第33期:实地调查(3)

"Oh, we shall soon clear up all that," said Bradstreet. "Well, I have drawn my circle, and I only wish I knew at what point upon it the folk that we are in search of are to be found."

"I think I could lay my finger on it," said Holmes quietly. "Really, now!" cried the inspector, "you have formed your opinion!

Come, now, we shall see who agrees with you. I say it is south, for the country is more deserted there." "And I say east," said my patient.

"I am for west," remarked the plain-clothes man. "There are several quiet little villages up there." "And I am for north," said I, "because there are no hills there,

and our friend says that he did not notice the carriage go up any." "Come," cried the inspector, laughing; "it's a very pretty diversity of opinion.

We have boxed the compass among us. Who do you give your casting vote to?" "You are all wrong." "But we can't all be."

"Oh, yes, you can. This is my point." He placed his finger in the centre of the circle. "This is where we shall find them."