“Stillonthetrackoftheelusivebicyclist?”Holmesaskedcheerfully.“Whatisthelatestnewsoftheruffian?” MacDonaldpointedruefullytohisheapofcorrespondence. “HeisatpresentreportedfromLeicester,Nottingham,Southampton,Derby,EastHam,Richmond,andfourteenotherplaces.Inthreeofthem—EastHam,Leicester,andLiverpool—thereisaclearcaseagainsthim,andhehasactuallybeenarrested.Thecountryseemstobefullofthefugitiveswithyellowcoats.” “Dearme!”saidHolmessympathetically.“Now,Mr.Macandyou,Mr.WhiteMason,Iwishtogiveyouaveryearnestpieceofadvice.WhenIwentintothiscasewithyouIbargained,asyouwillnodoubtremember,thatIshouldnotpresentyouwithhalf-provedtheories,butthatIshouldretainandworkoutmyownideasuntilIhadsatisfiedmyselfthattheywerecorrect.ForthisreasonIamnotatthepresentmomenttellingyouallthatisinmymind.Ontheotherhand,IsaidthatIwouldplaythegamefairlybyyou,andIdonotthinkitisafairgametoallowyouforoneunnecessarymomenttowasteyourenergiesuponaprofitlesstask.ThereforeIamheretoadviseyouthismorning,andmyadvicetoyouissummedupinthreewords—abandonthecase.” MacDonaldandWhiteMasonstaredinamazementattheircelebratedcolleague. “Youconsiderithopeless!”criedtheinspector. “Iconsideryourcasetobehopeless.Idonotconsiderthatitishopelesstoarriveatthetruth.” “Butthiscyclist.Heisnotaninvention.Wehavehisdescription,hisvalise,hisbicycle.Thefellowmustbesomewhere.Whyshouldwenotgethim?” “Yes,yes,nodoubtheissomewhere,andnodoubtweshallgethimbutIwouldnothaveyouwasteyourenergiesinEastHamorLiverpool.Iamsurethatwecanfindsomeshortercuttoaresult.” “Youareholdingsomethingback.It'shardlyfairofyou,Mr.Holmes.”Theinspectorwasannoyed.