am perfectly fresh now, and quite ready for
another night's outing."

"No, we can do nothing. We can only wait. If we go ourselves, the
message might come in our absence, and delay be caused. You can do
what you will, but I must remain on guard."

"Then I shall run over to Camberwell and call upon Mrs. Cecil
Forrester. She asked me to, yesterday."

"On Mrs. Cecil Forrester?" asked Holmes, with the twinkle of a smile in
his eyes.

"Well, of course Miss Morstan too. They were anxious to hear what
happened."

"I would not tell them too much," said Holmes. "Women are never to be
entirely trusted,--not the best of them."

I did not pause to argue over this atrocious sentiment. "I shall be
back in an hour or two," I remarked.

"All right! Good luck! But, I say, if you are crossing the river you
may as well return Toby, for I don't think it is at all likely that we
shall have any use for him now."

I took our mongrel accordingly, and left him, together with a
half-sovereign, at the old naturalist's in Pinchin Lane. At Camberwell
I found Miss Morstan a little weary after her night's adventures, but
very eager to hear the news. Mrs. Forrester, too, was full of
curiosity. I told them all that we had done, suppressing, however, the
more dreadful parts of the tragedy. Thus, although I spoke of Mr.
Sholto's death, I said nothing of the exact manner and method of it.
With all my omissions, however, there was enough to startle and amaze
them.

"It is a romance!" cried Mrs. Forrester. "An injured lady, half a
million in treasure, a black cannibal, and a wooden-legged ruffian.
They take the place of the conventional dragon or wicked earl."

"And two knight-errants to the rescue," added Miss Morstan, with a
bright glance at me.

"Why, Mary, your fortune depends upon the issue of this search. I don't
think that you are nearly excited enough. Just imagine what it must be
to be so rich, and to have the world at your feet!"

It sent a little thrill of joy to my heart to notice that she showed no
sign of elation at the prospect. On the contrary, she gave a toss of
her proud head, as though the matter were one in which she took small
interest.

"It is for Mr. Thaddeus Sholto that I am anxious," she said. "Nothing
else is of any consequence; but I think that he has behaved most kindly
and honorably throughout. It is our duty to clear him of this dreadful
and unfounded charge."

It was evening before I left Ca