Otherwise this seems to me a very ordinary packet indeed." "Well, you have observed one point of interest, at any rate," said Thorndyke, taking the packet from me.

"But let us examine the thing systematically and note down what we see.

In the first place, you will notice that the label is an ordinary luggage label such as you may buy at any stationer's, with its own string attached.

Now, manufacturers commonly use a different and more substantial pattern, which is attached by the string of the parcel.

But that is a small matter.