and Holmes pouring out the coffee.
"Here it is," said he, laughing, and pointing to an open newspaper.
"The energetic Jones and the ubiquitous reporter have fixed it up
between them. But you have had enough of the case. Better have your
ham and eggs first."
I took the paper from him and read the short notice, which was headed
"Mysterious Business at Upper Norwood."
"About twelve o'clock last night," said the Standard, "Mr.
Bartholomew Sholto, of Pondicherry Lodge, Upper Norwood, was found
dead in his room under circumstances which point to foul play. As far
as we can learn, no actual traces of violence were found upon Mr.
Sholto's person, but a valuable collection of Indian gems which the
deceased gentleman had inherited from his father has been carried
off. The discovery was first made by Mr. Sherlock Holmes and Dr.
Watson, who had called at the house with Mr. Thaddeus Sholto, brother
of the deceased. By a singular piece of good fortune, Mr. Athelney
Jones, the well-known member of the detective police force, happened
to be at the Norwood Police Station, and was on the ground within
half an hour of the first alarm. His trained and experienced
faculties were at once directed towards the detection of the
criminals, with the gratifying result that the brother, Thaddeus
Sholto, has already been arrested, together with the housekeeper,
Mrs. Bernstone, an Indian butler named Lal Rao, and a porter, or
gatekeeper, named McMurdo. It is quite certain that the thief or
thieves were well acquainted with the house, for Mr. Jones's
well-known technical knowledge and his powers of minute observation
have enabled him to prove conclusively that the miscreants could not
have entered by the door or by the window, but must have made their
way across the roof of the building, and so through a trap-door into
a room which communicated with that in which the body was found. This
fact, which has been very clearly made out, proves conclusively that
it was no mere haphazard burglary. The prompt and energetic action of
the officers of the law shows the great advantage of the presence on
such occasions of a single vigorous and masterful mind. We cannot but
think that it supplies an argument to those who would wish to see our
detectives more decentralized, and so brought into closer and more
effective touch with the cases which it is their duty to
investigate."
"Isn't it gorgeous!" said Holmes, grinning over his coffee-cup. "What
do you think of it?"
"I think that we have had a close shave ourselves of being arrested
for the crime."
"So do I. I wouldn't answer for our safety now, if he should happen
to have another of his attacks of energy."
At this moment there was a loud ring at the bell, and I could hear
Mrs. Hudson, our landlady, raising her voice in a wail of
expostulation and dismay.
"By heaven, Holmes," I said, half rising, "I believe that they are
really after us."
"No, it's not quite so bad as that. It is the unofficial force,--the
Baker Street irregulars."
As he spoke, there came a swift pattering of naked feet upon the
stairs, a clatter of high voices, and in rushed a dozen dirty and
ragged little street-Arabs. There was some show of discipline among
them, despite their tumultuous entry, for they instantly drew up in
line and stood facing us with expectant faces. One of their number,
taller and older than the others, stood forward with an air of
lounding superiority which was very funny in such a disreputable
little carecrow.
"Got your message, sir," said he, "and brought 'em on sharp. Three
bob and a tanner for tickets."
"Here you are," said Holmes, producing some silver. "In future they
can report to you, Wiggins, and you to me. I cannot have the house
invaded in this way. However, it is just as well that you should all
hear the instructions. I want to find the whereabouts of a steam
launch called the Aurora, owner Mordecai Smith, black with two red
streaks, funnel black with a white band. She is down the river
somewhere. I want one boy to be at Mordecai Smith's landing-stage
opposite Millbank to say if the boat comes back. You must divide it
out among yourselves, and do both banks thoroughly. Let me know the
moment you have news. Is that all clear?"
"Yes, guv'nor," said Wiggins.
"The old scale of pay, and a guinea to the boy who finds the boat.
Here's a day in advance. Now off you go!" He handed them a shilling
each, and away they buzzed down the stairs, and I saw them a moment
later streaming down the street.
"If the launch is above water they will find her," said Holmes, as he
rose from the table and lit his pipe. "They can go everywhere, see
everything, overhear every one. I expect to hear before evening that
they have spotted her. In the mean while, we can do nothing but await
results. We cannot pick up the broken trail until we find either the
Aurora or Mr. Mordecai Smith."
"Toby could eat these scraps, I dare say. Are you going to bed,
Holmes?"
"No: I am not tired. I have a curious constitution. I never remember
feeling tired by work, though idleness exhausts me completely. I am
going to smoke and to think over this queer business to which my fair
client has introduced us. If ever man had an easy task, this of ours
ought to be. Wooden-legged men are not so common, but the other man
must, I should think, be absolutely unique."
"That other man again!"
"I have no wish to make a mystery of him,--to you, anyway. But you
must have formed your own opinion. Now, do consider the data.
Diminutive footmarks, toes never fettered by boots, naked feet,
stone-headed wooden mace, great agility, small poisoned darts. What
do you make of all this?"
"A savage!" I exclaimed. "Perhaps one of those Indians who were the
associates of Jonathan Small."
"Hardly that," said he. "When first I saw signs of strange weapons I
was inclined to think so; but the remarkable character of the
footmarks caused me to reconsider my views. Some of the inhabitants
of the Indian Peninsula are small men, but none could have left such
marks as that. The Hindoo proper has long and thin feet. The
sandal-wearing Mohammedan has the great toe well separated from the
others, because the thong is commonly passed between. These little
darts, too, could only be shot in one way. They are from a blow-pipe.
Now, then, where are we to find our savage?"
"South American," I hazarded.
He stretched his hand up, and took down a bulky volume from the
shelf. "This is the first volume of a gazetteer which is now being
published. It may be looked upon as the very latest authority. What
have we here? 'Andaman Islands, situated 340 miles to the north of
Sumatra, in the Bay of Bengal.' Hum! hum! What's all this? Moist
climate, coral reefs, sharks, Port Blair, convict-barracks, Rutland
Island, cottonwoods--Ah, here we are. 'The aborigines of the Andaman
Islands may perhaps claim the distinction of being the smallest race
upon this earth, though some anthropologists prefer the Bushmen of
Africa, the Digger Indians of America, and the Terra del Fuegians.
The average height is rather below four feet, although many
full-grown adults may be found who are very much smaller than this.
They are a fierce, morose, and intractable people, though capable of
forming most devoted friendships when their confidence has once been
gained.' Mark that, Watson. Now, then, listen to this. 'They are
naturally hideous, having large, misshapen heads, small, fierce eyes,
and distorted features. Their feet and hands, however, are remarkably
small. So intractable and fierce are they that all the efforts of the
British official have failed to win them over in any degree. They
have always been a terror to shipwrecked crews, braining the
survivors with their stone-headed clubs, or shooting them with their
poisoned arrows. These massacres are invariably concluded by a
cannibal feast.' Nice, amiable people, Watson! If this fellow had
been left to his own unaided devices this affair might have taken an
even more ghastly turn. I fancy that, even as it is, Jonathan Small
would give a good deal not to have employed him."
"But how came he to have so singular a companion?"
"Ah, that is more than I can tell. Since, however, we had already
determined that Small had come from the Andamans, it is not so very
wonderful that this islander should be with him. No doubt we shall
know all about it in time. Look here, Watson; you look regularly
done. Lie down there on the sofa, and see if I can put you to sleep."
He took up his violin from the corner, and as I stretched myself out
he began to play some low, dreamy, melodious air,--his own, no doubt,
for he had a remarkable gift for improvisation. I have a vague
remembrance of his gaunt limbs, his earnest face, and the rise and
fall of his bow. Then I seemed to be floated peacefully away upon a
soft sea of sound, until I found myself in dream-land, with the sweet
face of Mary Morstan looking down upon me.
CHAPTER IX
A Break in the Chain
It was late in the afternoon before I woke, strengthened and
refreshed. Sherlock Holmes still sat exactly as I had left him, save
that he had laid aside his violin and was deep in a book. He looked
across at me, as I stirred, and I noticed that his face was dark and
troubled.
"You have slept soundly," he said. "I feared that our talk would wake
you."
"I heard nothing," I answered. "Have you had fresh news, then?"
"Unfortunately, no. I confess that I am surprised and disappointed. I
expected something definite by this time. Wiggins has just been up
to report. He says that no trace can be found of the launch. It is a
provoking check, for every hour is of importance."
"Can I do anything? I am perfectly fresh now, and quite ready for
another night's outing."
"No, we can do nothing. We can only wait. If we go ourselves, the
message might come in our absence, and delay be caused. You can do
what you will, but I must remain on guard."
"Then I shall run over to Camberwell and call upon Mrs. Cecil
Forrester. She asked me to, yesterday."
"On Mrs. Cecil Forrester?" asked Holmes, with the twinkle of a smile
in his eyes.
"Well, of course Miss Morstan too. They were anxious to hear what
happened."
"I would not tell them too much," said Holmes. "Women are never to be
entirely trusted,--not the best of them."
I did not pause to argue over this atrocious sentiment. "I shall be
back in an hour or two," I remarked.
"All right! Good luck! But, I say, if you are crossing the river you
may as well return Toby, for I don't think it is at all likely that
we shall have any use for him now."
I took our mongrel accordingly, and left him, together with a
half-sovereign, at the old naturalist's in Pinchin Lane. At
Camberwell I found Miss Morstan a little weary after her night's
adventures, but very eager to hear the news. Mrs. Forrester, too, was
full of curiosity. I told them all that we had done, suppressing,
however, the more dreadful parts of the tragedy. Thus, although I
spoke of Mr. Sholto's death, I said nothing of the exact manner and
method of it. With all my omissions, however, there was enough to
startle and amaze them.
"It is a romance!" cried Mrs. Forrester. "An injured lady, half a
million in treasure, a black cannibal, and a wooden-legged ruffian.
They take the place of the conventional dragon or wicked earl."
"And two knight-errants to the rescue," added Miss Morstan, with a
bright glance at me.
"Why, Mary, your fortune depends upon the issue of this search. I
don't think that you are nearly excited enough. Just imagine what it
must be to be so rich, 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. On the contrary, she gave a toss
of her proud head, as though the matter were one in which she took
small interest.
"It is for Mr. Thaddeus Sholto that I am anxious," she said. "Nothing
else is of any consequence; but I think that he has behaved most
kindly and honorably throughout. It is our duty to clear him of this
dreadful and unfounded charge."
It was evening before I left Camberwell, and quite dark by the time I
reached home. My companion's book and pipe lay by his chair, but he
had disappeared. I looked about in the hope of seeing a note, but
there was none.
"I suppose that Mr. Sherlock Holmes has gone out," I said to Mrs.
Hudson as she came up to lower the blinds.
"No, sir. He has gone to his room, sir. Do you know, sir," sinking
