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not been so plentiful with me as they once were；〃 he remarked。 〃I
had no doubt that the gang of roughs who assaulted me had carried
off both my hat and the bird。 I did not care to spend more money
in a hopeless attempt at recovering them。〃
〃Very naturally。 By the way； about the bird； we were
compelled to eat it。〃
〃To eat it！〃 Our visitor half rose from his chair in his
excitement。
〃Yes； it would have been of no use to anyone had we not done
so。 But I presume that this other goose upon the sideboard； which
is about the same weight and perfectly fresh； will answer your
purpose equally well？〃
〃Oh； certainly； certainly；〃 answered Mr。 Baker with a sigh of
relief。
〃Of course； we still have the feathers； legs； crop； and so on
of your own bird； so if you wish〃
The man burst into a hearty laugh。 〃They might be useful to
me as relics of my adventure；〃 said he； 〃but beyond that I can
hardly see what use the disjecta membra of my late acquaintance
are going to be to me。 No； sir； I think that； with your
permission； I will confine my attentions to the excellent bird
which I perceive upon the sideboard。〃
Sherlock Holmes glanced sharply across at me with a slight
shrug of his shoulders。
〃There is your hat； then； and there your bird；〃 said he。 〃By
the way； would it bore you to tell me where you got the other one
from？ I am somewhat of a fowl fancier； and I have seldom seen a
better grown goose。〃
〃Certainly； sir；〃 said Baker； who had risen and tucked his
newly gained property under his arm。 〃There are a few of us who
frequent the Alpha Inn； near the Museumwe are to be found in the
Museum itself during the day； you understand。 This year our good
host； Windigate by name； instituted a goose club； by which； on
consideration of some few pence every week； we were each to
receive a bird at Christmas。 My pence were duly paid； and the
rest is familiar to you。 I am much indebted to you； sir； for a
Scotch bonnet is fitted neither to my years nor my gravity。〃 With
a comical pomposity of manner he bowed solemnly to both of us and
strode off upon his way。
〃So much for Mr。 Henry Baker；〃 said Holmes when he had closed
the door behind him。 〃It is quite certain that he knows nothing
whatever about the matter。 Are you hungry； Watson？〃
〃Not particularly。〃
〃Then I suggest that we turn our dinner into a supper and
follow up this clue while it is still hot。〃
〃By all means。〃
It was a bitter night； so we drew on our ulsters and wrapped
cravats about our throats。 Outside； the stars were shining coldly
in a cloudless sky； and the breath of the passers…by blew out into
smoke like so many pistol shots。 Our footfalls rang out crisply
and loudly as we swung through the doctors' quarter； Wimpole
Street； Harley Street； and so through Wigmore Street into Oxford
Street。 In a quarter of an hour we were in Bloomsbury at the
Alpha Inn； which is a small public…house at the corner of one of
the streets which runs down into Holborn。 Holmes pushed open the
door of the private bar and ordered two glasses of beer from the
ruddy…faced； white…aproned landlord。
〃Your beer should be excellent if it is as good as your
geese；〃 said he。
〃My geese！〃 The man seemed surprised。
〃Yes。 I was speaking only half an hour ago to Mr。 Henry
Baker； who was a member of your goose club。〃
〃Ah！ yes； I see。 But you see； sir； them's not our geese。〃
〃Indeed！ Whose； then？〃
〃Well； I got the two dozen from a salesman in Covent Garden。〃
〃Indeed？ I know some of them。 Which was it？〃
〃Breckinridge is his name。〃
〃Ah！ I don't know him。 Well； here's your good health；
landlord； and prosperity to your house。 Good…night。〃
〃Now for Mr。 Breckinridge；〃 he continued； buttoning up his
coat as we came out into the frosty air。 〃Remember； Watson； that
though we have so homely a thing as a goose at one end of this
chain； we have at the other a man who will certainly get seven
years' penal servitude unless we can establish his innocence。 It
is possible that our inquiry may but confirm his guilt； but； in
any case； we have a line of investigation which has been missed by
the police； and which a singular chance has placed in our hands。
Let us follow it out to the bitter end。 Faces to the south； then；
and quick march！〃
We passed across Holborn； down Endell Street； and so through a
zigzag of slums to Covent Garden Market。 One of the largest
stalls bore the name of Breckinridge upon it； and the proprietor；
a horsy…looking man； with a sharp face and trim side…whiskers； was
helping a boy to put up the shutters。
〃Good…evening。 It's a cold night〃' said Holmes。
The salesman nodded and shot a questioning glance at my
companion。
〃Sold out of geese； I see；〃 continued Holmes； pointing at the
bare slabs of marble。
〃Let you have five hundred to…morrow morning。〃
〃Thats no good。〃
〃Well； there are some on the stall with the gas…flare。〃
〃Ah； but I was recommended to you。〃
〃Who by？〃
〃The landlord of the Alpha。〃
〃Oh； yes； I sent him a couple of dozen。〃
〃Fine birds they were； too。 Now where did you get them from？〃
To my surprise the question provoked a burst of anger from the
salesman。
〃Now； then； mister；〃 said he； with his head cocked and his
arms akimbo； 〃what are you driving at？ Let's have it straight；
now。〃
〃It is straight enough。 I should like to know who sold you
the geese which you supplied to the Alpha。〃
〃Well； then； I shan't tell you。 So now！〃
〃Oh； it is a matter of no importance； but I don't know why you
should be so warm over such a trifle。〃
〃Warm！ You'd be as warm； maybe； if you were as pestered as I
am。 When I pay good money for a good article there should be an
end of the business； but it's ‘Where are the geese？' and ‘Who did
you sell the geese to？' and ‘What will you take for the geese？'
One would think they were the only geese in the world； to hear the
fuss that is made over them。〃
〃Well； I have no connection with any other people who have
been making inquiries；〃 said Holmes carelessly。 〃If you won't
tell us the bet is off； that is all。 But I'm always ready to back
my opinion on a matter of fowls； and I have a fiver on it that the
bird I ate is country bred。〃
〃Well； then； you've lost your fiver； for it's town bred；〃
snapped the salesman。
〃It's nothing of the kind。〃
〃I say it is。〃
〃I don't believe it。〃
〃D'you think you know more about fowls than I； who have
handled them ever since I was a nipper？ I tell you； all those
birds that went to the Alpha were town bred。〃
〃You'll never persuade me to believe that。〃
〃Will you bet； then？〃
〃It's merely taking your money； for I know that I am right。
But I'll have a sovereign on with you； just to teach you not to be
obstinate。〃
The salesman chuckled grimly。 〃Bring me the books； Bill；〃
said he