"They'll find they've started in to monkey with the wrong man unless they are careful.

By thunder, if that chap can't find my missing boot there will be trouble.

I can take a joke with the best, Mr.Holmes, but they've got a bit over the mark this time." "Still looking for your boot ?" "Yes, sir, and mean to find it." "But, surely, you said that it was a new brown boot ?" "So it was, sir.

And now it's an old black one." "What! you don't mean to say---- ?" "That's just what I do mean to say.

I only had three pairs in the world--the new brown, the old black, and the patent leathers, which I am wearing.