Sherlock Holmes and the Discarded Cigarette by Fred Thursfield

about five boys aged from ten to fifteen years of age. At its largest there could be as many as twenty boys aged from ten to seventeen years of age.
    The unofficial leader of the Baker Street Irregulars at this time was a lad called Peter Stockton. “Watson” Holmes directed me “make arrangements through my usual means that Peter is contacted and comes to 221 Baker Street as soon as he can. We have no time to lose.”
    When Peter was in our company Holmes gave him a newspaper picture of Druitt with instructions that the Baker Street Irregulars were not to approach him or have any contact with, but were to come back to Holmes or myself if they had any knowledge of Druitt’s location.
    With Holmes extended eyes and ears now roaming the streets of London I hoped that Druitt would soon be spotted. Each afternoon one of us would rise from where we were seated in Holmes parlor in hopes of seeing a young lad come to the front door telling us our quarry had been spotted.
    Holmes was about to give up with his method of finding Druitt and formally hand the matter over to the Metropolitan Police when we heard a soft knocking downstairs late one afternoon on the front door and Mrs. Hudson’s voice answering the knock with “coming .”
    We heard the door open there was a brief exchange of words then we heard her say “Up the stairs and knock before entering.” We noticed that the carpeted stairs were barely being tread on as they were being ascended which left us wondering as to the nature of our caller and the urgency of the information they were bearing
    This time we heard the knock on Holmes front door “Come in” was Holmes answer as we both rose to greet our afternoon visitor. Expecting to see some slight built man or women come through the door instead our visitor was a ten year old boy named Tom who was part of Holmes Baker Street Irregulars.
    The boy removed his cap and went straight into his message “Mr. Holmes we (of course meaning some of the other members of the Baker Street Irregulars as well) think we have seen the man you have been looking for.”
    Ignoring me for a moment Holmes lowered his form down to the lads’ level and asked excitedly “Where did you see him?” “Well sir” young Tom said as if to correct himself “we saw a man who looked like him and he was seen driving a team of Clydesdale horses pulling a large pulling a large wagon on Garret lane.
    â€œWhat time was this?” Holmes asked the lad with the same enthusiasm a blood hound has when it picks up the scent of the prey. “Well it was early...about five o’clock in the morning or so we wanted to get to the bakery in time to see if they had any day old bread to give away”
    Holmes cringed slightly when hearing about such needless poverty and I knew because of this that the Baker Street Irregulars would be paid well for this important lead.
    When he straightened again he went to the mantle where he kept a loose collection of coins, scooping them up he placed the collection in Toms small hands. Looking at the bounty that he just received all the lad could muster was “thank you”.
    â€œThis reward is for you and the rest of the Irregulars for your excellent work. When you get back instruct Peter and the rest to continue to keep the man you have seen under continued surveillance. You are not to let him know he is being watched, but let me know if you have information as to his where about and any further activities.”

Chapter 20
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    When Tom had left to bring back the bounty he had received to the rest of the Baker Street Irregulars Holmes asked me “Watson what do we know about the area surrounding Garrett Lane and summers town Road in Camden town.”
    I had to think a moment then remembering some of the work injury related patients who had come into hospital from that area. Closing my eyes and seeing the patients being off loaded by