Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-08-12

a sailor man that had met him in Lon
don. and down ] went 70 squeeze him.
The first night he was reasonable
enough and was ready 20 give me what
would make me free OF tae sea for life
We We're 10 dx Il sly two nights later.
When / came Iffound him three parts
drunk. d-aA vile temper We sat
down. and we drank. and we yarned
about old times. but the mere he drank
the less / liked the look on his face.
| spotted that harpo0n upon the wall.
and l thought / might need il before I
4 was through. Then at last he broke
out at me. splitting and cursing. with
murder il his eyes and a great clasp
knife in bis hand he had not time
, 10 get 4 from the sheath before had
the harpOou through him. Heavens,
. what a yell he gave! And his face gets
I between me and my sleep. / stood
there. with his blood splashing round
me, and l waited for a bit. but aE
was quiet. 50 I took heart once more.
l looked round. and there was the tin
box on the shelf. l had as much right
J 10 it as Peter Carey. anyhow. so 1 took
1t with me aud left the hut. Like a
fool, left my baccy pouch upon the
table
Now In tell you the queerest part
Of the whole story. l had hardly got
outside the hut when / heard some
one coming. and I hid among the
bushes A n came sinking along.
went into the hrt ave cry as IL ne
had seen a ghost md legged it as hard
as he could run "a he was out OF
sight Who be was or what he wanted
is more than l can tell. For my part
walked ten miles, got a train at I'un-
bridge Wells. and so reached London
and no one tine wiser.
We'll. when I came TO examine tine
! box ] found there was no money I'm if
and nothing but papers that I would
not dare 20 SELL had lost my hold
on Black Peter and was stranded in
London without a shilling There was
/ only my trade left I saw these ad-
vertisements about harpooners and
high wages. 50 I went 10 the shipping
! agents. aud they sent me here. That's
all I know. and 7 say again thar II
killed Black Peter the law should give
me thanks for l saved them the price
OF hempen rope"
"A very clear statement" said
Holmes. rising and lighting his pipe
II think Hopkins that you should
lose no time in conveying your pris-
oner % n place OF safety This room
is not well adapted for n cell. and Mr..
Patrick Cairus occupies too large =
proportion OF our carpet"
"Mr Holmes" said Hopkins. I do
aot know how 20 express my gratitude.
Even now ] 10 not understand how
Fou attained this result"
simply by having the good fortune
to get the right clew from the begin
ming II is very possible il / had
known about this notebook II might
have lei away my thoughts. as il did
yours. But all / heard pointed ia the
one direction The amazing strength.
the skill in the use OF the harpoon. the
rum and water. the sealskin tobacco
pouch with the coarse tobacco-au
these pointed 10 a seaman and one
who had been a whaler was con-
WINGED that the initials p. c. upon the
pouch were a coincidence and not
those OF Peter Carey. since be seldom
smoked and no pipe was found in his
cabin. You remember that 1 asked
whether whisky and brandy were in
the cabin. You said they were. How
many landsmen are there who would
drink rum when they could get these
other spirits? Yes, / was certain il
was a seaman"
And how did you End himg"
MY dear sir. the problem had be-
- Gin s~nfa
seaman Il could only be a seaman who
had been with him on the Sea Unicorn.
SO far as / could learn he had sailed
In no other ship. 1 spent three days In
wiring 10 Dundee and at the end of
that time I had ascertained the names
OF the crew Of the Sea Unicorn IN 1883
When l found Patrick Cairns among
the harpoOners my research was near
ing its end. / argued that the man
was probably in London and that he
would desire 10 leave the country for
time. l therefore spent some days
In the east end, devised an arctic ex-
petition. put forth tempting terms for
harpooners who would serve Under
Captain Basil-and behold the resuItr' |
'WOnderfulr' cried Hopkins. WON
derfulr
"You must obtain the release OF !
young Neligan as soon as possible"
said Holmes. Il confess that I think /
you owe him some apology. The tin /
box must be returned to him; but, OF /
course, the securities which PeIer Ca
rey has sold are lost forever. There's |
the cab. Hopkins, and you can remove |
your man. II you want me for the /
trial, my address and that OF Watson /
will be somewhere In Norway. I'll
send particulars later"