on drawing it on his

note-book, broke his pencil, had to borrow one from our

host, and finally borrowed a knife to sharpen his own. the

same curious accident happened to him in the rooms of the

indian -- a silent, little, hook-nosed fellow, who eyed us

askance and was obviously glad when holmes's architectural

studies had come to an end. i could not see that in either

case holmes had come upon the clue for which he was

searching. only at the third did our visit prove abortive.

the outer door would not open to our knock, and nothing

more substantial than a torrent of bad language came from

behind it. "i don't care who you are. you can go to

blazes!" roared the angry voice. "to-morrow's the exam.,

and i won't be drawn by anyone."

"a rude fellow," said our guide, flushing with anger as we

withdrew down the stair. "of course, he did not realize

that it was i who was knocking, but none the less his

conduct was very uncourteous, and, indeed, under the

circumstances rather suspicious."

holmes's response was a curious one.

"can you tell me his exact height?" he asked.

"really, mr. holmes, i cannot undertake to say.

he is taller than the indian, not so tall as gilchrist.

i suppose five foot six would be about it."

"that is very important," said holmes. "and now, mr. soames,

i wish you good-night."

our guide cried aloud in his astonishment and dismay.

"good gracious, mr. holmes, you are surely not going to

leave me in this abrupt fashion! you don't seem to realize

the position. to-morrow is the examination. i must take

some definite action to-night. i cannot allow the

examination to be held if one of the papers has been

tampered with. the situation must be faced."

"you must leave it as it is. i shall drop round early

to-morrow morning and chat the matter over. it is possible

that i may be in a position then to indicate some course of

action. meanwhile you change nothing -- nothing at all."

"very good, mr. holmes."

"you can be perfectly easy in your mind. we shall

certainly find some way out of your difficulties. i will

take the black clay with me, also the pencil cuttings.

good-bye."

when we were out in the darkness of the quadrangle we again

looked up at the windows. the indian still paced his room.

the others were invisible.

"well, watson, what do you think of it?" holmes asked, as

we came out into the main street. "quite a little parlour

game -- sort of three-card trick, is it not? there are

your three men. it must be one of them. you take your

choice. which is yours?"

"the foul-mouthed fellow at the top. he is the one with

the worst record. and yet that indian was a sly fellow

also. why should he be pacing his room all the time?"

"there is nothing in that. many men do it when they are

trying to learn anything by heart."

"he looked at us in a queer way."

"so would you if a flock of strangers came in on you when

you were preparing for an examination next day, and every

moment was of value. no, i see nothing in that. pencils,

too, and knives -- all was satisfactory. but that fellow

_does_ puzzle me."

"who?"

"why, bannister, the servant. what's his game in the

matter?"

"he impressed me as being a perfectly honest man."

"so he did me. that's the puzzling part. why should a

perfectly honest man -- well, well, here's a large

stationer's. we shall begin our researches here."

there were only four stationers of any consequence in the

town, and at each holmes produced his pencil chips and bid

high for a duplicate. all were agreed that one could be

ordered, but that it was not a usual size of pencil and

that it was seldom kept in stock. my friend did not appear

to be depressed by his failure, but shrugged his shoulders

in half-humorous resignation.

"no good, my dear watson. this, the best and only final

clue, has run to nothing. but, indeed, i have little doubt

that we can build up a sufficient case without it. by

jove! my dear fellow, it is nearly nine, and the landlady

babbled of green peas at seven-thirty. what with your

eternal tobacco, watson, and your irregularity at meals,

i expect that you will get notice to quit and that i shall

share your downfall -- not, however, before we have solved

the problem of the nervous tutor, the careless servant, and

the three enterprising students."

holmes made no further allusion to the matter that day,

though he sat lost in thought for a long time after our

belated dinner. at eight in the morning he came into my

room just as i finished my toilet.

"well, watson," said he, "it is time we went down to st. luke's.

can you do without breakfast?"

"certainly."

"soames will be in a dreadful fidget until we are able to

tell him something positive."

"have you anything positive to tell him?"

"i think so."

"you have formed a conclusion