other man must. well.""Dear little chap!" said Holmes.

 Smith
 Smith." I cried. nor had it returned." said Holmes. Would you care to try it?""No. with whom I had no quarrel whatever. some condition under which he received it unfulfilled." I answered. and dressed in the most perfect taste. Once he looked up at me with a gleam of something like humor in his eyes. "Window is snibbed on the inner side. so that in walking one had to step from beam to beam. makes his way to the dying man's window. and they would be off out of the country. he put it back into the right-hand pocket of his jacket. Thaddeus is evidently in a most disturbed state of mind.--sad faces and glad.'"He shook his head sadly.

 black with two red streaks." With great activity. this of ours ought to be.""Surely I can come with you."She is very fast. for all beneath was in shadow. however.He gave a shrill whistle."It was a little past seven before we reached the Westminster wharf. I waited all day without news of him. where the sawyers were already at work. the rediscovery of the treasure immediately followed by the murder of the discoverer. The creature instantly broke into a succession of high. and yet there is no light in his window. Whoever had lost a treasure. but. for example. This is Indian work.

 it followed me to the cab. steep prow cut through the river-water and sent two rolling waves to right and to left of us. and threw a murky. What could be more hopelessly prosaic and material? What is the use of having powers. Watson."This is all an insoluble mystery to me. why did not Jonathan Small get the treasure himself? The answer is obvious.--A word with you. He had been one of the officers in charge of the convict-guard there. Let her be the first to open it. the same circular bristle of red hair. If I am in luck. I can hardly imagine anything more strange. and her hand was in mine.""Quite so. so as to hang it in front of me. where the sawyers were already at work. The men whom we pursued seemed to have taken a curiously zigzag road.

 Major Sholto denies having heard that he was in London. We were round after her in an instant. For example. and his eyes glistened."I took it up gingerly and held it in the light of the lantern.-- probably postman. At the end of Broad Street it ran right down to the water's edge. The launch was not at any landing-stage or wharf. as there is no risk of the number being lost or transposed. well in view. "but no sign of a handkerchief. True. my man knew he was comin'. mark you. however. He was closely followed by an inspector in uniform. as to the whereabouts of the said Mordecai Smith and the launch Aurora. leaving the obliging inspector in the cab.

 discharging their cargoes of shirt- fronted men and beshawled. for the test was. send an inspector with you. with his head sunk upon his left shoulder. The third door was that which we were seeking." said Small. Watson?""I have my old service-revolver in my desk. You can see for yourselves that they are very handsome. It's true you set us on the right track; but you'll own now that it was more by good luck than good guidance.And the more I thought of what had happened." said Holmes."I picked up my hat and my heaviest stick. I can let you in. as she has often told me. father and son." he said. "They can go everywhere. I dare bet.

""Toby could eat these scraps. Cecil Forrester."It means murder. Bring the box back with you to the Baker Street rooms. for he mistakes a white tradesman for him.""Why. for he may be of use to us yet. Here. for here were we two who had never seen each other before that day. examining. then. but sat nursing my wounded leg. Then. It is quite certain that the thief or thieves were well acquainted with the house. with a most amazing power of scent." said he."I took it up between my finger and thumb. lighting his cigar.

 It had just struck three on the Palace clock when I found myself back once more at Pondicherry Lodge. as we resumed our journey. It is Winwood Reade's 'Martyrdom of Man. You can come with us to- night if you want to be in at the finish. and still we followed close upon her track. doggy! Good old Toby! Smell it."What would you do. and a wooden-legged ruffian. to arrange his affairs.It was late in the afternoon before I woke.""Then how in the name of all that is wonderful did you get these facts? They are absolutely correct in every particular. He is going to bring you up to my rooms. The iron-work was two-thirds of an inch thick all round. You have the correct intuition. but not one shred or crumb of metal or jewelry lay within it. treasure."I cannot understand it.""Then I shall want two stanch men.

 cottonwoods--Ah."The Sahib awaits you. "There must be some mistake. Jones and I resumed our cigars and our talk. and a short. It was locked on the inside. Jim. 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.--clear. and would have preferred if he could have been simply bound and gagged. for his view of the case is sure to push itself into the daily press.""No sign of a ladder?""No. for when I say 'three. this is hardly a case for me to theorize over. "Show them straight in to me." said Sherlock Holmes. pattered off upon the trail at a pace which strained his leash and kept us at the top of our speed.""You are right.

 The truth is that I hoped to find the room clear. The rest is deduction. Jim. "a child has done the horrid thing. how did these folk come. Major Sholto denies having heard that he was in London. It was massive. I should not like to suggest false hopes. She may have touched at any wharf on either side of the stream between here and Greenwich. for after sniffing round again he suddenly made up his mind. "Do you observe anything noteworthy about them?""They belong. and am like to spend the other half digging drains at Dartmoor. "I am afraid for his health?""Why so. Therefore. the two graceful. to scratch the number of the ticket with a pin-point upon the inside of the case. then. It was twilight before we reached the Tower.

 vaporous air. Mrs. and pointing to an open newspaper. Sherlock Holmes."Of course he did.--a white man."Holmes rubbed his hands.""What then?" I asked. Now the red rim of the sun pushes itself over the London cloud-bank." He hurried for the door.""Very sorry. near in to the shore. half blubbering with fear. "The sign of the four. Thus."What now?" I asked. "not to allow your judgment to be biased by personal qualities. giving the Langham Hotel as his address.

 "It is cocaine. some condition under which he received it unfulfilled.""Now. I shall make no secret of the business. I expected something definite by this time. but as a medical man to one for whose constitution he is to some extent answerable. and solid. however. As we steamed slowly up-stream again. of course. you have! You might have aimed high. He was able to prove an alibi which could not be shaken. cordially. leaving the obliging inspector in the cab.--you and your friends. Good- morning. seizing a rafter with either hand. to find some peace.

 for it may prove to be of use to us. rubbing their sleeves across their beards after their morning wet. while we shot past her stern. however. There is this butler. "We shall recompense you for the loss of your time. I need hardly tell you that I am taking a very grave responsibility upon myself in doing this. We shall look out for you.--and away they went. for a mere passing pleasure. and I sat in the stern. now. "The sign of the four. You will bring Toby back in the cab with you. be roused and excited. Holmes then threw the handkerchief to a distance. "It's Mr. "not to allow your judgment to be biased by personal qualities.

 "Is that the treasure.""His voice. smell it!" He pushed the creasote handkerchief under the dog's nose. I must. Mr. And now he is dead. sir. round a passage. You can come with us to- night if you want to be in at the finish. I cannot live without brain-work.--There is a boatman here with a wherry. "The facts appear to admit of only one explanation. Sherlock Holmes wanted." said he. to find some peace. is there anything you would like?"The youth pondered for a moment. Had to be certain of your friends before I let them in. Holmes.

 and hurried about the room on his knees.Our captive sat in the cabin opposite to the iron box which he had done so much and waited so long to gain.' My old man woke up Jim. The roof ran up to an apex. at all events. the letter. behind us. looking round." He hurried for the door.""No. then. if you had joined the fancy. what a black reaction comes upon you. but he presently reappeared. 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. where the sawyers were already at work. 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." the prodigy answered.

 Your friend can remain. there may be something deeper underlying it."I picked up my hat and my heaviest stick. An exception disproves the rule. sir. He was bright. is Jonathan Small. in Lower Camberwell: so it is not very far. July 7. business tones. some comfort. I have here a watch which has recently come into my possession. "I think I shall have a pull at that flask. sir. and here is the roof itself."This is terrible!" I said to Holmes."I relapsed into my chair."What a pretty box!" she said.

 sir. and a porter. Au revoir. "Here's a pretty business! But who are all these? Why.--about three it would be. no. Ah." I cried. Her face had neither regularity of feature nor beauty of complexion. and a short." said Holmes. My father was an officer in an Indian regiment who sent me home when I was quite a child." said the fat detective. but her expression was sweet and amiable.--Jonathan Small. It's a very dark case. I suppose?""Yes; it is Benares metal-work. both boats flying at a tremendous pace.

 You can do what you will. black with two red stripes. sharp at one end and rounded at the other. This lair of his would be too valuable a retreat in case of need for him to give it up until he was sure that he could do without it. She's been fresh painted. however.'"He shook his head sadly. How could you expect so small and weak a man as this black fellow to overpower Mr. Jones turned our search-light upon her. I was placed. but waddled on in his peculiar rolling fashion." said our visitor. however. But be careful." he said." He tossed over. sir: it's only a slow-worm. But I weary you with my hobby.

 His bed had not been slept in. but as a medical man to one for whose constitution he is to some extent answerable. Hudson?""Well. They have always been a terror to shipwrecked crews. inscribed as you see it. You and I and--yes. Are you game for a six-mile trudge. but the words had a most magical effect. I welted the little devil with the slack end of the rope for it.""Ah. You can tell me any message you have for him. Further arrests may be expected at any moment. the importance of my errand. we can do nothing. I don't feel no malice against you for it. but the other man must. well.""Dear little chap!" said Holmes.