”’Fromthebeginningtherewasreallynothingtopreventusfromtakingpossessionoftheship。Thecrewwereasetofruffians，speciallypickedforthejob。Theshamchaplaincameintoourcellstoexhortus，carryingablackbag，supposedtobefulloftracts，andsooftendidhecomethatbythethirddaywehadeachstowedawayatthefootofourbedsafile，abraceofpistols，apoundofpowder，andtwentyslugs。TwoofthewarderswereagentsofPrendergast，andthesecondmatewashisright-handman。Thecaptain，thetwomates，twowardersLieutenantMartin，hiseighteensoldiers，andthedoctorwereallthatwehadagainstus。Yet，safeasitwas，wedeterminedtoneglectnoprecaution，andtomakeourattacksuddenlybynight。Itcame，however，morequicklythanweexpected，andinthisway。”’Oneevening，aboutthethirdweekafterourstart，thedoctorhadcomedowntoseeoneoftheprisonerswhowasill，andputtinghishanddownonthebottomofhisbunkhefelttheoutlineofthepistols。Ifhehadbeensilenthemighthaveblownthewholething，buthewasanervouslittlechap，sohegaveacryofsurpriseandturnedsopalethatthemanknewwhatwasupinaninstantandseizedhim。Hewasgaggedbeforehecouldgivethealarm，andtieddownuponthebed。Hehadunlockedthedoorthatledtothedeck，andwewerethroughitinarush。Thetwosentrieswereshotdown，andsowasacorporalwhocamerunningtoseewhatwasthematter。Thereweretwomoresoldiersatthedoorofthestate-room，andtheirmusketsseemednottobeloaded，fortheyneverfireduponus，andtheywereshotwhiletryingtofixtheirbayonets。
Thenwerushedonintothecaptain’scabin，butaswepushedopenthedoortherewasanexplosionfromwithin，andtherehelaywithisbrainssmearedoverthechartoftheAtlanticwhichwaspinneduponthetable，whilethechaplainstoodwithasmokingpistolinhishandathiselbow。Thetwomateshadbothbeenseizedbythecrew，andthewholebusinessseemedtobesettled。”’Thestate-roomwasnextthecabin，andweflockedinthereandfloppeddownonthesettees，allspeakingtogether，forwewerejustmadwiththefeelingthatwewerefreeoncemore。Therewerelockersallround，andWilson，theshamchaplain，knockedoneofthemin，andpulledoutadozenofbrownsherry。Wecrackedoffthenecksofthebottles，pouredthestuffoutintotumblers，andwerejusttossingthemoff，wheninaninstantwithoutwarningtherecametheroarofmusketsinourears，andthesaloonwassofullofsmokethatwecouldnotseeacrossthetable。Whenitclearedagaintheplacewasashambles。Wilsonandeightotherswerewrigglingonthetopofeachotheronthefloor，andthebloodandthebrownsherryonthattableturnmesicknowwhenIthinkofit。WeweresocowedbythesightthatIthinkweshouldhavegiventhejobupifhadnotbeenforPrendergast。Hebellowedlikeabullandrushedforthedoorwithallthatwereleftaliveathisheels。Outweran，andthereonthepoopwerethelieutenentandtenofhismen。Theswingskylightsabovethesaloontablehadbeenabitopen，andtheyhadfiredonusthroughtheslit。Wegotonthembeforetheycouldload，andtheystoodtoitlikemen；butwehadtheupperhandofthem，andinfiveminutesitwasallover。MyGod！
Wasthereeveraslaughter-houselikethatship！
Predergastwaslikearagingdeveil，andhepickedthesoldiersupasiftheyhadbeenchildrenandthrewthemoverboardaliveordead。Therewasonesergeantthatwashorriblywoundedandyetkeptonswimmingforasurprisingtime，untilsomeoneinmercyblewouthisbrains。Whenthefightingwasovertherewasnooneleftofourenemiesexceptjustthewardersthemates，andthedoctor。”’Itwasoverthemthatthegreatquarrelarose。
Thereweremanyofuswhoweregladenoughtowinbackourfreedom，andyetwhohadnowishtohavemurderonoursouls。Itwasonethingtoknockthesoldiersoverwiththeirmusketsintheirhands，anditwasanothertostandbywhilemenwerebeingkilledincoldblood。Eightofus，fiveconvictsandthreesailors，saidthatwewouldnotseeitdone。ButtherewasnomovingPredergastandthosewhowerewithhim。Ouronlychanceofsafetylayinmakingacleanjobofit，saidhe，andhewouldnotleaveatonguewithpowertowaginawitness-box。Itnearlycametooursharingthefateoftheprisoners，butatlasthesaidthatifwewishedwemighttakeaboatandgo。
Wejumpedattheoffer，forwewerealreadysickoftheseblookthirstydoings，andwesawthattherewouldbeworsebeforeitwasdone。Weweregivenasuitofsailortogseach，abarrelofwater，twocasks，oneofjunkandoneofbiscuits，andacompass。Prendergastthrewusoverachart，toldusthatwewereshipwreckedmarinerswhoseshiphadfounderedinLat。
15degreesandLong25degreeswest，andthencutthepainterandletusgo。”’AndnowIcometothemostsurprisingpartofmystory，mydearson。Theseamenhadhauledthefore-yardabackduringtherising，butnowasweleftthemtheybroughtitsquareagain，andastherewasalightwindfromthenorthandeastthebarkbegantodrawslowlyawayfromus。Ourboatlay，risingandfalling，uponthelong，smoothrollers，andEvansandI，whowerethemosteducatedoftheparty，weresittinginthesheetsworkingoutourpositionandplanningwhatcoastweshouldmakefor。Itwasanicequestion，fortheCapedeVerdswereaboutfivehundredmilestothenorthofus，andtheAfricancoastaboutsevenhundredtotheeast。Onthewhole，asthewindwascomingroundtothenorth，wethoughtthatSierraLeonemightbebest，andturnedourheadinthatdirection，thebarkbeingatthattimenearlyhulldownonourstarboardquarter。Suddenlyaswelookedatherwesawadenseblackcloudofsmokeshootupfromher，whichhunglikeamonstroustreeupontheskyline。Afewsecondslateraroarlikethunderburstuponourears，andasthesmokethinnedawaytherewasnosignleftoftheGloriaScott。Inaninstantweswepttheboat’sheadroundagainandpulledwithallourstrengthfortheplacewherethehazestilltrailingoverthewatermarkedthesceneofthiscatastrophe。”’Itwasalonghourbeforewereachedit，andatfirstwefearedthatwehadcometoolatetosaveanyone。Asplinteredboatandanumberofcratesandfragmentsofsparsrisingandfallingonthewavesshoweduswherethevesselhadfoundered；buttherewasnosignolife，andwehadturnedawayindespairwhenweheardacryforhelp，andsawatsomedistanceapieceofwreckagewithamanlyingstretchedacrossit。WhenwepulledhimaboardtheboatheprovedtobeayoungseamanofthenameofHudson，whowassoburnedandexhaustedthathecouldgiveusnoaccountofwhathadhappeneduntilthefollowingmorning。”’Itseemedthatafterwehadleft，Prendergastandhisganghadproceededtoputtodeaththefiveremainingprisoners。Thetwowardershadbeenshotandthrownoverboard，andsoalsohadthethirdmate。
Prendergastthendescendedintothe’tween-decksandwithhisownhandscutthethroatoftheunfortunatesurgeon。Thereonlyremainedthefirstmate，whowasaboldandactiveman。Whenhesawtheconvictapproachinghimwiththebloodyknifeinhishandhekickedoffhisbonds，whichhehadsomehowcontrivedtoloosen，andrushingdownthedeckheplungedintotheafter-hold。Adozenconvicts，whodescendedwittheirpistolsinsearchofhim，foundhimwithamatch-boxinhishandseatedbesideanopenpowder-barrel，whichwasoneofahundredcarriedonboard，andswearingthathewouldblowallhandsupifhewereinanywaymolested。Aninstantlatertheexplosionoccurred，thoughHudsonthoughtitwascausedbythemisdirectedbulletofoneoftheconvictsratherthanthemate’smatch。BethecausewhatImay，itwastheendoftheGloriaScottandoftherabblewhoheldcommandofher。”’Such，inafewwords，mydearboy，isthehistoryofthisterriblebusinessinwhichIwasinvolved。NextdaywewerepickedupbythebrigHotspur，boundforAustralia，whosecaptainfoundnodifficultyinbelievingthatwewerethesurvivorsofapassengershipwhichhadfoundered。ThetransportshipGloriaScottwassetdownbytheAdmiraltyasbeinglostatsea，andnowordhaseverleakedoutastohertruefate。AfteranexcellentvoyagetheHotspurlandedusatSydney，whereEvansandIchangedournamesandmadeourwaytothediggings，where，amongthecrowdswhoweregatheredfromallnations，wehadnodifficultyinlosingourformeridentities。TherestIneednotrelate。Weprospered，wetraveled，wecamebackasrichcolonialstoEngland，andweboughtcountryestates。Formorethantwentyyearswehaveledpeacefulandusefullives，andwehopedthatourpastwasforeverburied。Imagine，then，myfeelingswhenintheseamanwhocametousIrecognizedinstantlythemanwhohadbeenpickedoffthewreck。
Hehadtrackedusdownsomehow，andhadsethimselftoliveuponourfears。YouwillunderstandnowhowitwasthatIstrovetokeepthepeacewithhim，andyouwillinsomemeasuresympathizewithmeinthefearswhichfillme，nowthathehasgonefrommetohisothervictimwiththreatsuponhistongue。’”Underneathiswritteninahandsoshakyastobehardlylegible，’BeddoeswritesinciphertosayH。
Hastoldall。SweetLord，havemercyonoursouls！’”ThatwasthenarrativewhichIreadthatnighttoyoungTrevor，andIthink，Watson，thatunderthecircumstancesitwasadramaticone。Thegoodfellowwasheart-brokenatit，andwentouttotheTeraiteaplanting，whereIhearthatheisdoingwell。AstothesailorandBeddoes，neitherofthemwaseverheardofagainafterthatdayonwhichtheletterofwarningwaswritten。Theybothdisappearedutterlyandcompletely。Nocomplainthadbeenlodgedwithhepolice，sothatBeddoeshadmistakenathreatforadeed。Hudsonhadbeenseenlurkingabout，anditwasbelievedbythepolicethathehaddoneawaywithBeddoesandhadfled。FormyselfIbelievethatthetruthwasexactlytheopposite。IthinkthatitismostprobablethatBeddoes，pushedtodesperationandbelievinghimselftohavebeenalreadybetrayed，hadrevengedhimselfuponHudson，andhadfledfromthecountrywithasmuchmoneyashecouldlayhishandson。Thosearethefactsofthecase，Doctor，andiftheyareofanyusetoyourcollection，Iamsurethattheyareveryheartilyatyourservice。”
AdventureV
TheMusgraveRitualAnanomalywhichoftenstruckmeinthecharacterofmyfriendSherlockHolmeswasthat，althoughinhismethodsofthoughthewastheneatestandmostmethodicalofmankind，andalthoughalsoheaffectedacertainquietprimnessofdress，hewasnonethelessinhispersonalhabitsoneofthemostuntidymenthateverdroveafellow-lodgertodistraction。NotthatI
amintheleastconventionalinthatrespectmyself。
Therough-and-tumbleworkinAfghanistan，comingonthetopofanaturalBohemianismofdisposition，hasmademerathermorelaxthanbefitsamedicalmanwhokeepshiscigarsinthecoal-scuttle，histobaccointhetoeendofaPersianslipper，andhisunansweredcorrespondencetransfixedbyajack-knifeintotheverycentreofhiswoodenmantelpiece，thenIbegintogivemyselfvirtuousairs。Ihavealwaysheld，too，thatpistolpracticeshouldbedistinctlyanopen-airpastime；andwhenHolmes，inoneofhisqueerhumors，wouldsitinanarm-chairwithhishair-triggerandahundredBoxercartridges，andproceedtoadorntheoppositewallwithapatrioticV。R。Doneinbullet-pocks，Ifeltstronglythatneithertheatmospherenortheappearanceofourroomwasimprovedbyit。
Ourchamberswerealwaysfullofchemicalsandofcriminalrelicswhichhadawayofwanderingintounlikelypositions，andofturningupinthebutter-dishorinevenlessdesirableplaces。Buthispapersweremygreatcrux。Hehadahorrorofdestroyingdocuments，especiallythosewhichwereconnectedwithhispastcases，andyetitwasonlyonceineveryyearortwothathewouldmusterenergytodocketandarrangethem；for，asIhavementionedsomewhereintheseincoherentmemoirs，theoutburstsofpassionateenergywhenheperformedtheremarkablefeatswithwhichhisnameisassociatedwerefollowedbyreactionsoflethargyduringwhichhewouldlieaboutwithhisviolinandhisbooks，hardlymovingsavefrothesofatothetable。Thusmonthaftermonthhispapersaccumulated，untileverycorneroftheroomwasstackedwithbundlesofmanuscriptwhichwereonnoaccounttobeburned，andwhichcouldnotbeputawaysavebytheirowner。Onewinter’snight，aswesattogetherbythefire，Iventuredtosuggesttohimthat，ashehadfinishedpastingextractsintohiscommon-placebook，hemightemploythenexttwohoursinmakingourroomalittlemorehabitable。Hecouldnotdenythejusticeofmyrequest，sowitharatherruefulfacewentofftohisbedroom，fromwhichhereturnedpresentlypullingalargetinboxbehindhim。Thisheplacedinthemiddleofthefloorand，squattingdownuponastoolinfrontofit，hethrewbackthelid。Icouldseethatitwasalreadyathirdfullofbundlesofpapertiedupwithredtapeintoseparatepackages。”Therearecasesenoughhere，Watson，”saidhe，lookingatmewithmischievouseyes。”IthinkthatifyouknewallthatIhadinthisboxyouwouldaskmetopullsomeoutinsteadofputtingothersin。””Thesearetherecordsofyourearlywork，then?”I
asked。”IhaveoftenwishedthatIhadnotesofthosecases。””Yes，myboy，thesewerealldoneprematurelybeforemybiographerhadcometoglorifyme。”Heliftedbundleafterbundleinatender，caressingsortofway。”Theyarenotallsuccesses，Watson，”saidhe。”Buttherearesomeprettylittleproblemsamongthem。