Sight impairment group

A Sherlock Holmes story by the Sight Impairment Group

Sherlock had decided to take the Baker Street Irregulars to the country to enjoy some time away from city life during the Christmas period.  Molly Hooper, the police scientist had come along to help with them all.  They were staying at an old Manor House on the misty moor.  

One of the young boys, Wiggins had recently taken up the cause of retraining the hound of the Baskervilles to become a good dog.  Everyone was enjoying their visit and having fun playing games as they got into the Christmas spirit.

On Christmas morning Molly heard the hound howling.  She ran into the study and to her dismay she found Wiggins collapsed on the floor.  He had half a mince pie in his hand and crumbs on the floor beside him.  The potent smell of poison was on his lips. Molly used her scientific knowledge to conclude that he was close to death if an antidote couldn’t be found.  Molly, Sherlock and the other boys carried him to the bedroom, then they called for the assistance of Doctor Watson.

Sherlock began to investigate and soon found footprints in the snow leading to the study window.  He discovered that the footprints had been made with a woman’s boot.  There were fingerprints on the window and it was obvious that someone had been watching Wiggins as he trained the hound.

They searched the house and the local village in the hope of finding the boots to match the footprints.  An old lady in the village had matching boots, but she couldn’t have committed the crime, as she had broken her left leg a week ago and was unable to walk.  However on closer inspection the boots still had fresh snow on them. Sherlock had an idea and asked if he could borrow the boots.  

Sherlock continued to investigate and started to question the rest of the Baker Street Irregulars on their whereabouts.  Inspired by the fairytale of Cinderella he got them all to try on the old lady’s boots.  The boots were far too small to fit upon the boy’s feet, until lastly Little Bertie tried them on.  The boots fitted his feet perfectly!  Additionally they took his fingerprints and discovered that they matched the ones on the study window. 

Sherlock took him aside and started to question him.  Little Bertie confessed, “I poisoned Wiggins- but Professor Moriarty made me do it”.  It turned out that Moriarty had kidnapped Little Bertie’s brother and would only set him free if Bertie poisoned Wiggins.  Moriarty wanted to prevent Wiggins from making the Hound good, as he had further evil plans for it.  

As Bertie started to cry, Sherlock told him not to worry he had a plan to get his younger brother back.  Sherlock sent a telegram to Inspector Lestrade at Scotland yard.  Lestrade followed Sherlock’s instructions, which lead him to a mince pie factory in London.  There he caught Moriarty red handed as he was in the process of filling more mince pies with poison.

Meanwhile at the old Manor Dr Watson arrived with the antidote powder for young Wiggins.  Molly was concerned that the unconscious boy would not be able to swallow the powder.  The spirit of Christmas gave Little Bertie a stroke of inspiration- the powder needed to mixed with a drink that was easy to swallow.  So they administered it in a drink of egg nog!  Dr Watson poured the liquid slowly into the young boy’s mouth.  Wiggins recovered quickly.  He suddenly sat up and said “God bless us everyone!”