H0Imes and I put on our coats and hats and went
out into the cold winter street. The sky was dark over
our heads. We walked east. and in a quarter of an hour we
stood in front of The Alpha. Holmes opened the door and
we went in.
In the pub the owner, Mr Windigate, gave us some beer.
'Is this beer good?' Holmes asked him. 'I ask because I
know your geese are very good. Mr Henry Baker told us all
about your goose club.'
:Ah, yes. But those geese weren't our geese. They came
from a man with a little shop in Covent Garden.
Breckinridge is his name.'
'Thank you, my good man.' said Holmes. We paid for our
beer and drank it. Then we walked out of the warm pub
and into the cold night again.
'Now for Covent Garden.' said Holmes, and we walked
down the street past the British Museum. 'Remember,
Watson, it all began with a goose, but it finishes with
seven years in prison for young Mr Homer. Perhaps we
can learn more about this interesting case in Mr
Breckinridge's shop:
We walked south and soon came to Mr Breckinridge's
shop. Breckinridge and a boy were at the door. It was
nearly time to close for the night.
'Good evening. It's a cold night,' said Holmes.
'How can I help you?' asked Breckinridge.
Holmes looked at the empty shop window. 'No geese, I
see,' he said.
'There are some in that other shop - there behind you:
lh, but I came to you because I hear your geese are very
good. "Breckinridge's birds are the best," he said: