Page 154 - Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

124 ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

" How did you trace it, then ?"
He took a large sheet of paper from his pocket, all covered
with dates and names.
" I have spent the whole day," said he, " over Lloyd's reg-
isters and the files of the old papers, following the future ca-
reer of every vessel which touched at Pondicherry in January
and February in ^S^. There were thirty-six ships of fair ton-
nage which were reported there during those months. Of
these, one, the Zone Star^ instantly attracted my attention,
since, although it was reported as having cleared from Lon-
don, the name is that which is given to one of the States of
the Union."
"Texas, I think."
" I was not and am not sure which ; but I knew that the
ship must have an American origin."
"What then?"
" I searched the Dundee records, and when I found that the
bark Lone Star was there in January, '85, my suspicion became
a certainty. I then inquired as to the vessels which lay at
present in the port of London."
"Yes?"
" The Lone Star had arrived here last week. I went down
to the Albert Dock, and found that she had been taken down
the river by the early tide this morning, homeward bound to
Savannah. I wired to Gravesend, and learned that she had
passed some time ago ; and as the wind is easterly, I have no
doubt that she is now past the Goodwins, and not very far
from the Isle of Wight."
" What will you do, then ?"
" Oh, I have my hand upon him. He and the two mates,
are, as I learn, the only native-born Americans in the ship.
The others are Finns and Germans. I know, also, that they
were all three away from the ship last night. I had it from
the stevedore who has been loading their cargo. By the time
that their sailing-ship reaches Savannah the mail-boat will
have carried this letter, and the cable will have informed the