As for Dawson, he was with his friend Toffy Martingdale, pathologist, at his home. They both sat in the drawing room by the fire having tea. Toffy was the same age as Dawson, plump, a gray mouse with white muttonchops and spectacles, dressed in a blue waist coat with a green outfit underneath, wore dark blue pants.
Dawson: I should've known that the letter I was given was a fake.
Toffy: But I was planning on visiting you instead of sending a telegram. I heard you were staying at Baker Street with you know who.
Dawson: (sternly) It's Basil, and he was my friend. I cannot believe that the police would accuse him of murder. I've seen how he was with Rosa Spellcove, the two had finally become attached to each other.
Toffy: But I heard he was a bachelor. He was never one to love, was he?
Dawson: The only woman he's ever shown any signs of love to was Relda.
Toffy: The Irene Relda? I had no idea. But what happened between him and the Spellcove girl?
Dawson: At first, they both had an argument about men and women being intelligent or untrustworthy, I think. But she was just as clever as he was, and then they started to pay some attention to each other. Only once, Basil accused her for letting a felon escape when it was really my fault. She ran off, we tracked her down, and brought her back to Baker Street. Basil apologized to her and the two made up for their quarrel. Then Basil told me about when they kissed during their conversation, but she suddenly pushed him away and left him, telling him that she's only hurting him.
Toffy: Perhaps the girl had a right to push him away. You know Mr. Basil is a proud bachelor and he's proud of his work. When he's at his detective work, Basil becomes a calculating machine. As a lover, he would place himself in a false position, or someone dear to him would be used by his enemies to get through to him.
Dawson: Well, he once told me that women are not to be trusted. He only thinks of them as his clients.
Toffy: He has point there, but from what you tell me this still doesn't explain the death of Miss Spellcove.
Dawson: Yes. I have found her to be the prettiest, intelligent, headstrong, and kind-hearted girl I've ever met. I believe she had ceased to be the center of one of his problems. But I'm worried for Basil, I really want to help him. I'm glad to have talked about this with you Toffy. I needed someone to confide in.
Toffy: That's what friends are for, David. We always face through rough times together.
Dawson: Some of those times were good.
Toffy: Yep. Those were the good old Halcyon days.
They both said "cheers" as they clanked both of their teacups together. Just then, the young maid came in.
Maid: Excuse me sirs, but there's a street ruffian who wants to see Dr. Dawson.
Dawson: A street ruffian?
Toffy: Sent him away, dearie. I won't have anything to do with those filthy-
Suddenly, the ruffian himself, or herself, stormed into the room. She removed her cap to reveal that it was none other than Relda.
Relda: (angrily) How can you call me a filthy street ruffian when it's urgent that I see you!
Dawson: (surprised) Miss Relda?! You're alive?!
Toffy: Good gracious! You're a woman!
Relda: I've been looking everywhere for you, Doctor! I need your assistance!
Dawson: Assistance?
Relda: To find Basil and rescue Rosa!
Toffy: Rosa? But she's dead. All the newspaper articles say Basil stabbed her to death.
Relda: Wrong! She's not dead like everyone thinks she is! She's alive, I've seen her! She's kept prisoner down in the headquarters of the late Professor Ratigan! But from what I've learned, there's someone who's gone to great lengths to convince us that Basil killed her. And I know what you're going to ask Dawson, it's not Doran who organized this gruesome plot. In fact, I've seen the true culprit. She looks like Cinderella's stepmother, but she speaks Italian and wears a black opera dress.
Toffy: You're saying it was a woman who did it?
Dawson: And how do you know all this?
Relda: I was sneaking about in the port sewers, trying to discover what plans those villains were up to. I found the poor girl locked up in a dungeon, crying her eyes out. Believe me gentlemen, she is alive.
Toffy: If that's true, than Mr. Basil is innocent!
Dawson: But whose body was it the police found at the crime scene?
Relda: That I don't know, probably an imposter. But I need the Doctor's assistance in searching for Basil and to rescue Rosa.
Dawson: I shall be glad to accompany you, my dear. But we might need more help. I'm sure Toby can track down Basil, and the Irregulars will help too, hopefully.
Toffy: You two better get going, and give my regards to Mr. Basil. Good luck!
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When Dawson and Relda found the Irregulars, they had told them what Relda had told Dawson.
Higgins: What?! You're joking!
Mike: Miss Spellcove is alive?!
Relda: Yes, and she's in trouble!
Dawson: We need your help lads. We must find Basil before the police do, and to rescue Rosa from her captors!
They got back to Baker Street to find Toby, who was on the doorstep of Baker Street. But the small group was most surprised to see little Cyril was also there.
Dawson: Cyril? What are you doing here?
Cyril: Mr. Basil is the nicest and smartest mouse I've ever met. I don't think he would ever hurt a lady, despite what those annoying reporters say. I thought that perhaps if there's anything I can do to help you help him.
Dawson: We know he's innocent too, and we know Rosa is still alive.
Cyril: Really? Where?
Relda: In a dungeon in the sewers where Ratigan's old hideout is. It's not safe to go in there yet, I suggest we look for Basil first.
Higgins: How about we split up? The boys and I will search the underworld, Dr. Dawson and Miss Relda will search with Toby, and Cyril will search the skies.
Dawson: Jolly good idea, lad!
Everyone else agreed, and they quickly split up into their assigned groups to search for Basil.
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Meanwhile, somewhere in the unfriendly, slum, humdrum parts of London, Basil had made his way to a tavern called the Apples'N'Pears. It was located inside a yard of an old, abandoned warehouse. So many down and outs mice were hanging out. Ladies wore loose, dirty clothes, while men wore either old bowler hats or top hats, and scarves and waste coats. The Costermonger, a stout, plump mouse with whiskers, wore a bowler hat and an old tweed jacket, was leading the crowd in a song, while Basil sat by a table in the far corner.
Costermonger: Now you may be wondering why this tavern got its name
It's cause of this staircase that it made its claim to fame
The landlord let our doll Lulu out when I met her eyes
And I was being moldered when he took us by surprise
What did I do
Well wouldn't you
Lady: Radiant
Costermonger: I dwindled and buck down the chimney linder
Lady: Out the window and on her own
Costermonger: I took the old man down the apples and pears
Lady: Down the stairs of the house
Costermonger: I took that old coot down on a policeman's feet
Chorus: Down the street with his trousers
Costermonger: He ran around with his trousers by his feet
Chorus: Down his feet, oh my
Costermonger: Oh, it's amusing, so I sold his boots and hat
Chorus: Sold his boots and his hat
Costermonger: And a tip for that, and thy promised land
Chorus: In his hand, and her poor old father
Costermonger: Shammy father
Chorus: Gnashed his teeth
Costermonger: Gnashed his teeth at me
Chorus: Once he's got her
Costermonger: He's got a hold on her
Chorus: Down the church
Costermonger: And all because she took me heart away
He fell down the apples and pears
Chorus: And all because she too me heart away
He went down the apples and pears
Everyone joked and laughed. Basil just sighed and rolled his eyes.
Basil: Must the scum of the underworld be so crazy?
Then, something caught his eye. He spotted Fidget in the crowd, singing along and drinking. Then Doran entered, found Fidget, whispered something in his ear, and they both left the tavern.
Basil: Well, well. If it isn't Captain Sebastian Doran and Fidget. Now what would those two scums be up?
He left the table and followed the two villains out of the tavern. He saw them go down a drain pipe into the sewers. Basil crawled down the drain pipe after them, from a distance