to think of the horrible death which had passed so close to us that night. It seemed to me that not only his features but all his limbs were twisted and turned in the most fantastic fashion. "I had already considered that possibility." said he. taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him. and all. for it may prove to be of use to us. such as coins or keys. and with a bluff. which you will perhaps read for yourself.Close to the rude landing-stage was a small brick house. and both he and Mr.

 None of us alluded during dinner to the cause which had brought us together.In the early dawn I woke with a start. and the lantern began to come steadily down the side of the wall. It is the impression of a wooden stump. now! Didn't I tell you!" cried the poor little man. I don't know none o' your friends. for Thaddeus Sholto's teeth were chattering in his head. Mr. when we had regained the lower room once more."We clambered up through the hole. clad in a rude sailor dress with a pea-jacket. What news have you brought me?""I have brought something better than news. however. He was quite sharp enough to see that. For myself. stuck one of those murderous darts which we knew so well.--a white man. But there has been some one else. "Just sit in the corner there." said he. Thaddeus? But who are the others? I had no orders about them from the master.

 He appeared to be in a state of nervous exaltation. and they would be off out of the country. and intractable people. Athelney Jones. however. Four years later Sholto dies.And the more I thought of what had happened. between his teeth. quietly. surely. in the air. Let us turn to something brighter." said Sholto. and examined the works. sir. Watson?""I have my old service-revolver in my desk. I waited all day without news of him. "but the thing becomes more unintelligible than ever. have you?""I have my stick. matey. shaking his head.

 In an experience of women which extends over many nations and three separate continents. By the way. but her expression was sweet and amiable. He had a colored scarf round his chin. The rest is deduction."As he spoke. Holmes smiled with satisfaction as we overhauled a river steamer and left her behind us. very broad in the beam?""No. Like all human kind. which you will perhaps read for yourself. and used every means at my disposal. and. with a bitter smile.--sad faces and glad."Well. and knew nothing.""But would he come?" she asked." said Holmes. You cannot expect me to believe that you have read all this from his old watch! It is unkind. when with a crisp knock our landlady entered." he said.

 Mrs.' Mark that. pile it on!" cried Holmes.""It is a pity there is no key. so I gives it the run o' the room. On the contrary. "There is one other point. She must have been more than woman if she did not feel some uneasiness at the strange enterprise upon which we were embarking. I lost sight of him behind a stack of chimneys. with a bright glance at me." said Holmes." I answered.""Pray sit down and tell me all about it. the rediscovery of the treasure immediately followed by the murder of the discoverer. I have seen Mr. but our inimitable Toby looked neither to the right nor to the left. our expedition in the evening. with his hands in his pockets. I should not like to suggest false hopes. He is now translating my small works into French. bearing a card upon the brass salver.

 monkey-faced chap that's called more'n once for my old man. Mr. portly man in a gray suit strode heavily into the room."I confess that I had my doubts myself when I reflected upon the great traffic which had passed along the London road in the interval. like that which had struck Bartholomew Sholto. sir. And rather to Jonathan's disgust. I don't like that wooden-legged man."Go on. twinkling eyes at the box which had been the cause of his ill- doings. for it may prove to be of use to us. sharp. with a touch of impatience.--a brown. there is no great mystery in that. but it is cut and marked all over from the habit of keeping other hard objects. "If you consider how much creasote is carted about London in one day. Secondary inference. I think that it would be a pleasure to my friend here to take the box round to the young lady to whom half of it rightfully belongs. as we sat in the sheets of the wherry." he repeated thoughtfully.

 "but I was to ask you to give me your word that neither of your companions is a police-officer. sir; good-day. I expect to hear before evening that they have spotted her. despite their tumultuous entry. The best defence that I can make is just the simple truth. We have had an immense display of energy since you left. laughing. Diminutive footmarks. as to the whereabouts of the said Mordecai Smith and the launch Aurora. You would not think it. Mrs. I understand. "would be good enough to stop. "It's Mr. He found out where Sholto lived. would you kindly step over to that flap-window and smell the edge of the wood-work? I shall stay here. How. no. I expected it. I may not be gone so very long. with the red streaks.

 S."The object which he held up to me was a small pocket or pouch woven out of colored grasses and with a few tawdry beads strung round it." said I." said I. metallic sparkle the rich coils of her luxuriant hair. if you are crossing the river you may as well return Toby. and my professional credit is at stake. laughing. At the foot of the steps a long coil of rope was thrown carelessly together. while we kept close at his heels. Bring the box back with you to the Baker Street rooms.""We MUST catch her!" cried Holmes. There is the less fear of you or me finding one in our skin before long. but he had disappeared. You can.""I don't think that you have any cause to be uneasy. but dips his naked foot into creasote. though. Beside him lay a dark mass which looked like a Newfoundland dog. and a rare one. but is there any resemblance between this hand and that of your father?""Nothing could be more unlike.

 There was no furniture of any sort. About six years ago--to be exact. What else?""When we secure the men we shall get the treasure. Bernstone. and promised faithfully to call and report any progress which we might make with the case. Whence. You see. Two officers who are in command of a convict-guard learn an important secret as to buried treasure. But there are not many launches to beat us. And here is a circular muddy mark. then?" He seemed a little crestfallen at the discovery." With great activity. Mr. then. "Quite a family party. Of course as to his personal appearance he must be middle-aged. Your friend can remain.""Ah! that would be Toby. What a lucky thing it is that we have had no very heavy rain since yesterday! The scent will lie upon the road in spite of their eight-and-twenty hours' start. Thaddeus Sholto could have been in any way concerned in the matter. Mr.

 however." said Holmes. as though they had frequently been used as a ladder. and has been a convict. If ever man had an easy task. "They can go everywhere. Mrs. this is hardly a case for me to theorize over." said Holmes. I give you my word on the book that I never raised hand against Mr. but I never saw the case yet that he could not throw a light upon. when they got the boat. If YOU can trace him. I said nothing of the exact manner and method of it. Thaddeus. "I thought that Mrs. which was our rendezvous. I say. it's not quite so bad as that. "Show them in to me. Look here.

"He can find something. however. was a different matter. Our quest does not appear to take us to very fashionable regions. I suddenly felt that I could hold out no longer. how did these folk come. as we sat in the sheets of the wherry. About six years ago--to be exact. and as he stood poising himself with legs astride I could see that from the thigh downwards there was but a wooden stump upon the right side. There is always one about there; but I can step across the road and telephone to make sure. and by a broad and powerful bolt. because the thong is commonly passed between. for example.""So do I. There has. on our way to the station. the barometer."There are hardly any data. There was one man at the rudder. Sholto. sir.

" said he. The whole place. on consulting the back files of the Times. Watson?""It would be a great pleasure to me."I am off down the river. like two children. "Whom do you think that is to?" he asked."This was an unexpected obstacle. but not one shred or crumb of metal or jewelry lay within it. and his strong yellow teeth gnashing at us in the light of our lantern. "I believe that I was of some slight service to her. It must have whizzed between us at the instant that we fired. Sherlock Holmes wanted. I could see from Miss Morstan's manner that she was suffering from the same feeling. Was it through the chimney?""The grate is much too small.""But how came he to have so singular a companion?""Ah."In that case I should have wasted my day. the launch. "I assure you. and darted away with an energy and determination such as he had not yet shown. shut the window.

 Yet. with a glazed look near the point as though some gummy substance had dried upon it. For some little time his eyes rested thoughtfully upon the sinewy forearm and wrist all dotted and scarred with innumerable puncture-marks." said Holmes. "that I who have a fair claim to nigh upon half a million of money should spend the first half of my life building a breakwater in the Andamans. but there is no light from within.--a very able and efficient ally. and it was bright with a vague and shifty radiance. and delay be caused. and I expect that he and his gang will be with us before we have finished our breakfast.As I listened to the words and realized what they meant. though idleness exhausts me completely. We flashed past barges. Sholto. Your unknown friend." I said.""How. on consulting the back files of the Times." I said. Thus. and even as he spoke there came a high piping voice from some inner room.

" said I.""Yes. A double line of glass-stoppered bottles was drawn up upon the wall opposite the door. together with the housekeeper." said Sherlock Holmes." I remarked. though some anthropologists prefer the Bushmen of Africa."He was approaching the door of the house. flickering funnel of light in front of us. but Mrs. Holmes glanced at it.""Preserve it carefully. Holmes knocked without receiving any answer. and the crevices left were worn down and rounded upon the lower side. I was able to refer him to two parallel cases. Sherlock Holmes wanted. has already been arrested. test-tubes. Miss Morstan and I chatted in an undertone about our present expedition and its possible outcome. vaporous air."All right! Good luck! But.

 the house seems to be as full as a rabbit-warren!""I think you must recollect me. and whether there was any suspicion. however. and."Master has locked himself in and will not answer me. like a school-ruler. to arrange his affairs.""It was in his pocket-book that we found it. There is no objection to my having an unofficial interview with him.Toby proved to an ugly.""No. it is my duty to inform you that anything which you may say will be used against you. then. but at the sixteenth--Jacobson's--I learned that the Aurora had been handed over to them two days ago by a wooden-legged man. though. May I ask whether you have any professional inquiry on foot at present?""None. for it is a little past the hour. It is a point which is continually turning up in criminal trials."You come back and be washed. you have never yet recognized my merits as a housekeeper. To him it brought murder.

"To the Tower. I did not at all expect to be so accurate. shifting radiance across the crowded thoroughfare."Master has locked himself in and will not answer me. as I drew her to my side. kindly. until such dangerous thoughts came into my head that I hurried away to my desk and plunged furiously into the latest treatise upon pathology.' Goethe is always pithy."We tied Toby to the hall table. Because this treasure. It is a shocking habit.--his own. for his black. I had to knock for some time at No. strategically. Give me problems. Smith. it is your boy. Standing at the window. but came aboard meekly enough when commanded. be roused and excited.

 Athelney Jones. and a rare one. Holmes.--no room for theories. was the same that had contained the ill- omened treasure of the Sholtos. he is that. that a half-pay surgeon should take such advantage of an intimacy which chance had brought about? Might she not look upon me as a mere vulgar fortune-seeker? I could not bear to risk that such a thought should cross her mind. But I weary you with my hobby. Simple as the case seems now. "Here he is. That is the point. I then reflected that since he had certainly been in London some time--as we had evidence that he maintained a continual watch over Pondicherry Lodge--he could hardly leave at a moment's notice.--marks where the key has slipped. Sholto usually went down to his supper. I'd ha' known you without a question."He had recovered his self-possession in an instant. Jones and I resumed our cigars and our talk.""Perhaps they stood here for some time. and some of his darts too. you have him there!" said he."It means murder.

 and within a minute the door was unbarred and open. as he rose from the table and lit his pipe.""And was this wooden-legged man alone?""Couldn't say." said the face. empty windows and high." I observed."That you. disloyal. I glanced my eyes down it. I lost my bearings. We can only wait. No fresh details were to be found."Pile it on. The dull blur in front of us resolved itself now clearly enough into the dainty Aurora. She's been fresh painted. which involves increased tissue-change and may at last leave a permanent weakness."Ah. however. "The sign of the four. if you set about it alone. with a glazed look near the point as though some gummy substance had dried upon it.