“‘The dates are those on which I acquired the respective specimens,’ I answered.

“‘Oh, indeed.’  He reflected, with a profoundly speculative eye on Number Five.  I judged that he was trying to recall a date furnished by Number Five’s cousin and that he would have liked to consult his note-book.

“‘The particulars,’ I said, ’are too lengthy to put on the labels, but they are set out in detail in the catalogue.’

“‘Can I see the catalogue?’ he asked eagerly.

“‘Certainly.’  I produced a small manuscript volume—­not the catalogue which is attached to the ‘Archives,’ but a dummy that I had prepared for such a contingency as had arisen—­and handed it to him.  He opened it with avidity, and, turning at once to Number Five, began, with manifest disappointment, to read the description aloud.

“’5.  Male skeleton of Teutonic type exhibiting well-marked characters of degeneration.  The skull is asymmetrical, subdolichocephalic.’ (He pronounced this word subdolichocolophalic’ and paused abruptly, turning rather red.  It is an awkward word.) ‘Yes,’ he said, closing the catalogue, ’very interesting, very remarkable.  Exceedingly so.  I should very much like to possess a skeleton like that.’

“‘You are much better off with the one you have got,’ I remarked.

“‘Oh, I don’t mean that,’ he rejoined hastily.  ’I mean that I should like to acquire a specimen like this Number Five for my proposed collection.  Now how could I get one?’

“‘Well,’ I said reflectively, ‘there are several ways.’  I paused and he gazed at me expectantly.  ‘You could, for instance,’ I continued slowly, ’provide yourself with a lasso and take a walk down Whitechapel High Street.’

“‘Good gracious!’ he exclaimed excitedly; ’do you really mean to say that—­’

“‘Certainly,’ I interrupted.  ’You would find an abundance of material.  For my own part, not being gifted with your exceptionally fine physique, I have to adopt the more prosaic and expensive plan of buying my specimens from the dealers.’

“‘Quite so, quite so,’ he agreed.  He was deeply disappointed and inclined to be huffy.  ’Of course you were joking about the lasso.  But would you mind giving me the address of the dealer from whom you obtained this specimen?’ And once more he pointed to Cousin Bill.

“He thought he had cornered me; and so he would have done if I had been less cautious.  I congratulated myself on the wisdom and foresight that had led me to provide myself with those dummy skeletons.  For now I held him in the hollow of my hand.

“‘That specimen?’ I said, scanning the date on the pedestal; ’I fancy I got it from Hammerstein.  You know his place in the Seven Dials, no doubt.  A very useful man.  I get most of my human osteology from him.’  I fetched my receipt file and turned over the papers in leisurely fashion while he gnawed his lips with impatience.  At last I found the receipted invoice and he read it aloud with a ludicrous expression of disappointment.