I would have liked to have police protection for Mrs. Hudson, but explanations would have taken too long, and no doubt a stolid constable would have felt obliged to arrest me and Wiggins for assault as soon as he saw our victim. Wiggins caught my fear, for he left two of the largest boys to guard the prisoner, and wasted no time on dissuading the others from coming with us.

Never have I wanted so much to go home to my wife's arms! But rescuing Holmes was the first imperative, so urgent I dared consider nothing – and no one – else.