Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-02-19

Quite so. argued that the launch must be no great way of, in spite of its instability. I then put myself in tho placo of Small and looked at it as a man of his capacity would. He would proba- bly consider that to send back the launch or to keep it at n wharf would make pur- suit easy if the police did happen to get on his track, How, then, could he conceal the launch and yet have her on hand when wanted! l wondered what would do my self if were in his shoes. I could only think of one way of doing 1t. l might hand the launch over to some boatbuilder or rcpairCr, with directions to make n tri- fling change in her She would then be removed to his shed or yard, and so be | effectually concealed, while at tho same time could havo her at few hours mo- tice.'
 That seems simple enough" It is just thcsc very simple things which are extremely liable to be over | looked. However, l determined to act on the idea. l started at once in this harmless scaman's rig and inquired at all the yards | down the river. I drew blanks at 15, but at the sixtCenth-Jacobson 's-I learned that tho Aurora had been handed over to | them two days ago by n wooden legged man, with some trivial directions as iu her l ruddcr. There ain't naught amisS with
  I lies, with the rcd streak> .,t that mo- mcnt who should come down hUt Murle- | cai smith, the missing owner, He was rather tho worse for liquor. I should not, | of course have known him. but he bel | lowed out his name and the name uf his | launch. l want her tonight at clock, said hc-'S o'clock sharp, mind for have | two gentlemen who won t be kept waiting They had evidently paid him well, for he l1,ch nf rhnrEinrr Shf | lings about to the men. followed him | some distance, but he subsidcd into an | alehousc, so I went back to the yard, and l happening to pick up one of my boys on the way I stationed him as a sentry over l the launch. He is to stand Ut the waters edge and wave his handkerchief to us | when they start. We shall be lying off in the stream, and it will hn q strange thing 1 if we do not take men, treasure and all" 'You have planned it all very neatly, whether they arc the right men or not" said Jones, but if the affair were in my hands 1 should have had n body of police in Jacohsun's yard and arrested them l when they came down"
 | Which would havc been ncVpr. This man Small is n pretty shrcwd fellow. He | would send scout on ahead, and if any thing mado him suspicious he would lie snug for another week.
 l But you might have stuck to Mordecai Smith, and so been led to their hiding place, " said |
 l Tn that case should have wasted my day think that 1t is a hundred to ono | against smith knowing where they live As long as he has liquor and good pay why should he ask questions? They send him messages what to do. No; thought over every possible course, and this is the best" While this convcrsation had been pro cecding wC had been shooting the long sc ries of bridges which span the Thames | As we passed the city the last rays of tho sun were gliding the cross upon the sum- init of St. pauls. It was twilight before wo reached the Tower.
 | That iS JaCohSon' yard, said Holmes, | pointing to a hristlc of masts and rigging on the SuIreysidc. Cruise gently up and down hrrr under cover of this string of lighters" He took q pair of night glasses from his pocket and gazcd for some time | at the shore. II sec my sentry at his post, hc remarked. hut no sign of n handkcr 1 chief
 ''SuppuSr We go down stream short | way and lie in wait for them, v said Jones ] eagerly We were all eager by this time, | even the policemen and stokers, who had very NaEu" idea of what was going for l ward
 | " nave Iu ElSlL to l1hS any lDlLsS LOT | granted, Holmes answered. It is cer- tainly ten tu ouc that they go down stream, but we cannot be certain. From this point we CIu sec the entrance to tho yard, md ~thry eau hardly sec us. Ii will bg clear night md plenty Of light We must stay where we arc, Sec how the folk swarm over wonder in tho gaslight.''
 They are coming from work in the yard.
 Dirty looking rascalS, but suppose cv cry ono has some little immortal spark con ccalcd about him. You would not think il tO look at them. There is no n priOrl probability about it A strange enigma is man"
 'Somr one calls him n soul concealed in an animal" I suggested
 "Winwuod Rcade Is good upon the sub jcCt,' said Holmes. He remarks that, while the individual man is an insoluble puzzle, in the aggregate he becomes a mathematical certainty. You can, for cx- ample, never forctcll what any ono man will do but you can say with precision what an average number will hc up to. Individuals vary, but percentages remain constant So says the statistician, But do 1 scc n handkerchief? Surely there is n white 1uttcr over wonder"
 "IcS, it is your boy, cried. I can see him plainly.
 And there is the Aurora, |" exclaimed Holmes, and going like cho devil! Full speed ahead. engineer. Mako after that launch with tho yellow light. By heaven, I shall never forgive myself if shc proves to have tho heels of us!''
 She had slipped unseen through the yard entrance and passed behind two or three small craft, so that she had fairly got her speed up before we saw her Now ! elk ox1-nz nx-it, Hp eNr sy, 10 the shore going at u tremendous rate. Jones looked gravely at her and shook his | head
 She is very fast, he said Il doubt if We shall catch her
 We must catch hcr!' cried Holmes be. tween his teeth. Heap it on, stokers! Mako her do all she can! If we burn the boat, we must have them!''
 Wo wero fairly after them now. The furnaces roarrd, and the powerful engines whizzcd and clankrsI like n Gssnt metallic heart Her shalp, >t' 'prnwtINIt through the still river water I'.-i Srnt two rolling waves to right and tu lrit Of us. With ev. cry throb of tho engines wc sprang and quivcrcd like living tnng. One great yellow lantern in our bows threw long, flickering funnel of light in front of us. Right ahead n dark blur upon the water | showed where tho Aurora lay, and the swirl of whito foam behind her spoke of tho pace at which sho was going Wo flashed past barSCs steamers, merchant ! vessels in and out, behind this one and round tho other Voices nailed us out of the darkness, but still the Aurora thun- dered on, and still wo followed close upon l her track.
 Pile it on, men, pile it on!' cried Holmes, looking down into the engine I rOOn1 while fhn fprCo plONy from halpyv beat upon his eager, aquiline face Get
 Ivcry pound of steam you can." II think we gain little," said Jones, 1 I,ifl, his r,hn fhn Am