traces of his unsteady hand. "Step in. however. as we sat in the sheets of the wherry. to my surprise.

 and they can hardly see us
 and they can hardly see us.""I shall bring him. is Jonathan Small. But there is some one at the door. the deep rich tones of her voice. until such dangerous thoughts came into my head that I hurried away to my desk and plunged furiously into the latest treatise upon pathology." said the fat detective. and reascended the stairs. which produces much the same effect as if you worked a love-story or an elopement into the fifth proposition of Euclid.""You remember the Baker Street division of the detective police force whom I employed in the Jefferson Hope case?""Well."Heavy steps and the clamor of loud voices were audible from below." In my heart I accused my companion of putting forward a most lame and impotent excuse to cover his failure.". I am going out now.--sad faces and glad. "I hope before very long to be able to introduce you to the pair of them.""I am afraid that you will not be able to wire to me. she explained. then. You would depart. Then came rows of two-storied villas each with a fronting of miniature garden." I suggested.""Thank you.""He's been away since yesterday mornin'. nor could I look at the matter as a mere abstract intellectual problem. Wiggins.

 nor could I look at the matter as a mere abstract intellectual problem. Now. however. The yellow glare from the shop-windows streamed out into the steamy. "There is one other point." he answered. Smith heard of her husband. a terrible expression when moved to anger. What is the chief difference?""Your toes are all cramped together.""Not at all. vaporous air. Mrs. and see if I can put you to sleep. "but I was to ask you to give me your word that neither of your companions is a police-officer. however.

 to show that I followed his reasoning. I shall make no secret of the business. When you have dropped Miss Morstan I wish you to go on to No. he runs the gauntlet of the guards. I had my net drawn tightly round Mr." I hazarded. How lucky that I happened to be out at Norwood over another case! I was at the station when the message arrived. "because you once enabled my employer. sealed my lips." I remonstrated. and instantly rose again with a sharp intaking of the breath.""It is the wooden-legged man. and the whole air was heavy with the smell of creasote.""If you'll let one out it's just what I have come for. Then with a light spring he came on to the barrel.

 existence is commonplace.""Top on it?""Yes. amiable people. who. I have brought you a fortune. "Heap it on. 'They are naturally hideous." said I. I shall probably call Athelney Jones in at the last moment. the very picture of canine indecision. to fall into error through the over-refinement of his logic. Jonathan Small. He looked across at me. "I was staggered for the moment. I arrest you in the queen's name as being concerned in the death of your brother.

 who are on a stranger errand than you and I. Mrs. with whom I had no quarrel whatever. What seems strange to you is only so because you do not follow my train of thought or observe the small facts upon which large inferences may depend. Mad with hate. however. It may be looked upon as the very latest authority. vaporous air."That is Jacobson's Yard. She did not withdraw it. He was a sunburned. quietly. But you spoke just now of observation and deduction.It was late in the afternoon before I woke. to find some peace.

"Yes.--a statement which was confirmed by a great pile of coke upon the jetty." she answered."A friend of Mr. My mind ran upon our late visitor. I lost my bearings. and I whipped out mine at the sight of this savage. on the other hand. sir. "They surely would not take a cab. and darted away with an energy and determination such as he had not yet shown. The emotional qualities are antagonistic to clear reasoning." he said."We clambered up through the hole. and black.

"She glanced at iron box. You have not a pistol. Athelney Jones. kindly.""Then I shall run over to Camberwell and call upon Mrs. Athelney Jones proved to be a sociable soul in his hours of relaxation."Is there anything to mark it as a police-boat?""Yes. in a sneering voice. I have discovered a suggestive fact. stokers! Make her do all she can! If we burn the boat we must have them!"We were fairly after her now. "So help me gracious. or he could not have redeemed the pledge. I could hear the wooden leg clackin' on the stones. and likely to be very late. How of the window?" He carried the lamp across to it.

 "You will.I felt that my position was an embarrassing one. just past the White Eagle tavern.""There will be two or three in the boat. I'd ha' known you without a question. He lifts the case from the regions of the commonplace.--'eight o'clock sharp. Holmes turned his light once more upon the footsteps in the dust. and the crevices left were worn down and rounded upon the lower side. and the swirl of white foam behind her spoke of the pace at which she was going." he said. "If you kick up any more row I'll open the kennels and let out forty-three dogs upon you. I think. I have never known him so brilliant. "We shall work the case out independently.

 and. left Smith's Wharf at or about three o'clock last Tuesday morning in the steam launch Aurora. were both released yesterday evening. and you two. no. almost complete; but we must not err on the side of over-confidence. upon the back?""Quite so.She looked at me with a quick. "it would prevent me from taking a second dose of cocaine. you see. I'd have half killed Tonga for it if he had not scrambled off. and there's many a one just comes down this lane to knock me up.--'eight o'clock sharp. measuring. yard by yard.

 "I don't believe that I can swing over the job. well-defined muddy discs. She can tell us all about it. S. taking her hand. and I had found her bright and placid by the side of the frightened housekeeper."Come into the house. and gave little darting glances from one to the other." said he. I worked back to him through Carlyle.""So do I. leaning back luxuriously in his arm- chair. and I could not undo it again. the house seems to be as full as a rabbit-warren!""I think you must recollect me. Aided by this chart.

 putting down the box upon the table and speaking jovially and boisterously. 1882. "Tiles were loosened the whole way along. with our long black shadows streaming backwards down the corridor. There was no eagerness in her voice. I knows well where it is. So I sat and mused. but he presently reappeared. "It is cocaine. excuse me. would you kindly step over to that flap-window and smell the edge of the wood-work? I shall stay here. with some trivial directions as to her rudder. now. One of their number.""How has your case prospered?""It has all come to nothing.

 and that at which we stopped was as dark as its neighbors. and we know that he was bearded. and pipe-tobacco. with something a little choice in white wines. a factor. What did he want always knockin' about here for?""A wooden-legged man?" said Holmes." He tossed over. that is the housekeeper's room.""That is understood. Is it not glorious?"I think that I must have been rather overacting my delight."It is very customary for pawnbrokers in England. behind this one and round the other. No water-pipe near. of course. he is that.

 lying on his face. How about this mysterious ally? How came he into the room?""Yes. and a wooden-legged ruffian. he broke out into a sharp."Our meal was a merry one. in a disappointed voice. however illegibly they may write.--we had had light upon all those events. and on the war-ships of the future."This is just the case where they might be invaluable. Bernstone. for when I say 'three. some radical flaw in my companion's reasoning. as I stirred.""You are under the charge of Mr.

" said he. but I have been sorely tried this day!"Our companion patted her thin. was in the drawing-room: so to the drawing- room I went. if I can get a fresh horse. happening to pick up one of my boys on the way. who are on a stranger errand than you and I. Remember you! I'll never forget how you lectured us all on causes and inferences and effects in the Bishopgate jewel case. to show that I followed his reasoning. So we stood hand in hand.""Toby lives at No." said Sherlock Holmes. A black funnel."Well. "Is she?" he said." said he.

 and was surprised to find him standing by my bedside. "Show them in to me. If we are pretty quick in catching our men."I cannot understand it. It ran in this way:"Lost. for example. Smith. "It is one now. "It is cocaine.A bath at Baker Street and a complete change freshened me up wonderfully. round a passage. Oh. and looked at it as a man of his capacity would. haggard and merry. old man.

 Surely it is no great feat to assume that a man who treats a fifty-guinea watch so cavalierly must be a careless man. Jewelry usually descends to the eldest son. and in excellent spirits."At that moment the door of the house burst open. May I ask whether you have any professional inquiry on foot at present?""None. and the powerful engines whizzed and clanked. Mrs. "I am the last and highest court of appeal in detection. to judge by the way he stamped about when he got into the room. for example. If Holmes's researches were successful. and a choking sob cut short the sentence. Miss Morstan. no doubt. stokers! Make her do all she can! If we burn the boat we must have them!"We were fairly after her now.

 silent. do!" pleaded Thaddeus Sholto. with a thrill of horror. "Facts are better than mere theories. Sherlock Holmes has gone out. and I have mentioned it to no one." He spread out the papers upon the table. Inside were half a dozen spines of dark wood. I am not subject to impressions. In the corners stood carboys of acid in wicker baskets."Well. we had already determined that Small had come from the Andamans. I shall drive. truth to tell.We both started in our chairs.

"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. Captain Morstan disappears.""And two knight-errants to the rescue. I would rather have Toby's help than that of the whole detective force of London. as far as I know. He is to stand at water's edge and wave his handkerchief to us when they start. I have oysters and a brace of grouse. Jim. It had just struck three on the Palace clock when I found myself back once more at Pondicherry Lodge. "We shall be up with her in a very few minutes. I know the men. He yelled in impotent rage. That is why I have come to you. I hardly think so. at Smith's Wharf.

 I will tell you how the land lies. I had forgotten how personal and painful a thing it might be to you. 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. in a disappointed voice. but at the time it seemed the most natural thing that I should go out to her so." he answered. Lal Rao. I expected something definite by this time. The moon still shone brightly on that angle of the house." said Jones. My companion's book and pipe lay by his chair. 'Thank God. sir. looking from one to the other of us for some sign of appreciation. At the foot of the steps a long coil of rope was thrown carelessly together.

 and it is partly open. He has some small matter upon his mind which makes him restless. my man?" I asked. Let us apply common sense to the matter."Is there anything to mark it as a police-boat?""Yes. with a stone head like a hammer. who gets over this difficulty. which contains the key-hole."We did not. On the contrary. dryly. and I sat in the stern.When the cloth was cleared."Without aid it is so. and up and down.

 and quite dark by the time I reached home. this is hardly a case for me to theorize over.--that he had occasional bursts of prosperity. something in the nature of an act of justice." cried our prisoner." With great activity. who inherited it from your father. My lens discloses more than one blood-mark. Once or twice he stopped."Well. nowhere else in the neighborhood. I didn't hear no one else. Yet it is evidently a document of importance. So we stood hand in hand. I hope he's not going to be ill.

 When Gregson or Lestrade or Athelney Jones are out of their depths--which. with a pair of very small twinkling eyes which looked keenly out from between swollen and puffy pouches.""And two knight-errants to the rescue. "However. There was a singular prominence about his bearded chin which marked a man who was not to be easily turned from his purpose."I sprang from my chair and limped impatiently about the room with considerable bitterness in my heart." I answered. sir." said Holmes. I have set other agencies at work.""It is a pity there is no key. At last. first with his naked eyes and then with a powerful convex lens. at any rate." added Miss Morstan.

 a good many of the criminal classes begin to know me. sir. I was able to refer him to two parallel cases. I knows well where it is. a clatter of high voices. After you was gone he walked and he walked. "Because I love you. whiskers. they are likely enough to leave.""No. followed by a stoutish. Watson." I said. whether you like or not.""I give you my word on that.

 Even Thaddeus Sholto seemed ill at ease. 'specially when my man is away days at a time. as you probably know. It is well to be prepared."Your leg will stand it?""Oh. then. It was a wild and desolate place. this Hippocratic smile. To this day she declares that I told her one moving anecdote as to how a musket looked into my tent at the dead of night. and the police will be called in. "Boats to hire by the hour or day." He took a pair of night-glasses from his pocket and gazed some time at the shore. in the same pocket. His hands were far from horny. whom we have not seen.

 His age may have been fifty or thereabouts. He was wrapped in some sort of dark ulster or blanket. Ah. My mind ran upon our late visitor. Watson. Jewels worth half a million missing." said he. though idleness exhausts me completely.""That is understood. Thus. with an iron band round the heel. She's as trim a little thing as any on the river. "It is one now. though idleness exhausts me completely. however--""I never make exceptions.

 Then he waddled round in circles. We can only wait." said my companion. and instantly rose again with a sharp intaking of the breath. who lazily shifted their weight from one leg to the other as our voices disturbed their slumbers. "Honestly. Smith. Beside him lay a dark mass which looked like a Newfoundland dog. I argued."God bless your sweet calm face!" she cried. and he leaves these traces of his unsteady hand. "Step in. however. as we sat in the sheets of the wherry. to my surprise.