night? was it his profile that was seen on

the blind two nights before? no, no, hopkins; it is

another and a more formidable person for whom we must seek."

the detective's face had grown longer and longer during

holmes's speech. his hopes and his ambitions were all

crumbling about him. but he would not abandon his position

without a struggle.

"you can't deny that neligan was present that night,

mr. holmes. the book will prove that. i fancy that i have

evidence enough to satisfy a jury, even if you are able to

pick a hole in it. besides, mr. holmes, i have laid my

hand upon _my_ man. as to this terrible person of yours,

where is he?"

"i rather fancy that he is on the stair," said holmes,

serenely. "i think, watson, that you would do well to put

that revolver where you can reach it." he rose, and laid a

written paper upon a side-table. "now we are ready," said he.

there had been some talking in gruff voices outside, and

now mrs. hudson opened the door to say that there were

three men inquiring for captain basil.

"show them in one by one," said holmes.

the first who entered was a little ribston-pippin of a man,

with ruddy cheeks and fluffy white side-whiskers. holmes

had drawn a letter from his pocket.

"what name?" he asked.

"james lancaster."

"i am sorry, lancaster, but the berth is full. here is

half a sovereign for your trouble. just step into this

room and wait there for a few minutes."

the second man was a long, dried-up creature, with lank

hair and sallow cheeks. his name was hugh pattins. he

also received his dismissal, his half-sovereign, and the

order to wait.

the third applicant was a man of remarkable appearance.

a fierce, bull-dog face was framed in a tangle of hair and

beard, and two bold dark eyes gleamed behind the cover of

thick, tufted, overhung eyebrows. he saluted and stood

sailor-fashion, turning his cap round in his hands.

"your name?" asked holmes.

"patrick cairns."

"harpooner?"

"yes, sir. twenty-six voyages."

"dundee, i suppose?"

"yes, sir."

"and ready to start with an exploring ship?"

"yes, sir."

"what wages?"

"eight pounds a month."

"could you start at once?"

"as soon as i get my kit."

"have you your papers?"

"yes, sir." he took a sheaf of worn and greasy forms from

his pocket. holmes glanced over them and returned them.

"you are just the man i want," said he. "here's the

agreement on the side-table. if you sign it the whole

matter will be settled."

the seaman lurched across the room and took up the pen.

"shall i sign here?" he asked, stooping over the table.

holmes leaned over his shoulder and passed both hands over

his neck.

"this will do," said he.

i heard a click of steel and a bellow like an enraged bull.

the next instant holmes and the seaman were rolling on the

ground together. he was a man of such gigantic strength

that, even with the handcuffs which holmes had so deftly

fastened upon his wrists, he would have very quickly

overpowered my friend had hopkins and i not rushed to his

rescue. only when i pressed the cold muzzle of the

revolver to his temple did he at last understand that

resistance was vain. we lashed his ankles with cord and

rose breathless from the struggle.

"i must really apologize, hopkins," said sherlock holmes;

"i fear that the scrambled eggs are cold. however, you

will enjoy the rest of your breakfast all the better, will

you not, for the thought that you have brought your case to

a triumphant conclusion."

stanley hopkins was speechless with amazement.

"i don't know what to say, mr. holmes," he blurted out at

last, with a very red face. "it seems to me that i have

been making a fool of myself from the beginning.

i understand now, what i should never have forgotten, that i

am the pupil and you are the master. even now i see what

you have done, but i don't know how you did it, or what it

signifies."

"well, well," said holmes, good-humouredly. "we all learn

by experience, and your lesson this time is that you should

never lose sight of the alternative. you were so absorbed

in young neligan that you could not spare a thought to

patrick cairns, the true murderer of peter carey."

the hoarse voice of the seaman broke in on our conversation.

"see here, mister," said he, "i make no complaint of being

man-handled in this fashion, but i would have you call

things by their right names. you say i murdered peter

carey; i say i _killed_ peter carey, and there's all

the difference. maybe you don't believe what i say.

maybe you think i am just slinging you a yarn."

"not at all," said holmes. "let us hear what you have to say."

"it's soon told, and, by the lord, every word of it is

truth. i knew black peter, and when he pulled out his

knife i whipped a harpoon through him sharp, for i knew

that it was him or m