"You had better stay here, Watson."
"Why?"
"Because I had a wire from Hilton Cubitt this morning. You remember Hilton Cubitt, of the dancing men? He may be here at any moment. I gather from his wire that there have been some new incidents of importance."
We had not long to wait, for our Norfolk squire came straight from the station.
"You have found out something?"
"A good deal, Mr. Holmes. I have several fresh dancing-men pictures for you to examine, and, what is more important, I have seen the fellow."
"What, the man who draws them?"
"Yes, I saw him at his work. When I got back after my visit with you, the very first thing I saw the next morning was a fresh crop of dancing men. I took an exact copy, and here it is." He unfolded a paper and laid it upon the table. Here is a copy of the hieroglyphics:
Holmes examined it for some time, and then, folding it carefully up, he placed it in his pocketbook.
"This promises to be a most interesting and unusual case," said he. "I am fairly familiar with all forms of secret writings, and am myself the author of a trifling monograph upon the subject, in which I analyze one hundred and sixty separate ciphers, but I confess that this is entirely new to me."
Can you solve the mystery of the dancing men? If you do, you will be led to a box with more mysteries.