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Our ly hen he chose, and that night he did choose He appeared to be in a state of nervous exaltation I have never known him so brilliant He spoke on a quick succession of subjects,--on miracle-plays, on medieval pottery, on Stradivarius violins, on the Buddhis each as though he had ht humordays Athelney Jones proved to be a sociable soul in his hours of relaxation, and faced his dinner with the air of a bon vivant Forthe end of our task, and I caught so dinner to the cause which had brought us together

When the cloth was cleared, Hollasses with port "One bumper," said he, "to the success of our little expedition And now it is high time ere off Have you a pistol, Watson?"

"I have my old service-revolver in my desk"

"You had best take it, then It is well to be prepared I see that the cab is at the door I ordered it for half-past six"

It was a little past seven before we reached the West us Hol to reen lamp at the side"

"Then take it off"

The se was made, we stepped on board, and the ropes were cast off Jones, Holmes, and I sat in the stern There was one ines, and two burly police-inspectors forward

"Where to?" asked Jones

"To the Tower Tell them to stop opposite Jacobson's Yard"

Our craft was evidently a very fast one We shot past the long lines of loaded barges as though they were stationary Holmes smiled with satisfaction as we overhauled a river steaht to be able to catch anything on the river," he said

"Well, hardly that But there are not many launches to beat us"

"We shall have to catch the Aurora, and she has a na a clipper I will tell you how the land lies, Watson You recollect how annoyed I was at being balked by so sh rest by plunging into a chereatest statese of work is the best rest So it is When I had succeeded in dissolving the hydrocarbon which I was at work at, I caht the whole ain My boys had been up the river and down the river without result The launch was not at any landing-stage or wharf, nor had it returned Yet it could hardly have been scuttled to hide their traces,--though that always remained as a possible hypothesis if all else failed I knew this , but I did not think hi in the nature of delicate finesse That is usually a product of higher education I then reflected that since he had certainly been in London some time--as we had evidence that he e--he could hardly leave at a moment's notice, but would need soe his affairs That was the balance of probability, at any rate"