The San Francisco call., 1905-04-09
'.And ready to start with au-ex-

Yes, sir.
What wageS?"
Eight pounds a month"
Gould you start at once?"
AS soon as / get my kit
Have you your papers?"
Yes, sir" He took q 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
Inc seaman lurched across the
room and took up the pen
Shall l sign here?" he asked.
STOPPING over the table.
Holmes leaned over his shoulder
ano passed both hands over his neck.
This will do" said he.
1 heard a click of steel and a
oelloW like an enraged bull. The next
instant Holmes and the seaman were
rolling on the ground together. He
was man of such gigantic strength
that, even with the handouts which
Holmes had so deity fastened upon
his wrists. he would have very quick
ly overpowered my friend had Hop
kinS and | not rushed to his rescue
Only when / pressed the cold muzzIe
of the revolver to his temple did he at
last understand that resistance was
Ndlit. we ldSQeQ his ankles with cord
ana rose breathleSs from the struggle.
Il must apologize, Hopkins" said
Sherlock Holmes. Il fear that the
scrambled eggs are cold. However. YOU
will enjoy the rest of your breakfast
all the better, win you not. for the
thought that You have brought your
case to triumphant cOnclusion?"
Stanley Hopkins was speechless with
amazement.
Il don't know what to say, Mr..
Holmes" he blurted out at last, with
a very red face. 1T seems to me that
/ have been making a fool OF myself
from the beginning. / understand now
what 1 should never have forgotten
that 1 am the pupil and you ara tho
master. Even now see what you have
done, but / don't know how you did
it or what it signifies"
We'll, WE'LL" said Holiness good hu-
moredly. I'VE all learn by experience.
and your lesson this time is that you
should never lose sight Of the alterna-
tive. 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, II make
no complaint of being man-handled in
this fashion. but would have you call
things by their right names. You say
/ murdered Peter Carey; ! say killed
Peter Carey, and there's all the dif-
ference. Maybe you don't believe what
1 say; maybe you think 1 am just
singing you a yarn.
mot at ALL said Holmes. Let US
hear what you have to say"
It's soon told, and. by the Lord. ev-
cry word Of it is truth. ] knew Black
Peter, and when he pulled out hts knife
1 whipped a harpoon through him
sharp. for 1 knew that 1t was him or
me. That's how he died. You can call
it murder Anyhow, I'd as soon die
with a rope around my neck as with
Black Peters knife in my heart"
How came you there2" asked
Holmes.
''I'u tell it you from the beginning.
Just sit up little, so 1 can speak easy.
1t was in 'S3 that it happened-Au-
gust of that year. Peter Carey was
master of the Sea Unicorn, and I was
spare harrooner. We were coming out
of the ice pack on our way home. with
head winds and a weeks sOutherly
gale, when we picked UP a little craft
that had been blown north. There was
one man on her-a landsnan. The crew
had thought she would founder and
had made for the Norwegian coast in
the dingy. I guess they were all
drowned. Well. we took him on board,
this man, and he and the skipper had
some long talks In the cabin. All the
baggage we took OF with him was one
tin box. So Tar as I know the mans
name was never mentioned. and on the
second night he disappeared as II he
had never been. 1t was given out that
he had either thrown himself overheard
OF fallen overheard in the heavy
weather that we were having. Only
one mar knew what had happened to
him, and that was me, for, with my
own eyes, ] saw the skipper tip up his
heels and put him over the rail in the
middle watch Of a dark night, two
days before we sighted the Shetland
Lights.
We'll, I kept my knowledge to my
self, and waited to see what would
come of it, When we got back to Scot
land 1t was easily hushed up, and no
body asked any questions. A stranger
died by accident, and it was nobody's
business to inquire. Shortly after Peter
Carey gave UP the sea, and 1t was long
years before could find where he was.
/ guessed that he had done the deed
for the sake Of what was IN the tin
box and that he could afford now to
pay me well for keeping my mouth
shut.
Il found out where he was through
a sailor man that had met him in Lon
don, and down I went to squeeze him.
The first night he was reasonable
enough, ana was Teduy U 6lNo 4Alc
what would make me free OF the sea
for life. We were to fix 1t all two
nights later. When / came I found
him three parts drunk and In vile
temper We sat down and we drank
and we yarned about old times, but
the more he drank the less liked the
look on his face. 1 spotted that har-
poon upon the wall and / thought
might need 1t before I was through
Then at last he broke out at me, spit
ting and cursing, with murder IN his
eyes and great claspknife In his
hand He had not time to get 1t from
the sheath before / had the harpoon
through him. Heavensl what a yell
he gave! and his face gets between
me and my sleep. 1 stood there. with
his blood splashing round me, and
waited for a bit, but all was quiet.
so / took heart once more. / looked
round and there was the tinbox on the
shelf. I had as much right to 1t as
Peter Carey anyhow, so took II with
me and left the hut. Like a fool LETT
my baccy-pouch upon the table.
Now I'll tell you the queerest part