-and
systematically. Nothing can be accomplished in this trade of mine
without strict and minute method."

He took a pen and some paper. "Now--name of the elephant?"

"Hassan Ben Ali Ben Selim Abdallah Mohammed Moist Alhammal
Jamsetjejeebhoy Dhuleep Sultan Ebu Bhudpoor."

"Very well. Given name?"

"Jumbo."

"Very well. Place of birth?"

"The capital city of Siam."

"Parents living?"

"No--dead."

"Had they any other issue besides this one?"

"None. He was an only child."

"Very well. These matters are sufficient under that head. Now
please describe the elephant, and leave out no particular, however
insignificant--that is, insignificant from your point of view. To me
in my profession there are no insignificant particulars; they do not
exist."

I described he wrote. When I was done, he said:

"Now listen. If I have made any mistakes, correct me."

He read as follows:

"Height, 19 feet; length from apex of forehead insertion of tail, 26
feet; length of trunk, 16 feet; length of tail, 6 feet; total length,
including trunk, and tail, 48 feet; length of tusks, 9 feet; ears
keeping with these dimensions; footprint resembles the mark left when
one up-ends a barrel in the snow; the color of the elephant, a dull
white; has a hole the size of a plate in each ear for the insertion
of jewelry and possesses the habit in a remarkable degree of squirting
water upon spectators and of maltreating with his trunk not only such
persons as he is acquainted with, but even entire strangers; limps
slightly with his right hind leg, and has a small scar in his left
armpit caused by a former boil; had on, when stolen, a castle containing
seats for fifteen persons, and a gold-cloth saddle-blanket the size of
an ordinary carpet."

There were no mistakes. The inspector touched the bell, handed the
description to Alaric, and said:

"Have fifty thousand copies of this printed at once and mailed to
every detective office and pawnbroker's shop on the continent." Alaric
retired. "There--so far, so good. Next, I must have a photograph of the
property."

I gave him one. He examined it critically, and said:

"It must do, since we can do no better; but he has his trunk curled up
and tucked into his mouth. That is unfortunate, and is calculated to
mislead, for of course he does not usually have it in that position." He
touched his bell.

"Alaric, have fifty thousand copies of this photograph made the first
thing in the morning, an