6 The Christmas Present

Chapter 6 The Christmas Present "I will tell you exactly what happened, sir," said James Ryder. "When Horner was arrested, I thought it best to get away with the stone at once, before the police got it into their heads to search me and my room. So I went to my sister Maggie. She's married to a Mr. Oakshott and lives on Brixton Road. She keeps poultry in her backyard, which she fattens for market.

"All the way there, it felt like the stone was burning a hole in my pocket and I worried the police were on my tail. By the time I got to her house, the sweat was pouring down my face. Maggie asked me what was wrong and I told her I was upset because of the jewel robbery at the hotel. "Then I went and sat in her backyard and thought about what I should do. I had this friend called Maudsley who had served time for robbery in Pentonville Prison. I was sure he'd know how to turn my stone into money. I also reckoned he wouldn't double cross me because I knew one or two things about him that would be of interest to the police. "The trouble was, Maudsley lived in Kilburn and I didn't know how to get there safely. The journey from the hotel had been terrifying, and I couldn't face another ordeal like that.

"I was leaning against the wall thinking about all this and looking at the geese waddling around the yard when an idea came into my head. A few weeks before, Maggie had promised me I could have the pick of her geese for a Christmas present. I decided I would take my goose now and carry my stone to Kilburn inside it. So I chased after a fine, big goose—a white one with a black tail. Once I'd caught it, I pried open its bill and shoved the stone down its throat as far as my finger could reach. The goose flapped and squawked and made such a noise that my sister came running out to see what was the matter. 'What on earth were you doing with that bird, Jem?' she asked.

"'Well,' I said, 'you promised me a goose for Christmas and I was feeling which was the fattest.' "'Oh, we've set yours aside already,' she said. 'Jem's bird, we call it. It's the big white one over there, see?' "'Thank you, Maggie,' I said, 'but if it's all the same to you I'd rather have that one I was handling just now.' "'But the other one's three pounds heavier,' she said, 'and we fattened it especially for you.' "'Never mind,' I told her. 'I'll have the other one, and I'll take it now.' "'As you please,' she said, a little huffily. 'Which one was it you wanted then?' "'The white one with the black tail, right in the middle of the flock.'

"So she killed the bird for me, and I carried it all the way to Kilburn. I told my friend Maudsley what I'd done and he laughed until he nearly choked. Then we got a knife and opened the goose. My heart turned to water, for there was no sign of the stone and I knew that some terrible mistake had occurred. I rushed back to my sister's and went into the backyard. There wasn't a bird to be seen there. 'Where are they all, Maggie?' I cried. "'They're all sold, Jem,' she said. "'Sold to who?' "'Breckinridge of Covent Garden.'

"'But was there another one with a black tail?' I asked. "'Oh yes, there were two black-tailed ones. I could never tell them apart.' "So now I understood what must have happened. I raced as fast as I could to Covent Garden, only to find that Breckinridge had already sold the geese. He refused to tell me where they'd gone no matter how many times I asked him. You heard yourself how rude he was. My sister thinks I'm going mad. Sometimes I think she's right. And now— now I'm to be branded a thief, though I've not earned one penny for my sins. I've brought disgrace upon myself and my family. Heaven help me!" Ryder buried his face in his hands and burst into tears. At length, he quieted and the room fell silent except for the slow tapping of Holmes's fingernail on the table. Finally, my friend arose and threw open the door. "Get out!" he said.