after the fleeing
Budd, who was making a large cloud of dust behind himself down the
road toward the village. In a minute or two, the Earl and I, standing
on the front lawn, saw Holmes and the farmer overtake Budd, with their
horse galloping, and the wagon tearing along most of the time on three
wheels. Leaping out of the wagon at just the right moment, my
resourceful partner landed squarely on the back of Budd, and bore him
to the ground in a cloud of dust and execrations, while the farmer,
stopping his panting horse, got out and assisted Holmes to tie up
Budd's ankles with a piece of rope that he fortunately had with him in
the wagon. Then they lifted the now powerless crook into the wagon,
and drove more slowly back to the castle, while Holmes explained the
situation to the farmer.

"Well, I guess we might as well use this conveyance to take Budd down
to the railroad station ourselves," said Holmes, as the wagon stopped
in front of us, and he patted his coat-pocket where he had the dozen
cuff-buttons. "Those constables would probably take a year getting out
here anyhow, and I can also take your twelve cuff-buttons that caused
all the trouble into London with me, instead of your waiting to send
them by express. I'll take 'em to the Bank of England all right, get a
receipt from the safety deposit department there, and mail it to you;
and you can mail me your check for the twenty thousand pounds reward.
You know my address, 221-B Baker Street. I can't stand on ceremony now,
as I want to get this fellow Budd into the hands of the jailer P. D.
Q., before he pulls off another attempted escape, so I'll just ask you
to say good-by to Her Ladyship the Countess for me, and give my regards
to Joe Harrigan, Louis La Violette, and Heinie Blumenroth,--the only
three among the servants who showed any brains,--and my prayers for
brains for all the others. Ta, ta! George! You're a pretty good fellow
yourself!"

"Good-by, Holmes, and my best congratulations for capturing that man
Budd the second time. I'll mail you the check right away, so you'll
get it this afternoon in town."

And the Earl waved his hand at us, as I climbed into the wagon and
joined Holmes on our farewell trip. Halfway down to the village, I
took my handkerchief, at Holmes's command, and made a gag out of it to
tie in Budd's mouth, to prevent the flow of a very profane line of
talk that he inflicted on the atmosphere.

The farmer's name was Henry Hankins, and H