2 Sir Henry Baskerville

Chapter 2 Sir Henry Baskerville The following morning our visitors arrived promptly at ten o'clock. Sir Henry Baskerville was a tall young man with alert, dark eyes. "Sherlock Holmes," he said. "If Mortimer hadn't suggested visiting you, I'd have done so myself, for I've a puzzle that may interest you." He showed Holmes an envelope addressed to himself at Northumberland Hotel.

Holmes pulled out the single-page letter. It contained just one sentence produced by pasting printed words onto a piece of paper: If you value your life, keep away from the moor. Holmes inspected the letter carefully. "Did anyone know you were going to be at that hotel?" he asked. "No. I only decided on it myself yesterday." "Then it seems that someone's been following you. Has anything else unusual happened to you since arriving in London?" Sir Henry thought for a moment. "I lost a boot," he said. "It was from a brand-new pair. I

put them out to be cleaned last night and only one came back this morning. It's irritating, but hardly significant." "Everything is significant," said Holmes, "until it proves otherwise." "What I'd really like to know," said Sir Henry, "is why I've been brought here. Is something going on that I've not been told about?" So Mortimer told him the story. When he'd finished, Sir Henry said: "Of course, I learned of the hound legend as a boy, but I never took it seriously. It seems, from this letter, that someone's trying to warn me away, but I tell you, there's no hound in Hell nor man on Earth who'll keep me from the home of my ancestors." Our visitors left shortly afterward. As soon as they were gone, Holmes grabbed his hat and stick. "Quick, Watson, we have work to do." We dashed out of the house and began tailing Sir Henry and Mortimer, always remaining fifty yards behind.

"What are we doing?" I asked. "Trying to see who's following them. Ah! See that cab, Watson. It's crawling along at their pace. Cab number 2704. Remember that number." At that moment, the cab's passenger, a man with a bushy black beard, spotted us and screamed at the driver. The cab flew off down the street. We had agreed to meet Sir Henry and Mortimer for lunch at their hotel. We were waiting in the lobby when Sir Henry appeared, looking furious. "What kind of a hotel is this?" he cried. "Now they've lost another of my boots! This time it's from an old pair."

He spoke angrily to a bellhop, who promised him the missing boots would be found. Then the four of us went to have lunch. As we ate, Holmes asked Sir Henry what he intended to do. "I'm going to Baskerville Hall." "A wise decision, I think," said Holmes. "You're probably no safer in London than you are in Dartmoor. Did you know you were followed this morning?" "By whom?" cried Sir Henry. "I don't know," admitted Holmes. "Mortimer, does anyone living in your part of Dartmoor have a full, black beard?" "Barrymore, Sir Charles's butler, has one."

"Then we'd better check where he is." Holmes asked a waiter to fetch him a telegraph form. He quickly scribbled a message and asked him to send it. "If Barrymore isn't at Baskerville Hall, we'll be informed at once," Holmes explained. "Tell me, Mortimer, did Barrymore gain anything from Sir Charles's will?" "He and his wife got five hundred pounds each." "Interesting," muttered Holmes. After lunch, we saw Sir Henry to his hotel room. "You mustn't go to Baskerville Hall alone," Holmes told him. "Unfortunately, I'm busy, but Watson will accompany you, won't you, Watson?" I looked at him in surprise. "Why, I... "Before I could say any more, Sir Henry seized my hand and shook it heartily. "That's so kind of you, Watson. I'll feel better with you there." Suddenly, he uttered a cry of triumph and dove under a sofa to retrieve a shiny new boot. "Here it is!"