`It seems a singularly useless thing to steal,' said Sherlock Holmes. `I confess that I share Dr. Mortimer's belief that it will not be long before the missing boot is found.'
`And, now, gentlemen,' said the baronet with decision, `it seems to me that I have spoken quite enough about the little that I know. It is time that you kept your promise and gave me a full account of what we are all driving at.'
`Your request is a very reasonable one,' Holmes answered. `Dr.
Mortimer, I think you could not do better than to tell your story as you told it to us.'
Thus encouraged, our scientific friend drew his papers from his pocket and presented the whole case as he had done upon the morning before.
Sir Henry Baskerville listened with the deepest attention and with an occasional exclamation of surprise.
`Well, I seem to have come into an inheritance with a vengeance,' said he when the long narrative was finished. `Of course, I've heard of the hound ever since I was in the nursery. It's the pet story of the family, though I never thought of taking it seriously before. But as to my uncle's death - well, it all seems boiling up in my head, and I can't get it clear yet. You don't seem quite to have made up your mind whether it's a case for a policeman or a clergyman.'
`Precisely.'
`And now there's this affair of the letter to me at the hotel.
I suppose that fits into its place.'
`It seems to show that someone knows more than we do about what goes on upon the moor,' said Dr. Mortimer.
`And also,' said Holmes, `that someone is not ill-disposed towards you, since they warn you of danger.'
`Or it may be that they wish, for their own purposes, to scare me away.'
`Well, of course, that is possible also. I am very much indebted to you, Dr. Mortimer, for introducing me to a problem which presents several interesting alternatives. But the practical point which we now have to decide, Sir Henry, is whether it is or is not advisable for you to go to Baskerville Hall.'
`Why should I not go?'
`There seems to be danger.'
`Do you mean danger from this family fiend or do you mean danger from human beings?'
`Well, that is what we have to find out.'
`Whichever it is, my answer is fixed. There is no devil in hell, Mr. Holmes, and there is no man upon earth who can prevent me from going to the home of my own people, and you may take that to be my final answer.'
His dark brows knitted and his face flushed to a dusky red as he spoke.
It was evident that the fiery temper of the Baskervilles was not extinct in this their last representative. `Meanwhile,' said he, `I have hardly had time to think over all that you have told me. It's a big thing for a man to have to understand and to decide at one sitting. I should like to have a quiet hour by myself to make up my mind. Now, look here, Mr.
Holmes, it's half-past eleven now and I am going back right away to my hotel. Suppose you and your friend, Dr. Watson, come round and lunch with us at two. I'll be able to tell you more clearly then how this thing strikes me.'
`Is that convenient to you, Watson?'
`Perfectly.'
`Then you may expect us. Shall I have a cab called?'
`I'd prefer to walk, for this affair has flurried me rather.'
`I'll join you in a walk, with pleasure,' said his companion.
`Then we meet again at two o'clock. Au revoir, and good-morning!'
We heard the steps of our visitors descend the stair and the bang of the front door. In an instant Holmes had changed from the languid dreamer to the man of action.
`Your hat and boots, Watson, quick! Not a moment to lose!' He rushed into his room in his dressing-gown and was back again in a few seconds in a frock-coat. We hurried together down the stairs and into the street.
Dr. Mortimer and Baskerville were still visible about two hundred yards ahead of us in the direction of Oxford Street.
`Shall I run on and stop them?'
`Not for the world, my dear Watson. I am perfectly satisfied with your company if you will tolerate mine. Our friends are wise, for it is certainly a very fine morning for a walk.'
He quickened his pace until we had decreased the distance which divided us by about half. Then, still keeping a hundred yards behind, we followed into Oxford Street and so down Regent Street. Once our friends stopped and stared into a shop window, upon which Holmes did the same.
An instant afterwards he gave a little cry of satisfaction, and, following the direction of his eager eyes, I saw that a hansom cab with a man inside which had halted on the other side of the street was now proceeding slowly onward again.
`There's our man, Watson! Come along! We'll have a good look at him, if we can do no more.'
At that instant I was aware of a bushy black beard and a pair of piercing eyes turned upon us through the side window of the cab. Instantly the trapdoor at the top flew up, something was screamed to the driver, and the cab flew madly off down Regent Street. Holmes looked eagerly round for another, but no-empty one was in sight. Then he dashed in wild pursuit amid the stream of the traffic, but the start was too great, and already the cab was out of sight.
