The next day, as it got too light in the room to really try to sleep,

I was surprised to hear a weak croak. "Holmes?" Immediately I was

at his side.

"Help me to rise, will you?"

"Only if you promise to go easy and take it slow, old boy." I

reached out to take his outstretched hand. He was no trouble to help

to his feet. He was too light for my liking, but we were not at the

table yet.

"No worries there. It hurts to move, but if I don't, I will be both

stiff and in pain. I promise that I won't overdo it, though."

We slowly walked out to the table. Miss Rose, a very good

informant of mine, was just bringing a tray laden with breakfast and

tea on it. {I had arranged for her to help me with the cooking and

looking after Watson. Being the motherly type, she was in her

element.}

"Watson, this is Miss Rose. She will be here to get you anything

you need. I think that you will have a lot in common. Miss Rose

studied to be a nurse."

"Well, it sounds like we will get along swimmingly."

She was arranging the dishes on the table. Watson looked on,

obviously liking what he saw in said dishes. Maybe it would not be

as hard as I thought to get him to eat.

"Will there be anything else, sirs?"

"No, Miss Rose, that will be all. Give your mother my regards."

"Thank you sir, I shall. I'll see you gentlemen later. Enjoy your

breakfast."

As the door closed, Holmes turned toward me. "Watson", he said

thoughtfully, " You are after me a lot of the time to eat something.

Now our positions are reversed. Therefore, here is the offer that I

will give you. I will eat whatever you do. I will match you slice of

bacon for slice of bacon, piece of toast for piece of toast. How does

that sound?"

"Holmes, you have got a good idea. We'll do just that." I was

not so enthusiastic about food right now, beyond looking at it, but if

it would induce Holmes to eat......

Holmes was as good as his word, and we both got down a good,

if light, breakfast.

After this, Holmes was keen to ask me about the previous

evening. "Watson, do you remember anything at all about what

happened to you?"

"Well, Holmes, there was just one man. He was a few inches

shorter than I am. He tripped on the way into the examination room

For a moment there, I got a good look at the color of them. They

were a bright green. Then he fell into me, and I guess I was hit on

the head. Next thing I know, I'm lying on my table, and he—he was

….."

"It's all right, old chap. He cannot hurt you now."

"It's very frustrating knowing that he is out there. He could be

anyone—besides eye color, anything else might have been a wig, or

any disguise—we don't even really know what he looks like."

My words were interrupted by the bell downstairs.

Holmes looked at his watch. "Watson, I've got to get that. I

will be back in a tic."

Holmes left and came back with Inspector Lestrade. After we

traded salutations, he got down to the point. "Mr. Holmes, there is a

kidnapping case that is stymieing us down at the Yard, and we'd

appreciate if you would look into it for us."

"A kidnapping?

"Mr. Holmes, the victims were all corpses!"

I felt the blood drain from my face.

A/N—I was wrong about the use of antibiotics when I mentioned

them earlier. Mea Culpa! I hope I spelled that right.