re--by
which he means, of course, my dismissal--until my health was restored
and I had an opportunity of repairing my misfortune."

"Well, that was reasonable and considerate," said Holmes. "Come, Watson,
for we have a good day's work before us in town."

Mr. Joseph Harrison drove us down to the station, and we were soon
whirling up in a Portsmouth train. Holmes was sunk in profound thought,
and hardly opened his mouth until we had passed Clapham Junction.

"It's a very cheery thing to come into London by any of these lines
which run high, and allow you to look down upon the houses like this."

I thought he was joking, for the view was sordid enough, but he soon
explained himself.

"Look at those big, isolated clumps of building rising up above the
slates, like brick islands in a lead-colored sea."

"The board-schools."

"Light-houses, my boy! Beacons of the future! Capsules with hundreds of
bright little seeds in each, out of which will spring the wise, better
England of the future. I suppose that man Phelps does not drink?"

"I should not think so."

"Nor should I, but we are bound to take every possibility into account.
The poor devil has certainly got himself into very deep water, and it's
a question whether we shall ever be able to get him ashore. What did you
think of Miss Harrison?"

"A girl of strong character."

"Yes, but she is a good sort, or I am mistaken. She and her brother are
the only children of an iron-master somewhere up Northumberland way. He
got engaged to her when traveling last winter, and she came down to
be introduced to his people, with her brother as escort. Then came
the smash, and she stayed on to nurse her lover, while brother Joseph,
finding himself pretty snug, stayed on too. I've been making a few
independent inquiries, you see. But to-day must be a day of inquiries."

"My practice--" I began.

"Oh, if you find your own cases more interesting than mine--" said
Holmes, with some asperity.

"I was going to say that my practice could get along very well for a day
or two, since it is the slackest time in the year."

"Excellent," said he, recovering his good-humor. "Then we'll look into
this matter together. I think that we should begin by seeing Forbes.
He can probably tell us all the details we want until we know from what
side the case is to be approached."

"You said you had a clue?"

"Well, we have several, but we can only test their value by further
inquiry. The mo