The Hound of the Baskervilles - Chapters 5-7

Chapter five

The Stolen Boot

We arrived at the Northumberland Hotel at ten minutes to two. Sir Henry Baskerville was talking to the hotel manager.

'Two boots in two days,' Sir Henry said loudly. 'Two boots have disappeared from my room - one new boot and one old boot.'

'We shall look everywhere, sir,' said the manager. 'We shall find your stolen boots.'

Sir Henry was silent while we ate lunch. He was angry about his stolen boots.

'Tell me, Mr. Holmes,' said Dr. Mortimer. 'Is it safe for Sir Henry to go to Baskerville Hall?'

'It is safer than staying in London,' said Holmes. 'Do you know that a man followed you this morning?'

'Followed us!' said Dr. Mortimer in surprise. 'Who followed us?'

'A man with a thick black beard,' said Holmes. 'Do you know a man with a black beard?'

'Yes, I do,' replied Dr. Mortimer. 'The servant at Baskerville Hall has a thick black beard. His name is Barrymore. I can't think why he is following us. But I am sure Sir Henry is in danger. It is better if Sir Henry stays here in London.'

'No. You are wrong,' said Holmes. 'There are millions of people in London. We cannot watch them all. There are not as many people on Dartmoor. Everyone will notice someone who is a stranger.'

'But this man may not be a stranger,' said Dr. Mortimer.

'I agree,' said Holmes. 'That is why Sir Henry must not stay at Baskerville Hall alone. I myself will be busy in London, but my good friend Dr. Watson will go with you to Dartmoor.'

'Oh... yes, of course,' I said, 'I will certainly go to Dartmoor.'

'Thank you, Dr. Watson,' said Sir Henry. 'You will be very welcome at Baskerville Hall.'

'Good,' said Holmes. 'Now, Sir Henry, tell me about the other boot which has been stolen.'

'It is one of an old pair of boots,' said Sir Henry.

'How strange,' said Holmes. 'And, tell me Sir Henry, if you die, who will become the owner of Baskerville Hall?'

'I don't know,' replied Sir Henry. 'Sir Charles had two brothers - my father, who went to Canada, and a younger brother called Roger. But Roger never married and he died in South America. I have no living relatives. I don't know who will get all my money if I die today.'

'And, may I ask, how much money do you have?'

'Certainly, Mr. Holmes. Sir Charles left me a fortune of one million pounds,' said Sir Henry.

'Many men will murder their best friend for a million pounds,' said Holmes.

.Chapter six Baskerville Hall

On Saturday morning, Sherlock Holmes came with me to Paddington Station.

'This is a dangerous business, Watson,' he said. 'Stay near to Sir Henry. Do not let him walk on the moor alone at night.'

'Don't worry, Holmes,' I said. 'I have brought my army revolver.'

'Good,' said Holmes. 'Write to me every day. Tell me what you see and hear. Tell me all the facts - everything.'

I said goodbye to Sherlock Holmes and met Sir Henry Baskerville and Dr. Mortimer at the station. The train journey to Devon took three hours. We looked out of the windows at the green countryside. At last, we reached Dartmoor. Then the countryside changed from green to grey and we saw broken hills of black rock.

We got off the train at the small station in Grimpen Village. A driver was waiting with a carriage and horses to take us to Baskerville Hall. As we rode along the narrow country road, I saw a soldier on a horse. The soldier was carrying a gun and was watching the road.

I spoke to the driver. 'Why is that soldier guarding the road? Is there some trouble?'

'Why is that soldier guarding the road? Is there some trouble?''Yes, sir,' the driver replied. 'A prisoner has escaped from Dartmoor Prison. He's a very dangerous man. His name is Selden. He is a dangerous murderer.'

I looked across the empty moor. A cold wind blew and made me shiver. Holmes believed that someone wanted to murder Sir Henry Baskerville. Now, another murderer was out on the moor. I felt that this lonely place was very dangerous. I wanted to go back to London.

There were thick trees all round Baskerville Hall. It looked like a castle. It stood alone on the empty moor.

We stopped outside Baskerville Hall. 'I must leave you here,' said Dr. Mortimer. 'I have a lot of work to do. And my wife is waiting for me at home.'

'I hope you will come to dinner very soon,' said Sir Henry.

'I will,' said Dr. Mortimer. 'And if you ever need me, send for me at any time - day or night.' Then Dr. Mortimer rode away in the carriage.

A man with a thick black beard and a pale face came out of the house. He greeted Sir Henry.

'Welcome to Baskerville Hall, sir. I am Barrymore. I have been a servant here for many years. My wife and I have prepared the house for you. Shall I show you around the house?'

'Yes please, Barrymore,' said Sir Henry. 'This is Dr. Watson. He will be my guest for a few days.'

'Very good, sir,' said Barrymore. He took our cases into the house.

I looked carefully at Barrymore. Was he the man with a black beard who had followed Sir Henry in London? I was not sure. Mr. and Mrs. Barrymore had looked after the house well.

Everything was in order. But the house was a cold and lonely place. There was trouble here.

That night I wrote a letter to Sherlock Holmes. I told him all that I had seen and heard. While I was writing, I heard a sound - a woman crying. The only woman in the house was Mrs. Barrymore. I wondered why she was so unhappy.

.Chapter seven The Stapletons of Merripit House

At breakfast next morning, I asked Sir Henry, 'Did you hear a woman crying in the night?'

'I heard a sound like crying,' said Sir Henry. 'But I thought it was the wind on the moor.'

Sir Henry had many papers to read. I left him sitting at his desk and went for a walk on the moor.

I walked for two or three miles across the empty moor. Then, behind me, I heard a voice call, 'Dr. Watson!' I looked round. I thought it was Dr. Mortimer. But I saw a stranger walking towards me.

'My name is Stapleton,' said the man. 'How do you do, Dr. Watson? I saw Dr. Mortimer this morning and he told me your name. I have heard about you. You are the friend of the famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, aren't you?'

'Yes, Mr. Stapleton, I am,' I said.

'And is Mr. Holmes staying at Baskerville Hall too?' asked Stapleton. 'Is he interested in Dartmoor?'

'Mr. Holmes is in London,' I said. 'He is a busy man.'

'Of course,' said Stapleton. 'Please come and see my house. It's very near here. I live with my sister.'

Stapleton led me along a narrow path across a wide, flat part of the moor. The land around us was a strange, green colour. We walked towards a hill of grey rock.

'Be very careful, Dr. Watson,' said Stapleton. 'Stay on the path. We are in the Great Grimpen Mire. There is a sea of soft mud underneath the grass. If you fall in, you will never get out again.'

'Thank you for telling me,' I said. 'But why do you live here? It is a dangerous and lonely place.'

'I am a naturalist. I study nature,' said Stapleton. 'There are many interesting flowers and birds on the Great Grimpen Mire. And there are some unusual animals on Dartmoor.'

At that moment we heard a strange sound. It was a deep howling sound - the sound of a large dog. It came from some distance away.

'Stapleton! Is that the sound of a dog?' I asked.

'It is only the sound of the wind,' said Stapleton. 'The wind blows through the rocks and makes strange sounds. But here is my house - Merripit House on the moor.' He pointed to the long, low farmhouse which we could see near the hill. 'And my sister is coming to meet us.'

Miss Stapleton was a very attractive woman. She was slim and tall, with beautiful dark eyes. I thought she looked very different from her brother. She had dark hair, but her brother had fair hair. They were both about thirty years old. Stapleton looked a little older. He was a small, thin, clean-shaven man, with a long face.

'How do you do, Miss Stapleton,' I said. 'Your brother has told me about the Great Grimpen Mire and the unusual flowers and birds. Did you hear that strange sound a moment ago? Does the wind often make this sound?'

'I heard nothing,' Miss Stapleton said quickly. She looked at her brother and I saw fear in her eyes.

Her brother looked at her angrily. 'Let us show Dr. Watson our house,' he said.

I stayed for a short time. Stapleton showed me his collection of flowers and butterflies.

'I will come to Baskerville Hall to visit Sir Henry this afternoon,' said Stapleton. 'Will you tell him?'

'Of course,' I replied. 'Now, if you will excuse me, I must go back to Baskerville Hall. I hope to see you again soon.'

'Stay on the path,' said Stapleton. 'Remember the Great Grimpen Mire. Many men have died in it.'

Miss Stapleton walked outside with me. She spoke quickly, in a quiet voice. 'Dr. Watson, I want to tell you about the strange sound you heard. The people here say that it is the sound of the Hound of the Baskervilles. They say it killed Sir Charles and now it will kill Sir Henry. But, please, do not tell my brother that I spoke to you. Now, go back to London. Go back today!'

She went into the house quickly. I walked along the narrow path slowly, thinking about what she had said.