At that precise moment a baleful howl was heard in the distance. As of a great hound on having found out at the final moment about an upcoming visit to the veterinary surgeon.

"Good heavens, Holmes,said I. What was that infernal sound"?

Sherlock Holmes continued to puff away on his meersaum pipe, quite unperturbed by the sound issuing from just outside the dwelling we found ourselves in. After blowing several, noteworthy smoke rings into the air, Holmes looked over towards where I was standing on my head.

"As I have made mention several times in the course of this narrative, Watson. You see, but fail to observe"

"Thankyou Holmes!"

My chest puffed out with the unmitigated and ,if I may say so myself, totally deserved praise.

Holmes got to his feet and knocking the ashes from the bowl of his pipe over Motherpaw's head, he started for the stairs on either side of the hall.

"Watson, old fellow, my friend said ,pointing to the upper part of the house. Be so good as to climb up, onto the roof and observe the comings and goings from the several, excellent chimneys that this house possesses"

I stared in consternation at my friend.
"Why, Holmes?"
"Why, what, Watson"
"Why the chimney"?
Sherlock Holmes fixed me with those bloodshot gray eyes of his.
"In... order...to...observe"

It slowly dawned on me what it was that my good friend wanted me to do. Ah....the adventure.

"And what may I ask will you and our client be up to, whilst I am on the roof" I asked rather austerely

" We will be attending the opera this evening. Irene Adler is performing in" Iolanthe "by those excellent fellows, Gilbert and Sullivan".

" Forgive me if I say so, Holmes but ,you have always given me the impression that you loathed anything other than German music".

Motherpaw began to bounce all over the room once again. It was certainly clear what his own, personal feelings where regarding the two aforementioned musical misfits! he began singing "I am a modern major general....."

" Really Watson,Holmes continued in an attitude of pique. You must not take everything that proceeds from my mouth as fact"!

Holmes and our client left shortly thereafter for the theater and I made my weary way to the chimney.I made myself as comfortable as could and settled myself into the armcahir that Motherpaw had thoughtfully provided and had Mrs. Hudson bring me one of her excellent suppers. After I had finished eating, I happened to glance skyward and saw to my great consternation that a large bat was hovering near where I was sitting, reading the "Pink ' Un". A bolt of fear shot through my very being until I realized,with a start that it was just the "Sussex Vampire" out on his nightly prowl.