e
das Earl is half-stewed all the time, drinking das expensive vine mit
Harrigan das butler, old Holmes, he finds it darned easy to pull das
vool over das Earl's eyes, und make him believe he is earning das big
fee he vill charge him! Ha, ha! He may snoop around here all he likes,
but he'll never find das cuff-button, because Ay have got it hid in a
goot hiding-place! Mr. Billie Budd, das gentleman from Australia, he
took one pair of das cuff-buttons, und he gave one of dem to me to
hide for him, until das excitement blows over, und den I give it back
to him, und he pays me a big reward for it, und he takes it in to
London and sells it for many tousand moneys. He escaped yesterday
afternoon when das big walrus of a police inspector from London tried
to arrest him; und he's not far away, Ay bet you."

Holmes had very good control of his facial muscles, and didn't crack a
smile while the unsuspecting Olaf dribbled out the whole thing to him,
but I, hidden in the next stall, had a hard time suppressing a laugh
when I heard Holmes criticized to his face after that fashion.

"Well, that's very interesting, Olaf, I'm sure," said Holmes
ingratiatingly. "Would you mind telling me just where this diamond
cuff-button is hidden, now?"

Olaf put his tongue in his cheek, and winking at the false race-track
follower, replied:

"Vat you want to know for? Ay bane taking no chances mit it, so Mr.
Budd, ven he comes back, vill get it safe, und pay me das big reward
he promised me."

"Oh, well; you don't need to tell if you don't want to," replied
Holmes carelessly. "By the way, hasn't this great racer here got
something the matter with his left hind hoof? There seems to be a lump
just above it."

And Holmes pointed to Ajax's hoof, which his quick and discerning eyes
had noticed while Olaf was making his long speech. The shot must have
struck home, for Olaf showed great emotion at once.

"Oh, no, nuttings at all, nuttings at all!" he cried nervously, his
hands working convulsively and his face very red. "Das horse he vas
born dat way! Dat's all!"

"He was, eh? It looks kind of funny to me, though," was Holmes's quick
reply. "I know something about veterinary surgery, and maybe I can fix
it up for you. Here, h'ist up there, Ajax!"

And before Olaf could prevent him Holmes had grabbed the horse's leg
up between his own knees, whipped out his pocket-knife, and scraped
away at the strange lump between the pastern and the hoof. He