"Our course now seems pretty clear," said I.
"What would you do, then?"
"I would engage a launch and go down the river on the track of the Aurora."
"My dear fellow, it would be a colossal task. She may have touched at any wharf on either side of the stream between here and Greenwich. Below the bridge there is a perfect labyrinth of landing-places for miles. It would take you days and days to exhaust them, if you set about it alone."
"Employ the police, then."
"No. I shall probably call Athelney Jones in at the last moment. He is not a bad fellow, and I should not like to do anything which would injure him professionally. But I have a fancy for working it out myself, now that we have gone so far."
"Could we , then, asking for information from wharfingers?"
"Worse and worse! Our men would know that the chase was hot at their heels, and they would be off out of the country. As it is, they are likely enough to leave, but as long as they think they are perfectly safe they will be in no hurry. Jones's energy will be of use to us there, for his view of the case is sure to push itself into the daily press, and the runaways will think that every one is off on the wrong scent."
"What are we to do, then?" I asked, as we landed near Millbank Penitentiary.
"Take this hansom, drive home, have some breakfast, and get an hour's sleep. It is quite on the cards that we may be afoot to-night again. Stop at a telegraph-office, cabby! We will keep Toby, for he may be of use to us yet."
We pulled up at the Great Peter Street post-office, and Holmes despatched his wire. "Whom do you think that is to?" he asked, as we resumed our journey.
"I am sure I don't know."
"You the Baker Street division of the detective police force whom I employed in the Jefferson Hope case?"
"Well," said I, laughing.
"This is just the case where they might be invaluable. If they fail, I have other resources; but I shall try them first. That wire was to my dirty little lieutenant, Wiggins, and I expect that he and his gang will be with us before we have finished our breakfast."
It was between eight and nine o'clock now, and I was conscious of a strong reaction after the successive excitements of the night. I was limp and weary, befogged in mind and fatigued in body. I had not the professional enthusiasm which carried my companion on, nor could I look at the matter as a mere abstract intellectual problem.

As far as the death of Bartholomew Sholto went, I had heard little good of him, and could feel no intense antipathy to his murderers. The treasure, however, was a different matter. That, or part of it, belonged rightfully to Miss Morstan. While there was a chance of recovering it I was ready to devote my life to the one object. True, if I found it it would probably put her forever beyond my reach. Yet it would be a petty and selfish love which would be influenced by such a thought as that. If Holmes could work to find the criminals, I had a tenfold stronger reason to urge me on to find the treasure.

A bath at Baker Street and a complete change freshened me up wonderfully. When I came down to our room I found the breakfast laid and Homes pouring out the coffee.

"Here it is," said he, laughing, and pointing to an open newspaper. "The energetic Jones and the ubiquitous reporter have fixed it up between them. But you have had enough of the case. Better have your ham and eggs first."
I took the paper from him and read the short notice, which was headed "Mysterious Business at Upper Norwood."
"About twelve o'clock last night," said the Standard, "Mr. Bartholomew Sholto, of Pondicherry Lodge, Upper Norwood, was found dead in his room under circumstances which point to foul play. As far as we can learn, no actual traces of violence were found upon Mr. Sholto's person, but a valuable collection of Indian gems which the deceased gentleman had inherited from his father has been carried off. The discovery was first made by Mr. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who had called at the house with Mr. Thaddeus Sholto, brother of the deceased. By a singular piece of good fortune, Mr. Athelney Jones, the well-known member of the detective police force, happened to be at the Norwood Police Station, and was on the ground within half an hour of the first alarm. His trained and experienced faculties were at once directed towards the detection of the criminals, with the gratifying result that the brother, Thaddeus Sholto, has already been arrested, together with the housekeeper, Mrs. Bernstone, an Indian butler named Lal Rao, and a porter, or gatekeeper, named McMurdo. It is quite certain that the thief or thieves were well acquainted with the house, for Mr. Jones's well-known technical knowledge and his powers of minute observation have enabled him to prove conclusively that the miscreants could not have entered by the door or by the window, but must have made their way across the roof of the building, and so through a trap-door into a room which communicated with that in which the body was found. This fact, which has been very clearly made out, proves conclusively that it was no mere haphazard burglary.

The prompt and energetic action of the officers of the law shows the great advantage of the presence on such occasions of a single vigorous and masterful mind. We cannot but think that it supplies an argument to those who would wish to see our detectives more decentralized, and so brought into closer and more effective touch with the cases which it is their duty to investigate."
"Isn't it gorgeous!" said Holmes, grinning over his coffee-cup. "What do you think of it?"
"I think that we have had a close shave ourselves of being arrested for the crime."
"So do I. I wouldn't answer for our safety now, if he should happen to have another of his attacks of energy."
At this moment there was a loud ring at the bell, and I could hear Mrs. Hudson, our landlady, raising her voice in a wail of expostulation and dismay.
"By heaven, Holmes," I said, half rising, "I believe that they are really after us."
"No, it's not quite so bad as that. It is the unofficial force,—the Baker Street irregulars."
As he spoke, there came a swift pattering of naked feet upon the stairs, a clatter of high voices, and in rushed a dozen dirty and ragged little street-Arabs. There was some show of discipline among them, despite their tumultuous entry, for they instantly drew up in line and stood facing us with expectant faces. One of their number, taller and older than the others, stood forward with an air of lounging superiority which was very funny in such a disreputable little scarecrow.
"Got your message, sir," said he, "and brought 'em on sharp. Three bob and a tanner for tickets."
"Here you are," said Holmes, producing some silver. "In future they can report to you, Wiggins, and you to me. I cannot have the house invaded in this way. However, it is just as well that you should all hear the instructions. I want to find the whereabouts of a steam launch called the Aurora, owner Mordecai Smith, black with two red streaks, funnel black with a white band. She is down the river somewhere. I want one boy to be at Mordecai Smith's landing-stage opposite Millbank to say if the boat comes back. You must divide it out among yourselves, and do both banks thoroughly. Let me know the moment you have news. Is that all clear?"

"Yes, guv'nor," said Wiggins.
"The old scale of pay, and a guinea to the boy who finds the boat. Here's a day in advance. Now off you go!" He handed them a shilling each, and away they buzzed down the stairs, and I saw them a moment later streaming down the street.

"If the launch is above water they will find her," said Holmes, as he rose from the table and lit his pipe. "They can go everywhere, see everything, overhear every one. I expect to hear before evening that they have spotted her. In the mean while, we can do nothing but await results. We cannot pick up the broken trail until we find either the Aurora or Mr. Mordecai Smith."
"Toby could eat these scraps, I dare say. Are you going to bed, Holmes?"
"No: I am not tired. I have a curious constitution. I never feeling tired by work, though idleness exhausts me completely. I am going to smoke and to think over this queer business to which my fair client has introduced us. If ever man had an easy task, this of ours ought to be. Wooden-legged men are not so common, but the other man must, I should think, be absolutely unique."

"That other man again!"
"I have no wish to make a mystery of him,—to you, anyway. But you must have formed your own opinion. Now, do consider the data. Diminutive footmarks, toes never fettered by boots, naked feet, stone-headed wooden mace, great agility, small poisoned darts. What do you make of all this?"

"A savage!" I exclaimed. "Perhaps one of those Indians who were the associates of Jonathan Small."
"Hardly that," said he. "When first I saw signs of strange weapons I was inclined to think so; but the remarkable character of the footmarks caused me to reconsider my views. Some of the inhabitants of the Indian Peninsula are small men, but none could have left such marks as that. The Hindoo proper has long and thin feet. The sandal-wearing Mohammedan has the great toe well separated from the others, because the thong is commonly ed between. These little darts, too, could only be shot in one way. They are from a blow-pipe. Now, then, where are we to find our savage?"

"South American," I hazarded.
He stretched his hand up, and took down a bulky volume from the shelf. "This is the first volume of a gazetteer which is now being published. It may be looked upon as the very latest authority. What have we here? 'Andaman Islands, situated 340 miles to the north of Sumatra, in the Bay of Bengal.' Hum! hum! What's all this? Moist climate, coral reefs, sharks, Port Blair, convict-barracks, Rutland Island, cottonwoods—Ah, here we are. 'The aborigines of the Andaman Islands may perhaps claim the distinction of being the smallest race upon this earth, though some anthropologists prefer the Bushmen of Africa, the Digger Indians of America, and the Terra del Fuegians. The average height is rather below four feet, although many full-grown adults may be found who are very much smaller than this. They are a fierce, morose, and intractable people, though capable of forming most devoted friendships when their confidence has once been gained.' Mark that, Watson. Now, then, listen to this. 'They are naturally hideous, having large, misshapen heads, small, fierce eyes, and distorted features. Their feet and hands, however, are remarkably small. So intractable and fierce are they that all the efforts of the British official have failed to win them over in any degree. They have always been a terror to shipwrecked crews, braining the survivors with their stone-headed clubs, or shooting them with their poisoned arrows. These massacres are invariably concluded by a cannibal feast.' Nice, amiable people, Watson! If this fellow had been left to his own unaided devices this affair might have taken an even more ghastly turn. I fancy that, even as it is, Jonathan Small would give a good deal not to have employed him."

Los irregulares de Baker Street

––Ahora, nuestra lnea de accin parece bastante clara.
––Ah, s? Qu es lo que hara usted?
––Alquilar una lancha y bajar por el ro siguiendo el rastro del Aurora.
––Querido amigo, sa sera una tarea colosal. Puede haber atracado en cualquiera de los muelles de una u otra orilla, de aqu a Greenwich. Ms all del puente hay todo un laberinto de embarcaderos, de muchas millas. Nos llevara das y das recorrerlos todos si lo hacemos solos.
––Pues recurra a la polica.
––No. Aunque es probable que en el ltimo momento llame a Athelney Jones. No es mala persona y no me gustara hacer algo que le perjudicara profesionalmente. Pero ahora que hemos llegado tan lejos, me apetece resolver el caso yo mismo.
––Y si ponemos un anuncio pidiendo informacin a los encargados de los muelles?
––Mucho peor. Nuestros hombres sabran que les pisamos los talones y huiran del pas. Tal como estn las cosas, ya es bastante probable que se marchen, pero mientras crean que estn a salvo, no tendrn prisa. En este sentido, nos va a venir bien la energa de Jones, porque seguro que su versin del caso aparece en los diarios, y los fugitivos creern que todo el mundo sigue una pista falsa.
––Pues entonces, qu hacemos? ––pregunt mientras desembarcbamos cerca del penal de Millbank.
––Tomar ese cabriol, hacer que nos lleve a casa, desayunar y dormir una horita. Tal como marcha el juego, es posible que tengamos que pasar otra noche en pie. Cochero, pare en una oficina de telgrafos. Nos quedaremos con Toby, porque an puede sernos til.
Nos detuvimos en la oficina de Correos de Great Peter Street para que Holmes enviara un telegrama.
––A quin cree que he telegrafiado? ––me pregunt cuando reemprendimos la marcha.
––No tengo ni idea.
––Se acuerda de la seccin policial de Baker Street, a la que recurr en el caso de Jefferson Hope?
––S, y qu? ––respond, echndome a rer.
––sta es la clase de situacin en la que pueden resultar utilsimos. Si fracasan, tengo otros recursos; pero primero probar con ellos. El telegrama iba dirigido a mi pequeo y mugriento teniente Wiggins, y espero que venga a vernos con toda su pandilla antes de que acabemos de desayunar. Eran ya entre las ocho y las nueve, y yo empezaba a notar una fuerte reaccin a la serie de emociones de la noche. Estaba agotado y renqueante, con la mente confusa y el cuerpo fatigado. Ni posea el entusiasmo profesional que haca aguantar a mi compaero, ni era capaz de considerar el asunto como un mero problema intelectual abstracto. En cuanto a la muerte de Bartholomew Sholto, pocas cosas buenas haba odo de l y no senta demasiada antipata por sus asesinos. En cambio, lo del tesoro era ya otra cosa. Por lo menos parte del mismo le perteneca con todo derecho a la seorita Morstan. Mientras existiera una posibilidad de recuperarlo, yo estaba dispuesto a dedicar mi vida a tal objetivo. Aunque lo cierto era que si lo encontraba, lo ms probable sera que ella quedara fuera de mi alcance para siempre. Aun as, muy ruin y egosta tendra que ser un amor que se dejara influir por una idea semejante. Si Holmes era capaz de esforzarse por encontrar a los asesinos, yo tena diez veces ms razones para esforzarme por encontrar el tesoro.
Un bao y un cambio completo de ropas en Baker Street me reanimaron de manera maravillosa. Cuando baj a nuestro cuarto de estar, encontr el desayuno preparado y a Holmes sirviendo el caf.
––Ah viene todo ––dijo, echndose a rer y sealando un peridico abierto––. Entre el infatigable Jones y el ubicuo periodista lo han resuelto todo. Pero debe usted estar harto del caso. Primero cmase los huevos con jamn.
Tom el peridico y le la breve noticia, que haban titulado Misterioso suceso en Upper Norwood:
Hacia las doce de la noche pasada, el seor Bartholomew Sholto, residente en el Pabelln Pondicherry, Upper Norwood, fue encontrado muerto en su habitacin, en circunstancias muy sospechosas. Hasta donde hemos podido saber, en el cuerpo del seor Sholto no se encontraron seales de violencia, pero le haba sido robada una valiosa coleccin de joyas indias que el difunto haba heredado de su padre. El cadver lo descubrieron el seor Sherlock Holmes y el doctor Watson, que haban acudido a la casa en compaa de Thaddeus Sholto, hermano del fallecido. Por una afortunada casualidad, el inspector Athelney Jones, conocido miembro del cuerpo de polica, se encontraba en la comisara de Norwood y pudo llegar al lugar de los hechos menos de media hora despus de darse la primera voz de alarma. Inmediatamente, sus grandes dotes de polica experimentado se concentraron en la tarea de identificar a los criminales, con el satisfactorio resultado de la detencin del hermano, Thaddeus Sholto, del ama de llaves, seora Bernstone, del mayordomo indio Lal Rao y de un portero o vigilante llamado McMurdo. La polica est segura de que el ladrn o ladrones conocan la casa, ya que los probados conocimientos tcnicos del seor Jones y sus dotes de minuciosa observacin le han permitido demostrar de manera concluyente que los malhechores no pudieron entrar por la puerta ni por la ventana, sino que tuvieron que llegar por el tejado de la casa, penetrando por una trampilla en una habitacin que comunica con el cuarto donde se encontr el cadver. Esto ha quedado claramente establecido y demuestra sin lugar a dudas que no se trata de un vulgar robo cometido al azar. La rpida y enrgica accin de los agentes de la ley demuestra lo que vale en tales ocasiones la presencia de una inteligencia poderosa y dominante. No podemos dejar de pensar que esto refuerza la postura de los que abogan por una mayor descentralizacin de nuestros inspectores de polica, que as podran tener un o ms directo y eficaz con los casos que les corresponde investigar.
––A que es magnfico? ––dijo Holmes, sonriendo por encima de su taza de caf––. Qu le parece?
––Pues me parece que nos hemos librado por los pelos de que nos detuvieran tambin a nosotros por este crimen.
––Lo mismo creo yo. Incluso ahora, no respondo de nuestra seguridad si le da por tener otro de sus ataques de energa.
En aquel momento, el timbre de la puerta son con fuerza y pude or que la seora Hudson, nuestra casera, levantaba la voz en un gemido de protesta y desaliento.
––Cielos, Holmes ––dije, comenzando a incorporarme––. Parece que de verdad vienen a por nosotros.
––No, no es tan grave como eso. Son las fuerzas extraoficiales: los irregulares de Baker Street.
Mientras tanto, se oy un rpido pataleo de pies descalzos que suban por la escalera, un estruendo de voces chillonas, y en la habitacin irrumpi una docena de golfillos de la calle, sucios y desarrapados. A pesar de su tumultuosa entrada, se notaba en ellos una cierta disciplina, pues al instante formaron en fila y se quedaron ante nosotros con el rostro expectante. Uno de ellos, ms alto y mayor que los otros, se adelant con aire de ociosa superioridad que resultaba muy gracioso en un mamarracho tan impresentable.
––Recib su mensaje, seor ––dijo––, y los he trado volando. Tres chelines y seis peniques de los billetes.
––Aqu tienes ––dijo Holmes, sacando unas monedas––. En el futuro, Wiggins, que ellos te informen a ti, y t a m. No puedo dejar que invadis la casa de este modo. No obstante, conviene que todos escuchis las instrucciones. Quiero averiguar el paradero de una lancha de vapor llamada Aurora, perteneciente a Mordecai Smith, con dos rayas rojas y chimenea negra con una franja blanca. Tiene que estar en alguna parte del ro. Quiero que uno de vosotros se quede en el embarcadero de Mordecai Smith, enfrente de Millbank, por si la lancha regresa. Tendris que repartiros la tarea e inspeccionar a fondo las dos orillas. Avise en cuanto sepis algo. Est todo claro?
––S, jefe ––dijo Wiggins.
––Pago la tarifa de siempre, ms una guinea para el chico que encuentre la lancha. Aqu tenis un da por adelantado. Y ahora, fuera de aqu.
Les entreg un cheln a cada uno y salieron zumbando escaleras abajo. Un momento despus los vi bajando a la carrera por la calle.
––Si la lancha est a flote, ellos la encontrarn ––dijo Holmes, levantndose de la mesa y encendiendo su pipa––. Pueden meterse en todas partes, verlo todo, escuchar cualquier conversacin. Confo en que la encuentren antes de esta noche. Mientras tanto, lo nico que podemos hacer es esperar los resultados. No podemos retomar la pista perdida hasta que sepamos dnde estn el Aurora o Mordecai Smith.
––Supongo que Toby puede comerse estas sobras. Va usted a acostarse, Holmes?
––No; no estoy cansado. Tengo un organismo muy curioso. No recuerdo que el trabajo me haya cansado nunca; en cambio, no hacer nada me deja completamente agotado. Voy a fumar mientras repaso este extrao asunto en el que nos ha metido mi bella cliente. Si ha habido alguna vez una bsqueda fcil, debera ser sta que nos ocupa. Los hombres con pata de palo no abundan demasiado, pero el otro individuo me atrevo a decir que es absolutamente nico.
––Otra vez ese otro hombre!
––Mire, no quiero que parezca que hago de esto un misterio, pero usted ya tiene que haberse formado una opinin. Vamos a ver, considere los datos: pisadas diminutas, pies descalzos, que nunca han estado oprimidos por zapatos, maza de madera con cabeza de piedra, muy gil, dardos envenenados... Qu saca usted de todo esto?
––Un salvaje! ––exclam––. Tal vez uno de esos individuos que estaban asociados con Jonathan Small.
––Nada de eso ––dijo Holmes––. Al principio, cuando vi seales de armas exticas, yo tambin me inclin a pensar eso; pero el carcter extraordinario de las pisadas me hizo reconsiderar mis teoras. Algunos habitantes de la Pennsula India son pequeos, pero ninguno podra haber dejado huellas como aqullas. Los hindes propiamente dichos tienen los pies largos y delgados. Los mahometanos, que usan sandalias, tienen el pulgar bastante separado de los otros dedos, porque la correa de la sandalia suele pasar entre medias. Adems, esos pequeos dardos slo se pueden disparar de una manera: con una cerbatana. Pues bien: dnde debemos buscar a nuestro salvaje?
––En Sudamrica? ––aventur.
Holmes estir el brazo y sac un grueso volumen de un estante.
––ste es el primer volumen de una Geografa que se est publicando por tomos. Podemos considerarla como la referencia ms al da. Qu tenemos aqu? Islas Andaman, situadas 340 millas al norte de Sumatra, en el golfo de Bengala. Mmm... Mmm... Qu es todo esto? Clima hmedo, arrecifes de coral, tiburones, Puerto Blair, colonias penitenciarias, isla de Rudand, plantaciones de algodn... Ah, aqu est! Los aborgenes de las islas Andaman podran optar al ttulo de la raza ms pequea de la Tierra, aunque algunos antroplogos votaran por los bosquimanos de frica, los indios paiutes de Amrica o los nativos de la Tierra del Fuego. La estatura media es inferior al metro y medio, y existen numerosos adultos que miden mucho menos. Son feroces, malhumorados e intratables, aunque capaces de entablar una amistad a toda prueba si uno se gana su confianza. Fjese en esto, Watson. Y escuche lo que viene a continuacin: Tienen un aspecto horrible, con cabezas grandes y deformes, ojos pequeos y feroces y facciones distorsionadas. Sin embargo, los pies y las manos son muy pequeos. Son tan hostiles y feroces que han fracasado todos los esfuerzos de los funcionarios britnicos por establecer relaciones con ellos. Siempre han sido el terror de las tripulaciones de barcos naufragados, porque aplastan el crneo de los supervivientes con sus mazas de piedra o los acribillan con dardos envenenados. Estas matanzas concluyen invariablemente con un banquete canbal. Un pueblo encantador y de lo ms simptico, Watson! Si a este sujeto se le hubiera dejado actuar a su aire, el asunto habra tomado un cariz mucho ms sangriento. Aun as, tal como se han desarrollado las cosas, me figuro que Jonathan Small estar lamentando haber recurrido a l.
––Pero cmo ha llegado a tener un compaero tan raro?
––Ah!, eso es ms de lo que yo puedo decir. Sin embargo, puesto que ya hemos dejado establecido que Small viene de las Andaman, tampoco es tan descabellado que le acompae este isleo. Sin duda, con el tiempo lo averiguaremos todo. Oiga, Watson, parece usted hecho polvo. Tmbese aqu, en el sof, y voy a ver si consigo dormirle.
Sac el violn de un rincn y, mientras yo me tumbaba, empez a tocar una meloda suave y soadora... de su propia cosecha, sin duda, porque posea un notable talento para la improvisacin. Recuerdo vagamente sus enjutos, su rostro concentrado y el subir y bajar del arco. Luego me pareci que flotaba apaciblemente sobre un suave mar de sonido, hasta que me encontr en el pas de los sueos, con el dulce rostro de Mary Morstan mirndome desde lo alto.