The Hound of the Baskervels, another adventure of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle.

Chapter 1.

Mr. Sherlock Holmes.

Mr. Sherlock Holmes, who was usually very late in the mornings, saved upon those not

infrequent occasions when he was up all night, was seated at the breakfast table.

He stood upon the hearth rug and picked up the stick which our visitor had left behind

him the night before.

It was a fine, thick piece of wood, bulbous headed, of the sort which is known as a penang

lawyer.

Just under the head was a broad silver band, nearly an inch across.

To James Mortimer, MRCS, from his friends of the CCH, was engraved upon it, with the

date 1884.

It was just such a stick as the old-fashioned family practitioner used to carry, dignified,

solid, and reassuring.

Well Watson, what do you make of it?

Holmes was sitting with his back to me, and I had given him no sign of my occupation.

How did you know what I was doing?

I believe you have eyes in the back of your head.

I have at least a well-pollished silver-plated coffee pot in front of me," said he.

But tell me Watson, what do you make of our visitor's stick?

Since we have been so unfortunate as to miss him and have no notion of his errand, this

accidental souvenir becomes of importance.

...