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

''Yes. sir
And ready to start with an explor-
ing ship:"
Yes sa"
'Nhat wages 60
Eight pounds Month"
Could You start at onceg"
As soon rs I get my kit"
Have you your papersyr
Yes, sir" He took a sheaf of worn
and greasy forms from his pocket.
Holmes glanced over them and return
ed tbeu.
You are Just the man 1 want" said
be "Eiere's the agreement on the side
table. II you sign il the whole matter
viii be settled
The seaman lurched across the room
and took up the pen.
Shall sign berc?" he asked. stoop-
ing over the table
Holmes leaned over his shoulder and
passed both hands over his neck.
This viii do" said he.
heard a click OF steel and n below
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 Holmes had so deftlv
fastened upon his wrists he would have
very quickly overpowered my friend
had Hopkins and l not rushed 20 his
rescue. Only when ! pressed the cold
muzzle OF the revolver 10 his temple
did he at last understand that resist
Rnce was vain. We dashed his ankles
with cord and rose breathless from the
struggle
i must really apologize. Hopkins"
said Sherlock Holmes Il fear that the
scrambled eggs are cold. However.
you will enjoy the rest Of your break
fast all the better. will you not. for the
tnought that you have brought your
case 10 triumphant conclusion"
Stanley Hopkins was speechiess with
amazement
Il don't know what 90 say. Mr..
Holmes" he blurted out al last. with
very red face 1t seems To me that
I have been making fool OF myself
from the beginning I understand now.
what / should never have forgotten.
that am the pupil and YOU are the
master. Even now / see what you
have done. but I don't know how YOU
did IL or what IL signifies"
We'll. we'll" said Holmes good hu-
moredly. We all learn by experience.
aud your lesson this time is that YOU
should never lose sight OF the alterna-
tive. You were 50 absorbed in young
Neligan that you could not spare a
thought 10 Patrick Cairns. the true
murderer Of Peter carey"
The hoarse voice OF the seaman broke
In on our conversation
See here. mister" said he. Il make
no complaint Of being man handled In
this fashion, hut I would have you call
things by their right names. You say
/ murdered Peter Carey: I say / killed
Peter Carey. and there's all the differ
ence Maybe you don't believe what
say. Maybe you think am Just sling
ing you "A yarn"
Not at all" said Holmes. aLet US
hear what you have 10 say"
Its soon told. and. by the Lord. ev-
cry word or IL is truth knew Black
Peter. and when he pulled out his knife
i whipped a barpOon through him
sharp. for 7 knew that 1t was him or
me. That's how he died. You can call
II murder. Anyhow, I'd as soon die
with rope round my neck as with
Black Peters knife in my heart"
How came you thereY' asked
Holmes.
I'm tell II you from the beginning.
Just sit me UP a little so as I can speak
easy. IL was in 'S3 that il happened
August OF that year. Peter Carey was
master OF the Sea Unicorn, aud / was
spare haFpooner We We're coming cut
OF the Ice pack on our way home, with
head Winds and weeks sOutherly
gale, when we picked up a little craft !
that had been blown north. There was
one man on her-a landsman. The crew /,
had thought she would founder and
had made for the Norwegian coast In a
dingey. / guess they were all drowned. /
Well, we took him on board. this man, 4
and he and the skipper had some long !
talks in the cabin. All the baggage we /
took on with him was one tin box. So
far as / know. the mans name was
never mentioned. and on the second 3
night he disappeared as II be had never
been. II was given out that be had
either thrown himself overheard OF
fallen overheard in the heavy weather +
that we were having. Only one man I
knew what had happened TO him, and
that was me. for with my own eyes 1 j
saw the skipper tip up his heels and
put him over the rail in the middle
watch Of dark night two days before
we sighted the Shetland lights.
well. / kept my knowledge TO my
self and waited to see what would |
come Of II. When we got back to Scot
land II 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 Pc
ter Carey gave up the see, and 1t was
long years before could fipd where be
vas / guessed that he bad done the
deed for the sake OF what was IN that 4