Beyond that the
hills become precipitous. Surely it is here to the north that
our quest must lie."
"But the bicycle?" I persisted.
"Well, well!" said Holmes, impatiently. "A good cyclist does
not need a high road. The moor is intersected with paths and
the moon was at the full. Halloa! what is this?"
There was an agitated knock at the door, and an instant
afterwards Dr. Huxtable was in the room. In his hand he held
a blue cricket-cap, with a white chevron on the peak.
"At last we have a clue!" he cried. "Thank Heaven! at last
we are on the dear boy's track! It is his cap."
"Where was it found?"
"In the van of the gipsies who camped on the moor.
They left on Tuesday. To-day the police traced them
down and examined their caravan. This was found."
"How do they account for it?"
"They shuffled and lied -- said that they found it on the
moor on Tuesday morning. They know where he is, the rascals!
Thank goodness, they are all safe under lock and key. Either
the fear of the law or the Duke's purse will certainly get out
of them all that they know."
"So far, so good," said Holmes, when the doctor had at last
left the room.
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