Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-09-21

bushes. A man came Sinking along,
| Went into the hut, gave a cry as if he
had seen a ghost and legged it as hard
as he could run until he was out Of
sight. Who he was or what he wanted
is more than l can tell. For my part,
I walked ten miles, got a train at Tun-
bridge Wells, and SO reached London
and nc II the wiser.
We'll. when l came to examine the
box I found there was no money in it
and nothing but papers that 1 would
not dare to sell. l had lost my hold
on Black Peter and was stranded in
only my trade left. l saw these ad-
vertisements about h%arpooners and
high wages. so l went to the shipping
agents. and they sent me here. That's
all 1 know. and l say again that if I
killed Black Peter the law should give
me thanks. for l saved them the price
Of a hempen rope"
"a very clear statement" said
Holmes. rising and lighting his pipe.
Il think. Hopkins, that you should
lose no time in conveying Your pris-
oner to a place of safety. This room
is not we'll adapted for a cell, and Mr..
Patrick Cairns occupies too large a
proportion of our carpet"
MI. Holiness said Hopkins, II do
Eot know how to express my gratitude.
Even now l do o understand how
you attained this result"
"Simn1r nv bnyinp tho roo5 fort,,,o
to get the right clew from the begin
ming. 1t is very possible if 1 had
known about this notebook it might
have led away my thoughts. as it did
yours. But all l heard pointed in 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-all
these pointed to a canaan and one
who had been a whaler. l was con-
WINGED that the initials p. c. upon the
pouch We're a coincidence and not
those Of Peter Carey. since he seldom
smoked and no pipe was found in his
cabin. You remember that l 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, l was certain it
was a seaman"
And how did you find him?'
My dear sir. the problem had be-
come a very simple one. If it were a
seaman it could only be a seaman who
had been with him On fhe Sea Unicorn.
So far as l could learn he had sailed
in no other ship. I spent three days in
wiring to Dundee. and at the end of
that time l 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. l argued that the man
was probably in London and that he
would desire to leave the country for
a time. l therefore spent some days
in the east end, devised an arctic *
petition. put forth tempting terms for
~harpooners who would serve under
Captain Basil-and behold the result
"Wonderfuln!' cried Hopkins. "Won-
derful,,"
you must obtain the release of
young Neligan as soon as possible
said Holmes. Il confess that l think
you w him some apology. The tin
box must be returned to him: but, of
course, the securities which Peter 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"