I must say that I had watched every one of the methods which Holmes had used during this difficult case. Though I could not yet understand how it would all end, I understood clearly that Holmes expected this criminal to try to destroy the two remaining busts. I remembered that one of these busts was in Chiswick. No doubt the reason for our journey was to catch the criminal as he tried to destroy it. I had to admire the way my friend had put a wrong clue in the evening paper. The story in the paper would make the criminal think that his real plans had not been discovered.

I was not surprised when Holmes suggested that I should take my revolver with me. He himself had picked up the short, heavy riding whip which was his favourite weapon.

A carriage was at the door at eleven o'clock. We drove in it to a place at the other side of Hammersmith Bridge. Here the cabman was told to wait for us. After a short walk we came to a quiet road with pleasant houses, each in its own garden. In the light of a street lamp we read 'Laburnum Villa' upon the gate-post of one of the houses.

The people in the house must have gone to sleep, because the house was dark except for a light over the hall door, which made a single circle on the garden path. The wooden fence at the edge of the garden had a deep black shadow on the inner side. It was in this shadow that we hid.

'I am afraid that we'll have a long wait,' Holmes whispered. 'But at least it is not raining. I don't think we can even dare to smoke to pass the time. However, it's very likely that we will get something to pay us for our trouble.'