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escape and opportunities of concealment。 These thieves have friends and
pals everywhere〃
〃Bless me； do you know who they are？〃
The wary face； practised in concealing the thoughts and feelings within；
gave me no token； nor yet the replying words； so quietly uttered：
〃Never mind about that。 I may； and I may not。 We generally gather a
pretty shrewd inkling of who our man is by the manner of his work and the
size of the game he goes after。 We are not dealing with a pickpocket or
a hall thief now； make up your mind to that。 This property was not
'lifted' by a novice。 But； as I was saying； considering the amount of
travel which will have to be done； and the diligence with which the
thieves will cover up their traces as they move along； twenty…five
thousand may be too small a sum to offer； yet I think it worth while to
start with that。〃
So we determined upon that figure as a beginning。 Then this man； whom
nothing escaped which could by any possibility be made to serve as a
clue； said：
〃There are cases in detective history to show that criminals have been
detected through peculiarities； in their appetites。 Now； what does this
elephant eat； and how much？〃
〃Well； as to what he eatshe will eat anything。 He will eat a man； he
will eat a Biblehe will eat anything between a man and a Bible。〃
〃Good very good； indeed； but too general。 Details are necessarydetails
are the only valuable things in our trade。 Very wellas to men。 At one
mealor； if you prefer； during one dayhow man men will he eat； if
fresh？〃
〃He would not care whether they were fresh or not； at a single meal he
would eat five ordinary men。
〃Very good； five men； we will put that down。 What nationalities would he
prefer？〃
〃He is indifferent about nationalities。 He prefers acquaintances； but is
not prejudiced against strangers。〃
〃Very good。 Now； as to Bibles。 How many Bibles would he eat at a meal？〃
〃He would eat an entire edition。〃
〃It is hardly succinct enough。 Do you mean the ordinary octavo； or the
family illustrated？〃
〃I think he would be indifferent to illustrations that is； I think he
would not value illustrations above simple letterpress。〃
〃No； you do not get my idea。 I refer to bulk。 The ordinary octavo Bible
weighs about two pound； and a half； while the great quarto with the
illustrations weighs ten or twelve。 How many Dore Bibles would he eat at
a meal？〃
〃If you knew this elephant； you could not ask。 He would take what they
had。〃
〃Well； put it in dollars and cents； then。 We must get at it somehow。
The Dore costs a hundred dollars a copy； Russia leather； beveled。〃
〃He would require about fifty thousand dollars worthsay an edition of
five hundred copies。〃
〃Now that is more exact。 I will put that down。 Very well； he likes men
and Bibles； so far； so good。 What else will he eat？ I want
particulars。〃
〃He will leave Bibles to eat bricks； he will leave bricks to eat bottles；
he will leave bottles to eat clothing； he will leave clothing to eat
cats； he will leave cats to eat oysters； he will leave oysters to eat
ham； he will leave ham to eat sugar； he will leave sugar to eat pie； he
will leave pie to eat potatoes； he will leave potatoes to eat bran； he
will leave bran to eat hay； he will leave hay to eat oats； he will leave
oats to eat rice； for he was mainly raised on it。 There is nothing
whatever that he will not eat but European butter； and he would eat that
if he could taste it。〃
〃Very good。 General quantity at a mealsay about〃
〃Well； anywhere from a quarter to half a ton。〃
〃And he drinks〃
〃Everything that is fluid。 Milk； water； whisky； molasses； castor oil；
camphene； carbolic acidit is no use to go into particulars； whatever
fluid occurs to you set it down。 He will drink anything that is fluid；
except European coffee。〃
〃Very good。 As to quantity？〃
〃Put it down five to fifteen barrelshis thirst varies； his other
appetites do not。〃
〃These things are unusual。 They ought to furnish quite good clues toward
tracing him。〃
He touched the bell。
〃Alaric； summon Captain Burns。〃
Burns appeared。 Inspector Blunt unfolded the whole matter to him； detail
by detail。 Then he said in the clear； decisive tones of a man whose
plans are clearly defined in his head and who is accustomed to command：
〃Captain Burns； detail Detectives Jones； Davis； Halsey； Bates； and
Hackett to shadow the elephant。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Detail Detectives Moses； Dakin； Murphy； Rogers； Tupper； Higgins； and
Bartholomew to shadow the thieves。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Place a strong guardA guard of thirty picked men； with a relief of
thirtyover the place from whence the elephant was stolen； to keep
strict watch there night and day； and allow none to approachexcept
reporterswithout written authority from me。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Place detectives in plain clothes in the railway； steamship； and ferry
depots； and upon all roadways leading out of Jersey City； with orders to
search all suspicious persons。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Furnish all these men with photograph and accompanying description of
the elephant； and instruct them to search all trains and outgoing
ferryboats and other vessels。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃If the elephant should be found； let him be seized； and the information
forwarded to me by telegraph。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Let me be informed at once if any clues should be found footprints of
the animal； or anything of that kind。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Get an order commanding the harbor police to patrol the frontages
vigilantly。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Despatch detectives in plain clothes over all the railways； north as far
as Canada； west as far as Ohio； south as far as Washington。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Place experts in all the telegraph offices to listen in to all messages；
and let them require that all cipher despatches be interpreted to them。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Let all these things be done with the utmost's secrecymind； the most
impenetrable secrecy。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Report to me promptly at the usual hour。〃
〃Yes； Sir。〃
〃Go！〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
He was gone。
Inspector Blunt was silent and thoughtful a moment； while the fire in his
eye cooled down and faded out。 Then he turned to me and said in a placid
voice：
〃I am not given to boasting； it is not my habit； butwe shall find the
elephant。〃
I shook him warmly by the hand and thanked him； and I felt my thanks；
too。 The more I had seen of the man the more I liked him and the more I
admired him and marveled over the mysterious wonders of his profession。
Then we parted for the night； and I went home with a far happier heart
than I had carried with me to his office。
II
Next morning it was all in the newspapers； in the minutest detail。 It
even had additionsconsisting of Detective This； Detective That； and
Detective The Other's 〃Theory〃 as to how the robbery was done； who the
robbers were； and whither they had flown with their booty。 There were
eleven of these theories； and they covered all the possibilities； and
this single fact shows what independent thinkers detectives are。 No two
theories were alike； or even much resembled each other； save in one
striking particular； and