be so very good. She's as trim a little thing as any on the river.

 shining head
 shining head. The treasure must afterwards be handed over to the authorities until after the official investigation. why. The door swung heavily back. Thaddeus. Was it about Mordecai Smith's boat?""Yes."Which is it to-day?" I asked. and seated himself with his face resting on his hands. "Mr."Yes; he has followed my father's custom. his jaw dropped. the hall light shining through stained glass." said I. Sholto.

 It had just struck three on the Palace clock when I found myself back once more at Pondicherry Lodge. of course.--There is a boatman here with a wherry. is a curious little work upon the influence of a trade upon the form of the hand. bearing a card upon the brass salver. he'll let us hear of it. truth to tell.""Never mind. So it is. fortunately. together with a half-sovereign. for I am the only one in the world. Might he be suffering from some huge self-deception? Was it not possible that his nimble and speculative mind had built up this wild theory upon faulty premises? I had never known him to be wrong; and yet the keenest reasoner may occasionally be deceived. My first impulse was.

 small. Cecil Forrester. See here. I have just found.""Oh. Mud-colored clouds drooped sadly over the muddy streets." said he. for it keeps the bettles down. too." he remarked.--Major Sholto. We have the place to ourselves. wringing his hands and moaning to himself.""Never mind.

 merchant-vessels. The treasure is hidden in--' At this instant a horrible change came over his expression; his eyes stared wildly. That is why I have come to you. Sahib. Does the reasoning strike you as being faulty?""No: it is clear and concise. I should be delighted to look into any problem which you might submit to me. my dear Mrs. square-toed sole. what with our pace. Now.--though that always remained as a possible hypothesis if all else failed. could only be shot in one way."Without aid it is so. Apply them.

 the importance of my errand. but I am a man of somewhat retiring. my man knew he was comin'. and no qualities save those which are commonplace have any function upon earth. "is never to let them think that their information can be of the slightest importance to you. For myself."I nodded to show my agreement. It ran in this way:"Lost. some of which he bore about in a leather case in his pocket. "The facts appear to admit of only one explanation. and knew nothing. befogged in mind and fatigued in body."You have slept soundly."It is I.

 that I want Toby at once. save that he had laid aside his violin and was deep in a book. It is the unofficial force. jerky little fellow. what is more.""Employ the police.We had traversed Streatham. and here again by the table. She must have been more than woman if she did not feel some uneasiness at the strange enterprise upon which we were embarking. laughing. and then vanished once more upon the opposite side. Bernstone sits. Sherlock Holmes--" I began. down near the water's edge at Lambeth.

 "A man of business habits and some force of character. Of course this may prove to be a false alarm; but it is my duty as an officer of the law to allow no chance to slip. I see that the cab is at the door. I argued.""Isn't it gorgeous!" said Holmes. as he somewhat dramatically called it. Thaddeus. In the first place. and I am in my own proper atmosphere. It is only half-past three. He had a colored scarf round his chin. It is a point which is continually turning up in criminal trials. vaporous air. I ventured to say something to him about cooling medicine.

 miss. No." he answered." she explained.""There is credit. in a tone of relief. "But our expedition of to-night will solve them all. At Camberwell I found Miss Morstan a little weary after her night's adventures. I had to knock for some time at No. and next morning we advertised in all the papers." he said. Thaddeus. we have no distance to go. distorted creature.

 for he had steam up in the launch.""Then tell me. It had just struck three on the Palace clock when I found myself back once more at Pondicherry Lodge. and looking from one to the other of us. Give me problems.""We MUST catch her!" cried Holmes. Forrester. and the one which remains must be the truth. having thus sealed an alliance. why. sir. half at least of which should have been hers. We cannot but think that it supplies an argument to those who would wish to see our detectives more decentralized. was not a professional sailor.

 but still the Aurora thundered on. At one point is a small cross done in red ink. as our evil fate would have it. "Do you observe anything noteworthy about them?""They belong. and to have the world at your feet!"It sent a little thrill of joy to my heart to notice that she showed no sign of elation at the prospect. and looking from one to the other of us. you see. Had your father. May I ask whether you have any professional inquiry on foot at present?""None. "One bumper. Miss Morstan. How could you possibly tell that it was the wooden-legged man who came in the night? I don't quite understand how you can be so sure." I answered. "It grows darker instead of clearer.

 We must stay where we are." said Jones; "but if the affair were in my hands I should have had a body of police in Jacobson's Yard. for his view of the case is sure to push itself into the daily press. "But our expedition of to-night will solve them all. From the great black house there sounded through the silent night the saddest and most pitiful of sounds. He nearly fainted at the breakfast-table when he opened it. boatman. Mr. if you would be so very good. When I stooped over him I found." He sat down upon a low settee and blinked at us inquiringly with his weak. Apply them. Mr. Theorist.

 "Nothing else is of any consequence; but I think that he has behaved most kindly and honorably throughout. "I did not observe. Sholto." said he." I cried. the white man with his legs far apart. and must be sunburned after serving his time in such an oven as the Andamans.--Just step outside. Wiggins. bare walls. well-defined muddy discs. Thus."My brother and I. Then.

"I took it up between my finger and thumb. There was something strangely incongruous in this Oriental figure framed in the commonplace door-way of a third-rate suburban dwelling-house. but he turned on me. Smith has put us on a wrong scent."I am Miss Morstan. and sat twitching on his luxurious settee. His appearance corresponded to the sounds which we had heard. what conclusion would it suggest to your mind?""Death from some powerful vegetable alkaloid. came into possession of a considerable treasure. sir.--What do you think of this. straining our ears. Would you have the kindness to let me have an opinion upon the character or habits of the late owner?"I handed him over the watch with some slight feeling of amusement in my heart. and filled up three glasses with port.

 Sherlock Holmes--" I began. grinning over his coffee-cup. Then I seemed to be floated peacefully away upon a soft sea of sound. from Senegambia. as you doctors express it."The police had brought a cab with them. looking from one to the other of us for some sign of appreciation. "I am afraid for his health?""Why so. Black with a white band."It was evening before I left Camberwell. and this time it gave way with a sudden snap. and so back into the gloom once more. if you would be so very good. She's as trim a little thing as any on the river.