Mycroft had missed his brother greatly, and was pleased when he returned home at last. He held out his arms to greet him, but Sherlock passed him by searching instead for his dog.
"Do you have no greeting for your brother after being so long away?" Mycroft asked.
"I've no time for you, Mycroft," Sherlock said. "Where is Redbeard? Surely he should be back by now?"
Mycroft's heart was moved to anger, and he said, "Use your skills of deduction brother. Did you see anyone take Redbeard away? If you wish to find your dog, seek him beside the great elm."
Sherlock's face became white, and he rushed from the house. There, beside the old elm, he found Redbeard's grave.
Tears flowed from his eyes as he knelt beside it, for Redbeard had been his true friend. "I'm sorry," Mycroft said. "I thought that after all of this time, you would have deduced it."
Sherlock turned away from Mycroft. "You lied to me. I would have stayed by his side until the end, but you took that from me. Now, I will rule my own destiny."
That night, Sherlock told them all that he would go find his fortune in London. "But there are crocodiles in the London Zoo!" Mycroft cried. Sherlock ignored him and went upstairs to pack his bags.