ltellyouhowthelandlies,Watson.YourecollecthowannoyedIwasatbeingbalkedbysosmallathing?”
“Yes.”
“Well,Igavemymindathoroughrestbyplungingintoachemicalanalysis.Oneofourgreateststatesmenhassaidthatachangeofworkisthebestrest.Soitis.WhenIhadsucceededindissolvingthehydrocarbonwhichIwasatworkat,IcamebacktoourproblemoftheSholtos,andthoughtthewholematteroutagain.Myboyshadbeenuptheriveranddowntheriverwithoutresult.Thelaunchwasnotatanylanding-stageorwharf,norhaditreturned.Yetitcouldhardlyhavebeenscuttledtohidetheirtraces,—thoughthatalwaysremainedasapossiblehypothesisifallelsefailed.IknewthismanSmallhadacertaindegreeoflowcunning,butIdidnotthinkhimcapableofanythinginthenatureofdelicatefinesse.Thatisusuallyaproductofhighereducation.IthenreflectedthatsincehehadcertainlybeeninLondonsometime—aswehadevidencethathemaintainedacontinualwatchoverPondicherryLodge—hecouldhardlyleaveatamoment’snotice,butwouldneedsomelittletime,ifitwereonlyaday,toarrangehisaffairs.Thatwasthebalanceofprobability,atanyrate.”
“Itseemstometobealittleweak,”saidI.“Itismoreprobablethathehadarrangedhisaffairsbeforeeverhesetoutuponhisexpedition.”
“No,Ihardlythinkso.Thislairofhiswouldbetoovaluablearetreatincaseofneedforhimtogiveitupuntilhewassurethathecoulddowithoutit.Butasecondconsiderationstruckme.JonathanSmallmusthavefeltthatthepeculiarappearanceofhiscompanion,howevermuchhemayhavetop-coatedhim,wouldgiverisetogossip,andpossiblybeassociatedwiththisNorwoodtragedy.Hewasquitesharpenoughtoseethat.Theyhadstartedfromtheirhead-quartersundercoverofdarkness,andhewouldwishtogetbackbeforeitwasbroadlight.Now,itwaspastthreeo’clock,accordingtoMrs.Smith,whentheygottheboat.Itwouldbequitebright,andpeoplewouldbeaboutinanhourorso.Therefore,Iargued,theydidnotgoveryfar.TheypaidSmithwelltoholdhistongue,reservedhislaunchforthefinalescape,andhurriedtotheirlodgingswiththetreasure-box.I