s

and left it with the lodge-keeper.

"it may be a hit or it may be a miss, but we are bound to do

something for friend hopkins, just to justify this second visit,"

said he. "i will not quite take him into my confidence yet. i

think our next scene of operations must be the shipping office of

the adelaide-southampton line, which stands at the end of pall

mall, if i remember right. there is a second line of steamers

which connect south australia with england, but we will draw the

larger cover first."

holmes's card sent in to the manager ensured instant attention,

and he was not long in acquiring all the information which he

needed. in june of '95 only one of their line had reached a home

port. it was the _rock of gibraltar_, their largest and best

boat. a reference to the passenger list showed that miss fraser

of adelaide, with her maid, had made the voyage in her. the boat

was now on her way to australia, somewhere to the south of the

suez canal. her officers were the same as in '95, with one

exception. the first officer, mr. jack croker, had been made a

captain, and was to take charge of their new ship, the _bass

rock_, sailing in two days' time from southampton. he lived at

sydenham, but he was likely to be in that morning for

instructions, if we cared to wait for him.

no; mr. holmes had no desire to see him, but would be glad to know

more about his record and character.

his record was magnificent. there was not an officer in the fleet

to touch him. as to his character, he was reliable on duty, but a

wild, desperate fellow off the deck of his ship, hot-headed,

excitable, but loyal, honest, and kind-hearted. that was the pith

of the information with which holmes left the office of the

adelaide-southampton company. thence he drove to scotland yard,

but instead of entering he sat in his cab with his brows drawn

down, lost in profound thought. finally he drove round to the

charing cross telegraph office, sent off a message, and then, at

last, we made for baker street once more.

"no, i couldn't do it, watson," said he, as we re-entered our

room. "once that warrant was made out nothing on earth would save

him. once or twice in my career i feel that i have done more real

harm by my discovery of the criminal than ever he had done by his

crime. i have learned caution now, and i had rather play tricks

with the law of england than with my own conscience. let us know

a little more before we act."

before evening we had a visit from inspector stanley hopkins.

things were not going very well with him.

"i believe that you are a wizard, mr. holmes. i really do

sometimes think that you have powers that are not human. now, how

on earth could you know that the stolen silver was at the bottom

of that pond?"

"i didn't know it."

"but you told me to examine it."

"you got it, then?"

"yes, i got it."

"i am very glad if i have helped you."

"but you haven't helped me. you have made the affair far more

difficult. what sort of burglars are they who steal silver and

then throw it into the nearest pond?"

"it was certainly rather eccentric behaviour. i was merely going

on the idea that if the silver had been taken by persons who did

not want it, who merely took it for a blind as it were, then they

would naturally be anxious to get rid of it."

"but why should such an idea cross your mind?"

"well, i thought it was possible. when they came out through the

french window there was the pond, with one tempting little hole in

the ice, right in front of their noses. could there be a better

hiding-place?"

"ah, a hiding-place -- that is better!" cried stanley hopkins.

"yes, yes, i see it all now! it was early, there were folk upon

the roads, they were afraid of being seen with the silver, so they

sank it in the pond, intending to return for it when the coast was

clear. excellent, mr. holmes -- that is better than your idea of

a blind."

"quite so; you have got an admirable theory. i have no doubt that

my own ideas were quite wild, but you must admit that they have

ended in discovering the silver."

"yes, sir, yes. it was all your doing. but i have had a bad

set-back."

"a set-back?"

"yes, mr. holmes. the randall gang were arrested in new york this

morning."

"dear me, hopkins! that is certainly rather against your theory

that they committed a murder in kent last night."

"it is fatal, mr. holmes, absolutely fatal. still, there are

other gangs of three besides the randalls, or it may be some new

gang of which the police have never heard."

"quite so; it is perfectly possible. what, are you off?"

yes, mr. holmes; there is no rest for me until i have got to the

bottom of the business. i suppose you have no hint to give me?"

"i have given you one."

"which?"

"well, i suggested a blind."

"but why, mr. holmes, why?"

"