Sir Henry smiled. "I don't know much of British life yet, for I
have spent nearly all my time in the States and in Canada. But
I hope that to lose one of your boots is not part of the ordinary
routine of life over here."

"You have lost one of your boots?"

"My dear sir," cried Dr. Mortimer, "it is only mislaid. You will
find it when you return to the hotel. What is the use of
troubling Mr. Holmes with trifles of this kind?"

"Well, he asked me for anything outside the ordinary routine."

"Exactly," said Holmes, "however foolish the incident may seem.
You have lost one of your boots, you say?"

"Well, mislaid it, anyhow. I put them both outside my door last
night, and there was only one in the morning. I could get no
sense out of the chap who cleans them. The worst of it is that
I only bought the pair last night in the Strand, and I have never
had them on."

"If you have never worn them, why did you put them out to be
cleaned?"

"They were tan boots and had never been varnished. That was why
I put them out."

"Then I understand that on your arrival in London yesterday you
went out at once and bought a pair of boots?"