[Illustration:  “The stranger drew forth A bundle of business cards”]

III

THE SEARCH-PARTY IS ORGANIZED

“Well, Mr. Holmes,” said Sir Walter Raleigh, after three rousing cheers, led by Hamlet, had been given with a will by the assembled spirits, “after this demonstration in your honor I think it is hardly necessary for me to assure you of our hearty co-operation in anything you may venture to suggest.  There is still manifest, however, some desire on the part of the ever-wise King Solomon and my friend Confucius to know how you deduce that Kidd has sailed for London, from the cigar end which you hold in your hand.”

[Illustration:  “Three rousing cheers, led by Hamlet, were given”]

“I can easily satisfy their curiosity,” said Sherlock Holmes, genially.  “I believe I have already proven that it is the end of Kidd’s cigar.  The marks of the teeth have shown that.  Now observe how closely it is smoked—­there is barely enough of it left for one to insert between his teeth.  Now Captain Kidd would hardly have risked the edges of his mustache and the comfort of his lips by smoking a cigar down to the very light if he had had another; nor would he under any circumstances have smoked it that far unless he were passionately addicted to this particular brand of the weed.  Therefore I say to you, first, this was his cigar; second, it was the last one he had; third, he is a confirmed smoker.  The result, he has gone to the one place in the world where these Connecticut hand-rolled Havana cigars—­for I recognize this as one of them—­have a real popularity, and are therefore more certainly obtainable, and that is at London.  You cannot get so vile a cigar as that outside of a London hotel.  If I could have seen a quarter-inch more of it, I should have been able definitely to locate the hotel itself.  The wrappers unroll to a degree that varies perceptibly as between the different hotels.  The Metropole cigar can be smoked a quarter through before its wrapper gives way; the Grand wrapper goes as soon as you light the cigar; whereas the Savoy, fronting on the Thames, is surrounded by a moister atmosphere than the others, and, as a consequence, the wrapper will hold really until most people are willing to throw the whole thing away.”

“It is really a wonderful art!” said Solomon.

“The making of a Connecticut Havana cigar?” laughed Holmes.  “Not at all.  Give me a head of lettuce and a straw, and I’ll make you a box.”

“I referred to your art—­that of detection,” said Solomon.  “Your logic is perfect; step by step we have been led to the irresistible conclusion that Kidd has made for London, and can be found at one of these hotels.”