Hamlet, somewhat impatient over the delay caused by the narration of
this tale, "that suggested this train of thought to you."

"The sequel will show," returned Holmes.

"Oh, Lord!" put in Raleigh. "Can't we put off the sequel until a
later issue? Remember, Mr. Holmes, that we are constantly losing
time."

"The sequel is brief, and I can narrate it on our way to the office
of the Navigation Company," observed the detective. "When the bottle
came I invited Mr. Burgess to join us, which he did, and as the hour
was late when we came to separate, I offered him the use of my parlor
overnight. This he accepted, and we retired.

"The next morning when I arose to dress, the mystery was cleared."

"You had dreamed its solution?" asked Raleigh.

"No," replied Holmes. "Burgess had disappeared with all my clothing,
my false-beard, my suit-case, and my watch. The only thing he had
left me was the bathing-suit and a few empty small bottles."

"And why, may I ask," put in Hamlet, as they drew near to Charon's
office--"why does that case remind you of business as it is conducted
to-day?"

"In this, that it is a good thing to stay out of unless you know it
all," explained Holmes. "I omitted in the case of Burgess to observe
one thing about him. Had I observed that his nose was rectilinear,