Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1895-04-04

cases Wnlcn IL Is their duty 10 lnVeStl-
gate"
Isn't it gorgeous!" said Holmes,
grinning over his coffee cup. What
do you think of it?'
al think that we have had close
shave ourselves of being arrested for
the crime"
$50 do !. wCG'dn't answer for our
safety now, ifhe sLou4,. ..apren to have
another of his attacks of energy
At this moment there was loud
ring at the bell, and l could hear Mrs.
Hudson. our landlady, raising her
voice in a wall of ofexpostulation and dis
may.
by heaven, Holmes" / said, half
rising, 81 believe that they are really
after us"
mo, it's not quite so bad as that. It
is the unofficial force-the Baker street
irregulars."
AS he spoke, there came a swift pat
tering of naked feet upon the stairs, a
clatter of high voices, and in rushed
dozen dirty and ragged little street.
Arabs. There was some show of disci-
pline among them. despite their tu-
multuous entry, for they instantly
drew up in line and stood facing us
with expectant faces One of their
number, taller and older than the 9TH
ers, stood forward with an air of loung-
ing superiority which was very funny
in such disreputable little scarecrow.
'Got your message, sir" said he,
land brought 'em on sharp. Three bob
and a tanner for tickets"
Here you are" said Holmes, pro-
ducing some silver I'm future they
can report to you, Virgins, and you to
me. cannot have the house invaded
in this way However, it is just as well
that you should all hear the instruc-
tions. want to find the whereabouts
of a steam launch called the Aurora,
owner Mordecai Smith, black with two
red streaks, funnel black with white
band. She is down the river some
where. want one boy TO be at Nor
decai Smiths landing-stage opposite
Millbank to say if the boat comes back.
You must divide it out among your
selves, and do both banks thoroughly.
Let me know the moment you have
news. Is that all clear?"
"Yes, guv'nor," said Virgins.
THE old scale of pay, and a guinea
to the boy who finds the boat. Here's
a day in advance. Now off you gor'
He handed them shilling each, and
away they buzzed down the stairs, and
] 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 everyone. ! expect to hear
before evening that they have spotted
her In the meanwhile, 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, dare
say. Are you going to bed, Holmes?"
mo; am not tired. / have curl
ous constitution. | never remember
feeling tired by work, though idleness
exhausts me completely. | 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 COM
mon, but the other man must, should
THAT other man againr'
81 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
footmarlzs, toes never fettered by
boots, naked feet, stone-headed wooden
mace. great agility, small poisoned
darts What do you make of all this?"
"a savager | exclaimed. Perhaps
one of those Indians who were the as
sociates of Jonathan Small"
Hardly that" said he. when first
] saw signs of strange weapons l was
inclined to think so; but the remark
able character of the footmarlls 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 blowpipe Now, then,
where are we to find our savage"
s'South American" 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. 1t may
be looked upon as the very latest
authority. What have we here? An
daman islands, situated three hun
dred and forty miles to the north OF
Sumatra, in the bay of Bengal Hum!
huml 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 Bush
men 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 peo-
pie, though capable of forming most
devoted friendships when their conf
dence has once been gained Mark
that. Watson Now, then, listen to
this: They are naturally /hideous,
having large, misshapen heads, small,
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